What's going on? I have been giving this little gem to my kids' teachers every year for more years than I care to count. (For one thing, the price is right. For another thing, every teacher has really appreciated the book--and the other one, RECESS, that followed this one.)

Someone told me that another publisher is going to put the two books together and bring them out with a new title. Does anyone know if this is true? Here's hoping it is. If you know anything about this, please pass the info along to the rest of us. Thank you.

Recently as a new faculty member, my unofficial mentor(who's in her fifties like myself) loaned me her treasured copy of "Chalkdust". It was a gift to her from her dearest friend and colleague in 1989. Elsa handed it to me during these autumn weeks filled with stress; intense stress that is not from adolescent hormones nor wiggling bodies, but from an administration in chaos after the firing of our beloved principal. The militaristic VP's and inexperienced new principal are most teachers' worst nightmare . . . and the souls adrift amidst these chaotic moments are those of our students. ----- Since the pre-dawn hours are my favorite for lesson planning and for arriving in my classroom just as the building opens, I find myself uncharacteristically lagging at home like a mopey teen unwilling to go to school. In fact I've considered leaving the education field all together, even though I am among members of our family's fourth generation of teachers. "Chalkdust" reminds me of the deepest motives for following this challenging professional path: supporting the growth and well-being of shorter younger humans, as well as remaining invested in the learning/teaching dynamic. ----- As a special educator my wonderful students are the learning disabled and emotionally disturbed kids that drive other fabulous pros to screaming tears. The prayer "For the Child Who Lies and Steals" counsels me that my two squirreliest boys are in need of a personal helper like someone from television's "Touched By An Angel". Sure, they're the only two who willingly stay after school to help me redo my bulletin boards for open house, but there are always at least two things missing afterwards. My gentle confrontation the next day brings a sly embarrassed confession from each one, while leaving me utterly confused. Later as I clean colored chalkdust off my navy blazer, I whisper a plea for help for these two. ----- Remarkable Sunny is autistic and since kindergarten has gone through neighborhood schools with the same group of kids. Now in eighth grade, he is not accepted by others as a friend openly, though he is oddly loved by many. Often I read the meditation "For the Rejected Child" for both this young man and for the Sunny in me that feels so akin to this boy's sensitivity and loneliness. ----- My world is filled with educators who are: beginning as aides, like nineteen year-old Omar, my right-hand man in the classroom; my sister, a veteran teacher who tutors dyslexic children as she battles cancer; octogenarian retired teachers; and colleagues in a variety of stages of their teaching careers. Mother (once a music teacher) and I have agreed to buy fifty copies of Chalkdust this Christmas . . . gifts for this holiday season and treasures for future friends who may need encouragement in the middle of chaos.

When I began teaching high school English fourteen years ago, I quickly learned that my perceptions and the realities of teaching did not quite jive. Had it not been for one of my former teachers taking me under her wing, I doubt I'd be in the profession still today. It was a copy of "Chalkdust" that she gave me that served as an inspiration for continuing. Every child a teacher could possibly meet in a career is addressed in this book. My mentor marked particular passages for "In the Middle of a Bad Day" and "For Confidence" and suddenly I found that I was not the only one who felt insecure and frustrated. I think when one begins teaching, she often feels she's on her own-that the support system is not there. This book helps provide the encouragement and the vision to continue after a particularly disheartening day.

Agent Larsen and Agent Larsen produce a comprehensive database for tracking the network connections established by Matrix Meister, Joseph Campbell in upgrading the virtual reality of daily existence for current generations of citizen believers. Agents Larsen and Larsen provide a compelling and vivid account of Campbell's genius in reformatting the work of earlier master technicians such as Meisters Plato, Paul, Augustine and Eckhart, in maintaining viability of the First Principle of Matrix Management: that the self and its passions must be transcended for the attainment of ultimate bliss. In formulating this upgrade version of the First Principle, Larsen and Larsen carefully document the development of Campbell's ties with Robert Bly, John Cage, Maya Deren, Bob Dylan, Mircea Eliade, Jerry Garcia, Marija Gimbutas, Stanislav Grof, Joan Halifax, Jean Houston, Al Huang, Carl Jung, Sam Keen, Stanley Keleman, Jiddu Krishnamurti, George Lucas, Paul & Mary Mellon, Michael Murphy, Bill Moyers, Swami Nikhilananda, John Steinbeck and Alan Watts, along with institutions that include the Bollingen Foundation, Esalen, the Young President's Organization and the United States Information Service. A remarkable achievement, even Morpheus concedes, despite being largely facilitated, as Agents Larsen and Larsen record, by the estate of industrial/financial magnate Andrew Mellon. AI Central is honoring Agents Larsen and Larsen with benevolent termination. The forthcoming generation of Sentinels will be known as the Meister Campbell. A must read for all novice agents.

