This is a great book for those who are beginning to experiment with literature circles in the classroom. From start to finish this book gives ideal situations, practices and real examples. It also recognizes that literature circles often have many problems and frustrations and walks the reader through scenarios step by step. There are mini strategy lessons as well as reproducibles that are very helpful. I love this book and have already recommended it to many of my colleagues.

First, I am one the authors' sisters. That said, these are the comments made by my daughter's teacher after getting this book as a gift.

"Where did you find out about this book? It is great, I love it."

I got to read bits of it as it was being written, and have since read the whole thing. It is helpful in assisting students to read to comprehend books, rather than just reading to write a book report or fill in the blank type tests.

I am inlove with this state, and I love adventure as well, so why not... I'm 14 years old and I collect travel books, I travel a lot and want to see everything there possibly is to see out in the world. This book is not only a good guide, it's fun to read as well. I recommend it to anyone considering a trip to the wildest state in the country.

memorable or favorite, as shown through a New York Times Newspaper Corespondent's Chosen Restaurant. The reporter reveals their special restaurant pick in every International Capital and other selected cities in every part of the world and then persuades the Owner/Chief to share their "how to" for their signature recipe. Wonderful flavors and easy to follow recipes from around the globe. I know, I have visited many of the restaurants in person and then kitchen tested these recipes! Magnifique! Dr. A. Ross

Sometimes the road to adventure starts from your own backyard. If you have the itch for adventure, Lee Foster shows you the way!

This book is exteremely informative and well organized. I enjoyed the book and highly recommend it for all adventure seekers.

I highly recommend this book to all spiritual seekers. Each poem has a beauty that allows the reader to relax and go within for guidance. This book is being used by many healers, therapists, and coaches to aid their clients as they transcend issues in their lives. Ms. Dzelzkalns' poetic verse speaks to the highest part of the reader. An absolute joy to read over and over again.

The collaboration of experienced social workers Judith Lee and Danielle Nisivoccia, Walk A Mile In My Shoes: A Book About Biological Parents For Foster Parents And Social Workers is a powerful, meaningful, 85-page treatise on understanding the feelings of biological parents and their children when children must be transferred to foster care. A "user friendly" guidebook to easing the transition and helping all parties understand one another better, Walk A Mile In My Shoes is highly recommended both for social workers and for foster parents engaged in a necessary, difficult and sometimes painful process.

I read an Anne of Green Gables many, many years ago and immediatly fell in love. At once, I went out and bought the entire series, loving each book more than the one before. This is a line of books I would highly recommend to anyone, of any age. It is truly my favorite set of books. No matter how many times I have read it...and my first copy had fallen apart years ago...I laugh and cry just as hard as I did the first time. Anne of Green Gables 2, or Anne's House of Dreams, is a wonderful story of a couple just starting out in marriage. Moving from their friendly town of Avonlea, they started out anew, in a little cottage by the seashore. Gilbert, Anne's husband, is a young doctor, beginning his practice. They make many new friends, each more interesting than the last. There is even a mystery to unravel in their midst! Romance galore, love, friendship and dreams unfold before our eyes. Even when we read of their tragedies, we hurt along with them, feeling their pain. That is how well this book is written. Read it, enjoy it and buy the whole set. You will never regret it!

Anne of Green Gables is one of the first books to make me fall in love...with it. I mean, it was cute, it was lesson teaching (hehe, that sounds strange), and Anne was just such a good character. She sort of reminded me of me: bad temper (I've gotten much cooler now, haha), big words, amazing imagination, smart (haha, well, I was and am PRETTY SMART, at least, I think, haha). Gilbert reminded me of this guy at school...haha, well, I won't get into details there, but the book was charming, and I've already read it over four times in only like three years, which is sort of alot. I loved this book, and I believe that many other people will learn to appreciate its cuteness and truth and stuff over the years, hehe. Enjoy!

When I first read this book many years back, I loved it, and was sad for it to end when I finished reading it. I loved every single part of it...I simply couldn't put it down. Anne is such a character...you can't help liking her more and more, and wishing that she was your own "bosom friend" just as I did. While reading, I was transported back to that time, and I could just see Avonlea and Green Gables, the school which Anne studied in, and I could see Diana and Miss Stacy and Gilbert just as if they were my own friends.

I loved this book, and read it many times over again after I first picked it up, and it still delighted me. Lucy Maud Montgomery is a stunning writer, and I believe that she must have been like Anne, for no one could create such a realistic character and write everything that poured out of Anne's mouth...her made up stories, the things that she she thought of, her wild yet delightful imagination...all in all, Anne of Green Gables is one of the finest books I've ever read, and were ever written. I strongly recommend it to anyone, old or young. Everyone can relate to Anne and she could make you smile like she did for me.

