into the lives of the Amish is something that not many people get to experience. How lucky was Ms. Egenes! She dispensed my view that they are serious and somber all the time. It seems like they have lots of fun and are just as happy as non-Amish people, even though they don't have T.V., computers, etc. The book holds your interest from cover to cover, especially since most chapters aren't too long. Good reading!

I wanted a gift for my Aunt Carolyn and came across Visits with the Amish. The title attracted me and I knew it would be of interest to my aunt, as well. Questions came up about the Amish whenever I saw a horse-drawn buggy bravely trot down a main road here in Iowa. Wouldn't it be nice to visit the Amish and have so many questions about their lifestyle answered? Don't tell my aunt, but I read "her book" first and found detailed, simple, and clear answers to my questions. I also liked the warm format of "visits." It felt like I was there, in person, at home with the Amish and, fair warning, time flew by quickly as I got totally immersed; this informative book is easy reading. The beauty, simplicity, and warmth of the Amish are reflected in every aspect, from the beautifully designed cover, to the simple and well placed illustrations, and to the clarity of chapter organization. Time to wrap it up; Visits with the Amish is a great gift!

Visits with the Amish ushers readers into the timeless beauty of a reverent and joyous society. Whether quilting with the ladies, watching men make saddles, or playing tag with school children, Egenes describes her subjects with intimacy and accuracy.

The book is a delightful treat for the senses. The taste of home-made ice cream; the sound of church hymns sung a capella; the image of a bonetted-girl riding her horse bareback- these are just a few of the impressions that stick with you. At once lyrical, funny, touching and informative, Visits with the Amish, leaves readers with the sense that the "plain life" is anything but.

I am an avid cookbook collector and also an avid reader, (and maybe a bit of a nostalgic). But Marilyn Kluger is by far my favorite cookbook "author." She has written here, and also in her book, The Wild Flavor, wonderful accounts of her life in the midwest - growing up in Country Kitchens, and raising her own children in Wild Flavor. Her accounts of gathering wild fruits actually sent me on a trip one September to the Ohio River valley in search of Paw Paws. The power of her narrative was that great! The recipes are also wonderful. I have found each one of them to be a treasure in their ability to bring back the flavors of my own childhood. Good home cooking and wonderful stories to boot! Happy reading and baking!

I read this 'recipe book' from cover to cover. I've tried a few of the recipes and they turned out great too! The story of the author's childhood centered around her mother's kitchen in a small farm in Indiana beginning in the mid-1930's is fascinating. Not a dull moment! This was a great addition to my library. It is not only a cookbook, but also a history book.

I love four things about this book. First, this great contemporary poet wrote it. It also reminds me of Fisherman Simms, a book from my childhood featuring a similar character and pastoral setting. I love the simple but elegant black and white pen and ink illustrations.

I also love the story. The nameless man built a camp on Ragged Mountain and lived alone collecting things, thousands of rusty nails, deer pelts, old newspapers and clocks, and "wasps nests hanging from railroad spike." He built a shed for his mule, who does have a name--Old Beauty. He survived a terrible childhood, a house fire, and when he was 14 left home and tramped around until he returned home to visit his cousins, who made a few years of his youth happy. He liked eating vegetables because "that is what the woodchuck ate." He made friends with an owl named Grover Cleveland. He worked as a carpenter and could do everything else too.

Not much happens here. But this story offers an intense tranquility that others lack. In our harried age, children need this kind of peace. Alyssa A. Lappen

I read this book as a fresh eyed 18 year old. I am now a 40 year old woman tattered but not shattered. This happens to be one of those books so rare to me, I feel the same way about it today as I did the first time I ever read it. I gave my copy to my sister an English Lit. teacher. She uses it every semester. Mr. Hall signed it for her. I now only have a photo copy of it and it breaks my heart that I don't have the book. God Bless Mr. Hall and his most magnificent literary ability.

