The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (Book & CD)

The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (Book & CD)
Average customer rating:

Great for Kids

Tremendously helpful as teaching tool, besides being fun!

High Quality, Educational and Fun Entertainment

The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (Book & CD)
Anita Ganeri
Manufacturer: Harcourt Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0152013040

Book Description

This elegant hardcover book-and-CD package introduces the sights and sounds of the orchestra. After listening to the sounds of each instrument on the CD--from mellow flutes to blazing trumpets--readers may turn to the accompanying book to learn more about the orchestra and its instruments. All are invited to tour each section--string, woodwind, brass, and percussion--to discover what makes classical music so universally expressive. “This is a great book for children of all ages.”--American Bookseller

Customer Reviews:

Great for Kids.......2007-07-12

I know this product is meant for older children, but my four-year-old loves this book and especially the recording. He can't get enough of the description of the elements of the orchestra and the fugues by Benjamin Britten. He asks to play this over and over in the car. I recommend introducing this to young children - they just might like it, and possibly learn something in the process.

Tremendously helpful as teaching tool, besides being fun!.......2006-02-19

This piece of music by Britten has always been, for me at least,the finest teaching tool in the world of classical music. Even for teaching oneself about the instruments of the orchestra (and especially using the CD alongside) it is just unbeatable. A superb and very easy piece of music to listen to, it is also ingenious, easy to follow and quite memorable to boot. The main theme is great and all the little solos show off the seperate instruments beautifully. You simply cannot get better than this anywhere.

High Quality, Educational and Fun Entertainment.......2005-09-23

Money well spent! Good quality music on the enclosed CD, nice explanations and illustrations in the book. This book will introduce you / your children to the instruments and history of orchestra music in an entertaining fashion.
The book was recommended in Susan Bauer's Well-Trained Mind (Classical Homeschool Education). A nice read-and-listen activity for the whole family even if you are not into homeschooling. Try it on a car trip ...

Walt Disney's Nine Old Men and the Art of Animation

Average customer rating:

I want John Canemaker's privileges
Nine Lives
Discovering the Genius Of Exactly What Made Disney "Disney"

Walt Disney's Nine Old Men and the Art of Animation
John Canemaker
Manufacturer: Disney Editions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0786864966

Book Description

Most Disney characters between 1930 and 1970 were animated by one of the Nine Old Men. Through the span of their careers, these nine highly skilled men, exhibited a loyalty to one another and their employer unparalled in most professions. This candid narrative of their lives and contributions will continue to be a significant, essential source for stury and inspiration.

Customer Reviews:

I want John Canemaker's privileges.......2003-05-01

Once again John Canemaker has made me envious of his access to such beautiful artwork. The behind-the-scene stories of the personalities who created the characters we grew up with is wonderful. A gorgeous book with illustrations that make it worth the money all by themselves.

Nine Lives.......2003-01-12

So much has been written and said about several of these nine legendary Disney animators that I very much doubted a lot of new ground was going to be broken, especially in a Hyperion release, but Canemaker rises to the task here, and then some. I was most interested in artists like Les Clark and Johnny Lounsbery, who have received less attention than some of the others. Canemaker not only brings them vividly to life with meticulous research, but he also manages to bring new information and fresh insight to all nine of his fascinating subjects. No matter how well you thought you knew the Nine Old Men and their work, there's plenty here for you. This book reveals the lives and personalities of these men, analyzes their contributions extraordinarily well, and also their working and personal relationships with each other, and presents great new visual material from their lives in and away from the studio. The Kimball stuff is a special treat.

Who could have imagined that Marc Davis' early life was as interesting as his work? Or that Kimball and Kahl were even crazier than you thought (and even more brilliant)? Ot that the master, Frank Thomas, actually struggled with his draftsmanship? Canemaker captures the promise of each of these men's pre-Disney careers and the spark in the work that caught Walt's attention is always evident. He also captures the human quirks that played a tremendous role in the golden age of the studio and often found its way onto the screen as well.

Much of this information and all of Canemaker's excellent insight would not have come to light without his diligent effort and research, and the result is a well-written, revealing, tasteful, and very visual masterpiece.

PS We lost the great, one-and-only Ward Kimball recently...only Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas are still with us now. God bless you both.

