It was the first book I ever read in the A to Z mysteries. I like it because it was short and there were map in the front page. It about three kid, Dink, Josh and Ruth Rose who solve the mystery of the ghost in the hotel. Read it, you will like it.

This book was great. I liked it because it was a good mystery for younger kids! My favorite part was when they found out who the ghost ...was! I think it was a good book and I hope other kids enjoy reading it like I did!!!!!!!

This item is wonderful!!!!! I think everyone should get a chance to redad it! Even rented on the library.Really!

There are Twelve Chapters that are so full of wisdom and sound advise that I do not know where to begin.

1 In the Beginning.. 2 God Is Light-Energy 3 Prayer Without Ceasing 4 The Lord's Prayer: A New Perspective 5 Healing Sickness and Suffering 6 The Five Stages of Healing Toward Wholeness 7 Congruency in Prayer:Listening to God and Following Through 8 Everyday Mysticism 9 New Sacraments as Daily Ritual 10 The Holy Spirit as the Energy Manifestation of God 11 Prayer as Blessing and Decree 12 Toward a Daily Mystical Practice

He also has 2 Appendix that deal with prayers people use and Healing prayers. For me the Chapter that was what I needed so badly was Seven. Congruency In Prayer: Listening to God and Following Through.

In this chapter I was also reminded that what we ask for we do get, and that we need to write down our prayer needs and re-read them to make SURE what we seek is what we are SAYING. He gives an example that I well understand. He had left the priesthood and was out on his own for the first time in decades and a single man at that (smiling), when he realized one afternoon that he ws so hungry. Yet, when he looked in the cupboards and refrigerator he found little there. So he sat down, became still and prayed. But he would also be reminded after he recieved the answer that his initial response was more like the story (which caries but has the same meaning) of a man in a flood on top of his house praying to be rescued. Three boats come to his rescue but he sends them away saying "God will rescue me". Only to drown and apprearing before God and asking why God had not rescued him, he is reminded that God tried. Three time. Mr Roth in turn found himself being led almost pulled to go to a women named Sally. He is honest and admits that this was a woman that was considered a grumpy complaining sad sack type. But no matter how hard he tried, he could not avoid going to see her. When he did, she WAS the answer God had for Ron Roth. "She led me to the kitchen. There on the table were several shopping bags, all filled with groceries. One big bag was packed with nothing but roasts and steaks." Then he ends up sitting in his car he was thinking.... "What's the lesson you've learned from this?" God is saying. "Well," Ron says "I needed money to buy food." He is then reminded what he actually asked for. "Oh, I needed food". God reminds him that we need to cut out the middleman and realize when we are hungry for food we should expect food.

The lesson is also that we need to ask and then follow through. That when we pray for more income to meet our bills we need to be open to where God leads us. In fact Mr Roth points out that if the job is in another city or state and we stomp our foot and say "no no God I don't want to move", that we maybe need to be more specific and say "God you know how I do not want to move, so please if possible help me find a job around here within driving distance." That we also need to be fully open and realize that the people whom so many people see as hero's have been people who listened to that inner guide I call God, and they moved, they opened themselves to life and in doing so God was able to use them. And for me these are not always FAMOUS people but people like my dear friend Bea Brickey whom I write about on my Faith Hope Charity page on my webpage. A women who was always open and TRUSTING of God.

Mr Roth reminds us that TRUSTING God is also a big part of the equation. He reminds us of the Gospel of Mark where we are told "Whatever you pray for, believe you have it and it will be yours. BUT when you pray, you must first forgive" Mr roth reminds us that in the Lords Prayer we are reminded of "Forgives us our transgressions (sins) as we forgive those who have transgressed (sinned) against us.

Mr Roth also shows how the meditation prayer way crosses all ethnic and even most religious beliefs. It is a book that I think has something for everyone.

With a prominently Christian perspective, Ron Roth weaves together wisdom from all the world religions, to teach how you can build a meaningful spiritual practice and prayer life.

This book opened up a whole new world to me regarding prayer and healing. I highly recommend it if you want to learn how to make prayer a more vital and tangible part of your life.

I really like how inclusive he is of all religions and also how progressive he is in his relating Jesus' teaching about prayer.

This book is very easy and enjoyable to read. I have already given it as a gift to several people who also really enjoyed it. If you like this one, I also strongly recommend Agnes Sandford's book, The Healing Light.

Ron Roth's teachings complete the healing circle. Where other leaders in the energy medicine field focus primarily on what causes disease, Ron teaches us how to move from disease to health. His beautiful voice and loving energy guide you to a communion with the love of God that is healing in itself. His meditations and practices are tangible tools that assist us in reclaiming our divinity.

