If you're looking for a series for your child that's easier to read than Harry Potter, then this is the series for you. My 7 year old daughter hated reading. It was a battle. We tried Harry Potter but the book was way too long for a young reader to read by herself plus some of the words were too difficult and it became frustrating for her. Then I found Pixie Tricks. After starting the first book in the series (Sprite's Secret) my daughter began to realize how wonderful reading can really be. These easy to read books are divided into manageable chapters so that confidence is built as each chapter is read. You won't find your child getting discouraged when the end of the chapter seems too far to get to. So if you have a reluctant reader, take them on a magical journey to Violet's world where fairies really do exist and reading is fun.

I bought this and the second pixie tricks book for my daughter. She read both of them in one day after school and begged me to buy the rest of them so she could start the rest of the series after school the next day (that's saying a lot for a cartoon addicted child). The reading level is lower than what she usually reads, but she absolutely loves this series.

Pixie tricks Sprite's Secret is a wonderful story. I stayed up last night to read this book. Children 6-8 will love this story and series. I cannot wait to read the rest of this series. For Christmas I want the whole series, all 14 books for all 14 pixies. Pix the trouble maker traps people into playing games with him. Violet Briggs and Sprite the Royal Pixie Trickers go on a mission to send Pix back to the Otherworld. I am eight years old and I love this series. Meet Violet, Sprite, Pix and Hinky Pink and read on. Help Violet and Sprite stop Pix and get things back to normal. Watch out, do not let Pix tap you on the head!

I've read many of Oke's books and liked them, but for some reason I'd never picked up a Canadian West book. I waited way to long, because I loved this book. It was my favorite of her's along with The Meeting Place. I enjoyed Elizabeth's thoughts and troubles at getting her school. It's nice to see her win the hearts of all her students. I really admire her. This book touched my heart and also made me laugh. The mouse situation is hilarious! And then there's Wynn--he can't help but fall in love with Elizabeth, even if he is determined not to. A very romantic, adventurous, and beautiful book. I definately recommend it.

I have read most of Janette Oke's books, and I must say that "When Calls the Heart" is really one of her best books. It is one of the few Janette Oke books I have actually enjoyed, without getting annoyed at the characters or finding historical inaccuracies.

The book's heroine, Elizabeth, travels to the western frontier to be a teacher. Her adventures are interesting and often humorous (but not outlandish) as she adapts from city life to frontier life. Of course, she meets a handsome Mountie and falls in love with him... Untypically, Janette Oke doesn't have them meet each other right away, and quickly marry them off; she allows Elizabeth to remain in suspense for quite some time and get to actually know Wynn (the Mountie) better. That is one thing I liked better about this book than other Janette Oke books- the characters were more realistic (on the whole) and they did not fall in love at first sight and want to get married right away. I liked that because it left the plot freer for other topics besides the characters' romance.

I must say, however, that one must not let the good reviews of "When Calls the Heart" to lead them into buying the other three books in the "Canadian West" series. They are not nearly as good as the first book. In fact, I highly suggest that you read "Mrs. Mike", by Benedict and Nancy Freedman, instead. "Mrs. Mike" is a true story, and when you compare it with the remainder of the Canadian West books, it is obvious where Janette Oke got much of her material for incidents and characters.

You'll enjoy "When Calls the Heart." I definitely did. The other three books aren't as good, but you can read "When Calls the Heart" by itself; it doesn't necessarily need sequels.

It was a really good book. It made me laugh, almost cry, and kept me on the edge of my seat till I was done. I would LOVE to read the others

GPS guide, great descriptions, totally dependable. Dont waste time with others, buy this one!

I bought this guidebook a few years ago and it is definitely one of the best. It fits easily in our seatback. He covers many trails. What has been helpful about his book, is that the mileage is given in both directions, so you can easily figure out where you are given your starting point. All the cross roads you come across are described as well, so you don't wonder, should I have gone that way. His mileage was right on with our odometer. I have a few other guide books, but his is definitely the best because of the detailed description of your road trip. Highly recommend. With his book and a Trails Illustrated map, no reason for you to get lost.

I do not own this book, but had read my friends quite a bit, when we actually took our first 4WD trip, we used a competitors book. It paled in comparison, this book is so much more informative. The directions are flawless and the photos and histories it details make it much easier to find the trail that suits your interests.

