TASTE A HAPPIER REALITY
The Utopian fantasy is reinvented for the 21st Century
in this dazzling
collection of short stories detailing
the eternal life and times of the
denizens of Bullford, a place beyond our recycled human psyche
filled with laughter, hope, and eccentric wisdom.
Written and brilliantly illustrated
by international artist Melissa Henry.
A generous portion of food for hungry minds.

"A remarkable and revealing piece
of work."
(Professor Ronald Comer,
Princeton University).

Just have to say: I adore "THE NOBLE SOCIETY". These very unusual stories put me in a wonderful funny mood.

These "adult fairy tales from another dimention " have a quality characteristics of the best literature: they shimmer.You will get something different from them upon each new reading.

It is helpful to someone who is learning the Voganova system so you can see what you will learn and review what you have already been thaught. In this book it will show you what you will learn an example is a portde bra.

This book is very good about giving ideas on what to teach from the beginning ballet technique up to advanced levels. From the ideas one can formulate a class and know that it follows a syllabus and will develop the student appropriately. It is a good book to use as a guide and I recommend it for that.

This collection of lesson plans has helped me tremendeousely in my school. I am able to use this and of course make it fit my own classes. Each lesson plans is working on progression gives you something to follow and does not allow you to get into a rutt.
I am also able to give it to other teachers and ask them to follow it. And then I know what the student has been taught.
I personally was taught the chachette method. But can be adapted very easily .
Kathy
New Creation Performing Arts

Althought the age group listed for this book is 9-12, I first learned of it from a preschooler in my classroom. The girl who shared the book does not have a sister, lives with both parents in an upperclass neighborhood, and would seem to have little in common with Essie or Amber. And yet, this story reached her, she connected immediately with the strengths and longings of both children. She wants to BE these children, for their strength and humanity. What a great way to begin to bridge the socioeconomic gap! Other children from very diverse backgrounds in my class were also immediately drawn to the poetry of warmth, hope, caring, friendship amidst troubling circumstances.

This is a touching story of two sisters who are dealing with a tramatic event that had a significant effect on their lives. The art work is enhances the story and is great in it's own right. After I bought this book, I couldn't wait to share it with my own sister and other close friends who I knew would love it too.

Amber was brave..."She could get the grocery man/to trust them for a container of milk/though their mother/couldn't pay him till payday/Amber wasn't afraid of the rat/in the wall under the sink/or of climbing up in high places" Essie was smart..."Essie could read hard library books/could thread a needle/cook toasted cheese sandwiches/make cocoa/put the lipstick on just right/when they played dress-up" Amber and Essie, two sisters, caught in the day to day struggle of hard times. Their mother is tired and sad, and works long hours for minimum wage. Their daddy is in jail for forging a check when he lost his job and needed money. There is never much to eat, the radiator's always cold, and the phone is turned off until their mother can pay the bill. But there are still the small pleasures of childhood...jumping on the bed together trying to touch the ceiling, playing beauty parlor every Sunday night with Mommy, dipping toast triangles in hot cocoa, making a "best sandwich" together with Wilson the bear. And there is hope.... Vera B Williams has written an unforgettable and poignant portrait of a family clinging to the edge. Her evocative text, told in free verse, is powerful, yet gentle, sensitive without being maudlin, and really illuminates the joys and sorrows of Amber and Essie's life. Her expressive and understated black and white pencil drawings capture the tough times and happier moments without being distracting. And Ms Williams includes vibrant, colored pencil, self-portraits at the beginning to introduce the girls, and a wonderful family album drawn by Essie and Amber, to complete this remarkable and heartwarming story, after the happy and uplifting ending. Perfect for youngsters 8-12, Amber Was Brave, Essie Was Smart is an engaging and endearing treasure, told with great insight and wisdom.

Thank goodness Harper has brought this Maud Hart Lovelace gem back into print! This book offers a glimpse of Betsy Ray's friend Winona Root at age 7, planning her 8th birthday party. Winona is such an outgoing girl that the guest list just keeps growing, and there is much merriment involved. Adult readers will be delighted to discover Winona at an early age, and I am reading this new editon aloud to my three year old niece who keeps begging for another look at all the Vera Neville illustrations.

After many years, I finally tracked down a library copy of "Winona's Pony Cart," and I am glad to have read it. It's a nice look at Winona's home life at the age of 8, when the "main" characters haven't really encountered Winona yet. What a riot of a character she is! I've always liked her character in the rest of the series, so I was happy to get a peek into her life, meeting her sisters and parents. And she really is kind of a funny character, all on her own. I hope this book comes back into print eventually, I would buy several copies!

