I have been looking for a copy of this book for years. While visiting my brother recently I discovered that he had the copy that we read over and over again when we were children. It's in poor shape, a testimony to the use it received. He wouldn't part with it, so I am so pleased to find it available again. I'm sure my 2-year old grandson will enjoy this sweet and gentle story as much as I did.

I first discovered this book while teaching Kindergarten several years ago. The story and it's wonderful illistrations struck a chord of wonder and notalgia in me that I had not experienced in a long, long time. Thereafter, it became my favorite storytime book with the children. The book was lost one year to my distress, so you can imagine the joy I felt in finding it here, available to the publc once more. This is a book that should be read and enjoyed by all.

What can anyone say about this tender book. It had an enourmous influence on me as I grew up. I loved the language and the pictures. Today I have sold paintings and some of my writing. And writing poetry comes very very easy to me. This is a book that has made a difference.

I was never a real reader until i read this book it is a quick but fun book with a great group of people. This book has got me in to a mystery book CRAZ. It is a cliffhigher for those that need eazier wording (like me) this a great book. It will amaze u who really Killed Olive i counldn't Belive it was _____ oops almost said it but u have to get it to find out.

When you pick up this book, you just can't put it down! A cliffhanger yet funny!

Who Killed Olive Souffle? is one of the most interesting and fun to read books i've ever read. The atmosphere of the lone inn , not yet open for ski season really places you in the story.Its fun to try,yourself, to figure out who killed olive Souffle and I personally recomend this book to anyone.

My only word of caution about this book is that it is intended for teachers. Don't let your child study independently from it (unless they are high-school age), or they may become confused. The reason is not because it is faulty in its presentation, but because it is so comprehensive that students may become frustrated with it.

Having said that upfront, I will also add that this is a magnificent phonics and spelling reference. The title uses the word "encyclopedia" and I believe that is the most appropriate description of its contents, and how to effectively use it with your child. The heart of the book is arranged alphabetically covering all the known rules for each letter and letter combinations. You will find introductory notes on each letter, an explanation of all the sounds that letter makes in the English language, and, if applicable, how that particular letter teams with others to make a new sound. You will also notice cross-references so you can easily find comparative sounds and notes. There is also a listing of words (beginning, intermediate and advanced) which work with each sound, exceptions,(if any), a total for the number of words in the English language that use that sound, and any spelling/phonetic rules which cover that sound. Like I said, this is an exhaustive reference tool that leaves no stone unturned.

Do yourself, and your student(s) a favor...BUY THIS BOOK! To do without it means hours of preparation and research on your end (not to mention potential learning gaps) that can be spent applying what is given to you here.

This is the only book you will ever need to teach spelling to your child. It is set up in such a way that you could easily teach different levels at the same time. Words that cover a specific spelling rule are divided into easy and more difficult word lists. Although it is meant as a reference, I use it as a source for spelling words and then add to it, any words that we are encountering in our reading material that follow the same rule we are learning or reviewing from the reference book. If you are familiar with the Spalding method but are turned off by the dry, uninspired approach, use this book as your word list as most of the words in Spalding are found on this list, and if not, they can be derived from words on this list. (I actually went through Spalding and the Wise Guide to see if this book would cover the words from those lists and it does. As I said, some words on the other lists are derivitives of words in this book. You simply take the root word and add prefixes, or suffixes to form a lot of other words. I find this book much easier to adapt to my other curriculum, as I can create my own lists and still cover the spellng rules.) The book does not insist on using the short i sound for y at the end of words like Spalding, and discusses in detail how stress changes the sound of vowels in certain words. The book is not phobic about using the terms long and short vowels, so you won't have to throw away any previous notions your child has about these to teach the vowel sounds as you do in Spalding. I can't rate this book highly enough.

This is my most valuable homeschool reference tool. As a naturally poor speller, I have learned a great deal. This book has helped me explain why a word is spelled the way it is, and to build spelling rules that students can really rely on.

This is a comprehensive volume of the bamboos native to the Americas (only one of which is native to the United States). Anyone fascinated with the giant bamboos (as well as others) of Central and South America will love this beautifully illustrated and well written book. For anyone who is already a bamboo lover, this book is a must-have. An instant classic, books on bamboo just don't get any better than this. Highly recommended.