I bought this book for my parents to take with them on their first trip (50th anniversary) to Hawaii. I've been to Hawaii several times and have had several guide books. I love this one the best. It it easy to read, larger print than some of the guide books, written so that it is entertaining to read. What I love the best is that every page has side bar lists that rank the same things, i.e, most romantic restaurant, restaurants with ocean view, best breakfasts, etc. I came online to re-order myself one (since I keep borrowing my parent's gift back!), only to find that it is out of print. ...

An outstanding overall guide to Hawaii--The best feature is a "quiz" which helps you decide which island(s) you will find most enjoyable. It has general advice on visiting Hawaii, how to get the best deals, etc., followed by a chapter on each of the major islands. It does not cover islands a new visitor is less likely to visit, such as Lanai and Molokai. The specific chapters on each island give useful coverage of major attractions or activities, and very detailed commentary on a limited number of hotels/resorts/B&Bs. I highly recommend the book, but once you have decided to visit, I recommend that you buy specific books covering the island(s) you want to visit. If you want to spend more than a few days on a given island, you will probably want more detailed coverage than given in this book. Despite this, the book is VERY valuable for a first-time visitor who wants to figure out the who, what, where, why and how of a Hawaiian vacation.

Very detailed and extremely helpful. Gives Island by Island details of where to visit and wonderful places to eat. I highlighted so much, you would have thought it was printed on yellow and pink paper!! A very good value and a must before you take your trip to the Islands!

Four boys on a camping trip with their parents decide to spend the night in the cemetery above the ghost town Bodine, Arizona. Two had to be coaxed there through a dare. While sitting around a campfire telling stories they are frightened off by the sight of a luminous bluish weeping women in a long flowing dress. It's Annie Murphy, the murderess! They run back to their parent's camp to tell their tale.

The boys' sighting draws serious investigators to the site. Professor MacPherson, an astrophysicist and an Old West Buff whose convinced that the strange phenomenon is caused by a severe disturbance in the magnetic field within the town, and Dr. Jacob Cooper, an archeologist and his two children Jay and Lila. Mac wants Dr. Cooper to examine a massive carving done of a weeping woman on the cliff in the cemetery above the grave of Cyrus Murphy, Annie's murdered husband. Annie was a master carver who worked in both wood and stone.

The Cooper children wide up in the thick of the mystery as they are sucked back in time and Sheriff Dustin Potter is propelled forward. Being a sheriff doesn't always make a man the good guy. Getting to the bottom of this mystery could cost the professor, the Coopers and even Annie Murphy's life.

Frank Peretti is as good as his press, a master storyteller. I read this in a single sitting because I simply had to know what was going to happen next. Annie Murphy's story is a good read for adults and children alike!

Is there anything that Peretti can't write - or won't? This time (get it?) the Coopers are in the good old US, and traveling with their old buddy Mac to a strange desert location. Ghostly sightings, and massive cliff carvings make their trip worth it...until they are separated by the minor amount of two hundred years! Jay and Lila desperately try to decipher the messages being left in the past...while Doc and Mac try to decipher the messages being left at the same time...in the future!!

The adventure and fun of the Coopers hits new heights with The Legend of Annie Murphy.

This was a very good book. I enjoyed it all, I couldn't put it down! I love books that have time-travel in them. This book was about Jay and Lila switching places in time with a sheriff from 100 years ago. They were investagating the mystery of Annie Murphy who supposedly killed her husband. People had said that strange carvings had apeared in the canyon where she once lived, and supposedly was shot for muder. What really ocured was that a time vortex caught Annie, who now floats in and out of time, between 100 years. The vortex was caused because of the wierd gravity in the canyon. When both kids and sheriff come close to her at the same point in time, the vortex causes them to switch places in time. The kids and their father discover a plot between the judge and the sheriff, to frame Annie. Is she a murderer or not? And will the kids return to they're own time before the time vortex disapears? As I said, I couldn't put this book down.

There are so many self-help books out there that just give you a lot of mush and feel-good words that don't add up to something. This book actually tells you real stuff. It helped me understand how being afraid is more than what we usually think of as fear. It's what keeps us from being successful, or happy. Unless you understand what Homer calls long-term fear, you can't break out of it. I love the little stories Homer tells about the people back in Coalwood. They make you laugh and then they make you think and you realize you've learned something really good! Of all the self-help, inspirational books out there, this one will really help you to break loose from what's been holding you back even when you didn't realize it. And, folks, if you've got something scary to do, like flying on a plane for a long trip or something and you've been dreading it, read this book and I'll guarantee you that you won't be afraid. It's really kind of a miracle read.

