"What use is a life like this?" asks her mother as she lies in a nursing home connected to a feeding tube, unable to get out of bed or use one of her arms. Gerber responds to her mother, "Maybe because you have to have this experience (and I am having it, in my way, too), we are both making something valuable from it." Gerber not only shares the experience of watching her mother deteriorate, but she also shares life affirmations in the guise of a tiny kitten who brings joy in the midst of sorrow.

Busily planning her day, Gerber stands at her back door when she hears a small, desperate cry. Following the sound, she finds a kitten beneath the crawl space of her house. Luring the kitten out with food takes days, but brings a renewed energy and purpose to the act of living. The kitten touches the lives of each of her family members, even her mother who names it Maximilian because it's the closest any of the them will ever come to having a million.

In parallel stories, OLD MOTHER, LITTLE CAT describes the antics of a young life and the fading purpose of an old one. Despite the bleakness of the landscape of a death without dignity, Maxie, the kitten, becomes a shimmering ray of hope in the midst of desolation. Acknowledging the inevitability of old age and the battles that age brings, at times humorous, at times pathetic, Gerber's book remains cheerfully optimistic in its life affirming message.

Writing with stately grace and beauty, Gerber reveals the pain that our seniors and their families must endure. Despite the pain, Maxie becomes a metaphor for living life in the moment, for appreciating the immediate gifts offered by each day. OLD MOTHER, LITTLE CAT is a powerful, touching book. In fact, it's one of the remarkable novels I remember months after reading it, even though I review around 40 books a month. I heartily recommend it.

This book is an absolute delight. The story itself is engaging and entertaining, and the links allow children to explore beyond the boundaries of the book itself. This will keep a child entertained for hours.

Penny Lockwood Ehrenkranz knows how to write. I don't think I can state it any plainer than that.

Then And Later is billed as "a Collection of Fantasy and Science Fiction Stories (with a Touch of Romance)". Don't you believe it. Ms. Ehrenkranz had only one goal in mind when she wrote this book; she wanted readers to see Love from every possible angle and dimension. Lost love, new love, love worth fighting or dying for; throw away what you think you know about Love, because you've never seen it before until you've read this book!

Clichés? Not here. Formulaic writing? Try someone else. Ms. Ehrenkranz didn't use 'copy and paste' to fill this anthology of 11 stories. In fact, the Lady (and, yes, that's with a capital 'L') could scarcely be bothered to stay in the Romance genre. Each and every story is told in its own way, with unique characters. Iceman reminds one of the myths brought down by oral tradition (it is that well told). Yet, the Lady also has stories cast as fairy tales, legends of old, and even "classic" Fantasy. Love in a Different Hue is irreverent Science Fiction, but it gets downright silly in Crash Landing, yet eerily realistic in Isolation. Ashley of Ashland and The Watcher (my personal favorites) hold a favorable glint of "swords and sorcery" without overdoing it. Meanwhile, Lady in Waiting does triple duty as a medieval/"mistaken identity" romance with a touch of "bodice ripping". As for the paranormal, look no further than Drakoni and Déjà vu.

I once believed that I did not like "Romance" stories. Now I know that the problem isn't with the genre, but with the 'authors' who've flooded the genre with unoriginal, uninspired work. I have been enlightened.

The most challenging aspect of beginning metaphysical studies is knowing where to begin. Shelves and shelves of highly specialized information are out there for the seeker, but where does one begin without a road map?

"Tourguide to the Metaphysical World" by Susanne Tucker clearly draws a map for the novice, introducing such topics as chakras, auras, telepathy, and reincarnation, making it far easier to develop one's own spiritual path. A student of metaphysics, I feel compelled to admit that had I discovered this book several years ago, I could have saved the cost of several expensive classes and quite possibly have met my studies with far less confusion.

'Tourguide" is unique among metaphysical books for its scope and understanding of the beginning seeker's needs. For anyone curious about the metaphysical, I heartily recommend this excellent overview. Not only does Susanne Tucker introduce the topics with common sense, but her simple style allows even the least knowledgeable of metaphysics to follow.

Susan also addresses the responsibilities that go with a healthy study of metaphysics. She cautions the seeker to quest for balance between the positive and negative; that is, there is no sunshine without shadow. Most importantly, she encourages study while exerting caution in the areas where many students find themselves in danger, especially concerning energy work and working on the astral plane.

While I encourage the reader to challenge what they find here by continuing their studies elsewhere, the reader will find that the author touches on the topics essential to a beginner's study. And "Tourguide to the Metaphysical World" provides a solid foundation to follow through on one's studies elsewhere.

