This is one of those "special" books that you won't mind reading to your little one over and over again. I find that a great children's book is a lot like a great children's movie; both the parent and the child enjoy it yet at different levels. Such a tender story of a little one's fear that their parent won't come home. However, the beautiful and touching illustrations almost steal the show! You can see the worry in the little owl's eyes and hear little Bill's anxious "I want my Mommy!" My two year old daughter loves the part when it's "dark" outside because the artwork truly conveys the dark; but not in a scary way! I loved when the oldest owl, Sarah, suggests that they all sit on her limb together. My favorite illustration is when the mother owl returns and the 3 little fluffy baby owls are jumping up and down. You'll snuggle a little closer to your child when you read this one together. Just the sweetest little book you and your special one will ever read!

I bought this book over two years ago, when my daughter was around 14 months and was just starting to visibly enjoy being read to. Two years later she still pulls it off the shelf sometimes and asks me to read it (usually around bedtime).

The plot is appropriately simple: Mama Owl goes out hunting for the night, and the three owl babies get progressively more worried and scared. When they have almost sunk into despair, mom comes home.

The illustrations are beautiful. Benson does an excellent job of evoking the fear of the wee owlets as they wait, and their exuberant joy upon mama's return. They are a perfect companion to Waddell's writing.

Waddell makes good use of parallelism. After a couple of readings, if you're child is verbal, expect her to be wailing "I want my mommy!" right along with you and baby Bill. Also, despite the brevity and simple vocabulary, one gets a real sense of the different personalities of the owl babies. As children's literature goes, this is a masterpiece.

Concurring with several other reviewers, I would agree that this is a great book to share with your kids if any of them suffer from separation anxiety.

It's hard to say more about this wonderful book -- just wanted to add that my 23-month old has loved it for the past two months and I know this has to do with her presently intensified separation anxiety. Lovely story, artful evocative illustrations. One of my favorites to read!

If you read only one of the three books on Norton the Scottish Fold, this should be it. Not only are the writing style and design of the book better than the other two, it's the most emotional and thoughtful as well. The two previous books tell of Norton's adventures as a series of events, and in this third, Gethers continues that tradition. But he also adds something of a meditation on death and on caring for others. There are moments where it seems to get sentimental, but the feelings are so genuine that you can't help but be moved.

I bought a Scottish Fold after reading Gether's first two books. And was pleased to find that Norton's qualities are are a part of the breed. Loving, calm, etc. And total people magnets. The last book is cheerful, more stories of Norton's exploits and travels. Not until the last third of the book do we see Norton start to "fade." When Gethers sees that Norton is nearing the close of his life he takes him on a final road trip.
I read, I cried, I read some more and cried a lot more.

The odd thing is that this is not a depressing story. It's a story that ends and it ends just as Norton lived--with love for his human.

Norton's story (all 3 books) is the most moving, tender, wonderful, poignant story I've ever read in my entire life! I can't stop thinking about it, it is that wonderful. It is beautifully written. Mr. Gethers bond with Norton is incredibly loving. If you like cats, you will fall in love with Norton, and you will feel forever indebted to Peter Gethers for bringing you Norton's story. Thank you, Peter Gethers, for the most wonderful 3 books I've ever read in my entire life!

This was a really good book for me because it actually dealt with an issue most historical novels only dance around. Alcoholism had to be huge problem among the title in England but you never really read how it affected gentry once they left London. I loved the characters because they were both strong and sensible. I thought the revealing of the heroines true self was a little "too grand" to fit in with the spirit of the story but over-all the story was a good one. Mary Jo Putney really does her homework when she is ready to share a story with her readers. This one was well done indeed.

You know what they say, "Reformed rakes make the best of husbands." Reggie makes a great rake, but even better is his struggle to reform. The way the author writes this book adds realism and credibility. While most romance books prefer to not broach serious topics like alchoholism (usually they get a bit dark and depressing), Ms. Putney does an excellent job at entwining it with the romance. I liked this book very much.

