This book totally rock. When I read it I actually felt drawn to Sunny and her denial of her life. I think that Dawn ahould have stuck by Sunny and be her friend instead of trying to be her boss. Dawn thinks that Sunny should deal with her mother but she doesn't understand the pain Sunny's in so she judges her just like everone else(except Ducky). I think that when Dawn realizes all the people that love her, she'll retaliate.

Yes...Sunny is coping with a serious crisis of her mother being ill & parts of the book are heartbreaking, but Sunny needs to grow up & start acting responsibly & realize that other people have feelings, too. I liked how she turned to Carol & found out how understanding Carol is. I f only she'd see what a wonderful friend Dawn is instead of taking advantage of her, then criticizing her for getting mad. I thought Dawn did the right thing by not letting Sunny camp out in her house indefinately. Dawn doesn't have to put up with Sunny acting selfishly & irresponsibly, then using her mother's illness as an excuse. Plenty of kids go through bad situations, like Abby losing her dad, & they feel sad & mourn, but don't fall apart & run away & throw responsibility down the toilet. I hope Sunny grows up & becomes a stronger person.

Sunny: Diary Two focused on her mom's situation from her point of view. Her falling relationship with Dawn was focused on greatly. Ann M. Martin wrote a great book. It was really like you were reading one's private journal. You were in on Sunny's life. I have read all the "Dawn Books" from this series, and I have to say I like this one more than the others. This book is a must read.

I think it was a great book. Ann M. Martin did a wonderful job of showing emotions, especially when Abby's father died. I could really picture Abby sitting in the principals office, and inisant 4th grader and hearing the shoking news that her father was gone. You feel like you become the charachter, which shows Ann M. Martin's wonderful writing talent. One of the bad things though, is that it doesn't seem very realistic for a person to write a biography in one weekend. I know from experience that a teacher always catches glitches and you have to write it at least twice. Other than that, it was a good book.

Abby is new to Stoneybrook and she has a twin, Anna. She talks about having to be color coded so people would recognize Abby and her twin. Her dad also dies in a car accident and that's a very sad bit, but evrything turns out O.K when Abby, Anna and their mother move to Stoneybrook.

stick with amazon, everyone. :) i loved this book. abby is my favorite character, because she is so like me. i have a twin sister, jeannie. i am allergic to like everything on the face of this earth, and i'm just always pumped. this book helps the reader get to know her a lot better, and i think it's a great book! so, buy it!

As Sophie Adams says, "I looooooooove to sing!" and so she does. This is a really special book. Charming story line with a real cowgirl twang to the language. Great illustrations that add to the story. And, songs...wonderful songs that Sophie makes up and sings to her family. And you'll sing too. It's impossible not to. A family favorite and a must for all home libraries.

I like the pictures.This book is very funny.She has a big hat.She likes to sing a lot.I like this book because it's very funny.

This book has funny pictures. She has a big hat. This book is funny she likes to sing. I like this book because I like to sing.

While the story itself is rather interesting, the last section of PIHKAL ('book II') is the true star. It's not a story...it's a list of aprox. 200 psychoactive and potentially psychoactive drugs, each lovingly described as to structure, synthesis, dosage, and effects. Each item is based on the core skeleton of phenyl-ethyl amine, which Shulgin laboriously explored at virtually every point, substitutive alkyl groups, thio groups, halides, etc. (Methoxy ring substituents are especially popular in his work.) The result is an astonishing array of hallucinogens, amphetamines, and some seemingly inert materials. While he is perhaps best known for his work on MDMA, the drug that would later gain infamy as the illegal drug 'ecstasy', it will surprise most readers to discover that MDMA is only one of an entire family of psychoactive drugs, each with their own sometimes subtle, sometimes astonishing differences. A truly extraordinary, landmark work for the pharmacologist, or simply those curious about psychoactive drugs from a more technical, exploratory stance. (That said, if you wouldn't know a carbon atom from a Honda Civic, you'll still like the biographical part, which is anything but dry and technical.)

Shulgin and his wife give a very entertaining, educational, and fascinating account of their exploration of psychedelics, with a separate section on their chemistry. The DEA hated this book so much that they harassed the authors and their friends for months after it was published.... but you'd have to be a narrow-minded pinhead to hate this book! Shulgin goes on my short list of "heros".