Usually most history books are as dry as the dust with which they deal. But with THE HISTORY OF EARTH, Hartmann & Miller tackle with vast success a topic that is only marginally understood,at best, by the layman. And make no mistake; this history is for the layman, but one who has a desire to know where we come from and where we may be going. Part of the learning process involves digesting a flood of data and making sense of it. Hartman & Miller use dozens of drawings, pictures, and mattes to bring to life a series of threads that they weave into a coherent whole.

What the authors reveal is a planet that may well stand unique in the universe. The precious element called life arose on earth in such a fortuitous manner that the odds of life having spontaneously arisen in any form were so staggeringly improbable that I marvel that I am here right now to pen these words. Yet, life did arise here, and Miller & Hartmann trace the long sequence of twists and convolutions stretching from the Precambrian right up to the present day. Most readers who go to the trouble of buying this book probably took a course or two in Earth History in school. What this book provides is a much longer and more comprehensible version of the geological timeline that readers have seen but failed to grasp. After finishing this work (I read it as if it were a novel), I concluded that if we here on earth are truly alone in the cosmos, then we had better take full advantage of our having won the Cosmic Lottery. We are not likely to win twice.

This book was wonderful in that it gave me a valuable and easily understandable introduction to earth science, evolution, plate tectonics and planetary science, to name a few subjects. The only glaring mistake in the book, which I recognised because I am a biologist, is that the author refers to DNA as being made up of amino acids. This is incorrect. Proteins are made of amino acids; DNA and RNA are composed of nucleotides, entities completely different from amino acids. Despite this problem, the book is still excellent reading. I am buying several copies to give as gifts to family.

As a trained engineer and educator, I've scanned, read and studied many books on science. This is far and away the best I've ever seen. As magnificent as the painted illustrations are, they simply match and support the superb quality of the text itself.

Covering the full range of natural history, "The History of Earth" not only explains how the earth and life evolved, but explains how we gained this knowledge, or why we believe it to be so. Where multiple theories exist to explain something, they are each given fair coverage, with the evidence for and against each theory explained.

But most important, the book is accessible to all adults as well as to children. I began reading it (with some side explanation) to our kids when they were 7 and 10, and they loved it.

The book begins with an explanation of the formation of the Earth and Moon, describes the likely origins of life on our planet, and explains the changing environment and how that led to the origin of life. This is followed by in-depth treatment of the evolution of the diverse lifeforms leading to today's species, and excellent coverage of recent and current geological phenomena. The book concludes with a projection of the likely future of the earth over the next billion years or so.

I cannot praise this work highly enough. If you only buy one science book for you or your kids, this is the one you want.

I found this book an excellent source for the beginner and intermediate whip maker. I did not know how to make a whip prior to reading this book even though I had read David Morgan's Book titled "Whips and Whip Making" which does not really tell you how to make a whip. If you want to learn to make a whip. This book will definately show you how. You will keep this as your constant reference source.

If you want to make whips...this is the book you need! I knew nothing about making whips or braiding leather. This book shows you everything you need to know and makes it very simple.

Mr. Edwards teaches you every single detail you have to know to get started. You only have to really fall in love to such a beautiful craft, and you'll have half way done. Practice is important too, but you have everything to become a master whipmaker: different styles (bullwhips, redhide whips, stockwhips, shotwhips, hatbands, etc.), even a section on very complex plaiting patterns, how to make use of the hide in a proper way, and many other things which won't let you down. Absolutely recommendable.

Lots of good detail and easy to understand information for the experienced mechanic, even if you've never rebuilt an automatic transmission.

Wonderful. I read this book cover to cover. I've never tackled a transmission, and the subject has always intimidated me. I knew the general theory, but after reading this book I feel confident to rebuild my own TH400. At least if I have trouble I'll know where to look and how to communicate the problems to someone else now!

I'm an accomplished mechanic and found the manual to be very comprehensive. I've not yet done the work, but have read the manual and appreciate the author having taken the mystery out of automatic transmissions. He's cost-conscious and he shows how to do the work with common shop tools rather than expensive OEM special tools. He also thoroughly explains the advantages and disadvantages of modification, be it high performance or performance enhancement. I'm anxious to begin!!