The heroine isn't bad, but the hero is delightfully complex, and just this side of delectable. The whole book was utterly realistic until the end, which I thought was a bit stretching reality, but that's really the most I can find to complain about. This book was absoloutly wonderful.

I'd recommend this to someone that wants a romance with realistic characters and a good plot. This author's writing is very good.

Reginald Davenport is the exact opposite of the typical romance hero: villain of a previous book in the series, he's an alcoholic, a gambler and a rake who is offered one last chance to atone for his past mistakes when he retires to Strickland. The first surprise awaiting him there is that the skilful manager of his new estate is a woman, Alys Weston, strangely beautiful and very competent.

Alys is afraid to lose her position as Strickland's manager when the new master settles on the estate, seemingly for good. But Reggie, although intrigued by this woman who dresses in pantaloons and supervises the estate in a masterful way, doesn't dismiss her, and he quickly treats her as his equal. It's not just her managerial skills that fascinate Reggie, but also her uncommon beauty. She's taller than the average woman and her eyes don't match, but what she sees as flaws makes her even more beautiful in the eyes of her new master.

The unusual relationship that develops between them keeps the reader enthralled from start to finish. If Reggie's reputation as a rake followed him to Strickland, Alys doesn't let it destabilise her. She fears for her wards at first, especially the lovely and innocent Meredith, but Reggie is quick to reassure her that he has no interest in the young woman. Indeed, his fantasies are set on Alys herself.

One aspect of the book that was particularly interesting is Reggie's fight against his addiction to alcohol. There are several powerful scenes that show how far alcohol can lead, and without any voyeurism or overboard drama, Mary Jo Putney draws her hero's journey through this delicate part of his life, as well as Alys' influence on his behaviour.

Alys' character is as complicated as her male counterpart's. She hides a background and a life that Reggie doesn't suspect, but can her secrets compromise the future of any relationship that might settle between them?

Once again, Mary Jo Putney draws three-dimensional characters whose attitude takes root in their tumultuous past. The world she pictures in her novels is never black and white, and The Rake is no exception to her outstanding writing-style.

I found this book by accident and since reading it have purchased it for two of my closest friends. It states at the beginning of the book that it is best read with a lover, but coming from a single woman, I found the collection of stories a sign that true love does exist. This book brought myself and my two friends genuine happiness and hope for our own story.

This book was a joy to read in fact I keep looking back in read a couple of stories to help me make it through this time apart from my spouse.... This book is a real inspiration to anybody who needs to be cheered up in a time of need or just needs a good laugh... I enjoyed this book more then any other book I have read in a long time...

I loved this book, every single one of us wonders, what is true love? All these stories have some glimpse, or taste of true love possibilities. Some are full blown true love that stood the test of time. Love is the most marvelous feeling in the world, and most desired of all experiences of humans. Yet true love so hard to explain with words, for the emotion of it is so powerful. The human experience is certainly more bleak without true love in our lives somewhere, sometime. I hope everyone who ever hopes to be in love, or has been in love will read this. I have already bought extra copies to share with my friends. What a treat Robert Fulghum is to those of us who love to read of the human experience.

I collect Mrs. Lindsey's books I'm only missing three titles. I read Angel for the first time a little over two years ago, I have read it numerous times since. It has become one of my favorites. It is always nice to see a connection with the books you read. Johanna Lindsey has the talent to re-introduce characters without making it seem like they are still stuck in the first book you read with the same characters. Cassie and Angel are a unique pair and they trully deserve a book of their own. It is also nice to enter again the lives of Colt & Joselyn and Jesse & Chase it almost feels as if you are visiting old friends. There's something that can be said about a book that not only, introduces new charaters to interact with old familiar ones, but also can make you feel as if you are living the story

