I checked this out from the library last night--and HAD to order a copy for myself this AM. It has all the projects I'd thought about doing and haven't done yet plus many more to inspire me. One of the best PC books yet.

I have just about every book published on polymer clay, but I have to say this one is the most unique. Most books cover the same things, using different projects to demonstrate techniques. Ms. Gikow presents many techniques and projects never covered before. Most, if not all, are 3D objects. She tackles subjects such as hinges and clasps and points out using a mold to form your object doesn't necessarily mean your object has to look like the mold. She encourages experimentation and creativity. I can assure you, this book will show plenty of wear and tear in the not too distant future.

As a polymer clay artist for three years now, I eagerly await every new book on the subject. Jacqueline Gikow's book was worth the wait. It is beautifully organized and sumptuously illustrated with lovely pictures and helpful drawings (the best I've ever seen in a craft book). The projects she suggests are wonderful, but in fact the book is far more helpful as inspiration than simply as a "how-to" book. I highly recommend this book for intermediate to advanced PC crafters and artists. Congrats, Jacqueline!!

Having worked in dog rescue for 10 years and fostered over 70 dogs in the past year I can say without reservation that this is the best dog book ever for someone in rescue work OR for someone looking to adopt a dog. It covers everything you will ever need to know from why you want a dog, the type of dog that is right for you, how to choose a dog, how to test its' temperment, it even has 50 mutilple choice questions to help you find the type of dog for your lifestyle. It covers basic health, types of dog groups and the training section is fabulous. The book is an easy read and very down to earth. I am going to recommend this book be the official book for my rescue league for recommended reading. Great job!!

A great book to help a new dog owner know what to expect in training and raising an adopted dog of any age. Straightforward, easy to read, and honest-but with a positive approach! The lists can be a bit tedious at the beginning-and I felt would be better suited to complete AFTER reading the book. Overall-a great book for all members of the family to read!

This book tops everything I have read to date about rescue/rehome dogs. The test to match a breed with the owner's life style is of paramount importance and is placed early in the book. I especially like the sections on how to prepare for a rescue dog, and on the adjustment period. These two very important aspects can be the making or breaking of a long-term relationship. The stories of rescue dogs and the pictures are heartwarming. The training information, so necessary for most rescue dogs, is easily read and understandable. I now recommend this book to everyone who comes to me for a rescue dog.

The kingdom of Arcane has a new ruler by the name of Anon, a king who imprisons the adults who oppose him and compels their children to work in supply a vast and growing army. When knights from the king of Luminaire fail to return from their mission to Arcane, he sends his last remaining knight -- his twelve year old son twelve-year-old Tyro. Tyro enters Arcane (wearing a suit of armor that glows in the light) and discovers that his father's knights have now become Arcanian soldiers. Tyro travels through the Arcane kingdom seeking to help the oppressed people he meets. Those that accept him find their armor also begins to glow. Ultimately there is a confrontation between King Anon and Tyro -- with the boy knight proving that he is his own father's son. Tyro is highly recommended reading for children and falls into that category of allegorical fiction comprised by such literary works as the Narnia Chronicles of C. S. Lewis.

Jesus taught his disciples many lessons through the use of parables. He explained great truths through simple stories that they could understand. Tyro is a wonderful allegory (parable) that talks about Luminaire (heaven), the king (God) and Tyro (Jesus). Ms. Zilliox weaves an exciting tale of how Tyro comes to Arcane, a kingdom of darkness, confronts the evil there and brings hope and deliverance.
I was hooked right from the very first page. From her descriptions, I could visualize this young 12-year-old warrior on his horse and all that he was seeing and experiencing. The character development was very suitable for a child's book. As an adult reader, you could feel the anxiety and hopelessness of the characters.
When Ms. Zilliox writes her next book, I would like to be on her mailing list. "Tyro" obviously was a labor of love.

Tyro is the first chapter book my four and a half year old son has "allowed" me to read to him. As I read he sits quietly looking away instead of demanding a picture. I think that he is just captivated by the story. He loves the fact that the hero is a boy, he loves the boy's horse and he loves listening about the "light." This story is powerful because it uses an allegory to explain deep spiritual concepts, concepts that aren't always easy for a child to understand. This wonderful story will help preschoolers and pre-teens understand the love God has for us. I recommend it as a great family reloud because it will help the family to dive into deep discussions that will impact family members for a lifetime.

Grandma is taking a little girl and her brother to the National Gallery of Art. As they walk in, the little girl hands her balloon to a nice photographer to hold for her, since balloons are not allowed inside. But as the three begin their tour of the gallery, the balloon comes loose and sails away..... You Can't Take a Balloon Into the National Gallery is a creative and inventive picture book that will entrance and mesmerize youngsters of all ages with its busy, expressive artwork, great attention to detail and famous Americans hidden in the pictures. The Preiss sister's marvelous and clever pen and ink illustrations, with bright color used only to highlight the chaos of the balloon's trip, parallels the tour inside the gallery, as life imitates art and art imitates life. This book includes a wonderfully detailed map of the balloon's route through D.C. and an answer key full of fun facts and historical notes for their hidden faces, at the end. It's impossible to open this book without finding something new and exciting that you've never seen before. For hours of fun, You Can't Take a Balloon Into the National Gallery is an adventure that will delight and amuse everyone in the family.

