This book was extraordinary. I usually don't trust the library's choice of books, but in this I was mistaken. I completed the book in two days-and one was a school day! In parts I almost cried, but in the next instant, I could rejoice and cheer for the brave, spirited little Hitty. Some of the charecters I wish I knew more about -Andy, my favorite charecter, as a start- but it made it more realistic-Hitty would concnetrate most on her current owner, I suppose. That's really it's only flaw that I could find. Good reading!

Hitty Her First Hundred Years was inspired by a real doll. This doll is currently displayed in the Stockbridge Mass. Library Museum. Many readers have wished they could have their own special doll like Hitty. From 1830 til today doll artists have attempted to make their version of this doll. Some of the most famous names in doll making have attempted to capture her spirit.

I have a photo of this orinial Hitty doll posted on my wood doll web page:

If you compare the original doll with the illustrations in the book, you must note how well Dorothy Lathrop captured the sweet, Mona Lisa type smile of this doll.

"hitty" is much more than a book; for a child, it is a very unique experience. It is written with skill and class, and Hitty's adventures blended with whimsical illustrations make this a classic of children's literature. One of the more distinguished (and deserving) Newbery Medal books. A compulsively readable, thoroughly delightful book.

All reviewers praise this book, and so will I. It is really very good: clearly structured into chapters, each dealing with a different aspect of Spanish verb tenses. Very easy-to-understand explanations throughout the book (the explanation of when to use "ser" and when "estar" is priceless!), lots of exercises that will test your comprehension of the covered material. I bought the book about 7 weeks before an important Spanish test I had to take as part of my job application. Although I did not have time to go through the whole book, I was still able to review the most important parts of the Spanish verb structures; and it really made a difference! (I learned Spanish 10 years ago but never used it since then.) If you look for either a review material or for a book that will teach you the tricky Spanish tenses, buy this one. It's more than worth the money.

Dorothy Devney Richmond has produced a wonderful exercise book to help students master the Spanish language. Her explanations and examples are clear and concise and the opportunities for practice, practice, practice are invaluable in applying the rules of grammar. Every exercise has the correct answers in the back of the book, unlike most other Spanish workbooks. I teach Spanish at our local community college and I recommend this book to all my students as an excellent resource book to be used in addition to the classroom text. I only wish Ms. Richmond would publish more! How about a 2nd Edition of Spanish Verb Tenses?

This is a must-buy book, with an especially deceptive price. This is the mother of all bargains. With dozens to hundreds of sentences in every Spanish verb tense (including subjunctive mood and passive voice), not to mention special chapters on stem-changing and common irregular verbs, and chapters on reflexive constructions and using the infinitive. Then, after you thought you had learned it all, the author throws in full paragraphs to translate from English to Spanish, with vocabulary. I am going to buy a second copy just because it is such good practice. ALL ANSWERS ARE INCLUDED, TOO.

Amazing. I don't know what possessed me to do a search for this title today--and I'm stunned (and thrilled) that anyone other than me even remembers it! This was the first book I remember reading, too, in kindergarten or first grade, and I can still recite it 35 years later. I well remember the excitement of the very first time I read it--what a sense of accomplishment! (I'm sure it's no coincidence that I went on to work in publishing . . .)

I always loved this book. My middle name is Anne and I always felt I had a connection to the little girl because our names were the same. I also made red my favorite color for the longest time because of this book. It is a great book for a little girl to read. If I ever have a daughter, this is on the book list for her.

This is one of the first books that I can remember owning and reading. In fact there are photos done (i.e. Sears like) of me when I was about 3 or 4 and the photographer posed me holding that book. I would love to find a copy of that book so that I might be able to read it to my daughter.

Totto Chan is my favourite book! I mean it! My first encounter with Totto Chan was in a book of short stories during a literature lesson. I was deeply amazed by the fact that how a first-grader could be expelled from school. Reading about Totto Chan's experiences really tugged at my heartstrings. Even her new school Tomoe Gakuen exuded a charm of its own. I simply love the atmosphere of the school and the song that the students dutifully sing before meals. While reading the book, I could almost imagine myself attending classes in abandoned railroad cars and the euphoria of going to school everyday. Definitely not a chore, not anymore. I would recommend this book to everyone who wants to relive their childhood memories. This book is worth every penny! What are you waiting for? Go get it now!