I'VE ALWAYS LIKED JL BOOKS AND THIS BOOK IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF ALL AROUND PLEASURE. ANGEL'S UNKNOWN BACKROUND AND HIS OWN SENSE OF HONOR, AND THEY WAY HE JUST COULDN'T KEEP AWAY. THE WAY JL PUT A LITTLE EXTRA WITH THE PANTHER KEEPS NOT ONLY ANGEL ON HIS TOES BUT MYSELF AS WELL. I HAVE READ THIS BOOK REPEATEDLY. EVEN THOUGH I KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN I GET SO ENGROSSED THAT I FORGET I'M NOT READING IT FOR THE FIRST TIME, EVERYTIME.

"Angel" is the first JL book I've ever read and i loved it so much i have since bought everyone of her books and they are all amazing and unique and simply wonderful. This book is on my top five books of all time and it should be on everyone's. Angel is so adorable. He is so nice despite what happened to him and so strong yet vulnerable. Cassie was a perfect match for him. An excellent read...but that's not surprising coming from Ms. Lindsey.

This beautifully-written novel is almost magical in its ability to make the past live again. The first-person account of the ferocious battle of Shiloh is simply the best description of combat I've ever read, while a later cavalry skirmish superbly captures the feel of fighting on horseback (if you've ever ridden, you'll recognize the feel), and a final, dark-of-the-night climax gets at the brutality of war, at any time or place, better than splashy CNN coverage or even the best non-fiction works. There are two more areas where Parry truly excels: The flawless recreation of the voices--the accents, rhythms and prejudices of the past--and the creation of living characters. The narrator, Abel Jones, who has appeared in Parry's two previous novels, deepens and deepens, revealing ever more about himself, while the supporting characters range from the Falstaffian (or Dickensian, to be more accurate) Barnaby B. Barnaby, a killer with a soft heart and a soft belly, to a unique, subtle take on some Southern cliches. In Parry's novels, no character is ever as simple as he or she seems at first--we meet people who live convincingly on the page. Overall, this series is the most "adult" I've ever read--not in terms of explicitness or vulgarity, but in terms of emotional depth and realism. If Parry can sustain this quality of writing and storytelling in his future works, we just may have a fictional re-telling of the Civil War to rival Shelby Foote's non-fiction. And, by the way, this book is enormous fun to read. I would give it more than five stars, if I could.

With 'Call Each River Jordan,' (the third episode of the "Abel Jones series"), Parry explores the Civil War in the Deep South. It begins with a harrowing account of the battle of Shiloh then proceeds deeper into Dixie, as the hero investigates a massacre of slaves. Parry's elegant prose is one of the greatest pleasures of this book and of the series, but I'm also struck by the greater complexity of the characters in this volume. It's also beatifully paced, with a finely judged accumulation of momentum. Some of the scenes, such as Parry's account of a horse race (in the voice of protagonist Abel Jones) are superb.

The three books (so far) taken in sum add up to a major statement about the war. Newcomers to the series need not read them in order, but having read one would probably want to read the others.

