This book is absolutely breathtaking! From the minute you see the tornado jumping out at you on the very first page, you will be so anxious to see the rest of the book. The pop-ups are spectacular - full of color and details - and spread out across both pages. On the sides of each page, there are additional smaller pop-ups. The Emerald City is beautiful, but my favorite one is the balloon in which Dorothy is about to ride home in. I originally bought this book for my cousin's 4 year old daughter, but after seeing it, I thought it might be too delicate for younger children. I decided to give it to my cousin instead who is a collector of Wiz of Oz memorabilia. Both her and her children were mesmerized by this book. It's an absoulte must for Wizard of Oz fans!

I just have to disagree with the folks who say this is not a book for children...this is THE book for children! If you are looking for a book to give this holiday season that rates 100% on the "oooh-ahhhh!" meter, this is the one. Any child, in particular a reluctant reader, will be dazzled and fascinated by the Emerald City jumping to life in the middle of the book, the whirling balloon and spinning tornado. The artwork warrants accolades even without the magnificent engineering, and there is enough text to make this pop-up perfect for older kids as well. This book does great honor to the Wonderful Wizard, and will be as treasured in your home as a pair of ruby slippers. Whether or not this book actually survives the twister of children's handling, you'd be a real wicked witch not to share it with your favorite munchkin.

What's the most fun you've ever had with a piece of art before?

The most fun I've ever had, I have to confess, is opening this book to the pages featuring the Wizard's famous hot air balloon. The set piece, shiny and with its own basket holding the wizard, jumps quite literally off the pages, then swings back and forth in front of you. The amount of joy I experienced with this book at that moment was immeasurable.

What's fun about the book, which also has this huge, swirling cyclone in its opening pages that jumps out at you, is that it also remains surprisingly faithful to L. Frank Baum's original WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ, keeping much of the text intact (though, for obvious reasons, the book is not taken and reprinted verbatim) while having the pop-up art serve as a variation upon the original illustrations when possible.

I got one of these for myself, one for all the little girls in my family and one for a friend in my office who just needed cheering up one day. It inspires you to read the great story. It inspires you to play with the emerald-colored glasses and all the pop-up images in the side flaps.

I was a fan of pop-up books as a kid, but this is the best, most accessible and most beautiful one I have ever held in my hands.

I'm 38 years old, and Follow My Leader was one of my favorite books when I was about 10 or 11 years old. I was so excited to discover that it's still in print. I just finished reading it to my three boys, ages 11, 9, and 6, and they loved it, too! "One more chapter, Mom!" they begged. I was tickled to see them trying the things I used to try after reading about Jimmy's adaptation to being blind: eating with eyes closed, walking around the house trying not to bump into furniture, trying to find the "cushion of air" near the wall.

My oldest son is a Boy Scout and the same age as Jimmy, so he was particularly touched by the story. Some of the language is a little dated (swell and keen, a boy with a handkerchief, a girl wearing an apron) but my boys easily overlooked that in favor of a story they couldn't wait to hear.

I give this story as many stars as it's possible to give!

This is one of the best children's book ever written. I read it when I was 10 yrs old and 39 years later I still remember it. As a child, the look into the world of the blind and how they learn to live and cope in ours, no pun intended, was a real eye-opener. I think i should be recommeded reading for all school-aged children(and some adults!)

This book had such and impact on my life. No, I know no one who is blind and has a seeing-eye-dog. But still, I learned that everyday in life is a challenge and anything can be done by anyone, no matter who they are. I highly recommend this book to anyone, all ages. I read it in the 6th grade and am glad Amazon is here to help me find it again. EVERYONE READ THIS BOOK AND PASS IT ON TO YOUR CHILDREN!!!

