Ten-year old Ariel's best friend is her grandmother. After her grandmother suffers a stroke, Ariel is afraid of this woman who has lost the will to live. With her help, her grandmother begins to walk and talk again, and Ariel gains a new understanding of the 'knowledge' that is passed on through the generations.

I loved it because her grandma made her a quilt just for her.The quilt helped Ariel feel better about the coming baby.This reminds me of my life because when my sister was born I didn't get that much attention.

I am teaching my 10 year old daughter to quilt. She found this book in the "Accelerated Reader's Program" at school and read it because it had quilt in the title. We read two chapters every evening and we loved every page! It was hard to wait for the next evening to arrive so we could read the next chapters. This is a story about a young girl with many changes in her life. Her mother is expecting another child and her Grandmother comes to live with them. The girl loves to draw ane her Grandmother asks her to draw a picture so she can make the new baby a quilt.Many changes occur within the family because of the pregnancy and then serious health problems for the Grandmother after the quilt is started. The story revolves around the young girls struggles with the changes and who will finish the new baby's quilt. A great book to read with a warm and believable ending.

I only picked this books because one of my favorite authors (Leslie Esdaile) wrote a story in it. I now have 2 new authors to put on my list. The thing that I liked about all the stories is that the women did not sit around and whine and cry about what they did not have. They made things happen and looked after their own. I wish more authors would write stories about strong black women who know how to use their minds and how to think for themselves. Don't get me wrong. I have been happily married for 30 years. But I know how to think for myself also. The women in the stories are an image for our young women to emulate. You GO ladies!

What a lovely way to spend Valentine's Day in preparation for a night out with your sweetie. Ms. Esdaile weaves a magical tale around a gift shop owner and a radio executive. I thoroughly enjoyed the 'angel' in the form of the little old lady who visits the shop one day and gives our heroine a tiny golden angel. Then, things reallys start heating up! What an artist Ms. Schuster has proven to be. In her story, WAIT FOR LOVE, she makes me believe in second chances. A misunderstanding between two shy souls in college turns into a fiery love affair many years later when they meet again. Curt is an ex-basketball player turned coach. Janice is an interior designer extraordinaire. Once the air is cleared and the misunderstanding is explained sparks are ignited. What chemistry! And in Linda Walters'tale a long-time boyfriend has to sit up and take notice because his lady is tired of being ignored. Every man should get this kind of wake-up call just to make sure he's still interested. All three stories were delivered is different styles with varying degrees of spice. All were romantic. All were excellent reads. Arabesque continues to get better and better where their anthologies are concerned.

This was a really nice anthology...no weak stories in the bunch. Each author easily holds her own. You'll find yourself cheering for each of the heroines in these stories

Leslie Esdaile's story brings to reality the magical powers we've always heard Cupid had. In Seventy-Two Hours and Counting, Linda Walters' heroine must choose to let an old boyfriend go while giving into the feelings she has for another man. You'll find yourself cheering for one brother, while wanting to choke the other one!

My favorite of the three stories is Wait For Love by Melanie Schuster. I've read one other novel by this author, and I enjoy the charming characters she develops. Her main characters are surrounded by a great secondary characters...they alone are enough to hold your attention. But the heat between the Janice and Curt, the hero and heroine is definitely what makes this story hot!

This book is a fascinating look at the life and times of one Edward Doheny the onetime founder of Mexican Oil Company prior to the nationalization of reserves by the revolutionary PRI party in the early days of their power. The narrative follows the career of Mr. Doheny from his modest prospector days in the Wild West to the heights of his infamy during the Teapot Dome scandal.

This is perhaps a timely book as well given the questions being raised at the time of this writing about corporate malfeasance and corruption in the U.S. (Enron). Teapot Dome was one of the biggest political scandals in the first half of the 20th century and involved the leasing of government/public lands in preserve areas for energy development. More than one person went to prison and wrongdoing was proven against multiple individuals in the matter.

The book makes the case that Doheny was more or less guilty of poor judgment and being in the wrong place at the wrong time more or less. It is true of course that Doheny was found innocent on the charges and it is also true that despite this Teapot Dome is the matter for which he is best known (despite for instance being a contemporary and rival of John D. Rockefeller in the oil business). If in fact he was innocent of the charges then he paid a heavy price in terms of his health and the somewhat mysterious death of his son, which was either suicide or murder depending on who you ask and how you look at it.

