Lawton has done a fabulous job of bringing a familiar story about the Pilgrims on the Mayflower to life by putting us right there on the boat. We see their struggles, we see their sacrifice, and we see their faith in a God that always provides.

Lawton tells the story through the eyes of a girl named Mary Chilton about the Pilgrims long and dangerous journey from Holland to Plymouth Rock. Mary is on a quest, like most of the Pilgrims to find a place to call home. Her family moves from Kent, England to Holland to escape the clutches of the Church of England--which by then had become like a branch of the English government.

Officials from England followed the Pilgrims into Holland and consequently, Holland didn't feel like home to the Pilgrims either. They set sail for New England (America) to find a place where they will be free to worship God how they see fit and to have land of their own.

As the Pilgrims struggle with homesickness, seasickness, scurvy and eventually pneumonia, they continue to hold out hope that America will be a place that they can call home.

Textbooks tell us that over half the Pilgrims died before they were settled in America. Lawton makes it much more personal and real. As we follow Mary Chilton, we watch in sadness as both of her parents die. We see Mary hanging on to the words of her mother about the providence of God, even when they couldn't see him at work.

Young women (and hopefully young men) will read this book for enjoyment, but they will come away with a better understanding of who the Pilgrims were and ultimately who we are as Americans.

"The last time Mary saw her English home she stood tiptoe on a wooden crate so she could peer over the salty-tasting rail. ...The stone walls and arched bridges guarding the town of Sandwich eventually faded into the shimmer of water as the flap, flap, flap of sails being unfurled signaled that she was headed into the unknown."

Wendy Lawton is fast becoming a favorite author due to her exquisite storytelling skills. Through the eyes of thirteen-year-old Mary Chilton, we experience the struggles and triumphs of the Separatists (early Pilgrims) in ALMOST HOME, the third tale in the "Daughters of the Faith" series published by Moody. Lawton expertly handles historical details with insight and sensitivity, such as how the Church of England, "though still called a church...was not a place where people often met Christ or deepened their faith." And later, when the Mayflower lands at Plymouth and the newcomers fear the natives, Mary and her friends conclude, "Some of the stories of savagery may be true, just as they are for our people. Other parts of the stories may arise from lack of understanding...who is to say that God, if we are indeed following His leading in coming here, is not, even now, working in the hearts of some of these who look like savages to us?" This sets the stage for Samoset and Squanto, Native Americans who later assist the settlers. This type of careful thoughtfulness flows just under the surface of this well-written account.

Lesser known facts appear as well, such as the travelers starting their voyage with two ships, but serious leakage problems on the Speedwell force all 102 passengers onto the Mayflower. We also catch a glimpse of the conflict between travelers on board, widely divided by their beliefs--the religious Separatists and the non-believing Strangers.

This book is excellent for discussion about religious freedom, learning about the sacrifices and lives of the early settlers, studying geography (the route of the settlers), and discovering turns of phrases unique to that time period (daydreaming = "woolgathering"). Lawton includes an epilogue and interesting glossary of words. The cover is beautiful full-color, and makes a delightful gift for yourself and/or those you love. In the end, Mary Chilton discovers that "home" is not a place after all. Read ALMOST HOME to find out what it is. Get this book!

Kimn Swenson Gollnick ...

Wendy Lawton is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. Her ability to weave historical fact and fiction into a book of such richness is a true gift.

Wendy's writing is an outstanding example of show don't tell and she does just that phrase by phrase, page by page. I could smell the close quarters and feel the ocean billow. I was on that ship with Mary Chilton thanks to Wendy's incredible writing.

As with the previous books in the Daughters of Faith series, Wendy has proven herself a master of dialogue. I also like the way she stretches her readers to learn more with the use of new words with definitions in the back.

Now more than ever young readers need to understand that our country was founded on faith and courage. All of us would do well to remember the religious persecution, the dreams, the losses and everything else that went into making America.

Like her other books, Wendy's research is evident on every page. I wish every school, every homeschooling parent and every church and public library would invest in the Daughters of Faith series.

Thank you, Wendy, for your diligence and for sharing your faith through the story of Mary Chilton.

I thought this book was very enjoyable. I am an avid reader of the Chicken Soup for the Souls series and as a new mother I thought this book was perfect. Of course some of the stories are more touching than others, but they all sparked an emotional response from me. The format of short stories makes the book easy to read and hard to put down. I often find myself at night, saying, " Okay, I'll just read one more story" and 45 min later of course I'm still reading. I would recommend this book to all, mothers, children, fathers, grandparents. . ., but its a tear-jerker so remember the tissues!!

This book is GREAT...As a mother of an 10 & 12 yr olds, this book makes me realize how thankful I am to have kids. Any Mom will understand & enjoy these stories. They made me laugh and they made me cry. This is my 1st Chicken Soup book, my daughter has one also, now we have started a " book collection " that our family will enjoy reading together for years to come. Take the time to enjoy a GREAT selection of books.

