North of Nowhere is a coming of age story with a twist. What distinguishes it from others of its type is the author's ability as writer. William Reid is a VERY good writer who tells a story in engaging style.

Darren Freeman is 17 years old and heading down a destructive path. The product of an upper middle class family, Darren is a "pot head" who doesn't seem to give a damn about anything but smoking dope and defying or embarrassing his social climbing parents.

Carrie Spears is main "caretaker" of irresponsible, alcoholic parents. At 17, all she can remember is cleaning up vomit and the messes created by the adults in her world. Life has not been pretty or easy for Carrie, and she trusts no one but herself. Life at home and on the streets has hardened her to everything and everyone.

As a last ditch effort to change their outlooks, Darren and Carrie's parents send them to the Grizzly Bear Adventure Outings in the Alaskan wilderness. Camp Counselor Gary Cornwall is a military wannabe who uses shock tactics as a means of bringing rebellious teenagers to heel. He is not a man Darren and Carrie find easy to like or respect, and Cornwall soon finds he's bitten off more than he can chew with these two strong-willed teens. When Darren and Carrie escape the camp and strike out on their own, Cornwall fails to track them down and they are left on their own to survive the Alaskan wilderness.

The tale this author spins is an exciting one, about two fearless teens who work together as a team to survive and finally thrive as human beings. Their respect for each other's strengths and weaknesses is touching and uplifting. Whatever nature throws at them - bears and freezing blizzards, near mortal wounds or icy rivers - these two young people take in stride and face together. Love blooms, but is mutually put on hold because survival is their foremost common goal. From Alaskan natives who befriend them, they discover universal truths that give their lives fuller meaning:
1. Alaska and the world have become a zoo the white man left by accident.
2. The killing of animals is not glorious but a necessity to feed humans. It leaves the hunter sad and shaken.

How Darren and Carrie come to a richer understanding of themselves and the world over time is the beauty of this story. I highly recommend it to all ages.

a friend gave me this book as a shower gift, and it has become a great favorite in our house. Before he knew his body parts, he loved the rhyme. Now at 19 months he loves to play along, touching each body part as we read. A really sweet book!

The book "The Fairy Rebel" by Lynn Reid Banks is a lively and amusing book about Tikki, a rebellious fairy with a kind heart, Jan, a beautiful, friendly person who longs for a daughter, Charlie, Jan's caring husband and the evil, tyrant queen of the fairies. The story starts out when Tikki flies down and lands on Jan's foot, while Jan was sitting in her garden. The two meet a few times and Jan tells Tikki about her dream for a beautiful baby girl with soft brown hair like birds feathers and skin like rose petals. Tikki being the good hearted fairy she is decides to help Jan out and sets out on a task that would cost her, her powers and her life. Tikki and Wijic, Tkki's elf friend completes the task and Jan has a darling little girl named Bindi, who has a tuft of blue hair underneath her soft brown hair. Bindi grows beautiful, but when the heartless, cruel Queen finds out about how Tikki helped a human the trouble starts. It is up to Tikki, Wijic and Bindi to stop the Tyrant Fairy Queen. This book is an amusing book about friendship, love and fairies. I recommend this book to young readers who love entertaining fairy tails. I thought the book was good, because of the vivid descriptions and the interesting story line. Overall "The Fairy Rebel" was a pretty good book.

This book is a wonderful book about a woman who cannot bear birth to a child. She discovers this small, chubby fairy (Tiki) who is "earthed" on her foot. The fairy then grants a wish of bearing a child, which she could get in trouble for doing favors for humans by the Fairy Queen. The woman soon meets Tiki's friend Wijik, who is an elf and who also caused Tiki to be "earthed". Later in the story, Wijik finds Tiki missing and tells the woman and her husband. The presumptions of Tiki's disappearance ran high in their minds while looking for her. This book is a MUST READ. I give it a ***** in the Story line, ***** in the Interest Line, ***** in the Character line, and ***** overall. Buy it -- you won't be sorry!! - Sarah Klaren

I read this book four times when I was in elementary school and I loved it! Now, I am a sophomore in college and when I think of this book, I smile. I still name it as one of my favorite books.I definitely would recommend this to any child.The reading makes you use your imagination and wish you were in the story. I always loved the gifts given to the girl. This book is extremely entertaining and well worth the time, plus one you will always remember

I grew up in the pacific north-west and experienced many of these stories as a child. This was a wonderful book to bring back most of those memories. It is well written. Simple yet engaging. Once I started I couldn't put it down. I've since used it as a teaching resourse in social studies and will be ordering other copies for fellow teachers I've shown it to and were equally impressed. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in native legends or mythology.

