Dream on Trina! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. What a delightful way of setting out an autobiography. While you only touched on salient points in you life, they were sufficient for us to really gage what a life as an artist could have been in the late 1970's through the 1980's. Without you artist, what a bore life would be. I am interested in writing a book and am reading to determine what type of book I would like to write. Your book with those delightful pictures speaks volumes. Hopefully, I will be able to find my nitch and get my book written in a different manner like you have done. I am not an artist, therefore, my task is much greater than what your task was. Wish me luck.

Written for young people, this beautifully illustrated brief telling of Trina Hyman's life story will be especially interesting to young artists. Her depiction of the natural world around her is breath-taking. The book tells of the joys and difficulties of a girl who is only interested in drawing and painting as she is growing up. Naturally she does poorly in school, at least until she goes to Art school instead of college. Suddenly she is immersed in a world where everyone else shares her passion.

Eventually she marries, has a child, gradually gets more and more work illustrating books (and writing a number herself), makes many friends, buys a farm in New England, and becomes famous.

In my opinion Hyman is either the best or as good as the best children's book illustrator there is. E.g. Canterbury Tales (for chilren), Saint George and the Dragon, Snow White, Caddie Woodlawn, A Room Full of Windows, etc. etc. Her selection of books to illustrate is impeccable. Check some of them out of your local public library and you will see what I mean. The details in her pictures are so interesting and beautiful, and in such perfect synchrony with the story and its mood, often enhancing the story; the effect is magical.

In the case of this book, the text is brief, but the pictures tell you a lot more about her life than the words. Lovely.

The pictures in this book are great fun--Trina Schart Hyman skillfully captures the atmosphere of each season with a complexity of familiar objects, including the small details that always make her work a joy to wander into. The poetry, however, was not as good as I had expected. The poems lacked internal unity, resembling a list of separate events that never transitioned well enough into each other to evoke the desired image (of that particular month). There were occasional gems--phrases that stood out like holidays in an otherwise unspectacular "year." For example, "January" begins with these lines:

"The days are short,/ The sun a spark/ Hung thin between/ The dark and dark."

And the first two stanzas of "June":

"The sun is rich/ And gladly pays/ In golden hours,/ Silver days,/

And long green weeks/ That never end./ School's out. The time/ Is ours to spend."

Among several other noteworthy passages, my favorite of all is this one from "March":

"The mud smells happy/ On our shoes."

Read it for the gems, not for a unified sense of the season, and you'll be rewarded. But then again, the pictures are reward enough!

Today, many children only know about poetry from Dr. Seuss. A Child's Calendar is a rich introduction to the imagery of poetry that has entranced all who listen since the days of wandering story tellers and shamen. In this volume, classic New England situations and events are beautifully illustrated in warm, heavily inked water colors showing beautiful brown and pink faces amid nature's wonders. Although no one would buy this volume solely for the poetry, the resulting book of illustrated verses makes for the raw material for a garden of happy memories tended by reading to your child (or grandchild) and listening while she or he learns to read to you.

Each month is featured, beginning with January, with a brief poem and two beautiful illustrations spread over two pages. The illustrations are clearly well deserving of the Caldecott Honor.

I found some of the imagery particularly meaningful, and these lines are included below:

January -- "The sun a spark/Hung thin between/The dark and dark."

February -- "And snapping, snipping/Scissors run/To cut out hearts."

March -- "The timid earth/Decides to thaw."

April -- "All things renew./All things begin."

May -- "And Daddy may/Get out his hoe/To plant tomatoes/In a row."

June -- "In golden hours,/Silver days."

July -- "Bang-bang! Ka-boom!"

August -- "The pavement wears/Popsicle stains."

September -- "The breezes taste of apple peel."

October -- "Frost bites the lawn."

November -- "The ground is hard,/As hard as stone."

December -- "We were fat penguins,/Warm and stiff."

The subjects of sun, earth, plants, animals, and change recur in almost each poem.

One of the charms of this book is that it makes the harsh weather interesting and appealing, helping a child understand the balanced nature of the year and his or her role in that balance. For someone who lives in a warm climate year round this book will seem very magical.

After you have finished enjoying the book, I suggest that you and your child partner discuss other cycles that she or he has noticed. You could talk about the daily cycle of the sun, the monthly cycle of the moon, the twice daily tides, or even three meals a day. Young people often have trouble developing a perception of context for what is going on around them. This book and your discussions can help. You will also encourage someone who may want to write some poetry. If so, why not start with January and describe what is happening where you live?

