I am a massage therapist -- and I thought I had read and learned just about everything important in the field of health and wellness. But this book opened my eyes! I particularly enjoyed the philosophy of healing that it espouses. We are not just physical beings, but we also have emotional, mental, and spiritual bodies -- and all of them (they are all one, of course) need to be healthy. This book taught me, through the example of Hazel Parcells, that we all have to take responsibility for our health. But the great thing is that we really can do it! This book should be sent to every health professional in the country. I've already sent it to a lot of fellow massage therapists. Great book!

I am a former student of Dr. Parcells. I believe her work is on the cutting edge of health and healing. She has changed the way I treat my patients. Her philosophy from Live Better Longer teaches people to take responsibility for their healing instead of living out the doctor's diagnosis.

The author does a masterful job of exposing the remarkable work of Dr. Hazel Parcells to a wide audience in a way that is enjoyable and yet very practical and informative. The consciousness of this planet has never been more prepared to embrace this beautiful message. That if we understand natures healing principles and take responsibility for our own health we have a chance to "Live Better Longer". Thank you Joseph Dispenza for bringing us this message of hope.

ANN KULLBERG'S NEW BOOK IS SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL. HER INSTRUCTION IS STEP BY STEP AND ALL LEVELS WILL BENEFIT FROM HER DETAILED EXPLANATION ON HOW TO BUILD COLOR, WITH PHOTOS SHOWING THE PROGRESSION AS THE LAYERS ARE ADDED. THE EXAMPLES RANGE FROM BLACK PATENT LEATHER SHOES TO DRAWING AN OCEAN SCENE AND CLOUDS. HAVING THIS BOOK IS LIKE HAVING YOUR OWN WORKSHOP AT HOME. ANN HAS EVEN INCLUDED A QUESTION AND ANSWER SECTION THAT COVERS AREAS THAT BEGINNERS AND ADVANCED WILL FIND HELPFUL. ANN'S SPECIAL METHOD OF PAINTING WITH COLORED PENCILS IS NOTHING SHORT OF MAGICAL. HER TECHNIQUE CAN HELP GUIDE THE READER TO REALISTIC DRAWINGS WITH DEPTH AND BEAUTY. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BEAUTIFUL BOOK FOR ANY ARTIST'S STUDIO.

Ann's Soft Realism book is fantastic but you can't just purchase the book, you MUST HAVE THE COMPANION CD! It's better than a vhs video tape. It's truly awesome and I don't say it if I don't mean it. Ann shows you step by step how to use the colored pencils and the techniques and guides you through so many demos, plus she supplies line drawings and palettes, hints, and other goodies to use and when used with the book, you can't beat it except to be in one of her workshops personally. It's so down to earth basic for the beginner and yet great for more advanced I am sure. I love that I can use the CD on the computer, it is so much faster and more fun than vhs. You can replay each segment without fussing with rewind too. Can't be beat. I think the CD companion and the book together is the best idea I have seen yet! I like that you chose different textures and materials to color. I feel that I got more than my money's worth.
. I hope you do more video workshops like this cd and hope you do it real soon Ann. Her newsletter is super too. Always a lesson to learn step by step using colored pencils. Great work Lady! I'll bet others copy this idea, but you are the first and the best!!
Hugs
Lucy H

It was because of Ann Kullberg's book "Colored Pencil Portraits STEP BY STEP" that I am using colored pencils as my medium today. Her new book "Capturing Soft Realism" is one of the best books and a must have. I highly recommend it for reading and/or studying the art of using colored pencils. If you're a student or a practicing, professional artist, you will find this book a valuable asset to your art career or hobby. As a fellow artist, I have found that creating colored pencil artworks is very time consuming. By applying Ann Kullberg's techniques, I have found time saving steps and key ideas that not only saved me time and money but made my artworks much more enjoyable and "FUN" to create. If you're like me and paint a number of different types of subjects and want to capture realism in your artworks, then this is the book for you!

This is a great book for children. It teaches sharing and how to make friends. I like this book becuase Oliver learns about how to treat others. He doesn't know what life is like, becuase he has always lived by himself and never talks to any of the people in his town. He has one of everything in his house. He doesn't know that his house was only made for one person until he makes a friend and invites her to his home. Peggoty Small tells Oliver that his home was made for one person and she couldn't live with him.
My favorite character was Peggoty Small. I like her becuase she told Oliver Toliver what she tought. She wasn't afriad to tell him about her feelings, she just told him flat out what she thought. Even though she hurt Oliver's feelings, she old him anyways because she thought he should know the truth. This book teaches kids how to make friends, and how to share what you have with others.

