I was given this book as a young child. I lost the book but I never forgot the story. Now that I am about to have a child of my own this book is how I want to introduce him to Jesus. This book introduces Jesus to children on their own level, as a visiting guest just like any other. It makes the child think about how he or she would treat Jesus if He came to their house. Would they need to act differently or not? It makes the child think about their actions now. I love this book

A great story to help little people understand the Golden Rule, and to let them realize that everyone deserves to be treated in the way that you would treat Jesus. My child received this book at her christening - What a wonderful christening gift!!

I have my original copy given to me when I was child in Sunday School on a military base in Germany. This little book was my precious treasure that made the presence of Christ meaningful and gave me courage to reach out and do the things that needed to be done to help others. What good pictures and what a message of hope for us all at all ages !Marilyn Hunt

Very highly recommended

Wow! NOWHERE TO HIDE by Joan HallHovey held this reviewer riveted from the prologue to the hair-raising conclusion. A mesmerizing walk with evil, NOWHERE TO HIDE moves with grace, introducing motive, characters, and background information in a smooth fluid narrative seldom matched.

Willing to break all the rules, Ellen is ruthlessly determined to find her sister's murderer. Bonded by their survival of alcoholic and abusive parents, Ellen was remarkably close to her kid sister Gail. When their parents died in a car crash, Ellen had become like a mother to Gail. So when Gail's body is found, raped, beaten and strangled, Ellen will sacrifice her career and very life to find her sister's killer.

Evil is watching, even as it watched many years ago from its hidden place. Power courses in his veins when he takes a life, and he's thrilled to have an opponent as interesting as Ellen. Using her position as a psychologist, Ellen persuades a news station to give her a live interview. Breaking all the rules, Ellen challenges the murder to come after her, "Why don't you come after me? I'll be waiting for you."

Unable to resist, the evil serial killer takes the bait, leaving the following note on her windshield: "YOU'RE IT."

Hovey writes with a crispness that quickly becomes addictive, sweeping the reader into an engrossing narrative. With the subtle voice of a master, she reveals the weaknesses and strengths of her characters, making the reader a part of the suspense, and also making the reader care very much about the outcome. This reviewer heartily recommends NOWHERE TO HIDE.

Cindy Penn Senior Editor/Web Wizard Word Weaving: essential elements for all text weavers...

Joan Hall Hovey's Nowhere to Hide, is a fast moving suspense thriller, that will keep you up all night to finish it. Ellen Morgan, who is still recovering from the untimely death of her husband, is shattered when her younger sister is brutally murdered. Her pain soon turns to rage when she realizes that this man has killed before and will probably kill again and that the police seem unable to catch him. When the evening news wants to interview her about her work as a psychologist, she uses the opportunity to challenge the killer and sets into motion a series of events that will leave you turning all the lights on and locking your doors as you breathlessly await the outcome. Ellen and her sister grew up in an abusive home with alcoholic parents that ended with her sister living for a time in a local orphanage. Ellen senses that the answers she seeks my lie in the old orphanage but before she can really begin to look into her theory, the killer strikes again. As Ellen races to discover the identity of the killer, she finds that in order to live, she has to confront a past she has tried very hard to put behind her. Hovey has created a disturbing look into the mind of a serial killer that will send chills up your spine.

This one is a chiller - you won't be able to put it down - guaranteed! Rendezvous Mag

If you are looking for the suspense thriller of the year-look no further.You will find it in Nowhere To Hide... - Midnight Scribe Review

From Tracys Book Reviews

Outstanding!

You never know which will come when your eyes close and sleep takes over, dreams or nightmares...

Author Joan Hall Hovey has created a story that will make you want to leave your lights on in order to finish reading. NOWHERE TO HIDE is fast paced and well written, and will have you sitting on the edge of your seat in anticipation of the next impact. This book is filled with suspense and terror, love and anguish. It is a book that you can't put down until you have turned the final page...

Tracy Eastgate Reviews

I can't say enough about this book. If I could give it 10 stars I would. This is, by far, the BEST authentic Cuban cookbook (and I have several books on Cuban cuisine). I am Cuban-American and grew up eating Cuban food. I have always seen my mother cook but, as common with experienced cooks, they don't keep track of measurements. They just know. Since I am an inexperienced cook, I don't just know. I had a choice: experiment or find a book. In my search for an authentic cookbook, I found this one. This book even includes recipes for dishes that my mother never learned to make! I would HIGHLY recommend it to people who suffer from my same dilemma.

