In our house Liz Larrabee's book is one that never collects dust on a shelf.The book has a permanent place of honor on the coffee table where anyone can (and DOES) pick it up and enjoy the marvelous talent of this exceptional writer. This is a book for young and old alike, for poetry lovers and for those whose eyes glaze over at the mere mention of the word. Liz has a style and flair that is both outstanding and pleasing, and in this book the heart of the poet sings out from every page. Anyone who doesn't have the book....by all means get it. You will not regret the choice. I have purchased several as gifts to family and friends, and they, in turn, have placed orders for still more. Kudos, Liz....your work is exquisite !

I have almost read the covers off Liz Larrabee's book. And I'm not stopping there....My husband, who would rather eat scorpions than read poetry, after hearing me read a few excepts from the book aloud, snatched my copy and would not return it until he had finished the entire book. Thank you, Liz, for being able to get inside our hearts and our heads. Masterful!

Liz Larrabee proves that the writer in all of us flowers when the ability to tap into memories is transformed into art. Her individual memory poems, short stories and nonfiction pieces are gems of language, imagination and humor. But, they rise to something greater in synergy to reveal a remarkable woman whose journey from Massachusetts to Florida takes her around the world, exploring its mysteries and people with her pen and her camera. Growing up in a time when money was scarce, young Liz finds glamour at dancing school and excitement in walking the rails of the Boston and Maine, always reaching for the brass ring of endless possibilities propelled by sharp intelligence and limitless curiosity. Married then divorced, she accepts the formidable challenges of single motherhood, often thumbing her nose at adversity with wit, wisdom, courage and vigor. Whether Larrabee is recalling a failed movie date on December 7, 1941, the shape of her hardworking mother's hands, or a Christmas with five children and no money, one that ends in the triumph of love, she touches the heart and stimulates the mind. Here is a writer who had this reader laughing through my tears, crying through my laughter and begging for more.

I love Edward Lear's story and James Marshall's illustrations are magical. I don't like the version with Jan Brett's illustrations. I've never liked Jan Brett's illustrations. I've spent hundreds of hours looking at children's books and I always pass over Jan Brett's books. Her illustrations just don't appeal to me. Her illustrations are distinctive and I can always recognize her work but I don't like them. There is just something missing--they don't have any life to them or something. I can't explain it. I have always loved James Marshall. His genius transcends understanding. His illustrations complement Ed Lear's beautiful tale perfectly.

A very good illustrated version of the classic poem- the pictures are beautiful with a distinctly exotic flavour, great for all ages!

This book is just so cool. Longing for a trip to the tropics? Read this version of the book to your little one and you can at least feel like you are there. The illustrations are really sweet. They have a lot of details so that kids kind find new things with each reading. My two-year old loves this book. It is a great twist on an old tale

I agree with those who say that this is the best book out of the four. It's definitely the most complex, and has the most character development. Mark, who was an abused child long before that became a catch-phrase, is sketched out wonderfully. Oren's sister, who he mentioned early on, must have been a good influence on him, because he's resilient, kind and intelligent, despite what he has to put up with from Oren. I agree with Rush when he said the Melendys were the lucky ones, to get Mark for a brother!

Although I did think Rush was pretty rude, barging in every day while the girls were canning, and demanding to be fed immediately! Did he think that just because Mona and Randy didn't have a five-course meal ready and waiting, that they were going to let the guys starve? And it's not like they'd been doing nothing! God bless Mr. Titus for helping them out!

My favorite bits were when Rush and Mark spy on Oren and his pals at the still---that was real adult talk, but still appropriate for a kids' book: not easy to bring off---and the auction and fair. I loved when the Delacey brothers showed up and bid on the boar. "The three of them should be very happy together"---good one, Willy!

And I felt so bad for Oliver when he fell down the well! That was a good device, too. For so long, he'd gotten so little attention because he didn't demand any, and look what finally happened. It forced the other kids to realize how much they cared about him, and show it, and they handled it themselves, showing how capable they were. Good for them!

And I also liked when Cuffy was leaving to visit her cousin and had to cram weeks worth of nagging into an hour. "Close the windows whenever it rains! (Duh!) Call me long distance if anything goes wrong! (And that will help, how?) Don't forget to feed the DOGS! (Like they'd let you!)"

