"Before my little sister was born, my mom tried to teach me about babies. I listened carefully, but it's not as easy as you might think. Even my mom gets mixed up sometimes..." Mom thinks babies are as sweet as cookies, cuddly as puppies, hungry as bears and smell like whipped cream. But as our big sister narrator tells us, don't count on it. You can't dip them in milk like cookies. They drool a lot more than puppies. They're not always so hungry, especially when you try to feed them mooshed peas, and as for the wonderful aroma, just wait until you smell a dirty diaper. But they're awfully fun to play with, and as the little girl and her baby get to know each other, she finds Mom is right...babies are warm and soft, like sunshine on a rainy day and definitely a gift from the angels..... Mary Hanson's simple, endearing text is complemented by Debbie Tilley's sweet and expressive illustrations. Together word and art paint a captivating and engaging portrait of how wonderful a new addition to the family can be. Perfect for preschoolers, The Difference Between Babies & Cookies is a gentle and humorous story of growing love that is sure to touch your heart. As our big sister tells us at the end... "I'm just glad I'm here to help take care of our baby. She shouldn't grow up thinking she's a cookie."

Just bought this book for my neighbor who's just had her second child. It's so cute and funny. Perfect for any kid who has to learn to deal with a sibling. But a hoot for all kids.

The Difference Between Babies and Cookis is as sweet as, well, cookies! It's also as warm as a new baby cuddled in your arms, hilarious as a stand-up comedian, and as true as the changes a new addition brings to every family. This book would be a delicious choice for any child (and her/his parents!) about to become a sibling. (It will make only children laugh, too!) Highly recommended. This book has humor AND heart.

I personally luv all the Cheetah Girl books I even wrote my own internet site on the Cheetah Girls: Groups.msn.com/Cheetahgirlsworld. I think ths book is good because I can sort of relate with Dorinda. I mean the boy who I'm in luv with is mixed with everything and people say stuff. But I luv the book and u would too ...

I have read all of the cheetah girls' book all except volume 9-10. They are wonderful books for young girls to read... Dorinda's secret shows that you should be proud of yourself no matter what race religion gender you are. I really like this book, I can relate with Dorinda because my brother is half white.... This book is all that and a bag of chips

The cheetah girls books are so cool. Dorinda's secret is cool because she learns that racism is wrong. It was a touching story. It was DDDDAAAAA BBBBBBOOOOOOMMMMMMMMBBBBBBBBBBB!

I read this book when I was 14 years old. I am 20 years old now but I still read the book over again for the memories. Amy's struggle growing up in the midst of her brother's leukemia and coping with the fact that children do die other than in accidents. Robbie had his place in the book as the older brother who teased Amy but still loved her. It was unclear in the longevity Robbie had his illness, though. Read this book, I strongly recommend it. Share the sisterly pains with Amy and Sue, share the sadness with Robbie, and share the ups and downs of childhood with Amy. This book is a true winner.

I've been reading this book since I was seven (I'm 15 now), and I bought it just because I thought the front cover picture was nice. The buying was worth it: 5 *****'s and more! I miss Robbie as much as Amy does, believe me, the story makes you feel so. The story has so much content, so much meaning, so much honesty, so much...feeling. I can't believe it's out of print; I believe every kid should get to read it. As in EVERY kid. At least once. Please, please, put it back on the shelves for the kids! AND READ IT!

I think this book is very sad. If you get very emotional over sad books I would not reccomend it to you. Alot of the books I've read have been sad, but this book is one of the saddest. This is a beautiful book and reccomend it to all the kids I know!!!!

This is a wonderful book that crosses all boundaries! It is enlightening that the two sisters are of different species, thus clearing the way for discussion in families of any kind. Lucy appears to be, however, a rat (look at the size difference and shape compared to Estelle), which opens the door to political views for all ages.

This is a charming little masterpiece, and the kind of book you don't often see these days. The unspoken, unexplained fact that Estelle and Lucy, a cat and mouse, are sisters gives the story a wonderful sense of mysteriousness, and makes the characters all the more intriguing. I could not disagree more with Publishers Weekly on this one: I find Estelle, Lucy and their mother, with their fabulous little stoic faces, to be full of life and expression. That they are so restrained and subtle is the very thing that makes them so endearing and reminiscent of early 20th century children's illustration. I look forward to seeing future books from Anna Alter, and hopefully more of Estelle and Lucy, with much anticipation.

The illustrations in this book are wonderfully homey and old-fashioned. I love the fact that a mouse and a kitten can be siblings! This book is just adorable. Buy it for everyone you know!

Patricia Wells Lunneborg, a retired professor of psychology, and her sister, Roberta Wells Ryan, a retired writer-editor, have put together a fascinating book that tracks the relationship of food in the lives of some the most popular female sleuths in the literary world.

Nevada Barr, Margaret Chittenden, Susan Dunlap, Patricia Cornwell, Janet Evanovich, Earlene Fowler, Sue Grafton, Carolyn Hart, Laura Lippman, Margaret Maron, Marcia Muller, Sara Paretsky, Nancy Pickard, and Dana Stabenow are just a few of the women writers featured in this intriguing collection.

