A book that details what Bill Honig, the former California State Superintendent of Education, took as a given in the hearts and minds of administrators in California when he initially suggested incorporating the "Whole Language Literature-Based" approach to reading instruction. The outline above gives you an overview of the areas that mid-level administrators chose to throw out in "implementing" what were meant to be the supplemental suggestions of Whole Language.

In addition to spelling out the basics for a generation of teachers who missed (or were forbidden to use) them, this book details the horror that Mr. Honig felt after seeing ideas meant to improve an already existing and workable system egregiously misapplied by the buzzword harpies of the midlevels of the educational establishment fluttering from one new idea to another without a sense of continuity or connection, in a rush to appear intellectually modish and to appear to bring their districts "into compliance with" state educational standards, but who had gotten their information not from the source, but from diluted summaries, memos, and seminars. Under what Whole Language came to be after this trickling down of misinformation, we saw principals entering classrooms and seizing the old grade-level spellers that teachers hid like contraband in the bottoms of their desk drawers. Hopefully this book will bring awareness of the balance between phonics and contextual cues that make up reading skills by warning those who read it of the dangers of shrieking "Out with the old! In with the new!" and do something to now help retain the good that is to be found in Whole Language while reinstituting the basic skills that precede the ability to make guesses about the text, which then precedes the ability to draw meaning from and make inferences about the text.

The question remaining is: Are there now enough people out there with the ability to read and understand the book

CORE Teaching Reading Resourcebook is a superior book to use as a reference in the classroom. It supports all areas of reading in grades K-8. Also it has wonderful advice about ELL students. Not only does this book have information about teaching reading, but it has hands on teaching methods that are proven practices. Some of the larger areas of the book are word structure, sound/print connection, decoding, spelling, vocabulary development, comprehension, reading and responding, and differentiated instruction. CORE Teaching Reading Resourcebook greatly compliments Words Their Way, another must have book. One downfall about this book is the page numbering system, but as you work from the book it becomes less difficult.

My first book was given to me from the California Reading and Literature Project and I'm buying another copy for my son, who is also a teacher. I would recommend this book to any teacher interested in improving their knowledge of teaching reading. I often review my teaching strategies with this book before finalizing my lesson plans.

"Want A Ride?" is an excellent book to read to young children. It captures their attention with the intriguing cover of a clever crocodile asking an innocent kitten, "Want a Ride?" The cover catches and holds the child's interest as to what will happen to this little kitten-especially as they very well know what a hungry crocodile will do! The pictures are expressive and indicate action-which the newest research in reading indicates holds attention and motivates children to listen/read to find out more of what will happen. Playing the trick on friends carries the interest to the end and allows the child to THINK , Indeed! Who is smaller than an ant? The predictable sequence of events also carries the child's interest to the unexpected and delightful conclusion of small helpless ant tricking the crocodile. After reading, the children will eagerly ask to see the book to look at the pictures again! It is a book the child will keep on the shelf and read again and again. As reading skills develop, I would predict that the child would be eager to read it back to you to demonstrate skill and to say "SEE I CAN READ!" 3/14/99 submitted by Glenda K. Al-Shabibi

The book "Barn Dance" by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault is a cute book for kids. It lets them know that all things arent scary. Like scarecrows, for instance, arent scary their just to keep the crows away. Also if you child was scared of animals, this book might teach them there is nothing to be afraid of. It also is a very catchy book with all the rhymes and pictures. I was very pleased with it.

Scarecrows aren't really scary unless you're a crow -- or a preschooler. My son was terrified of scarecrows until we found this book. Now, it's torn and tattered, and a favorite of both my boys and their older sister. It's the story of what goes on in the barn when (almost) everyone in the farmhouse is sleeping.

All except the skinny kid with questions in his head, Much too full of wonderment to spend the night in bed, He was up about and list'nin'. . . . . .when the night owl said, Come a little closer. . . Come a little closer. . . Listen to the night. . . There's magic in the air. . . The skinny kid can hear the sound of fiddle strings, and he looks out his window to see the scarecrow leading all the animals into the barn for a hoe-down. Intrigued, the skinny kid sneaks into the barn and hides. Pretty soon, though, the scarecrow spots him and invites him to join in.