The third Melendy novel has a darker undertone than the preceding two, with the introduction of Mark Herron, a lonely orphan befriended by Rush and Randy, and his guardian-cousin, the fearsome Oren Meeker. There are thrills and heart-clutchers a-plenty--Rush and Mark spying on an illegal whiskey still, a vividly described house fire--but they're nicely leavened by the lighter incidents like the character of Mr. Jasper Titus, rural gourmand, and the resolve of Mona and Randy to undertake the canning of the family's victory-garden produce. And in the end everything comes out right, as it should in a juvenile. This is the book to which Enright was leading up with the previous two, and perhaps the best she wrote. The whole trilogy would make a splendid miniseries on TV (is any executive reading this? I'll even do the script!).

This excellent children's book (and at 24, I still enjoy it!) is superbly written and quirkily illustrated by Enright herself. She brings to life once again, the four Melendy children -- Mona, the beautiful, vain, Shakespearean actress in training, Rush, the erratic piano prodigy, Randy, the kindhearted painter/dancer and Oliver, the chubby young entomologist in the making. It's hard to describe the continuing ability to fascinate, the mesmeric hold these pleasantly told, often quietly funny pages have for the reader, even when one reads the book over and over again. The addition of a new member of the family makes for great adventure and an unexpected element of danger in a book by Enright.

This book is great for ages 3-7. Dumpy wants to be a dancer but no one thinks he should be because he is a pig. This book has very good illustrations and is very easy to read. At the end EVERYBODY starts to dance! That is why we gave it five stars.

I have given this book several times to children in the 6-8 year range and all have enjoyed it thoroughly (especially children who like to dance). The verse is delightful, the animals charming, and the message is very positive. If you want to give a gift but are afraid that the child has many of the older classic picture books, this one is a great choice.

This is a great book for kids, adults and music lovers. The story is a good lesson in believing in your dreams and trying to achieve them! Despite who you are or what you are, you can do most anything. This story has become one of our family favorite read-aloud books! Buy one for your favorite music teacher, too!

"I am a mouse, a white mouse. My name is Emmaline. Before I met Emily, the great poet of Amherst, I was nothing more than a crumb gatherer, a cheese nibbler, a mouse-of-little-purpose. There was an emptiness in my life that nothing seemed to fill. All that changed the day I moved into the Dickinson residence on Main Street..." Emmaline moves into the simple, quiet, sunny upstairs bedroom, and begins her new life in the wainscoting of Emily's room. She observes the Dickinson family, and is most fascinated by her new roommate, Emily. "She always wore white. She seemed to be everywhere and nowhere at once, fluttering through the house like a ghost, stirring up a batch of gingerbread in the kitchen, or walking in the garden, lost in reverie..." Emily is always sitting at her little desk in deep concentration, writing and scribbling on small scraps of paper, and this intrigues the little mouse. When a small scrap finally lands on the floor near Emmaline's door, she snatches it up and begins reading. "Imagine my surprise when I realized I was holding a poem! The words spoke to me. These were my feelings exactly, but ones I had always kept hidden for fear the world would think me a sentimental fool..." Emmaline turns the paper over and words begin to pour out of her; a poem of her own. Then she returns the scrap with her new poem on the back to Emily's desk. That night while Emmaline slept, Emily read her poem and wrote back, slipping the note paper under her little mouse door. "I'm Nobody! Who are you?/Are you-Nobody-too/Then there's a pair of us!/Don't tell! they'd banish us-you know!..." And that, as they say, was the beginning of a beautiful friendship..... Elizabeth Spires has written an engaging, gentle, and evocative introduction to the great poet, Emily Dickinson. Her charming and creative story, told often in poems passed back and forth between mouse and Myth, is sometimes poignant, often humorous, and always enlightening. Claire Nivola's black and white sketches complement the text beautifully, and together word and art paint a lovely portrait of the elusive and reclusive Dickinson and her genius, with great insight. Perfect for youngsters 9-12, The Mouse Of Amherst makes an even better read aloud book the entire family can share, and includes an Author's note about Emily Dickinson's life and her poetry to augment and enhance the story and open interesting discussions. This sweet little treasure is sure to whet the appetite of both young and old, and send kids out looking for more. It works well as a companion book to Jeanette Winter's Emily Dickinson's Letters To The World, and Michael Bedard's Emily.