My only qualm: The author states at the beginning of the book that this is only a selection of the recipes. I hope that she writes another cookbook with ALL the recipes in her collection!

Mary Urrutia captured the essence of Cuban cooking in her book, tasty and simple home fare. The recipes are easy to follow. She suggests substitute ingredients for those of us who live in areas where the "criollo" ingredients may not be readily available. Every dish I have made from the book has been greeted with rave reviews by my family and friends. Urrutia has made it possible for those who follow her recipes to be labeled a "great Cuban cook"!

I absolutely love this book! It has so many wonderful recipes and all of them are perfect. I am Cuban-American and I even managed to surprise my grandparents with some of my new Cuban dishes. They tell me that they taste is truly "Cuban" and that it reminds them of real Cuban cuisine.

The recipes are super easy to follow, the book was written very well and very easy to understand. I highly recommend this book to any cook - Cuban or not. You'll love it!

My 32-year-old sister lent me this book to read over Christmas - our first Christmas without our mother, who died recently of cancer. I am 36, and at a crossroads in my life as I consider career options, children, etc. I found this book compelling and uplifting, despite the fact that in the beginning, I did not particularly care for the author's style. By the end, I was hooked by the message, and it's been rolling around in my mind ever since. I've enjoyed discussing it with my sister, and there are four women friends I'd like to buy it for - immediately!

This is the best book I have ever read. I am not a reader. Itwas extremely easy to understand and so uplifting. I now have anotherset of commandments for taking care of me which is something that I thought I didn't deserve! I have posted the commandments around the house as a constant reminder. I have bought lot's of copies for family and friends. I hope Joan Brady writes more.

This is a marvelous book. Not only is it a breeze to read, but it has made my life easier in contributing to altering my perspective on existence. I sent out a mass email to my enlightened friends, highly recommending this wonderful fable.

I've seen the movie, the revival, and I remember the original production with Joel Grey from my childhood....but nothing ever beats the book! A complete script, with stage directions and brilliantly captured moments of the play; a thick and hearty slice of life backstage at one of Broadway's most fun and intriguing shows-- get it now!

This is the next best thing to seeing Cabaret in studio 54! Pictures of the Roundabout theater production light up this book and tells the story of the revived new musical. This book does not tell the story of the Liza Minelli version, or any of the other Cabaret versions, but of that of the revival. I have seen the new production in person, and can only say that this is the next best thing...and the book even has the whole libretto in it!

(note to reader below:Jill Haworth was the original Sally Bowles, Alyson Reed was in the first revival and in this revival, the first Sally was Natasha Richardson)

"Cabaret" is by far my favorite musical and I've already seen it three times. This book is wonderful and a great addition to anyone's theater book collection

I followed this whole program. After you order the book, but before you do the 8-week program, please order the tapes in the back of the book. These will make doing the program 1,000 times more easier. I did it for severe depression. I don't want to make any jokes in this review because some people are in incredible mental and physical pain. This program has also been employed in hospital settings. You won't need a doctor or a teacher for this program. But there are a couple things to keep in mind. If I was diagnosed with cancer, I would first get rid of all junk foods. Then I would pray to God as often as I could. And third, I would follow this program. Even if you don't experience a "spontaneous remission", it can cut down greatly on chemotherapy and drugs. This program is for you to "feel" your body and mind states. You will love the "body scan". Very healing. Each day, you will be asked to give 45 minutes to each session. During this program, my depression decreased from 25% to 40%. During a similar period of following one of David Burn's books for cognitive-therapy, my depression decreased 8.5%. I quit both because I wanted more of a comprehensive spiritual program. But if someone told me that I had a fatal disease, this is what I would do. And there is one other concern that I have. I want my mind to be pointed in the right direction when I die. And it becomes extremely difficult when your body is being pounded with tons of pain to have a healthy and open attitude. But one is supposed to be able to use the dying experience in an opposite position in order to become a better person! I think that this is because when you accept both physical and mental pain, there is a subtle growth process behind it. When you fight it or resent it, it seems to build! Good luck.