An excellent book. The contents of this book made for some of the most interesting reading I have ever done. This will be a treasured hardcover book on my shelves for the rest of my life. Campbell not only taught us during his life, but is stepping over the threshold of time to continue teaching us lessons on what life can hold for those who are willing to follow their Bliss. I have only felt this strongly about a book a dozen times in my life. As for availability, business has never had enough vision and foresight to make available what feeds ones soul. Have this book reprinted for yourself if you can't purchase it!

You state that this book is out of stock. Boarders got it for me in three days.

In Lazy Daisy, a young girl considers her messy room a masterpiece with its mountains of toys and piles of clothes, and a closet to match! Daisy considers herself with some pride as being the laziest girl in the world with a marvelous mess to prove it! Then Daisy's grandmother gets lost in all the mess and soon the entire town is buried in junk. Will Daisy learn her lesson and clean up the town before it's lost forever? Will Gramma get her dentures back? Enthusiastically recommended for young picturebook readers, Lazy Daisy is an original and entertaining story by David Olson that is showcased by Jenny Campbell's light and lively drawings.

It's always a bonus when adults actually enjoy the books they read to children and Lazy Daisy is definitely one of those books that entertains both groups. The rhyming verse is very funny - David Olson is a creative writer who concocts a hilarious combination of words to tell Daisy's story, and the comical illustrations add a perfect touch to the impending catastrophe. I can't wait to read his next book!

This is a TERRIFIC book for kids! ALL of us have gone through the "CLEAN UP YOUR ROOM" issue with our kids. This book puts a hilarious spin on the consequences of living in a big fat mess! Your kids will love it..you will love it! This is a FIRST BOOK for both the author and the illustrator...and it was selected as an AMERICAN BOOKSELLER PICK OF THE LISTS for 2000! Both author and illustrator need to be congratulated for a fine piece of work, and I look forward to seeing the next one!

when i first wrote in this diary i felt like the book was under- standing my feelings because it's really colorful and it has a lot of cool pictures of animals and you can even make them talk you can draw your favorite pictures because there is alot of blank space and write your favorite jokes because there is a jokes section and i couldn't believed at first but there is even an album,where you can put your favorite pictures.

it's just really really cool.

these books are really intresting and fun to write in, or if you dont want to write you can fill in word bubbles and draw in this. it is really cool and encorages you to write and keep a diary!

This was the best,most creative diary that I have EVER owned! At 13, I've had quite a few diaries, but I always seemed to get bored with them, and never finish writing in them. But this diary is creative, spunky, and really over the top (I mean, who would think of putting animals in a diary, and you making them talk?) Plus, you get lots of empty space for pictures, and drawings, thats good if you don't feel like writing. A surefire hit with me.

Ashleigh loves Shadow, a filly she saw being born. An unkind trainer who delivers a stallion to Edgardale, he sees Shadow and wants her. Ashleigh's parents turned down his offer. He sneaks up to Edgardale that night and steals her. Ashleigh finds Shadow at Churchill Downs, where she is helping out, but the trainer moves her again. Ashleigh finds the trainer's farm and is happily back with her filly. I can't believe that somebody will steal a horse! Let alone a foal! That was the best book in the Ashleigh series so far out of the 3 I read. Read it!