A heart-warming, and delightful collection of true stories of young Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, a famous television personality in Japan. It begins when Totto-chan ( Tetsuko's nick name) was expelled from the first grade because of her disruptive behaviour. She was then transferred to a very unique school ran by a headmaster who had his own teaching philosophy. The school itself was not in a building but in discarded railroad cars. The book also includes other adventures Totto-chan had been involved in, and also previews what life had been like as a small child in Japan during the outbreak of World War II. I recomend this book to parents, and teachers because of Mr. Kobayashi- the headmaster's philosophy of education. It also makes fun reading for children, as I myself have had this book since I was twelve years old.

This simple, funny, and moving collection of memories of an elementary school in WW2 Japan tells the story of a headmaster's boundless and unshakeable love for children, and of his unorthodox approach to educating them. The author (the grown-up Totto-Chan) was a student in the "classroom train" at Tomoe Gakuen, and is now a popular talk show host in Japan. She has written about the escapades and life's lessons she experienced in elementary school. The simple and ingenuous style affects the reader physically (goosebumps, a lump in the throat, blinking away tears, and things of that nature). The illustrations, which were made years before the book was written, are not just beautiful but also amazingly apt. The translation does not jar - remarkable feat for a book that so liberally recalls haiku, lyrics, and folklore. Besides the headmaster's love for children and Totto-Chan's love for talking, the book is also about the students' love for their headmaster, their deep gratitude for his vision, and the author's efforts perpetuate that vision through her book. This book is for readers of all ages and cultures.

I was recommended this book by a friend who is a voracious reader. I forgot about it until working at the library, a copy fell into my hands. I remembered the friend, and borrowed the book. For several days I slowly read it and was mad at myself for having neglected this fine work. The narrator, Cassandra, is a girl on the brink of womanhood in the middle of a sad and terribly amusing dysfunctional family. Her family includes her genius of a father, who spends his days teetering on the brink of mental collapse; her stepmother, Topaz, a ridiculous woman with a heart of gold; Rose, the sister, heartless until her heart breaks; and their loyal servant, Stephen, who is the only one on the premises with the brains and brawn to earn the money they so need so badly. They live together in a beautiful ruin of a castle, caught in almost a dream of poverty, until one day two vistors arrive and change their future forever. I fell in love with Stephen, and I love this book!

I knew that the book was good the moment I realized that I was enjoying it -- because the first time I read "I Capture the Castle", I was only ten years old. Furthermore, my mother was forty-five, and she loved it just as much as I did. And, now that I think of it, so did my grandmother (sixty-eight, I believe).

"I Capture the Castle" is an amazing novel set in the thirties, near the town of Godsend, somewhere in England. The book is told in the form of a journal; seventeen-year-old Cassandra Mortmain, whose best poem was written on top of the henhouse (and it wasn't a good one at that), has finally given up on rhyme and meter, and has decided that the best way to train herself into "good writer" position would be to keep a journal in her own very unique shorthand.

Cassandra, her broody father, her eccentric stepmother Topaz, her older sister Rose, her younger brother Thomas, and Stephen (who helps with the gardening and things) all live in a large house -- well, mostly castle, but a bit house as well -- with very little money and not much hope ... until two strangers show up at their door after their car has been stuck in the mud, claiming to have seen some spirits dancing around atop the battlements.

Smith's style is whimsical at times, dead serious at others, but all the time managing to capture the reader's attention, as she captures the castle.

[yes, the title is cheesy, but it's true!!)

At first when I started reading I Capture the Castle, I must admit, I was a little bored. I put off reading it for more than a year! Now I could read it over and over and over again, and it would still be great! The book starts off slow, really, but after sitting down in a nice, quiet room, and taking in every word I began to like it. I found as I began reading that the book grew more and more interesting. (Once you getting a feeling of the book) The storyline flows and it's so well put that you feel like you're sitting in Cassandra's kitchen, that you're right beside her while she writes in the kitchen sink. Cassandra and her family live in an old castle, which Cassandra absolutely adores. The book is about Cassandra Mortmain, and her daily life in that castle, set in the 1930's; her hardships with her family, her battles with love and the every day comedy's of life.

Dodie Smith really makes Cassandra and the other Mortmains come to life. Cassandra is one of the most likeable characters I have ever "read about", she is stubborn, funny and dislikes anything involving romance,[ in the sense of romance between to people.] Quirky and perceptive, Cassandra will always keep you smiling. Then there's beautiful Stephen who's in love with her, who she thinks of as a brother, her sister Rose, who attracts boys where ever she goes, Topaz, Cassandra's step-mother who's a part-time nude model and her eccentric father, who's been having writing block...for twelve years. Cassandra's younger brother Thomas plays a lesser role in the book, but he does help with some of Cassandra's schemes. I do have some qualms with the ending though, it was a strange ending- but at the same time, I loved the ending! I capture the castle is a delightful book....go out and buy it!! If you're Canadian it's pretty expensive for a paperback, but get it anyways, it's truly worth it.