Discovering the Genius Of Exactly What Made Disney "Disney".......2001-11-02

John Canemaker has given readers the Disney animation book that's been missing for decades. Only it's the Readers Digest version. Canemaker is forced to compact nine amazing biographies into one book. Each of his nine subjects - the core group of gifted animators who defined the look and feel of Disney animation from the 1930's through the 1970's - is deserving of far more time and space than a single volume can deliver. Nevertheless, he's done an amazing job, and he introduces us to these men with the same careful critical objectivity he did in "Before the Animation Begins", Canemaker's marvelous 1996 book focusing on the great Disney visual development and story artists.
The author gives us the best un-fairy-dusted glimpse of the real day-to-day workings of Disney's shop since animator Jack Kinney's 1988 "Walt Disney And Assorted Other Characters" (admittedly limited in objectivity, but still enormously entertaining in its candor.) It's impossible not to feel the same admiration and passion as the author. Even in his harsher analysis of temperaments and turmoil the author is writing about the best of times among a group of very real artistic heroes who were such extraordinary people that you'd have treasured any time you could have spent in their company. Sadly, Canemaker only gets to brush on topics such as how the old generation influenced the new. Many of the current generation of Disney artists are interviewed for this book and they have a great deal of insight to contribute (both Andreas Dejas and John Lasseter in particular)and one wishes that the author had been afforded the luxury of a more critical analysis of the older generation's influence on this generation -- both by their presence and their absence; e.g. - in the best chapter in the book, Milt Kahl is characterized as having had the greatest influence on the look of Disney characters. Questions about what affect Kahl's abrupt departure in 1976 had on the next generation - whether by way of his absence or his reluctance to be a true mentor - deserve more space than alotted. Similarly, the reader wants to know more about how veteran Eric Larson was treated by Disney executives who handed over "The Small One" to the ambitious Don Bluth, who later broke ranks and left the studio to start his own production company leaving the studio talent pool seriously decimated.
Canemaker is both the obvious choice and greatest risk for authoring this important animated version of "The Lives of the Artists" (Cainmaker states it was his hope to emulate Vasari's work) as he is admittedly very close to two of his subjects - animators and authors Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston. Similarly, Ward Kimball and the late Marc Davis were friends of the author's, but he pulls fewer punches in his sharp but loving focus on the latter two. Even so, it would be hard to imagine any other author would have such an unprecedented level of trust from his subjects and their parent company, and thus such privileged access. And though his focus seems less sharp in the chapters on Thomas and Johnston, any biographer suffers from similar lapses when focusing on a living subject, particularly one whom they and the vast majority of the public hold in great affectionate esteem.
The book makes it clear that the memories of the living affect a much harsher view of the dead from among this old boy's network of disparate personalities who helped to define something as far reaching in popular culture as Disney's animated characters. Withered rivalries and carefully aged egos still pepper the perspective here and it only adds to the books ability to evoke something real, and not just the Halceon days of animation. The fact that the dead can't defend themselves even through living relatives and numerous ex-wives is a minor and admittedly unavoidable flaw, and in his preface Canemaker attempts to acknowledge it with a quote from a letter from Thomas to the author re undertaking the project. Even with obvious affection personal favorites, the author has done a terrific job of sharing insights into the passions of each of these nine men whose personalities were made immortal once filtered through such old friends as Captain Hook and Cruella DeVil.
It's to Canemaker's credit that we long for even more on each of these animators -- particularly Kahl and Larson -- and more examples of what made them great animators. Which brings us to the book's only glaring flaw: the illustrations. There simply aren't enough examples of scenes and sequences attributed to each artist -- particularly raw pencil drawings -- and the quality of photo reproductions from finished film frames and other archival material seems oddly yellow or green in tint and not up to the usual Disney publishing standards. e.g. a series of frames showing the Duke from "Cinderella" rolling his monocle between his fingers is so dark that you can barely see the referenced movement it serves to illustrate. This is greatly disappointing. Granted that many such sequences are found in Thomas & Johnston's "The Illusion of Life", but the book is out of print, and the vast resources of the Disney Animation Research Library as well as Mr. Canemaker's personal collection must be able to yield fresher and more fitting illustrations than what's found here. Again, Kahl's chapter gives us more to feast on than others, but it still isn't enough. After all, this is a visual medium we're discussing and a picture here only serves to give us reason to read another thousand written words. But, be that as it may, the book is both a MUST READ and a MUST HAVE for anyone interested in film history, animation, acting and/or Disneyana, and one hopes that Mr. Canemaker's upcoming book on Disney artist Mary Blair heralds a series of more extensive and more intimate (and hopefully much better illustrated) biographies on Kahl, Davis, Reitherman et. al. A long awaited and fine accomplishment, and easily the best book from Disney's publishing arm in 2001.

Average customer rating:

The best start-up guide to Godly Play-- maybe all you need
Young Children and Worship
Kids love it - and so do I
Wonderful Resource with All Patterns and Instructions!
Excellent -- with supplementation

Young Children and Worship
Sonja M. Stewart , and Jerome W. Berryman
Manufacturer: Westminster John Knox Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0664250408

Customer Reviews:

The best start-up guide to Godly Play-- maybe all you need.......2007-01-04

This is the seminal volume of what became the Godly Play movement.If you haven't yet explored Godly Play, I heartily recommend the method as such, and as set forth in Young Children in Worship. Godly Play allows children to experience Bible stories and other stories that carry faith messages, told with an archetypal spareness that allows each listener to absorb and reflect on the material in his or her own way. A teacher tells the story with the help of tactile materials, then helps children "wonder" about the stories. Children then may move to independent or shared "work" (art or reenactment of the story). The atmosphere is quiet, focused, and meditative. Tactile materials used in storytelling respect children's way of processing information. The method creates a space in which children may link faith-based language with their own perceptions of God, or fulfill deep emotional/spiritual needs. Godly Play is adaptable to different traditions and faiths by choosing among, or amending, the stories. We've found it to be deep and satisfying to all participants, young and old.

Young Children and Worship will tell you everything you need to know to get a Godly Play program going. It includes patterns and specifications for creating storytelling materials as well as information on all aspects of the work and philosophical thought on the Godly play method. Most of the book consists of stories from the Old and New Testament, plus other lessons, such as The Light, or The Church Year, that present concepts of Christian faith. Teacher notes show the use of tactile materials and provide "wondering" questions.

The obvious comparison is to co-author Jerome Berryman's outpouring of independent volumes on Godly Play. Berryman's many independent titles provide a few additional stories and expand on classroom management and facilities provision. He examines the effect of the work on children as well. However, Berryman's independent work may have exceeded its usefulness to practioners. Young Children and Worship is a do-it-yourself work that Berryman now seems to wish we didn't know about, preferring to sell us an endless series of new books and, from the Godly Play website, expensive materials. To be fair, Berryman's refinements and insight have grown as he practices. But decide your priorities before buying additional Godly Play materials. Young Children and Worship may be all you need.

Young Children and Worship.......2005-10-02

Young Children and Worship is an inspiring way to draw young children into the stories of scripture, the stories of God, enabling them to worship, interact with God, and ponder who He is. The form is a simplified version of the traditional order of worship emphasizing quiet, beauty and awe. After the introductory chapters most of the book tells you how to present specific stories. The focus in this book is on basic stories that tie into the church year and traditional worship. I found it very inspiring, whatever your worship tradition.