See and hear the most in the beauty around you! Capture it for others to enjoy!

Updike creates a poem and word picture that accurately and wonderfully describes each month of the year. His short, simple poems are packed full of words and imagines that conjure up seasons and holidays, emotions and activities throughout the year. Hyman's illustrations are an added bonus, as she brings each month to life through the eyes of a family and their friends. I highly recommend this one -- it's beautiful

This was a great book. At first i thought this book was boring , but as i got deeper and deeper into the book i found my self not stoping when reading time was over. The book was told in first person which made it intresting , because they would flip back and forth through time. It was intresting for me because it was about the jews in world war, and i am half jewish. Most world war booke spark my intrest. The charasters were well described down to the smallest detail. Also, what was intresting about the book was that it was about an old latie telling her grand daughter about how she helped her family escape from a consentration camp and getting them home safly. the only thing i did not like about the book was thet since it switched back and forth in time so mush that sometimes i didnt understand. All in all i rated this book a 3 out of 5 because of all the action and drama, but little bordem. I would reccomend this book to anyone who is intresten in world war 2 events.

At first i thought this book was very boring. As i got deeper and deeper in to it i foung my self not stoping when reading was over. What i liked about the book was that it was about jews in world war 2, and that sparks my intrest because i have jewish backround. The fact that a little girl helped her family escape from the nazies was also very intresting to me. The book was told in first person and kept going back and forth in time which sometimes confused me. That was the only thing about the book that annoyed me. i would find myself having to read a hold 3 pages over because i was confused. I liked that the story was told by an elderly grandma to her grand daughter. My grandmother used to tell me stories like that and it brought back memories. I rated this book a four out ot five because of all the action and drama. The only thing i did not like about the book was that sometimes it got very boring and it went back and forth in time, confusing me. All in all it was a good book, and i would reccomend it to anyone who likes world war 2 stories about jews.

This was a really great book that kept me reading for a few days. It really showed me what it was like for a Jewish girl to live through turn-of-the-century Russia. This was a summer reading book for me at school, but I'm certainly glad I read it! I would reccommend this book to any and all who are looking for a great read!

While not exactly the most exciting Super Bowl ever played- the Niners pretty much had it won at halftime- this book does give the Niner/pro football fan a good look at the glitz, glamor, & hype that surrounds the 'Great American Time-Out'. The enormity of this amazing event in pro sports is depicted in the seemingly-endless array of color photos, with a bit of text here & there.

There's pre-game pics of the fans, decked out in some of the most interesting clothing & costumes ever seen as they pay tribute to their allies. There's the prepping of the field for the big day. You'll also see the players coming off the planes, the annual NFL Experience 'carnival', and go behind the scenes at rehearsals for the halftime show.

Then there's the game itself, featuring plenty of 49er highlights (Steve Young's amazing performance, Jerry Rice & Ricky Watters' two-man touchdown show, Deion Sanders' steppin') and a few Charger Moments as well (Andre Coleman's 98-yard kickoff return TD). Kathy Lee Gifford's national anthem and the 'Indiana Jones'-themed halftime show (with the Super Bowl trophy standing in for the gold idol from 'Raiders') are also depicted.

Finally, there's the post-game wrap-up, featuring stills from the victorious 49ers locker room, press conferences by both teams, and the Niner victory parade down San Francisco's main drag. Finally, a few words from commissioner Paul Tagliabue, the sentimental thoughts of Hall-of-Famers Dan Fouts & Ronnie Lott, and an appendix of game stats are included to give this book a little something aside from photos to look at.

'Late

I think the writing in this book was very good. There is actually quite a bit of it: Ronnie Lott sounds incredibly sensible, and Crumpacker's piece is a hoot. Even Tagliabue comes across less than smarmy.

I am a die-hard Charger fan, so even though we got massacred in this game, I still have a lot nostalgia of the 1994 season. It was the first year that we ever made a Super Bowl, and it was a year that I will never forget. This book brings back all of those great memories. Chargers 2000 all the way!

I bought this book because I have a lot of 1980s and 1990s action figures, comic books, magazines, trading cards, and the such. I was hoping to finally find someone to sell them to. Well, I contacted some people listed in the book, and ... I've still got the stuff. If you have something made before 1970, this book may be of use to you. But if you're stuff is after 1970, don't waste your money on this UNCOMPREHENSIVE book. Hey, Tony Hyman, how about writing/compiling a separate volume covering items made after 1970?