This is a story about a boy named Lee who is split up from his family when his mother dies, and is placed in a orphanage. Lee and his brother Leo spend two years like slaves in a New York orphange, when they get a chance at better life. They take a train to the West to find better homes. Even though the family is entirely split up, and some die over time, the family members find their way back home.

This book has very interesting facts and an amazing story that is true, but there is a problem. No offense to the author, but the writing is poor. I give it a 1 star. The three is for the story and facts. A five would have to have a good author also. I do recommend it, though. I sped through it because I loved it, but don't get it for the author's writing (which is poor). Get it if you think this topic sounds interesting, and trust me, it is!

I would like to start by saying that I think the suggested reading age is a little low. While the writing is well within in capabilities of most 4-6 graders, the subject may be a little touchy for the younger end of the group. I would be reluctant to let a sensative child read this book until at least the 5th grade.

That said, I think the book was wonderful.The writing is well done for children's non-fiction, but also is able to capture adult readers. The book is a fascinating story about one of the few surviving children who rode one of the orphan trains as well as the general story of the trains history.

My wife, 11 year old daughter and I read the book (my wife and I in 1 evening, my daughter the next) and then we discussed the concept of the trains, the needs for them and why such things are no longer in use in today's society. It made for a good family discussion and we all learned from the experience.

This book has very good content, as well as interesting information about the sociology of this country's past. It was well worth the read for both adults and our daughter and we all enjoyed it.

This book would be an excellent follow-up to the movie "Orphan Train". It brings out the reality of the movement between 1854 and 1930 of 200,000 abandoned children to find homes in the West.

Chapters alternate between historical information on the movement and personal details and memories of orphans like Lee Nailling and his brothers.

The most touching moment for me was when Lee, who had every reason to be bitter and hate the world, finally found a home. Fully intending to run away again before morning, he fell asleep and was awakened by a call to breakfast. As a part of "grace" said before the meal by his mother-to-be, the boy heard, "Father, thank you for sending our new son to us, for the privilege of allowing us to raise him."

Lee commented, "I'm sure my jaw dropped in amazement. Somebody was actually thankful I was there!"

There are also many excellent photographs.

Urged by the voices in her head, an elderly woman drives to a quiet suburban neighborhood and stabs Charles Westchester, a man she has never met. S'postu commanded it, and Alicia Freed was powerless to fight his-its-will.

Now fourteen years later Terry and Amy Lambert, and their good friends Shawn and Bonnie Bricker, are renting Alicia's Victorian farmhouse-and living with Alicia's ghosts.

Strange dreams haunt their nights and mysterious "accidents" plague their days. If these four friends cannot discover the secret behind the entity called S'postu, they may find their lease has a no escape clause.

Lee Foster's first novel is an original combination of mystery and ghost story. Despite structural awkwardness and copy-editing errors, they story is engaging and occasionally gripping. Alicia is a well-drawn character, and her plight strikes a chord of sympathy with the reader. Less interesting are the Lamberts and Brickers, who are virtually indistinguishable from each other.

Still, Foster gets full marks for an entertaining premise and an intriguing debut.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The story grips you from the beginning and keeps you wanting more throughout the entire story to the unbelievable surprise ending!!! I recommend this book for all ages and reading preferences. Give it a try, you wont regret it!!

(used by permission)

S’postu by Lee E. Foster iUniverse, 309p...

by Emma J. Wisdom

In his debut novel, S’postu, Lee E. Foster combines elements of suspense, mystery, and clever plotting with a haunted ghost from the remote past to produce an unputdownable book that will keep readers up all night. Written in an uncanny, perceptive and straightforward way, the author uses a palette with which he paints word pictures with veteran skill. The story is replete with suicide, attempted murder, deception, redemption and love. It takes place in Knoxville, Tennessee, and the surrounding area of Knox County. Divided into three sections, the story begins in 1978 and moves forward to the present. S’postu has been Alicia Freed’s constant companion nearly all of her life, but not Alicia knows who he is or where he came from and exactly what he wants. As a child, she named the apparition S’postu because he was always telling her “You’re supposed to do this” and “You’re supposed to do that.” So she settled on the name S’postu. Then at fifty-eight, S’postu reveals to Alicia that he wants her to kill Charles Westchester, a man she doesn’t even know. But Alicia doesn’t quite accomplish the deed with the ten-inch carving knife she uses in her assault on Westchester, and she is arrested and charged with attempted murder. Westchester testifies that Alicia said just before stabbing him: “Your blood for his. This is to avenge S’postu.” After hiring attorney Max Bailey to defend her in court, he concocts a scam to commit her to Rhinewood Mental Hospital and takes ownership of her old Victorian-style farmhouse, built by Alicia’s family before the Civil War. The house stands empty for fourteen years until two young couples move in. Terry’s wife Amy and Shawn’s wife Bonnie were enthralled with the house. As happy as they are to lease the house, soon unexplained occurrences begin to happen, especially to Bonnie. She dreams of a presence in the house. It’s not long before the others become witnesses to some pretty bizarre happenings as well. Intrigued by the occurrences, the couples begin to investigate, looking to find the history of the house and its owners. Their probing leads them to Alicia Freed in the mental institution where she’s lived for the last fourteen years. Together with Alicia’s help, Amy, Terry, Shawn, and Bonnie begin to uncover the mystery surrounding the house. In the process, they learn more than they had bargained for. The denouement and climactic ending are well-plotted surprises. This novel is certainly well worth spending time with the creative title S’postu and the story that evolves along with it. Foster writes with consummate skill, simplicity, and clarity while foreshadowing the premise behind the suicide, attempted murder, and all the rest. Readers will eagerly await more from this first-time author. Foster will no doubt bring readers more engaging and compelling reading from his pen. And readers will be the glad benefactors of his craftsmanship. Because, for certain, Lee E. Foster has created a credible mystery full of perplexity and consternation. He lives and writes from White House, Tennessee...

