Many of the past previewers wrote about Mary becoming more human, and the words of the book told you that, but I never felt like I knew enough of Mary to really tell how much she changed. ( I did read the first book ). Mary Mehan did wake up, and I woke up too, after dozing while trying to make it through the unbelievably short book. But this is just my opion.

Mary Mehan Awake ( I do like the title, though ) is about Irish Mary also Marie. She survived the Civil War, as a nurse, though she isn't herself anymore, after losing her brother and others. So she gets a job in the country being an assistant to a scientist- or a guy who just likes to experiment- something of the sort. Working there, she meets someone she can communicate with. But she has to communicate differently. Because the only person who can compare with what she went through is deaf.

_Mary Mehan Awake_ is the poignant sequel to _The Dreams of Mairhe Mehan_. Mairhe, who was a nurse during the Civil War, now goes by her American name, Mary, and she has left Washington DC work for a bird photographer in New York. Mary is beginning to emerge from the numbness that was a defense against the horrors of the war. The romance between Mary and Henry, a musician deafened by his stint in the war, is sweet and well done.

This book was great. It was short, yet sweet, and eloquent. It is hard how to describe how well the author used the english language in this book. It is an awaking, as the title suggests. It is romantic and charming, yet self-empowering. There is little more to say other than try to prove to you how touching the book is and, especially if you like historical fiction, how nessesary it is to read it.

"Steal Away" was not what I expected. I expected more adventure and bonding between Beth and Susannah - I couldn't quite understand if they were true friends or mere acquaintances who went through a trying experience. The concept of going back and forth from the "past" to the "present" was interesting and different, but couldn't save this book. The relationship between Mary and Free was also confusing. I came to the conclusion that they were not fond of each other, because of Free's bitterness. The beginning and ending letter added to the confusion and the "unspoken" words and emotions made me reread paragraphs to fully understand what happened. The plot and the way the story was constructed was enjoyable, but the writing style used by Armstrong was annoying. I do not recommend.

The book was written well, but in a confusing format. Mary is writing down a story from her grandmother's childhood, with help from a girl named Free. The book however starts with a message from Mary to Free written later when they had grown up. This letter, and the one at the end as well, confused me and threw me off.
The story being told is, as I said, about Mary's Grandmother. She was born in Vermont in a time before slavery was abolished. This is the story of how when her parents died she was sent to live in Virginia with her slave owning, preacher uncle. The fact that a preacher owns slaves confuses her because she has grown up in Vermont, and she is further set off balance by being given a slave named Bethlehem. They decide to run away, and throughout their travels you can't tell if they are friends or people who are determined that the other is a burden on them.

For better historical fiction I suggest Ann Rinaldi

Steal Away by Kacie Mazur Hour 7

I would rate the book Steal Away by Jennifer Armstrong with a fie star rating. I would rate it with this rating because of the time frame and how well it fit in with the characters. The whole book was just astonishing. The sense were just so really you would never want to put the book down. The book just went together so well. I loved this book, and all the details that it contents. The author really made all the events that dealt with discrimination. Also the belief that Susannah had for the black slave was so beautiful and that shows that some people really do care. I have not really read any books that really went along with this story but in the future will be filled with more of these types of books. The way that people were treated in the past and still today just makes the biggest different in the people that are here today. People to this day don't realize that all people have feelings and do care. The way blacks and slaves were treated in the past is just the biggest mess. "How can the slaves make a living if the whites just give then the bare minute?" asked Susannah. Well the answers to that one little question was answered but the people that didn't care. In ways the people cared it was just against the peoples beliefs to speak of.

i am someone who likes the letter format of books and this book has it. if you like books in letter fomat than this is a good book to read and at the end it has information on thedore roosevelt. i rated this 5 stars

My daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. What a wonderful way to provide a glimpse into the past. My daughter, age 10, had no difficulty in telling fiction from non-fiction. The design of the book is incredible. We were particularly impressed by the use of web prompts through out the book. A visit to the Winslow Press website is a must. There is nothing else out there like it on the web.

My name is John Olsen. I am a very big Theodore Roosevelt fan. I collect T.R. items and have study many of his writings. Jennifer Armstrong has written this book so convincingly well that I almost thought T.R. had actually written these letters. As explained in the beginning of the book, one of her major resources for the book was Roosevelt's own "Letters to His Children." So, while T.R. never had a pen pal who was a young coal miner, I am almost certain that it could have easily happened. T.R. was exactly that type of person. He was a big kid himself and would have been thrilled to have written to such a person as the young coal miner in the story. The book is filled with references to many of the exciting events of the life of Theodore Roosevelt, one of our greatest Presidents ever. Furthermore, there are detailed explanations of numerous words relating to mining and Polish culture. I strongly recommend this book for those who want to get their pre-teens excited about history and Presidents. I rather like the "Dear Mr. President" concept as a means to excite young people about Presidents. I look forward to reading the others in this series. Just remember who this book was written for and don't overanalyze it. Enjoy it!!

Jennifer takes her folk-art-meets-kindergarden-class explosion to your closet in this follow-up to Retro Revamp, her home decorating/ crafts book.

The strongest thing about this book is the "no-rules" approach as to choosing materials when approaching a project. PomPom balls from tacky old curtains, ribbons of all kinds, fabric scraps from the church basement rummage sale- any scrap, trim, doodad or doohickey is considered fair game whether sewing, re-vamping, or simply jazzing up some of your clothes. You will NEVER read anything about do's and don'ts, i.e., not mixing polka dots and plaid or mixing neon yellow with green zebra stripes. If anything this is ENCOURAGED by the author, and the result is a very freeing and creative alternative to your schoolmarm sewing books. A woman is encouraged to go as loud or as subdued as she pleases.

