This is a fantastic tool for writers of all ages. My fourth graders now enthusiastically look up words whenever they are not sure. It is so simple to use even reluctant writers go to it, but the wide range of vocabulary means that I use it, too. I have cherished our few classroom copies during the years when local bookstores said it was not available. I am so excited to find it again. This is the outstanding answer to the age-old writing question, "How do you look up the spelling when you don't know how to spell it?"

This is the single most useful book in my library. I use it several times a day. My congradulations to the Authors for
writing this most useful book.

Those of us who do not arrange our internal view of the world
visually suffer greatly with the spelling of English. This book
solves the major problem for me. For,without this book I can not
spell the word close enough for a spell checker to "fix" it.

Again many thanks for writing this most useful book.
Jonathan Stinehelfer

I am a fourth grade teacher and have used this book in my classroom and recommend it to all my parents for home use. A dictionary doesn't help kids spell. They just get frustrated and never find the word. Using phonetic spelling, this book ACTUALLY helps kids find the correct spelling. Kids fight over these books in my classroom. Great if you want to stop answering those same old "How do you spell ______? questions.

Wonderful recipes, new versions of family favorites without the schmaltz.

I am sending it to my mother for Hannukah!

In this book, Joan Nathan manages to combine history, culture, and very good recipes. More than cooking book, Ms. Nathan offers menus for the same holidays from different Jewish backgrounds. Each recipe is complete, fully annotated and easy to follow. For cooks and/or readers looking to enlarge their knowledge of various Jewish food traditions, The Jewish Holiday Kitchen is a wonderful place to start.

I now own several of Ms Nathan's cookbooks, and I absolutely recommend them to all my friends and give them to family as gifts.!. All the recipes bring back so many good childhood memories. The recipes are easy to use, easy to read, and I love searching for old recipes and finding them in her book!!! thank you Ms Nathan.

A beautiful book! Diane Stanley carefully traces the life of Joan from her humble beginnings to her tragic end. The book even comes with a pronunciation guide to help those of us who haven't been to France. Although the language is at 8+ year old range, my 5 year old daughter loves it anyway!

Not only was this an accurate portrayal of Joan of Arc's story, it was wonderfully written and illustrated. I would recommend it for anyone who is starting out in learning of the saint. It is educational and enjoyable for a child.

This is a beautiful book that I purchased for a seven year old girl. I am a medievalist and the depictions in this book of the clothing, etc. are true to fact. The next copy I buy will be for myself as I collect good children's books on medieval times. Every year I publish of list of children's book on this time period that I recommend in our group's newsletter and this book is high on the list.

"The Kingdom and the Cave" and "Armitage, Armitage, Fly Away Home" are Joan Aiken's best books. I could never understand why "Wolves of Willoughby Chase" got all the hype. I can't even remember the story, and I know I read it!

This book is about a prince named Michael and his cat named Mickle who need to save their kingdom, Astalon, from the very dangerous under-people. The problem is that they need to venture among the under-people and steal their magic box which has the power to save Astalon! The Kingdom and the Cave has a great plot! Joan Aiken comes up with the best stories ever. It's what I expected, a great book with lovable characters (most of them). Before I discovered this book, I read The Wolves of Willoughby Chase and Cold Shoulder Road. They were also good books, but The Kingdom and the Cave is just great, even though it was her first book! The characterization in this book is unbelievable. All of the characters have their own personality, and the description is superb. I can almost see Mickle ( the cat) talking to his friend Minerva the horse, Michael flying on the magical dragon chariots to Dingle-Warren, or Mickle talking to Brock the badger! The only drawback about this book is that there are a lot of different things happening at once. This mixed me up so that I had to read each chapter two or three times before I understood what was happening clearly. This discouraged me, but I kept reading and it was much easier to understand what was happening! I highly recommend this book for people who like to read about fantasy and cats!

This was a great book full of imagination, wit, and humor. You should read it, too! It's one of Joan Aiken's best books.

As a teenager, I can relate to almost all of the fiction in this book. Every story provides at least one bit of comedy. I recommend this book to anyone purchasing a gift for a teenager.

Do you know a teen who would like to be a writer? Or do you have ambitions to write? I highly recommend this book for both groups, as well as for young adults who just love short story collections. The first story about a high school fencer, by Jerry Lubar, was my favorite. It appeals to that part in all of us that loves to root for the underdog, and see him come out on top. It's also delightfully funny! It reminded me very much of Chris Crutcher's writing. Not all of the stories are as strong as Lubar's, but I love the collection anyway. Each story is prefaced by a note from the author, telling what inspired the author to write THIS particular story. It helps budding authors to see where writers get their ideas and, perhaps more interesting, WHY they get their ideas. It also shows the aspiring writer that there are many different ways to tell a story - whether in a straight forward format (most of the stories), a prose poem interview (Mel Glenn's Kids in the Mall), or an unconventional nursery rhyme (John Scieszka's Thirteen Diddles). The prefaces also allow the reader to see the authors as real live once-upon-a-teen people, who just happened to grow up and make their living by writing. A word of warning, however - THIS IS NOT, as a previous reviewer said, a book for the Harry Potter lover. I love the Rowling books, but this is not designed to serve the reader in the same way. Don't buy it thinking that it is similar in any way to the Potter books. Do buy it if you are intrigued by the process of writing, if you like short stories, or if you enjoy learning about how authors work their magic on readers.