This is a wonderful book with captivating pictures and excellent text. The rhymes are intelligent, making it a pleasure to read out loud. The words roll of the page. My children, 2 and 3 years old, love the pictures of Oliver Tolliver and his house. I will definitaly purchase other books by Mary Ann Hoberman. A Delight!

After stumbling upon this book in the bookstore, I've found myself buying it for all the kids in my life. It is a fantastic, engaging story about sharing with vibrant illustrations. It is a MUST for all children. Kids ask to read it over and over again.

This is a book that every Christian woman should read! It would be especially helpful for new Christians or Christians that struggle with feeling worthy to accept the wonderful things that God has for us.

The book is very affirming. It is a blessing that Mrs. Jakes choose to be transparent in writing it. I believe that most Christian women go through the same things she describes but they feel all alone.

Very Good Book!

God desires His daughter's to know that Restoration is possible in our lives. As with her husband, T.D. Jakes, Serita Jakes is a powerful writer and hits home with her vulnerable writing.

In this book she compares today's hurting woman with the story of Cinderella and how through God's healing love, "we can make it to the ball". She touches on the subject that God longs to be our secret keeper, and that He wants us to be honest with Him about our doubts, fears, and insecurities.

I highly suggest this book to every woman--whether she has been abused or abandoned, this book can show you how to lift up your head and walk without shame!

The Princess Within by Serita Jakes is a book that encourages women to realize she can find within herself 'the princess within'. Using the story of Cinderella as a backdrop, Serita Jakes shares personal dilemmas and triumphs (becoming injured in a car accident and learning how to walk again, and in her younger days suffering from the woes of picking the wrong relationship. My favorite part is when she writes letters to the Secret Keeper experessing her very innermost feeling. She has a wonderful style of writing, serene and full of wisdom. This is a great book for women to read and is highly recommended.

I always enjoy Ann Rule's books, and this one was no exception. The main story was a real page turner. I could not put the book down. Ann did an incredible job of making me feel I knew all of the characters, even the victims. My heart ached for these young single mothers who were victimized by Randy Roth. I cannot imagine a more cruel human being than one who intentionally orphans little children, merely for money. The book goes into great detail about how the detectives finally caught and convicted this monster. I strongly recommend this book to any true-crime fan.

This book was totally addictive reading, I have read hundreds of true crime books and this is in the top ten of mine, I'm definitely an Ann Rule fan now, Ann describes the characters very well without droning on like some true crime writers, from the detectives involved to the victims relatives, you feel you kind of know them a bit, and really feel empathy for the victims and their rellies, aswell as wanting to say "well done!" when the detectives finally nab the weirdo.

I could not put this book down. Ann Rule is truly an exceptional author. Her comments prior to each story are both personal and insightful. For those of you who like true crime, this is a must read.

I loved this book so much, I lost it, then I bought it again! I loved to read Stacey, and Mary-Anne's stories, because they were the stories from when they were not in the Babysitters Club. Mary-Anne tells about when Kristy, Claudia, and her, trick the babysitter, and how she becomes their friend in the end. Stacey's tells about the first time she found out she got diabetes. Buy this book! Our check it out in your library! But if you buy it, it comes with a chain or something! BUY IT!!!

my favourite vivid memories are stacey's and shannon's stacey's is about her diagnose with diabetes and shannon's is about a friend... the other's are really great too! i've read this book twice, and stacey's story more than 5 times!

I think this is a book that has the taste that people like to read. They each have their own most clearest or should I say vivid memory. My favorite ones are Mary Annes, Mallorys, Kristys, Shannons, Claudias, and Logans. But I liked everyones.This is a MUST-READ book for everyone. I simply loved the book.

This book shows how important friends are. When the club starts having arguements Kristy decides that there will be no more BSC. Then when Kristy is sitting for the walking disaster Jackie and his brothers Shea and Archie, Jackie falls from a tree and breaks his leg. Kristy and the others reunite in the hospital and the club is together once again.