I had heard about the books from a friend at work, and got three for Christmas (Woman's soul, Woman's soul II, and Mother's soul). I don't normally enjoy reading but could not put the books down, in a matter of a week, I read two of them. They are absolutely wonderful. The Chicken Soup for the Mother's soul, WOW, what a book! It's awesome, and the stories touch the heart. Some of them even bring tears to my eyes. I recommend these books to anyone and am forwarding the Mother's soul book onto my mother.

"Best Friends" will make you feel both joy and sadness. Joy for every animal saved and sadness for the reality that there are many people who treat animals as nothing more than disposable objects.

As for the writing, the author was able to bring out in me the full range of emotions that I experience as a pet owner. The day to day happiness they bring, the worry when they are ill and the sadness when it is time to say good bye.

If you are a true animal lover, you will love this book. It's a story about how the Best Friends Animal Santuary got started as well as stories of beloved animals they have rescued. If you believe in rescuing our furry friends, this book is for you!

Through their magazine, I have been acquainted with the people, animals and developments at Best Friends over the last few years. With the reading of this book, I now feel I know them so much better - the struggles, the personalities, the whole feel of such a caring sanctuary. There is not a word for the dedication, self-sacrifice, and determination that brought this organization to where it is now. I will continue supporting them and only wish I had been there in the beginning. I have thought it would be wonderful to visit Best Friends - now, I really want to! As I got in to the book, I only allowed myself to read a chapter a day, so I could prolong the joy of these new friendships and to put off finishing it! A wonderful saga of people with a cause and animals whom others did not want. You won't be disappointed.

The pictures clearly depict loving relationships between sisters. It warms my heart to look through the pages and be reminded of special times with my sisters. I would recommend this book to all sister siblings. I'm looking forward to a possible Big Brother, Little Brother!

Big Sister, Little Sister shows beautiful examples of the caring relationship that siblings can have with each other. The sisters in the book are depicted as having a great deal of fun together and just plain loving each other. The book is a positive one to share with my own children as opposed to so many books that focus on little sister or brother as being nothing but a pain. We encourage our children to see their siblings as some of their best friends, for life! I believe we need more books for young children, like Big Sister, Little Sister, that encourage this type of friendship between siblings.

I loved this book. It reminded me so much of my sisters. I want to share it with both my sisters who are in their 20's, but I really want to show it to my little niece. She will love the bright pictures and when its time for her to be a big sister she'll see how much fun it is.

I first read this book in high school and loved it! I own it and re-read it every once in a while. Mrs. Mike is a fascinating look at life in Canada so many years ago. I always like to know "what happened next" and I am wondering what happened. The last I read was that Katherine was a widow. What happened to Sergeant Mike? Did Katherine move back to Canada? Did their adopted children live until adulthood? Did Katherine have grandchildren? How long did she live?

I first got this book when I was in 7th grade over 25 years ago and have read it at least 8 times. After our cat used it to make a birthing bed I searched for it again until I found another. I recommend this book to any women young and old, I could read it over and over.

I read this book when I was in high school. I graduated 40 years ago. I have never forgotten the impact this book had on me. I truely fell in love with Katherine Mary and her adventures in the wilds of Canada. I have never read any other book that has such an impact on my self-worth. Thank you Benedicts for this wonderful book.

There are a lot of talented Alabama women writers! I like the cover of the book, too. Editor/Publisher Moran is to be congratulated on this collection.

Ordinary and Sacred as Blood makes me feel at home among writers--Alabama women writers who have shared their inmost thoughts from every cranny of the state. The variety of their experiences and the ways they have chosen to express them are appealing--poetry, memoir, essay, story. I'm still reading, and I've enjoyed every one--from our wonderful just-retired poet laureate Helen Blackshear to Helen Norris to Susan Murphy and Nabella Shunnarah, from Anne George to Natasha Tretheway to others whose voices are new to me. I look forward to the next chapter from this group.

Alabama authors have stepped forth to share short stories, poems and quips that will lift the heart of the reader. Ordinary & Sacred as Blood, authored by Alabama women, will trigger your every emotion. It truly promises and delivers something for everyone. You'll treasure this book forever. Delightful, thoughtful way to remember those on your gift list.

This is the Cronin's debut, but it feels like a classic from the first page. Readers meet the title couple, Mary and O'Neil, in a series of stories which chronicle episodes from their lives, and can be read as a novel or as a collection of short pieces. The real satisfaction is Cronin's exquisite prose: his stories find their power in the subtle revelations of the characters' emotional lives. There are passages on almost every page that had me in awe of this man's talent, and I was most pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming sense of discovery I felt with this book--remember the first time you found an author who immediately became a favorite, whose writing you savored, and whom you couldn't wait to share with all your friends? As I read Mary and O'Neil, I was reminded of the feeling I had when I first found the works of J.D. Salinger, and later, Anne Tyler and John Updike...think back to discovering your own favorites and that excitement that you felt as you turned every page, knowing that you'd found something important, not just to you, but in the larger scheme of things. If Mary and O'Neil is any indication, Justin Cronin is destined for greatness. This first collection/novel is among the most promising debuts I've seen in years.