I've read SHADOWS OF GLORY, FADED COAT OF BLUE, and CALL EACH RIVER JORDAN and Owen Parry is rapidly becoming one of my favorite writers.
Although I'm a Civil War buff, I think it's the protagonist's "voice" that does it. The main character is a little Welsh immigrant named Major Abel Jones, a British war veteran and a hero of Bull Run. He's also an investigator for the government. Parry does a wonderful job with this guy's accent. Just one example, "It is a pickle you are in, then?" He does use "But let that bide" a bit much, but you barely notice it after you've read a couple of the books.
CALL EACH RIVER JORDAN centers around the Battle of Shiloh, which Jones becomes enmeshed in as he tries to report to General Grant. Everyone's running away, so Jones takes charge of a few of the more malleable of the scared soldiers and forms them into a unit.
We eventually meet Grant and W.T. Sherman and P.T.G. Beauregard, of whom Jones doesn't think much, and we get to the jist of the matter, which is to find out who's been lynching slaves. The most recent case is the hanging of forty men, women and children at a crossroads.
I always find that the best mysteries are those in which there's some humor to go along with the suspense. Some of that occurs when Jones falls captive to some Confederates on his way to see Beauregard. One of them is a fellow Welsh immigrant, whose accent Jones recognizes as being from a certain village near his. Jones compares the man's accent to his own, which he thinks is devoid of any trace of his former brogue. Jones also hates horses and he's given one named Rascal, that's way too much horse for him.
Parry employs a standard cast of characters: The rogue Molloy, with whom he fought in India, is getting married and isn't in this one, but the moody Doctor Mick Tyrone is shown sawing off arms and legs in the aftermath of battle. Jones and Tyrone are usually in the midst of some philosophical discourse. My favorite is Mrs. Schutzengel, Jones's landlady in Washington. She's a socialist, a devotee of Karl Marx. Jones also has a wife, Mary Myfanwy, whom he dearly loves but rarely sees.
Once again, this is one of those novels where the characters are so great that you just want to look in on them to see what they've been doing lately.

I have never been so affected by a book as I was reading THE OUTSIDER. This book is absolutely incredible! It is the story of two very different people who come together to find the most beautiful and sweetest love, and of one man's figurative journey from the utter depths of hell to the light of heaven.

I think what made me love this book so much is the depth of the characterizations, especially that of the hero. Ms. Williamson writes with a lyric beauty that makes you come to know the mind, heart, and soul of *all* the characters. I can't quite find the words to describe the hero, Johnny Cain. He is so completely lost, so very tortured, and so desperately in need of love....and the heroine, Rachel, gives to to him wholeheartedly, and by doing so, saves him. Ironically, there is only one scene in the entire book, where we get a glimpse of Johnny's thoughts. Because Johnny is an "outsider", we never learn what he thinks and feels, never see his point of view (a quite ingenious and appropriate [but at times, a bit frustrating] tool, I must say). Except for one scene at near the end, and oh, what a heartbreaking scene it is! A life long man-killer, Johnny believes himself to be beyond redemption, ("I *like* being damned," he says at one point) but it soon becomes poignantly clear that he craves and needs redemption (and the hope that comes with it) above all else. There is an aching sweetness and tenderness to Johnny Cain, the notorious, hardened killer, that makes him so unforgettable. I completely fell in love with him. ;-)

I know I haven't mentioned anything about the plot or the other characters, but, to me, it is Johnny, the outsider, that defines this book.

Needless to say, THE OUTSIDER is a very emotional, and often difficult, read. I don't think I've ever cried so much while reading a book. The last 30 pages or so are especially sad and poignant...I don't want to give anything away, but I have never seen a hero and heroine go through what Johnny and Rachel did.

I cannot say enough about Ms. Williamson's writing. She is truly unparalleled. I've read two more of her books, and loved them both, but this one is definitely my favorite (if not favorite book I have ever read). Thank you so much for this book, and for creating Johnny Cain. :-)

I had previously read "Hearts of the West" by Ms. Williamson and was pleasantly surprised to find "The Outsider" even more enjoyable. Perhaps the conflict of cultures provided an unusual twist of interest, but I also found very satisfying the way the author slowly developed the passionate love story. She also accomplished this in "Hearts of the West", but in "Outsider" the characters didn't have a brother "in the way", just their own code of ethics. Like all of Ms. Williamson's characters, they are well drawn and interesting. As a woman, I find her men particularly compelling and fascinating. Her attention to detail and authenticity makes her stories even harder to put down. Thanks, Ms. Williamson, for another great read!