I have both this book and Kabat-Zinn's other, "Wherever You Go, There You Are." That one is more of a general intro to mindfulness (i.e, concentrating on your breathing as a way to clear your mind and reach a deeper level) meditation. It's written in a more aphoristic style: short and sweet, lots of quotes from Thoreau and various gurus, "try this" exercises at the end of each short chapter. A book you mull over, read in bits, inbetween the recommended practice.

This one is more wordy, a description of what goes on at the Massachusetts General Hospital Pain Reduction Clinic, where Kabat-Zinn uses a combination of (physical) yoga, mindfulness meditation, and something called the "full body scan" (lying down and concentrating on different parts of the body at a time) to help people with serious, stress-related illnesses such as heart disease, back pain, migraines and cancer.

There are instructions on how to do the above; statistical information on how well this program works; descriptions of the types of illnesses they deal with; lots of case studies of typical patients; and some general conclusions that the very insightful Kabat-Zinn has drawn from his work. I hate pop psychology but that's not what's delivered here - these are very real insights, not facile at all, on the damaging stresses of modern life and concrete advice on how to cope with them in such a way as to not get sick.

He says, for instance, that "your pain is not you" - that you can and should separate yourself from the pain, and from the negative feedback voice ("I'm never going to get better," for example) that makes things worse.

They do recommend (as I do, and as I see another reviewer does) that you buy the tapes listed in the back of the book to help you with your program. But you can use the book without them: it just takes more willpower and concentration.

As far as personal testimony is concerned, I haven't had to use this program to help me cope with any serious illnesses, thank goodness. But (like most women in their post-childbearing years) I do have a lot of miscellaneous aches and pains which I do deal with much better using the techniques in this book. I have not yet had time to make the recommended commitment for optimal results (45 minutes per day, 6 days a week) - I just use the techniques (which include, for instance, imagining that you are breathing in and out of the painful part of your body - it's hard to describe, but it works!) when I feel headachy or in pain, and medicine either doesn't help or isn't possible to take because of stomach upset.

What I'm saying is, this book is valuable even if you don't have a serious, chronic illness.

Besides, it really is preferable to use these techniques BEFORE you get sick, rather than after.

And they do give the advantages of regular meditation, too: a sense of deeper understanding of yourself, a sense of wonder, etc. (so hard to describe without sounding silly).

This is one of the three most powerful books I have read in my ten year effort to rid myself of depression and chronic back pain. The other two were "The Power of Your Subconscious Mind" by Dr. Joseph Murphy and "Healing Back Pain" by Dr. Sarno. As a testament to all of these books, I am now almost completely free of both of these tiresome life-robbers: mental and physical pain. I have never been able to sit down and meditate, but this book taught me to reach a meditative state using the walking meditation, and recently I have started using the body scan while running - it is a superb way to combine exercise and meditation. I received a lot of inspiration from the case studies used in this book, also. The style in which it is written is intelligent, warm, compassionate and friendly. I recommend the book highly. If you are tired of being sick, and are ready to make a commitment to help yourself, this book is essential. I can not stress enough the importance that NUTRITION and EXERCISE have played in my own recovery, but mindfulness and relaxation are crucial as well. I use mindfulness every day now that I have learned the techniques presented in this book. I think anyone who is looking for a better way to live needs to read this book.

So you love C.S. Lewis' Narnia Chronicles? There people who don't are few and far between. One of the biggest influences on C.S. Lewis was this man, George MacDonald (1824-1905). It was MacDonald's talent for telling fairy stories that inspired Lewis in writing his own. Like Lewis, MacDonald has a remarkable ability to tell a delightful and enchanting story for children, layered with strong Christian themes and imagery by means of allegory and symbols. 'The Princess and the Goblin' is one of his most beloved works for children, and an excellent introduction to his style and success.

'The Princess and the Goblin' features a heroine ' a princess called Irene ' and a hero ' a simple miner's son called Curdie. While working overtime in the mines to earn money to buy his mother a red petty-coat, Curdie chances upon the goblins who live in the mountain, and discovers that they are hatching an evil plot against the king and his palace. Meanwhile the princess makes a discovery of her own ' high in the castle she finds a wonderful old lady who is her great-great-grandmother. The problem is, nobody else knows of her grandmother, and nobody believes her. But the princess does believe, and it is by her faith in her grandmother and the magic thread that she receives from her, that she is able to rescue Curdie. Together they rescue the entire palace from disaster at the hands of the goblins.