Out came the skinny kid, a-tickin' an' a-tockin' An' a hummin' an' a-yeein' an' a rockin' an' a sockin'. An' he danced his little toe through a hole in his stockin'! By this point in the story, my kids are itchin' to get up and dance, too. But, as the night owl points out, the magic can only last so long. The skinny kid sneaks back into his bed in the farmhouse to watch the sunrise. It might have been a dream, except for that hole in his sock.

In addition to the wonderful verse that sets toes a-tappin', my kids love the illustrations. My three-year-old always points out the skinny kid's progress as he sneaks out of the house, past the hound dog, into the barn, and back. All the kids giggle at the whirling pigs, who get so dizzy that they all fall down.

Brilliant illustrations. The writing takes you into the story, which is exciting & fun. Get it, you won't be dissapionted!

Granny D is real. That's the highest praise I can bestow. You feel you've met the real person and that she's presented herself, warts and all. I actually read this book with pen in hand, marking points to write down to form a synopsis of her wit and wisdom for later reference. This is certainly not something I do more than once in a decade. I'd expected more of a description of the walk itself, and less of a memoir, but I was delighted with what I got. I loved her and the people she met along the way. Though she and I have differing viewpoints on several issues, I thoroughly respected her and was nearly overwhelmed with the magnitude of her undertaking and her optimism.

This is an inspiring story on two levels: as a chronicle of an elder woman's courageous effort to mobilize attention and action to the cause of campaign finance reform, which she considers a step in the redemocratizing of America; and as her spiritual autobiography, the summation of her life experience and perspective.

Granny D speaks to me when she says that "people have a great, unmet need that expresses their passions and values . . . they think they are being cheated out of that life--that they will die and it will have passed them by. They see an old woman doing something she believes in, and she somehow carries this ineffable something for them. Our shallow culture makes us people of great longing, for we are not always provided with opportunities to live out our most meaningful beliefs."

What begins as a journal of her remarkable trek, walking along roadsides at the pace of ten miles a day from California to Washington DC, transforms into another kind of account, the inner journey that brought her to this enterprise, the singular incidents and loving relationships that shaped and fostered her through her long life. By the end of this book, she can examine both her triumphs and trials and ask, "Do we see who we are, finally? Do we see, behind the curtain, the scars and insecurities that have controlled us? And when we see them and look them squarely in the eye, do they lose their power over us, backing down from their bullying bluster? Indeed they do. We become free to take our life in whatever shape it has become, and find a good and enjoyable use for it, serving others and ourselves."

Granny D shows that old age doesn't have to be synonymous with dotage, with being passive and indifferent to our world, to what goes on around us--to what the future may hold. She shows that age and accompanying infirmities are, at worst, inconvenience, not an excuse to block or ignore the desires of the heart and the active mind. She demonstrates, no matter the immediate outcome, the power of one. And she reminds me of a remark attributed to the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., that if one does not have a cause to live for, then one has no reason to die.

Granny D's book is not about politics but it is about citizenship, patriotism, and real life. She sets the tone at the very beginning of the book and sticks with it.

"If you are not much interested in campaign finance reform -- the reason for my protest walk -- do not worry: I will not pester you too much about it as we journey together between these covers. You will not need imaginary earplugs I hope, just a good imaginary good hat."

Plainly, Granny D intends to become everyone's grandma during her walk. And, she does it. You'll just love her!

Birthdays are intensely personal events, some happy, others bittersweet. This book provides insights into how celebrities reacted to, celebrated, mulled over and contemplated their own birthdays or those of relatives and friends. Among the little-known tales: What Bob Dylan did on his 30th, Marilyn Monroe's "steamy" rendition of "Happy Birthday" to her "friend," JFK, the gift sci-fi writer Isaac Asimov bought for himself and the birthday poem Anne Frank's father wrote her while the family was hiding from the Nazis. It's a gift book that both entertains and puts perspective into birthdays.

