I had not read any of her books for a few weeks and i thought that this one looked good so i thought i would read it. And let me tell you that i am very glad i did. i love how ms. oke focuses in on one familys difficulties and shows how God works in their lives for the better and everything is possible with God. I reccomend this book very highly,as also any of Janette Okes books.

This is a wonderful book about life & some of the things that come our way. If you ever enjoyed the Little House on the Prairie Books, you'll love this book! It's great to see how families pulled together to make things work out, if only more people would live by those standards today!!! I have read a lot of Janette Oke's books, but this is truly one of the best!

I have read all her books and have enjoyed all of them. Janette has a way of connecting with her readers and getting her readers involved in the story. Once you start reading, it is hard to put it down until you finish the book

Lisa Tucker has a gift - the narrator of her first book, Leeann Norris, has as distinctive and resonant a voice as Huck Finn, and as much of a journey of discovery ahead of her. My only quibble, and the reason I give 4 stars, is that occasionally Leeann is allowed to get ahead of her story, saying something like "I assumed X, but I was so wrong..." Better to let us discover that on our own as we read.
Leeann's sister, Mary Beth, is also beautifully written. She is the quintessential older sister, protector, and empathetic giver who is unable to receive let alone take, and who nearly destroys herself in the process.
The idea of songreading is both clever and plausible, especially when placed in the hands of a gifted, if untrained, therapist like Mary Beth. And Leeann's using popular music to indicate the passage of time ("Endless Love" had given way to "Tainted Love")keeps music constantly in the reader's head.

I didn't pick up The Song Reader expecting a deep novel. The cover seemed "hip girl," and the idea of song reading, interesting enough, but deep? Yes. Deep is the word, along with other words like original and even profound. The relationships between the people in The Song Reader are developed with a sensitivity and nuance and wisdom that is unusual in any novel, and astonishing in a first work.

Each character is utterly unique and yet as familiar as some part of ourselves. Leeann is the wise eye of the book, watching over her family, wishing she could protect them, and understanding them in ways they can't understand her. Henry, the father, is as odd as any fictional character I've encountered, and yet Tucker makes him make sense, quite an achievement. Mary Beth, the song reader and ostensible star of the book, a hero because of her ability to help others, is both larger than life and completely vulnerable. This is what makes the story so fascinating, watching what happens when a gifted woman like Mary Beth, a woman with a big heart and a big soul, collapses under the weight of her own charity--and knowing, tragically, that her greatness and her grief are so entwined that to starve one would be to starve them both.

This is a great first novel.

I bought this book yesterday and finished it this morning, and the entire time, I was telling myself, slow down, make it last, but I just couldn't do it. The story is just too interesting! Mary Beth & Leeann pulled me into their lives and I felt like I was right there with them each step of the way. They are both such great characters! I rank them both right up there with Susie in The Lovely Bones. In a lot of ways The Song Reader reminds me of The Lovely Bones. For one, I found out about both of them in Seventeen magazine. . .but deeper in, they're both told from a girl's point of view, and told as the girl looks at the rest of her family. Also they both have a lot of sadness but also lots of hope. I can't imagine anybody not being touched by what these two sisters go through, and the love they have for each other.

It's a great story, and it also has the song reading!! A double treat when you pick up Tucker's novel. How did she think up something as unique as song reading? Everyone who hears about it tells me they have to get this book!

I highly recommend this book to every man, woman, and child (over 12 or 13, not for language or graphic sex but just to understand it) in America. Buy The Song Reader, I know you won't be disappointed!

"The Amazing Secret of the Souls in Purgatory" by Sister Emmanuel of Medjugorje. Book's subtitle is "An Interview With Maria Simma". Queenship Publishing company, Goleta, CA 1997.

This is a very short (58 pages) book, relating the interview of Maria Simma, a devout Catholic, who, for many years, has visits from the souls in Purgatory. These souls will ask Maria Simma to have prayers said for them: a Mass, or a Rosary, or the Stations of the Cross. The author, Sister Emmanuel, interviewed Maria Simma through an interpreter, and," for the sake of brevity and clarity" (page 3), Sister Emmanuel summed up some of Maria's answers.

