This is another in the American Girls Short Stories series about Samantha Parkington, a nine-year-old orphan girl living in the America of 1904. In this book, when Samatha's Uncle Gard and Aunt Cornelia present her with a beautiful new bicycle, she's overjoyed. However, when her she suffers an accident, she finds her love for the bike turned to fear. She wants to ride the bike, but what can she do?

The final chapter of this book is a wonderful look at bicycling in 1904. We found this so entertaining, that we had to share it with the whole family! This is a great book, with very good illustrations, and an excellent lesson. My eleven-year-old daughter and I loved reading it, and we think that you will too!

I first read "Samantha's Blue Bicycle" when I was 12, under a different title in American Girl magazine. This mini book takes place between Samantha's Surprise and Happy Birthday, Samantha!. Uncle Gard and Aunt Cornelia come back from their honeymoon with a present for Samantha..a blue bicycle. Samantha likes it at first, until she discovers that her skirts always get caught in the bike. Samantha refuses to ride her bike, but then gets help from an unexpected source. A great read!

Three of my favorate personal development books are The Power of Positive Thinking, Think and Grow Rich, and The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Now I have four. Self-Wealth restates some time proven self-development principles combined with alot of very inciteful new material. This is a book you can't put down, and I know I got more information from my second read. Great stuff!

When I was in my early twenties I bought my first "personal development" book, written by Anthony Robbins. Little did I know this would start a long journey of studying self-help litterature, listening to motivational audiotapes, and even attending a few inspirational lectures and seminars. Now, with all that I've read and all that I've studied, I must say that Self Wealth has probably had the most profound impact on me to date. And I say this even though it's been less than a week since I finished the book! Maybe it's because the timing and the message was right for me just now. Maybe it's the result of the book's powerful simplicity.. In any case, I really feel like "I got it!" Honestly, this book really tied it all together for me and I am sure it will be a tremendous asset for anyone. No matter what your background, occupation, age, sex or location may be, this book can really help you change, reach your goals and live more abundant and balanced lives. I know this without a doubt... Still, YOU need to USE the principles and ideas that are presented. In Self Wealth you will also find tips and excercises to help you do just this. Again, it's simple, it's easy and it's practical. It is all this and more... It's one GREAT, GREAT book!

St. Paul island, one of the remote Pribilof Islands far off the coast of mainland Alaska, is just 14 miles long and eight miles wide. For over a decade, the author worked, lived on, and came to love this place, its fierce weather, its wildlife, and its people. Her spare, imagistic prose illuminates the darkness and beauty of the subarctic landscape.

Alaska's Pribilof Islands are incredibly beautiful and surreal. Seven Words for the Wind captures a piece of that beauty through a series of essays and field notes. Having lived in the Pribilofs for four years I was most impressed by the thoughtful nature of this book as well as the insights provided by the author. I would highly suggest this book for anyone intending to visit the islands, see the seal or bird rookeries or just interested in learning about a different culture.

This is the best guidebook I've ever seen. No BS, just all the data you want in an easy to use format. I recently returned from a new england creeking trip, and the book was invaluable. But beware, it is definitely directed at the highly experienced creeker; when they say things like "the most difficult rapids aren't visible from the road", what they mean is "the multi-drop, Twitch-worthy class V+ eddyless gorge with no portage route is inaccessible from the road". If you're heading up that way, get it.

Greg and Sue have focused this book on providing serious steep creekers with the info they really need to know. How to figure out what is running and how to know how fast it will drop as well as how to get to the put in and take out. They don't waste time telling you the names of the rapids and the mamby-pamby lines down them. They figure if you can't pick your own lines down class V rapids and not get hammered then you don't belong on that creek anyways. I have only run a handful of the nearly 30 class V creeks in this book, but I hope to get a chance to run them all.

A must have for any steep creeker. This guidebook beats the pants off all the other ones I have ever seen including my personal hero William Nealy's.

Karl

This is another one of the American Girls Short Stories series about Josefina Montoya, a nine-year-old girl living in the New Mexico of 1824. In this book, as the sisters work on blankets to save the rancho (see Josefina Learns a Lesson) the excitement of the project turns into drudgery, as each of the girls finds different chores irksome, and they begin to quarrel. But, while out gathering roots and nuts and things to make dyes for the wool, Josefina suddenly realizes that there is something that can bring the sisters back together.

The final chapter of this book is on Mexican blankets of 1824, and gives directions for dyeing a shirt with supplies from around the house. As I have always been quick to point out, Jean-Paul Tibbles' illustrations are excellent in quality and add to the experience of reading this great book. My daughter and I both enjoyed this book, and we recommend it to you.