For readers, this is an interesting look into the personalities of characters whose dining tendencies range from the sophisticated - to one step beyond eating out of the trash can! If you've never read a Sue Grafton novel, come and meet PI Kinsey Malone - over skim milk and Cheerios - eaten while standing over the kitchen sink.

For writers, this book should be a permanent fixture - right next to their thesaurus. FOOD, DRINK, AND THE FEMALE SLEUTH is a perfect example of the art of developing complex characters. Our food choices, along with the way we eat, can speak volumes about us. The detective who won't cook, shunning healthy food for junk food, shows us she is reckless and down to earth. A protagonist whose cupboards are bare is obviously driven in areas beyond her kitchen.

There are lots of fun examples detailing the personal eating habits of famous female sleuths in this jam-packed book. I guarantee that anyone who loves food, loves to read, or has ever had a question about character development, will find FOOD, DRINK, AND THE FEMALE SLEUTH an absolute treasure!

This book offers a series of appetizers, tantalizing the mystery fan to partake of the featured authors. Because of FOOD, DRINK, AND THE FEMALE SLEUTH, I have discovered authors that I had previously overlooked. While other reviewers have rightfully praised this extremely clever book for its appeal to mystery writers and their fans, I think it has added appeal to people in the culinary professions. I recently left a copy with the staff of one of my favorite eating establishments and they were thrilled!

Anyone who has ever enjoyed a series or novel featuring a female sleuth as protagonist - hard-boiled, cozy, intense or funny - will devour this book by Bobbie and Pat Wells. All of our favorite writers are represented - Cornwell, Evanovich, Paretsky, Stabenow, Chitteden, Lippman and dozens more. If you never gave any thought to the way in which character and setting are enhanced by how, what and where the ladies get their nourishment, you'll be amazed. It's fun to read, it whets the appetite, and it will introduce you to scores of mystery authors you may not yet have sampled. I've already bought several copies as gifts, and I recommend to anyone who likes the genre.

This is easily the greatest French cookbook I've ever seen and one of the best cookbooks overall. I've been to France many times and the same food is in this cookbook as is in France. The recipes are easy to understand, the food is great, and the photographs just make you more and more hungry. I am a 16 year old boy who has a hard time cooking and filling myself, but this cookbook remedies both of these problems. The meals are simple, yet elegant, not to mention delicious, filling, and scrumptious. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cooking and would like cooking to become a passion.

This is an absolutely wonderful cookbook. There are so many divine recipes in this book, I don't know that, in my lifetime, I will be able to cook all the dishes I want to try. The photographs are as appealing as the recipes. This is, without a doubt, the best French cuisine cookbook I have seen.

A great collection of the recipes that gave French cuisine its international fame is awaiting you in this book. Don't allow yourself to be intimidated by the excellent pictures, and try some of these traditional dishes. The vast majority of the ingredients can be found in the United States. Just make sure you take your time to enjoy this wonderful food, as the French take theirs to make meal taking an amazing experience.

As a Witch, I thoroughly enjoyed the Game. I'm impressed by the Left hand portrayal of Wichcraft. The energy usage is correct as far as real life, but I've never heard of anyone who really seen a charged ball of blue energy turn into goo.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes sex, witches and fantasy!

John Urbancik took me to a place I hope I never, ever end up at. From the depths of a creepy dark cell to the nasty character Gypsy, I too had begun the game of colors at home. I was nervous, scared, and hoping with all my might that I would make it to the end in one piece.

One challenge after another, I followed the character Sarah through a gruelling test that made me tense in my chair, and then breathe a sigh of relief? No, John would not let me relax. I think you should let him pull you into his world, and see if you can pass the test of his "Game of Colors".

I found that once I started, strangely, I couldn't put A Game Of Colors down. Books of this genere aren't usually on my reading list, which goes to show that John Urbancik finds a way to transcend the genre. He is that rare writer who genuinely likes his women characters without being patronizing, or overly romanticizing them. There isn't a trace of stereotyping. These women are not "strong women," or "helpless women," or "bitchy women," we know the list. They're people whom he allows to be defined by their complexities, even when we're not sure we quite know them, or understand their motivations. It seems Mr. Urbancik doesn't have to assume the female voice because he is gender-blind. In anything this author writes, we can expect to feel respected. Rainer Maria Rilke advised in his Letters to a Young Poet not to publish before age thirty. He tought that writers, over time, can become increasingly compelling. I'm looking forward to the maturing of John Urbancik.