"The Outsider"is the best book I read during the Year 1996.
There are books which you read and are almost immediately forgotten. Then, there are some will linger in your mind and heart forever. "The Outsider" is one of these rare books. There is an awesome beauty about this books which makes it one of the most unforgettable book I have every read.
The story takes place in an Amish community. Rachel is one of the Plain people. She takes care of her 10 year old son while trying to run a small sheep farm. Her life is one of religious contentment - until "the outsider' comes into her life and stirs passions she had thought buried with her husband. Johnny Cain, a famous gunslinger, comes badly wounded into her life. Rachel soon realized underneath the harsh exterior lies a soul which is crying out for love. Cain believes that he is damned and there is no redemption for him. Rachel, gentle and kind, gives him a ray of hope and he begins to slowly accept that there is some good in him. It is a joy to watch their love for each other slowly grow and finally blossom into the rare and beautiful flower it is. Their growing love for each other is complicated by the obvious, her religion. Rachel fights the attraction she feel for him. Her pious brother-in-law who is also in love with her does not help to make things easy and he continues to judge and criticize her.
The ending of the story is sure to bring tears to readers' eyes. Rachel allows love to guide the hard choices that she has to make. With "The Outsider", Ms Williamson establishes herself as one of the best of the genre. "The Outsider" is a major achievement. It is a hauntingly moving and powerful story. The language of the book is like beautiful poetry, but there is a simplicity that reflects the gentle qualities of the Plain People. One of the qualities I admire about the book is that Ms Williamson's portrayal of the Plain People is detailed and realistic. She lets us see them as the gentle, simple folk they are but we also see the inherent cruelty in their ways.
Ms Williamson, I feel honored to have read this book.
Wayne Jorda

This is my favorite book by Beverly Cleary, and I've read a lot of her books. Cleary is both realistic and funny as she describes the ups and downs in the life of the poor but happy Quimby family. There are so many parts in this book that I love: how the Quimbys make do after Mr. Quimby loses his job; how Ramona tries to make her father stop smoking so that his lungs won't turn black; how Ramona realizes that she can feel good about herself even when everyone around her is cross; and how Ramona learns what a happy family is really like. Beverly Cleary is one of the very best writers I know. She knows that children are more intelligent and mature than adults give them credit for, and she knows the importance of both the family and the individual. Her books are always funny, touching, and memorable, and this one is her best.

Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary

Have you ever thought your father cared about you a lot? Well in Ramona and Her Father, her father loses his job, and starts smoking! Ramona's family is acting mad. But Ramona's father is acting nice to her, most of the time. Find out what happens in Ramona and Her Father.

I liked this book a lot, because Ramona went through all the trouble just to make her family happy.

I think Beverly Cleary wanted to share that even though you are upset with your family you still love them. I think the author wanted to teach us that no family is perfect.

UNBELIEVEABLE!
I can't believe that was a book. It seemed so real.This is definitely a book you will remember forever. The setting of this wonderful book is in America in modern times. Most of the story takes place at Ramona's house or at her school. The characters are Ramona, a serious eight-year old girl with a lot on her mind, Mr.Quimby, Ramona's father and Beezus, Ramona's sister. Ramona has a normal life untill one payday when Ramona's father loses his job and starts smoking. One of the interesting parts is when Ramona's cat falls into their jack-o-lantern. Does everything work out for Ramona and her father? Find out! I think this is an A+ book.

This new Doc Ford novel is a combination of the best of his previous titles. Those who enjoyed the "Man Who Invented Florida," and the straightforward style of "Captiva," will like this novel that combines the best of both books. Without giving away the plot, this novel concerns an unscrupulous politican, an oncomming hurricane, and the beauty of the Ten Thousand Islands area of Southwest Florida and Key Largo. The most important element is the Calusa artifact that has caused a sequence of events to be set in motion. The history of the artifact, and the Calusa Indians, is rendered in a way that is not only informative but enjoyable. This is an easy read, with crisp dialoge, and the characters are all memorable. If you love Doc Ford you are sure to enjoy this title, if you are new to the series I Highly recommended it. I Just finished an interesting book: "A Tourist in the Yucatan" While not perfect, I did find it a convincing thriller, & especially fun if you have traveled in Yucatan.