Simply put, this book is incredible. I am a 16 year old addict, who was last year, the worst player on the school team. I had taken lessons from pros, watched instructional videos, and attended numerous golf camps. At the beginning of the this year's season, I was considering quitting, when I picked up this little treasure. Bob Rotella's book has completely changed my attitude about this wonderful game. It taught me to forget about what other people thought about my game and remember how to have fun. Due to the weather this year, our golf season was only two weeks long. It took me one week to make junior varsity, and I give half of the credit to this book, and half of the credit to me for reading it. By utilizing the mental techniques found in "Golf Is Not A Game Of Perfect," I was smashing my previous scoring records and setting new ones almost every round! I was shooting in the mid-70's (9 holes) last year, and now I consistently score in the low 40's! This fantastic book is the real deal!

Great read! Full of good stories. But... is golf that simple? I would like to believe yes. No mechanical thoughts from a 100 yards in... hard to do, certainly for me! I'm very perfectionistic in my attitude towards golf, this book tells you to focus on the perfect attitude rather than the perfect swing. May be my focus has to change... and I will get better! I played as a pro for a brief period, lack of sponsorship and no significant improvement in my game after turning pro led me to give it up (I still play as an amateur)... though I had dreamed of being a World-beater! The bit on "dream great dreams and achieve great things" might be difficult to swallow - I didn't make it! Other things to come? Who knows. Hopefully Bob is right - I have to be patient and persistent, and discipline myself towards success in another field. Would like to speak to Rotella in person. Though his book does a great job in conveying his message!

The most enjoyable golf you can play is effortless and pressure free. "Doc" Rotella's "Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect" has literally liberated me from myself. I was definitely in my own way, halting my own progress. My swing coach brought me from a 35 handicap to a 16 handicap in two summers. Doc brought me down to a 10 handicap in six weeks, and I am still improving. Two key facets in the book grabbed me. First is, "The best swing thought is no swing thought!" This was riveting and when I finally let go and trust my swing, the ball went longer and straighter. Consistency and lower scores were the result. The second facet dealt with putting. Doc emphasized "When you land the green, hole the put, no matter the distance!" What a confidence and result booster!! My goal was to become a single digit handicapper by the end of summer 2001. I still have three weeks to lose one stroke and achieve my goal. I am convinced it will happen. On June 26th, I had a milestone. After reading Doc's book, I shot my first ever and only sub-par round of 35 for nine holes on a par 36 executive course here in Indianapolis. I had a playing partner and asked him to sign the card. It is now framed and sitting in my office. That was fun. Thanks Doc!! -Gary in Indianapolis.

We are grade 5T from Holland Elementary School in Holland, Massachusetts. There are 16 students in our class. Most of us are 10 to 11 years old. We read Homer Price for our first literature study book of the year.

The book is about a young boy and six of his marvelous adventures. The stories take place in the 1930's. The setting is the small town of Centerburg. Homer has adventures with the Sheriff, his Uncle Ulysses, and friends Freddy and Louis. They meet unusual people like Mr. Murphy, the Super-Duper, and Miss Terwilliger.

Here are some things our class liked about the book. We liked the stories because they were funny and interesting. The class liked all the Sheriff's spoonerisms. We liked how the stories were short. A lot of people thought that Aroma was a really neat pet. The class liked how all the stories were mainly about Homer.

Here are some things that our class did not like about the book. Some of our class did not like how old-fashioned the stories were. Some of us are more interested in contemporary stories. Some of us thought the stories were a little too long. We found some words were very long and complicated. It was kind of hard.

I read this book when I was about 8 years old. I borrowed it from my old grade school library. I was so captured by the fun, simple, but adventursome stories, that I had to go out and buy the book as an adult. Reading it brought back a flood of happy memories from my childhood. The stories of Homer Price and his small town neighbors, friends and family are a happy, refreshing look at what America is and should be all about. I'm looking forward to the day that I can read it to kids of my own!

Homer Price offers a funny and refreshing alternative to the current fiction that relentlessly confronts children with contemporary social problems. Now and then it's good for kids to read a book that makes them laugh out loud. Homer's smart and sincere ideas inevitably produce hilarious results. Robert McCloskey's amusing illustrations - Norman Rockwell-style line drawings - add to the pleasure of this book about a bright boy in a small American town.

