Personally, I think that Nancy and Frank should somehow work out their relationship. Frank should dump Callie and Nancy should dump Ned. This book was by far the best one of the series. Frank and Nancy FINALLY kiss. I have also heard that in the book The Last Resort, there is some more stuff dealing with their relationship. So far , I havent read that book but if you have and konw what takes place, please email me. lady_eagles_golf@yahoo.com

Hi! I haven't read this book yet, but I heard it was really good, and I have to say that I think Nancy and Frank should get together because they both like each other. Yeah I know Ned really like's Nancy and Nancy really like's Ned they are just not made for each other. Nancy like's mysteries and Ned doesn't like Nancy running after mysteries. I mean Ned cares for Nancy. Frank loves mysteries and he loves it when Nancy helps him with a mystery. I dont think Frank and Callie should be together. I have read a few of the Hardy Boys books and you almost never here about Callie. I read The Last Resort and Frank and Nancy kiss! Thats how I can tell Frank and Nancy like each other.

Hey e-mail me at onavy100@aol.com and tell me do you think Nancy Hardy sounds good or Nancy Nickerson???

I have read this book and it is great. The fantasy that Nancy and Frank could get together is what makes this book so good. Not only that, but the plot and the problems that the team winds up in is exceptional. You know, I hope that Nancy and Frank end up together in the end of the series. They are perfect for eachother. But I can't help but wonder, what about Joe and Bess?

Chester Racoon and his mother prepare for Chester's first "night" at school. He is a little apprehensive, and, of course, he wants to stay home with his mom. Mrs. Racoon shares a secret with Chester called the Kissing Hand. She kisses Chester's palm and tells him to put it to his cheek when he begins to feel lonely at school. This book makes a great gift for a child entering school or going to camp for the first time, or for any occasion where a child will be temporarily separated from home and loved ones. It can also be used to help a child through the death of a parent or special loved one, and for children placed in foster families and residential facilities. For teachers, this book would be super to read the first day of school. It could also lead up to wonderful science, social studies, and reading/writing activities.

Chester is about to start school and he's terribly nervous. In a single, calming gesture, his Mom helps him feel loved and secure by kissing the center of his hand. She reminds Chester that her love is always right there and if he should feel frightened or scared or lonely he should simply hold the hand to his cheek and he will feel her love.
We read it just before our son began kindergarten on September 5, 2001 for several days in a row. Although he had been attending Day Care since birth, this was still a new experience for him and he was naturally nervous. So now, each morning we kiss his palm and send him off on the bus. It's a wonderful new ritual.
September 11, 2001 began a tremendously difficult time in our country. Our children are 4 and 5, and we have been reading this nearly every night since then. A friend's daughter was having terrible nightmares and great fears about not seeing her Daddy (he's a Police Officer currently assigned to Ground Zero). We lent them the book to read to her. Her Mom now tells me she is sleeping soundly as long as she has been kissed in the palm of her hand.
Sweet Dreams, America and the world.

Poor little Chester, the racoon, it's time for him to go off to school and he doesn't want to leave his mother. Mother knows that Chester will love school once he gets there. There'll be new friends to meet, new toys to play with, new books to read and even a new swing to swing on. So she tells him a special secret about the "kissing hand". She takes his little hand, spreads the fingers and places a kiss right in the middle of his palm. Now when he feels lonely and needs a little love from home, he can press his hand against his cheek and know his mother's love will be with him. And, before he scampers off to school, he gives his mother the kissing hand too, so that she won't miss him too much, while he's away..... Audrey Penn has written a sweet, endearing story to help little ones face those scary feelings on their first days of separation. Her gentle text is complimented by expressive, detailed illustrations and together will let youngsters know that they're not alone out there in the world. The Kissing Hand is the perfect bedtime story, pre-schoolers will want to read again and again and makes a wonderful addition to all home libraries.