Kids love it - and so do I.......2005-09-16

Jerome Berryman and Sonja Stewart offer a reverence for telling Bible stories that is unmatched by other curriculum with which I am familiar. I attended a workshop with him 15 years ago, and have used this style of teaching off and on since then. I am working with a new church development, and our kids are loving Sunday school. I like that we don't have to spend a lot of money, and can expand and contract as needed without having to buy a lot of expensive "take home" flyers that end up in the trash. Our kids are learning the Bible - how exciting is that!

Wonderful Resource with All Patterns and Instructions!.......2003-09-29

I have this book and the newer Godly play books. Young Children and Worship has been more useful to my small team because it includes the patterns and instructions needed to make the presentation materials for each story. (The Godly Play books simply direct you to use a set, presumably purchased online from Godly Play Resources). We are on a budget and have been able to use inexpensive materials (candles, construction paper, felt, cardboard, etc.)to make many presentations as we work on making some wooden sets.

Excellent -- with supplementation.......2003-09-13

For those (like myself) trying to implement this program without the benefit of the formal training, I have found the following supplemental materials helpful.

The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd offers a book/CD combination "Sing With Joy". Many of the 38 songs are suitable for Young Children and Worship. It is published by Treehaus Communications.

I've culled some appropriate songs from the CDs Wee Sing Bible Songs and Cedarmont Toddlers' Bible Songs. I found that Wee Sing gives the most bang (songs) for the buck, but the Cedarmont CD has Be Still and Know That I Am God. I'd never heard of this song before Sonja's book. Given its prominence in "Young Children and Worship", I was desperate to learn it. However, this song as well as O God, We Adore You and God is So Good are all in the "Sing With Joy" collection.

There is an excellent video teaching sign language for liturgical greetings and a few songs (including the ones I just mentioned). This video, "Lift Up Your Hands", may be obtained from the RCA Distribution Center. Also, the Wee Sing CD song booklet has the signing for "Jesus Loves Me", if you can figure it out from sketches.

Average customer rating:

Even better than Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie

You'll Laugh, You'll cry...

Music, old people and decapitated gnomes make for a good read

A must read!

Notes From the Midnight Driver

Notes From The Midnight Driver
Jordan Sonnenblick
Manufacturer: Scholastic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0439757797

Book Description

16-year-old Alex decides to get even. His parents are separated, his father is dating his former third-grade teacher, and being 16 isn't easy, especially when it comes to girls. Instead of revenge though, Alex ends up in trouble with the law and is ordered to do community service at a senior center where he is assigned to Solomon Lewis, a "difficult" senior with a lot of gusto, advice for Alex, and a puzzling (yet colorful) Yiddish vocabulary. Eventually, the pair learn to deal with their past and each other in ways that are humorous, entertaining, and life changing.

Customer Reviews:

Even better than Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie.......2007-05-03

Jordan Sonnenblick keeps getting better. NOTES is the story of an angry adolescent - even angrier than most! Alex's parents have gotten divorced and after drinking an excessive amount of vodka, he's going to just drive over and tell his dad how angry he is. Luckily, he doesn't hurt anyone when he crashes the car, but now he is even angrier, because he has to spend time at an old folks' home talking to possibly the crankiest man in the whole place - Sol. Sol's tough love is hilarious, poignant, and ultimately effective. Great book, great read, great for kids just starting to drive or even just thinking about starting to drive. I'm using it with my ninth graders right now, and they love it!

You'll Laugh, You'll cry..........2007-02-12

Not exactly a sequel to Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie but you will see some of the same characters and be back in the same high school. Notes from the Midnight Driver also deals with a serious topic but lets you laugh your way through it. The main character begins the book by seriously messing up; he gets drunk and into a car. Fortunately only a lawn gnome was injured and the stupid kid gets a chance to straighted out his life. He ends up with community service with a cranky old man who never gives him a break but teaches him about life and death.

Music, old people and decapitated gnomes make for a good read.......2007-01-02

After Sonnenblick's incredibly touching first book, Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie, I was wondering if his second book would make me feel as much as his first book did. I am happy to report, I gained even more from this book.

Alex is your average high school junior--anticipating getting his driver's license, worring about the SATs, dealing with family and girl issues. That is until he decapitates his neighbor's lawn gnome after getting drunk on his absentee father's vodka and sealing his mother's car for a joyride. But he's the only one who doesn't feel lucky when the judge sentences him to 100 hours of community service at the local nursing home.

There he meets Sol, a crotchety old man who's determined to take Alex down a notch or two and help him see he's destined for more than a drunk driving conviction at sixteen. Sol also wants to help Alex become a better guitar player, learn some dirty Yiddish phrases and kindle a romance with his best gal pal Laurie.

The book has the classic elements of a good read with some great jazz history, a good plot-twist or two and a little romance. Alex's biweekly letters updating the judge on his "progress" also help to show Alex's development from a troubled teen to a young man willing to take responsibility for his mistakes.

With great dialogue and a smart plot, Sonnenblick puts heart and humor into a sad tale of learning to be accountable for your mistakes. Fan's of Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie will be excited by the cameo appearances of Steve and Annette, but new readers will fall hard for Alex's quick whit and development. This is a great read, and the lively characters keep the book light even when the harsh realities of the plot threaten to give the book too dark a tone.

A great read for middle/high school students dealing with divorce, death of a grandparent, minor legal infractions or just life.

A must read!.......2006-10-21

And you think your life is tough. Sixteen-year-old Alex Gregory miscalculated the consequences of his anger when he decided to teach his father a lesson. Nothing good can come of a poorly thought out plan, especially when it entails stealing your mother's car, driving drunk and obliterating a poor unsuspecting lawn gnome.

Alex thought it was a great idea at the time. The police and the judge, well, not so much. He was sentenced to hundreds of community service hours in a nursing home, catering to Sol, a cantankerous old curmudgeon who's writing the last chapter of his life.