Emmaline is a mouse who lives in a house in Emily Dickinson's room. They become friends very quickly and write poems together.

This was an excellent book, and I recommend it to everyone.

Emmaline is a mouse who lives behind the wainscoting of Emily Dickinson's bedroom and is a small, but courageous writer. The Mouse Of Amherst is a unique and effective little story for young children that aptly introduces wonderful poetry woven into the warm and superbly crafted story. Illustrations by Claire A. Nivola are perfect augmentations to Elizabeth Spires's engaging and memorable tale.

This book is a great incite into the times of elizabeth the first. Written from the perspective of Elizabeths cousin, this was an honest, enlightening and interesting book. It has certainly got me gripped on the British monarchys history. Elizabeth is seen to be a domineering, spoilt person but yet extremely loyal to friends, family and her favourite servants. She is torn between the love of the charming Robert Dudley and her obsession not to have to share her crown.

this is a really wonderful book. it's so descriptive and it feels as if you are looking through an window of Tudor England and seeing everything, from a jewel on a queen's splendid crown to the look in a man's confident eyes. Lettice tells her story so well, and makes the characters so real and believable. It is a good mix of entertainment and history.

It was refreshing to see Queen Elizabeth from a different point of view; you always hear her described as "Good Queen Bess". Of course, we are shown through this book that the Queen wasn't as good and sweet as everyone thought she was. Granted, though, she was still brilliant.

It was also interesting to see more about the Queen's "favorites". Overall, I would highly reccomend this book.

... My biblethumping sisters and I are always debating the issue of reincarnation and this book provided validation for me. Reincarnation just makes sense all around..I have never believed in the "all or nothing christian dogma". ...this book has made me feel so much better about myself and my life.

This was an excellent book with excellent information that clarifies a lot on how the teachings on re-encarnation (tought in hinduism, for example) came to be removed from the orginal teachings in early Christianity. Gives a lot of history that on what happened to a faction of early christian mystics that followed the teachings of Christ and how politics got involved in to what you are now tought. A most read for anyone who wants to know.

This is the most interesting and well documented work I have read about the missing link between Reincarnation and Christianity. Besides being informative and entertaining, it also opens your eyes to the history of the manipulation by the Catholic Church, and other Christian denominations, of the true teachings of Christ about life, death and the beyond.

I get a new Christmas Story book every year. I stumbled across this one several years ago and it instantly became my favorite. I look forward to reading the message each year and it is now a favorite gift to give to friends.

I am 6 years old and my mom read this book to me tonight. This book is not scary. It's good because it teaches you about the love of Jesus Christ.

This poignant tale of a generous little tree who gives wholly of himself to those around him reminds us all of the true message of Christmas and the sacrifice that each parent makes for his child. It's a moving legend for all ages and a wonderful gift for loved ones.

"Time does not pass in a clock's ticking; oh no! It goes like gusts of wind past the north corner of a house. Stay in the sun on the south side and you never know a wind is blowing, but breast around the north corner, and it will jerk your breath from out of your ribs. It is blowing, but you don't notice it; always time is passing, but you don't notice it . . ."

The passage of time is what makes this book a pleasant read, and utterly depressing. There are few resolutions to the catastophies that occur throughout the story, leaving you with a sunken feeling of the depressing events and little to get you out of it. With much birthing and deathing, there are few rejoiceful passages in the book. However, the rewards of this read include watching time give Cean a new lease on life (though permamently hardened by the toils of her life in the rural Georgia (Georgy)) and Margot temporary happiness in her mid-life (though eventually hardend by the events that unfold before her).

The book suffers from a lack of depth in certain aspects of the story. Just as you are feeling pulled in by the characters, the author jumps ahead a year in time and instead of developing the story lists the children that were born to a character in the interim. In addition, you can only see glimpses of Miller's ability to write poignant passages (as the one above)- most of the words are much more straight forward and anxious.

