After her experience with a debilitating ulcer, Alexis Castle has little choice but to take a vacation from her high-pressured life. She sees this vacation to Catasaga Lake as the perfect opportunity to heal the rift between herself and her increasingly estranged daughter, Jamie. She also decides to look into Guardian Flight, a company who is looking to the Castle Foundation for a much needed grant to fund a new helicopter. Spence Keagan, the chief rescue pilot for Guardian Flight, has his own problems when it comes to family. Years ago, he escaped from his father's plans for him in order to pursue his dream of flying. Now history seems to be repeating itself as he struggles to establish a rapport with his own son, Jeff.

Both Alexis and Spence are drawn to each other. But it is really their struggle to strike a balance with their respective families which brings them closer togeter and integrates the two families. As three generations of Castles and Keagans attempt to come to terms with old misunderstandings, Alexis and Spence find themselves helping each other and falling in love in the interim.

Kathryn Shay has written a great story about two strong individuals. Both Alexis and Spence learn through their fathers, children, and each other, that life can't always be the way you want it to be. They struggle with the come-and-go variables which sometimes overshadow the constant love that comes almost unthinkingly where family is concerned. Most importantly, both characters learn to compromise as they try to juggle family, careers, and commitments they love.

In Catasaga Lake, New York, head helicopter pilot Spencer Keagan is upset because his recent medical rescue failed and the patient died. The last thing he needs is to meet a female "suit" whose Castle Foundation may sponsor a new helicopter. Immediately, Alexis Castle and Spencer dislike one another.

Alexis suffers from an ulcer caused by her being the heir to her father's empire. She has come up to the lake on a vacation to heal her stomach and improve her terrible relationship with her teenage daughter. Coincidentally Spencer's neighbor is the cousin Alexis staying with. Like Alexis, Spencer is also barely on civil terms with his father and his adult son. As the summer moves along, Spencer and Alexis fall in love, but more importantly, discover the true meaning of family.

FINALLY A FAMILY is a warm relationship drama that highlights the interchange between three generations of two dysfunctional families. The lead characters, their fathers, and their children behave like real people struggling to find a connection between one another. Kathryn Shay, whose firefighter series was a blazing success, scores with another triumph that echoes the need of love and understanding to forge a bonded family.

Harriet Klausner

Our family enjoyed this book, which is an imaginative story about the first cave painting. A tribe is starving and suffering with a lack of food and enduring a drought. The tribe's shaman has died and she passed the job onto her adolescent daughter named Mishoo. Fearing this responsibility, she has chosen not to "catch dreams" which is apparently the cause of both the drought and the lack of hunting success. Finally Mishoo follows the commands given by her mother and grandmother in her dreams...she goes to a sacred cave. Once in the cave she builds a fire and sees how the rock walls seem to come alive with shapes of animals. She uses her gathered clays to paint the walls.

The writing is poetic and eerie. The illustrations are gorgeous and set the mood perfectly.

When Mishoo returns to her tribe after three days of painting, it has just begun to rain. The rain will stimulate growth of the grasses, which will lure the animals back to the land. It ends by saying their hunting was successful and the tribe is thriving again.

Both the writing and the artwork drew us in and made us feel a part of the story. This is the first fiction historical book for children that I have found. It is the perfect addition to our homeschool curriculum for learning about early man and cave paintings.

Both my 3 and 5 year old boys enjoyed this story, although I needed to explain some of the passages such as what "moon of the singing grass" and "dream catcher" meant. I loved the way the author captured an artist's imagination and ability to imagine and "see" the finished piece before even starting work on it, how the rock walls seemed to speak to her and how she then created what she already saw in her mind's eye. This type of explanation is seldom seen in children's literature; I appreciated that.

A list of suggested related readings and background information about cave paintings are included at the end of the book.

We read this after borrowing it from the public library and we loved it so much, we must own a copy for our home library!

FIRST PAINTER literally took my breath away. It is a truly powerful and beautiful picture book--the words, the illustrations, and the design. I've read it three times in a row and I love it more with each rereading. FIRST PAINTER is Lasky's fictional story about what she imagines could have been the first cave painter. The story is told from the perspective of Mishoo, a young girl who is the shaman for her prehistoric tribe. There is a severe drought and their tribe is dying ("My younger sister, Erloo, is so thin her wrists are like twigs."). Mishoo must visit the cave of the she-tiger in one last attempt to bring water to her people. There, in the cave, the walls seem to come alive to Mishoo with their shadows and indents. She uses a fire stick and the colors from her spirit bundle to draw horses and bison and the she-tiger. She gathers energy from her paintings and finally emerges days later to clouds--"immense and woolly against the horizon." Rain has arrived, and so too has Mishoo's passion to paint again and again!

