Barbara Pearl uses the ancient art of Japanese origami (paper folding) to demonstrate such fundamental mathematical concepts as number sense, patterns, fractions, angles, congruence, symmetry, spatial relationships, and polygons--all potential stumbling blocks for children learning math. The beauty of this approach is that the learning is embedded in fun projects.

Ms. Pearl also relates the exercises to language arts, social studies and science. These may be the only math exercises that kids are reluctant to end.

This is not a do it yourself book for kids. It is aimed at parents who want to participate in their children's learning and at teachers who are looking for innovative and creative ideas for the classroom. The projects range from simple enough for kindergartners to challenging enough for junior high.

An intuitive understanding of basic mathematical concepts is critical for all kids entering today's technical society. Math in Motion can be an invaluable tool in helping kids make it.

Charles B. Kreitzberg, Ph.D.

CEO, Cognetics Corporation

Shlomo Shyovitz, AIA, Architect and Urban Designer (M.Arch.UD, Harvard, 1977)shlomo_shyovitz@gensler.com

This is a very good story that says that the simplist things make your life and world a better place. I would recommend the book to everyone, it is a very good read.

Lynsi

Teacher Notes: This book would be excellent to read if you were doing a unit on plants or the earth. Even though this book is fiction, realistic things happen like the wind and birds scattering flower seeds. Kindergarten and first grade would enjoy having this book read aloud to them. Second and third graders could read it on their own.

In this book, you watch a little girl named Alice grow into an old, old woman, a retired librarian, named Miss Rumphius. Her life is filled with exciting adventures, but as she grows older, none of it feels like enough to her. She keeps recalling some advice her grandfather gave her when she was a child. He told her that in order to live a good life, she had to "do something to make the world more beautiful." But even as an old woman, she canÕt figure out what to do. Finally, realizing the joy sheÕs always gotten from flowers, especially lupines, she decides to share that joy with others by scattering lupine seeds everywhere she goes. She completely transforms the rocky landscape around her home. In the end, she tells her story to her young niece, who wonders how SHE will make the world more beautiful. And so the cycle continues.

My daughter, who is six, has talked about this book several times, and told me she hasnÕt yet figured out how she is going to make the world more beautiful. But the fact that she is thinking about it at such a young age makes me proud, and very happy to have found this lovely book to share with her.

I was this past weekend with two boys, ages five and seven, on a car ride.

While sitting with them and trying to make conversation, I remembered the long lost book, Amelia Bedelia.

I I had read it with my own daughter, many years ago.

Even though the two boys had not read the book, I explained to them some of the things that Amelia Bedelia used to do when left alone in the house.

We spent the rest of the ride with them thinking of "other" things Amelia Bedelia would be capable of doing.

Those two young minds were working overtime trying to figure all kinds of "do as told" (literal) things that Amelia might do.

Not for a second they wondered "are we there yet?" And we all laughed and had a wonderful time.

This is why I came tonight to amazon.com to get this two little ones a copy of the book.

I know they will get many hours of entertainment reading and talking about the book.

I don't think too many children books are able to do that! And I also know that I will be back at amazon.com getting other books on the series to give to children in our family. It is a wonderful way to encourage reading and thinking.

Children today, when faced with so much television and other media, can use more of both thinking and reading.

Especially while having a great time!

This book is enchanting, and was my favorite bedtime story from as far back as I can remember. The story seems to flow like the stream and the sky that trails beautifully behind Grandfather Twilight, and the illustrations are wonderful-- just peaceful, feel-like-you're-there-and-want-to-be pictures! Reading gives you the most peaceful and sleepy feeling, and helps you to enjoy the beauty of the surrounding nature-- one of those stories that makes you just glad to "be."

This is also one of the very best books I know for children who have a bit of trouble going to sleep at night. It is masterful at presenting calming, peaceful, positive images of going to bed. The story is so simple that even a two-year-old can completely grasp it. Grandfather Twilight each night, accompanied by his German Shepherd, takes a single pearl out of his chest, walks to the shore, and places the pearl, which becomes the moon, in the sky. He then returns to his bed, with twilight descending upon the world, and goes to bed.

The details in the illustrations are exquisite. My daughter loved, for instance, finding the dog and the cat on each page. This remained one of our nonoptional nighttime books for at least two years. I think it will be among the favorites of any preschooler, as well as their parents. I do believe that this is among the best-illustrated books for young children ever produced.

all the earlier reviews saying this novel was inspiring are true, at least i think so. i read the book in under a week and this was back in the days when i hated reading and dragged a book out for weeks on end until i finally finished it or just gave up.

i felt the book was worth every second i took to read it. it actually inspired me to give it my all for an entire day! that's something. i've read this book a few years ago, but i still remember it. one scene that still sticks in my mind was when emma and edward were in the garden and she told him she was pregnant. when she broke the news to him that she would leave, he didn't ask WHERE she was going, but WHEN she was leaving. i was like WHAT!?

I'd never worked on a PC before and was a little nervous about opening my wife's system but I figured if I killed it it'd be no great loss. I bought a new power supply for about $50 and installed it. When I crossed my fingers and turned the system back on it started normally and has been working ever since. That means this book already saved me $150 over its cost.

Even if you're a PC novice like me this book tells you everything you need to know to fix or upgrade your system. I don't know how this book compares to other PC hardware books because I've never read any of them. But as far as I'm concerned it definitely deserves five stars.

I now write to my angels every day and my life has taken a 180 degree turnaround. The angels love to be God's messengers and I find much comfort in talking to them daily. I thank this book and the authors for opening a new spiritual dimension to my life.

Well, it actually is helpful. Get it, read it, do the exercises in it. It can help you change your life. When I look at the changes I've made over the past 9 years due to what I learned from working through this book I'm astonished. I'm actually conscious of "Wishcraft" related approaches to my life almost weekly, even after 9 years. I really should read it again now.

I've recommended it to dozens of people, and just came here to buy a copy for my husband (he can't have mine!). I didn't know Barbara Sher had other books out - so I just bought them, too - let's see what else she has to offer!

If you are considering buying this book, do it. And buy a spare to loan to friends.