However, if you read past some of the low points, you will get to the ending that is more clever than the rest of the novel.

Lamb in His Bosom is superb, but nonetheless if Gayle K Garrison had done her research she would undoubted have found that Miss Miller did write another novel called 'Lebanon'.

Caroline Miller's Lamb In His Bosom is a truly beautiful read. The unforgettable characters, the story line, the beautiful prose and dialect, all these make it the perfect book about the South and Southerners.
The book is set in Georgia about twenty years before the War Between the States, and eventually leads up to the War. The story revolves around the life and thoughts of Cean Smith (nee Carver), and how she manages as a young wife and mother in the Georgia backwoods. Her life is marked by hard work, love for her husband, and birthing, raising, and burying her babies.
I was first struck by the dialect. The more I read, the more I recognized my own mother's speech patterns and idioms. I should have expected as much, seeing as she was born and raised in a Kentucky holler, in a situation not far removed from that of Lamb's Cean and Lonzo. From the book's excellent afterward (which describes Miller's research technique), as well as from numerous contemporaneous reviews, the dialect in Lamb is probably the best record available of pre-War Between the States Southern speech, and the book therefore has historical value. Attempts by authors to portray "Southern-speak" usually come off as irritating, even insulting, poor imitations of a "Hee-Haw" script. But Miller makes the dialect not only effective, she makes it beautiful and even honorable.
The story line has several elements to commend the book. First is the utter believablity of the situations. There is nothing outrageous about the vicissitudes encountered by these characters. The power of the story is contained in large measure in the very plainess of life in the setting. Life for these folks is a few years of hard toil to scratch out an existence that is punctuated by brief moments of happiness and made joyful by enduring family ties and precious generational memories. Most prevalent in the story is the ubiquitous presence of death, which spares neither the elderly, the middle-aged, and especially the children and babies. The story made me remember the grave yards at my Alma Mater in southern Virginia, where the grave markers tell a story of a time when families had more deceased children than most people today have living relatives. And in this is the Southern heart most eloquently displayed in Lamb, for every passing is, of course, cause for mourning, but is also occasion to remember the blessing that death has become, as it is the Door that leads to the long hoped for encounter with the Great Maker, Redeemer, and Disposer of All. In Lamb, dread death is not feared as it gives way to Blessed Transfiguration.
Lamb In His Bosom has a rightful place in the Southern Canon. The story is unique; it has no real plot sublety or intricacy; it has none of disturbing Gothicity of O'Connor, none of the flagellation of Faulkner, none of the contrived humor of Welty. This in NO WAY is a diminution of those great Southern writers. Rather, it is a confirmation of the Southern Character and Ethos of seeing God and nature as good and living in close connection to both even in the face of hardship and death, loving our living, and honoring our dead. Lamb In His Bosom deserves to read, carefully and quietly. It is a book that is beautifully simple and simply beautiful, just like the South and Southerners.

Elizabeth Gilbert is a talented writer and some of these stories in this collection are absolutely terrific. These stories will capture your imagination. There were several that I wished Gilbert would have made into novels. I really enjoyed reading these stories, but I did read Stern Men, her novel, first and as strong as these stories are, Stern Men is even stronger, so I was a little disappointed. All in all, however, this is a terrific collection by a very talented writer and I look forward to seeing more of her work.

A friend's interest in Gilbert spurned me to read this short story collection, which I found very enjoyable. Gilbert has a way of creating a very vivid scene and situation, so as to wrap your interest around the characters promptly. Then, naughty as it is, she ends her stories almost always leaving you to wonder how everything will play out. It's more that she's giving you a glimpse into another world, rather than relating a brief story from beginning to end.

After always looking forward to reading Ms. Gilbert's funny/intellegent/quirky articles in SPIN magazine (who she sadly doesn't seem to write for anymore) the high quality of this book wasn't much of a surprise. The charaters are well formed and easy to empathize with. The fact that all the stories dwell on the same theme of lonliness and searching for connection, it reads more like a novel than a randomly selected set of stories. If you liked this, read her articles on Chinese Dams, Feminist Pornography and Renesance Faires in SPIN, or her essay on Buckle Bunnies in the KGB Reader. I can't wait for her novel to come out.