An excellent resource for American Bamboos. There is not much out in the market on these often forgotten plants. There are loads of color pictures that make the book invaluable. East-to-read text with plenty of location maps so you know where the plants are found. Anyone interested in bamboos must get this resource!

there is not much information out there on bamboos and this book fills the gap. It's a must buy for the biologist in the grass world. Lots of excellent pictures of the plants and good text to go with it. Well written.

I am participating in an applique class in which most of the class members are using the patterns in this book to complete their quilts. Margaret's quilt is a masterpiece and an inspiration due to both her beautiful color choices and attention to detail. Many quilt books lack appeal as the finished projects pictured in the books are unattractive due to poor color combinations. The individual block pictures are fabulous. This book provides detailed information to assist the sewer in selecting appropriate fabrics and in techniques to complete a beautiful quilt.

I have observed as the class members bring in their completed blocks and although many have substituted their personal favorite color choices, they are producing beautiful blocks. I believe that the examples in the book have helped the class members look at fabric differently. The completed applique pieces look like they are hand painted.

I found this book to be an absolute delight. The illustrations are exquisite and Margaret Doherty's conversational style is easy to read and understand. I learned a lot of new techniques, for instance, using parts of a large scale fabric to piece a very small bird. In one instance, she used a cobblestone fabric for the birds breast.

I am interested in developing small projects and feel that any one of the 40 squares would make a masterpiece item.

A quote from the author's preface: "I work as a pediatrician and each night after dinner, I do a crossword puzzle and sew for about six hours." sums up the author's approach to this form of fabric work. The challenge in looking at fabrics, colors, and techniques in a new way is worth the price of the book.

Ideal for both beginners and those well versed in quilting traditions, Margaret Docherty's Little Brown Bird Patterns is packed with applique patterns: full-page patterns accompanied by a facing page with a small color photo and survey of techniques, fabrics and embellishments.

Congratulations, I have just read Margaret Burk's wonderful book about the Ambassador Hotel. I am a documentary filmmaker doing research on the hotel for a soon to be produced film and found the book to contain a wealth of information. Starting from the opening date of the hotel until its unofficial closing. Each outstanding chapter is filled with Hollywood memorabilia such as: "Gloria Swanson:Birthday Girl," "The War Years," "The Cocoanut Grove," the Meca showcase for the most important performers of the time, "Death of a Hero," one of the most complete accounts of the tragic assasination of Robert Kennedy at the Ambassador, and many more. The pictures in the book feature some of Hollywood's greatest icons who passed through the doors of the famous land mark.
The end pages of the book features the autographs of some of the most renowned performers, Heads of State, and personalities of the era. I recently met the author at a ROUND TABLE WEST book club luncheon, the largest book club of its kind in America that features best selling authors, which she founded along with famed author Adela Rogers St. Johns at the Ambassador Hotel
over twenty-five years ago.
I was happy to learn that Margaret Burk is still living amongst the stars.

This book informed me of the incredible history that took place in the famous Ambassador Hotel of Los Angeles-Not just "Hollywood" history ala Cocoanut Grove but Robert Kennedy, Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, F Scott Fitzgerald the list goes on...This book is filled with photos and in really a fun format also and has tons of stories that were obviously close to the authors heart. I hope others that read this book or have the urge to learn more of the Ambassadors history will join as I have the fight to save this historic building (that does not have landmark status) from the wrecking ball and the doom that presently faces this grand piece of our national history. I hope this book is part one of the Ambassador's long life in the heart of Los Angeles and that it is just taking a well deserved rest before it needed facelift and comeback hey where else but in L.A.? With your help maybe we can save history. Get involved.

This is an outstanding piece of work, it must have taken 10 years to gather all the marvelous photographs. The book was hard to find but is well worth the search.

This plainly written book can help you overcome the daily struggles that prevent you from developing a strong relationship with God.

First the author identifies the eight objects of self-centered thought we must learn to control: food, sex, things, anger, dejection, acedia (spiritual dryness), vainglory, and pride. She then describes how these thoughts, when uncontrolled, progressively undermine our spiritual awareness to the point of becoming soul-deadening obsessions. Finally, she explains how we can overcome these distracting thoughts and instead center on thoughts in harmony with God's will. By doing so, we are able to experience the joys of hope and freedom, no longer enslaved by our appetites.