As I have just written in my 5-star review of "You Can't Take a Balloon to The Metropolitan Museum,": The really good news is that the Preiss sisters HAVE written another book and are working on a third. The second in this series, You Can't Take a Balloon to The National Gallery, is also fabulous. In fact, it is so good that, up until 2 weeks ago, my 3 year old would point out about twice a week that we had not been to the "Natural Gallery" when I asked her what we should do that day.

The only thing that changed since then is that I took her and her 1 year old sister to Washington last week, using the book as a guide book. If you think you like these books now, try using them as a template for a trip with your children! WOW!!!!!! What a wonderful way to get them ready for a trip and what a wonderful thing to carry the book with you, comparing what you are seeing to what you have read!!!! How great to go back to the hotel and see what you have seen and are going to see!!!! How great to get home and have an instant scrap book!!!!

With this experience behind us, we also can't wait until next Spring when You Can't Take a Balloon to The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston is scheduled to come out!

A profound success on many fronts. I'm totally taken by its creativity, cleverness, and messages. This book has adventure, drama, historical details -- I love the "Faces from History" part (plus the learning within them), as offered ever so playfully! At the same time, "You Can't Take A Balloon..." is warm and filled with great joy. If all learning was presented so refreshingly, we'd have a different world!

When I was little I used to watch the T.v series, The Animals Of Farthing Wood, and I loved it!!!!!!! It contributed to my love of animals and when I read this first book I found it even better!
This story of how the Animals OF Farthing Wood find their home being destroyed and have to leave is a remarkable tale of love as they have to learn to trust each other, including sneeky Adder. I love all the charcters, especially Fox, Vixen and extremly funny Weasel. This book made me laugh and cry (especially when the hedgehogs got run over!) and I stayed in my room reading for hours. It is definatly a must-read for anyone who loves animals. If you have kids, then read them this book! I benifited hugely from it! I still have the T.v series on tape, even though I hardly ever watch it I won't let anyone tspe over it!
The next books are just as good as the first, and I thouroughly enjoyed the prequel (The Animals Of Farthing Wood, The Adventure Begins.) The next books are great as we learn about Fox and Vixen's cubs (Bold, Friendly, Charmer and Dreamer). Bold runs away from the animal's new home White Deer Park seeking adventure and Charmer typicly falls in love with Scar Face's son Ranger. (Scar Face is her dad Foxe's arch enemy) It's an ace tale and I hope that Colin Dann writes some more books as I've read most of them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!xxx

This is a great book and is the best book I have ever read. The book is about a group of wildlife from Farthing Wood who,s homes are being destroyed. The animals do nothing about it untill the humans filled in the pond. Then they all meet in Badger,s set to discuss the problem together but nobody has any ideas untill Toad (who has been missing for over a year) returns and tells the animals that on his travels he came across a Nature Reserve called White Deer Park. The animals agree and the next night they leave led by Fox. But the creatures face many dangers and some die. I realy recommened this book. It is a wonderful tale.

The animals of Farthing Wood is a short but very amusing novel told from the view of a small group of woodland creatures intent on finding a new home. There arn't many books on in this type of category and I must say I fully enjoyed it. The tale goes of how Farthing wood, home of around two dozen creatures is in danger of being destroyed by man. Distraught, the animal's only way of surviving is by reaching a nature reserve - White Deer Park. Led by Fox (a main character)the group takes an oath to not eat each other and travel through danger after danger on their long journey. There are many sequels stemming from this book and the entire story has been adapted by a cartoon under the same name - one of the best I've seen at that. All in all this book is worth reading. An adventure of a different kind.

I bought this book last year for my then 3-yr-old and it was the first book that he absolutely loved. He still consistently chooses this one for a bed-time story. Why? Maybe it's the easy cadence and repetition of the words which allow him to "read" certain parts. Maybe it's the exceptional illustrations that keep us looking even a year later (see how many cat images you can find in the house). And he still laughs at the joke at the end. (I, too, like another reviewer, like the fact that a person of color takes the starring role, yet his race is irrelevant to the storyline. "He was a big man, he was a strong man" but there's no mention of the obvious fact that he's also a black man.)

My 5 year old daughter has just learned to read and adores this story. She loves the repetition of "He was a big man, he was a strong man" and the pictures greatly complement the text. She and I loved the ending the best. A great scary read aloud that your children will want to hear over and over throughout the years.

This is a wonderful book! It's great to see people of color in a book that doesn't really have anything to do with race! Kids will be scared out of their socks but there is a great lesson in these pages. This is a wonderful buy for children between the ages of 4 and 10.

