I read this book because my 12-year-old only-child male godchild's father has a brain tumor and I wondered if this book might address any issues that he is facing. It does; in a beautiful and uplifting way that makes its dying father-character's suicide understandable and a kind of affirmation of life. It also treats with unsentimental compassion the mother's denial that the man she has held at the center of her world could be dying.

This story throws together the father and only-daughter characters in the crucible of the father's terminal illness in such a way that they finally connect and she accepts the humanness of her parents while *blossoming out of* her own perfectionism and fear to risk being human herself. Heartwarming. Moving. Courage-inspiring.

I read it straight through in one sitting. Compellingly written!

I was moved to tears toward the end, not by sadness but because I identify with the courage and vulnerability it takes to be human and to accept the limitations and recognize the oh-so-human, flawed love that we earthlings bring to our life-journeys.

This has got to be the best book I've ever read. It's really deep, and sometimes depressing. I feel for Sienna. It's one of the only books I was ever really in to. Great great great book. I love it.

I picked up this book by chance while wandering around my local library for a good book. Though I enjoy the romance genre more than others, this book touched me so much and had me crying so much from beginning to end. This book is for anyone especially for people who feel that they're parents don't love them cause as you'll read that your parents always love you they just have trouble showing sometimes as the main charcter of this book discovered. Go Pick up this book! Trust me it's amazing!

this is a nice book just as a shape book but also for the chinese and american objects - nice combinations of pizza and dim sum in the square section. all kids will recognize shapes and be introduced to new objects. we're using it for a family literacy night highlighting diversity - it's short enough and interactive.

This is *not* a toddler only shape book at all! I read this to a mixed age 6-9 year old class & they got alot out of it. It was for Autumn Moon Festival but you cd/ do it for any China intro. I also passed around things from the book: a Chinese teacup with no handle, an abacus, a chop, the chop ink's square box was 'the box my cats sleep in' although mine were plastic tiger, panther & lion! Even if you had nothing I don't think it wd/ be difficult to buy a few cheaply at your local Asian food store or borrow things from friends & parents.

I have a 6 month old daughter and she loves this book! The colors are bright but not too busy and the words flow easily. I love the fact that the narrator is Chinese-American and is able to blend traditional Chinese culture with contemporary American culture. I can't wait until my daughter understands what it is saying and can begin to pick out shapes!

This was a wonderful story that my husband and children just loved. We learned about some new vegetables in the process. As a kid I wasn't fond of bitter melon, but I'm willing to give it a second try after reading the book! My 5 and 6 year old boys are clamoring for us to go out, buy some ugly vegetables, and make the soup! This book appeals to every member of the family and the illustrations are beautiful.

this book stands apart from so many of the thoughtless children's books being released by the truckload over the past few years. grace lin's pictures and words blend effortlessly together to create a simple, yet sphisticated, deeply rooted and inteligent childrens book for all ages. I can't wait to see more of grace's books, and try her recipe. yum! i highly recomend this book.

The colorful, technical drawings in this book, the simple dialogs in this book, the honesty from a girl's mind, the brilliant answers from mom, and the big dinner party at home are Grace in person talking to you. Grace Lin writes with her heart.

The inaugural volume from a series loosely based on Henry Winkler's own (less than comforting) childhood as an undiagnosed dyslexic/dyscalculaic pre-1970's civil rights laws, this story introduces Hank Zipster---and subsequently implied radical educational pedagogy missing components to educational equality for students with disabilities.

Conjuring up TV images of street demonstration and angry mobs, "radical" actually means to get at the root cause of something.

Unlike the open isolation and secrecy experienced in Winkler's youth, today's students have disability rights laws on the books ensuring their equal educational access, but the same statues can only reach full potential when students with disabilities are not formally/informally stigmatized for their "difference" against non-disabled peers.

The default trying nature of such topics may potentially shock readers whose 'juvenile fiction series' reads are confined to traditionally light-hearted and easy-going fare, but the presentation arrangement is obligatory because even when appropriate services are rendered, students with disabilities leave American schools with low self-esteem engendered by classroom and cultural stigmatization as the 'bad' other to be avoided at all costs.