In telling the story, MacDonald has an enchanting conversational style, wonderfully suitable for reading aloud to enraptured children ' an ability perfecting in telling stories to his own eleven children. But 'The Princess and the Goblin' is more than just a story. Before pursuing a literary career, MacDonald was a Congregationalist minister, and so integrates important underlying Christian themes. Believing in the great-great-grandmother despite the fact that many cannot see her, is a symbol of believing in God. MacDonald uses this to show how the Christian faith involves believing without seeing, and that not everyone has to 'see' something for it to be true. The grandmother's lamp and magic thread are the guides on which the princess must depend, much like the Word which is a lamp on our path. It may sound tacky, but it works.

Children are not likely to grasp the deeper underlying themes that MacDonald is working with. Nonetheless the story has a clear message for children. The clear conflict between the royal powers of light against the goblin powers of darkness is unmistakable. Moreover, the princess is presented as a model of virtue, and MacDonald frequently asserts the importance of moral virtues such as always telling the truth, keeping your word, and admitting your faults ' moral virtues that are equally important for princes and princesses of God's kingdom. Courage, honesty, grace, dignity and beauty are timeless ideals for children of all times to strive for. If you love Narnia, you're sure to like this one, and you'll find yourself quickly grabbing the sequel, 'The Princess and Curdie.' 'The Princess and the Goblin' was one of J.R.R. Tolkien's childhood favorites, highly regarded by C.S. Lewis, described by W.H. Auden as 'the only English children's book in the same class as the Alice books', and generally considered as a classic example of nineteenth century children's literary fairy tales. So if you haven't yet read this book, it's about time you did. With admirers such as Tolkien, Lewis and Auden, if you become a MacDonald's admirer you'll find yourself in good company!

This wonderful children's novel tells the story of eight year old Princess Irene. Cared for by her nurse Lootie, she lives in a mountain farmhouse while her father rules over the region from a mountain top castle. The local folk work as miners but are beset by the Goblins who inhabit the underground. Irene is saved from the Goblins by Curdie, a thirteen year old miner, and she in turn saves him. The whole thing is told in a pleasant conversational style and is filled with humor, word games, magic, derring-do, and pure wonderment.

George MacDonald, a Congregational minister turned novelist, who seems nearly forgotten now, was one of the seminal figures in the development of Fantasy. His influence on other Fantasy authors is obvious, he was a childhood favorite of JRR Tolkein, who especially liked this book, and C.S. Lewis named him one of his favorite authors. His own stories draw on many of the themes and characters of classical European fairy tales. But where they were often merely horrific and meaningless, MacDonald adds a layer of Christian allegory. Thus, Irene and Curdie are eventually saved by a thread so slender that you can't even see it, but which leads them back to safety, teaching Curdie that you sometimes have to believe in things that you can't see.

The book would be interesting simply as a touchstone of modern fiction, but it stands up well on its own and will delight adults and children alike.

GRADE: A

This book is not only beautifully written and perfect for all ages, "The Princess and the Goblin" is also morally strong and uplifting. Children of either sex will be interested in it, with a loving and beautiful grandmother, a strong and intelligent young girl, and a young boy who is intent on protecting his loved ones and uncovering the evil goblin plot. I have read this countless times, and each time I discover something new. The sequel, "The Princess and Curdie," is also worth reading. I love this book!

Grace is Everywhere is a delightful companion for hours of relaxed meditation and communion with nature and our Creator. In short, captivating chapters, each a gem of wisdom, Fr. James Stephens Behrens presents ordinary events of daily life and finds in them larger and deeper meanings that unite the readers with God, making them an integral part of the great plan of creation. In the end of each essay, the plain happening of the day becomes the reason to turn inwardly, thus moving the reader to praise God, thank God, and appreciate God in His many blessings. Behrens writes in a casual, easy, down to earth style, which makes the reading effortless as well as rewarding. After each incident, the reader is prompted to think:" Why didn't I think of that?," for indeed everyone can relate to the conclusions aptly drawn from the text.