I have been a Bret Hart fan since 1985 and it's so wonderful to see a book finally released about his incredible life. Bret is such an inspiration to so many people. Although I knew a majority of the facts in the book, there were several things I didn't know about, particularly regarding his career in the late 70s and early 80s. I definitely recommend this book to anybody who is a Hitman fan.

As I am Bret 'Hitman' Hart this book is defiantly a great one to buy. This is a true story of my wrestling career. I'm sure those of you who have purchased this book will have a great time reading it and find out why they call me the 'Hitman'!

I have been a fan of the hitman since 1985. He is an inspirational wrestler in my eyes. The one match I saw that same night I went into labor with my second child. March 3 1997. He was born March 4, 1997 and the Hitman has been a true wrestler in my families eyes.

Wow. This book had so many twists in it it left me spinning. I cant believe all the things that appen in this book. I was so mad about Matt at the end. I always hoped that from the first book when Kerri and Matt get together that they would always be together. I cant believe he turned out to be a jerk. I actually am secretly hoping that Matt and Kerri work things out. Pathetic, I know. But I cant help it. I wish Donna had never been born. She (stinks) and is utterly pathetic.

A while ago I read the third book in this series and loved it so much that I went back and got the first two. The very next day I bought the entire series of books available. I love this series! My only complaint is that they don't come out quick enough with new books..:) I can't wait for book 11 to come out. The characters and story lines are great, and real too. I'm a little older than HS age, but I still enjoy this series a lot. I tell everyone to check out these books regardless the age. If anyone has any idea when the next book comes out please let me know. I can hardly wait as it is...

I got all the turning seventeen books for christmas this year and I have LOVED the ones I have read so far (books 1-5) ....

... these are the best books! their about 4 best friends in their senior year in high school, their falling in love and facing dificult isues in their lives!

I love the title of this book, a collection of Jacqueline Mitchard's newspaper columns, which are published every Sunday in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

She has had quite a life: adopted a child, then was able to have three children of her own. Her husband died, quite young and very quickly, of cancer. She then adopted another child, the story of which was very moving. She then re-married and adopted yet again. In addition to writing a weekly column, she has also written several best-selling novels.

I think her columns are very well done and usually strike a note that is familiar to my life or the life of someone I know. I actually like them more than her fiction. The columns are alternately nostalgic, funny, wry, sad, bittersweet. She is a very clever observer of family life and the things in our world which affect families.

Here are the titles of some of her columns/articles in this book:

*Loneliness of the Long-Distance Talker
*Dare to say "Underwear" - about ordering from Victoria's Secret catalog when a male order-taker answers the phone
*My Son the Warrior
*When You're Out with the In Crowd
*The Mother of My Child
*Tragedy in a Bottle
*My Best Buds, the Brontes
*The Citadel:Disgrace Under Pressure
*Home Cooking in the Drive-thru Lane
*Tupperware is Life
*The Great Green Garage Sale

I think almost anyone would enjoy reading these columns and highly recommend it.

I've never read Jacquelyn Mitchard's columns in newspapers, what I did read was her brilliant first novel "The Deep End of the Ocean". Then I opened this book, read "Better Scared Than Scarred" & I couldn't put it down. Jacqelyn Mitchard is a kindred spirit, someone with an ineffably wry, dry, poignant sense of humor. Who sees an outrage & decides to humor it; who has life catch at her throat & writes like her life depended on it, which it does. A must read for anyone who thinks their own life is drab! For my full review please go to: ( )

I am reading "The Rest of Us" now and can relate to so many of Ms. Mitchard's essays. She has a gift for immortalizing the precious little moments of motherhood that we tend to forget in the busyiness of our daily lives. She is the "Every Mother" of the '90's and I wish our newspaper carried her column. Some days I could really use her clear vision and wry humor.

This is an excellent book, however, it is NOT spiral bound as noted in the previous review. It is a large-scale paperback book in two colors, black and red. Fabulous examples with lots of notes on how to form individual letters.

This attractive, information-packed book inspired me at a time when I was ready to drop calligraphy. It focuses on increasing the intermediate calligrapher's repertoire of alphabets, rather than on introductory material. The variety of beautifully lettered alphabets provide inspiration for many projects. I highly recommend it.

I highly recommed this book to all my students, for several reasons. First, an amazing fact is that most "how-to" calligraphy books are written by bad calligraphers. Jacqueline Svaren has a good, crisp, well-practiced hand that is worth immitating. Second, the entire book is hand written in calligraphy by her and is reproduced actual size with no corrections, so you can see real-life problems and solutions (yes, there are a few cross-outs!) - this isn't retouched perfection. Third, with every letter there are wonderfully helpful notes, explaining complex shapes or warning of common problems. Finally, the book weaves in a good deal of calligraphy history, which helps the student gain a better understanding of how the forms developed. Highly recommended.