Dr. Hoffman has brought together a myriad of highly articulated statements offering insight into the heart and soul of graduating. The hallmark of every entry is a love of life, a call to the unselfish creative life,the conquest of fear,and of the goodness and nobility of serving others.

When one reads a Hoffman book one must be prepared to think deeply and to consider the well spring of your life. Every selection offers a taste of wisdom. Practicality is clearly stated and spirituality too. The Creative Spirit of Life can be seen hidden deeply in the words and pages of this splendid gift book.

If one wants to turn "Graduation Day" into a spiritual event that addresses the inmost heat and soul of a person,,,then this book is a true gift to the soul of the graduate.

It would be a wise "graduate" that considered the meaning of this marvelous little book and it would be a wise SOUL that offered this treasure as a gift to a graduate. I recomend it.

I used this text in an independent study course, and found that while it taught me basic grammar principles, it was confusing as it didn't use the traditional names for these principles. For example, subjunctive forms were called "non-factual." It explained what a noun, verb, sentence, and independent clause were. This is most helpful for someone who has never learned a foreign language before, but for someone who has a solid grounding in grammar, this book is a bit too simple.

I have used this book to supplement my own book, German Quickly:
A Grammar for Reading German, and I have found the explanations
extremely helpful and the readings more interesting than the
standard textbook fare. Initially, the book looked scary, even to me, and I teach German! Therefore, I think it is more useful as a review book than as an introductory grammar. For the price, it's an excellent value, and a useful reference for anyone seriously interested in reading German scholarly texts.

I stumbled across this wonderful book and hesitated buying, and I'm glad I ended up taking it home. My husband and I shared reading this book outloud to each other, and there were times I couldn't read because I was laughing so hard. It's a perfect book for reading at the beach, or up at the lake cabin. The characters gelled together so well and the authors style of writing was delightful. The chapters were short and I looked forward to each escapade. The list of "good reads" was helpful to me. All in all I thoroughly enjoyed the book and found it quite unique. I heartily recommend it!

This enchanting book is made up of vignettes from the points of view of two bachelor brothers who own a bed & breakfast, as well as the perspectives of many of their visitors. I had a lot of trouble putting this one down because I looked forward to reading what new insights the characters might have. The format made it even more difficult to put down, as it is made up of short sections, leading me to constantly think, "Just one more chapter, then I'll do something else...!" I loved the observations in the book, and found myself calling up people I knew or typing short excerpts into emails just to share the delight with them. Many of the excerpts were funny, many were thoughtful, a few were sad, but all were interesting. This one is definitely worth the read!

I was browsing the local (independant) bookstore shelves the other day and this little gem veritably leapt off the shelves into my hand. I read over the back cover and was sufficiently intrigued to carry it to the till and purchase it. I must say it's one of the best buys I've made in a long time. This book has been described as whimsical - I find this little paperback a work of comic genius. It is no surprise to me that it was awarded the Stephen Leacock Award... it's a well deserved win.

The ever-endearing Canadian charm that holds us in high esteem about the world shines through this brilliant penning. It is laugh-out-loud funny... particularly the eccentric Mrs. Rochester. One of my fave sections of the book is the birthday serenade by bagpipes. Thankfully I hadn't finished my coffee and needed a toilet break whilst reading that segment. Brilliant writing and my kudos to Mr. Richardson. I look forward to reading more of his work. 'Bachelor Brothers' has instantly become one of my all-time favorite novels. Can't recommend this title highly enough!

What makes this book so valuable is that you'll really use it! Written in easy-to-read "kitchen table English," Bill Jensen delivers on two fronts: Simplicity is both a how-to guidebook and a powerful tool for changing how we think about knowledge work.

For example: My team and I have vastly improved how we communicate using Jensen's five behavioral questions. And our senior execs just used the book at an offsite to discuss how to build a simpler company so people can work smart enough fast enough. Buy it. Use it. Change how you work.