That this series is written by a person with a disability himself (who just happened to be a cultural mega star) is infinitely better than having a person (however well intentioned) second-hand guess what such childhood experiences are like.

Lucky that I could talk with my own parents about some of my own experiences, I also knew this option was unavailable for other people, and sometimes even I needed to network with others like myself.

Exposing me to the inherent inequities in the American educational system, this very same difference had also made me a target of peers (and sadly, teachers) who did not want to acknowledge me as a full and rounded person with many of the same general goals and dreams they also possessed. My place in the world was ultimately contingent upon my knowing and standing up for disability rights.

Also true to his own personality, Winkler never talks down to his audience during the adventures, instead reassuring the normalcy of wanting to fit in while being different from others in the immediate environment. The fast-paced dialog helps kids find both themselves and a voice.

Because no civil rights law can actually require a child to have self-esteem (or respect such boundaries of others) these books are important corollary to a still-relatively untouched subject. Narrowly constructed definitions of 'smart' and 'progress' continue to impede truly constructive nation-wide special education policy discussions.

Politicians from all across the political spectrum have rendered themselves hoarse pontificating on 'academic success' and 'leaving no child behind' but Winkler's efforts clearly demonstrate actual willingness providing these very tools to the audiences needing such tools the most.

If only this series were out when I was in public school.

Congratulations and thank you to Henry Winkler!!! These books are fabulous for everyone... children... parents... and a must for every teacher! The books are hysterically funny, well written and do not talk down to kids. Most important, without being heavy handed, Hank Zipzer has a universal message that every child will relate to. Buy this book! You will love it and your kids will love it!

To be quite honest, I wanted to read this book because when I was growing up, Henry Winkler was one of my favorites. Now that I have read the book, he is still on my list. This book would be an excellent classroom read aloud. The fast paced dialogue and eye for detail kept my interest. Hank Zipper, the narrator, is such a well thought out character. Anyone who has been around ADD, AHDH, or other children with learning disabilities will recognize him immediately. Winkler is right on with this book. I just hope that as a teacher, I am more like Mr. Rock than Ms. Adolph!

I haven't painted since childhood and was shocked at the cost of canvas and "traditional" painting media. I happened upon this book, obtained some rocks from a friend's pasture and have been painting rocks ever since! We don't have the smooth river rocks in our local streams, so I go to a local rock yard to get them which yielded some excellent customers for my creations! I've had more fun painting in 3-D. The illustrations and directions are EXCELLENT! Anyone can do this with these great books!

I never painted before and this past month I've painted eight rocks with results just like the photos in the book. I always knew that I had a talent for art, but never nurtured it because quite frankly, drawing or painting on two dimensional paper was very boring to me. However, this method is more interesting and fun. You paint on a three dimensional surface, rocks, that are free for the taking, and you can produce colorful, interesting, fun, and permanent pieces of art so quickly and easily. The minute I saw this book, it clicked for me, and I knew I had to give it a try. If you ever had aspirations to make art, but never did, try painting rocks with the help of this book. You just might surprise yourself with the results.

I can't wait for more books from this author! Painting Flowers On Rocks is an awesome book! This book goes through different flowers, such as roses, tulips, primroses, petunias, etc. It demonstrates how steps are done to create the painting, with wonderful colored photos and simple instructions.

I was very surprised that it really is easy. I started out painting tulips on slate and they weren't looking like much of anything. When I finished I was astonished to see a great looking painting in front of me. The tulips looked REAL.

I really do like this book. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys flowers. If you are new to painting, this is the book to start with. The wording is so easy to understand! These rocks, and this book would make a great gift for anyone. Along with my real flowers, this summer I think I am going to have a section for a rock garden!

As usual Lin and Larry are trying to share the things they learned so people with less experience can feel more confident at sea. Now they have demonstrated what their book describes in video format (I actually got the DVD so I could have it on board to use on my laptop) cleared up any questions I had left and was lots of fun besides. I got it from their website, wonder if they will let...carry it. Should be a package deal. Got my wife dreaming and feeling less worried about storms.