This book is not a summary of the Church's doctrine on the issue of Purgatory. Rather, the book recounts the answers of Maria Simma to the questions asked by Sister Emmanuel. That Maria Simma has been visited by the souls from Purgatory is confirmed by incidents (not fully documented in this book) of a deceased person relating details to Maria Simma, and her telling the family of the deceased these details. Maria would have all the details concerning the field, or the exact amount of money, or the property and..."the family would be staggered to discover that she knew all these details". (p. 38)

For anyone wanting to discover what Purgatory is like, this small book gives a description of that place by one woman who has had visions for most of her life. Maria must be approaching her 90s, since she was listed as 82 in the year of publication (1997).

The last few pages are a call to prayer for the souls in Purgatory by the author, Sister Emmanuel. The book is well worth the small price, and ... delivered the book quickly.

This was the 3rd book I have read on Purgatory. It was very easy to read & it provided several insights that the other books didn't mention. It was so captivating, I read the book in one sitting. The interview format was easy to read and very inspiring. Great book!!

This short little book takes no more than an hour or two to read, but it is packed with good information. In addition to showing how important it is to pray for the deceased, it shows how merciful God truly is. Even the most hardened sinner can be saved if he has some small amount of repentance before death. Sin doesn't send people to Hell, impenitence does. Highly recommended.

This book is very funny and well animated. It is filled with a lot of dry humor that will probably go over the childs head. As I read it to my kids, I couldn't keep myself from laughing. This book is stinking funny!

The sort of thing that "deceptively simple" actually applies to. Very iconic art, looks like it's clipped from construction paper and newsprint, but the stories are short and very funny. It may get boring after the 900th time you have to reread it to your kid, but that's at least 895 more time than most kid's books. Fun for all ages. I had fun. Did you have fun? I had fun.

This book is so funny to read, and my 2nd grader delights in reading this book out loud! It's easy for him to decipher and he gets the funny jokes, and sarcasm and wit, it's really a scream with the illustrations as well. It reminds me of a book by Munro Leaf called "Manners Can be Fun" that is now out of print. This is a delightful book, and if your child has a sense of humor for the absurd, or a dry wit, this is for him/her.

Wonderfully written. The characters are very well drawn out, especially Graceanne and her mother. The story is told from Graceanne's brother's perspective. Although many people in her life see Graceanne as being a misbehaving "problem" child, it is clear from the way she treats her siblings and friends that Graceanne is one of the most loving characters I have ever met. I was sorry that the book ended. I want to know more about what happens in their lives. I highly recommend this book.

What an amazing book! The soul-touching story, combined with some of the most incredibly natural, infectious humor since Mark Twain, makes this one of the most uplifting books I've read in recent years.

The main characters -- 9 year-old Charlie, the narrator, and 12 year-old Graceanne, his sister -- are immensely endearing and admirable. They are growing up -- along with their older sister, 16 year-old Kentucky -- living with their recently-divorced mother on the 'wrong side of the tracks' in a small town in northern Missouri in the early 1960s. Their dad isn't in the picture much -- an alcoholic soldier who beats their mother, he's sent packing early on in the story, and makes himself scarce after his exit.

The mother, Edie, would probably be diagnosed today as being neurotic or psychotic. In her never-ending struggle to 'keep up appearances', she constantly nags her kids about their manners, the company they keep, &c. On several occasions, she asks out loud 'What have I ever done to deserve such demon children?' She takes most of her frustrations with her life, along with her complete misunderstanding of her children, on the intelligent, precocious Graceanne. On several occasions, she beats her until she's bloody. It's easy to understand how the kids would come to see themselves as a burden to her -- if it weren't for their seemingly indestructable spirits.

Graceanne is a tough child with a reputation to match. Near the beginning of the book, Charlie (actually short for Charlemange, which should tell you MORE about their mother), who has a correctable club foot, is musing about being bullied by the other children in town. He dismisses worrying about the other kids with these thoughts about his sisters (from p.9): 'The two worst bullies in Cranepool's Landing were ALREADY exercising their license as family members to beat me silly -- "whale on you, young man" -- on a regular basis, leaving all other potential assailants the status of respectful, but backward, admirers of my sisters' originality and prowess.'