"Curiosity propels us to explore our world..."
Dreams do come true. Seeking to strengthen my capacity to help students understand the tools and journeys of their brains, I turned to Intellectual Character. In Dr. Ritchhart's words, I found an edifying, brilliant compass. Building on his ground breaking thinking disposition research, Dr. Ritchhart profiles how teachers can nurture curiosity, open mindedness, metacognition, seeking truth and understanding, strategic thinking, and skepticism within learners. He does this with integrity by sharing his own teaching and learning experiences and by giving readers a vivid and clarifying window into the intellectual interactions between five teachers and their students. These classroom portraits reveal the language educators should employ/model to "prompt, prime, and pattern the thinking of students."

Additionally, Dr. Ritchhart's case studies encourage readers to examine the "red threads" of our teaching...to think about the driving force is our classrooms...to ponder what connects and motivates our teaching. One of my favorite passages furthers this idea: "The development of students' intellectual character ultimately depends on teachers' convictions, dedication, and belief in the importance of thinking to students' current understanding, future employment, and long-term success both in the subject area and in life. It is ony when teachers possess thinking-rich red threads to tie together practice and breathe life into them through their own disposition toward thinking that the development of students' intellectual character becomes a natural, energizing, and meaningful endeavor for students and teachers alike."

As I forge new vistas of my thinking about literacy learning, I turn to Intellectual Character to chisel my plans for what I call brain show and tell. Modeling the work of thinking is humbling. Reading, for example, is not an easy demonstrator sport. Our work as readers is not visible to others. But, by telling our students why and how we read and write, we might just be able to show them our brain waves. The fireworks and miracle of thought are gloriously blueprinted by Dr. Ritchhart. His work provides me with insights, ancedotes, and a kindred spirit to chart my course. Bravo - and heartfelt thanks!

If found this book a wonderful, inspiring, and useful read. The author's style was engaging and personable. The many anecdotes and stories really grabbed and held my attention. In terms of style, the book reminded me of The Good High School by Sara Lawarence Lightfoot in that the author brought me right into the classroom and opened my eyes so that I could see more and understand teaching at a deeper level. Ritchhart writes in the same kind of warm and gracious style as Lightfoot, not your typical research writing at all.

In content, I found the book has some similarities to Emotional Intelligence (EI). While Intellectual Character isn't the same thing as EI, both books really expand our view of what it means to be smart. At the same time, both books send the message that we are often missing the mark in educating our children. If you liked Emotional Intelligence, this book will be a good follow-up read. If you wanted more of a classroom and education angle to EI, you'll find it here.

One last feature of the book that deserves mention. I found the end-of-chapter "Key ideas" synthesis very useful in consolidating my understanding of the big ideas of the chapter. I also found them helpful to refer back to as I was reading if I wanted to review something. It's a really great tool. These syntheses, which appear at the end of every chapter, are also a way for me to share these ideas easily with others.

That's an important mark of a good book to me, how much I want to share it, and this book certainly fits the bill.

The book, "Intellectual Character", by Ron Ritchart and David Perkins can be a great primer for teachers who are interested in this subject. I certainly recommend it. I also highly recommend "West Point: Character Leadership...." by Norman Thomas Remick as a wonderful primer for parents who are, should be, must be, interested in the character of their children for their sake and the survival of America as we know it.

It's a jungle out there

by Chris barber

This is a great story.It's exotic, it's funny,and the pictures help you imagine almost exactly what it was like then.The book virtually explains what it's like to be a kid with missionary parents growing up in the jungles of Peru .You also learn about South American tribes such as the Michiguengas.All written with a sense of humor.One of my favorite parts was,when he observed that "When they are laughing you know you're in trouble."
I highly suggest this book to anyone who likes to laugh and learn about other cultures.

I bought this book for my 12-year-old daughter, but she raved so much about it that I read it myself. This book is fast-paced, funny, and yet very insightful. While it looks like a children's book at first, any adult will enjoy it too.

I really enjoyed readind this book. Ron Snell is a very sarcastic aouther. i would recomend this book to anyone

Such easy, interesting reading, this story of a Jewish lad growing into adulthood is so exciting that I have bought and given away no less than 50 copies. My brother Dewey responded, "I have not read a book through in 35 years." But on my urging, he promised to give me 15 minutes reading the book. His next response was, "Where can I get more? I want to give some to my friends!"

This pageturner reads like a novel, except it's TRUE. A biography that will bring you smiles and tears. Only someone who truly has had a life changing experience could write this story. You won't be able to put it down and then want to know what happened to Ron afterwards. Also read I JUST SHOW UP FOR WORK by Ron Levin. within he shares more.