This book had been recommended, I ordered it. From the first page of Miss Prines Diary I was hooked. I couldn't wait to pick it up again. Never a boring moment. Every entry in this Diary was instantly transformed into a fascinating novel. This is a quick read that covered all the elements needed to keep a reader interested in the evolving relationship of Sarah and Captain Jack. Life was hard and survival was obtained only through one's commitment to handle everything that life forces on us. Captain Jack's stoic nature was transformed from notable mention to the central focus of Sarah's life. All heroic adventures were humbly retold by a young proud capable woman. This diary painted a portrait of a young girl's desire to educate herself while enduring the hardship of life on the prarie. Insight into the perseverence of the 19th century when men were dirty, dusty and uneducated conveyed Sarah's strength and resignation to adapt and protect her family. Women were valued and prized for their refinement not their heart. Sarah never realized how wonderful she really was. This book brought out a reason for humanity and the will and all that this can accomplish. Love and integrity were the core throughout this story. Captain Jack was able to recognize and love all that is special in Sarah and wise enough to wait for and eventually be loved by Sarah Prine. This book is a winner.

When I began reading this book, I was, at first, annoyed by the prose. The author intentionally used misspelled words throughout the first few pages-- not to mention horrible grammar-- and I find that exhausting to read! However, after heroine Sarah Prine gets her hands on a newspaper and a wonderful young woman helps her learn to read and write a bit better, Sarah Prine's words become an adventurous, thrilling report of her life in the American West.

This book is loaded with adventure (Indian attacks, shooting contests, rape attempts, childbirth, and train robbery!!). I loved that the main character has a thirst for knowledge and love of books, too. She is easy to relate to, and impossible to dislike. I like Sarah because she is independent, sassy, and very real. Sarah's tongue is sharp, but her soul is so good, and it was exciting to read about her passion and lust for Jack and then watch their lives fall into place together.

This book was absolutely convincing as the diary of a young woman out West so many years ago. I found myself wondering about Sarah Prine as though she were a real person more than a few times... Also, as a Tucson resident, the parts about the erection of the university and the climate of the city back then were particularly interesting.

I could not put this book down. I stayed up three nights in a row, reading until 2 or 3 in the morning, just to find out what could possibly happen next. I laughed at the scrapes the characters found themselves in, and how they reacted to them, and I sobbed for half an hour as I turned the last few pages. To find out why, you will simply have to read this wonderful new piece of literature...

An excellent combination of history, one-person's (fictional) experience of it and her inner world as expressed in her private diary. This book really got me. I related to it on several different levels. My great-grandmother lived during this era and not far from these places; my grandmother (born in 1899, who died just this year) could have been one of Sarah's children. The different experiences Sarah and her family had while on the trail were at once historically fascinating, sometimes quite frightening and always personally riveting. The love story between Sarah and Jack -- while occasionally predictable -- was in total very real and touching. I found myself thinking of my own relationships, and learning from Sarah as she thought and wrote about hers. Sarah was a strong, competent, independent woman who did not deny her need for love and who honored her relationships with the women in her life. A good model for any of us.

I read this book in two sittings, staying up till 2 a.m. till finished - something I haven't done for a long, long time....I'm a single mom with three teens, a house and a busy career. My 11 year old daughter is reading it next!

An exceptional book on a very difficult subject. Ms. Raine captures many of the issues and concerns that rape victims must face. Most importantly, as a victim of rape she captures the emotional turmoil that surrounds all aspects of this life changing experience. As a rape victim I felt and went through many of those same experiences. I serve as a major in the US Army and I recently published "Ultimate Power Enemy Within the Ranks". I was raped 6 years ago by my Battalion Commander. The process that I went through was brutal. Recovery ... years ... continues.

During speaking engagements I encourage others to read "After Silence: Rape and My Journey Back". It serves as a useful tool for others and for victims to learn about and understand the process that women go through as they recover from rape. The most horrible aspect of being a rape victim is that you do not understand the what or why of what is happening as you struggle to recover. I believe that the education of others on that process will help victims, families, friends, and those in the work place deal with this very difficult issue and make the recovery process for the victim less painful. "After Silence ... does that and more.

I admire Ms. Raine for her courage and determination to make a difference. To say "Thank You" is not enough for her contribution to our communities in writning this book. It should be required reading in every high school.