Funk does an excellent job of translating some complex spiritual concepts into plain English. And, to illustrate good and bad thought patterns, she cites examples that will sound (uncomfortably) familiar to people of all ages and vocations. It's hard to imagine people reading this book and not wanting to seriously reevaluate their attitudes toward toward their own thoughts.

Based on the classic ascetic practises of the patristic era, and on their application in the Rule of Benedict, this book sets forth clear, solid, far-reaching insights which would enrich the life of anyone seeking to grow in the spiritual life.

Sister Mary Margaret expresses the principles simply yet with great depth, and, in a style enormously refreshing for the "self-esteem" era (her comments on that concept are very telling), does so with great honesty. She does not qualify the wisdom of two millennia in an attempt to be unwisely "relevant" to the reader. She has no qualms about showing that the Christian ascetic vocation is an endless period of growth, though her expressing how practising discipline of thoughts leads to results unaware will undoubtedly be strengthening during times of struggle.

The only aspect which those new to the topic must keep in mind is that this volume, short though it is, is not meant to be skimmed nor read hurriedly. It is the stuff of the lectio divina to which the early chapters refer - intended for quiet, reflective, prayerful reading. Much of the best material (for example, the sections regarding sex and vainglory) can be missed if one is reading only "key words," without attention to the overall picture which places it into focus.

I have had a deep interest in ascetic theology for thirty years, and am well acquainted with many great writings in that area. I can honestly say that this book is one of the best of contemporary treatments of the subject.

Thoughts Matter challenges the serious reader to examine the nature of the thoughts that are constantly playing through the mind - like a non-stop tape recording! While we can't always control the thoughts that pop up in our heads, we can certainly decide which ones we want to spend time with and which ones can only do harm to ourselves and others. I would love to read what Sr. Mary has to say about renouncing our thoughts about God.

Skip the Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty! Mittelbach and Crewdson know their stuff and their share it in all the fun and interesting details you could want. This is the "big apple" down to the core. I used to live in New York and was excited when this book came out.

This is, hands-down, the best book I've found yet on the non-concrete parts of this concrete jungle I call home. The illustrations are 1st rate, the maps are very helpful, and the travel directions even help you get there --- like most New Yorkers would --- by public transit. All five boroughs are included, and the book is chock full of tasty morsels about the City's natural side.

Whether a native New Yorker or visiting from out of town, if you have the interest or the inkling to find hundred foot trees, tidal pools, salt marshes, Native American caves, hilltop vistas, or even just learn which wildflowers grow between the sidewalk slabs or which trees are tough enough to stand up to the stress of city life, this book is for you.

This book is a must have for anyone who has ever lived in or visited New York. It is extremely well-written, witty, and as well it is filled with interesting facts about New York.

This is a very inspirational book for all boaters. It was very entertaining and informative. It is a lovely adventure to Florida making it apparent that Yes anyone can capture their dreams.

..you will love this book. From the banter between the sailor husband and the vacationing wife, to the struggles with demanding draw bridge attendants, you will find yourself wrapped up in their adventure. Included in the book are interesting breakdowns of estimated and real costs along with recommendations on places to stay and see. Mr. Watterson proves to be a good story teller keeping you afloat from front to back. Try it, you'll be hooked.

One of the best books I've ever read. Do yourself a favor and get this book. I finished the book in a day and a half.

This Book IS GREAT! It features many simmple drawings in which their style is easy to catch on to. After a little while You can take some style from one drawing and some styles from another and put the m together to make your own cartoon characters

My 6 year old daughter began taking a cartoon drawing class. She is no better at drawing than any average 6 year old. The instructor uses this book. In the 2 classes she has had so far, this book has taught her how to draw some amazing cartoon characters! People who see her drawings cannot believe they were done by a 6 year old. If I hadn't seen it for myself - I'm not sure I would have believed it. This book is easy to use and very effective for teaching you how to drawing using simple shapes. I HIGHLY recommend it!

Ok... So I'm teeerrrrrrriiiiibbbbbblleeeeeee @ drawing. I checked this book out from the library. It has easy steps that help you draw. My favorite characters to draw are the penguin and the baby dragon. This book is awesome! The cute characters are fun and easy to draw! Thanx Neal!!!