I first received "Understood Betsy" when I was 8 years old, over 20 years ago, and I still remember some of the passages and characters as if I had read them yesterday. I read and reread this book countless times throughout my childhood.

Written in 1916, "Understood Betsy" immmerses the reader into rural life in the 1800's. Elizabeth goes from the city to live with farmer cousins, who call her Betsy. She then becomes a girl who learns to do things for herself, think for herself, and take care of others.

Most interesting, the book shows the older view of treasuring common day moments, such as making the applesauce or playing dolls. If you always enjoyed the "Little House" and "Caddie Woodlawn" books, then you will LOVE "Understood Betsey", which delves even more into the everyday life of girls in that time.

In the beginning, as Peggy Parrish puts it, Elizabeth Ann was a wimp.

She was sent to her cousins, the Putneys, in the middle of her story. They began to teach her how to think for herself.

By the end of the story she could think about anything she wanted to without explaining it to anyone. This is a very well written story. It's a wonderful book relating to life at the turn of the century. It shows how schools, homes and lifestyles have changed over the years. This is one of the top ten books on my personal list.

I received this book as a Christmas present in 1997 when I was eight years old. I thought it was an excellent story because Betsy really improved in her new one-room school. Her teacher is really nice because she let Betsy read with the seventh graders, do second grade math and third grade spelling!

This story really makes you feel like you are Betsy's friend Ellen. I also like how she and the other girls in her one-room school joined together to make new clothes for the boy whose stepfather is an alcoholic. All the people are really caring in this book.

Dorothy Canfield Fisher is simply one of the smartest psychologists, long before Freud came on the seen. In her book, Understood Betsy, Ms. Fisher not only crafts a wonderful story of how a little sheltered and fearful girl under the care of one aunt, grows into an independent thinker, and joyful person under the care of her other relatives when the former aunt is taken out of the picture.

Elizabeth Ann, known as Betsy to her farm relatives, was orphaned as a baby. Her city relatives scoop her up to save her from being reared by the 'Putney Cousins' (our heros in Vermont). But fate sweeps Elizabeth Ann away from the only woman who *understands* her, and takes her to the dreadful farm in Vermont, where children have been known to *do chores*. How does Betsy fare?

That's the children's part of the story. For the adult, especially one who is unfamiliar with children, the lesson is given that you *can* love a child into the the fearful person you yourself are. But you *can* also love a child to let that child find things out for herself, and become aware, that she is aloud to find things out for herself. Isn't it amazing that children have brains, and they do not have to be programmed by 'pre-warning' them of every consequence to their behavior?

Please read, and see Betsy grow into a useful engine (for those of you who know Thomas the Tank Engine). Please read and learn yourself, how to help your children, by learning to leave them alone to find things out for themselves.....

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!

whenever I find a used copy of this or MacDonald's "The Princess and Curdie" I buy it and give it away. Both books are full of religious symbolism if you think about it, and old other-worldness if you don't. "The Princess and the Goblin" can be enjoyed by early elementary school children, while the language of "The Princess and Curdie" is more challenging and suited for 5th grade and up, though anything is possible with a bit of extra effort. Worth trying. George MacDonald (deceased) has a loyal following as do, of course, Tolkien and C.S.Lewis who were his friends. These are lovely books to read aloud.

So many fine reviews here already about MacDonald's powerful text (for children and adults). I would only add that this edition which includes 8 or 10 gentle and mysterious drawings (watercolors?) by Jessie Wilcox Smith portrays the fearful goblins (also Curdie, Irene, and her father, etc.) without weakening the strength of the tale or scaring the young reader. I purchased this book for an avid seven-year-old reader who loved the story and also commented on the "beautiful" pictures. The book is also good to read aloud to a number of children in a broad age range. My too-cool 11-year-old became mesmerized after the first chapter and found himself talking with his younger brother (!) about the story.