This book is fascinating. It is not an "I like trippin' and listenin' to the Dead" book. It is a very thorough, interesting account of the work of two very intelligent and thoughtful people in the area of psychedelic drugs and their influence on/application to human life. Here's a quote that gives some idea of the orientation of the book: of marijuana (not a phenethylamine, and thus, not really addressed fully in the book), Shulgin writes, "I have chosen not to use marijuana, as I feel the light-headed intoxication and benign alteration of consciousness does not adequately compensate for an uncomfortable feeling that I am wasting time." Of psychedelics, he writes, "the potential of the psychedelic drugs to provide access to the interior universe, is, I believe, their most valuable property." This isn't a book about seeing jerry-bears and setting up clandestine labs. It's an introduction to a new way of exploring one's relationship to the rest of the universe. It is wonderful and an invaluable resource to all who are willing to try to deal with this piece of the puzzle.

I wish this was Book One of a very long series...unfortunately, it currently stands alone. The story is delightfully imaginative and unique, told from the perspective of a porcelain family of dolls who surreptitiously live with the fourth generation of their beloved human family. Aided by the recent discovery of a secret journel, Annabelle, the little girl doll, resolves to decipher the mystery of her Aunt Sarah's disappearance from the house forty years before. Along the way, she learns the values of courage and friendship, determination and family love. Filled with adventure and truly interesting perspective, the book also teaches children about the differences in society today versus life 100 years ago. It's accompanied by wonderfully drawn illustrations that are featured throughout the book on practically every page. My daughter, aged 6, really loved the story and insisted upon sleeping with the book at night in place of her usual stuffed animals! In our family, this book ranks right up there with Charlotte's Web and Harry Potter.

What a terrific story! My daughter (10 yrs) and I read this book together during our nightly ritual for reading before bedtime (together), and each night we had difficulty putting the book down, wanting to just keep reading to see what would happen next! The author writes in such a way that it makes one feel as if they are right there, living the story along with the charecters. When everyone at Kate's house is fast asleep the Doll family comes alive, inspiring the imagination and for some of use remembering a time when we too wondered if our dolls ever came alive when we weren't looking!

A great story, with wonderfully animated charecters, a good mystery and fun suspense that'll keep tickling your funny bone, especially when the Captain (a real live cat) decides to investigate the dolls, or a real spider almost the same size as one of the doll charecters, crawling a wee bit too close for comfort, truly awakening the imagination with the authors knack for giving just the right amount of detail to keep your mind wanting for more...

I'd recommend this book for anyone who enjoys sharing great stories with their children, especially moms and daughters.. even for adults who have a passion for dolls. Excellent, will be one of my favorites for a long long time.

I am a doll lover, and am always looking for books like this. I got lucky here; a favourite author, favourite illustrator, and a favourite subject. The story is a lot of fun too; Annabelle, an eight-year-old doll made nearly 100 years ago, has to deal with two events at once; worrying about the mysterious disappearance of her Aunt Sarah fifty-five years ago, and dealing with a family of plastic dolls that has been bought for the younger sister of the girl who owns the old dollhouse. It is funny, lively, and a lot of fun to read. I loved it and hope they write more books about the two doll families.

Contrary to what one reviewer wrote, this is not the *only* book on parenting you should read. I'd recommend Faber and Maslish's other books, How to Talk so Kids will Listen..., and How to Talk so Kids Can Learn... I give this book four stars, simply because I've given the others five stars each, and I wanted to show that you should perhaps read these books first.

I found this one in the library, somewhat desperate at a time when my two-year old was regularly trying to pinch and scratch my newborn baby. What to do? It felt awful. I clutched Siblings Without Rivalry to me like a lifebuoy.

Did it help? Emphatically, yes! There is tons of helpful material here, especially the stuff about helping children to express their feelings appropriately, and the advice to treat children uniquely rather than equally. I was worried that the authors might just rehash what they said in How to Talk so Kids Will Listen..., but they don't. The format is familiar - case studies, cartoons etc, as is the general approach to life, but the content is a real development.

I have to admit that some of the book is less relevant when one of the siblings in question is still a young baby. But I'm glad I read it when I did. I'll be coming back to it in the future.

My sister spoke very early and her first words were "I'm telling mommy!" From the moment she arrived home from the hospital, we were locked in mortal combat. Our rivalry finally ended when I left home at 18. We are now good friends, but I wish that my parents had read this book during our childhood. Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish, authors of "How to Talk so Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk", share years of experience gained through their own parenting trials and through those of the thousands of parents who have attended their workshops. Their aim is to teach parents the skills and techniques necessary to redirect rivalry into cooperation. Topics such as teaching parents to stop treating their children equally instead of uniquely, helping children express their angry feelings acceptably, motivating children to solve their own problems, and handling fighting are expertly covered. This best-selling book puts the reader right into the middle of a fictional workshop, sitting with other frustrated parents, asking questions and working out solutions. Each chapter begins with questions aimed at helping parents to understand and acknowledge the feelings behind a common problem. The book then describes the communication skills necessary to defuse the rivalry and gain cooperation instead of arguments. Theory is put into practice in cartoon form. A problem is presented in a cartoon, which shows the "typical" way an untrained parent would respond, and then the way the problem could be resolved using the new techniques the authors teach. The last chapter of the book explores ways in which we can mend fences and renew our relationships with our own adult siblings. Several poignant stories illustrate that it is never too late to learn effective communication skills. I found this book useful for parents of only children, since the skills presented are as useful for dealing with one child as for many. For parents of two or more children, this is a MUST READ