Graceanne has an IQ of 165 -- and Charlie's is a very respectable 139. The author gives these children -- especially Graceanne, acquired by Charlie possibly simply by being in her presence -- incredible voices. Graceanne's use of newly-absorbed vocabulary words doesn't come across as much as an attempt to show off as it does as a means of asserting her inteligence and individuality in an atmosphere that tends to crush it.

She is also a universally feared and respected softball player. Some of the parents of the other kids even suspect that she's a boy. From p.248: 'She could hit anything that came at her, and she'd slice the ball belt-high through the infield, so close to the player she was aiming at that most players couldn't possibly catch it. A couple of parents complained that Graceanne was trying to peel the skin off their kids; the ball would come so fast and so hard and so tight that the only sensible thing to do was to hit the dirt when they saw it coming...'

There are several notable events in the book -- which takes place over the course of a little over a single year, from April 1960 to July 1961. It is the time of the Kennedys and Camelot, of the boiling pot of race relations in American coming to a head, before Vietnam -- a time of innocence and discovery, tailor-made for an imagination and spirit like that possessed by this young heroine. After her parents' divorce, her mother is forced by economics to move her family to a 'bad' part of town. Graceanne becomes fast friends with Wanda, the young black girl who lives next door -- which brings out some revealing comments and feelings from her mother, showing her to be anything BUT the color-blind person she has professed to be.

There are some tender, poignant moments in the novel as well -- both between Graceanne and her friend Wanda and between the siblings. Little brothers at this age historically do not endear themselves to their sisters, or vice versa. Through the course of the book, Charlie wrestles with what he eventually recognizes as growing feelings of love for his sister. From p.275, he wonders about his feelings that are awakened by hearing Elvis' 'Love me tender': 'I wondered if I loved anyone tenderly. I knew I loved Mike the dog, who you couldn't sing an Elvis song to because he was an animal. And I looked around and saw Graceanne with her doll hair and her glasses and her soft skin and I thought maybe I loved her, who would laugh at me if I sang Elvis to her. It came as a big surprise to me that I loved my sister.'

The novel is filled with moments like these -- but the action sequences never become over-the-top or unbelievable, and the touching moments never become maudlin. The author transposes her vision of this story onto the page with an easy grace and eloquence, touched with humor and sympathy for these wonderful characters. This is a story that can be enjoyed by adult readers -- and indeed, I came away with the impression that it was written for them -- and intelligent young people as well. It's quite an achievement.

Sometimes the most profound things are very complex and sometimes they are very simple. This is a simple story about complex human beings who appear simple. Confusing? Not very. I urge you to read this story about a mid-western family hurting in every place imaginable but which still manages to move into parts of the human heart where few of us have the nerve to go. There are scenes of such poignance that you will put the book down and reflect with your eyes closed as you feel what the characters are feeling. I finished the book about a week ago, and I find myself thinking about what Graceanne did on the other side of the bridge and wondering why Charlie never saw his sister Kentucky again. Did Edie ever get herself straightened out? The story stays with you and I will be thinking about it for a long time. It will be on my bookshelf in the section reserved for the very special. It is very simply, a wonderful book and although the story has ended, I wish the Farrand family the very best.

"Drive By" By Lynne Ewing I think that this a good book for teenagers who are wondering about gangs or wanting to join one. It is a good book to read. I would encourage all teenagers to read it so they could get a feel for what could happento people when they join gangs. I liked this book because it helped me to understand and gain more knowledge on what can and will happen to kids going in the wrong direction. Even the people that you wouldn't expect to join a gang does and most of the time they will end up getting hurt. If you think that you want to join a gang and become a gang member read this book and then make your decision.

I just finished reading the book Drive By.This book was very interesting.The reason I liked this book was because it uses the same acsent as me and my friends do.I recomend this book for someone who lives in a tough neighbrhood like me, and don't realy like reading boring books.This book takes place in Los Angeles where theres a lot of gangs and drive by's.When you read the first page of this book your not gonna want to stop.