Thirteen authors of books aimed at adolescents contributed a story based on a true event in their lives when they were in school or, as in one case, observing students as an adult. The tales center on showing how the writers get an idea for a story based on an experience even if that incident(s) is turned into something supernatural or science fiction in nature.

The well-written stories are clearly designed for the younger reader. This collection would make a wonderful follow-up to fans of Harry Potter (the most influential books in many years by virtue of bringing literature to youngsters). This anthology provides a writer's focus within interesting stories to that same Potter age group. Along with the Weiss' previous book (see the award winning FROM ONE EXPERIENCE TO ANOTHER), young readers will gain another perspective on the non-programming written word.

This is the third "Minnesota Memories" from Joan Graham. I've read them all! This one is as delightful as its predecessors.
Graham suggests that you get together with friends and read the stories aloud--they are sure to trigger associations and soon people will be telling their own stories. Joan Graham believes that everyone has stories just waiting to be told or written. This book attests to her belief--it is a wonderful collection of real stories from real people.

I really enjoyed this book - it evokes the bittersweet memories of growing up in the midwest - and not just in Minnesota. This is the real thing, not some tongue-in-cheek send up of "hot dish & ludefisk."

I married a St. Olaf graduate who still carries her Minnesota accent after 40 years. Until I read this volume and the other two books in the series, I never really understood those North Star inhabitants who are afraid to say anything for fear of "making waves," who adore Eddie Cochran's hit "Sittin' in the Balcony," who worship Owatonna's Sullivan designed bank as a shrine, and who worry about everything from weather to the success of this year's corn crop. These books should be required reading for those who know and love Minnesotans or just want to understand the people who make the state so special. The final entry, Governor Pawlenty's Inaugural Address, made me especially appreciate Minnesotans' contributions to our daily lives.

"Lucky Us" is a very slow, careful exploration of a relationship that, by all accounts, shouldn't succeed. To start, this is a vast difference in age between Gabe and Elisa and ultimately, there is the decidely immature way in which Elisa behaves after she discovers that she has a serious disease.

Pairing these two individuals, Joan Silber skillfully constructs a story that acknowledges the gaps, but emphasizes the shaky platforms that bridge the differences. This is a love story that contains some hard truths; I appreciate how Silber conveys how people can act hurtfully even when they love someone dearly.

Elisa's behavior is often sour; Gabe is the character who imbues the novel with its sweetness. His maturity is stronger and steadier than Elisa's foolishness, and will anchor them through the deepest waters.

My hesitation with the book, however, is that Gabe is so unwavering that he almost seems like one of those perfect Ayn Rand characters! I realize novels are not held up to any literary requirements as far as truthfulness, but I think Silber would have delivered a stronger story had Gabe wrestled with some doubts before he embraced Elisa and her complicated demands on his love.

Elisa is such a interesting character that i read this cover to cover. Gabe could have used a little excitement however, but reading his point really evolved Elisa in my mind. She handles her disease a little too lightly, maybe making it less scary that it really is. I really did enjoy this book, constantly waiting to see what Elisa would do next.

"Lucky Us" is a great contemporary love story. I randomly selected this novel from the library, and I found myself unable to put it
down. The story was intriguing and exceptionally touching. Gabe and Elisa are an incrediably mismatched couple that face the pressures and problems of modern day relationships. You'll find yourself curious to know the outcome of Elisa's attitude towards life after being infected with HIV. Along with how this issue will affect their future as a couple. Also, will their past burdens affect their personalities, decisions, and roles in life? Joan Silber's lively characters and lovely prose make every page of this book a pleasure to read.

This is possibly one of the funniest books I've ever read. Although I think it is categorized as a mystery, I guessed the ending about three-quarters of the way through. It didn't matter. By the time I got there, my sides ached from laughing. Angie, the heroine, starts out to be a sad insecure woman. By the time it's over, she's self-assured and confident. I loved her! Can't help but say she reminded me of me, insecurities and all. If you're looking for a whodunit that'll keep you guessing until the last page, this is not for you, but if you're looking for a book that'll make you laugh and smile until the end, you'll enjoy this one. I guarantee it!

I recently reread this book and I realized that I took it way too seriously. And I must say that Ms. Herndon has a wonderful sense of humor. I would definitely recommend this book if you're looking for a fun, light read.

