Let's face it, even though squirrels seem like cute furry woodland creatures, that's just a disguise. Squirrels are evil mammals bent on world domination and can never be trusted. It's so wonderful to find a children's book that not only discusses this concept, but supports it.

NEVER TRUST A SQUIRREL! is about a young guinea-pig who fails to listen to the advice of his mother and goes wondering in the woods with a squirrel. When a sly fox shows up, the squirrel abandons the guinea-pig and what follows is a story of love and a lesson in parental obedience.

This is a great book and the kids I used to teach in preschool loved it. The illustrations are lively and full of natural color, augmenting each scene they accompany.

At a time when there is a huge selection for buyers of children's books to choose from, it is surprisingly rare to find a really good story at an appropriate level. This book was a delightful surprise. I bought it for the 4/5 year olds in my preschool class, and it was an instant success. The children found the story absorbing and were not concerned that a squirrel is an alien species here. I recommend this book to parents, teachers and the young children for whom it has been written.

We have been trying to decide on some of the best wireless initiatives for our company for quite some time. This book was incredibly useful in understanding where some of the industry leaders see the future going. I especially liked the chapter written by the CEO of AT&T Wireless. This book is a must have for anyone interest in wireless opportunities or in the wireless industry.

The most complete handbook for rehabilitators of diurnal and nocturnal birds of prey. Very good information on all possible aspects of determining and healing all kinds of problems which could occur in this field. Good tables and figures complete this significant work and is a must have for laboratories and rehabilitation centers working with raptors and owls. Also falconers will gain a good impression on the possible diseases and illnesses of their most beloved birds. The only minus could be its presentation being ringbanded and if written by a typewriter but this should be forgotten as the information included is yet the best in its field in addition with previous work of these authors.

I found this book to be invaluable in terms of basic skills and information for backcountry SAR. My team uses the book as its training guide and all members use it throughout their training (even continuing education). Although a bit light on technical rescue, everyone will find this book useful if they are interested in learning how wilderness SAR should be done. I also found its companion text extremely valuable: Fundamentals of Mantracking.

As the owner of a classic Mini (1964 Morris Mini Minor) and a 2002 BMW Mini, this book was an extremely satisfying read. While it provides background on the originial Mini (although not to the level of detail that one might find in The Complete Mini by Chris Rees or Essential Mini Cooper by Anders Ditlev Clausager), the bulk of its 95 pages is devoted to the development, manufacturing, and marketing of the new Mini. The text is crisp and concise and is nicely complemented by excellent colour photographs and copious diagrams. Especially interesting are the assembly line photographs that show Minis being manufactured. The book is not just a glorified advertisement for the new Mini. The chapter on driving the new Mini provide objective insights into the Mini's strengths and weaknesses. A few minor criticisms of this book include some sloppy editting. The photograph of Sir Alec Issigonis on page 10 indicates he is posing with a pair of Austin Minis when in fact anyone who knows anything about Minis can clearly tell the two cars in question carry Morris badging. In addition, the book focuses on the US market and ignores any unique approaches to marketing the Mini in other countries (for example, the Canadian Launch Edition is totally overlooked). But despite these minor quibbles, this is a book that every owner of a BMW Mini should add to their bookshelf.

I am very disappointed with Dean King's efforts here. Where is this great prodigy of maps that the book seems to promise? Much of the book is taken up with summaries of PO'B's novels. If I want to know what happened in the books I will read them, I don't need to pay 21 American dollars for that. And most of the content that is not summary is written descriptions entitled 'Here and There'. Can Mr. King possibly think his accounts will succeed in enabling we hopeless lubbers to comprehend intricate harbors and locations where the great O'Brian's have not? In the Post Captain chapter, do we find a map of Chaulieu where Aubrey fights the Polychrest until she sinks under him? No we do not. This book should be filled cover to cover with detailed charts and maps. It falls far and sadly short of expectations. I urge anyone not having been duped into purchasing it already to refrain from doing so.

I'm now on book 7 of the Aubrey-Maturin series, and have only had my Companion for the last 2...how much it adds to the joy and the education. The best part of the companion is the maps, with clearly marked routes taken by Lucky Jack's vessels. O'Brian's description of Aubrey passing by Elsinore while Jack describes his role in Hamlet as a young midshipman comes alive with both the map and the picture of Elsinore. As well, eliminating the frustration of trying to determine what is fiction (Grimsholm) from what is not (Admiral Suamarez) greatly adds to the historical learnings.

The only downside to having this companion is the irresistable temptation to read ahead...the plot lines of the first 17 books are all given in general outline. As O'Brian readers know, however, much of the joy is as much in the characterization and writing as in the plot line. So, even if you do look ahead, it in all likelihood only will increase your desire to move on to the next book....I personally can hardly wait to get to Treason's Harbour and the mood that O'Brian will create around historic Malta.

If you love maps, though, and have always used them to add a visual learning dimension and reference to the words, you can't possibly read the books without it.

In closing, I guess I should add the warning that as addictive as these books are, they become even more addictive with the companion.

Beware!

Once in awhile just the right writer comes along for a critical assignment, and this time it is Dean King, accompanied by some other worthy contributors. A globe isn't nearly enough when you're sailing, fighting, surviving and adventuring with Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin, and it mattered not to me that King had to wait until there were sufficient chapters in O'Brian's incredible series (one that I look upon as one great, great book with 19 chapters) to form an adequate foundation for Harbors and High Seas, for I read them over and over and King's guide makes the repeat servings even more delightful.

Now as I travel the world in the O'Brian series I know where I am and where I've been -- and often where I'm going. The maps are outstanding (I always thought a map here and there in the novels themselves was called for), and King's narrative takes me ashore in places all over the aquatic world to round out my adventures with my favorite literary characters.

The old pictures from The Naval Chronicle are worthy -- and thoughtful -- additions to the whole fine work.

I guess I'll be reading Aubrey/Maturin books forever, and with Harbors and High Seas right at hand. Too bad the guide had to end with The Commodore but, hey, I'm not complaining. I'm happy for what's here.

Thanks to King, too, for his lexicon, A Sea of Words. That was the finishing touch for the O'Brian addict that I am -- I want to KNOW what a studding sail is, a snow (for I, like Maturin, thought a "snow" must be a white ship), the mainchains (not "chains" at all), the messenger (definitely not a means by which you might get a message to Garcia) . . .

A tip of the hat and a warm thank you to Dean King and his cohorts: John B. Hattendorf, J. Worth Estes, and mapmakers William Clipson and Adam Merton Cooper.

It is truly wonderful that this incredible series of historical novels has inspired these indispensible accompaniments. There is also the volume edited by A.E. Cunningham, "Patrick O'Brian: Critical Essays and a Bibliography" which belongs on the shelf with every O'Brian fan's collection. These books about O'Brian's books are a further testimony to the greatness of them -- they stood tall on their own, it's only that they're even more robust now.

Doug Briggs