What a wonderful book! This proves that the BSC are meant to be together forever! The club nearly breaks up, but realizes that their friendship is too precious for them to end. What a sweet, joyful ending! I cheered inside along with the BSC when they reunited(and tender Mary Anne was so happy she cried). It was interesting what went through the characters' minds, like when Jackie was hospitalized after a serious accident & poor Kristy blamed herself. Another interesting scene that illustrates how Claudia & Mary Anne worked out their conflict shows how people can be different & accept each others' differences. I like how when Claudia was telling Mary Anne how she felt, even though it was so painful for Mary Anne to hear that she wept, Mary Anne was still willing to listen to Claudia's side of the story. I know that even after the BSC graduate from high school & head off to different directions for college, their bond will remain solid forever...and ever and ever...

I liked the book because even though the club goes through some tough times they always are able to pull through it. In this book the baby-sitters club falls apart and Kristy, the president of the BSC says that there is going to no longer be a club, so they stop having meetings, and send out flyers saying there is no more Baby-sitters Club. To find out the ending read Kristy's Worst Idea and you are in for a surprise

English 385.150
5/23/02
Dr. Michelle H. Martin
Book Review
Doberman, Mary. You Read to Me, I'll Read to You. Illus. Michael Emberley. Boston:
Little, Brown and Company, 2001.
You Read to Me, I'll Read to You contains many different short stories that two people can read together. All containing positive lessons, each story has at least two characters who face a problem or experience an adventure. For example, in "The Dime," the pig finds a dime, but his friend the cat feels that the money belongs to him. Instead of the characters keeping the money and destroying their friendship, they decide to purchase a book and take turns reading the book to one another. Another story that has a positive lesson is "I Hate My Hat." The characters in the story are raccoons, and one raccoon continually says, "I hate my hat." The other raccoon says that "hate" is not a nice word to say and compliments his friend for wearing the hat so that no one needs to speak the word "hate" at all.
The book also possesses characteristics of a play because the text offers two speaking part. One reader reads the purple colored sentences, the other reads the pink colored sentences, and both readers read the blue sentences together. The color-coding also teaches the concept of following directions. Children of all ages need to know how to follow directions because they will encounter many areas in their lives that will require them to follow directions both at school and at home.

My 4-year old, who has not yet begun to read, absolutely loves this book! We started reading 2 stories at bedtime and ended up finishing the book. The rhythm and rhyme of the stories really held his attention and the repetition helped him to participate even if he didn't know the words. Once he begins to read, this book will be a joy to do together. It has definately been added to our regular rotation.

As the Mary Ann Hoberman explains in her introduction: "Here's a book/With something new-/You read to me!/I'll read to you!/We'll read each page/To one another-/You'll read one side,/I the other..." This clever and unique picture book includes 12 very short stories, written like a dialogue, and based on simple, lighthearted, friendly themes, that are perfect for emerging, and early readers. Each part is color coded for sharing and fun. I read the purple lines, you read the red, and we read the blue lines together, and then maybe switch. Ms Hoberman's joyous, rhyming text is full of rhythm, energy, and repetition and complemented by Michael Emberley's charming and humorous illustrations. You Read To Me, I'll Read To You is a delightful introduction to the joys and wonders of both reading, and reading together. As the author reminds your young reader at the end: "...But there are other/Books to read./Hundreds/Thousands/All we need./Any time/In any weather/We can sit/Right down together./In the shade/Or in the sun/Choose a book/That looks like fun./One that's old/Or one that's new./Make-believe/Or really true./I'll read one line/I'll read two./You read to me./I'll read to you."

I have a "Trillion" cookbooks, and this one and her other cookbook, "Beat That", are my fabulous favorites. The recipes are sooooo good, and I have fun making her recipes to see if my family and friends agree. I had stumbled on, "Beat This", at our local library, and loved it. I wanted my own copy, but they must have been out of print. The library wouldn't let me buy it, so I accidently lost it, OOPS!! Then I got my wish, and bought it. A few months later, it came back in with fabulous new covers. I will be ordering these to give as Christmas gifts . These are alot of fun - buy them - and enjoy!