"Drive-By", Lynne Ewings's first novel for children, is a brief story about gangs, told in the first-person by 12-year-old Timothy Thomas Cahill, aka Tito. While returning home from a birthday party, Tito and his 5-year-old sister Mina witness their older brother Jimmy getting shot by a passing vehicle driven by a group of local Los Angeles gangbangers. Following his brother's death, Tito and his family are forced to leave their home when the same gangbangers return to vandalize and tag their house. One of Tito's friends insists he should seek revenge for his brother's death and gives Tito a gun. But will Tito use it and give in to peer pressure just like his older brother did--or will he try to rise above the bloodshed and set things straight?

"Drive-By" is a simply-written, short book (only 85 pages) and ideal for young readers (age 10+) who don't like to read very much. Although it's quite sad--despite the somewhat pleasant ending--, there's certainly a lesson to be learned about dealing with gangs and peer pressure. If you liked this book, then you might like "Party Girl" by the same author; it also deals with drive-by shootings and gangs, but it's intended for slightly older readers (12+).

I am a sucker for a nicely bound, handsomely illustrated book. So much so that I will probably buy the rest of the series despite the author's abbreviated attention to some weighty subject matter.

The chief problem is the brevity of the book; a slim seven chapters and hundred-odd pages. Holly Black's attempt to introduce the characters, build a bit of mystery, sympathetically handle one child's pretty severe abandonment issues, and reach some pinnacle of suspense to keep the reader coming back all fall short for lack of space. I feel very much like I have just read an outline for a very interesting novel.

However, I read this with my daughter (age nine) who paid much closer attention for this than with most books. I credit DiTerlizzi's excellent illustrations that kept her looking over my shoulder the entire time. The weakest of these drawings are equal to the best of Brett Helquist's in Lemony Snicket's Unfortunate Events. I mean that to be extremely high praise, as I greatly admire Helquist's abilities, as well. It is, primarily, her interest that will convince me to buy the next in the series.

My hope is that, with introductions out of the way, book two will cover more ground, build suspense, and magically make my buyer's remorse vanish completely.

Two series of books have redefined childrenÕs literature in the late 20th- and early 21st-centuries. The first is J.K. RowlingÕs phenomenal Harry Potter novels, books that transcend age brackets and shatter sales records with each new release. The second is A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS, written by the pseudonymous author Lemony Snicket, a collection of slender volumes that can be enjoyed by older readers, but are clearly written with the young folk in mind. In an attempt to crack this lucrative market, renowned fantasy artist Tony DiTerlizzi and relatively unknown author Holly Black introduce THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES with THE FIELD GUIDE.

Both DiTerlizzi and Black love faeries, and it shows, especially when it comes to presentation. THE FIELD GUIDE comes in the same, tiny hardcover form as Lemony SnicketÕs wildly popular series and is crammed with first-rate, evocative pen and ink illustrations. The suggested age bracket for the book is 6-10, but this is probably being a little generous on the high end of the age scale, as the writing is light and trips along with great speed through the 107 pages. An adult reader, or a well-read child, can work his or her way through THE FIELD GUIDE in less than hour, possibly even less than half an hour.

Though perhaps slightly clich'd Ð the children at the heart of the story come to a creepy, old Victorian house and encounter a world of mystery Ð THE FIELD GUIDE is still great fun. Author Black follows all the rules of childrenÕs literature when it comes to establishing her family: thereÕs a missing parent and the kids are nine-year old twin boys and a thirteen-year old girl. Three is always a great number for childrenÕs fantasy, as C.S. Lewis amply demonstrated with THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE and a J.M. Barrie established even earlier with PETER PAN. As mentioned, the high-quality presentation of the book goes a long way toward glossing over the slight nature of the text, as THE FIELD GUIDE feels substantial despite its miniscule size.