Harriet Vane is long past marrying age, independent (like Ms. Sayers herself, she is a mystery writer) ... and on top of all that, she was the primary suspect in the murder of her own fiancé not too long ago. So can she possibly be a good choice as the person that her alma mater, Oxford's [fictional] Shrewsbury College turns to in order to help solving crimes ranging from poison pen letters to acts of vandalism and assault? Not all of the college's dons think so. In fact, even before being called on for this delicate task, upon returning to Oxford for the first time in years for a school reunion ("Gaudy Night"), Harriet's presence in the college triggers thinly-veiled inquiries into the details of her encounter with the criminal justice system and, coincidentally with that experience, into her difficult friendship with Lord Peter Wimsey (much-acclaimed graduate of another Oxford college, diplomat, amateur sleuth and, for much of his career, one of literary history's most dashing bachelors). Shrewsbury's teachers and students, past and present, heatedly discuss issues ranging from a woman's choice between profession and family, and the respective values of independence and loyalty, to the meaning of truth and accuracy in a scholar's work ethics. Those who were never in favor of the college's decision to ask Harriet to help unraveling the secret behind the progressively evil deeds plaguing Shrewsbury are, predictably, even more scandalized when she ultimately brings in Lord Peter Wimsey; who after all, as everybody has long since concluded, is vying for her hand in marriage. Ultimately, however, the dons find themselves almost uniformly grateful to Harriet and Lord Peter: The perpetrator's identity is revealed, and the sleuthing pair has managed to keep the affair out of the headlines and out of the local police's reach - which would have meant immeasurable damage to the college's reputation, so crucial at a time when the presence of women on the sacred grounds of a traditional and highly acclaimed university was anything but a given.

This novel has it all: the best of Dorothy Sayer's writing (rich characters, intimate knowledge of her subject and the setting of her story, suspense, humor and a thoroughly believable plot), a profound and engrossing discussion of moral issues way before her time and, last but not least, one of the classiest and most unusual marriage proposals I know of, in fact or fiction. ("Placet, magistra?") Unlike many other mysteries it does not open with the crime to be solved; rather, Ms. Sayers leads the reader into the story through Harriet's reflections upon returning to Oxford for her school's reunion. This book, then, is not to be measured by the standards or the sensationalism of an action thriller - it follows the beat of a more measured drummer, although tensions are certainly running high throughout the story; emotionally, socially and otherwise. This is one of Dorothy Sayer's best works, and not only a great mystery story but as truly rewarding and lasting a reading experience as any literature ever will be.

Dorothy L. Sayers wrote some of the best mystery novels that ever appeared in print. In fact she wrote most of them.

Gaudy Night is mainly a novel of Oxford, despite its being ostensibly a mystery. Harriet Vane is the main character of this novel, though of course Sayers' best creation, Lord Peter Wimsey, plays an important part in this book. The dialogue is as clever and wonderfully piffling as ever, the story thought-provoking, and best of all it is here that Peter is finally successful in wooing his Harriet. (The punt scene! And the finale...)

There never was a better mystery writer. I would suggest, before reading this, that you read Strong Poison and Have His Carcase for the full effect. Oh, and follow Gaudy Night up with Busman's Honeymoon.

Gaudy Night has long been my favorite Dorothy Sayers mystery. The plot involves Harriet Vane and Peter Wimsey investigating a murder at Harriet's old college at Oxford. The plotting is excellent and the dialogue intelligent and witty. This is classic Sayers. What really adds to the story is the continuing love story between Harriet and Peter. Before Harriet came along, Wimsey seemed to me to not be a fully fleshed out character. Adding Harriet to the mix livens up Wimsey and makes him seem more real and more human. This is an excellent golden age mystery from a master writer. Highly recommended.

I read this book for the first time about 15 years ago. I have read it at least 6 times and have told many, many people about it. The Kin of Ata reaches in deep and pulls at the heart and soul. It reminds us all of the journey we are on. It re-awakens you and reminds you to listen to your dreams. ...Nagdeo to you Ms. Bryant

The Kin Of Ata Are Waiting For You by Dorothy Bryant is a book that everyone should have the opportunity to read. This book is top of the list, it makes a connection within you. It is in so many ways an inspiration and a guide to follow. It will bring you back to the way things used to be, before people tried to create a dream without having that dream. It's a book about our culture and how it came to be and what our true nature is. The kin of Ata, a type of people, are waiting for you to realize that the reality is not here, it is there, their way of life. It's a book about transformation and awakening. It's described on the back of the book as, "the struggle of the human spirit to know and become itself." The book is easy to read and keeps your interest throughout.

Hi There Everyone,

I have just been blown away by The Kin of Ata. Another Camelot. Another Avalon. And more.

I am not easily swayed by words.I am a Marine,a Harvard MBA, a CPA, a spouse of some years, a parent of four children, an awesome dude.