Many of us like our 'knowledge work', but we face an endless source of competing priorities and demands. So I was delighted to read Bill Jensen's book, Simplicity. His work puts into words what we've been feeling and thinking as employees and managers. He brings clarity and organization to what makes work so complex. Even better, he provides practical ways for figuring out what to do in our world of infinite choices. He shows what we and our organizations can do to progress right now and to build-in longer term solutions. I started using his ideas before I'd finished reading his book (e.g., "storytelling as a business tool" in explaining strategy and plans). The organization and design of the book-summaries, lists, tables, graphics-speeds understanding and facilitates rereading for key messages.

I particularly like Jensen's ideas on working smarter by designing smarter work-taking a user-centered approach (e.g., consulting employees) to ensure that work tools, processes and information are grounded in what we need; and by using time differently-making the complex clear, e.g., via clear goals, objectives and priorities, with ongoing dialogue, and smarter tools, so we can "...spend a lot less time on the things that don't matter and more time on the things that do." I work in a group whose role is to help organizations better understand, manage and communicate about risk. Jensen's ideas can help us significantly in our and our clients' work to create and sustain a risk-smart workforce and environment.

The high quality of 'Simplicity' stands out immediately- it's truly useful, multi-disciplinary and multi-level, supported by deep evidence, very attractively presented & reader-centric, and very up-to-date & net-aware without suffering vendor/consulting or armchair-theorist bias. Suitable for all levels within business, consulting and academia, 'Simplicity' is filled with insights, exercises and tools to help clarify, simplify and energise towards smarter companies (leaving time for things that matter).

The concise, provocative, action-centred content covers:

*Section 1 (the aha)- defining simplicity, complexity and the need for change.

*Section 2 (simpler workdays)- using time, planning, contracting, listening & scanning, and engaging.

*Section 3 (simpler companies)- customer-centric knowledge, building feeling of trust, content design for decision use, project design to do something, and succeeding with simpler navigation.

*Section 4 (simpler futurework)- changing the structure of companies.

A few favorite parts include: defining business complexity (causes include: integration of change, knowledge management, communication, technology and unclear goals & objectives); the focus on customer-facing associates driving restructuring processes; the behavioral communication model (relevance? specific actions? measures & consequences? tools & support? benefits to self?); and the message map for storytelling (our burning platform, where we are, success this year, and our destination).

A key strength is the presentation (font sizes & emphasis, illustration, chapter punchlines, tables, exercises, tools, lack of jargon, and sufficient anecdotes), and great potential for use as a 'work book' rather than shelf-book. Many of the common-sense examples and suggestions span the same domain as 'Futurize Your Enterprises' by Siegel (amongst others), with both more evidence and more useful tools.

Recommended highly for getting rid of the "noise", and best using your 1440 minutes per day.

My daughter who will be two next month, would not sit through the entire book. Actually after 3 pages she loses interest. They are too many words on each page.

This book is so much fun to read, I'm not sure who enjoys it more, me or my 20 month old daughter. It's a great bedtime book! Not only has my daughter thoroughly enjoyed the content, but she is already able to recognise letters and all the Pooh characters. I highly recommend this book for it's easy, fun reading. The little rhyme associated with each letter of the alphabet is absolutely adorable!!!

In the Lexington Park Library in southern Maryland , alphabet books and Winnie-the Pooh books are two perennial high demand items from customers three feet and under. I was delighted to find Don Ferguson's Disney's Winnie-the-Pooh's A to Zzzz , which admirably fills both needs in one handy volume. The book jacket states that Ferguson "has been putting words in the mouths of Disney characters since 1976." He does a superb job here supplying words for Winnie-the Pooh, Rabbit, Eeyore, Piglet, Tigger and friends. Each page features a large capital letter of the alphabet, and a four line rhyme that captures the gentle, humorous essence of A.A. Milne's original Winnie-the Pooh characters. The verses are brought to life on each page by the vividly colorful illustrations of Bill Langley and Diana Wakeman. These bright pictures depict Winnie-the Pooh and pals enjoying each other's company in homey activities in the Hundred-Acre Wood, through all seasons of the year. We join in all kinds of fun including a birthday party, a walk through the snowy woods, some kite flying, and, of course, a hunt for honey! So, treat yourself and your toddlers to some alphabet fun. "C is for Carrots, D is for door," with Disney's Winnie-the-Pooh's A to Zzzz, they're sure to want more!