I am so, so pleased to find that Beat This! is back in print - and, even better news - that it now has a sibling - Beat That!. Beat This! might be the only cookbook I've ever read purely for pleasure. Ann Hodgman is the honest "voice of mom" you've always wanted to hear, and her sprightly commentary on family traditions ("My new husband actually played a record on Christmas night. A record! When (according to my family's traditions) you're supposed to pretend electricity doesn't exist at Christmastime! And he wanted lights on the tree...."), candy thermometers and all sorts of other things actually make me laugh out loud.

And the recipes are superb. So wonderful, in some cases, that I've found myself passing them off to guests as old family secrets rather than reveal my source. (Of course, I always told myself I was saving my guests the pain of finding out that this book was out of print...) Included are staples such as chocolate cake, fried chicken, and meat loaf, but there are other fun surprises, too. Did you even know you wanted the best Kimchi recepe? Or the best Artichoke and Mushroom Salad? How about the best Presto Torta? But trust me - you do and you will, once you buy this book, wonder how you ever did without them.

Taking the best of the best, Hodgman compiles a delectable collection of recipes aimed to please the most discriminating palate. Ok, it's not gourmet or even low-cal, but this is the best of the best and creative...who cares about the waistline!!!

Buy it, cook it and let your friends think you're the most amazing cook who ever walked the planet! Then go out and buy her "Beat That!" cookbook and continue the magic.

I reviewed Trying Again for my local infant loss support group after already having a subsequent pregnancy. This book is intended for women who have become pregnant after a loss without really understanding why their babies died the first time or what they can do about it. As such, it's much more medical than I expected, very clinical on a basic level, and without as many personal stories or tips about your emotional state than I would have expected given its length. The medical talk runs the risk of scaring women who may suddenly self-diagnose their pregnancies with everything that could possibly happen.

I was irritated by the title, since "Trying Again" means you failed, and I didn't fail when my baby died--I succeeded in giving birth to a beautiful baby girl who had a fatal birth defect. Loving my daughter was a success of a different sort, and I hate to see the death of a baby treated as a failure, even if it's only in the language the author uses in the title. The author also assumes that most parents' automatic response to the diagnosis of a birth defect is to terminate the pregnancy, so pro-life readers may be a little distressed whenever the subject arises.

It is said that no loss in life affects us as deeply and profoundly as that which we experience when a child of ours dies. Whether the child is a 6-week-old embryo, a 39-week-old fetus, or a grown adult, the mother or father in us feels a sadness that is hard to understand, describe, or come to terms with. Making the decision to try again can be courageous, impetuous, desperate--and a supreme physical and emotional sacrifice. This book can help make the decision informed.

Many books are available for people who are pregnant, who want to get pregnant, or who are grieving the loss of a baby. This book is different because it focuses on that fragile period between having lost a child and the decision to, and the act of, trying to become pregnant with another one. Instead of glossing over or whispering about death, this book faces this common experience head on, offering both compassion and practical information and advice about why this happens and how to go on from here. The personal accounts of the several women and men who went through miscarriage, stillbirth, and early infant death are especially helpful, because readers can understand that this experience is not uncommon--even though their emotional response to it may be unique.

I wish this book had been available when I lost my first baby at 12 weeks into the pregnancy. It would have helped me get through the five months of grief, anger, resentment, guilt, and shattered trust and self-confidence that followed. I plan to give copies of this book to friends, and I strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants to try again.

First, I must admit to a slight bias, as I was one of the bereaved parents, trying again, whom Ann Douglas interviewed for this book. Having eagerly awaited its publication, I can say that it is everything I was hoping to read and more.

Losing a child during pregnancy or shortly after birth is a tragedy that few people can imagine until they have had the unfortunate experience of living through it. Many people urge the bereaved couple to "try again" (as if that will make everything all better). They often do not realize how the loss of the previous pregnancy colours every facet of trying or being pregnant again.

As someone who has lived through the loss of a child and the birth of a subsequent baby -- as well as being a gifted writer on pregnancy and parenting issues -- Ann is uniquely qualified to explore every aspect of this largely unexplored subject. The book is thorough and presents lots of factual information, as well as the voices of bereaved parents who have made the courageous decision to try again to bring a living child home. For me, it was the stories and examples of these other bereaved parents that really "made" the book.

I would highly recommend this book for any bereaved parent struggling with the decision to try again or going through a subsequent pregnancy, as well as those in a position to provide support to these brave couples.