It seems clear that DiTerlizzi and Black intend to stake out a slightly younger territory with THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES than Lemony Snicket and J.K. Rowling have done. THE FIELD GUIDE is written at a level just high enough to engage the reader, but lacks the density of any one of SnicketÕs books. And the last two Harry Potter novels (THE GOBLET OF FIRE and THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX, as of this writing) would simply flatten the child-sized, hardcover FIELD GUIDE.

Though there are reservations to be expressed over THE FIELD GUIDEÕs general lack of depth, there are only so many Rowling and Snicket books around. While young readers (and those who are young at heart) wait for the next classic, they could do far worse than to chase some faeries in DiTerlizzi and BlackÕs creation. Five pages in, itÕll hardly matter how slim the book really is, and five pages from the end, one has already begun to think about grabbing the next installment in the series.

All the things a kid could ever want in a book--Faeries, Goblins, secret rooms, and a quick read to boot. I frequent the library, but felt these books were so fantastic I had to buy copies of my own. The illustrations by Tony DiTerlizzi are wonderful, and I found myself eager to turn each page to see the next picture, as well as to read what would happen in the story. The style of the books are eerily similar to that of Lemony Snicket-- there are three siblings who find themselves in some sort of trouble or danger in each book, a letter from the author, and a snippet on the back of each book with reasons why you shouldn't read the story. Still, the events in the books were very original and kept me entertained. I can't wait for the rest of the series to be released (there are five books total). A must read!!

I've owned this book for only a year and I've read it over 10 times. 17 year old Arden is an orpha. The only family she has is her 29 year old brother Scott.After a near collusion death her brother Scott starts acting depressed. A couple of weeks later he dissapears while snowmobiling, the same way he almost died. His body is never found but the town of Penoke believes he's dead...except Arden. She searches for him but never suceeds that winter. I won't tell you if she finds him or not but it is an awesome book. Arden is a hilarious character with her wit and sarcasm.My favorite book!

Arden is a very creative and smart individual. Her brother Scott has been raising her since their parents were in a plane crash. Scott and Arden's relationship is just like any other brother and sister's but not only is Scott a brother to her, but he's a father figure too. I recall one time when he tried to explain her name, "Arden can't you wait. I mean didn't you want to know why mom chose to call you Arden?" Everything seems to be going well with Scott. He's got a girlfriend who he seems to be happy with, and he has his snowmobile. But he hasn't convinced Arden that he is happy with his life. One morning Arden wakes up for school and notices that her brother hasn't came home. A day later she gets worried because her brother still hasn't shown up. She calls her brother's friend,Al Walker, who is also a policeman. He calls for a search and a few days later they find Scott's snowmobile by a creek just a few miles away from their house. Arden couldn't believe it, no he couldn't be dead. Everybody assumes that Scott is dead, except for one person... Arden. She spends the next few months searching for her brother. The big question is... Did Scott really die or did he just fake his death? Read the book to find out! I believe that young teens will enjoy this book because the charaters are very real to me. The relationships between the characters are easy to relate to.

This book was really good. I read it on recommendation of a friend, and all I could do after I started was read. I liked it a lot. After I finished I just kept going back and reading over some of the best parts, over and over. It was really good!

The story is about a teenager named Arden who lives with her brother. Both of her parents died when she was young, so he takes care of her. One day he gets in a snow machineing accident, which really scares him. A week later when his snow machine, and other things are found in the river, she knows he is dead. Or is he? No one beleives her, thinking it's brought on by depression, as she starts to search for her missing brother. This book was captivating, a story like no other. I would DEFINATELY recommend it.

I have read many financial books on how to manage money but Ms. Bridgsforth does a superb job in 'Girl Get your money straight' on how to truly get your finances together. The steps that she provides in this book are clear, comprehensive, and concise and can easily be applied into your personal life with success over a period of time. These holistic ideas and concepts along with her own testimonial and those of several clients (who are mentioned in the text along with her) who have applied these elements and have been debt free are truly inspirational and this book has been so helpful in my quest to get my money straight. This is one book that I would recommend to all especially young and old sisters who are looking to get their money straight. Thank you Ms. Bridgsforth for bringing this book to the community.