While Alex is doing 'hard time' in a nursing home, his parents are separated, and dad's dating his third grade teacher, he's discovered his childhood friend, Laurie, is pretty 'hot' and the judge isn't buying his written declarations that he's not qualified to help with Sol's problems. It's enough to send a guy to his room to play the blues (or maybe jazz) on his guitar.

Never underestimate the power of tough love. Alex and Sol navigate the generation gap and forge the relationship of a lifetime. Personal responsibility and giving people (especially parents, because they really are trying) a second chance is the lesson of the day. And you'll never see the twist coming, and it'll warm your heart.

Sonnenblick delivers a great story with snappy patter wrapped up nicely in a life lesson.

I laughed and I shed some tears. And I decided Notes From the Midnight Driver is a must read.

Armchair Interviews says: Nice to have more quality books for young adults.

Notes From the Midnight Driver.......2006-10-13

Home alone, 16-year-old Alex Gregory, enraged over his parent's separation and fuming about his dad's involvement with Alex's former 3rd grade teacher, gets drunk and sets off in his mom's car to confront his father and "that woman." He doesn't get far, but he's lucky. The only victims of the resultant accident are a decapitated French lawn gnome and the cop he barfs on when he's arrested.

To Alex's dismay, a judge sentences him to 100 hours of public service, assigning him to visit some cantankerous old guy at the home for the aged where Alex's mother coincidentally works. Obligatory progress notes to the judge punctuate the action and raise interesting speculations as Alex gets to learn something about, and from, old Solomon Lewis. Sol's severe emphysema and apparent abandonment by his only daughter, have not suppressed his chutzpah, Yiddishisms, or zest for pulling "Gotcha" surprises on everyone. Without preachiness and with much humor, the story will appeal to middle schoolers as Alex is transformed, accepting responsibility and change while learning - and teaching -- forgiveness.

As for Jewish content: Alex, his best gal pal Laurie, and their families are not Jewish, but both old Sol and the judge are. The most overtly Jewish aspect of this book springs from Sol's frequent use of Yiddish, the wisdom underlying his wisecracks, and the basic Jewish values such as family, community and accountability, which shape the story.
Alex's initial behavior and some minor scenes might make this problematic for some very traditional schools. For ages 12-14. Reviewed by Rita Berman Frischer

Average customer rating:

The Last Days
Vampires AND rock and roll
For a music lover...
How to call a worm...
Dont listen to many other reviews

The Last Days
Scott Westerfeld
Manufacturer: Razorbill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 159514062X

Book Description

Strange things are happening: old friends disappearing, angels (or devils) clambering on the fire escapes of New York City. But for Pearl, Moz, and Zahler, all that matters is the band. As the city reels under a mysterious epidemic, the three combine their talents with a vampire lead singer and a drummer whose fractured mind can glimpse the coming darkness. Will their music stave off the end? Or summon it?

Set against the gritty apocalypse that began in Peeps, The Last Days is about five teenagers who find themselves creating the soundtrack for the end of the world.

Customer Reviews:

The Last Days.......2007-09-18

Another fun, interesting YA novel by Scott Westerfeld. IMO, Peeps was better than TLD and different, kind of, but don't get me wrong, TLD is still really good. It's cool how Westerfeld's written each chapter from a different character's point of view. Kinda wish he'd leave certain things out of his novels like "horny" and stuff like that, but over-all it's a pretty "fawesome" story. I'd recommend all of Westerfeld's books for YA readers and their parents despite the fact that he uses a bit of sexual stuff in his stories. Check out his website and blog for interesting bits of "fool" stuff. ;)

Vampires AND rock and roll.......2007-09-17

Most everyone calls The Last Days a sequel to Westerfeld's novel Peeps. I suppose that, loosely, this is true. For my part, I think of this novel as more of a companion to Peeps because the main characters are completely different (don't worry though, characters from Peeps do turn up), the structure of then novel is different, and because the only way to get the most out of either book is to read the two of them together, back-to-back. So, this is a sequel in the same way that The Two Towers was (trick statement! Tolkien meant the Lord of the Rings trilogy to be one book but it was too long and written before the days of ginormous novels).

Suffice it to say, The Last Days is a very different book from its predecessor despite continuing the same story. Most of these differences are structural. Westerfeld again employs first person narration, but this time he has five narrators. Each chapter is labeled with a character's name and told from his or her point of view. Writing a novel in this way is incredibly difficult because you have to take into account continuity while also making sure you don't get redundant and trying to make each character sound unique. Westerfeld does all of that. Perfectly.

In this novel, Westerfeld's narrators are in the interesting position that they know less than the readers (this is why reading Peeps first is so important). The whole vampire thing is an unknown for everyone. As is the issue of a pending apocalypse.

But that doesn't tell you much about the story.

It all starts with a girl who wants to make a band. Pearl sees the weird things going on in the city. The sanitation crisis. The increasing number of stray cats. Then there are the rats that are slowly taking over the subway system. And Brooklyn. Then there's Pearl's friend, Minerva, who's been acting pretty weird herself. Pearl decides that the best way to help her friend, and maybe get through the craziness, is to start a band.

Soon Pearl finds the perfect band members. And they're a great band. But strange things happen when Minerva starts to sing. Making everyone wonder if the band's music is the one thing that can stop the apocalypse. Or start it.

There are very few male writers who can convincingly narrate from a female point of view. Scott Westerfeld is one of the few. Instead of making the novel seem choppy, or the characters under-developed, Westerfeld's split narration makes every character much more dimensional.

The story is about vampires, of course. And music. But it's also about friendship and relationships. Westerfeld artfully describes the vicious cycle some friendships have when one friend is always taking whatever the other has to give. He also shows how, sometimes, you have to keep those friends even when it's the last thing you want to do.