When Maud Hart Lovelace first wrote the "Betsy-Tacy" series, did she know how much so many people, from children to adults, would love them? The series has at least one book that anyone of any age can relate to. 10-year-olds will love "Over the big Hill," high-schoolers will love the books about when Betsy was attending Deep Valley High, etc. And it doesn't end there! Even if you're not the age that Betsy was in one of the books, you can still love all of them! Maud has a way of capturing real feelings and experiences--even bad ones--and turning them into works of art. The "Betsy-Tacy" series really is a work of art, even if it was painted with a pen, and not a paintbrush.

This coffee-table book is packed with beautiful colored pencil art covering a wide variety of subjects including people, nature, still life, and fantasy. Styles also vary from abstract and impressionistic to photo-realistic. It is a great source of inspiration and ideas.

I like it that there is only one piece of artwork on a page and you get more information than just the size, surface, artist and title. Each artist writes about themselves and the artwork. I think these added remarks really help you understand appreciate the artwork better.

Some of my favorites include an adorable bird on a fishing reel by Sylvia Westgard and a sunflower by Nancy Huges. I also loved another called Garden Party II by Priscilla Heussner featuring flowers floating in balloons. I enjoyed a portrait of ballet dancers by Thomas Thayer and an unusual fantasy tree with musical leaves by Mike Russell.

In the back there is a glossary and a directory of artists in case you wish to contact them. The variety here shows off the wonderful range of possibilities in this medium. This makes a great gift for any colored pencil artist or enthusiast.

I picked this up (discovering there was a Colored Pencil series) at a used book store, and the artwork in it is truly amazing. Who would have thought you could do such things with colored pencil? It's a book you go through again and again, picking up different details every time. Plenty of ideas and imagess and colors for inspiration!

The Best of Colored Pencil volumes 1,2,& 3 are in my library, and they are great. Volume 4 is an excellent addition and I feel the best of the four. The addition of the artist's comments, insights, and technical information makes this more than a "flip through" coffee table book. If colored pencils are your choice of media or if it is one you're considering, this book belongs in your library.

I stumbled upon this book in a used book store. I'm glad I did. It is the story of the daughters of Igraine (Vivian, Morgause, and Morgan) who all have magical abilities (used with varying degrees of good and evil) and their relationships with Merlin and Arthur. A relatively quick read, Chapman favors broad strokes to convey her story. I found this book to be a poetic meditation on the cycle of life and death and to successfully convey the mystical nature of the Arthurian world.

I stumbled upon this book in a used book store never having heard of Vera Chapman. I'm very glad I did. It is a fairly short read but the novel, painted in broad strokes, is poetic and intriguing. It is the story of three sisters, the daughters of Igraine --Viviane, Morgause, and Morgan-- who all possess magical abilities (which are put to varying degrees of good or evil) and their varied relationships with Merlin and Arthur. I found this novel to be an interesting meditation on the cycle of life and death and to have captured in a beautifl way the mystical spirit of the Arthurian tales.

I loved this book because it is creative and different. It captured my interest from the first sentence. It is about three sisters growing up and how they are different from one another and how they go to great lengths to perform their "part in destiny". It is about three girls, yet it mostly focusses on only one, although it shows everyones point of view even Merlin, Arthur and Torion(Sir Ectors brother).

Vera Stanley Alder is a true teacher of esoteric knowledge, and she reveals ancient wisdom that has long been suppressed. Her sequel to this book is "The Initiation of the World", and is mandatory reading also. Further recommended reading are the books- "ZELATOR" ; "KYBALLION" ; "The Transcendental Universe" ; and all of Rudolph Steiner's books (especially "An Outline of Esoteric Science"). Then, if you wish to advance further you can become a member of the Rosicrucian Society (AMORC).

Typically, my obsession with all variant forms of literature do not allow me to read one at a time. This provided my exception. What Alder writes is similar to Deja Vu-you know you've been there before. Obvious and to the point...

Vera Stanley Alder speaks about the conitued evolution of man's consciousness in a manner any one can appreciate and understand. This book was first printed in 1938 and for that time period her knowledge and depth of spiritual awareness can easily match and even outrank many of todays "new age" authors including Chopra and Heller . Vera's information is so well researched and unbiased it cannot help but allow you to free your mind to explore the vastness of the Spirit undefined by man's religons but by looking into the wisdom of the ancients . I would have loved to have met her in person. She is definitly one of the "Great Teachers" to roam the earth . I recommend this book without reservations for all brothers and sisters seeking knowledge of Life and Spirit but more importantly ...TRUTH .

To the great people at Amazon.com find all her books if you can ...they won't stay with you for long . Guaranteed .

Ever since 14 July 1988 when I read Chronicle of Youth with absorbed attention and keen feeling I have been fascinated by Vera Brittain. This fine work, without duplicating Chronicle of Youth, sets out the letters written by her and her brother and friends till all her correspondents were killed in the war. This is a poignant work, well worth reading. One stands amazed and impressed by the eagerness of these Englishmen to serve their country, even though they knew the hell that the Western Front was, and though so much was repellant about the condition under which they soldiered.