This book was fantastic. Not only did he help me understand what I am going through, but it also helped my fiance. I just can't explain some of my thoughts and feelings to him and by him reading them in the book and asking me if I felt or did not feel the same it helped us to talk about it and this helps me a lot beacuse it is hard for me to talk about --- not just with him but in general. Raine helps the reader to realize they are not so alone. I had read several books and seen many movies about rape before my rape, but I still feel so alone sometimes. Raine made me realize that this is normal and will probably be my normal for a long time. I HIGHLY recommend this book to all survivors --- and possibly their loved ones if they feel comfortable sharing the feelings this book will reveal.

Nancy Raine's After Silence, her firsthand account of her rape and her life after the rape, is compelling, illuminating, and essential reading. Brutally honest, Nancy shares her private story of surviving and recovering from rape.

Raine helps her readers understand the severe and often lifelong psychological consequences of being victimized, the ambivalent reactions of other people to rape survivors, and the personal anguish in recovering from being raped. Raine elucidates her feelings of helplessness and terror during the rape, her treatment by the legal and medical system, other people's reactions to her rape, and her social and emotional isolation after the rape. She leads us through her coming to terms with the rape, with the new person she feels she becomes, with other people's reactions, and with her post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. Through Raine's words, we watch a severely traumatized woman learn to regain control of her life and learn to trust and love again.

Raine's book raises many important questions: Why the shame of being a victim of rape? Why is the victim blamed? Why do some people still think that rape is "assault with a friendly weapon?" Why people's ambivalent reactions to rape? Why the silence?

Raine decided to end the silence about rape by bravely sharing her story with the world. Why should she be ashamed? She is the victim; she did nothing wrong. She purposely and insistently breaks the taboos about rape to try to pave the path for rape victims to speak out about this abominable and prevalent crime.

There were an estimated 9 million women raped in the United States alone between 1972 and 1991. In the United States, a woman is raped every two minutes; eighty-three percent of women with disabilities will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime; only twenty-six percent of rapes are reported to the police. Over fifty percent of rape survivors suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, which can include the reexperiencing of the attack through nightmares, intrusive thoughts, and flashbacks; the avoidance of thoughts, feelings, places, and activities associated with the rape; difficulty concentrating; mood swings; and a diminished interest in former activities. These are just a few of the many terrifying and eye-opening statistics about the prevalence and seriousness of rape (in this country alone!)

Books like After Silence are necessary to combat the public's denial and apathy about the pervasiveness and seriousness of sexual crimes on women. After Silence can also help rape survivors understand that they are not alone and that their reactions to being raped are "normal." The general public should read the book so they can better understand the experience of being raped and life after rape. Hopefully the public and the legal system will learn to more supportive to rape survivors and more committed to ending (sexual) violence against women.

Reviewed by Vanessa Jackson

Nearly 40 years ago, as a 15 year old girl, I took this book from my parent's bookcase on a cold, Sunday in March. I held out little hope because it was my mother's book, but I was bored and had run out of library books. From the opening page I was enthralled. I read all afternoon and into the evening. The love story of Kathy and Mike appealed to my young, romantic heart. But as I moved into the middle of the book, I missed the romance and found it less exciting. Their married life was not as romantic as their courtship. I read it again twenty years later and saw a different book, one about a maturing marriage and the problems it faced. It seemed much more relevant as a 35 year old mother. I read it again a couple years ago and saw even more in the story; it became a much richer novel each time I read it.

This book was a wise purchase by my mother in 1947 for it has continued to live, and grow. As a girl it was a love story, 40 years later it is the portrait of a marriage. I found a copy in a used book, just like my mother's. I will read it again.

I am 13 years old. I just finished reading Mrs. Mike. My mother found the book at our public library and told me I should read it. I didn't bother to find out what it was about. You know how people always tell you not to judge a book by it's cover? That is exactly what I did. Since it was old and worn I expected it to be a book that I wouldn't find interesting, or very good. I was SO wrong! I have read many books and this is the VERY BEST book I have ever read. My mother told me that the book has stuck with her ever since she read it! I can see why. I couldn't stop reading it! It is a very well written book telling about a young Boston Girl, Katherine Mary O'Fallon and Sergent Mike Flannigan, a Canadian Mountie, who fall in love and start a new life in the Canadian Wilderness. There life is full of love, hardships, and friends you will never forget. I recemmend this book to anyone who can sit still long enough to read it!!

