Gauvain and Cole's "Readings on the Development of Children-3d Edition" is an excellent supplement to an outstanding text. Where so many "workbook" type supplements are little more than an encapsulation of material already covered in the main text, "Readings..." is a collection of classic and contemporary articles that provides an excellent springboard for discussion in graduate level seminars.

I especially like the fact that each reading is followed by discussion questions that encourage studentts to think more broadly about key concepts.

Just as Clement Moore gave us the definitive Santa Claus in "A Visit from St. Nicholas" (a.k.a. "The Night Before Christmas"), Charles Dickens gave us the definitive Christmas spirit in his simple but charming novella "A Christmas Carol". First published in 1843, this supernatural story of an elderly man's redemption from his mean-spirited, miserly ways takes place in Victorian London, but its universal theme of charity towards our fellow man has endeared this classic to many a generation around the globe. In addition to its priceless role as a morality tale, the book colorfully describes the Yuletide customs practiced in England during the early nineteenth century. This Washington Square Press edition of "A Christmas Carol" is unabridged, yet you can understand why so short a book is yet published in abridged versions, especially for schoolchildren. Not infrequently, Dickens veers from the main story line and goes into tangents of a philosophical or descriptive nature, much like the converser who abruptly changes the subject only to return to it with the familiar "Anyway, ... ". I assume children (and some adults) may find these tangents cumbersome and distracting, but they are still useful in that they reflect Dickens' thoughts while writing the book. It may still be difficult for some of us to think that cold-hearted Christmas-bashers like Ebenezer Scrooge exist, but look at human nature around you, and it will be difficult no more. At a time when "Merry Christmas" is being supplanted by a more vague "Happy Holidays", and the season gives way to coarse behavior and unchecked materialism, "A Christmas Carol" is the perfect guidebook to put things into perspective.

Well, I finally read it (instead of just watching it on the TV screen).

This is what you can call a simple idea, well told. A lonely, bitter old gaffer needs redemption, and thus is visited by three spirits who wish to give him a push in the right direction. You have then a ghost story, a timeslip adventure, and the slow defrosting of old Scrooge's soul. There are certain additions in the more famous filmed versions that help tweak the bare essentials as laid down by Dickens, but really, all the emotional impact and plot development necessary to make it believable that Scrooge is redeemable--and worth redeeming--is brilliantly cozied into place by the great novelist.

The scenes that choke me up the most are in the book; they may not be your favourites. I react very strongly to our very first look at the young Scrooge, sitting alone at school, emotionally abandoned by his father, waiting for his sister to come tell him there may be a happy Christmas. Then there are the various Cratchit scenes, but it is not so much Tiny Tim's appearances or absence that get to me--it's Bob Cratchit's dedication to his ailing son, and his various bits of small talk that either reveal how much he really listens to Tim, or else hide the pain Cratchit is feeling after we witness the family coming to grips with an empty place at the table. Scrooge as Tim's saviour is grandly set up, if only Scrooge can remember the little boy he once was, and start empathizing with the world once again. I especially like all Scrooge's minor epiphanies along his mystical journey; he stops a few times and realizes when he has said the wrong thing to Cratchit, having belittled Bob's low wages and position in life, and only later realizing that he is the miser with his bootheel on Cratchit's back. Plus, he must confront his opposite in business, Fezziwig, who treated his workers so wonderfully, and he watches as true love slips through his fingers again.

It all makes up the perfect Christmas tale, and if anyone can find happiness after having true love slip through his fingers many years ago, surprisingly, it's Scrooge. With the help of several supporting players borrowed from the horror arena, and put to splendid use here.

Master storyteller and social critic, Charles Dickens, turns this social treatise on shortcomings of Victorian society into an entertaining and heartwarming Christmas ghost story which has charmed generations and become an icon of Christmas traditions. Who, in the Western world has not heard, "Bah, Humbug!" And who can forget the now almost hackneyed line of Tiny Tim, "God bless us, every one!" or his cheerfully poignant observation, that he did not mind the stares of strangers in church, for he might thus serve as a reminder of He who made the lame, walk and the blind, see. Several movie versions: musical, animated, updated, or standard; as well as stage productions (I recall the Cleveland Playhouse and McCarter Theatre`s with fondess.) have brought the wonderful characterizations to the screen, as well as to life. This story of the redemption of the bitter and spiritually poor miser, and the book itself; however, is a timeless treasure whose richness, like Mrs Cratchit`s Christmas pudding, is one that no production can hope to fully capture.