Like Peeps, parts of this book are a little gross. Raw meat does turn up on several plates. Some narrators are more "unique" than others. But taken as a whole it all kind of works to make a really fun, really exciting book.

At its basic level this is a story about a band trying to make it big when everything else is falling apart. Along the path to fame, they just might save the world.

For a music lover..........2007-07-11

Beginning with Peeps, Scott Westerfeld came up with an unusual but excellent idea of vampires being infected by a parasite, (STD). However, the book The Last Days, (which, if you read Westerfeld's blog, is not meant to be a sequel to Peeps but rather a follow-up), was not as enticing as expected. One who is very involved in music might find the whole "apocolyptic band" to be interesting but not necessarily the book. The Last Days seems dragged out but compressed at the same time. The whole book is based on the idea of this band rather than the idea of the disease, (which was the focus in Peeps). However, it was crammed because, despite the focus, much of the action did not happen within practices. The time frames jump around a little too often. It starts in the summer and ends up in the middle of the school year. The over all idea was amazing but just couldn't be compared to Peeps.

I'd would reccommend this to band members or someone involved in music because it would be a bit more understandable.

How to call a worm..........2007-06-25

What in the world is happening in Manhattan and around the globe? People are going crazy, throwing everything they love away; rats are feeding on garbage piling up outside many homes and businesses; black water is spurting from hydrants and faucets, people are craving and eating raw meat, cats are ruling rat colonies, and ninja clothed angels can ofte be seen floating down from the sky...

Enter Pearl, a girl that wants to start another band after the lead singer and her best friend, Minerva, destroyed the previous one. She chances upon Moz, a young guitarist, when he tries to save a Strato being thrown from a window; together, with his good friend Zahler, they begin to jam.

Add to these three Minerva who, after being imprisoned in her bedroom due to her sickness, has written words for songs no one can understand, words whispered to her while she sat in her basement, and Alana Ray, a drummer who uses paint buckets to bang out her tunes and has a sickness that causes her to experience hallucinations. Together the 5 make magic, because they are unwittingly (at first) producing music to entice the monsters lying in wait, underground.

Each chapter is told from the point of view of one character; I liked the different voices and enjoyed the book. I can picture the world Westerfeld has created and am glad, so far, it is only a book. I read Peeps and almost passed this book up, because I knew the Peeps characters, Cal and Lace, wouldn't figure much in this title, but I'm glad I had the chance to meet some new ones. In the end, I think I liked The Last Days better, though sometimes I wish there was more about the struggle; most of the book is building to a monster encounter. I'm not looking for gore or gross (the parasite descriptions in Peeps were enough for me), but I like history and background info and wonder what became of the world after the peeps did their jobs. Heck, what happens to those peeps that aren't "cured"? Still, good stuff. Enjoy!

Dont listen to many other reviews.......2007-05-28

the prequel to last days was the story peeps. I loved peeps simply because it was a whole new take on stories that ive read. So when i decided to buy the last days i was a tad disappointed to find the 2 main characters not in this one. But it was still a good book.
After reading many other reviews i got pretty mad because all the people who rated it badly compared it to the uglies series. Which is also a good series but totally different and seperated. That seemed unfair because its almost impossible to compare the two series. they are too different. Also people didnt like it because they expected cal and the other old characters to be in it. Well sorry guys, sometimes that just doesnt happen in a series. So read the book for yourself not by some critics who dont know what they are saying

La Corda d'Oro, Volume 3 (La Corda D'oro)

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La Corda d'Oro, Volume 3 (La Corda D'oro)
Yuki Kure
Manufacturer: VIZ Media LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1421508729

Book Description

The first round of the music competition is about to begin, and Kyoko's accompanist reveals her plot to get Kyoko disqualified! Unsettled by this betrayal, Kyoko can't truly enjoy the music, even when Ryotaro gallantly steps in as her new accompanist. Kyoko's performance is mediocre, but Ryotaro so impresses Lili that he soon finds himself added as a second-round contestant. Will Kyoko and Ryotaro's budding friendship be ruined by the heat of competition?

Book Description

When Gwen's grandfather disappears from their home in New York City, he leaves a message saying not to worry—but it's hard when Gwen has upcoming violin auditions at Julliard! But then she meets Robert, a fellow musician, and things seem to look up.

At the same time, there are other forces in motion, like the scary great uncle who keeps coming by, and the strange man Gwen sees one day when shopping. Then the even stranger story Robert tells her about what she saw. And finally, the discovery that brings their worlds to a halt, uniting Gwen and Robert in ways neither of them could have foretold.

In this remarkable follow-up to the wildly popular Things Not Seen, Andrew Clements brings readers a multi-layered story all about art, friendship, love, and life.

Customer Reviews:

Katie's Review.......2007-05-22

I liked this book because it's by Andrew Clements. I am Andrew Clements number one fan. I've read a lot of other Andrew Clement book before and " Things Hoped For" is one of his best.

It's about this girl named Gwen. She moves from West Virginia to New York to live with her grandfather. One day her grandpa left a message saying he went away,but carry on with your life. Gwen wants to know where he is. Does she figure it out?

I think everyone should read this book at least once because it's an awesome book.

Not as good as the first, but still worth the read.......2007-05-04

This is the follow up to the amazing novel, Things Not Seen. This book is not nearly as good as the first one, but is still definitely worth the read. It is about 17 year old Gwen Page, who is an aspiring classical violinist, living with her Grandfather in New York City. One day, her grandfather disappears, leaving behind only a very mysterious phone message. Gwen then meets Robert (Bobby) the protagonist from Things Not Seen, and together they unravel this mystery. This book has a good set up, but the way it ends is disappointing. The main character is also not very interesting. I liked the way it connects to Things Not Seen, and if you haven't read that, you definitely should. Andrew Clements writing style is flawless, and though the plot is a little disappointing, it's still definitely worth reading.