Ron Levin's story about his journey through life starts out as a classic "success" story for a highly gifted, motivated person who "makes it" in the traditional business world. Equally true though, he takes the reader into the pits of despair & depression that so often is an actual part of what appears on the surface to be worldly success. What a pity it is that Ron had to reach a point of suicide at 60 years of age, seeing only emptiness & worthlessness in the trappings of success. But the best part of his story is the fact that at the point of such a waste of human life, Yeshua still saves us from eternal death and is in still in the business of performing miracles. What a living testimony Ron's life has been since that wonderful day when he met Jeshua face to face. God has been able to pick up that broken human being and refashion it into a vehicle of victory, just as He can for all of us that chose to accept Jesus as our Lord & Savior.I thoroughly recommend this book as a "life changing read" - I couldn't put it down once started until I had completed it from cover to cover.

This was a good book even though I am a little too old for these kinds of books, i had fun reading it and looking at the differ. kinds of dragons in the back of the book. I liked the Nidget the best. My friends and i had fun picking wich ones we liked the best and naming them. (dont tell the boys that though). This was a good book.

Excelant, it made me want a dragon. This book was worth the money. The dragons are written about like breeds of cats or dogs.

If you can't get a pet but have a good amagination this is the guide for you.

I am an elementary school librarian and always feel very lucky when I find a book like this. I like that it is not a story book. I get tired of reading stories, so do the kids. Second through fifth graders love this book. The first time I read it to a class I don't know who laughed the loudest, me or the students. They especially liked Sparky and what happens when he sneezes. I enjoyed the Dweeb myself. It is a refreshing twist on dragon stories.

If you are thinking that this is just a collection of stories from the Writers of the Future contest, then you are mistaken. As the cover indicates, there are 13 stories plus 4 essays that are included in this almost 500 page book. As we'd expect from a contest under Hubbard's name, one of the essays is by him. The 13 stories are quite varied and I won't repeat the brief introduction to the plots done by another reviewer. I liked 4 pieces enough to consider finding other writing by their authors. "Home Grown" by William Brown, "Like Iron Unicorns" by Paul D. Batteiger, "Guildmaster" by Dan Dysan, and "The Quality of Wetness" by Ilsa J. Bick. I thought these storylines were original but the characters were familiar enough to really hook me. "Atlantis Ohio" by Mark Siegel was a cool idea but the story just goes on and one far too long. So if you like hard science fiction, social fiction, or alternative pasts or presents, there is some story in here you may enjoy. So why only 4 stars? Frankly I think the essays could be left out, the price dropped a bit on the book, and it would be a much better buy overall. People who want insight into the craft or writing and direction toward publication can get a book geared toward that.

What I like best about this annual antho is the diversity of the stories. Many anthologies stick to only one genre, or even one sub-genre, like Hard SF or Historical Fantasy. The "WotF" books always run the gamut, and this year is no exception. Each story packs a wallop and sticks in the reader's mind for days to come.

My personal favorites were:

William Brown's "Home Grown" - a Bradbury-esque, near-future tale about a robotic butler who has the glimmer of emotion, especially for the beautiful Dryad in the garden outside.

Toby Buckell's "In Orbite Mediavil" - An alternate history/fantasy of Columbus' ships taking a crack at an earth that's not quite flat, but not exactly round, either.

Michael Jasper's "Mud and Salt" - A near-future story of three men hunting an alien, it deals unflinchingly with a young man's first contact with an alien. The changes that meeting brings about are subtle, yet well-done.

Melissa Yuan-Innes' "Skin Song" - A deft fantasy edging on horror about a med student who can hear "songs" from simply touching the skin of others. The story gets really interesting when the med student enters the cadaver lab...

Leslie Walker's "As the Crow Flies" - A lyrical ghost story that forces the reader to figure out the rules as he or she reads. Nicely done.

Jeff Rutherford's "Daimon! Daimon!" - A classic horror story of demons and blues music, made even better by its historical context and swamp setting.

Other highlights include Gary Murphy's hard SF tale "Pulling Up Roots," Dan Barlow's time travel/comedy "A Conversation with Schliegelman," and Paul Martens' darkly humorous science fiction story "Your Own Hope." The collection also contains three longer novellas, "Atlantis, Ohio" by Mark Siegel, "Guildmaster" by Dan Dysan, and "The Quality of Wetness" by Ilsa Bick.

Contest rules are also included at the end of the book. I recommend any new writer sending their stories to the contest -- the diversity and the range of the stories make this anthology one to watch for, and the writers in this year's collection will definitely be names we'll all hear from again!

The four first place stories alone were worth the price of the book. They were highly creative and fascinating. Easy to believe these authors will be well-known in the SF/F field soon enough.