As a child, I was encouraged to read, but was warned by my third grade teacher to "stay away from that science fiction." It was not a difficult task; most books in our elementary library were NOT science fiction...if they were, they consisted of green, slimy creatures disguised as humans by day and terrorizing student by night. Naturally, science fiction did not appeal to me at all.

Until I ran across The Girl with the Silver Eyes. To my third grade mind, it was painfully long, kind of hard to follow, but extremely interesting. It is the sole thing that piqued my interest in all things scifi.

Now, as a high school senior and avid science fiction fan, I reread The Girl with the Silver Eyes. For a child's book, it is extremely intriguing. It's science fiction and a suspenseful mystery all in one. It can most easily be compared to a junior version of The X-Files: weird, eerie, yet disturbingly accurate. However, when I was younger, I found the plot boring in many spots, not enough action. At the time, I merely blamed this on my youthful impatience. But even today, I still find the storyline a bit thick in parts, and nearly impossible to continue to the next page. For me to say that reading this book was an intellectual chore is not an exaggeration.

Any child reading this book will quickly lose patience with it, it has so many slow sections. Its surreal plot and wonderful scifi appeal is for the extremely patient only.

Katie is a little girl who is a bit unusual to say the least. Born with silver eyes and an uncanny ability to make strange things happen, Katie has been a loner for most of her short life. After the death of her grandmother whom she has lived with for several years she goes to live with her divorced mother and this is when her problems really start. Digging into the past Katie finds out that she isn't the only child who is, well a bit strange. Friends of her mother who all at one time worked for the same medical company also have strange children. Children with silver eyes and strange powers like telekinesis and mind reading. As Katie tries to find her fellow "silver eyes" she is watched from afar by a man who could be a friend or a foe. This is a well-written children's science/mystery fiction book for the younger reader but it can also be enjoyed by older kids and adults alike. A quality book that makes reading fun and exciting.

I'm envious of kids today who can take advantage of the recent explosion of interest in science fiction and fantasy. Back when I was browsing in the children's section of the library (all right, so it wasn't that long ago), I read everything -- which wasn't much -- I could find that vaguely fell into those categories. This book blew all my prior favorites away. Willo Davis Roberts has that rare gift of telling a great story simply, without pandering or dumbing a book down, yet with all the best parts of an adult thriller -- the main character, struggling to find where she and her telekinetic talents fit in a disbelieving world, must try to separate those she can trust from the people who just want to use her. In her search, she discovers some unlikely allies, including kids "gifted" as herself. As a kid, I loved this book because I immediately identified with the main character, wishing I had a friend like her. That's how real I found the people of this story. My copy of "The Girl with the Silver Eyes" is pretty battered, but I can't wait to pass it on to my children

loved the setting of this story as much as the story itself. because of nora roberts and her books, ive grown to love stories set with the irish. to be able to read the words and hear that accent is to me truly amazing.

maggie is the oldest child having been raised in a home with no family love. she is close to her father and sister, but her mother is a different person all together. because of this lack of love from her, maggie is determined to make something of herself if only to prove her mother wrong. breaking the outer shell shes developed as a form of protection wont be easy, but rogan intends to do just that.

a lovely story with enough mystery to leave the reader hoping they have their copy of born in ice sitting nearby once they close the last page of this one ::smile

The first book in NR's 'Born In' series is wonderful, you don't want to miss it! "Born In Fire" focuses on Maggie Concannon, a tempermental and loyal woman who is also a gifted artist. Gallery owner Rogan Sweeney takes an interest in Maggie's fabulous glass creations, and soon after takes a personal interest in Maggie herself. Maggie is a wonderful character, stubborn and flawed, yet still caring. Nora does a fabulous job of developing Maggie, and does it in a way that she seems like a real person. Rogan is an extremely likeable hero. Maggie's sister, Brianna, is her complete opposite; quiet, sweet, and calm. The relationship between the two sisters, however, is very touching and very real. This book is full of colourful characters, some we love and some we hate. The romance between Rogan and Maggie is wonderful. Basically, I just can't say enough good things about this book. You will love it!