Also a plus is the simple techniques illustrated and basic materials used. You can find anything you need at a crafts store, or probably even the crafts section of your local discount superstore chain. Don't know how to sew- no problem- the projects will work for crafters of all skill levels.

My only complaint was that a number of the clothes were too costumey for everyday wear- for example, an over-the-top "gypsy skirt" and a puffy, cropped blouson top. And some of the clothes were also a little too revealing for my tastes- lots of cropped shirts and itty-bitty tank tops here. But, some of the projects are real gems- I like the purse and accessory projects best.

Overall, this is a great book to get if you're looking for inspiration to get funky with your clothes. If you're into unusual, loud get-ups, all the better: you can wear this stuff every day. But for those of us with more reserved tastes, this book makes for some nice projects to wear on a fun evening out.

I just finished looking through this book, and I really loved it. Some of the things, like the shirts, were a little odd looking, but inspiring in a way. I liked the bags alot, also the scarves were very pretty. I can't wait to go make some stuff.

_The Dreams of Mairhe Mehan_ is a haunting and lyrical book about Mairhe Mehan, a young Irish girl living in the slums of Washington DC during the Civil War. Mairhe's family has been separated; her brother is off to fight for the Union, and her father pines for his native Ireland as his mental capacity deteriorates. The story is told through Mairhe's dreams, a poetic mix of Irish lore and the stark(but somehow dreamy) reality of the war.

The Dreams of Mairhe Mehan, is a haunting and gripping tale of a young irish girl trying to face realliy after the civil war.

Mairhe Mehan has recently come from Ireland with her brother, and father when the war comes her brothe goes off to fight, leaving mairhe and her father to themselves, when mairhe's father loses his mind, she tries despretly to get her brother back. the army will let him be released for a large price. stuck with the delema of how to earn so much money, Mairhe dicideds to knit lace. But as always things don't come out as the should, and Mairhe has to find somthing to do with her father, and herself. Jennifer Armstrong's play on words and dramatic style make The dreams of Mairhe Mehan a chilling glimps in to this young girl's troubled life.

I didn't understand this book for a long time- probably because I got it when my eldest was just a little baby. I appreciated the illustrations, especially the tormented cat, but I just couldn't understand the intrusion that the children felt when this baby visited. My children love babies, but in a few years they will understand the havoc they wreak- maybe they'll even understand the havoc of my house. :-) I love Susan Meddaugh's illustrations, and love them even more now that we've discovered the "Martha" books.

This book explains everything, from Martin Luther King to Bill Gates (well maybe not everything). It contains about a page to four in one chapter about true people telling their lives during that event. This book even has stories from things about world war one. This book does not go into great detail but it does tell the story so this makes it a good history book for 3-5 graders. If you like history then i recomend this book to you.

I own three timelines, and this is probably my favorite of the three. Unlike other reviewers, I don't find this book to be a chronicle of "gloom and doom" exclusively-anyone can see that events such as the invention of the car, the era of movie theaters, the 1969 Apollo flight, and the prosperity of the Fifties are covered as well in this book. The thing that I really appreciate about this book is the testimonies of people who really had a part in the events. I found it interesting to read an Indiana man's explanation of the appeal and seeming harmlessness of the Ku Klux Klan, and thought it enlightening to read a German girl's description how Hitler was allowed to "go as far" as he did in Germany. In between the numerous personal accounts of events are generous portions of factual writing. I think the authors did a great job of thoroughly describing important happenings without moving into too much overwhelming detail. This book really transcends its "ages 9-12" label-my whole family has enjoyed it and there is something new in it for everyone.

To relate a century's history and ideas cogently into 241 pages at a level that will involve kids is a tough task. To pull that off with photos and archival images AND first-person accounts is, to me, pretty astonishing. It would be easy to carp about what's left out, but I think this book is a square-on portrayal of the U. S. as it was. We read about the immigrant experience, the emerging technologies, the wars and injustices and what they taught us, the ascendance of movies and sports in our culture, style trends, space exploration, the dismantling of Communism. The authors take pains to show that along with the tragedies and triumphs came valuable lessons that have impact on our lives today. Events are intelligently organized and analyzed without sugar-coating. The photos and illustrations are extremely well-chosen (not the ones always trotted out in history books), and in some cases, breath-taking -- due no doubt to the authors' access to a wealth of news images. In this sense, I think the book benefits greatly from the joining of a major media figure with a respected journalist. My two boys, 9 and 12, find this endlessly fascinating, and we've had some spirited and sophisticated dinnertime conversations. This is valuable stuff and, I think, a brave book.

That said, I've read some of the previous reviews and find them baffling. Kids enjoy reading about the conflicts and drama that have led to present-day life. My own awareness of the complicated horrors and triumphs of WWII as a child, through my father's stories and literature, opened my eyes to what society is capable at its best and worst, in a way my bland textbooks never did. I agree that some of the images and text might be strong for a 9-year-old. But as a parent, I've learned several lessons: (1) common sense must be exercised; it is always a good idea to pick up the book and look through it BEFORE buying it to determine appropriateness; (2) that the term "9-to-12" is a marketing category for booksellers -- to distinguish books from, say, picture books or YA material. To hold the book accountable for being appropriate for every child in this range is plain silly; and (3) if it ain't right, wait. A 9-year-old becomes 10, 11, 12 very fast.