"Frog" combines an easy-to-read text by Susan Cooper with wonderful illustrations by Jane Browne. The book tells the story of Joe, a little boy who can't swim, even though other members of his family are skillful swimmers. This makes Joe sad. However, Joe's situation takes an unexpected turn when a small frog from a nearby pond becomes trapped in Joe's swimming pool.

This is a moving story that's told with charm and compassion. Both Joe and "Frog" are wonderful characters with whom I could really identify. The full-color illustrations really complement their story well; Browne does a particularly nice job of capturing the play of light in water. And together with Cooper she creates a very satisfying conclusion to the mildly suspenseful story. A sweet and uplifting book, "Frog" is a winner.

FUNNY AS A DEAD RELATIVE by Susan Rogers Cooper is a story of a girl named Kimmey Kruse, that brings trouble whenever she is near her relatives,she can't just stop investagate things.this is an appropriate choice for any one because it deals with being around your family members.Some people might face what Kimmey ,and the rest of her family and friends faced.For example some one in your family might get shoot by a gun and die or get murdered.What I don't think is appropriate is that is has some swears in it. Kimmey goes to a family reunion.well kim met her cousin will.she liked him,and he liked her.well that day will's mom Leticia dead.Nobody knew why but kim and her friend pucci ,who is a cop found out why,and later in the book they found out who or what killed her.It was murder.some body else in the family dead too,by murder.well kim's mom and dad and aunts and other relatives had a lot of secrts and then kim found out all of them out by asking.Well it's a great book but that is only if you like mysteries,murders,and swears.i dont want to tell who the killer is but you will think its alot of people and then you will find who it is and you will be like how can that be.

I had been looking for an exercise book based on human anatomy not the ape's. This was the only one after reviewing approximately 20 books at the library. My back finally "got in shape" after many years of suffering and being told by doctor's that they could do nothing for me except surgery and drugs. Consequently, I have been telling fellow sufferers about the book. Unfortunately, it isn't in print at the present time and I recently had a disappointed friend call and tell me so. This book is excellent and scientific and the exercises are gentle, easy, and productive. Please, bring this book back!

I thoroughly enjoyed the second book of the E.J. Pugh series. It's hard to find a book to read after reading one of Susan Rogers Cooper's books. There aren't too many books out there that combine wonderful, believable characters, humor, and suspense. I know I have the third and fourth book to look forward to. I hope Ms. Cooper keeps writing this series.

What a find! Although the book is out-of-print, do yourself a favor and check out your local bookstores and other venues, as it's definitely worth a read!
Meet Milt Kovak, divorced, overweight, mid-40s Chief Deputy of Prophesy County, Oklahoma.
When his sleepy little burg and the surrounding towns suddenly get some horrific murders, Milt's cool intuition and great people-skills are put to the test.
Someone is raping and killing old ladies of the county, truly heinous crimes.
His only witness,a married Laura Johnson with 3 children and a frequently absent husband, professes to seeing a green Chevy in the vicinity of the murder scene.
As Milt begins his search, he quickly finds himself drawn to beautiful Laura and her wonderful kids and finds himself falling in love with her (as if matters weren't bad enough!)
The book is well-written and you really get a feel for small-town Oklahoma life suddenly thrown into terror by this frightening crime spree.
The character of Milt is smartly drawn and extremely believable, as he does much of his thinking with his heart as well as his head.
This is the introductory book in the Milt Kovak series and (I believe) the author's first book. I was pleasantly surprised how quickly I flew through the pages, and was disappointed when I knew the end was getting closer (with a nice little twist!) so I'm going to try and find the next book in the series through my used book dealer.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes a soft-boiled mystery with great dialogue and a small-town setting.

Thanks, Ms. Cooper for a pleasurable read!
(Now if we can only get Worldwide Mysteries to reprint the entire Milt Kovak series so everyone can enjoy then easily without the big search, we'll be in business!

This is a fantastic book filled with essays & poems on a variety of IF related subjects: reproductive technology, donor egg/sperm, adoption, childfree living, dealing with friends & family, and parenting after infertility. Each chapter contains a collection of essays written by people who have "been there, done that". It really helped me to read others stories & see that I wasn't alone. It is not a "solutions" book, but it definately gives you some different perspectives. There are some very funny stories as well as stories that will make you cry. I even read the chapters that didn't apply to my situation...it was that good!