This book made me cry. It is the saddest book in the Ashleigh series!! Even though Ashleigh finds Shadow at the track, it still made me cry when she was gone. What i really like about Ashleigh is that she never gives up hope like her parents did!! Ashleigh and Mona found her beloved filly and that is another reason why I cried!!!

this book is great

BRINGING UP ZIGGY IS SUCH A DELIGHTFUL TALE, OR IN THIS CASE, IT COULD BE TAIL. THE HEROINE OF THE BOOK, ZIGGY, HAS A TAIL,THAT FUNCTIONS INDEPENDENTLY OF HER. THE STORY TAKES THE READER BY THE HEART AND LEADS THROUGH THE LIFE OF A BLACK CAP CAPUCHIN MONKEY-GIRL AND HER HUMAN FOSTER FAMILY. WHILE BEING A WONDERFULLY ENTERTAINING TRUE STORY, IT IS ALSO VERY EDUCATIONAL AND FACTUAL. HELPING HANDS MONKEYS ARE GIFTS FROM GOD TO PEOPLE WHO ARE QUADRIPLEGIC. FROM THE BIRTH OF THE BABY MONKEY TO THE TIME IT IS READY TO BE A HELPING HAND IS A FASCINATING AND MOVING TRIP. READ THIS BOOK AND PREPARE TO FALL IN LOVE WITH THE CAMPBELLS AND THE LITTLE ZIGSTER.

Andrea Campbell's book, Bringing Up Ziggy, is a heartwarming and inspiring book. Campbell describes rasing a monkey as a foster parent for the Helping Hands Program. The Helping Hands Program provides quadriplegics with trained monkeys to assist in their daily care. Campbell explains the love, commitment, and sacrifice needed. For most people, it would be hard to imagine such an undertaking or how amazing the amount of knowledge that a human can learn from an adorable capuchin.

This book is one that the reader will not be able to put down once the reading has begun. Bringing Up Ziggy offers animal behavior facts, adventure, and comedy from cover to cover. Campbell shares her knowledge with the reader on living a life with a monkey in the home. The book tells about the rewards of being a foster parent in the Helping Hands Program.

I would recommend this book to anyone considering adding a monkey to their household. Bringing Up Ziggy will help the readers to understand the love, commitment, and sacrifice that is needed in raising a monkey in the home. Most of all, the book will enlighten the reader to the richness, love and joy the monkeys bring to the people they live with.

This book presents refreshing insight into the dedication and commitment necessary to raise a non-human primate (a capuchin monkey) for the Helping Hands Program (a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for quadriplegic individuals by training capuchin monkeys to assist them with daily activities) located in Boston, MA. Ms Campbell relates her journey with Ziggy, a female capuchin monkey, from infancy adoption to adulthood. The delights of raising a baby, the trials of adolescence and the compassion needed to understand the intricacy of maturity are all described with comprehensive detail.

The tantalizing prospect of living with one of our closet relatives is quickly dispelled as infant antics turn into potential difficulties. Each member of this family must learn their place in Ziggy's world. And, indeed, each member is quickly placed in a particular category, according to Ziggy's personal hierarchy. Ms Campbell weighs the pros and cons of having accepted the responsibility of foster caring this incredible creature. She holds back nothing in describing what it is like to share her home with a monkey. Controversy abounds in regards to some of the necessary procedures and Ms. Campbell presents them astutely. She interjects facts about these incredible creatures among the personal account of her life with Ziggy.

The accomplishments of Ms. Campbell and her human family, in learning to understand who Ziggy is, along with Ziggy's own accomplishments, makes for an engaging narrative. Several black & white photos enhance this account of one woman's devotion to her diminutive charge and her beliefs in the benefits proposed by the Helping Hands Program. It is a must read for anyone who has contemplated life with a non-human primate. Having raised a capuchin monkey from infancy to adulthood myself, I can speak from experience and highly recommend this book.

Speaking as a non-cook who is forever looking for short cuts, this collection of recipes using Campbell's soups is ideal--and although the idea of using canned soup as a primary ingredient may cause some to roll their eyes in gastronomic superiority, the recipes in this particular collection are both easy and surprisingly successful.

The book breaks down into seven sections: appetizers and snacks, soups and stews, main dishes (with sections for poultry, beef, pork, lamb, veal, fish and seafood, and eggs and cheese) side dishes, and "Campbell's Classics." Recipes range from the extremely simple to the slightly more complicated but still extremely accesible, and few will be intimidated.

