This was the first meerkat book that was illustrated, that I have seen. The story was charming. Another must for meerkat collectors!

My grandson's eyes lit up when we sat down to read this book for the first time. He fell in love with meerkats via a documentary, but we couldn't believe there was a book written about them, geared to his age (5). It was a delightful story intertwined with a lesson to be learned, in language he could understand. The illustrations were superb. I would recommend it for anyone who knows a small child intrigued with animals. It was enjoyable reading for me (Grandma) too!

This is one of those books that becomes like a good friend and, fortunately, is long enough that you don't have to lose her for a while.

Set in pre-Communist Russia, this is the tale of a strong peasant girl, Marya, her arrogant but fragile mistress, and their gruff, frightening, but surprising jailer-turned-protector, Boris. The scope is large, the writing beautifully descriptive, the dialogue meaningful. It is a story of loss, betrayal, suspense, and love. It is a story of what happens when you lose everything you thought you wanted and find that you can start a new life with one you thought you didn't want.

It is the year of 1969 and the Vietnam War is taking place. A young man named Jonas Duncan is sent to live in a small town called Passot, on the northern Californian coast.

Jonas' dad had always loved the military. Dragging Jonas and his mother Letty from camp to camp. His dad, Hugh, wants Jonas to join the Navy and to follow in his father's footsteps. But one day Letty dies in a car crash and Hugh is sent to fight in Vietnam. Jonas is stuck with his Aunt Hester McAffee until he turns eighteen. Then he'll get out of this small town.

Going agaisnt his Aunt's rules he befriends Gideon Brophy and falls in love with his rumored daughter, Auleen Delange.

Auleen is reluctant at first, leaving Jonas once in a grassy field, way out in the forest. She tells Jonas that "McAffe's and Delanges don't mix." But Jonas intervines and tells Auleen that even if his mother was an McAffe, it doesn't make him one. He is and will always be a Duncan.

Jonas leaves Hester before he turns eighteen and goes to the Berkely campus with Auleen to help protest about the Vietnam War. Though he ends up going back to Passot when he finds out that his father is missing in action. He makes a decision that will change his life forever..

In my opinion this book was good. This was my first time ever reading a novel in the setting of the Vietnam War. The book had many twists and turns in it. It was a plot more different than all of the books I have read. There were so many creative ideas.

I think it is great that Adrienne Jones choose to write about this cetain era. Most kids like me, probably haven't read a book in this setting. A lot of author's don't really turn the Vietnam War into an adolescent's novel, having fiction and non-fiction at the same time. I actually learned something about the war! WOW!(amazing for me)

If you are really desperate for anything to read, buy it. But if you're more laid-back like me. I'd say you should go to your local public library and pick up a copy of this book.

When Mom and Dad separate, Majorie and her sister must set off to find a new home with their mother. They leave their old home with Dad and move to California. Upon reaching their arrival, they rent an apartment in an exquisite building. They survive wacky neighbors and friends and the end of the world with wit, charm, and a sense of discovery. After they are forced to move to another apartment within the residence, they each begin to have personal problems, including school, money and friends that cause them to pull away from one another. They decide that it would be best to move on and continue the quest for a true home. A Matter of Spunk is all about looking to yourself and the ones you love for hope and a sense of belonging in this crazy adventure called life.

Throughout this book, Marjorie and her mother and sister try to find their true home. They leave their old home to Dad and move to California. Upon reaching their arrival, they rent an apartment in an exquisite building. They survive wacky neighbors and friends and the end of the world with wit and charm and a sense of discovery. After they are moved within the residence, they begin to each have personal problems- school, money, friends, and more- and pull away from eachother, and they decide to be independent as a family and move on to find their true home once again. A Matter of Spunk is all about looking to yourself and others you love for hope and support you in this crazy cycle we call life.

STREET FAMILY

If you like to read about real life struggles then you would like this book. If your trying to find a good book to catch your attention then I think you need to look somewhere else. I did enjoy the beginning of the, but the ending was predictable.
The only reason I ended up reading this book was because I had a project for class and we were able to read any book of our choosing. I think I mad a mistake picking this book to read and if you're trying to find a book that going to make you want to read it then you making a mistake to. In closing I did not like this book and I barely got finished with it.
In the beginning of the book I was about a trouble some girl that was abandoned by her mother. After going form family to family she finally end up in a detention center where she eventually escape. After getting away she ended up in L.A. trying to live on her own as a street person. Then this boy Joshua ended up like her after running away for an abusive home. A couple more characters come into play and help on the way into this journey of becoming a street person.

Street Family, by Adrienne Jones, is a novel that deals with the homeless in Los Angeles, California. The author stresses the fact, over and over, that there are people who live out there, on the streets, with absolutely nothing.
Throughout the novel, there are several characters introduced in the first four chapters. Each character has come from a uniquely different background, giving them no other choice but to run from their problems. In the course of their journeys, they all end up meeting one another under one of the busiest interstate bridges in Los Angeles. During the time they spend together, they have to face some of the toughest challenges anyone would ever have to face. They all get their first taste of real homelessness with the constant worry of where their next meal comes from, and the place in which they will sleep away the cold night. The ideal thoughts of making it easy on the streets are soon shot down, by the constant need for food, clothing, and money. Each character eventually finds a sense of security in one another, as time progresses on. The main character, Chancy, dreams about making a family of their own, a "street family", a family that sticks together with love and trust. Once united, they can support one another, and possibly create the opportunity to move off the streets.
After reading this book, I felt that it was a fairly well written novel. The author opened up my eyes about the homeless. Their constant struggle in everyday life has a major impact on whether they will survive or not. Not only does this create a sense of guilt, but it also makes you think about everything we take for granted. Without the necessities that we need, life would be difficult to live.