"Full moons come,/full moons go,/softening nights/with their silver glow./They pass in silence,/all untamed,/but as they travel,/they are named." Native Americans named each full moon after a special characteristic that the month brought. For instance, January was the Wolf Moon, because they believed wolves became restless in January, May was the Flower Moon, because that is when many flowers bloom, and October was the Hunter's Moon, because the moon rises early adding to the light of the setting sun and giving hunters extra time to hunt. Penny Pollack and Mary Azarian have authored a beautiful yearful of poetry, detailing the wonders and glories of the moon. Ms Pollacks gentle, quiet, original verses are eloquent and lyrical, and include the name of the month, the unique Native American moon name, and a simple explanation of the moon name. Ms Azarian's hand-painted woodcut illustrations of gorgeous nature scenes bathed in moonlight are evocative and offer a feast for the eyes. Perfect for youngsters 4-8, When The Moon Is Full includes an informative and entertaining two page spread of questions and answers about the moon, and is a lovely bedtime book the entire family can share and enjoy together.

This is a beautiful, evocative book with a great deal of heart. It is perfect for reading aloud, bedtime, or learning about the natural world around us (especially the moon!). Penny Pollock's beautifully rendered poems and Mary Azarian's exquisite paintings combine flawlessly to make this book a true gem.

This book is very accessible. Tablature is clearly marked in pretty calligraphy, and the cassette is a good quality recording.

The other evening I descended my stairs to find my husband snuggled on the couch with a picture book and my 3 year old son, reading. This is not unusual. What was unusual was that my thirteen year old daughter sat with them listening intently as well. The book, not surprisingly, was Louisa May and Mr. Thoreaus Flute.
It is a well woven story of inspiration and the search for authentic self. The illustrations have a distinctly natural appeal that defers to the passion of Thoreau very well. They absorbed my youngest. The story and the words are engaging and inspiring enough for my eldest, a big fan of Little Women. It is a lovely book to share with your young creatives.

This beautifully written book is a real find and I hope someone restores it to print. Kluger weaves together recollections of her childhood on an Indiana farm in the 1930s with the recipes for the dishes she grew up eating. Every page is filled with affection that feels genuine, never cloying. The recipes are outstanding and will remind many people of food they, or their parents, ate. (Chess pie, buttermilk biscuits, real preserves, etc.) This book is also a good reminder of a time when people not only made do with what they could grow or build themselves, they also turned what people today might think of as hardships into occasions for joy.

I judge a good children's book, from the number of times my two-and-a-half year old daughter makes me read it to her. From a selection of 5-10 books borrowed from the library each month, the one that gets the most attention, are the ones worth writing a review about, but this one especially was a favorite! I must've read it about 40 times, and it she still asked "Read it again mommy"! The ending is really cute, the Barn Cat is enticed by many things throughout the story - crickets, butterflies, birds, etc.. - but she was not in the slightest bit interested in any of them... until... you'll have to read and see. Its a charming book, with a catchy rhyme and was definitely given the seal of approval.