This is the fifth short story published about the American Girl, Josefina. The setting of this book is around the time period of "Josefina Learns a Lesson". Josefina's family has just experienced a terrible financial loss where a sudden flood killed many of the rancho's sheep. Tia Dolores and the girls have decided to recover the loss by weaving stored wool into wool blankets for trade to build up new a flock.

Josefina eagerly wants to please her Aunt with the new weaving business, but her sisters quickly turn on her for the hard work they now have to do "Thanks to Josefina". Teresita, Tia Dolores servant who teaches Josefina to weave, takes the discouraged Josefina on a walk to look for plants for dyes and gently helps her understand how many colors can contribute to each rug they weave. Soon, her sisters find something that they can genuinely thank Josefina for as they learn to work together more peacefully!

I enjoyed this short story because it integrated Josefina's skill and knowledge of plants, which was introduced in "Happy Birthday, Josefina". "Thanks to Josefina" identifies several regional plants for dyes, and includes a project where readers can make their own dye from an onion to tie-dye a t-shirt.

Rather than give the story away-do youself a favor and read this wonderful romance. As with all her books, Ms. Kirkwood wrote yet another beautiful romance novel. She is a gifted writer. I look forward to reading more of her work. Ms. Kirkwood keep writing--you are an excellent author.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat just waiting for the next shoe to fall. Ten years ago Madelein Fourest and Danial Delany met at St. Augastine boys reformitory. He was a angry young criminal and she was a little rich girl. After only one day, Madelein disappeared from Daniel's life. Now they've found each other again on the mean streets of Chicago, though each doesn't recognize the other. If you like strong women, out to get what they want and tortured heroes this is the book for you. This is a tale about two young news reporters suddenly bound unwillingly in matrimony and finding themselves liking it. There are a few amusing maritital spats between Madelein and Daniel. You will be on the edge of your seat as you follow them on their quest to uncover the elusive Red Rose Killer. One question that will surprise you at the end is: Who is Daniel's real father?

If you're looking for clear, fun, expert advice about the books children truly enjoy look no further. Every parent, grandparent and teacher should have this on their shelf. This is THE best book to buy for a baby shower gift.

As a children's librarian I am constantly seeking out adults who like books for kids as much as I do--Valerie and Walter fit the bill. This is filled with books that kids will actually like and want to read--I wish I could give a copy to every school teacher who makes up a summer reading list full of books that were published 50 years ago and then wonders why no one read any of them over the summer. A wonderful resource for parents who care about what their kids read, as well. Bravo.

This engaging book will help you explain the wonderful life of plants to your little ones. It covers all major cycles from seed to decay and includes some experiments to try at home.

One of the book's strong points is the beautiful illustrations that grace its pages. Whether highlighting some of the text, desecribing a particular cycle or depicting a wilderness scene, the images are a pleasure to behold and provide some good discussion topics with your children.

This book was given to me by the mother of the books illustrator at a time when I was planning the botony unit for my two homeschooled boys ages 7 and 11. I quickly fell in love with the extremely beautiful and at times whimsical illustrations. The science behind the book is simple, easy to understand and well presented. I highly reccomend the book as a homeschool book or as a general guide to simple botony..certain to increase your childs awareness of the wonderful world of plants and life cycles. My boys have given the book a 10 star rating!

But when Imogene was tricked aboard a ship bound for England, she vowed to forget Capt van Ryker, the man who had filled her life and heart-only to banish her so cruelly.

Then a shipwreck off the coast of Cornwall returned Imogene to her girlfriend home. It was a homecoming without joy, for she found herself on trail for murder. Now, as she faced certain death, she heard again the sweet promise of her Caribbean lord...

Somehow he would come to her again, and together they would soar to the heights of passion they first knew on the golden sands of a distant isle...borne once more on the wings of a Wild Willful Love.

Wow, This was the series of books that got me hooked on historic romance! Mrs. Sherwood's knowledge of history, culture and geography, not to mention sociology, blended with her uncanny talent at spinning an intriguing plot with very well defined characters will have you reading faster and faster to try and find out what will happen next.I wish she would write more!

Fantastic how both illustrator and author can put so much heart and detail into a childrens book. Great story; not one of those nonsensical ones that flood the market today. A delight for both parent and child. So much to see and discover on every page. And during the next read one spots yet another little detail.

It's difficult to take a strangers recommendation, but this book is great (as is Winnie The Witch).

This story was so good it inspired us to write our own Winnie adventures. The story was fun and made you feel warm and cosy at the end. The illustrations were fantastic - a cartoon witch that was not too scary! Every time we read it we saw something new.