I've enjoyed Lasky's books for many years, but she has outdone herself this time. This book is brilliant--the words are simple, yet poetic and powerful. The first-person telling pulls me into the story (as close as I can come to being there in prehistoric times). The whole idea for the book is thought-provoking and should encourage many children's discussions and imaginings about not only who painted the first picture, but who started the first language (with words or gestures?), who made the first fire (by accident or on purpose?). Is the "need" for artistic expression solely a human need? On and on.

This is my first experience with Rocco Baviera's illustrations, but they won't be my last--what a master! He used bear grease, animal fur, raw earth pigments, and more to create his primitive and powerful images. They are achingly, hauntingly beautiful; and they perfectly capture the spirit of the first paintings and the first painter.

I expect to see this book on many award lists. Thank you, Kathryn Lasky, Rocco Baviera, Melanie Kroupa, & Chris Hammill Paul (DK Ink)--what a gift you have given the world!

I am a student teacher in a three year old preschool classroom. We recently planted mums outside our window, and afterwards read this story to the children. They loved the beautiful pictures and the contrast between the city flowerbox and our daycare garden.

my pre-school class found the book to be very exciting and could'nt wait for me to turn the next page.the bright colors of the cover and pages were so liking a good childrens book,that we planted a garden like described in the book.i have had parents ask where can they get this wonderful book for their own child. we really enjoyed it!this book described a family so close and loving,you can't help but smell the flowers and feel the love in that household.

The book is indeed a very detailed way to detox with the Food Combining Method. I found it extremely useful.

I read this book in one evening. For anyone sick of dieting and starving themselves, food combining is the way to go. This book is actually about cleansing your body in a two day regimen, but gives insight to a healhful way of eating.

Kathryn Taylor again shows her ability to weave love and desire into a story that will not disappoint. Sophie is a free spirit, a gypsy by birth and nature. Alex is a man who needs to be in control. Their relationship doesn't appear to stand a chance - but could love be in the cards? This is my second book by Kathryn Taylor, but it won't be my last. Her stories are full of heat and passion - and most importantly characters you can fall in love with.

Kathryn Taylor provides yet another sensual read in a tale of forbidden love, hidden desire and secrets between two lovers. A sexy hero to warm any reader's heart.

All her life Hope had loved Eric Granston. The gentle childhood friend he'd been. The handsom high school sweetheart he'd become. The magnificent man who'd married her and fathered her beautiful daughters. So how had the unthinkable happened? How had near tragedy and terrify doubts sundered their unshakable bond, divided their loving family and left Hope aching, and homesick for her place in Eric's heart?

Their six-months separation was agony-their temporary reunion to nurse their injured child harder still. Only six feet seperated their bedrooms. But unless they conquered thier fears and reclaimed their faith, how could Hope find her way home to her husband's loving arms?

This book was such a good one! I never even put it down until I was finished with it! This is by far the best book I have ever read! I encourage young readers my age(19) to read this book! You will not be disappointed!

This book is an interesting juxtaposition of two things--Frank Lloyd Wright's complex dealings with a maverick, and some very rare, beautiful photos.

The first part of this is probably of interest to only Frank Lloyd Wright's fans. But those photographs are something else.

Most people know only the exterior of Hollyhock House--cold, forbidding, monolithic; but are unfamiliar with its breathtakingly beautiful interior--in this book, displayed with some photos in vivid color. In my opinion, the interior of this building is the most beautiful of all Frank Lloyd Wright houses; a masterpiece of interior design in the Prairie Style. As an added bonus, there are some extremely rare photos of Residence B--long-demolished, it was a Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece, probably unique in its use of mitred wood and corbeled posts. (I've never seen a house like it in my entire life).

The photos make this book a must-read, must-have part of your collection, suitable for display on a coffee table.

As the author of this book, I know that I have brought together a collection of drawings, archival photos, plans and drawings made especially for this publication that document and analyze one of Wright's largest and most famous commissions during the period of the 1920s. His work with Aline Barnsdall was extrememly complicated and covered over a decade in his career. My book puts the Hollyhock House in context of the larger commission for Olive Hill. Drawings are reproduced from several sources, mainly the Wright Archives. Hundreds of letters and documents were consulted. A section of color photographs shows the house in detail with fully furnished interior views. This book is a must for the library of every reader interested in Wright. I hope you enjoy it and value it too.

This book is a must-read for the true Christian. Ms Kuhlman's down-to-earth realism is portrayed in this book and leaves no doubt that she was truly of child of God. Read the part about Humility and read and re-read the entire book. You will be blessed. I highly recommend its reading. HLJ

Such a powerful book, totally anointed by the Holy Ghost, from the heart of a woman who knew the heartbeat of God.

This book has clearly written instructions for all types of dyeing. From the beginner, to the expert - Hands on Dyeing will be used over and over again.

I have used this book over the past several years, and find I can't be without it. I have worn it out, and it is stained with dye. It is time to buy a new one soon!!!!! This book is the best.

Bear Paw Quilting Studio