For those with an interest in the biographies of the early titans of U.S. industry this is a worthy read in that it does detail Mr. Doheny's rise to power as well as his fall from grace. He came from a modest background and did not make his fortune until after the age of 40 in a time before life expectations averaged 70+. He suffered through personal loses and setbacks and managed at the time of his death, despite the misfortunes, to bequeath a sizeable fortune to his heirs. This book may also be of particular interest in the study of Los Angelos in particular and California in general in that the Doheny's were prominent citizens who built some noteworthy structures in the city including religious and educational facilities.

The author acknowledges that she had the cooperation and blessings of the descendants of Mr. Doheny and that a good body of original documentation was available for review and research. This provides an intimate look at the lives of the people in question but it also may cause the thesis to lean towards their views. The book does tend to exonerate Doheny in Teapot Dome and it does make a good argument that his involvement was not profitable and that the Navy Dept in fact sought him out because of rising fears of the Japanese Navy in the years leading up to WWII. It was a condition of Mr. Doheny's development of the area under lease to him that he build an extensive oil storage and supply facility for the Navy in the Hawaiian Isles out of his own pocket. This he did and subsequently was not reimbursed when the lease was negated despite having spent many millions in pre-WWII monies. It is also I believe true to state that it was Henry Sinclair who was the actual lease holder on the Teapot Dome acreage and that Doheny was leased an entirely separate parcel of public land. Sinclair along with Interior Secretary Albert Fall went to prison in the affair but Doheny was also tarred and feathered by the affair.
Whether the delivery of $100,000 in cash by Doheny's son to Sec. Fall was in fact a personal loan much as one might expect between old prospecting buddies (which they were) is really a matter of conjecture. At any rate there was clearly the appearance of impropriety in the matter and both Doheny's son and the man accompanying him that night were involved in a murder/suicide after indictment but before trial. With the principle witness gone and little other corobative evidence Mr. Doheny's celebrity legal representation did get him acquitted although he was convicted in the court of public opinion.

Personally I am inclined to believe a man of his stature might loan a friend the sum in question but I also would not be surprised if a quid pro quo were expected in return. You see there was any number of companies competing in secret for the government contracts and it is interesting that both men who won had either the appearance of impropriety or were outright convicted of bribery. Part of the reason Doheny was spared prison was in fact due to the death of his son and his earnest and teary eyed appearance on the witness stand where he looked the part of a grieving grandfatherly figure who had lost something money could not replace.
It is an intriguing story and well written book, not terribly long or archaic for the casual reader. While it is a history book it is in fact also the story of an interesting chapter in American business and personality history.

Margaret Leslie Davis has done it again with another fine biography. Ms. Davis shows us the inner man of Edward L. Doheny, one of the richest and greatest Californians in history, virtually the John D. Rockefeller, Sr. of the West. Doheny was flat broke at the ripe age of 40 and yet within a few years he became one of the richest men in the country through his wild-cat oil discoveries in Los Angeles and Mexico. The break-up of Rockefeller's Standard Oil by the U.S. Supreme Court left Doheny an opening which he exploited adroitly. Most impressive is Ms. Davis's keen legal understanding and her scrupulous attention to noting her sources. In fact, the "notes" at the end of the book are arranged so that the top of the page refers the reader to the page number of the text thereby making it very easy to flip back and check the source. A small detail, perhaps, but much appreciated. Ms. Davis is a true scholar; her legal training shows itself especially when discussing the Tea Pot Dome scandal that ultimately tarnished Doheny's reputation. In short, Ms. Davis is becoming our finest historian on the West and particularly California.

Very few biographers could have sifted through the complex and oftentimes mysterious paper trails of Edward Doheny's life to compile such a mesmerizing tale of ambition, scandal, heartbreak, and murder. Margaret Leslie Davis, (winner of the Western Writers of America's Golden Spur Award for Best Nonfiction Book) exceeds her previous biographical effort to regale readers with a shadowy epic tracing the rise, fall, and tragic legacy of an American Icarus who flew too close to the sun.

Buy this book. You'll not be disappointed.

Fatuma's New Cloth is an energetic and highly recommended children's picturebook about Fatuma, a young East African girl who learns about the complexities of the marketplace. There is even a recipe for East African chai (tea) included in this highly enjoyable tale by Leslie Bulion, whose engaging text is superbly complemented by the soft, watercolor-style illustrations by Nicole Tadgell.