As a mid-30's female, I found this book extremely interesting; which is something I would never belive I would say about a financial planning book. The story is easy to follow and the characters are warm and likeable.

Even though I work as an Administrator in the Financial Planning field, I found lots of useful tips. My favorite one was being able to call my government to find out how much I have paid towards my pension. I honestly did not know I could do that!

It's a wonderful story that focusses on family, friendship, values and financial planning. I highly recommend it to any woman, whether or not you already know how to handle your money.

I love a good story with a woman in midst of things. This wonderful story of women working together will entrance you; I enjoyed every word. Aggie is a widow with spunk and business sense. She has a new chance in her old hometown; I won't tell you what happened. But know that this heart and hardy woman takes on the BIG BOYS.

Don't miss it; a good story with lingering memories.

Once again Aliske Webb has used the quilting metaphor to record life experiences in THE FRAGILE THREAD. Echoing traditional heroic journeys of Greek legend, Aliske acknowledges the journey that all women share in their individual threads that weave life's tapestry. While drawing on lessons and metaphors familiar to all lovers of literature, however, Aliske gives THE FRAGILE THREAD a fresh philosophical twist guaranteed to provoke thought and refresh one's spirit at the same time.

The center of creativity and the heart of the novel, Grandma's Quilt Shop, recently opened by Aggie who, in her own quest begin life anew, has located in the small town of Clareville, in the middle of the west row around the town square. Excited by her new prospects, Aggie begins a quilt designed to record her new life. Each square represents the import events of her life, including family, change, fear, and success. The sampler reflects the common pattern to the journey all women share; yet the sharp uniqueness of fabric emphasizes Aggie's unique impressions.

Having found her spiritual home in her new quilt shop, Aggie is stunned to learn of the town's plans to replace the Town Square with a parking lot and a strip mall. The mayor's son, "Little Al Jr" spearheads the development project, and has already purchased half of the block where Aggie lives over her quilt shop. Aggie finds herself becoming a part of the women's business community to preserve the heritage of the city's park and historical buildings.

Like the heroes of Greek legend, each of Aggie's challenges is accompanied by encouragement from unexpected places, including the spirit of her deceased Grandmother, the mysterious and boisterous Jo, and the sexy fireman with a love of fabric. Surrounded by her daughters and the women of the community, Aggie records her challenges and successes within the sampler quilt, preserving the lessons of love and of strength.

For those who found themselves enraptured by THE PHOENIX QUILT, as well as new fans of Aliske Webb, this marvelous novel will provide a refreshing view of life and the spiritual journey we all share. I thoroughly enjoyed the novel, and eagerly look forward to journeying into more of Aliske's work.

Wendy has covered almost every aspect of Bush life in Australia in her twenty four Rollicking Poems. I, an ex Scot, have driven around this vast Country, and can see where she gets her titles. The Kanga Man is typical of a Bush worker. He "spotlights" for Kangaroos in his "Ute" with his dog aboard. Yackandandah is the name of a town in Country Victoria. The Wildlife gets a good hearing with Poems about a crocodile, wombat, koala, kangaroo and kookaburra. History is covered by Gold Fever poem about "Ned" in the Goldfields of the late 19th Century. Digger is about the Anzac Spirit, a subject very dear to Australians. The Drover's Missus, the story of the Woman who is the backbone of the Bush, putting up with the harsh conditions of the "outback". She even has written a Poem about Aussie Sport with Av-a-go-yer-mug, describing the one eyed Sports supporter. I recommend this collection of Poems to all. Read it to yourself, then out loud.

I'm the author of this collection of Australian Bush Poetry.
I wrote this collection, keeping to the true format of the popular genre of 'Australian Bush Poetry' which should be either written by an Australian ( I'm an Aussie) or about Australia, or Australians in a metered rhyming verse! I don't claim to be a 'Banjo Patterson' but simply a fan of the traditional Australian poerty which thrives among the 'bushies' in the outback and the keen followers around Australia. I hope you enjoy them!

As a teacher in training I'am always searching for suitable adolescent literature. I was intrigued when I came across "Stone Markers." Like the best children's books, this one can be enjoyed on more than one level. Twin brothers stumble on to what looks like an old grave in the woods near their house. The discovery leads to their involvement with a sinister and dangerous "shadow man." With a few friends they uncover and eventually solve decades-old crimes that adults in their community have tried to forget. The story is well told and fast-paced. The characters ring true, as anyone who's ever been around young teenage boys will see immediately. A powerful and welcome affirmation of friendship and loyalty, "Stone Marker" takes up and answers the age old question of; "what do we do when we are confronted by evil?" The Willard Aspen Detective Agency is off to a good start.