Coming from a family of schooteachers, my mother successfully made sure that I always had more books than toys. I may have resented it as a child, but as an adult, I look back with nothing but gratitude and appreciation. Harvey's Hideout was one of my very favorite books. I read it countless times. It is such an endearing story and I can remember the beautiful, vibrant illustrations as if I saw them yesterday. I loved Mildred, as mean as she was! I loved her independence...her creativity...and her yellow-flowered dress! To me the story showed the importance of family and acceptance and love for one another, even if it's a brother whom you just wish would go away! They say that "Books are your friends" and Harvey's Hideout was one of my very best. If I am ever fortunate enough to come across a copy again, it will have a permanent place in my book collection. A must-read for children of all family structures, in my opinion...a real treasure. ~Enjoy~

A childhood favorite! I read my copy to my children every year when we come to visit the grandparents. The book is so worn that it is not longer attached to the binding but my son and daughter love to hear about Mildren and Harvey. They can really relate to the brother sister name calling! They are past picture books but we still enjoy the read aloud experience. I wish it was still in print. I would give as gifts to families with sibling rivalry! a Fabuolus book!

Living on a farm with no real neighbors to speak of, my little brother and I not only loved this book, but we also lived it. Just like Harvey and his sister Mildred, we fought like crazy but we also discovered that when school was out, we only had eachother. The book made us laugh and also taught us something about being good to your brother or sister.

This was a truly wonderful book. The characters' actions conveyed their emotions accurately, and the story was suspenseful. I would recommend this to everyone looking for a good book.

Father's Arcane Daughter was one of my favorite books when I was little, and it still holds that spot now. The characters are realistic and interesting, the story moving and gripping, and the ending heart-warming and rewarding.
Winstong Carmichael is a seventh-grader with a priveleged upbringing and an impressive intelligence and maturity. Unfortunately, his undisciplined, overindulged, ten-year-old sister Heidi (short for Hilary) is a heavy weight on his shoulders. She requires constant entertainment from others, as she is not able to entertain herself, and has horrible manners and no consideration for others. Her hearing and coordination problems make her a bit dependant, but her behavior is what makes her a burden, one that Winston resents (he is actually unable to bring friends over because Heidi ruins the visits). Then,when he meets a woman claiming to be his long-lost half sister, Caroline, from his dad's previous marriage, Winston's life is turned around.
Caroline Carmichael was presumed dead years ago after a kidnapping, so many are suspicious of the new arrival's claims that she is Caroline, despite her physical resemblence to Caroline and extensive knowledge of Caroline's old friends and relatives. Is she really the person she claims to be, or is she trying to get her hands on the family fortune?
While the process of examination goes on, Winston gets to know a person who may or may not be his half sister, but is, without a doubt, a beacon of light in his life. The possible Caroline knows that Winston will be forever imprisoned by his sister's dependance if something is not done to help Heidi become as independant as she is able to be, so she starts down the road to teach Heidi proper, polite behavior, as well as teaching her how to best work with her hearing and coordination handicaps.
Through Winston's perspective, the reader will learn many hidden, sometimes ugly, truths about a seemingly normal rich family and about the woman who helps free the children from their gilded cage.

This is a truly riveting book, told masterfully by one of my favorite childrens' authors. The characters are multi dimensional and well-developed and the plot is unusual and insightful. I found myself unable to put it down, and when I finished it left a hauntingly beautiful echo that lasted for days.

This is childrens' book of true quality.

Watching the relationship between Austin and Abilene is a little like looking down from a high tower watching two cars race toward a deadly collision. You desperately want to prevent the collision, but the movement of the cars is too beautiful, too graceful, and you don't dare intervene.

The beauty and grace are supplied by Pete Fromm, whose novel is filled with insights and surprises from the first page. What makes it the more remarkable is that the story is told by Austin, a high school sophomore in middle-of-nowhere, Texas, whose world view has been shaped entirely by his bipolar older sister, Abilene.

This is a fine novel on so many levels. It's a love story, a tragic love story set in the vast emptiness of West Texas, where everything is simple except for the people. It's a sports story, with an ambitious coach (Abilene) with an ax to grind jealously guarding her young phenom (Austin) out of love, hope and desperation, all of which are as twisted as a mesquite trunk. It's a story of a family whose love is under a blistering attack by mental illness, obsession and misunderstanding.

Most importantly, it's written with compassion, empathy and a delicacy of language that makes us hope that Fromm will keep producing for a long, long time. Put him in the ranks of Annie Proulx and Larry McMurtry. Come again, soon, Pete.

This is probably one of the more memorable stories I have read in the past few years. I was introduced to Fromm's writing through Nightswimming, and have gotten my hands on everything else he has written since then. His stories are compelling, his writing style is easy, and the characters have a great deal of depth and breadth to them. All of my friends who have read this book have been blown away by it, unable to put it down, consistently moved at the end.

From page 2 I was hooked. Perhaps it was because I could relate to the Texas surroundings, or the brother/sister relationship, or even the family struggle with Bipolar Disorder. But whatever it was I was engaged in this story from the "get-go". (See, I told you I could relate to the Texas stuff!) Don't think you have to share their passion for baseball, or know anything about mentall illness. You will live it! Pete Fromm had me crying--a heartfelt, hopeful cry. I wish I could visit these characters 10 years later and see How All This Ends Up.