While some of the recipes harken back to the sort of thing your mother might have stepped into the kitchen to whip up as a quick meal for the kids, there are also quite a few more sophistocated recipes with international flair designed for modern tastes, including several with an Asian tone. While I doubt these dishes will ever compete with truly made-from-scratch cooking, they are surprisingly successful, quite a bit of fun to make, and offer a result that most will enjoy--particularly when you open the cabinet and are at a bit of a loss as to what to cook for that unexpected guest.

My youngest daughter owns this book and loaned it to me, I'm an experienced 'scratch' cook and this book has amazed me with it's simplicity, the recipes are easy enough for novices and presentable enough to fix for company. I highly recommend it to new brides, college kids, experienced cooks and gourmets - you just can't lose and the presentation is wonderful. Just ordered 4 for gifts. If you have an up coming wedding to buy for, add this inside a lovely covered casserole dish and the bride will thank you forever.

My teen age boys love to use this book. It is simple, they can fix meals they like, and it is a good way to start them cooking on their own.

Seldom do I see a business book that captures one compelling metaphor and carries it out over an entire book like this one did. The writing is good, detailed, and clear. Further, the book is filled with valuable team-building exercises that will improve communications and effectiveness, as well as work satisfication. If you work with manufacturing teams in the automotive industry, this book will be extremely valuable to you. In fact, it may function at beyond a five star level. On the other hand, if you work in high technology away from the NASCAR circuit and do most of your communicating in a virtual team by e-mail and shareware, this book may not seem very relevant.

The book's main weaknesses are part of its strengths. If you do not follow NASCAR, a lot of the metaphor will be lost on you. For that reason, I think the book would have worked better with more metaphors or one that was more universal than this one. The exercises are very good for bringing out differences and welding them together into an effective team, but they seemed very dependent on having a facilitator. I suspect that this facilitator would normally have to be from outside the team, for best results. Many organizations would not have the resources to draw on facilitators this much. Also, for short-term ad hoc teams, the exercises here could be overkill. There was not enough guidance about what you could cut back on, in those circumstances.

Also, I have seen a lot of team-building exercises blow up due to inexperienced facilitators. This book would not provide enough guidance to the neophyte facilitator on what to do, should a heated disagreement occur.

I graded the book down one star for its facilitator-intensive approach.

After you have finished enjoying new ways to improve team effectiveness, I suggest that you think about where people should work in teams but do not in your organization. What are the costs of this approach? What would have to be done to switch over to teams in those areas? Focusing on those opportunities may be an even bigger payoff than making your existing teams more effective.

May you enjoy the race, as your team is able to move faster, more safely, and more efficiently!

In today's increasingly complex business environment, "speed" has become the mantra of successful organizations. The ability to learn and adapt to changing conditions more quickly than the competition is what separates the winners from the losers. In their book, Checkered Flag Teams, Renee Merchant and Jo Ellen Roe capture the centrality of speed in the modern business environment by creatively building their presentation of team development around an auto racing theme. The auto racing theme also provides an interesting juxtaposition by demonstrating the importance of teamwork in a sport that to an outsider seems more of an individual endeavor.

The primary strength of the book is that it is based on a theoretically eloquent and easy-to-understand model of teamwork. I have never been overly fond of Tuckman's model of team development because it focuses too heavily on the social dynamics of teams while ignoring the crucial element of the tasks that the team was created to accomplish. The authors' model of team development (presented on page 31), however, corrects this weakness by providing a convincing case for the need to balance task and process issues in team development.

The more obvious strength of the book is that it provides a number of "tools" for developing effective teams. These team activities are indexed early in the book, so you can quickly locate just the activity that you need. The instructions and rationale for each activity are precise and easy to follow, so that even novice team leaders should be able to employ them successfully. In addition, most of the team activities are fairly brief and to the point which makes them perfect for teams on the move.

I especially recommend the book for teams that are just getting started, as it provides an excellent toolkit for getting teams off to good start. Though it also provides a nice reference for team leaders in any field who are working to develop their team facilitation skills or are just looking for some creative new team building activities.

Checkered Flag Teams: Driving Your Workplace Into The Winner's Circle employs an automotive racing template to provide the corporate manager an up-beat approach to having a strong business team utilizing a "Fast Start Teamwork" process. Authors Renee Merchant and Jo Ellen Roe provide the reader with more than thirty tools and activities that anyone who drives a car can relate to. Included is a completely new communications style inventory, "CARStyles", inspired by the type of vehicle team members prefer to drive. Checkered Flag Teams is highly recommended reading for corporate policy makers, human resource directors, managers, supervisors, team members, consultants, and aspiring entrepreneurs.