I brought this book on a trip to Vancouver and Victoria and read it in the evenings after returning to my hotels. As a European American, I found it indispensable to understanding much of the art I saw on vacation (especially Totem Poles). This book relates many of the best known Haida stories, including those of the noble, tragic Bear; the intrepid, versatile human fisherman-hunter Nanasigmit and above all the amoral but always fascinating Raven. Almost all the stories are simple, yet strike a deep chord. Add this to "Looking at Totem Poles" and "Kwakuitl Legends", both also reasonably priced, and you'll be well on your way to understanding the basics of First Nations culture.

I've had this book since the week it came out and I've never used anything from it. I offered my players a chance to vote on using the critical hit system in here, and they were overwhelmingly against it. Their main complaint was that if they were using it against monsters, then monsters would be using it against them, and it was too easy to die on dumb luck.

Perhaps it does make combat more realistic, but when a single swing of a sword involves 6 dice rolls and takes about 10 minutes to consult all the right tables and figure out all the modifiers and effects, I think you're doing something wrong. But, hey, maybe some people like that.

The monster tactics section is more useful, and if a DM uses it properly, he allows his monsters to become more than a ball of hit points that the characters have to reduce.

This is a very good book, I believe that everyone who wants more realistic Combat Rules and new Strategies, Proficiency's and Tatics will enjoy a lot this book. Many things is incluided like the new Critical Hit's System and table's of critical Hit's Severity. Ignore The guy that gave 1 star to this book, he probaly never read it or even have played AD&D because if he had, he will not say a stupid thing like a Goblin with a dagger taking off a arm from a Human. So if you want good and realistic Combat to your campaign you should already had this book! GET IT!

This book has everything that I already have implemented in my campaigns. The critical hit system is a bit extensive but the unarmed combat rules are fantastic. They could expand a little on the martial arts but they left that to DMs to do. I thought the book was one of the best new AD&D books I have read.

Anyone who knows and loves the work of Haida artist, Bill Reid, will be fascinated by this behind-the-scenes account of the modelling and casting of 'Spirit of Haida Gwai'. Modelled first in clay, then cast in sections into bronze, the completed work is an enormous canoe full of figures from the mythology of the Haida Indians of the Northwest Coast of North America. The figures of the Eagle, the Raven, Bear Mother, Mouse Woman and Dogfish Woman are exquisitely carved in a style which is unmistakably that of the Northwest Coast, yet it also has a distinctly contemporary feel that reflects Reid's ability to draw upon his heritage while remaining creative and original in his work. The construction process is documented in detail with over eighty black and white photographs, while the text explores the symbolism and meaning of these tantalising figures from Haida mythology who share the canoe and a common cultural ancestry. The making of this wonderful sculpture must surely be one of the greatest achievements of Reid's long and successful career as a highly talented and original sculptor and jeweller. For those who know Reid's work this book is a must, providing a fascinating record of his working methods. For those who have not yet encountered Reid's work, this book provides a golden opportunity to meet some of the characters which dominate his work. All will marvel at Bill Reid's skill as a sculptor in producing this beautiful, immense, and impressive piece of work, a process which has been beautifully and sensitively recorded in the pages of this book. (Reviewed by M.Simpson

A collection of 23 short cat stories, at least half of which I'd estimate feature Siamese cats, perhaps because they have such strong personalities. Whether you love Siamese or not, this is a light and pleasant read for any cat lover. I particularly enjoyed the stories by Joyce Stranger and Rudyard Kipling. Three stars only because there are better cat stories out there; some of these were bland, but others were funny and touching.