I literally can't remember when I read this book for the first time. What I do recall is how much I enjoyed it, although I certainly was too young to understand the romance between Katherine Mary O'Fallon of Boston and Sgt. Mike Flannigan of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. To me it was simply a grand adventure set in the Far North, with (always a plus!) a young woman protagonist.

I finished re-reading "Mrs. Mike" last night, and I know exactly why it's considered a classic. Everything I loved about it in my girlhood is still there, with the grand adventure even more powerful to my more realistic adult imagination - but now the rest of the story is accessible to me as well. And I can only say: Magnificent! Because this is that rare and wonderful thing, a love story about women and men as they really are. The stark realism of life as Kathy and Mike face it, in a land that's isolated, dangerous, and at times nightmarishly brutal, makes the happiness they find together shine all the more brightly. It also gives new meaning to the phrase "dearly bought." The same applies to the friendships Kathy finds with other women, each of whom is a memorable character in her own right.

I am so glad I visited these old friends again!

Lots of books will give you advice that seems to work when markets are doing well and the economy is great -- like we've had in the last few years. But most of those other books have stumbled badly (because their advice was worthless) but it only became apparent when the economy took a swan dive.

Simple Money Solutions is a much needed exception. Unlike advice written by people working in the financial services sector and who are constantly trying to sell you something, Nancy Lloyd's advice works in rising or falling economies. And you don't even need to be good in math to use it.

This book has helped me to find a new and better paying job even as my friends were being laid off and having little success in getting new work.

Nancy Lloyd's advice on paying off credit card debt and planning for down times really paid off. I started following her advice more than a year ago and my personal balance sheet couldn't be rosier.

Nancy Lloyd is a fabulous money and career coach. This book is a marvelous investment.

Refreshingly unique. It's my money so when I look for advice I would hope that the author has MY best interest at heart and is NOT a financial planner, stockbroker or someone else who is merely trying to fleece me of my hard-earned money so that they can make a commission.

I've already spent too much on other books by money "gurus" of the week who are spouting nothing buy self-serving money advice that is better for him or her than for me.

Nancy LLoyd is an amazing exception. She is not selling insurance, annuities, stocks, or bonds. And she's not looking to sign me up as a financial planning client or trying to get me to subscribe to some out-of-date or worthless newsletter.

'SIMPLE MONEY SOLUTIONS' offers just that: great advice that's easy to read and follow and there are no strings attached.

If it's true financial freedom you're after Nancy Lloyd's unique advice will get you there. So don't accept imitations. 'SIMPLE MONEY SOLUTIONS' is the one book to buy.

I have been a big fan of Nancy's financial reporting advice for years both on ABC News and NPR's Morning Edition. When Diane Sawyer and Bob Edwards raved about her book I eventually bought it. But more on the book in a moment.

First I want to mention that a few months ago I had the good fortune of attending one of her financial talks and my friends and I still can't stop talking about it or her. Nancy is an amazing person. Not only is she smart and understands and can explain money issues clearly and succinctly but her writing style and original advice about handling money put her head and shoulders above the dozens of other financial advice authors.

Maybe it's because she has real and solid credentials in economics and finance. Or maybe it's because she wrote the book herself and didn't hire someone to do it for her. As she explained in the talk, she "did not use a ghostwriter, collaborator or stunt double in the making of this book."

She's also got a great sense of humor which happily does come through in the book as well as her talks. We were hanging on the edge of our chairs when someone in the audience confronted her about being referred to as "the Babe of Bucks". She handled the heckler with grace and humor and got a standing ovation at the end her talk. The book and her talks are well worth the time and money.

Daughter Anna (now 19 years old) loved this book. It was her favorite above all others. As we sorted through some old kid things for give-away purposes, we stumbled upon this old, well worn copy of "The Velveteen Rabbit." She insisted we keep the book for HER children.

This was her book that Mama (me!) had to read to her again and again and again. As soon as the last word was read on the last page, it was "Mama, please read it again!"