Johnston had a life-altering experience in the Mississippi Delta and was eager to share it. He witnessed some of the staggering problems in our educational system. But instead of being moved and challenged by his book, I grew increasingly irritated and unimpressed. How could a Yale graduate, English teacher and Grove Press author achieve publication of a work so riddled with grammatical and word usage errors? The mistakes cast doubt on Johnston's credibility as an educator and reporter. Just two examples: the repeated use of "disinterested" to mean "uninterested"; and the dozens of incorrect modifiers, such as, "Watching Corelle shuffle down the hall flanked by two security guards, a discomfort welled inside me." Like others, I too found his tone a bit self-congratulatory. Despite all, I'm glad I read the book. It covers a part of our culture one needs to know.

Tear-jerking and heartstring-tugging are well and good, but I found the writing to be melodramatic and even maudlin at many points. Besides, how can someone who jumps into two years of teaching in a place he probably would have known nothing about prior to landing there really, truly, genuinely come to understand the profound cultural riches (and poverties) of that place? It would take decades, perhaps, and the intimate understanding of a native son/daughter. I am skeptical. This felt--at least on some level--like the author is capitalizing on his experiences in the Delta. It's clear they had an impact on him, but I'm not sure they really allowed him to leave behind a subtle, smarter-than-thou attitude. Perhaps the best thing about this book is that it might awaken some readers to the horrific plight faced by American public schools.

I am a classmate and friend of the author at YLS and would like to refute the earlier character-attacking review from the YLS student. While I have not had the opportunity to read through the entire book myself, I have talked with the author about education issues and his book, and have found him to be highly informed. More importantly, I feel that he has a legitimate desire to improve the plight of those children from disadvantaged backgrounds through education reform.

The fact alone that the book is mainly focused on Bill's accomplishments - instead of downfalls, gives it right to be read. The book ventures through Bill's young life in Arkansas under an unsteady home to where he stood at his first presidential innaguration with a family of his own. This book is well written, and even has pictures to supplement the text. Overall the book was worth the short time it took to read - and kept me captivated to learn about one of the most controversial men in America.

While reading this book, I thought it was accomplishing in its very substance what it was saying with its words. As I expected from a book on culture, it provides examples ranging from western to eastern societies, from contemporary episodes to past ones. The ability to find examples from different fields and to connect them to the central topic makes the point of the tremendous consequentiality of cultural issues. At the same time it refrains from generalizations, highlighting the serious dilemmas in which cultural encounters engage us. It is a committed tour throughout various themes of a cultural perspective in both everyday puzzlements and major events covered in the media. For this reasons and for the style of its writing it comes as a pleasant and compelling reading. The general approach relies on socio-constructionism and cultural psychology, which are part of the very new trends in talking about culture. If you are looking for an introduction to cultural issues in social sciences this book offers a fresh repertoire of relevant cases together with sketched references to some of the among the most appreciated theoretical frameworks in current research.

Fun on the run is a terrific way to keep everyone busy on those long car trips. Included are word games,songs,license plate games and jokes. Our family enjoyed all the songs and activities. This great book can be used by car,plane or dogsled,wherever you may go. Enjoy!

This text provides a quick, concise review of the pimary topics covered on emergency medicine exams. I found it to be a good way to prepare for inservice exams and the written boards.

No one has reviewed this book. But i bet a Neil Armstrong book has loads of reviews. i'm proud of my country's achievement, in getting a man into space. But come on! Surely it was more important just to get a man in space. I'm glad someone has written a good book on a very brave man, who was doing something unlike anyone else had ever done.

The book was a good book. I used this book as a research guide and it was very clear and full of information.

This book is more like the "The New Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft Manufacturers" then the "The New Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft." It starts with a short and somewhat sketchy history of aviation then goes into the encyclopedia which it titles "The A-Z of the World's Aircraft.". All of the entries are just different aircraft manufacturers. It mentions a little of the companie's history and gives a list of the companies products. While there are many pictures of aircraft in the book, no information is given for any of the aircraft that are mentioned in the book. All it is a list of aircraft manufacturers and what they make or made. I was very disappointed by this book and do not recomend it to anyone.

GOOD BOOK BUT No INFO.I BOUGHT IT FOR A ENCYCLOPEDIA NOT A GUIDE OF AIRCRAFT COMPINEIS....

I give this book five stars. I give it five stars because it gives you so much info on each plane. It also gives a great picture of each plane. My two favorite planes in this book is the f-22 Raptor and the F-18 Hornet. This book should deserve 500 stars if it could be 500 stars.