I am in love with this book. When my second child was first
born, I read the first chapter or two of this book and found it
very useful for dealing with my older child's jealous behavior.
Now that my second is 1 1/2 and the two children are playing
together and having so many conflicts, I picked the book back
up and read it from cover to cover. There are so many helpful
anecdotes. The book has given me words to handle so many
frustrating situations. It is one of my favorite
books on child-raising!

As the author of "Stop Walking on Eggshells: Taking Back Your Life when Someone You Care About has BPD," I am so pleased that finally we have another book about the effects of BPD behavior on family members. This book is easy to read and packed with information that you need to know if you had a mother with BPD traits. I spoke with the author, and she agreed with me that these effects are not limited to children, so I would recommend the book to anyone in a relationship with a person with BPD.

My only wish is that the book could have been organizaed for easy reference in terms of the BP's thoughts, feelings and behaviors and the resulting thoughts, feelings and behaaviors of the non-BP child. I wrote a chart for myself, culling the information from all the different sections, and will put it up on BPDCentral at (www BPDCentral com) for those looking for aan easy chart. A must-have for anyone coping iwth BPD behavior.

Finally, Lawson's type of BPs takes much clinical information and makes it easy to access. Adult children will probably find that their parent leans toward one of the four types, but will probably see elements of the three other types in their parent.

People interested in this book may also be interested in books for those with mothers who have Narcissistic Personality Disorder. These include TRAPPED IN THE MIROR by Elan Golomb and CHILDREN OF THE SELF-ABSORBED by Nina W. Brown. Other must-have books of interest inclide Emotional Blackmail by Susan Forward and Toxic Parents.

This book is an outstanding description of the many faces of borderline mothers. It validates my experience and explains--even after years of therapy and some success in setting limits--why I still vacillate in my loyalty to and my distancing from a person who changes behaviors based on her own ruminations rather than on provocation. Reading the book is an emotional experience. I kept my journal nearby to jot notes on my reactions and memories that surfaced so as to discuss them with my therapist. The references to concentration camps resonate with me; the information on fathers was helpful; the recommendations for self-protection and maintaining a relationship (if possible) very true to my learned experience. It is crucial for the adult child to have some understanding of the mother's inner turmoil; that understanding curbs retaliation and alleviates the adult child's sense of powerlessness. I will read this book again now more slowly, will recommend it to my siblings, and refer to it in the future.

This book is a lifeline to sanity for any child of a mother who suffers from borderline personality disorder. The first chapters dissect this complex disease more thoroughly than I've read in any other book, and the final section explains how to cope with the volatile relationships that form between mother and child. Every page contains a wealth of information that is simultaneously therapeutic and proactive. The validation that came with being able to relate to the experiences of other children living with this was priceless (as well as being long overdue). I have read dozens of books about borderline personality disorder, but none (until now) addressed the consequences the disease has on children of mothers suffering from the disorder. The book seems to focus on the relationships daughters have with their borderline mothers, but does deal with the impact it has on sons, as well.

I read this book from cover to cover in a day and a half. I just couldn't put the book aside. Being a mother of two daughters, I had to know what the out come would be. It truly frightened me knowing this was a true story, however, it has made me more aware to always be on my guard. You just never know. I'm looking forward to Mason Ramsey's next book.

WOW! this book was one of the best that I have ever read. It kept me on the edge of my seat. Some of it was disturbing to me as a teenage girl, but it was really awesome! I really recommend it to anyone that likes to read, cuz Bodies In The Bay is worth reading. My Compliments to the author!

The author did an excellent job of making you feel like you were there with the victims. I was so engrossed and anxious to get to the end of the book. I took it everywhere to read when I had some spare time. Good work and I'll be waiting for the next book.

This was a great book about Hannah, a 16 year old girl forced to care for her sea loving brother, unloving father andyounger sisters thankful and abby, . The author gets into the mind of all characters in this well written novel. The characters are all interesting. Each one has their own problems. you should read this book to find out how Hannah tries to pull her family together, and find out the truth behind why the town hated her mother.

Ann Rinaldi is one of my favorite authors. This book was no disappointment to me. I loved the way she twisted the plot and what happens to the characters. I myself could not put the book down once I started to read it and I think you won't be able to put it down either.

