Cat Smith takes a whimsical story and adds incredible depth through her fantastic artwork. Each illustration is like a high-quality painting rather than a typical book illustration. My young son was captivated by the artwork, especially Smith's energetic faces and movements. I highly recommend this book, as well as any other Cat-Smith-illustrated books (i.e., Feliciana Feydra LaRoue), to anyone!

Reading this book was much like reading a college textbook. The information therein was helpful, but the style was wordy and technical. The book could have been more concise. As a reference guide, I preferred the book House Buying for Dummies.

A terrific handbook. It gave me all of the information I needed and in a manner that was easy to understand. Highly recommended. I agree with the reader from New York. Decisions like this require expert advice.

This book is an excellent overview of a complex subject. Written in a clear, straight-forward style, Smith's book can be an indispensible companion to buying a first or last home. I haven't read the House Buying for Dummies book that was mentioned by an earlier reviewer, but, when I'm confronted with the bigeest purchase of my life, I'd rather stick with someone who has a bit more obvious expertise.

My children love folk tales, and they are encouraged to read them at every opportunity. However, they are also more than just a story, being a window into the past allowing us to glimpse how humans used to view the world. With a bit of adult explanation, they can also provide lessons in cultural studies. This collection of stories contain some that deal with the origin of humans, which always seems to start at the same point. Whatever their names, in this case they are Hanna and Bateta, the human species begins with one man and one woman. We often emphasize the differences between cultures. However, if we examine the folk tales, it is easy to see that common themes run through most of them. Perhaps the emphasis should be more on the commonality rather than the diversity.
In the African tale of the arrival of death as a fact of human life, it is also a woman who breaks the rules, causing Death to come to Earth and become a constant companion to the human race. Animals with human-like qualities are also prominently featured in many stories, although they are more malevolent than in tales from other cultures.
These are not stories about great warriors fighting their way through their enemies, but tales about human existence and at times folly, greed and wisdom. I learned some things about the African perspective, and have encouraged my children to read them and think about how they show how similar we all are.