Fatuma and her mother plan to spend their day in the market. Along the way, various merchants suggest their wares make chai (tea) taste better, but she does not see how their offerings make the chai taste differently. Then at the cloth shop, Fatuma chooses a new kanga cloth from which her mother will make her dress. Each Kanga pattern is imprinted with a Swahili saying, many of which have more than one meaning. Fatuma chooses a kanga imprinted with this message: "Don't be fooled by the color. The good flavor of chai comes from the sugar." So she learns that just as surgery dissolves becoming something we cannot not see, so are the things make us special as impossible to see.

FATUMA'S NEW CLOTH provides not only an entertaining tale, but also a fascinating peek into a vastly different culture from most American children's. In America, we teach our children, "don't judge a book by its cover." In Swahili, the same lesson is expressed as "don't judge the tea by its color." Parents will welcome the message that the value of people lies on the inside where we cannot see. In addition, parents seeking to teach their children the lessons of acceptance of other people's beliefs and culture will find the story an excellent aid. In addition, authentic East African features and kanga patterns frame the pages, lending the text an extraordinary visually pleasing appearance as charming illustrations bring the text alive. An author's note at the end aids parents to further explain the nuances of the story. Also included is a recipe for chai, allowing young children to experience the story first hand. Very highly recommended.

The lesson tells us, "you can't judge a book by its cover." But the inviting jacket art for Fatuma's New Cloth makes a promise that is fulfilled by a story that is as lush and lively as its illustrations.

The dialog between Fatuma and her mother sings with love, gentleness and humor.The author creates a story that is appealing to both girls and boys and one that is useful to parents and educators.

This delectable slice of East African culture lingers like the sweet taste of chai. (By all means, try the recipe!)

I recommend Fatuma's New Cloth and I look forward to seeing more books by Leslie Bulion.

This book is a great combination of creativity and information. Kids are smart and this book does not insult their intelligence. The activities are varied and utilize a number of different skills. There really are exciting activities for each and every child out there. Additionally, the activities are fact-based, so while a child is connecting the dots, he/she is also learning a little piece of history. It's a great addition to your child's collection.

As an early childhood educator, I find this book to be a wonderful resource for a geography curriculum.

I absolutely loved the Felix Activity Book. I shared it with family members both young and old and with my third and fourth grade students. It exposed children to wordly things that they may not normally have been exposed to until adult age. My students felt like they were actually traveling around the world. They were taking in sites, learning about currency, customs, cutlures... My students got so excited each time I took the activity book out of my closest. They would ask me...Where are we going today???? We can't wait for another edition!!!

Ravenous readers will sate all sorts of appetites at the bountiful board that is Food and Other Enemies. An uncomplaining minister at a disastrous dinner with his future in-laws; a multi-textured chartreuse Jell-O mold at an international family Christmas; martial misunderstandings; teenage pregnancy in the past times and mores; desperate practices in time of war; super-human intelligent extra terrestrials' amusement by fashionable females' obsession with (not) eating; a cameo appearance by Marilyn Monroe. Gobble down the poems, essays, and stories; savor the lone illustration, which features a dining table mandala of oddities both human and culinary; then return to the buffet for leisurely second servings. Judge the book by the cover and take a big bite of a potpourri of good reading.

Wow. Here's a book that explores a set of 25 stories, poems and essays a variety of ways in which we are intimately bound up with food and our relationship to it. But this is not a collection of pretty recipes. Every story I read offered insights into how food and its rituals impact my life-hunting down food, the rituals for better or worse of the family table, the power of food images, disease and illness related to food. This book is a gold mine for anyone interested in exploring his/her relationship with food, or with becoming sensitive to its impact.

Food and Other Enemies could also have been featured in our health section but is mentioned here for its focus on fiction, poetry and essays which examine food-related issues from dieting and diseases to hunger. An unusual, literary focus on food is the result with a diverse set of exposes and insights packed into each story.

I've owned a copy of this book for over 25 years, purchasing it in the early 1970's. As an owner of a Model A Ford, I wanted more information about the car and its history. This book has an amazing amount of information about the Model A and its birth, changes over the 4 year production run, and great original factory photographs and charts.

The thing that amazes me most about this book is that, even today after almost 30 years after its original publication, the accuracy of what the authors wrote when the book was first published is outstanding! These 3 fellows REALLY did their homework.

If you only own 1 book on the Model A Ford, I recommend this one.