The 2nd Nora Roberts book I ever read was "Born In Ice", which I only later discovered was part of trilogy -- and the middle, at that. I enjoyed it then, but resolved to go out and read the whole trilogy. I'm glad I did!

"Born In Fire" sets the whole tone for the 2 books that follow. While the relationship between temperamental glassblowing artist Maggie and upper-crust gallery owner Rogan is obviously at the forefront of this tale, the larger tale being told is that of 2 sisters and how they are coming to grips with the death of their adoring father and the reality of the long, loveless marriage he shared with their cold, bitter mother. The relationship and interplay between Maggie, her sweet-natured sister Brianna, and their shrewish mother provides some of the best dialogue in the book.

Maggie is a very well-developed character, who is so flawed and yet so wonderful that she is as human to the reader as one's own best friend might be.

Well, what can I say? This was a very funny book. A little short, a bit light, but good.
Where else do you get to meet Imps, from Imper? Deveels, (not devils) from Deva? Pervects (not Perverts if you want to keep all of your limbs and organs in their proper location, as in attached to your body and all that) from Perv? Klahds, (unfortunately, that would be us, or close to it) from Klah? And of course Gnomes, from Zoorik? (don't ask me, I didn't write it)
Skeeve's myth-adventures are wild, unpredictable, and funny.
In this, the first in the series, Skeeve meets Imp assassins, a demon hunter named Quigley, an ex-assassin with green hair named Tananda, a Pervect nameed Aahz, a Deveel named Frumple, and a laughing madman caled Isstvan, among others. Add the war unicorn(Buttercup) and the dragon (Gleep) and let the insanity begin.
It's nice that the magik in this book follows rules, of a sort, and nothing is ever quite what it seems.
And one of my favorite parts would have to be the quotes at the beginning of each chapter, from such notables as Darth Vader, Robin Hood, Thomas Edison, Benedict Arnold, Gengas Khan, and a pair refered to as Lor L. and Har D.
A quick read, but... All in all, if it doesn't make you laugh out loud, it will at least make you smile.

Skeeve, a young magicians apprentice, who isn't very adept at magic, only wants to learn enogh magic to become a thief. Then one day his world is turned upside-down when, after summoning a scaly green demon,his master is killed by assassins. Skeeve joins forces with Aahz, the demon, who turns out to be a magician from the world of Perv, who has now lost his powers. The book is hilarious, the characters are interesting, and this book gives tired fantasy conceptions a whole new spin. The first in a series, I reccomend this book, and its sequels, very highly. You will not stop laughing.

This book is definitely a best. In fact, I'd give it a 15 on any 10 scale. The author, Robert Asprin, is a true genius. I picked ANOTHER FINE MYTH out in the young adults section of the public library, thinking it'd be a good read (at that time, because of it's cover, catchy title, and the stuff on the back cover) and was pleasantly surprised when it surpassed all of my expectations! Now, I've read it (and all the books in the series) for the god knows how many-eth time (though, admittedly, while waiting for the next book in the series to come out...and when is that?) and still enjoy it immensely. The books incorporate fantasy, adventure, humor, and the facts of life into one awesome package. Where can one find Skeeve or Aahz, I'd like to know! [9B-)

I received this book as a gift and it has earned a place on my kitchen counter (instead of in the bookcase with other weight-loss books). "Volumetrics" has helped me to make gradual changes in how I feed my family without feeling deprived and without having to announce, "We're going on a diet." I especially like the snack suggestions. When I REALLY WANT ice cream, I can quickly turn to the snack list and find something sweet (like a smoothie) that I can put together FAST. The recipes are fresh and very easy to prepare. Not normally a soup eater, I now understand its value in a meal plan and eagerly look forward to trying some new soup recipes (when the heatwave ends!). I don't quite understand why one reader gave this book only one star and then went on to praise a DIFFERENT book by a Dr. Shapiro. Sounds like the negative review was written by a friend of Dr. Shapiro! I didn't pay any attention to it and I suggest that you don't either.