A difficult secret to keep.......2007-02-04

Andrew Clements' THINGS HOPED FOR tells of Gwen's father, who has vanished from their New York City home. He's left a message telling her nobody must know - but music student Gwen finds it a difficult secret to keep; particularly when snoopy family members and strangers keep trying to uncover the truth.

I hoped for better from this author.......2007-02-01

I have read and enjoyed many of the author's books, but was a little disappointed in this one. I liked the character, her talent and drive, and the mystery surrounding her grandfather. But after Robert from Things Not Seen was introduced, things took a turn and the story suffered. It took the storyline away from Gwen and back into Robert's storyline and problems. And why would the grandfather do what he did, I could see no logical reason for it. Anyway, I know I will still read any other book he comes out with, I just didn't care for the plot twists in this one.

Diane a Bookmobile Librarian

Follow-Up to "Things Not Seen".......2006-12-16

"Things Hoped For" is a follow-up to Andrew Clements's amazing novel, "Things Not Seen." I won't say exactly how, or why, I'll let it be a surprise as to just how --- as it was for me.

If you haven't read "Things Not Seen," I recommend finding it and reading it before reading this book. It's a bit longer, but just as enjoyable, and you'll soon be done and ready to go onto this. This book can definitely be enjoyed without reading "Things Not Seen," but I highly recommend reading it.

"Things Hoped For" is about a girl who's approaching her final auditions for music school. She already has a lot to deal with in her life when her Grandpa drops a bombshell --- he's left the house that he's letting her stay in and he's left her a message asking her to watch over it without letting anyone know that he's gone. It's a lot to ask and the pressure starts to build, but then she discovers someone special and unique. He not only helps her out, but he also becomes a friend --- something that she hasn't made time for in her life recently.

For those who read "Things Not Seen," "Things Hoped For" is the sequel you've been hoping for. For those that haven't, now is the time to discover this series.

Following Jesus: More About Young Children and Worship

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Following Jesus
"Following Jesus" is a Joy!
Some great ideas, if you can edit.
A Great Follow-up!
More Wonderful Bible Stories to Share with Children

Following Jesus: More About Young Children and Worship
Sonja M. Stewart
Manufacturer: Geneva Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Young Children and Worship
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ASIN: 0664501230

Customer Reviews:

Following Jesus.......2005-10-02

Following Jesus is a sequel to Young Children in Worship [an inspiring way to draw children into the stories of scripture, the stories of God, enabling them to worship, interact with God, and ponder who He is. The form is a simplified version of the traditional order of worship emphasizing quiet, beauty and awe. After the introductory chapters most of the book tells you how to present specific stories.] The format is the same in this book. Following Jesus, however, includes many more of the stories of Jesus and parables of the kingdom. Both books contain helpful patterns and supply lists. Presenting children with a worshipful approach to God and the scriptures is very exciting!

"Following Jesus" is a Joy!.......2002-06-30

After attending Dr. Stewart's training workshop during the Summer of 2001, I purchased several "Following Jesus" books. I integrated many of the Sacred Stories in the Children and Worship program at our Church. The stories were reasonably easy to teach and as each of us learned and internalized the story for presentation, we found that we were spiritually enriched. Not only are the stories beautifully written, they were well received by the children. The stories were true to the scriptural passages &the end result was that the children "got the message!" The "response time" validated that for us. Well done Dr. Stewart!

Some great ideas, if you can edit........2002-02-28

I was very excited to hear that Sonja Stewart had published a follow-up to "Young Children and Worship." However, in actually looking through the book when I received it, I was disappointed to see that a certain amount of "Political Correctness" has been introduced, as well as some other elements that distract from the original Gospel accounts. Many of the stories have had a boy and girl added to the cast of characters. While I think I understand Ms. Stewart's intent (to draw young children into the stories in a "you are there" manner), I feel that it is actually a distraction. In some lessons there are more than twenty little wooden people to move around, which is difficult for the storyteller and confusing for the children. And some of the wondering questions, in particular, are hopelessly like something a school counselor leading a group discussion would come up with: (from the lesson entitled "Jesus' Trial") "I wonder why they want to kill Jesus just because they do not agree with him? I wonder how they could have settled their differences besides wanting to hurt or kill? I wonder what other ways Judas could have handled his guilt and sadness besides killing himself? I wonder how Judas could have been helped not to kill himself?" Perhaps I underestimate the wisdom of very young children, but I truly do not think they are yet ready to wrestle with the dynamics of first-century Jewish religious thought or the reasons why someone would end their own life.

Nevertheless, there are some excellent resources in this book, in particular the templates and instructions for making the materials. I just cannot imagine using this book "as is."

A Great Follow-up!.......2001-08-29

This book contains stories from the New Testament that complements the original stories in Young Children in Worship. We converted our "children's church" to Godly Play about 4 years ago and these stories add a bit more spice to the original set. The previous book had a summer built in and these help to go through a year long program. Both of these books have been an invaluable resource. They give you every detail you need to complete and present each story. It has been such a blessing to our church and the spiritual growth of the children..

More Wonderful Bible Stories to Share with Children.......2001-08-19

This is an excellent follow-through to Young Children and Worship. Sonja Stewart continues to build on what was in the original book, and also Godly Play by Jerome Berryman.

This book contains 34 stories from the New Testament about Jesus' life, and also about how some of his Disciples teach us to follow Him too.

Not only does it offer the "words" to use in the presentation of the Biblical stories, but it also provides patterns and instructions for anyone interested in sharing these wonderful stories with children (primarily 3 through 7 or 8 or so).

Note that these stories can also apply to children of God of all ages! The children (or older participants) learn in a multi-sensory way - not only by hearing or seeing, but by being able to participate in the stories and respond to them.

Within the past year, I assumed responsibility for the Childrens' Worship ministry at my Church, and these books have been an invaluable resource. We have also presented these stories in nursing homes with wonderful responses.