Mr. White has the ability to capture the atmosphere of Southwest Florida as well, if not better than Jimmy Buffet does through his many songs.He is a master story teller that takes the reader along for a ride, with you being next to Doc Ford from Page to page. This book, was impossible to put down. Mr. White's ability to make the reader understand the effect of uncontrolled civilization on the barrier islands; to the fury of an approaching hurricane, leaves one, with a great admiration for the man, his imagination and intellect. I encourage all to read Ten Thousand Islands, and then continue the adventure with the entire Doc Ford series. I can hardly wait for his next work, fiction or non-fiction. Randy Wayne White truly loves Southwest Florida and his work shows it.

Randy Wayne White does indeed deserve the crown of successor to John D. McDonald. You don't realize how much better White's fiction is until you read Tim Dorsey or one of the other South Florida wannabes.

Doc Ford is at it again with his nutty sidekick, Tomlinson. Unlike "North of Havana," where Tomlinson's eccentricity becomes a nuisance, "Ten Thousand Lakes" makes the loveable hippy a nice contrast to Doc's more subdued (and ultimately lethal) manner.

The plotline, about a Spanish medallion with a cursed and spotted history, moves along briskly with an action-packed finale. Doc Ford's penchant for violence stays within the realm of believability and his survival tactics are exciting.

A fast and satisfying read.

Barthe DeClements has created the most wonderful book for fifth-graders to read. Kids of all ages and grades would appreciate it as well, but I imagine that it is a target for most fifth-graders. There is humor, for sure. Cracks about Elsie Edwards' weight, such as when she's walking with Jenny, Diane, and Sharon, some sixth-grade boys say the bunch is "three flagpoles and a beach ball" and "three asparagus strings and a tomato". Elsie at first has no friends, and is disliked by everyone for stealing lunch money and scrounging at lunch time. But Jenny befriends her, and convinces Diane and Sharon to give her a chance as well. This is a read full of friendship, the real world, and fifth grade. And I declare one thing about the author of this book: Barthe DeClements is a genius!

I have read so many books in my life that I sometimes feel that I have warped my sense of reality. But of all the books I have ever read, and that has to be at least thousands, this is the book I have read the most. I am 21 now, I have been reading in since I was in third grade. But I don't just read it, or remember it as some cheexy book from when I was a kid. Barthe DeClements was a school psychologist for many years, and that comes through in her writing. There's not a character in this book that rings false, I could picture each one of them as someone I knew. All these years later, the story is so familiar to me that I should be tired of it. But I am not. This really is a classic for kids, because everyone dislikes and them relates to Elsie. Elsie, of course, goes on to become the heroine of two more of DeClements novels, "How Do You Lose Those Ninth Grade Blues" and "Seventeen And In-Between". These are also rich novels, and they bring a happy end to characters we've loved forever. But I know everyone else wants another sequel! Start with this incomparable work, and then get to know the rest of DeClements fiction. You'll never forget it, trust me.

Is nothing fair for you in fifth grade?If so,the book Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade is the perfect book for you to read. Another reason to read the book is because it is full of friendship,so for all of you who like friendship books, this is for you.

The story is focused on the life of Elsie Edwards, who goes to a new school and is not welcome there. Elsie is an overweight girl, who is on a diet, but still asks people for food. One day, she starts stealing money, and when the teacher and the principal find out, the classroom door has to be locked. Jennifer, and Diane, are two girls in her class who don't like her. A little later in the book, Jennifer and Diane...Find out when you read the book!

I would recommend this book to forth and fifth graders, because it tells people about being friends, and relates to real life. The reason I really likes this book is because I liked the technique that the author used (of really explaining the characters feelings), and also, I could relate it to one of my friends' life. I read this book in the end of fourth grade, and I knew I was ready to help new people fit in in fifth grade. For all the people who don't like to read, THIS IS FOR YOU!