(how I miss those days, by the way!)

The book also has a powerful message about Love that children understand and cherish.

This is a wonderful book. No child should be without their own copy of "The Velveteen Rabbit."

It's a sweet story of a 'simple' stuffed rabbit amidst the more 'complex' modern toys in a boy's "toy collection". The rabbit starts to believe that in order to get the love of the boy, he needs to appear 'real', or be able to zoom about like the motorized toys...
(And I'm not going to tell you the end hahahahaha!!!)
It was great having that read to me, while I was hugging my stuffed animals in bed.
But -- in a way, at first glance it looks like a simple story, but it is actually a surprisingly complex story. Leave it on your child's bookshelf as he/she grows up and he/she will reread it again and again as he/she questions issues such as "who am I?", "what does it mean to be 'real'"?, "what is my role in this world?", and even "what is death"?

I seldom write reviews on children's books, although I love them with a passion. My children are now mothers and my grandchildren are past young childhood. However, I believe that somewhere deep inside each of us remains a small child that still loves fairy tales, cotton candy, and walking barefoot in the grass. This book was one of my children's favourites, along with "Charlotte's Web;" both were also my own personal favourites. When my children were six years old reading this book became a nighly adventure until I knew the words by heart. For the reviewer who rated the book with a one star due to a spelling error, my heart goes out to you; you have sadly missed something very important - the message. The book is not about spelling, editing or lack thereof; it is about encouragement and love.

The book tells the story of a toy, sawdust-filled rabbit who wishes with all his heart to become real. The message contained in this book is poignant, heart-warming and touching, and one that you will never foreget as long as you live. It is a story of beauty, wonder and love. Any child who misses out on "The Velveteen Rabbit" is missing out on one of life's greatest lessons. I cannot say enough good things about this wonderful, wonderful book and highly recommend it to children...and the grown-up child in all of us.

My ten-month-old likes the pictures and rhythms, but I have completely fallen for these adventurous, silly sheep! I laughed till I cried the first time I read this board book aloud; every development on every page gets better. The story is priceless, but Margot Apple's illustrations absolutely make the book. Watch for the helpful pig's tatoo, and the small green frog on every page. Twice five stars for "Sheep in a Jeep"!

This is one of the most delightful children's books I have ever read. My two and a half year old and almost six year old both love the rhyming, hilarious story about sheep cramming themselves into a jeep and the misadventures that follow. It's a perfect book for both little ones and kids learning how to read.

Talk about clever! This is a wonderful book---one which will amuse your toddler and one which you will be able to read (and re-read and re-read) without growing bored.

These sheep are wonderful---their adventures (told in Shaw's great rhyming style) are tremendous fun and Apple's illustrations really bring those trouble-ridden sheep to life.

I have bought this book for lots of newborns as a baby present and I can't recommend this highly enough. Most of my friends (the babies' parents) have told me that they have enjoyed reading the book over and over again---long before their child was old enough to appreciate it.

This is the best Buffy book ever! Personally, I haven't seen the entire first and second seasons, so this book was great for me. After I read it I felt like I had really seen all the episodes. The book is divided into different sections:
The mythology of Buffy:Basically it gets you started on what being the Slayer really means using extracts of dialogues from the original episodes.
Sunnydale Guidebook: It includes a review of all the places to go in Sunnydale presented like a real advise.
Character Guide: The acting start of all the actors, and the development of their characters. The lines from each one are hilarious!
Episode Guide: A short review of each episode + a great quote + Love, Slayer style:How the relationships are in that episode + Buffy's bag of tricks: her weapons every time + Pop-culture IQ: references made to the pop culture + the continuity with the other episodes + excerpts from the original script.
Monster guide: A guide with the most important monsters, vampires and witches that have appeared in the show.
Bloodlust: Every relationship that has ever taken place, with great tidbits of dialogue between the lovers.
Behind the scenes: Lots of goodies from behind the scenes of Buffy, as well as interviews with the whole cast, producer, make-up artist, etc., etc., etc. Basically every person involved in the making of the show.
Music: A complete list with the most important songs played in each episode.
This book is one of the most complete I have ever read, and I have nothing but compliments for it. Golden and Holder did a wonderful job together like always, and I recommend this book to every Buffy-watcher, wheter it's die-hard or not. The book is great, and it includes everything you could possibly want to know, so I say, go for it!