As a sometime aspiring writer, I read the work of Justin Cronin with envy and awe. What a beautifully written study of family, love and tragedy. As another reviewer stated, I too am not typically a fan of the novel composed of "linked" short stories. This author however connects the characters in such subtle and clever ways that you will truly be left wanting more when it's over. Just a lovely little book, highly recommended.

I heard J. Cronin speak at Univ of Iowa in the summer of 2001, when this book had just come out. How I wish I'd bought this book then to add to my signed first edition collection. I only recently purchased it and just finished it last night. It's a book to read in a quiet spot, to savor, to melt into as Cronin carries you very gently through three generations of O'Neil's family.
The book is written as a series of short stories; each can be read without benefit of the others, but together, they prove the statement that, sometimes, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Very beautifully constructed. Not a book I'm likely to forget anytime soon. Thanks to Justin Cronin for writing about the simple, everyday lives of rather ordinary people with such finely-crafted elegance.

An interesting edition to the many books that have come out on Mary Magdalene. At times the poetry on being alone seems to apply more to the author's human condition than to Mary Magdalene. Also it is disappointing that the author has left out the the sexual connection of Unity. Still, all and all an interesting read -- Although this would not be the book I would recommend to someone as a first read on Magdalene.

YES. And it will enjoy this book tremendously, taking you along to a heightened level of perception. If you feel this is the time for you to read such writing,stop waiting. If not, may you remember this recommendation at the appropriate moment.

If you are a seeker of truth, buy this book now!

It will speak directly to your soul like no book you have ever read. Since reading this book I have been blessed to have several conversations with the author. I believe in this book; it is truth.

Honor yourself and read this book. You will be changed. It will shift you into the world you "gave up" when you "grew up".

Feel free to write me for more recommendations in the same light as this one. I will be happy to answer your questions and share the blessing I have received.
Peace

Mary Stewart is a genius; every time I read her books, I am filled with pleasure mixed with acute jealousy. Her descriptive and suspense-stringing talents have yet to be topped. This book is one of the best. If not as magical as This Rough Magic, it is much stronger on the romance and keeps suspense longer than any of her other books. I never knew, by the way, how many different settings there were in France until Mary Stewart came along--this one is quite Gothic in a 1960s-glamour way.

I first read this book years ago as a young girl. When I reread it, I was delightfully surprised and just as absorded as the first time that I traveled through the pages of the mind of this truly amazing writer! Mary Stewart has and will always be one of my favorite novelist. Do yourself a favor; enjoy the summer and take along the roadmap to exotic and unexpected travel (near & far);where excitment and suspense awaits; history unfolds, peppered with a just the right touch of romance. Let Mary Stewart be your guide on this adventure!

I have read quite a few of Mary Stewart's books and for anyone who is interested "This Rough Magic" ties with "Nine Coaches". "The Moon-Spinners" is very good, so is "My Brother Michael" and "Airs Above the Ground". These are more along the romance line as opposed to fantasy as in "The Crystal Cave" which was very good but a different style of story.

I first found Mary Stewart when I was rather young The Wonderful World of Disney did "The Moon-Spinners" with Haley Mills. I was hooked and I still enjoy her books as true mystery romances with the covers falling off and all.

Mary Amato takes the text of 3 different stories (Fip the worms birth, Lerner Canse's problems at school, and a facory filled with under paid children) and puts them together. This is the story about a girl named Lerner who discovers a magical worm named Fip. If Fip eats a word, that word dissapears of the face of the earth-forever! Lerner learns more and more about Fip. The more she learns, the more the book gets interesting. The book has a unique text style that always keeps the reader thinking: what's going to happen next?

The Word Eater by Mary Amuto wrote a story about a Worm that had to do a dare before he could be in the Mpooe club.Mpooe stands for Most powerful ones on earth.The Worm gets on a window to escape from the other Worm.He gets saved by a Girl from the window seal from a bird when she walks in the room.In the story the Worms name is Fip.The Girls name is Lerner Chanse.If Fip eats something it will dissapears.Once he was eating oxygen off a Science book but he only ate oyxg when Lerner came in.At the end Fip eates.....Can't tell you because its going to be the best.I rated it five stars.This is a can't put down book.So read this book and relax reading it.

The story is about a worm named Fip. Born with a love for eating words, he is abandoned by the Lumbricus Clan. An equally outcast girl named Lerner Chanse discovers the worm on a dare to join the MPOOE (Most Powerful Ones On Earth) Club. She soon learns that whatever words Fip eats will disappear. This is good for erasing the "attacka" out of the vicious Attackaterrier dogs and the meanness of Lerner's next-door neighbor's dad. But after her neighbor Bobby Nitz becomes her friend and helps her stop the MPOOE Club from deleting the school with Fip, the consequences of Fip's powers show through. There seems to be no way to delete his power...until he meets an unusual worm named Poly. This book is VERY, VERY funny. Especially when Fip nearly eats "oxygen" and Lerner searches the dictionary for "oxyg". One question: Is there really such a thing as a gurkengabel?