A reef will cause waves to break before a shore. The creation of a slick of disturbed water, by use of a parachute type anchor, held just below the surface, two wavelengths directly upwind of you, can do the same thing and create a pocket of relatively undisturbed water, in which a boat can ride out a violent storm safely.

This being the case, the crew have only two concerns.

1) Keeping the boat positioned so that the sea takes one side of the bow more than another prevents oscillations and keeps the ride smooth. Keep the bow strait to the seas is actually rougher and not desirable. This offset can be made with a bridle. And,

2) Preventing chafe, which will part your rode and lose your para-anchor, and put you at the mercy of the full fury of a storm.

The Pardey's successfully used these techniques to heave-to in storms and avoid loosing ground when the winds became unfavorable, and then continued on when conditions moderated. They did this with confidence.

My only concern, is the Pardey's experience was strictly small boat. Small boats have an advantage in a way, in that they can be easier to handle.

The question remains. How well will these techniques work with larger boats.

I would like to read about the results of people using this technique in a larger boat in more severe conditions. For example: a 42-48 foot catamaran and/or a 45-50' monohull in 100+ mph winds with large breaking seas.

This book is essentially about one thing: how to create the "Von Karmon Vortex Street". What the authors have done is taken a scientific approach to storm-survival and have gathered evidence both ancient and modern to support their thesis.

It turns out that a sailboat's anatomy - high wind exposure even running bare poles and a deep keel - can be used to defeat the underwater component of a breaking sea, rendering it harmless foam. The key, of course, is knowing how to stabilize the yacht in relationship to wind and water.

Using various sail configurations and/or anchor chutes and by simple tests like dropping bits of paper into the water, the boat may be kept within the confines of its own self-created safe haven.

This is not a "best-kept secret", but rather something that has been discovered and rediscovered in a fairly random and haphazard manner over time. Most sailors can't confidently say why certain storm strategies worked in some cases and others didn't. The authors have not taken lightly the presentation of this material to the boating public. We are all indebted to their work and insight.

I am not really a reader, but there was something about this book that completely captured my attention. It was given to me one day and once I started reading it, I noticed I coulnd't let go of it. It is very good because you can picture everything that is going on. It also informs you of things that you wouldn't never possibly thought that could go on in a country. This is defenately the best book I have ever read. Let's see if Wilfredo can write another capturing work like this. I hope so, I'll be the first one to purchase it.

IT GAVE ME MUCH JOY BEING A STUDENT WHO IS CURRENTLY MAJORING IN POLITICAL SCIENCE WITH A MINOR IN LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN STUDIES TO READ SUCH WORK OF ART. I'VE HAD THE FORTUNATE OPPORTUNITY TO READ MANY WORKS BY LATINO/LATINA WRITERS, BUT NOTHING HAS MOVED ME MORE THEN THE WORK OF WILFREDO ARGUETA. HE HAS SUCCESSFULLY GIVEN A VOICE TO THOSE THAT TEND TO BE VOICELESS IN LATIN AMERICA, PARTICULARLY CHILDREN OF WAR. THROUGH HIS WORK HE HAS GIVEN A HUMAN TOUCH TO THE HARDSHIP, POVERTY AND REALITY THAT HAS PLAQUED MUCH OF EL SALVADOR DURING ITS CIVIL WAR AND CONTINUES TO PLAQUE IT TODAY. AND BEING THAT MY MOTHER IS SALVADORIAN AND HAVING VISITED EL SALVADOR SEVERAL TIMES, DURING ITS CIVIL WAR, THIS BOOK HAS TRULLY HIT HOME, EXPOSING THE REALITY AND STRUGGLE SALVADORIANS HAVE ENDURED DURING THEIR CIVIL WAR, THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD. THIS BOOK TRULLY SHOWS THE BEGINNING OF A NEW WAVE OF POLTICALLY MOTIVATED YOUNG LATINO WRITERS, WILFREDO ARGUETA BEING ONE OF THEM!