I have ... never written a review. But this time it is different.

The Kin of Ata shows us another way. A way free of sin, guilt, exclusion, boring TV, AND yet full of fun, joyful work, ways to lift ourselves up, ways to fulfill our human lives.

I enjoyed "The Celestine Prophesy". That book was distributed at first in off Main Street "New Age" bookstores and leapt off the shelves. The author was amazed and went on to sell millions.

The "Kin" is far more expansive, joyful, than the "Prophesy" for me. For those of you who know, what more can I say? For those who don't and are in search for a more meaningful life, buy, lease, or borrow this book.

By the time you have read twenty pages, you will thank me and kiss my ring. Since I wear no ring, your buying this amazing book will be our mutual gift to one another.

... I do not know how to reassure you on this point. Perhaps a little (very little in our society) trust is in order. You must decide.

This is a joy filled adventure. Easy to read. Just over 200 pages in length. Very easy to read. I bet you read it more than once!!

To the Misty Isles of Ata, Avalon, Camelot and Erin.

On The Road to God Kows Where

I first read The Lymond Chronicles over ten years ago. I have re-read this series several times since. Checkmate is the most exhilarating, intoxicating conclusion to a historical series ever written! Dorothy Dunnett ingeniously intertwines fictional characters and events with actual historical figures and happenings. The main character, Francis Crawford of Lymond and Sevigny is, to my mind, the most amazing fictional character ever created. He is brilliant, neurotic, scholarly, cruel, willful, witty...I could go on indefinetly. Throughout the series, Lymond is surrounded by intriguing characters, both real and fictional, and travels all over the world in search of his future, but afraid of his past, and the truth of who he really is. He returns to the battlefields of 16th century France in the sixth and final installment of the Lymond Chronicles. He must lead an army against England while friends and family "assist" him, against his will, in his search for the truth.

Do yourself a favor: read Checkmate only after you've read Game of Kings, Queen's Play, Disorderly Knights, Pawn in Frankincense, and Ringed Castle first, in that order. You won't ever regret it.

My Father used to get mad at me because I didn't hear anything while I was reading. "Gone With the Wind" when I was nine, "Lolita" when I was 10 (no, I didn't understand it!- I read it again later), "Henry the 8th", etc. and etc. I was addicted at an early age. But until I read the Lymond series I didn't realize the depth of my addication. The electricity went out one night so I read by flashlight. Philippa and Lymond made Scarlette and Rhett pale by comparison. Not to mention Dolores and Humbert Humbert. With DD's series I almost felt like a voyeur. When you read a book and at the end you feel as if you intimately know the characters, you can only praise the author that imagined them for your enjoyment (education?). Being an American living in France, understanding French did help deciphering the quotations: "Tant que je vive...As long as I live...". And "medianoche" was a mystery until recently when I found out that it's a meal eaten around midnight, thanks to Le Catalog des Musees. Yes, I can understand the readers that found the 1st book in the series a little (a lot) difficult. But I can only think: Too bad for you! You have missed out on a treasure. Please try again. You'll never find more complete characters - male/female, young/old, rich/poor, whatever! They still live inside my head and I am happy to share their world, a world I would have never known without DD's talent. I love to read history books now thanks to the author of the Lymond series. And I have never read such a touching love story (Scarlette and Rhett - get real!).

A chance recommendation by a friend introduced me to this series and all I can say is that I am grateful for that suggestion. I have rarely enjoyed a series so much or found myself so involved with the characters and their lives. This final book, Checkmate, left me in awe of Lady Dunnett, severely attached to Lymond and Phillipa, immensely pleased with the conclusion and resolution, and more than a little reluctant to agree with Dunnett that there could be no more written about Lymond. No one could finish reading the book without imagining what the future would bring to Lymond and Phillipa. The characters are much too engaging to be put aside with the book upon completion. They grow in front of you and they grow with you until you feel that you have played a part in their character development and not merely seen it happen in front of you. It's wonderful. Lady Dunnett reaches a hand out to each reader and allows him to enter some private corner of these characters' minds until he begins to understand what prompts the characters and to sympathize with them all the more.To anyone considering this book, do not read it without reading the first five books, in order, but definitely do not pass up this series. I could not put the book down. Lady Dunnett is the most skillfull author I know of to truly weave history into the story until the seams between truth and fancy do not show. I felt as though I were leading a double life, both in the present, and in that far away, yet familiar (thanks to Lady Dunnett) world of the Renaissance.This is a book worth reading, and then rereading several times over. It will become familiar, but never old.