Behrens shows keen understanding of human nature as well as profound compassion for others and deep awareness of that which surrounds us. He makes people want to read more of his beautifully constructed metaphors.

Father Behrens has a wonderful way of looking at the world and finding God in all things. The book will make one stop and look at the world more closely and feel connected to God and to all His creation. It is a book of resting, pondering, and experiencing God's grace in one's own life.

On my many retreats to Monastery of the Holy Spirit, I've received God's gift of grace through the community of brothers. Fr. Behren's "Grace is Everywhere" allows us to look into the cloister life, and bring monastic grace all the way home.

For another title on monastic spirituality, a book written specifically for parents and families, look at "The Family Cloister: Benedictine Wisdom for the Home", by David Robinson (New York: Crossroad, May 2000).

"Peter pan" is one of the best book I love. As like Wendy, when I was a child I loved Peter from my heart. He is a real child, never never grow up and know dirty or gain unnecessary wisdom.. I seriously wanted to fly away to the Neverland. I think it is very difficult to become an adult with innocence. The child grow up to forget how to fly and don't believe fairly or romantic things. So I hope I would be a child forever. I don't want to be an adult. I think this book is not only adventure, but also sad love story about Peter and Wendy. Wendy fell in love with Peter but he hoped her to be a mother. I wanted them to become happy. Child wants love but when he gets it, he is no longer a child. It is heartless contradiction. The last part of this story is very sad, I think.

The book 'Peter Pan' by J. M. Barrie is a truly beautiful work. It is never too cloyingly sweet or too harsh, and the child's perspective of the world is beautifully crafted. It does, however, bring you along on a journey to the Neverlands, and perhaps for a little while we can be reunited with our dreams.

Although Wendy seems a little prim, she is sweet and motherly. John was offhand and brave, Michael was tiny and believing. My favourite character was, however, Peter. The author really outdid himself on this one. Peter's innocent cockiness and love for dangerous adventures endeared him to me at once. He still has all his first teeth, and his first laugh - what more could we ask of him? His frightful happiness in danger reminds me of my seven-year-old self.

The book retains a magical quality right up to the last page. The midnight scene where Peter coaxes them out of the window has always stood out in my mind; there is a kind of magic in an ever-young boy, small and innocently cocky and always up to some mischief. The ending of the book is very sad, for only those who are gay and young and light-hearted can fly.

Definitely a book worth reading. Adults, trust me on this one: you might think you're too old to read this book, but once you do you'll find that a piece of Neverland still resides in your heart.

Driving with young children in the car quickly convinced me that it was unsafe to not give them something to listen to. After ten years I have collected a large (30+) bag of books-on-tape. I have also loaned them to others and asked for opinions. Peter Pan (read by Wendy Craig) is not only my favorite, but also the favorite of my wife and most of my friends. It is excellent for all ages (4 to 80) and even most hardened teenagers. Humour, presentation, ... a prefect 10.

Joan Tollifson writes with such directness she causes us to see. Taking us through the muddy waters of her early life--born without a hand, rejected and rebellious, she takes us through her coming out as a lesbian, her fierce love affairs and battles with alcohol and drugs, with being a victim. And yet the book is not about any of this. It could be any life struggle; the essence is seeing it clearly. And through the aid of several meditation leaders she finds her own ability to see and know. Her writing is a cup of tea thrown against our face. When we recover our breath it is easy and full, relaxed with her. Our vision penetrates to the bottom of the pool. At a time when "meditation" books are overflowing the market, this is one you'll want to take into your life. -Larry Smit

I knew Joan years ago. Her book IS her voice. She is just as she has written and you can believe every word and idea in her Bare-Bones. The thoughts she expressed are born from herself just as surely as you have children... You can trust her book to tell you something about how life can be: whether you want your own life to be better or if you want to read about a tougher one. That's how good the book is. Thank you for reading this review.

I heard about this book before I met Joan, the author. Then I read it and thoroughly enjoyed this honest, humorous and at times, maddeningly familiar jaunt through the spritual journey. In word and person, this is a refreahingly honest human being whose sincere interest in spiritual life battles with all the crazy fantasies and hopes of the personality. In a world of lots of spiritual experts, it is wonderful to read a book where I see myself in both the struggles and the victories of learning to fully be present to life as it is.