In the second book of Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising Series, Will Stanton turns 11 he discovers that he is not just an ordinary child but much more. He is one of the Old Ones, a group of immortals who dedicate themselves to fighting against the dark. And Will is not only the first one of these immortals born in 500 years, he is also the last. But becasue of this he's faced with a very large task against the dark. The Dark is rising and the only way to stop them is for Will to collect the 6 signs. Will will be able to collect all the 6 signs before the dark rises? In my opinion the Dark is rising was even better than Over Sea Under Stone! Like a lot of series I've seen (such The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, and also Harry Potter) the first book was more light hearted and the second one much more dark. Will Stanton is a wonderful charecter and it was great to see Merriman (Great-Uncle Merry) make a return. I reccomend this book to anyone who's read Over Sea Under Stone and wants to continue the series. I reccomend the series to fans of His Dark Materials, Chrestomanci, and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

I first read Dark is Rising, then Greenwitch, because the Paperback Version of TDIR didn't say that Over Sea, Under Stone came first. I loved The Signs and now I draw Signs all over my math tests!!! My dad is a blacksmith, and I'm having him make me The Sign Of Iron to put on my belt. (Bronze is a little hard to come by). But anyway, where were we now? Did I mention that my middle name is Lyon?? As in Merriman Lyon!! Now where we?? Ah yes, the Signs. I loved the way S.C. made all the Celtic Myths into "the Will Stanton Story." Just think how great this could be if George Lucas made it into a movie!(He is a genius you know!!) But that might exploit it a little, like what happened to Animorphs, with the toys and TV show and all. I like to think of this series as "the little books that sit in the corner to wait until I come along and read them." (Wow, I didn't know I was so chatty on-line!!) Anyway, I love these books and I recomend these to anyone who liked the C.S. Lewis books!!!!!

I first read this book in 4th grade, when, on the weekly library trip with the class, my teacher noticed that I was sitting there, bored, because I had already read most of the books in the library and had no idea where to go from there. She plucked THE DARK IS RISING off the shelf and handed it to me. I read that book front to back in two sittings, and would constantly borrow it from the library. This is the greatest of the Dark is Rising series, along with THE GREY KING, and it's wonderfully written. The background mythology is beautfiully original and structured, the characters are wonderfully drawn, and basically everything about this book is amazing. I finally got my own copy of this book when my boyfriend bought the boxed set for our anniversary, which I specifically asked for because I decided that other children deserved to read the local library copy. I still haven't brought myself to finish SILVER ON THE TREE after all these years, the last book in the series, because I'm dreading the end of this wonderfully crafted story.

Few stories are more popular among readers than the age old battle between good and evil, which is exemplified in the legend of King Arthur. Susan Cooper gives that scenario an imaginative twist with "Over Sea, Under Stone." It's a narrative sure to pique the imaginations of young ones, especially as read by popular British actor Alex Jennings.

When, during a vacation in today's Cornwall, the Drew children discover an old manuscript in the attic of their rented house, they suddenly find themselves involved in an exciting and dangerous quest. Their very lives are jeopardized as they search for the grail, the one antidote to the power of evil called the Dark. Their Great Uncle Merry is on their side, but much of what he knows he isn't telling.

Ms. Cooper's prose is both concise and thrilling; Mr. Jennings's reading is superb.

After a couple of introductory chapters to lay a foundation, this tale explodes into a fast moving suspense drama with a touch of fantasy that readers of all ages are sure to love.

The Drew children Barney, Simon, and Jane are on holiday (British term for vacation) in Cornwall England with their parents and great-uncle Merriam Lyon. While exploring a hidden room in the old Grey House in which they are staying, they stumble across an ancient map that throws them into a desperate search for an ancient grail which will unlock power to war against the Dark side. The Dark forces (real life people) are also in hot pursuit of the much-coveted grail that links back to the days of King Arthur and a fierce battle between good and evil that has ensued for hundreds of years.

One chase scene mid-way through is as suspenseful as any that you will find even in adult fiction. Susan Cooper not only is talented at spinning yarns of intrigue, but also adept at creating real life characters that you almost feel you know.

Be sure to read the epilogue at the end for one additional big plot twist!

You will not be disappointed in this one.

Thanks for reading...

TRW

This book is so exciting, after you read it you will be looking back over your shoulder expecting a tall guy in black coming after you because you know too much about him. Hastings, as he's called appears in most of the other books in some form or another. The book begins in Cornwall, England, where three children find a strange parchment, and with the help of their Great-uncle Merry, try to find the treasure that it leads to without getting cought by the Dark. The treasure it leads to is a grail, one of the four things of power that the Light needs to stop the Dark before it takes over the world. This book has many high points in which you'll think that the Dark will win, like when Simon gets chased by Hastings on foot. Or when Barney gets kiddnapped by the Withers (some others from the Dark) and is put under a spell by Hastings, and almost gives him the location of the grail. If you read the other books after this one then you will smile at the familiarity that you see. Read this book, everyone! You'll love it!!!