Hannah Chelmsford has been the one to watch out for her brothers and sisters since her mother's death. Hannah's father, Nathaniel Chelmsford, has barely anything to do with his children and has Hannah take care of them. Hannah and her sisters, Abigail and Thankful, are making a quilt. When they started the quilt, there were only going to be pieces for family, then they decide to add people that have meant something in their lives and there has to be trust between these people.

Hannah soon helps her sister, Abigail, plan her elopement. Abigail has to elope because her father won't let her get married. They put the plan into action one night hoping everything goes well.

Lawrence, Hannah's brother, is going on a trip west with his father and Thankful, to paint pictures of the Indians. Lawrence is made second in command because of his militia experience. Thankful gets to go along because she made a bargain with Hannah, to where Hannah would get their father to let her go along and Thankful would keep her mouth shut about Abigail's elopement. What will happen to Thankful, Lawrence, and their father in the west?

Richard Lander, the captain of the Prince, is a long time friend of Hannah's. Richard has become the talk of the town since rumors have gone around about his ship. Plus no one but the investors, Richard, and his crew know the destination of the ship and that has made many people mad. Richard asks Hannah to wait for him, but Hannah thinks that there's no trust between them. In the weeks before he is to leave Richard tries to prove to Hannah that he cares for her. Will Hannah decide to wait for Richard while he's gone?

Louis, a man Hannah was once engaged to, shows up at the door asking Hannah if she will watch his baby. Night Song, the baby, is half Indian and Kentuckians killed her mother during a raid on a Shawnee village. Will Hannah decide to keep the baby for Louis?

Hannah's father puts money into making the first cotton yarn factory in America. The factory ends up in trouble when the ladies of the surrounding community threaten to shut it down. Hannah is asked to help but will she? Will Hannah keep the family from falling apart?

I loved this book! The plot is great! I love how trust is the main idea behind this book, because I believe you have to have trust between people just like Hannah did. I enjoyed this book very much and I believe you will too!

Imagine you are a 14 year old girl who has to deal with the death of your dear mother. This situation would change your life forever.

Well that's what Hannah has to deal with in the story "A Stitch In Time" by Ann Rinaldi.

In this story Hannah is left with all the troubles that her mother has left behind after her death. There are many family problems Hannah can't deal with such as the way Hannah's father, Nathenial has betrayed his youngest son, Cabot; and the way Abigal, the oldest of the kids, ran off to marry Nate Vudeau, who she was forbidden to see. Hannah is making a quilt to try to piece back the lives they once had that were full of joy and happiness but now are full of pain and sorrow. Ann Rinaldi is a very dramatic writer. This came through in one if the scenes where Hannah gets a letter from her sister Abigal, Hannah thought Abigal was missing out at sea. The days and nights went by and Hannah had not gotten a letter from her sister. She had this awful feeling that something terrible had happened. She cried and wondered why Abigal had to go marry some wretched sea captain. Finally on a rainy, gloomy afternoon there was a quiet knock on the door. "I have a letter for you miss." Hannah's legs grew weak; she carefully took the letter. "Thank you," she replied. She quickly read the letter. It was from Abigal saying she was on an Island and doing well. Hannah's chest felt like an enormous weight had been lifted off off. If you enjoy a dash of History, and cups of drama; if you like books you can't put down...I recommend you should read "A Stitch In Time. You will love it!

The third book in the Fire Dancer series. It is an excellent series with strong, well written characters, and this book leaves you dying for more. I wish Ann Maxwell would hurry up and write another one! I want to find out what is happening with Rheba and Kirtn

Ann Maxwell wrote three of the "Dancer" books in December 1982 and April and August1983 published by Signet ( Fire Dancer, Dancer's Luck and Dancer's Illusion) She created a wonderful fantasy world and a couple of characters that as in her other Sci-Fi books, have a relationship that is nothing short of wonderful and intense. I am sorry to say that I have waited 16 years for her to finish the series. So far as I know she has not done so. Despite this, readers will truly enjoy these books.

About a year ago(?), when I was looking for Winter Fire, I tripped across Fire Dancer and Dancer's Luck. I saw the name Ann Maxwell & decided that I'd chance a more sci-fi bent on an Elizabeth Lowell book. I'm happy to say that was a great day in my life. When I finally found Dancer's Illusion, it got even better. Seeing the bond growing between Rheba and Kirtn set my heart aflutter all over again. Now... ... ... I'm not given to begging but PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE continue the Dancer series, or if not continue, complete it for those of us who hope for the Future Bren & Senyasi alike!! What A Triumph Of A Book !!!!