"Volumetrics" is the best weight management book available today. This is the book anybody interested in weight management should read. It is a refreshingly honest approach that refutes a lot of the diet hype books on the market today. The book offers practical advice on how to control your hunger, as well as recipes. It doesn't offer the phony promises of "burn away fat while eating lard" that so many of the blockbuster diets on the market offer. Instead, it delivers a pound-shedding plan to lose excess weight without feeling hungry that is based on years of science research. The general premise is built around research that indicates that people eat the same WEIGHT of food everyday, regardless of the number of calories that it contains. Lower the calorie content, but not the food's weight and you will lose excess pounds without going hungry. It is a very easy book to read and includes recipes for meals, and is easier to follow than other energy density-base books such as the Pritikin Principle. It also appears more thorough and honest than Dr. Shapiro's Picture Perfect Weight Loss. The book's only weakness is its lack of color photographs and illustrations, which is unfortunate because that will probably hurt sales.

This book is THE best! I previously tried one of those shady "carbohydrates are bad and here's how to get rid of them" books, and not only was I miserable, it also made me physically ill after 1 month. Volumetrics, however, is such a wonderful "plan". It's realistic, it's easy, it doesn't have any weird ingredients or any true no-no's. I've lost 5lbs in about 2 1/2 weeks, and I feel great...I'm not starving, I'm not eating at only specific times, and I'm eating real food that my husband can enjoy with me (he who has no need to lose post-baby weight!). It truly is a life changing book as far as how you eat; it makes you much more aware of how and why fruits, vegetables, and fiber are good for you and how they help you in your weight loss venture. I highly recommend it to those of you who want to look and feel better.

I admired Rodriguez's work before I read this book, but I have to admit, now I'm a disciple. It's been weeks since I read this book, but it's still in my head. Does that mean I've been permanently changed? That's a pretty amazing feat for the diary of a filmmaker.

This book is the incredible tale (told in excerpts from Rodriguez's diary) of how Robert Rodriguez went from submitting film shorts to small-time film festivals to travelling to Hollywood, getting an agent, and finally winning an award at Sundance. (And you can see the epilogue of the book, as Rodriguez's most recent film, "Spy Kids" has almost reached $100 million domestically after only five weeks).

Since Rodriguez wrote his diary as his life was being radically altered, the reader really gets to make the journey with him from medical guinea pig to camera jockey to the most sought-after person in Hollywood... it's amazing.

The best part is that Rodriguez is also a teacher, and his book manages to be massively instructive as well as encouraging. Rodriguez gives practical advice about things like cameras, lighting, and films, as well as advice on more ephemeral topics, like staying true to yourself in filmmaking. Like a more-experienced older brother, Rodriguez tells us how to deal with the junk that Hollywood metes out, and how to emerge personality intact.

It's clear that Rodriguez is emerging as a Hollywood maverick and leader, much like other indie-turned-studio directors such as Steven Soderbergh ("Sex, Lies and Videotape," "Erin Brockovich" and "Traffic"), and this book is a veritable how-to manual. A roadmap to filmmaking, if you will.

Yes, it's a must-read if you are a filmmaker ("So you want to be a filmmaker?" asks Rodriguez. "First step to being a filmmaker is to stop saying you want to be a filmmaker... you don't want to be a filmmaker, you ARE a filmmaker.") But if you love stories of excruciating hard work mingled with blood and sweat, David taking on Goliath, and a super-big payoff ending, then this is a story you won't want to miss.

When's your next diary coming out, Robert?

This is a delightful, funny, amazing and inspirational book. It's the remarkable account of how one 23-year-old made a film on the cheap, and how hard he had to work (it was a labor of love, of course) to do that. This book also gives an insightful glimpse into the dazzling world of Hollywood glitz from the point-of-view of "an ordinary Joe" who suddenly finds himself catapulted into a world of limos, expense accounts, and who-you-know mentality. Included in the book are Rodriguez's famous "Ten Minute Film School" essay and the script for his film "El Mariachi" as he wrote it. (No, it's not in "proper script format", but since he wrote, directed, shot, and edited the whole film himself, it didn't matter. Rodriguez rule number one: You don't always have to follow the rules.)