Anyone who is interested in WW1 and the men and women who lived it, should read this account of the war first hand!

This is what the war really meant to people, both in and out of the trenches, for these are the letters written from and to them.

A thought provoking book, that it is true, is even more shocking.

It is about a generation of people that we should never forget.

I have been interested in Vera Brittain since her autobiography, Testament of Youth, was featured on Masterpiece Theatre in the 70s. I came across this new book by chance when looking for Testament, which my book group is reading and enjoying this month. This collection of letters not only recaptures Vera, her brother, and three close friends, it adds great dimension to their WWI experience. This is a book I will treasure a long time.

Although I just received the book today, I have scanned through it. The information will be beneficial to my study.
This book was ordered through Finest Books. They indicate in an enclosed letter that they are a new company. I am completely satified with the time frame in which the book was delivered, the packing, and the condition of the book. I feel completely confident that this company is not only reliable, but will benefit others with satisfaction guaranteed.
Thank you Finest Books.

Deborah K.

While the book is full of theory that might discourage someone from reading it, it has an absolutly fantastic practical implacation worth the effort! The second half of this book, "Educational Implications" discusses the Zone of Proximal Development. Learning about this "Zone" plus the discussion regarding how children learn to read and write, tells those of us who really want to help children learn, ways to set-up an environment and activities to do it!!
Don't let the theory scare you away, this is a MUST READ!

This is one of the earliest and still one of the best introductions to socio-historical psychology, the study of how individual human intelligence develops in interaction with people and the environment. In concert with many contemporary approaches in cognitive science today, Lev Vygotsky, A.R. Luria and A.N. Leontiev argued that human intelligence is characteristically mediated through objects and social activity. Humans think through tools. Talking to oneself, for example, is not an irrelevant activity. Putting one's actions into speech is a way of focusing one's consciousness on the problem. This kind of speech is not pointless, but rather a cognitive tool that gives one a greater awareness of one's own actions and makes it easier to modify these actions--a point that Vygotsky proved with research on how children solved problems. Much of human activity involves making use of tools, signs, and activities, the kinetic melodies of action and conceptualization that make us smart, and through which we are able to accomplish the uniquely human feats of complex intellectual action. This is an excellent place to begin studying Vygotsky and activity theory. If you like this you will also like A.R. Luria's *The Making of Mind*, and the classics *The Man With A Shattered World* and *The Mind of a Mnemonist*, the books that inspired Oliver Sacks' writing.

It's factual and up to date! Vera Appleyard is very knowlegable about lovebirds and pet birds. This is a great book for first time owners and veteran Lovebird owners alike.

This book is a must for new lovebird owners, anyone considering buying a lovebird, owners who have problems/questions anyone interested in lovebirds at all! This book answered so many questions, has beautiful pictures, up to date info on training, feeding, breeding etc. etc. I highly recommend buying this book!

I bought this book because my experiences with lovebirds have never turned

out the way I expected them to. The first time I got a lovebird the pet

store said he would be tame after I handled him a few days. Although he

calmed down a little, it always felt like I was starting from scratch each

day. He was so scared I felt sorry for him. Well, I learned from someone

that the bird should not have been that scared if he was really hand-fed

and socialized. I got a second lovebird from a breeder a friend

recommended. This bird was really sweet and totally what I wanted, but

after about a year, this bird suddenly started biting me. He was still

tame, but would have these bouts of aggression. I felt totally

frustrated. I head about this book in an online discussion group and

bought it immediately. I'm glad I did. The Lovebird Handbook really showed

me what I did wrong with my second bird. I was letting this bird nibble on

me all the time. I thought it was cute when he nibbled my ears. The book

warns you about this, and says that nibbling can turn to biting when the

bird gets older. Wish I'd known that a year ago! I have bought lovebird

books before, but there was always something missing. I really enjoyed this

book because it covers almost anything you can think of regarding lovebirds

and it answered a lot of questions I never could get an answer to

before. I had no idea I needed to be careful going to bird shows or bird

stores because I could bring home feather dust with diseases! Now I wash my

clothes and take a shower as soon as I get home! Since I got my lovebird

I've also acquired a nanday conure, a cockatiel, and a Hahn's macaw. I

believe the chapters on training lovebirds also have some excellent tips

for working with my nanday. He has been screeching and driving me nuts, and

after I read the section about accidentally encouraging screaming, I

realized this is just what I have been doing--I basically taught my bird to

scream all the time! I'm going to try what they suggest to stop this

annoying noise. I also never put together an emergency kit before--never

even thought about it. The book told me exactly what I needed and I stopped

procrastinating. The other thing I really like about this book is the

photography. What gorgeous lovebirds! I highly recommend this book to

anyone who is thinking about getting a pet lovebird or has one already, or

anyone who is thinking about breeding them and raising tame babies

(especially the section about how hand-feeding is not enough for a really

tame bird).