Barn Cat is a well-illustrated book, which aims at teaching children to count. Throughout the book, Barn Cat is looking for something unknown to the reader. While the readers continue through the book to discover what item the cat is searching for, the cat sees one grasshopper, two crickets, and three butterflies, continuing until he sees ten sparrows. Being completely unaffected by most of the creatures with which he comes into contact, Barn Cat continues to sit at the red barn door until his owner pours his milk. In "On Some Burdens Carried by Pictures," David Topper states that well illustrated books are a source from which an array of information can be obtained in a clear and effective way. For him, a picture in a book is a "tour de force," meaning a strong convergence of emotional response and intellectual process by the reader. The exposure to pictures, which represent an important, specific object, will make the readers "catch," or in other words, learn, the idea. Barn Cat's illustrations employ this learning technique and help to teach the readers to learn to count. The readers of Barn Cat understand the printed word and see the visual images in the book, which aids in their understanding of counting and numbers. One technique used in Barn Cat, which helps readers to learn to count, is number recognition. Number recognition is emphasized with large, bold numerals appearing in black in the right hand corner of the pages. These numbers are not a part of the picture on the page, but instead are set aside, in order to be obvious to the readers. The viewers hear or read the word representing the number "seven," for example, then see the actual number on the same page. This ingrains the number into the readers' minds and associates the word with the visual image of the written number. This association is important for readers who are beginning to learn to the concept of numbers and counting. Topper emphasizes this importance when he says that the illustrations must be similar to the important issues expressed in the story. By this, he means that the illustrations must have an important purpose in the story. In Barn Cat, the purpose of the number illustrations is to help the readers learn to count. Another technique used in Barn Cat, which helps readers to learn to count, is the use of a specific number of objects on each page. The viewers read or hear the word representing the number "three," for example, then count the objects on the page from one to three. All of the objects are beautifully illustrated in colorful drawings, which help to capture in the readers' attention. For example, the readers count three golden butterflies that appear to be fluttering across the page. Now, the readers can associate the word "three" with the actual amount of objects on the page. Topper emphasizes the importance of this technique when he discusses that illustrations make the printed word concrete. This technique is especially useful to readers because they look through the cat's eyes into the cat's world and count the objects that the cat counts, which can draw the readers into the pages of the book. The readers have the feeling of looking through the cat's eyes because of the plot and illustrations of the book. The last technique used in Barn Cat to help readers learn to count is the use of the plot in the book. On each page, the narrator repeatedly asks, "Barn cat, what are you looking for?" The readers of the book make a journey with Barn Cat to discover the answer to this question. Throughout the search for what Barn Cat is looking for, the readers see the world and count the objects with the cat. For example, when the cat sees ten flying sparrows, his eyes are looking into the air. The readers follow the cat's gaze and are looking and counting with Barn Cat all ten sparrows in the air. Another example is when the cat sees "eight barking, leaping pups," he hisses. This makes the reader see the eight pups as frightening, like the cat sees them, rather than playful. The sequential order of numbers is also taught in this book through the plot. The question, "what are you looking for," which the narrator asks the cat, and indirectly the readers, makes the readers excitedly turn the pages to find the answer to the question with the cat. This emphasizes to the readers the sequential order of numbers from one to ten as the cat finds his milk. The viewers either read or hear the order of the numbers as they count the objects and see the numbers, both in word and numeral form, which reinforces the sequential order of the numbers. An example of this reinforcement is seen when the cat sees ten sparrows. The text reads, "A flock of sparrows-8, 9,10?" Each technique used in Barn Cat makes this a wonderful book for teaching the readers how to count. After reading this book, one should have knowledge and understanding about the numerals, amounts, words, and sequences associated with specific numbers, which are all necessary to know how to count.

What a wonderful book for your infant. Mary Azarian's illustrations are captivating for even the youngest reader. My son, who at 6 weeks barely sits through two pages of most books, is fascinated by the beautiful illustrations of butterflies, dragonflies, and sparrows (not to mention Barn cat himself). The story takes Barn cat on a hunt for something he is looking for and in the process introduces children to many different species of life in the country. Best of all, Saul goes beyond the typical cow, pig, and chicken and includes less popular but beautiful species that your child will love.

Haddassah (Dossi for short) is a Jewish girl lives in a cramped apartment in New York City. Her sister (Ruthi) signs her up for a Fresh Air Fund which sends poor children too the country for 2 weeks in the summer. Dossi leaves excited and yet afraid to go on vacation with a family she doesn't know in Vermont for 2 weeks. She is stunned by things in the country and doesn't even know what fireflies are. This is one fault that I found with the book, she seems to know NOTHING of the country, now I can believe she's never milked a cow, but some of the things she had never seen are unbelievable. Anyway during the book she sprouts friendship and learns new things of her trip. She meets new people and learns what the lovely countryside is like. This is a really fast paced book, you should be able to finish it within an hour or so, but nonetheless it is worth reading.

Dossi is a poor girl who lives in the city.Her parents and younger sister,Velvel have passed away.Dossi's sister,Ruthi is the one who will take care of them.She works in the factory.When Ruthi signs Dossi up to be sent to the country,on a Fresh Air Fund vacation,Dossi is terrified and surprised.Soon,the day had come to go to the country.Dossi packed her bags and brought along a library book which was a new one.She and her friend,Mimi, didn't tell the librarian that Dossi was taking it away.Dossi prommises Ruthi that she will send a postcard to her as soon as she reaches her destination.In the country,she meets the gentile Meade family.Nell and Emma are around Dossi's age.Mr. Meade and Mrs. Meade also have two sons,Timothy and Edward.Nell chats nineteen to a dozen.Emma doesn't.There are a lot of things that Dossi hasn't seen.Like fireflies,cows,two yolks in one egg and many other things.She learns about a man named Snowflake Bentley.He is mad about snowflakes.Snowflake Bentley also takes photos of snowflakes not people.Dossi likes Nell but she wants to befriend Emma too.But Emma treats her like if she is not there.Will Dossi be able to befriend Emma before her holiday in the country ends?