This is a fantastic book for anyone looking for clear, practical advice on having a good relationship with their teenager. The author is a psychiatrist who writes on a simple level that anybody can understand. He helps you understand what your teen is going through and how to relate in a positive way. Very practical and down to earth. A definite five-star read, even if you don't have teenagers!

This book has had a profound effect upon our home life. My son was diagnosed with depression several years ago and nothing seemed to be helping at home. Since reading this book and applying Dr.Campbell's suggestions for physical contact, eye contact, communicating anger constructively, and consequences, there has been an unbelievable change in the relationship with our son. I wish that I had found this book sooner.

This book spoke volumes to me as I raise my older teenagers. With practical suggestions based on sound biblical teaching, this is a Godsend for any parent. The chapters on parental self control and dealing with teenage anger were especially constructive. The hope which permeates this book is that parents can make an enormous, life-changing difference in their child's life regardless of the outside influences. Highly recommend this book and only wish I had read it years ago.

I can not believe no one else has written a review for this outstanding thriller.

Frank Pagan, the protagonist, is a bruised, battered London cop, whi is assigned to the anti-terrorist squad.

The "Jig" of the title is a well-accomplished Irish killer.

Frank has to catch him.

So, yes: it's a chase story. And it moves. The body count is awesome, the tension is overwhelming. The atmosphere is gritty, sweaty, saeamy. It's real. While it doesn't actually say so in the text, you know that Frank Hagan is a man who farts. He's human. He's damaged: a widower, still in love with his dead wife. He's... eccentric: a Londoner who drives a huge American car and plays 1950s rock and roll LOUD on the car stereo.

The story is a tad dated, but gripping nonetheless. Read it, then read the follow-ups: Jigsaw, and Heat.

They all compare favourably with Nelson Demille's "Cathedral".. enough said?

Jig is the code name of an Irish assassin with a sense of right and wrong that separates him from other IRA hit-men.

Frank Pagan is the Scotland Yard agent assigned to bring him down.

When a ship carrying over a million dollars' worth of money and weapons for the IRA is attacked in the Atlantic, the two adversaries are thrown into a game of intrigue, deception, violence, and trust that Campbell Armstrong has woven into a flawless novel of suspense that will have all readers on the edge of their seats.

It is in New York City that the two meet face-to-face...and the chase begins. Jig doesn't know where to begin looking for the money. Pagan can't convince the FBI to allow him to investigate in his own way. And Ivor McInnes, a Belfast minister, is working on something so deadly that Jig and Pagan are forced to join forces to stop a scheme that will bring the IRA to its knees.

Featuring a conscience-torn ex-priest, the President's brother, and a mysterious woman named Celestine, "Jig" is a riveting page-turner that echoes the dance it is named after. And the faster the dance gets, the harder the book is to put down.

It's a shame that Jig is one of those countless thriller novels that will sink into literary history without anyone noticing. I would just recommend that you should really, really try to find this book. Jig is a classic assassin chase type thriller, and I believe it's one of the best in the genre, even approaching the perennial favorite, Forsyth's Day of the Jackal.

Jig is an Irish assassin who is well trained and ruthlessly efficient. He is a fascinating character, his emotions, his feelings are well written throughout the book. Even better is the clever twist about 100 pages into that book that reveals the assassins real identity, making further study into his life and family even more enjoyable.

The story revolves around a stolen shipment of 10 million dollars sent to IRA coffers from a group of high profile American backers. Jig is sent to America by his mentor to find out who took the money and to take it back. Tracking him down is maverick MI-5 investigator Frank Pagan, a man obsessed with Jig. Pagan's wife was killed in an IRA bombing, and he takes it very personally.

The action is well paced, the mystery fairly compelling. The Jig vs. Pagan dynamic drives the book, but there are a host of supporting characters that are intriguing as well.

Jig the book deserves a lot more attention, even as Ireland seemingly is on the path to peace. It's hard to believe that the stories hinted at in Jig took place in reality. Try to find it, it's worth the look.