Please avoid this book by all means. I'm not sure how the author justifies this book as being a guide to the Vision Quest. There is NOTHING in this book that is even remotely similar to the Vision Quest Ceremomy of the American Indians. This is an insult and a rip-off of our spirituality.

If you want to learn the true meaning behind the sacred ceremonies of the Lakota peoples, then I would most strongly recommend your read The Sacred Pipe: Black Elk's Account of the Seven Rites of the Oglala Sioux: Black Elk, Holy Man of the Oglala or Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux or Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux by Black Elk, John Gneisenau Neihardt, Vine, Jr. Deloria.

This book clearly speaks to people who increasingly find something missing - either through a tiny crack or glaring hole - in their life; perhaps direction, karma, a clearer sense of what this is all about, whatever you want to call it.

I only considered a vision quest a sci-fi novelty, something good for stories, not real life. This book changed that perception forever. The author describes the process and the results many people found as they went through thier own vision quest.

I plan on going on one in 2001 through a related organization. This book clearly communicated a possible solution to that 'missing something' many people feel these days.

The only minor criticism I have is that in my opinon, the authors poetic, mystic and self-agrandizing descriptions and metaphors go a little overboard - a little heavy-handed for my taste... perhaps that's only since I haven't been on a vision quest, I don't know. This in no way diminishes the clear and no-holes-barred message delivered straight and to the point for the majority of the book. Don't let this stop you - it's worth every penny and more...

There is a mountain we all must climb. Some of us never see the mountain. Some of those that do see cannot make the climb. This is a very personal collection of stories of individual journeys - journeys that attempt to solidify the bond between the body and the mind. It is also a universal pattern, as we begin to see in "Vision Quest", that we who call ourselves "human", must find and connect with our personal mythos. Always different in its instantiation, always the same in its requirement. And always there.

This book is published by Fireside Books, a part of the Simon&Schuster empire. They are also the publisher of "Coyote Medicine", which I panned pretty heavily in a review last year for being unsubstantial and largely anecdotal in its evidences. "Vision Quest" is also anecdotal, which means that Foster and Little could have cut and paste, publishing those stories they saw fit to tell their side, and leave out the rest. However, there are two things that are quite different about their style which makes this book a smashing success. First, they held nothing back, so far as I can tell. Some of their customer's journeys weren't success stories at all. Some were clear failures, and some were still just hanging on to bare existence. Their message still came through. The second point is that these stories can only be told in this fashion. Science is not clearly in the picture here - skirting the edge. There's no way one can publish statistics on this topic, saying "of so many voyagers, x percent achieved total succees". No, this book is about mythology. And as false as the stories are that comprise mythology, their lessons are deeply engrained in the body - no, the spirit - of every one who dares to be human.

Reading "Kinds of Minds", by Daniel Dennett, may make some of what I speak of more clear. Humans differ from other animals because of our recursive patterns of thought. This recursion - the ability to subject the mind to analysis by that same mind - is both a blessing (in that it helped with our survival), and a curse (in that endless recursion into a black hole of despair is a definite possibility). Your mythos is the terminator to this endless analysis. Some call this "God". Some of us have no name for it, but all the same, it must be there. Foster and Little recognize this, and at the same time, they are quite sensitive to the lives on the edge of our grand society who need, but do not have, this connection.

Knowing full well that the connection itself does not assure a comfortable place, they nonetheless have created a venue for people to make this voyage of self discovery. This book is a brief recounting of many of those voyages. It is also an invitation to the rest of us to follow wherever that path leads.

Read this book.