The Young Person's Guide to the Opera: With Music from the Great Operas (Book & CD)
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Start their Emotional Intelligence Young

The Young Person's Guide to the Opera: With Music from the Great Operas (Book & CD)
Anita Ganeri , and Nicola Barber
Manufacturer: Harcourt Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0152164987

Book Description

Opera’s colorful history is rich with exciting stories. Through conversational text, informative sidebars, and full-color photographs, young readers will learn about the talented people--composers, singers, musicians, stagehands, set and costume designers, makeup crews--and the technical wizardry that go into staging opera’s lavish performances. There are even behind-the-scenes glimpses of many of today’s great opera companies, including the Royal Opera House in London, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, and the San Diego Opera.
Created in association with London’s Royal Opera House and the San Diego Opera, this hardcover book-and-CD package is a sumptuous introduction to the world of opera. The accompanying CD captures memorable moments from some of the most famous operas.

Customer Reviews:

Start their Emotional Intelligence Young.......2005-10-23

As an Emotional Intelligence instructor (EQ) and coach, I habitually find adults whose emotional life was nourished in an intelligent way when they were kids. My adult learning course, and the one I use to train other coaches, includes the arts, particularly music, as we know that it effects the emotions, and supports the immune system. I purchased this book in the hopes of including it on my online store of EQ products and have been very pleased with it. I also recommend it in my Club Vivo Per Lei/I Live for Music. For adults who are emotionally mature enough not to "mind" learning in a delightful and easy way, why not start with a book and recording like this and then move on to The Teaching Company. Opera is an acquired taste because we aren't brought up on it, just as classical music seems to have slipped away in recent decades, but is coming back in a big way. Why? Because we need it. For all the reason we intuitively know. It soothes the savage beast. I took my 8 year old friend to her first opera the other day - The Barber of Seville is a great starter. She laughed ... I laughed ... and that opera is very old. This is a great book for Christmas giving and I recommend it highly. Then take your little one to Barber of Seville and spend the money to get seats right up front. (Very important, the immediacy of it.) Put your "arts" budget for the kids right after food, clothing, shelter and education (agitate for music appreciation in your schools, and I don't mean rap), and you'll have an emotionally intelligent child, which won't over-ride IQ, but without it, IQ isn't much good! Ask Turandot, wink wink. She had to "learn" his name was Love, and he taught her with a kidd, not his intellect.

The New Policeman (Costa Children's Book Award (Awards))

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Who knows where the time goes?
Great new fantasy.
J. J.'s Music
Its enchanting traditions and customs, and the heart of the Irish people.
Fantasy Readers May Like This

The New Policeman (Costa Children's Book Award (Awards))
Kate Thompson
Manufacturer: HarperTeen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0061174270
Release Date: 2007-01-23

Book Description

Who knows where the time goes?

There never seems to be enough time in Kinvara, or anywhere else in Ireland for that matter. When J.J.'s mother says that what she really wants for her birthday is more time in her day, J.J. decides to find her some. But how can he find time for her, when he barely has enough time to keep up with school and his music? And where will he get time to find out if the shocking rumor is true—that his great-grandfather was a murderer?

It seems as though J.J.'s given himself an impossible task. But then a neighbor reveals a secret to him—there is a place where time stands still. J.J. realizes he's the only person who can make the journey, but to do so he'll have to vanish from his own life.

And when J.J. disappears from the village, enter the new policeman. . . .

Customer Reviews:

Who knows where the time goes? .......2007-10-01

J.J. Liddy, the main character of Kate Thompson's novel The New Policeman, has a problem: there never seems to be enough time in the day. In fact, there seems to be decidedly less time. With barely enough hours in the day for school and his music, J.J. has no time left over to contemplate the shocking revelation that his grandfather may have been a murderer. To make matters worse, this time problem seems to affect everyone in Kinvara.
When J.J.'s mother reveals that she wants more time for her birthday, J.J. decides to go and find some. A task, at first, that seems like an impossible undertaking for a fifteen-year-old. That is until a neighbor shows J.J. an unlikely place to look for everyone's lost time.

Even though he doesn't believe in fairies, J.J. finds himself in Tir na n'Og, the land of eternal youth, and the home of Irish fairies. So begins J.J.'s search of Tir na n'Og to figure out where the time has gone and, more importantly, how to get it back. Along the way J.J. meets a variety of memorable characters including Aengus Og (a personal favorite after finishing the novel).

The narration shifts throughout the book alternating between J.J. in his search for the county's lost time and the wanderings of the new policeman in Kinvara, Garda Larry O'Dwyer. Like J.J. (and most of Kinvara it seems), the new policeman has a love for music. The new policeman is also almost certain he used to have a good reason for becoming a policeman--if only he could remember what it was.

Thompson expertly entwines these two seemingly disconnected narratives throughout the novel. The common thread between them remains the music that literally runs through the novel. Chapter breaks are denoted by sheet music for traditional Irish songs whose titles relate to the story in addition to the strong affinity all of the characters have for music. By the end of the novel, Thompson ties together both stories creating a sensational end to a truly enjoyable book.

At the same time, The New Policeman is irresistibly Irish, as if you can hear an Irish accent in the narration (or hear a jig or two in the background). The book's "Irish-ness" is enhanced by Thompson's integration of Irish mythology and folklore; a glossary in the back explains the pronunciation and origin of especially Irish words like ceili (a dance) or craic (fun).

Thompson's novel has already received a variety of critical acclaim on the other side of the Atlantic. In addition it is the winner of the Whitbread Children's Book Award and the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize. Even better, though, is the fact that this book is a great choice for readers of any age. Thompson takes her time arriving at the crux of the plot, but the richness or her writing more than makes up for that. A good book is one that can transport the reader to the place within its pages: The New Policeman does that and more.