Ok, where do I start?? The Watcher's Guide for BtVS is the most informative book on any show, let alone Buffy. With all the quotes you'll ever need and the little things that you might have missed - though if you're like me, you watch the eps over and over anyway!!

There are the helpful explanations on the quotes that involve movies or TV, and help you to see what everyone was laughing about - especially good for Aussies who sometimes dont have a clue about the American terms and stuff (like me!)

There are full colour pics, as well as black and white pictures. And if you missed a few eps, there is a full episode guide of seasons 1 and 2. From the eps you did miss, you might also have missed some vital info about a character - well, never fear! Detailed character info and backgrounds are also found in this book!!

I know this is an over-used phrase but it is sooo true in this case - If you buy ONE book this year and you're a Buffy fan, this is the book you should buy!! Save up if you have to, but do whatever you can to get a hold of it before The Watcher's Guide pt 2 (for seasons 3 and 4) comes out in November 2000!! Whether you're an Australian, an American, English, from New Zealand, or ZIMBABWE! It doesn't matter! Get your hands on this book!!

This is more than "The Official Companion to the Hit Show," this is the best volume covering the first two seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder do a first-rate job. The episode guide has not only plot summaries but also include quotes, pop-culture references, continuity points, and sometimes dialogue that was cut. There are also 100 pages of interviews with Joss Whedon, the cast and crew. The second volume is coming out on Halloween and it is my top choice for this year's treat. I do not want to wait for Christmas for that one. You cannot be a Buffy the Vampire Slayer devotee and not own these volumes.

I've read all the Buffy books, and from knowledge, know that Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder are the best Buffy writers. This book (i am only half way through it) is riveting!! So far I luv it!! The only thing I don't like is the Buffy-Angel thing. They can't be together, yada yada, I won't spoil it for you.

It's my favorite book in the series besides Blooded. I can't wait for the next Buffy book...something Chaos...

Anyway, you've GOT to read it--it's exciting and hard to stop reading

My second book I've read from my favorite hit t.v show and again, I am impressed! The writing is great and the characters are so lifelike and true to form. What I like about the books are the fact that we finally get to delve into the collective minds of the complicated characters that are Sunnydale's 'Scooby Gang'. A vampire slayer, a watcher, a witch, a werewolf, a vampire, a wisecracker human and a rich girl who keeps getting mixed up with the gang, even if she pretends she can't stand them. Like the show, the book was beyond entertaining and well worth the money.
This novel, 324 pages, could easily have been a great episode. It was a very different departure from what we've seen in the show. A weird group of traveling renaissance faire people that arrives in Sunnydale, CA, (a.k.a, the Hellmouth) who are not only weird, but have something to do with a sinister group of horsebacked, hellhound dark faerie roaming the woods around Sunnydale looking for souls.
The Scooby Gang think a faire would be uncool, but find themselves drawn to the faire anyway and experience a feeling of dread and doom. Jousting contests, human chest matches, knights and ladies and a court jester that all seem a little too...real.
Caught up in a whirl of confusion, the gang experience the dark faerie for themselves and find out the faire is the least of their problems. The Erl King has brought the Wild Hunt to the Hellmouth and the gang must stop them before all the lost souls in town become part of the Hunt forever. Not only does the Slayer have to worry about the king, but the jester in the faire is not what he seems...he is destined to become the Slayer's mortal adversary....

Tracy Talley~@

Definitely the best one of the series though not the scariest. The story was very well written and the characters were very well-depicted. Though Angel and Oz seemed a bit off characters, they are not as laconic as in the series, but it was good to have seen different sides of them. I also love the reference to Lucy Hanover, a Slayer in the 17th century or so. The whole deal with Roland really took me by surprise. The only downside is that the book's lacks of humor, and the depressing scenes about the runaways, the hopeless and all. Still, it's an excellent book, definitely worth more than 5 stars and definitely worth your money. Buffy fan or not, you'll love this book.