If your going to have a yard sale or throw something away, wait till you read this book. I use the book and found thing's worth some real money, that I thought was trash.. So do your self a favor and buy the book. It's worth the money

I found the book in the library and when I found I'd bookmarked 40 or so pages, I decided to buy myself a copy (used, for half price). Good advice for working through an estate, which is what I'm dealing with--what to sell to collectors and what should go through a yard sale. Collectors have been very nice to work with, if they won't buy my item they will recommend somewhere else. My first item to sell was a musical instrument; the collector gave me $50 more than the highest bid at a local music store. The book has been very reassuring to both my mother and me to know what's junk and what is worth 10 or 20 times more than we'd expect from a yard sale, or at least double what we've seen on ebay. For the most part, not for newer collectibles (past 1970s), but book has an extensive section listing collectors of fast food, pop culture, and similar items which may only be 10 or 15 years old. Look for an older edition at the library to check the format; I've found this to be an invaluable resource, and several friends have purchased copies of this book as they watch me go through the "old junk" in the house. We all use it so much that we simply refer to it as, "the book".

OK, OK, so I'm an Oriole fan, and still grieving Jon Miller's departure for points west. I admit it. Still, I think I can objectively say: this is a terrific read. Miller is smart, opinionated, and articulate, and he *loves* baseball. Moreover, he is acutely conscious of the game's history, and the lessons and perspectives to be gleaned from it. More important, he exhibits a fine sense of humor that doesn't stop at his own doorstep. Any serious baseball fan, anywhere, should enjoy this book.

I received this book along with Joe Morgan's as a Christmas present, and it was interesting to read them in tandem, as it shows why they are such a complementary broadcast team. Miller's book is more an anecdotal memoir than a detailed analysis of the game, but that doesn't spoil the enjoyment of it. His tribute to Ken Coleman, the retired Red Sox radio broadcaster, brought back to this Red Sox fan vivid memories of Miller's all-too-brief stay in Boston. The book, however, suffered from an editing job that assumed that the reader had a familiarity with Miller's personal life and career history. For example, there are several references to his first marriage which both assume that the reader knows that Miller was married before and why it ended. But these references are extraneous and add nothing to this picture of Miller as broadcaster and baseball purist -- which, after all, is the book's primary focus.

Had an opportunity to read this book over the Thanksgiving holiday...just couldn't put it down. Jon Miller gives baseball fans and purists an updated insider's view on many of the issues that are of prime concern to today's baseball fans such as: the designated hitter, interleague play, outrageous salaries, current and future hall of famers; and he gives you all the details of his divorce with the Baltimore Orioles and notes interesting tidbits about Baltimore's greedy and incompetent owner -- Peter Angelos.

Easy to read. Easy to understand and enjoy.

I first fell in love with this book as a high school student shelving books in the children's room of the local public library. I spent the past four years hunting for a copy to add to my own library. This well-written book imaginatively explores what our world - and the dolls' world - might be like from the perspective of the dolls. It's a scary story that will make you look twice at every dollhouse you see thereafter, leaving you wondering if you're in control of the dolls or if they're in control of you.

I read this book when I was little, I have remembered it always, I used to wonder if my Barbies cared if I pulled their hair too much, or if I was being mean throwing them off the dreamhouse into the pool, or yanking off their clothes, then I came across this book in the school library, boy did I ever love it, I thought it was the greatest for the dolls to get their revenge!! They really made Vicky treat them better in the end. I think it is an eye opener to those who are mean to their things. But it can be scary to read, but knowing it's fiction makes it worthwhile!! READ IT!! You will love it too...... or so I think! : )

At the beginning of each school year I would read this story to my third grade students. Each and every one was entranced to the very end. As a tutor, I have introduced the book to my 7th grade students who hate to read...and there were no complaints with this assignment. It's too bad this book is now out of print. It's a fabulous spooky and well written tale.

As already noted in the reviews, the book has all the elements of the genetically-engineered-child-as-bad-seed books that seem to be proliferating lately. You've got the betrayed wife, the amoral doctor who crosses the line into evil, the helpless friends, the works. While it's not terribly plotted, there is also nothing interesting or new.

Furthermore, the writing style is uneven. While it picks up steam later in the book, the first few chapters read like a writing workshop exercise, with one adjective per sentence-- "blinding brightness", "bitterly cold", "perfect blanket", and "southern sky"-- and this all in only the first (short) paragraph.