The purpose of this review is to congratulate the author on a creative and poignant piece of work. For those of you who have read the book, you will agree that it is an insight into the trials and tribulations of emigrating from any war-torn country. For those of you who have not read the book, get one - you will not be disapppointed.

I am very proud of Will, his achievements, his tenacity and most of all his perserverence in achieving whatever he wants to achieve in life, regardless of whether or not it is against the flow.

Much love Will,

Your friend down under.

Every time I go to my school's library, I always head straight to the Chinese literature section. I'd always overlooked Moment in Peking because it was such a big book, but recently, I resolved to pick it up and read it. I stayed up through the night to finish the book, and I think it was completely worth it. I'm a Chinese-American teenager. I live in a predominantly Caucasian neighborhood, I attend a high school that has only three Chinese students in the entire school. My identity is hyphenated- I am not really Chinese because I am a American Born Chinese. I am not truly American, I am a Chinese American. I have always embraced my culture without really knowing why it's so valuable to me, or how valuable it truly is. Reading Lin Yutang's Moment in Peking gave me a glimpse of how rich my culture and its history is, and helped me understand what it truly means being Chinese. Now I have a deeper love and appreciation for my culture than I ever had before, thanks to Lin Yutang and Moment in Peking.

I found Moment in Peking a fascinating read. At times, though, it did feel a little long. Nevertheless, I heartily recommend Moment in Peking to any avid readers of Chinese literature- or anyone at all, for that matter.

I have read and re-read this book over the years, along with the following book "A Leaf in the Storm" that continues the story. You really get to know and appreciate all the charactors in this story. It is a wonderful book to curl up in a nice chair and read for a few hours a week. It is so easy to read and gives a clear visual of the story, I really can't recommend it enough! Wonderful book!

I bought my copy in Changsha, Hunan, China and was pleased with my purchase. Lin captures the life and history of "real" people that participated in it. If you are ever in China, check out the bookstore - this should be found in the "English language" section.

This book has so many ideas for a craft person. The instructions are very easy and the rocks are fun to make. My 5 year old grandson found it easy too. He made a Lady Bug. This book is worth having if you are loooking for a project that doen't cost much money.

I had been interested in Lin Wellford's books for a long time, but never really painted an animal rock. I bought this book, ready to try it. First I did a frog, which was very simple.
The furry animals use a script liner, and that is not my favorite paint brush, so I was a little nervous that I couldn't achieve the fur strokes.
I went ahead and tried a squirrel, and I was so surprised at how easy the fur turned out to be. I've painted a few more animals since then, and they are very easy to do. Very watery paint and a #1 script liner (the shorter one) makes it very easy.
If you are looking to start painting rocks, don't hesitate...this is the perfect book! I would recommend it to everyone who is interest in painting!

Another amazing book! Lin Wellford makes painting animals so easy. Everyone can make these adorable rock creatures. This book, Painting More Animals on Rocks, is the second 'animal on rocks' book. I really hope she comes out with more because these books are great!

Painting More animals on Rocks shows you how to make very cute mice, bears, wolves, wild cats, penguins, cows, and so much more. Your rock creatures nearly look real when you are finished painting them. I made some frogs for my flower garden, a few mice, and a penguin so far.

Even if you have never painted before, you can do these projects. The book has full color, nearly step by step photos with the step by step instructions. I just love it.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in street art and the Baltimore area. It is packed with Tony's beautiful artwork and the authors' detailed stories of the area. Every Baltimorean should own a copy. Rita and her co-authors have done a superb job.

This book is like a trip down "memory lane" for those of us who grew up in Baltimore. It is apparent that a great deal of thought went into the prepartion of this book. The full page prints are nicely presented on glossy paper. This is also an inspiring story of a man's generosity to his family and his community via his artwork.

This lovingly crafted book Rita and Perrin French
traces the work of Rita's brother Tony DeSales.
The prints are warm,evocative and touch the spirit of
place, They show artist and scene as one; his trying to
make you observe the vision of Baltimore that he had embraced.
Many are hauntingly beautiful renderings and show a warm remembrance of his vision. You will see many nuances
of place and look again at places found in this wonderfully
crafted editon.