Best Model A book around. Lots of photos and information not found anywhere else. Got a copy on loan from the library, and would buy a new copy to keep if it was still in print.

I need informatio

It is only inevitable that the indefagatible Frederic Bean, bank manager, newspaper owner, detective, and overall pig extraordinaire should also become an ace barnstormer. How this comes to be is the subject of "Freddy the Pilot" a 1952 effort by Freddy's creator Walter R. Brooks. It all starts when Boomschmidt's Stupendous and Unexcelled Circus returns to Centerboro a bit early so that Mr. Boomschmidt can enlist Freddy's help in solving a dilemma the circus is in.

The star of the circus is the beautiful Mademoiselle Rosa, a bareback rider whose grace and ability are part of the Circus's special magic. Unfortunately, Watson P. Condiment, a very rich, but not particularly nice, comic book publisher has fallen in love with Rosa. Despite her refusal to encourage him, Condiment is fixated on his goal. So intent is he that he is more than willing to destroy the Circus entirely in order to propel Mademoiselle Rose into his arms.

The nefarious Mr. Condiment has tried many rotten tricks to close the Circus down, but the worst is having a plane dive bomb the Circus, blasting the audience with flour bag bombs. Mr. Boomschmidt keeps having to return the crowd's ticket money and is in great danger of going broke. Freddy summons his courage and decides to beard the mystery pilot in his den. Our pig shows up at the local air field and takes flying lessons. Soon he has his own plane and is preparing for his counter attack.

Freddy, assisted by his partner Mrs. Wiggins, a troop of Robin Hood-like skunks and the Horrible gang of scurrilous rabbits mount the effort designed to save the Circus and rescue Mademoiselle Rosa. The reader can count on a great deal of fun and excitement as one villain after another is rousted and sent on his way. The ingenious plot will even involve the U.S. Army and Uncle Ben's astonishing combination bomb sight and piggy bank.

Once again we are treated to a lovable adventure which teaches by example rather than lecture. The reader quickly finds out that courage, respect, and teamwork are the keys to success and happiness in Centerboro and the Bean Farm. Although late in the series, "Freddy the Pilot" can stand on its own without losing the reader. Kurt Wiese's original illustrations, always a treat, are exceptional in this volume, making it will worth its reasonable price.

This is not one of my favorites among the Freddy books (which is only a tiny insult because I like them all so much), but it has more imaginative ideas in it than any other two books in the series. Here you'll find:

- rabbits jumping out of airplanes using umbrellas

- a bombsight that helps you find money

- a comic book publisher terrified when he thinks his characters are coming to life

- skunks fighting with quarterstaffs

and that's just the tip of the iceberg in this densely plotted, multifaceted book. In addition, you have the usual Freddy features of delightfully entertaining and sympathetic characters, gentle satire, and a sense of fun. Highly recommended.

This is just one of the 26 Freddy the Pig books written by Walter R. Brooks between 1927 and 1958. Through his many adventures, Freddy, the "Renaissance Pig" of the Bean Farm in Centerboro, New York, is beset by hilarious villains and assisted by a whole barnyard of unforgettable animal friends. In "Pilot" he takes to the air to save a local circus from a more sinister aerial apparition. The Freddy books were written for children, but they're substantial enough for us grown-ups, too. I first read about Freddy 40 years ago, and I'm not tired of him yet. Easily the Peer of Pooh.

I second what the reader from Michigan's Upper Penninsula wrote. Gerfalcon is my favorite book. I discovered it in 1975 when I was an undergraduate and have read it several times over the years. Understandably I wish Gerfalcon was still available in print.

This is one of those books that I go back to again and again to read once more. It is filled with multi-faceted characters, fascinating looks at medieval life, desperate struggles, and an overall sense of reality that is lacking from much other fantasy. Barringer's characterizations make most fantasy characters look as bland and uninteresting as cardboard.

I first found Gerfalcon in a bargain-book rack in my hometown BDalton, late in the fall of 1983. I was 14, and the novel blew me away. It still does. In a genre clotted with saccharine imitations of Tolkein, Barringer's Neustrian Cycle is a true breath of fresh air. The stories are all tightly-written, the dialog is a marvel of subtlety, and the fantasy is distinctly grown up in its sophistication. For my money, Barringer is the most unfairly least appreciated fantasist (barely) on the market today. All three of his novels--Gerfalcon, Joris of the Rock, and Shy Leopardess--are more than worth the effort of tracking down. I can't recommend them highly enough.