I like genetics thrillers, and this one is pretty standard. There's the requisite creepy child, worried parent, bad doctor, good doctor, etc. I recently picked this book up for a second time, and I found I had to skip long boring portions. However, if this is the best book you've ever read, I would suggest broadening your horizons.

I first heard of this great book from a book-report at school. From the name, I could tell that I would like this book. After that day at school I began a quest to get this book. It took 5 different trips (and 3 months) to various book stores to find out that the book was out of print. I was devistated by this news. I really wanted to read this book. When my mother and I went to the library I saw an oppertunity. I look for the book in the card catalog and.......to my stars it was there. I was so happy. I finally got to read my book. The only problem that I face right now is that I don't want to return the book, but of course I have to. I just WISH that I could have this book FOR MY VERY OWN =o(. If anyone has an extra copy of this great book, please contact me at my websight

I bought this version of the popular fairy tale as a gift for my niece. After I received it, I was horrified to read in detail about how the huntsman cut open the wolf's stomach to look for the grandmother. It then goes on to read, ". . . after a few more slashes a little girl jumped out.." This was not at all what I had envisioned as a gift for a young girl. I wish I had been warned to buy the story from a different author.

As a teacher, I would not recommend reading this version of Little Red Riding Hood to younger children because I don't think it's suitable for a preschooler, kindergarten, or for a first grader to be listening to the ending: The hunter "raised his gun to shoot but then wondered... so he took out his knife and quickly killed the wolf while he lay sleeping. Then he carefully cut open the wolf's stomach. At the first cut, he saw the red velvet cloak, and after a few more slashes a little girl jumped out."
Also the way this author mentions the deaths: "He ran straight to the bed, and without even saying a good-morning, he ate up the poor old grandmother in one gulp.

"As the wolf said this, he sprang out of bed and ate up poor Little Red Riding Hood!"
I believe the book may be a little more suitable for older kids and it has excellent illustrations. I do recommend reading "Little Red Riding Hood" by Della Rowland. This book has two tales in one. The second tale is called "The Wolf's Tale", where the wolf tells his version of how Little Red Riding Hood actually occured. Della makes the story humorous and also allows you to give children a different perspective of the wolf being a much nicer and funnier character.

The illustrations in this book are very similar to those of Jan Brett but darker tones used. There is always something hidden w/in the pictures for children to look for and the illustrations help enhance the tale.

I also recommend Lon Po Po.

Hyman's book offers plenty of good insight into raising children based on the growing Western movement towards corporal punishment alternatives. Rather than simply suggesting theoretical disciplinary approaches, he cites real world ideas & results from countries like Sweden where a general aversion towards corporal punishment has caused a significant decrease in violence.

Chapter 1 An Alien Point of View (on spanking)
Chapter 2 Abuse or Discipline?
Chapter 3 Why We Hit and What It Does to Kids
Chapter 4 Back to Basics: What You Need to Know About Effective Discipline
Chapter 5 Changing Your Appproach to Discipline
Chapter 6 Rewards and Punishments
Chapter 7 Anger and Resentment
Chapter 8 Using Therapeutic Techniques
Chapter 9 What We Need to Do Next

Some of the topics discussed in this book:
Discipline, Punishment, and Corporal Punishment
Why Ads Become Aggressive
What Spanking Does to Kids
Family Factors
What Is Your Orientation to Discipline?
The Dos and Don'ts of Prevention
Diagnose the Causes of Misbehavior
How to Set Up a Reward System
Dos and Don'ts for the Effective Use of Timeouts
How to Run a Family Council/Meeting
8 Steps to Anger Control
How to Produce Hostile Children
How to Defuse Your Child's Anger
What Not to Do When Your Child Blows Up
7 Essential Qualities of Effective Psychotherapy
Understanding and Avoiding Emotional Maltreatment
Teaching Your Child to Think and Act Rationally and Appropriately

True, Hyman proceeds with his book without really considering at any great depth, the possible virtues of spanking. Perhaps that is because the arguments in favor of spanking are so shallow: parents should be able to do as they please with their kids, or the Bible says it's OK. Hyman's evidence against spanking is admittedly mostly anecdotal. That's because there is very little else out there. He banks heavily on the common-sense and proven principle that if parents want their kids to treat others well, then parents should treat others well. If a parent tells his kid not to hit others, then hits (spanks) his kid, what is the child to think? To Hyman, and to even the most casual observer of human nature, actions are louder than words.