The advice I found in this book has changed my life, too. Somebody told me I should read this when they caught be dragging around filled with worry. What can a little book do to change that I asked and they said well, just read it and see. The insights in this book have been just amazing. Homer teaches through stories that are fun to read but after you're done, you just sit back and go I really see that. I really, really do. Honestly, I've spent money on a lot of these selfhelp do better kind of books but the way Homer does it, I think I really got my money's worth this time.

Hands down one of the greatest books I have ever read! Time to stop dreamin' and start taking some action. Homer Hickam has the gift of lifting you up higher than any mountain in West Virginia. I laughed and I cried...as I do through all of his books. But this one really grabbed my heart and made me realize that I am somebody too. We are truly lucky to have such a talent share his life (past/present) with us. If you are feeling blue or simply just down and out, I recommend that you read this book. I know that you will enjoy it as much as I did!

Wayne Sarf's Little Bighorn Campaign is a clearly written and accurate account of the famous battle of 1876. Its other great virtue is balance. Sarf presents all aspects of this complex event in a fair and readable manner, a "must read" for anyone interested in the Littler Bighorn Campaign.

Here's where to start if you want to read just one book on the Summer Campaign of 1876 against the "off-reservation" plains indians. This paperback from 2000 is a reprint, with a few minor corrections of misprints, of the 1993 hardback edition. The only actual new text is the "preface to the revised edition," dated May 1999.

Sarf's approach is even-handed, and he has a real eye for telling details and for vivid quotes from participants and eyewitnesses. Boxes set apart from the main text give needed detail and background, particularly on individuals participating. A great deal of exotic color is provided by the various indians who rode with both sides in the conflict. For example, riding with General Crooke were The Other Magpie, a beautiful female warrior, and Finds Them And Kills Them, a transvestite who dressed and lived as a woman except during battles! You don't encounter soldiers of that calibre in most military histories!

The Summer Campaign of 1876 is distinguished by the almost staggering military incompetence displayed by the U.S. Army leaders. Apart from Custer, who generally seemed to know what he was up to, and the canny Nelson Miles, virtually every commander in the field seemed to be clueless, cowardly, vacillating, and in a couple of cases (Gibbon comes to mind at once) apparently paralyzed by mental illness.

Well-written and extremely readable. If you have ever wondered how Custer really got into that very bad fix, this is the best place to start your quest for understanding, and Sarf also offers a good annotated list for further reading.

Wayne Sarf has researched all the master historians in the past and present to provide a fascinating well written history and objective book on the LBH and Sioux Campaign. The book tells the complete history of the campaign from its inception to its finale, Custer's and the Sioux's as a free people. Sarf quotes both the participants concerning their actions in the campaign as well as perspectives of major historians. He also offers his own views based on the historical record and logic. An important example is his evidence and commentary concerning General Terry's June 26th rendezvouz which is pure fiction and self serving. As Sarf well proves, Custer acted judiciously and appropriately based on the information, circumstances and the expectations provided to him in synch with all the military commanders . Unfortunately for him, the circumstances changed once he was committed to the attack. Wonderful perspectives including side bars on the military participants, weapons and Native Americans. Also includes a readers guide for additional reading including critiques and some cheeky comments.

Point number one: As a Seattlite, Tom Douglas' three fabulous restaurants have always been among my favorites. I'm thrilled to have the recipes for all my favorite dishes - Lobster Potstickers, Tuscan Bread Salad and Cornbread Pudding, just to name a few. And then there is the world's most amazing dessert: Triple Coconut Cream Pie. I don't particularly care for coconut, but I'd walk miles for a bite of this marvel. Whenever visitors come to town, we inevitably take them to the Dahlia Lounge and insist, no matter how loud their protests, that they at least try a bite. Without fail, they, too, become converts. Trust me on this. Douglas' recipes are well-written and adapted for the home cook. He does a great job of explaining off-beat ingredients and preparations. Where appropriate, he even includes photos of how to tackle some of the more unusual preparations that make his recipes even easier to follow.

Point number two: Not only does Douglas give you his best recipes in this book, but he has also written what should be considered a mandatory guidebook to visitors and newcomers to Seattle. Douglas generously mentions most of the other great restaurants in town and tells you when to go and what to order. His description of the local markets is so comprehensive, it should be mandatory reading for every new cook who comes to town. Clearly, this man loves Seattle, and he wants to share all the best of it with his readers.