_The Grey King_ is arguably the strongest book in Susan Cooper's _Dark is Rising_ sequence. A winner of the Newbery Medal, it is the story of Will Stanton and his new friend, Bran Davies. Will, a character who appeared in _The Dark is Rising_ and _Greenwitch_, is the youngest of the Old Ones, a group of magical beings fighting to protect the world from the Dark. In this book, he is sent to relatives in Wales to convalesce from typhoid. He learns he is in Wales to win a quest for the Old Ones--and for the first time, he must do it without the direct guidance of his friend and mentor, Merriman. During the course of the book, his new friend Bran becomes deeply involved in Will's quest and both boys learn a lot about themselves. The title character, the Grey King, is a member of the Dark who is bent upon preventing their success.

On one level, this book is an all-out fantasy adventure. There is a cryptic poem, magic, good and evil lords, and fascinating uses of classic Arthurian legend. On a deeper level,however, this is a story about coming-of-age and family. Will learns how to be an independent Old One rather than an apprentice. Bran struggles to understand his mysterious past and his place in the world. This book is more than just a thrilling adventure--it is the story of people's choices and what "family" really means. In other word's, _The Grey King_ is deep *and* fun.

I highly recommend this book to all readers. It may be a little hard for very young readers--but middle readers and older will enjoy it. I reread this book (and the rest of the series) at least twice a year. It should be read after the three previous books in _The Dark is Rising_ sequence (_Over Sea, Under Stone_; _The Dark is Rising_; _Greenwitch_). Lovers of Arthurian legend will particularly appreciate it.

"The Dark Is Rising" is a hard book to top, but Susan Cooper nearly matches it in "Grey King." A stunning, atmospheric Welsh fantasy tinged with Arthurian legend, it also introduces one of the most important and unusual characters in the classic series.

In the aftermath of a nasty case of hepatitis, Will Stanton has temporarily forgotten his mission from the Light: to recover a golden harp, with the help of the "raven boy" and "silver eyes that see the wind." When his family sends him to Wales to recover from the illness, he regains his memory when he meets an albino boy his own age named Bran -- which means "raven." Bran's mother "Gwenny" vanished many years before, and his stepfather has devoted himself to religion and penitance. Bran's only friend is the silver-eyed dog Cafall.

Will acquaints his new friend with more information about the battle with the Dark, while Bran acquaints him with information about Wales that can help Will find the golden harp, and wake the Sleepers under the hill. But the malevolent Grey King is spying on them with magical warestones and trying to wrest the harp from Will. To stop the Grey King, Will must learn the secret of Bran's past and evade the dangerous farmer Caradog Pritchard...

Atmosphere is thick and enticing in "Grey King" -- Cooper has clearly come a long way from the fluffier "Over Sea Under Stone." This book, unlike "Greenwitch," does not handle the Drew family, or even much about Merriman: it's all about Bran and Will, who are given equal parts of the plotline. Though there are many other characters, these two are the core of the story.

Here the Arthurian theme, which has been present in a smaller way throughout the series, becomes more pronounced and integral. Cooper continues interweaving mythic elements into it, such as the Sleepers, Cafall the dog, and the Brenin Llwyd. Fans of mythology and other mythic-themed stories such as the Prydain Chronicles will have a heyday.

Will is very much like he is in "Greenwitch" -- sometimes he's an ordinary preteen boy who starts yelling "Achtung!" at the top of his lungs, and sometimes he is the wise and ancient Old One, with knowledge he learned from the book of Gramarye. Bran is an instantly sympathetic character, a very ordinary boy with an extraordinay past; he, like Will in the second book, gradually grows into a unique and more powerful person. Caradog Pritchard will inspire disgust from his first appearance onward, while the tragic Owen Davies will gain the sympathy of the readers despite his insulated life.

Perhaps the worst thing about reading "Grey King" is the knowledge that there is only one more book in this series. But if that book is half as good as "Grey King," then it will be quite a ride before the end.

The book opens with a Welsh poem: "On the day of the dead,when the year too dies/Must the youngest open the oldest hills/Throughthe door of the birds, where the breeeze breaks..." A beatiful, mystical and magical beginning to a beatiful, mystical and magical book.

We see Will Stanton, a seemingly normal English boy struck terribly ill, go to Wales to visit his aunt and uncle to recuperate, where he will have the adventure of perhaps a lifetime, sweeping everybody around him, including the reader into it. As we read of his quest to awaken the Sleepers, we learn a little Welsh culture, history, and language. We feel the emotions of the characters involved; experience their sorrow, bewilderment, hatred and joy. We dabble in a little High Magic, and realize the presence of the Dark, and the Light's endless struggle against it.

One of the great things about this book is that you don't have to read the other parts of the series to understand, and become swept up in the magic of it. Even though it's the second to last book, it was the first I read of the series. It speaks for itself.

If you liked C. S. Lewis's "The Chronicles of Narnia", you'll probably enjoy these books. It's the same struggle between good and evil told in a new way, and though I think this series is the easier read, it loses nothing off it's competion.

Diolch yn fawr!