The Mystery of the Stone Markers, by Clay Sharman, is a breath of fresh air for the young teen book genre. Finally, we see a return to some "old school" values that The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew once represented: wholesome, clean, fun. These kids aren't popular at school, they get good grades, and they aren't interested in sneaking into rated R movies. The six boys portrayed in Mr. Sharman's book are all good kids. It's as simple as that. But above all else, this book is about friendship.

Take for example, Cory, the main character of the story and a boy with the opportunity to be more popular within his school, who purposely CHOOSES not to be. He remains true to his brother and his friends ... period. Of course he's fictional, but for a self-conscious thirteen-year-old, how comforting is it to read about a boy his own age who makes the right decisions instead of the easy ones, and is comfortable with that? This young group of detectives - The Willard Aspen Detective Agency as they later name themselves -- is able to operate because they never get far from the bond of friendship and equality they share. In fact, in almost every scene in which they are all together, each one has equal input in the problem-solving process. There are no egos here.

What I think is most impressive about the story is that, though the mystery revolves around a serious crime, the author never loses sight of the fact that his characters are just kids. The injection of a "bully" element in the form of two classmates, Serge and Trevor, adds even more realism to the book. These boys, both obviously envious of the relationship that Cory and his friends share with one another, try to intimidate the group rather than understand the bond. We all know kids like Serge and Trevor. This is a wonderful story about the bond of friendship, the innocence of youth, the spirit of adventure and above all, the idea that fitting in with peers is not nearly as important as discovering who your true friends are. I feel confident in saying that no parent will object to his or her child hanging out with the Willard Aspen Detective Agency. I can't wait to see what these boys get into next!

This is a scary story of boys own adventure, sure to thrill any teenage boy. It is fast paced and I found it a bit of a page turner.

Six boys band together to form the Willard Aspen Detective Agency to solve the mystery surrounding strange happenings in their local woods.

Cory, his twin Connor, Jake, Jerry, Mac and Len are all somewhat misfits at school. They are considered geeks and therefore are on the fringes of the "teenager" things that are beginning to consume all their thirteen year old classmates. As a response they have banded together in friendship and conduct the normal boyhood adventures and feats of bravado together.

Their activities soon are ranging outside the normal when they discover a set of mysterious stone markers in the nearby woods, and are suddenly the subject of the menacing attention of the shadowy stranger who has recently come to haunt the woods.

The boys are not scared off, but are drawn further into an investigation of the shadowy stranger by some close personal encounters and by the disappearance of a local boy.

They formalize their investigations by setting up the Willard Aspen Detective Agency, complete with filing cabinet and pc in the basement. However, the shadowy stranger is not content to sit by and be investigated. While the boys go about finding the clues to the mystery in the woods, the stranger stalks them one by one, and his intentions are deadly.

The boys are depicted as independent, adventurous and normal with all the teenage concerns of girls, sexual identity and schoolyard bullies. The book is written for teenagers, but it can be read by adults who will experience with some wonderment and aprehension the daring do of the boys.

Being an African-American woman, and craving well-written, educational stories with black characters, I was excited about this book.

Like a child on Christmas, I anxiously awaited its arrival. But boy, was I disappointed.

It was said that the author Dawn Reno had composed a heart rending narrative.

Talk about misleading the buyer. What a joke! I wasn't remotely touched by what I read.

The story was under-developed in some enormously significant places.

Edmonia was accused of murder, and a few sentences later, she was exonerated.

Reno neglected to show Edmonia agonizing over her fate. There was no trial. Nothing.

And worse than poor development, and a story that lacked depth, Reno's prose was as flat as three day old Pepsi. I realize that the story was written for young readers, but that is no excuse for drab writing.

The book was a waste of money. I'd been better off donating the cost of the novel to a worthwhile charity.

i bought this book for my grandkids. they were thrilled to have it in the CD format and liked the links to other sites about Edmonia and friends. what i liked most about the book was the way Harriet Hosmer told the story. I thought it was very intersting. stories about black women who have succeeded in today's world aren't offered often enough, so i think this is a valuble addition to any child's bookshelf.

Being an art major, I have always been amazed at how little is written about African American women in the arts. This book, though written for children, has more information about Edmonia Lewis, the sculptor, than any other sources I have come across. Though one of the reviewers seems to find fault with no details about Lewis's trial, I know for a fact that there aren't any details . . . and would have found it negative if Reno had supplied a fictional account of the matter. This is DEFINITELY a book I'd purchase for my child or any black child--and I recommend it highly!