Originally published in Great Britain in 2005, this is the first year that The New Policeman was published in the United States. All this reviewer can say to that is it's better late than never.

Great new fantasy........2007-08-18

This is a surreal fantasy/sci-fi set in rural Ireland. A local Teen
discovers that time is leaking from his world into the world of Fairy or Tir na nOg. There is also a great mystery element regarding JJ (the teen's)grandfather and the sudden disappearance of the town's Preacher after a disagreement many years ago.
This might be a hard sell for some teens, but they won't regret reading it!

J. J.'s Music.......2007-06-02

Time seems to pass with increasing rapidity for the small Irish town of Kinvara, and for all of Ireland. J. J. Liddy must not only deal with the swift passage of time but also with the increasing hostility of his
former school friends toward his Liddy family name. There have been strange rumors for years about his musically talented family. These rumors never kept the townspeople from attending the ceilis on the Liddy's farm on the second Saturday of every month, however. As well as his mother who plays the concertina on these occasions, J.J. plays a mean fiddle There are rumors that his family might be related to the
immortal, magical race of Tuatha de Danaan, who got pushed out of (or rather into) Ireland long ago. It is also rumored that J.J.'s great-grandfather , was somehow involved in the murder of the local priest, although no one ever found the body of the priest -- or J.J.'s great-grandfather, for that matter. As there has always been a bit of to-ing and fro-ing between the land of the immortal young and the local inhabitants, a strong strand of suspicion not only falls on the Liddys, it falls on anyone who happens to be a stranger to Kinvara - including
the new policeman.

The complex strands of this highly original story seem woven together with music. Although a book is silent, this one seems to ring with the Celtic music that plays a a pivotal role in the plot. Our young hero must and does solve an old musical mystery.

Its enchanting traditions and customs, and the heart of the Irish people........2007-06-01

J.J. Liddy has lived his entire life in the Irish village of Kinvara. In fact, he lives in the same house that his mother and grandmother, and her ancestors, have lived in for generations. And each generation has something else in common as well --- music. Music has always been important to the Liddys. Every month they host a dance at their home, where musicians weave amazing traditional Irish tunes. J.J. is no exception; he plays the fiddle and the flute so well that his room is stacked with ribbons and awards for his talents.

Besides music, J.J. keeps busy with school, friends, farm chores and sports (such as hurling). It seems as if there's never enough time to get things done, and he's not the only one who thinks so. Everyone in the village struggles to fulfill their responsibilities, yet many still end up running late and oftentimes their tasks are left uncompleted. No one has time to stroll down the lane or daydream with the passing clouds. When asked what she wants for her birthday, J.J.'s mother announces she would like more time, so J.J. promises to find it for her.

Hearing about J.J.'s quest, a neighbor suggests he look in the hidden underground chambers that are scattered beneath the old fort ruins. J.J. stumbles through an entrance to Tir na n'Og, the world of the fairies. Their amazing world looks very similar to J.J.'s, yet everything is brighter, easier and more relaxed. That's because the fairies live in a world without time. No one grows older and the sun never sets. At least, it used to be that way. Recently, their sun has been slowly shifting west, the seconds quietly fading away. Somehow, somewhere, time was leaking from the human world into the fairy world, leading to disaster for both.

J.J., along with the help of his new fairy friend, sets out to find and fix the mysterious leak before both worlds end in catastrophe. But back in the human world, J.J.'s family has reported him missing. The entire village pitches in to help the police look for him, but weeks pass with no sign. A new fellow on the police force, arriving just before the commotion breaks out, is helping with the investigation. He doesn't seem to be a very competent officer, but he knows he's there for a specific reason. If only he could remember what it is. In Tir na n'Og, J.J. rushes to save time and, in the process, may even help solve an old mystery and clear his grandfather's name of murder.

THE NEW POLICEMAN is a wonderful story filled with fairies, folklore and fiddles. Author Kate Thompson plays the fiddle herself, and her obvious love of music weaves into her tale, creating its soul. Another refreshing aspect of this endearing book is its peek into Ireland's history, a whisper of its enchanting traditions and customs, and the heart of the Irish people.

--- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman

Fantasy Readers May Like This.......2007-04-11

In the novel The New Policeman, time doesn't seem to be on anyone's side. All the Irish villagers of Kinvara feel like they never have enough of it. For teenager JJ Liddy, time seems to be passing too quickly, with no time to practice his Irish music, no time to understand his family's mysterious history, no time to hang out with his friends to go clubbing. In fact, JJ's mom's only request for her birthday is to have more time. In search of it, JJ finds himself in the magical and musical world of Tír na n'Óg, the land of eternal youth, that he thought only existed in fictional storybooks. Here, there has never been any time...until recently. Somehow, a leak has been created between these parallel worlds...a leak which brings time to Tír na n'Óg, and will eventually bring death, to the fairy world. In turn this leak is taking away the hours of the "noddy" (human) world. If JJ can help the fairies find the leak, then he can bring time back to his mother, and even solve a few family mysteries as well. However, unbeknownst to JJ, as time is passing at a snail's pace in Tír na n'Óg, it is flying by in JJ's village, and his disappearance is causing great concern back home.

Author Kate Thompson has carefully crafted a story that fuses together Irish history, folklore, music, and mystery. The short chapters that end with traditional Irish musical score section create an interesting break in the tale. Although there is a glossary included that contains of many of the Irish terms used in the novel, it would benefit students to have background knowledge of such words along with some Irish musical information to create initial curiosity in a story that could seem overwhelming without such knowledge. It would even be fun to begin the book Reader's Theatre style in order to generate interest. Cross curricular connections with the music teacher would enhance the text even more. Students usually not interested in fantasy may at first be bothered with the introduction of the fairy world, but wondering how JJ will find the leak and whether he will make it back to his home before too much time passes will move readers willingly through this book.

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