I have been raving about the dinners I had at both Etta's and Dahlia Lounge since my last trip to Seattle two years ago. I was thrilled to find that Tom Douglas had written this book, and even more thrilled to begin cooking the moment it entered my home. The recipes are easy for even a novice cook to tackle, and experienced chefs will marvel at the wonderful blending of flavors and spices Tom presents. Even my children have loved everything I've made, and that's a tough audience! Buy and use this book. You won't be sorry!

Being a Seattle ex-patriot, I feel like I know Mr. D well. I've had the privledge, over the years, not only to dine at all three restaurants but to meet the man as well, (I once begged him to let me live in the basement of the Dahlia and let me eat the crumbs from the table). In the chapter titled "Starters", my wife and I were among the 12,000 devouring Flash-fried Squid at "The Bite" (Side note: Tom, we're sorry it became a pain, but we just couldn't stop from stuffing our faces).

Tom is not only a genius in his restaurants, but this book as well. Even if you have never had the chance to eat at one of his restaurants, this book will introduce you to you to one of the true greats of American cooking. Having eaten at all of the restaurants AND tried the recipes, he is right-on in telling you how to make these favorites.

I never thought I would actually hold in my hands the "secrets" to Tuscan Bread Salad, but yet, here it is. (But Tom, how about the Tamales from Etta's?)

Oh, and by the way, this book is not just about Tom's restaurants. Listen to his advice about visiting Seattle. Any world-class chef that will recommend Dick's for a late-night burger has his finger on the true pulse of the city!

I may now live a thousand miles away, but Tom is here now, in my kitchen, guiding me as I make most of my favorites from his world. It will never be the same as a wonderful, romantic evening spent at the Dahlia or a rainy afternoon at Etta's, but at least it fills the void.

Some of us remember the Blues 'n' BBQ events that Tom did for Food Lifeline. These events, not held at the restaurants but at a local park, spoke not only of the true giving spirit of Mr. D, but also give credibility to the chapter, "Mo'Poke Dadu". Is there anything the man cannot do?

I do wish the recipe for Gingerbread that we enjoyed one dark miserable fall afternoon at Etta's was here, but hey, if enough of us buy this book, perhaps Tom will take requests for the next one....

Tom, we miss you. Thank you for making the journey, via your first cookbook, to the culinary wasteland of Southern California.

(P.S. I'm available for "R & D" anytime you're in the neighborhood!)

Don't judge a book by it's cover doesn't apply in this case because not only is the cover of West Wind Review a work of art, but so it the writing. I love the prose poems/sudden fictions in this book. Please keep up the good work.

Why can't all reviews and anthologies have the same quality of writing as West Wind Review? I am NEVER disappointed in the work that comes out of this anthology. I think this one will be a collector's edition because some of the writers are headed for Pulitzer Prizes.

I recommend this anthology to anyone wanting a break from trendy genre novels, boring non-fiction, me-me-me poetry and nonsensical language poetry. Writers in West Wind Review are superb at mixing humor with pathos on their quests to find the meaning of life. You know how most writers seem to be trying too hard and sound fake deep? Not this group. Check it out.

I would bet a thousand chip at the casino that all of these perfect reviews were written by people who are affiliated with the guide and who stand to profit from it. Tell me I'm wrong. Look at the language in these reviews, it screams plant.

The first comprehensive guide to the popular ABC islands, located just off the Venezuelan coast. Discover the quiet life of Bonaire, gamble away at Aruba's casino, hit the high-style designer clothing stores in Curaçao, and relax on the glorious white beaches of all three! Here is the ultimate guide to discovering the high life and cool spots of the ABCs, written by authors who have sacrificed their vacations to research this book (poor things!). This Alive Guide focusses on shopping (snatch up some duty-free bargains), hotels (colorful local cuisine and fine dining alike) and restaurants, with special attention paid to the cream of the crop. Sightseeing, historical walking tours, wildlife discovery, and watersports are also covered. The activity-oriented Sunup to Sundown sections will fill your day with beaches, deep-sea fishing charters, diving excursions, moped rides and more, while After Dark tells you of the best Happy Hours, the liveliest clubs and the bars where things really hop! Handy A-Z sections for each island provide all the practical details - airline offices, banking hours and locations, emergency telephone numbers, shopping hours, tourist information booths.

"Written in a highly readable style, this guide seems to have omitted nothing." Pittsburgh Post