When you change "budgeting" to "Spending Plan," as Glinda B does you convert your feeling deprived, ashamed and frightened into feeling good about being prosperous.
As I read this book, and diligently did each exercise, I didn't want this book to end. This book has guided me on a journey that I had previously longed to be on, yet feared getting started.
In the week that I read this book, I have uncovered so many beliefs, feelings and attitudes about my family history with money. I also became more understanding of them. I also discovered that many of their self-destructive money habits were also my habits. Our actions were different, but our money beliefs were the same. And at first this shocked me.
This empowered me to feel better about my history, and to forgive everybody. It lifted a load off my shoulders. I realized that this was not about not having money, but really about my fears, my shame, and my not allowing myself to be responsible for what I could do to solve my problems.
Every scenario in this book guides you face what has been getting in your way, and to turn those "obstacles," into what compels you to create a vision of yourself with financial peace of mind.
This book is about using your past to create a compelling life for yourself, one where you have options, joy, balance and authenticity.
The results of having read this book is a huge improvement in my life.

I'm only half way through Girl, Get Your Money Straight! by Glinda Bridgforth and can without reservation already declare it as a must read for every black women whether you feel you are on top of your finances or buried underneath them. I've read quite a few financial books written by a variety of authors but this is the first one that specifically addresses finances from the historical, spiritual, and emotional perspective of African American women. It is amusing and amazing to see both myself and many of my friends reflected in her clients. Even though, based on other reading, I have already implemented the basic principles outlined in her prescriptions for financial health and healing, Girl, Get Your Money Straight! is providing me with an understanding of the whys behind my previous habits and also illuminating some problem areas and attitudes that I didn't realize existed.

This book has already caused a stir for all the wrong reasons. Various victims' rights groups have taken issue with this book for the following reasons: (a) that Wally Lamb would devote his time to, of all things, a group of criminals; and (b) that the stories in this book humanize their writers rather than focuses on the victims of their crimes. It is undisputed that the women who wrote these memoirs did a variety of illegal, immoral and awful things. However, if you read these stories, you will begin to wonder who the victims really are.

The women's stories are uniformly heartbreaking; nearly all the authors were victims of sexual abuse. Nearly all grew up poor. Nearly all had minimal or questionable parental support. And about half wrote about abusive romantic relationships. Several of the authors are in prison for killing their abusive spouse and/or significant other. While it was wrong for them to take their husband's lives, it is also understandable once you read their harrowing tales.

I was especially moved by Bonnie Foreshaw's "Faith, Power and Pants" and Diane Bartholomew's "Snapshots of my former life." Both went from unbearable childhoods to atrocious marriages. Both are clearly angry with a system that has failed them. Yet both write of finding hope despite all the indignities life has thrown at them. As a final indignity, Bartholomew developed cancer while writing her memoir. Only then was she paroled for the murder of her abusive husband. It is clear that she was only paroled because the State of Connecticutt did not want to pay her chemotherapy bills.

This book can be harrowing to read but it left me with a sense of hope. Beautiful women exist underneath the prison fatigues, who have survived despite the brutal conditions of the penitentiary system. Each story in this collection moved me in a different way. I can say that about very few books.

This was a wonderful book. Wally Lamb is inspiring in that he helps these women not only bring out the eloquent author in themselves, but also provides an invaluable form of therapy. I enjoyed this book SO much. It really made me look at these women in a different light. Best book I have read in a long time! Thanks.

I bought this book so I could read what a woman from my own community wrote. I expected to get through only her story the night I brought the book home with me. I'd already read other writings of hers, so I figured this woman's story would be a good read, which it was. After reading that one story, however, I read Mr. Lamb's intro - then I just couldn't stop reading. I read the entire book in one sitting!
In the past, especially being a social worker, I've read many stories about every possible life situation, but I have never read anything like this book. By the end of each story I felt a real sense of kinship and sisterhood with that story's author. I find it impossible to choose which is the most thought-provoking or well-written.
If this book is typical of Wally Lamb's ability to teach and to give of his heart, then I believe he is not only brilliant but the kind of mentor other incarcerated people need working with them. Thank goodness they couldn't keep it to themselves!