This is a good story about a girl who spends a few weeks with a family that is very different from her own. Dossi learns other people have alot to offer her and she has alot to offer in a friendship,too. Hurwitz is a wonderful author; she makes the characters and situation come alive.

The inspiring true story of photographer and self-made scientist Wilson "Snowflake" Bentley proves that anyone can achieve their dream. Born of humble means on a Vermont farm in 1865, Bentley was fascinated with weather and devoted his life to studying snow crystals. With the aid of his parents, who sacrificed their life's savings so he could buy the proper equipment, Bentley created photographs that provided the world with invaluable insight into snow crystals.

Mary Azarian illustrates this charmer with warm, hand-colored woodcuts that create an appropriately old-fashioned feel. The simple main text of this 1999 Caldecott Medal winner flows well with the charming illustrations. Sidebars on each page add additional details that maintain interest for older readers and allow the main text to remain focused on the story.

I found this very inspirational and a joy to read. My only complaint is the dearth of actual photographs by Bentley. The entire book builds interest in the photographs, but only three tiny copies of the actual photographs are shown on the last page.

I really enjoyed reading the story of Snowflake Bentley. Jacqueline Briggs Martin does an excellent job of telling the accomplishments of Willian Bentley in a way that is exciting and entertaining to children. Snow brings much excitment to all children, they love playing in it and sledding so to read about a man who dedicated his life to snowflakes is fascinating. This story shows how hard Wilson Bentley worked to show the world what he loved. This story gives a great example to children, the kids see that with hard work you can accomplish whatever you want. Snowflake Bentley is not like any biography I have read before, it gives justice to William Bentley's accomplishments but written in a story like form that will interests the children. The facts on the side of each page are a great additive of information as well.

As winter is in full effect and snowfalls are becoming morefamiliar to the area, I couldn't help but pick up Jacqueline BriggsMartin's Snowflake Bentley. As educational as it is delightful,Martin's colorful picture book gives the historical account of Wilson "Snowflake" Bentley (1865-1931), an American farmer who dedicated most of his life to microphotography. This form of photography allowed Bentley to take pictures of snow crystals and study the snowflakes more closely. The pictures in this story compliment this educational narrative as they also add expressive and colorful images. A drawing of Wilson Bentley is dominates the book as the central image. The story shows Wilson's growth from a child to an adult in his study of nature, whether he is walking in the snow, examining insects in a field of flowers, or studying the shapes of snowflakes under a camera in his home. This visual art classifies Briggs' book as a picture book. According to Rhedin in Kummerling-Beibauer Bettina's article, "Metalinguistic Awareness and the Child's Developing Concept of Irony: The Relationship between Pictures and Text in Ironic Picture Books", there is two types of picture books. The first is a book where the "visual art dominates as an independent mode of expression but is enhanced by actual or implied narrative structure." I wouldn't say that the visual art in Snowflake Bentley is dominant or independent nor would I say that it is the second type of picture book where "the verbal text dominates as an independent work of art where illustrations...show a distinctive freedom of style and thought." (162) Rather, I would say that the text and illustrations are dependent on one another. The illustrations do indeed show a distinctive of freedom of style and thought but these thoughts are parallel with the plot. The pictures of the snow are pleasant and comforting, as the story is also pleasant and comforting. She uses pictures of William, Wilson's family, the fallen snow, but also of other seasons where Wilson is studying other aspects of nature. The falling snowflakes throughout the text continue the idea of snowfall, whether on a double full-page spread or set on borders outside the text. The colors throughout the story are vibrant and are visual images of the words in the text. The pictures are able to depict fully what Briggs wants the readers to understand by creating an image that brings the story line to life. Readers, both children and adults, can enjoy this story line as well as the history behind Wilson Bentley. I picked up Snowflake Bentley on a cold winter's day but the pictures were warming and the story taught me to examine snowflakes for more than just a way to get out of class.