Readers who aren't dying to make their own movies will still find this a tremendously good tale of how an ordinary, middle-class, almost-a-dropout can become a success. Rodriguez's formula for success is a true homily: 10% inspiration + 90% prespiration, and a little blood donated to science. Oh, and a whole lot of chutzpah.

For aspiring independent film-makers, this book is truly a must-read. For everybody else, it's a ripper of a true tale, well told and likeable.

Oh, and don't forget to pair it with the video of "El Mariachi", the film the book is all about. It shows how stylish a "cheap" film can be, and it's a lot of fun, especially when you know all the "inside jokes": cheat sheets, wheelchair dollies, why everybody always gets shot in the chest, etc.

Whether you are a filmmaker who has been in the field for many years or one who is anxiously ready to do their first film, I highly recommend reading "Rebel Without a Crew" by Robert Rodriguez. The book is literally reading Robert's journal and almost like being with him every step of the way as he gets the film "El Mariachi" created and more. From beginning to his next project, you can't help but keep reading and not wanting to put the book down. It's that good! If there is one thing I truly appreciate is that he writes without the B.S. and he tells you how he feels from the people he meets, the dinner he has, filming a movie with $7,000 and more. After buying and reading this book, please pick up the "El Mariachi/Desperado" DVD to further enjoy his work by watching the film, how he made the film and also to watch the popular short film he made, "Bedhead". Last, borrowing Robert's sentence that he emphasizes quite a few times through the book and DVD. "First step to being a filmmaker is stop aying you want to be a filmmaker". You are a filmmaker. Thank you Mr. Rodriguez for the inspirational book and proving to Hollywood and those in the industry that things that may have seemed impossible is possible.

This book should be required reading for every graphic designer, book designer, typographer and certainly anyone directly or indirectly responsible for unleashing the current wave of awful typography on an unsuspecting public. Bringhurst covers everything from the basics of type styles to advanced kerning principles to the finer points of page proportions, all in a succint yet engaging way.

Bringhurst does an excellent job of laying out a series of rules and guidelines, while making it clear that these are a starting point, a foundation for good type design, not a set of limitations. He is a poet as well as a typographer, and his eloquence pays tribute to the field as no one else has.

The book features a good deal on the evolution of typography and includes great side-by-side comparisons of typefaces to illustrate specific points. He also deals extensively with punctuation marks, diacritics and the duty/joy of designing type with languages other than English in mind. I find myself returning again and again to the section on the subtleties of page proportions. He also achieves the nearly impossible balance of singing the praises of the old masters while not being afraid of the best of what's new and experimental.

As a designer, I am always looking to hone my skills. I thought I was adept at setting type until I found this gem. Bringhurst's study of type covers the obvious to the arcane. Beautifully designed, it illustrates type and their families, page geometry, philosophies of design, and typesetting rules. Master Craftsman, Hermann Zapf (you know -- his faces are in your computer) said himself that "he wishes to see this book become the Typographers Bible". This book is a must for the writer, publisher, designer, and editor because it covers a multitude of topics and rules vital and common to each sector. This is the "Manual of Style" for typesetting. It requires us to think more carefully about the setting of words and its impact on writing: "Typography is to literature what musical performance is to composition -- full of endless opportunity for insight OR obtuseness." I recommend this for anyone even remotely interested in the artform of letters. I highly recommend it for writers considering designing their own books.

This book is amazing. Whether a newspaper copyfitter or a web graphic designer, this text contains useful and informative information that will help the serious designer firmly root themselves in this oft-overlooked science.

To be fair, this is not a quick, to the point text-- it was written with the serious professional/enthusiast as the target audience. There is no list of rules to follow within. Bringhurst instead explains with detail and enthusiasm the very purpose and history of typesetting, all the while furthering the reader's appreciation and style.

A must buy for anyone who ever has or ever will deal with the printed (on paper or the web) page.