This book is very funny. It is easily read and quite humorous. The characters are real, thus making the story that much more enjoyable. I highly recommend it

I read this book so many years ago, but I just now realized I had never shared my opnions about it. I had lived in Miami for about eight years, and I think I was in my 5th year or so when I finally heard about "Miami" by Joan Didion. It was only after I had finally moved to the Beach that I happened upon it, at Kafka's. At any rate, it is an excellent book. I think about it every time I hear on the news about the bumbling CIA or news of Castro makes the NYTimes. Incidentally, 1987 also saw the publication of "The Corpse Had a Familiar Face," by Edna Buchanan, another equally excellent non-fiction book about this city. I also highly recommend "A Book of Common Prayer" by Ms. Didion.

I've got a bone to pick with Joan Didion, but first let me say that "Miami" is a simply brilliant piece of noir journalism that, in every paragraph, reflects a different aspect of "the Capital of Latin America." Odd that 1987 saw three major non-fiction Miami treatments, all differently motivated: David Rieff's "Going to Miami: Exiles, Tourists and Refugees in the New America," T.D. Allman's "Miami: City of the Future," and Didion's book. Yeah, yeah, at the time, Miami was hot hot hot, Crockett and Tubbs were in the middle of their run, but...Iran-Contragate was also playing itself out, and Miami was an epicenter of Reagan-era, better-dead-than-Red, Contra War intrigue. Didion captures the period beautifully in suitably ominous, conspiratorial tones. She introduces us to a cast of chilling characters--no, wait: she means for us to UNDERSTAND her characters as the driven, chilling, formidable products of "el exilio" and "la lucha"--and leaves no doubt that these are serious men, men who "get things done," men capable of, well, anything.

And my bone? Didion is a wonderful writer who cannot, however, resist long, convoluted, patience-trying Germanic sentences, frontloaded with the universe, embellishing adjective after adjective, wending their way down the page, forestalling all gratification, clarity, or meaning, until finally hitting us between the eyes with the final word-punchline, which invariably leads our eyes to course back up the page in an effort to reconstruct, to rediscover "just where were we going with this." Small price to pay for so delicious a book.

As a 23 year resident in Miami (from NYC) I was astonished at Didion's eloquent articulation of what I haven't been able to describe but have pondered over these many years--the cultural and cognitive disconnect between native Americans and disgruntled Cuban exiles. They talk about LA, but Miami really is Never-Never Land with impossibly obdurant and involuntary immigrants who have no clue or stake in the American values of reasoned discourse, free speech, and fair play and no desire to abandon the cultural attributes that have allowed them to suffer under one form of tyranny or another for a long long time. This books explains what they are thinking--the Cubans--and why they behave the way they do. Well-researched, accurate, and beautifully crafted prose.

Midnight is a place is about two orphans, Lucas and Anne-Marie who struggle withought their parents. thier home- midnight court is burnt down and they are forced to work for their money, they cant afford anything and they are always made fun of. that is unitl anne-marie finds a lady who is her grandmother. read this book to find out how lucas survives from the wild hogs and the mad man while he is working and anne-marie survives from bob bloodward, the man who is after her at midnight mill, and how does lucas get his money back? simply find out buy the book Midnight Is A Place to find out!

It's got all the ingredients of a classic Gothic thriller (the creepy mansion, the unpleasant guardian, the servant with a hidden past, the lonely orphan, the depressing, filthy, poverty-stricken town, the sudden reversals of fortune, the mysterious benefactor) but MIDNIGHT IS A PLACE is written for that twilight area in the great scheme of publishing demographics--somewhere between middle school and adult, somewhere past chapter books but not quite ready for Great Literature. And in Aiken's expert hands, this is a wonderful place to explore. Lucas Bell, the lonely orphan with the unpleasant guardian, lives in the frightening mansion called Midnight Court, is taught by the servant with the hidden past, is subjected to the sudden reversals of fortune, including the unexpected arrival of another orphan (Anne-Marie, a plucky young French girl), a devastating fire, the need to find work in the local factory, the help of a secretive old lady, and the long unraveling of the mystery of his name and fortune. It's glorious stuff, over-the-top, a wonderful read, moody and frightening and funny by turns, managing both to exploit the genre and to rise above it. Young readers who have enjoyed the Lemony Snicket books, and who are now ready for something better, something real, something that's sort of a complex three-way cross between Dickens, Austen, and old-fashioned Gothic romances, will enjoy this book. It'd be a quick read for adults, but I'd recommend it to anyone who loves the genre.

Joan Aiken sets many of her children's books in a slightly off-kilter Victorian world, and this is one of them. Lucas and Anna-Marie are orphans in the care of a miserly, grim old man who owns carpet-making factories. After a terrible accident, the two children have to survive on their own, and this takes them through the dark alleyways, factories, and even sewers of the nearby town. Some parts are quite scary, and others are strange in a larger-than-life kind of way, including the descriptions of the machines in the factories. The characters are wonderful, though, and as always, there is a sense of atmosphere in Ms. Aiken's books that I've found no where else. Highly recommended.