Canon EOS 40D Guide to Digital Photography

Canon EOS 40D Guide to Digital Photography
By David D. Busch

Product Description
As the new owner of Canon's most advanced intermediate digital SLR, you want to get started taking professional-looking photographs using all of the exciting features at your fingertips. "Canon EOS 40D Guide to Digital SLR Photography" is a concise introduction and guide to your camera's essential controls and functions, such as Live View, built-in dust reduction, and the blistering 6.5-frames-per-second continuous shooting mode that is an action photographer’s dream. The book provides detailed instructions showing you how, when, and why to make optimized settings with the Canon EOS 40D’s enhanced menus, which include a half-dozen versatile new custom functions. You'll learn about the camera's improved automatic focus, flash synchronization tricks, how to choose lenses that will provide the perspective and effects you want, and which exposure modes are ideal for each picture-taking opportunity. Packed with full-color images and examples that illustrate the recommended techniques and settings for your Canon EOS 40D, this book helps photographers of any skill level begin maximizing their equipment as soon as you open the cover!

The Photoshop Elements 6 Book for Digital Photographers (Voices That Matter)

The Photoshop Elements 6 Book for Digital Photographers (Voices That Matter)
By Scott Kelby, Matt Kloskowski

Product Description
Best-selling author Scott Kelby pairs up with Matt Kloskowski to deliver the definitive book on using Photoshop Elements 6 to create the best possible images. With this newest release of Photoshop Elements, Scott and Matt show readers how to work with their images like a pro, from importing to organization to correction to output. Readers will learn all they need to know about the digital photography workflow, as well as the latest secrets of the pros to help them create the best special effects, apply the most useful sharpening techniques, and avoid many of the hassles and problems that are encountered in digital photography (such as digital noise and color halos).

Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera (Updated Edition)

Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera (Updated Edition)
By Bryan Peterson

Product Description
For serious amateur photographers who already shoot perfectly focused, accurately exposed images but want to be more creative with a camera, here's the book to consult. More than seventy techniques, both popular and less-familiar approaches, are covered in detail, including advanced exposure, bounced flash and candlelight, infrared, multiple images, soft-focus effects, unusual vantage points, zooming, and other carefully chosen ways to enhance photographs. The A-Z format make sit easy for readers to find a specific technique, and each one is explained in jargon-free language. Top Tips for each technique help readers achieve superb results, even on the first attempt.

The Digital Photography Book, Volume 2

The Digital Photography Book, Volume 2
By Scott Kelby


Product Description
Scott Kelby, author of the groundbreaking bestseller “The Digital Photography Book, Vol. 1” is back with an entirely new book that picks up right where Vol. 1 left off. It’s more of that “Ah ha—so that’s how they do it,” straight-to-the-point, skip the techno jargon; packed with stuff you can really use today, that made Vol. 1 the world’s bestselling book on digital photography.

In Volume 2, Scott adds entirely new chapters packed with Plain English tips on using flash, shooting close up photography, travel photography, shooting people, and even how to build a studio from scratch, where he demystifies the process so anyone can start taking pro-quality portraits today! Plus, he's got full chapters on his most requested topics, including loads of tips for landscape photographers, wedding photographers, and there's an entire chapter devoted to sharing some of the pro's secrets for making your photos look more professional, no matter what you're shooting.

This book truly has a brilliant premise, and here’s how Scott describes it: “If you and I were out on a shoot, and you asked me, ‘When I use my flash, the background behind the person I’m shooting turns black. How do I fix that?’ I wouldn’t give you a lecture on flash ratios, or start a discussion on flash synchronization and rear curtain sync. I’d just say “Lower your shutter speed to 1/60 of a second. That should do it” Well, that’s what this book is all about: you and I out shooting where I answer questions, give you advice, and share the secrets I’ve learned just like I would with a friend—without all the technical explanations and techie photo speak.”

Each page covers a single concept on how to make your photography better. Every time you turn the page, you’ll learn another pro setting, tool, or trick to transform your work from snapshots into gallery prints. If you’re tired of taking shots that look “okay,” and if you’re tired of looking in photography magazines and thinking, “Why don’t my shots look like that?” then this is the book for you.

This isn’t a book of theory—full of confusing jargon and detailed concepts. This is a book on which button to push, which setting to use, and when to use it. With nearly another 200 of the most closely guarded photographic “tricks of the trade,” this book gets you shooting dramatically better-looking, sharper, more colorful, more professional-looking photos every

The Digital Photography Book

The Digital Photography Book
By Scott Kelby

Product Description
Scott Kelby, the man who changed the "digital darkroom" forever with his groundbreaking, #1 bestselling, award-winning book The Photoshop Book for Digital Photographers, now tackles the most important side of digital photography--how to take pro-quality shots using the same tricks today's top digital pros use (and it's easier than you'd think).

This entire book is written with a brilliant premise, and here’s how Scott describes it: "If you and I were out on a shoot, and you asked me, 'Hey, how do I get this flower to be in focus, but I want the background out of focus?' I wouldn't stand there and give you a lecture about aperture, exposure, and depth of field. In real life, I'd just say, 'Get out your telephoto lens, set your f/stop to f/2.8, focus on the flower, and fire away.' You d say, 'OK,' and you'd get the shot. That's what this book is all about. A book of you and I shooting, and I answer the questions, give you advice, and share the secrets I've learned just like I would with a friend, without all the technical explanations and without all the techno-photo-speak."

This isn't a book of theory—it isn't full of confusing jargon and detailed concepts: this is a book of which button to push, which setting to use, when to use them, and nearly two hundred of the most closely guarded photographic "tricks of the trade" to get you shooting dramatically better-looking, sharper, more colorful, more professional-looking photos with your digital camera every time you press the shutter button.

Here's another thing that makes this book different: each page covers just one trick, just one single concept that makes your photography better. Every time you turn the page, you'll learn another pro setting, another pro tool, another pro trick to transform your work from snapshots into gallery prints. There's never been a book like it, and if you're tired of taking shots that look "OK," and if you’re tired of looking in photography magazines and thinking, "Why don't my shots look like that?" then this is the book for you.

The Candy Man (Bestsellers I (Turtleback))

Editorial Reviews
Card catalog description
When Peg first meets a fellow traveler to New York, she has no idea he is about to involve her in a deadly game of smuggling.


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Customer Reviews
High Interest Reading for Teen With Limited Literacy Skills
From the back of the Pacesetters edition -
Life Is Different In The City . . . People Are, Too

"Won't any of these people help us?" Peg asked. She looked at the people on the subway platform.
"Don't count on it, Bob said. "Let's move! Down on the tracks. It's our only chance!"

They Look the Other Way - Even When Someone is Being Killed

The Pacesetters series is high interest reading for those who have literacy problems, or who just have a reluctance to read. The reading level for these books is between 2 and 3. Many of these books are mentioned in reference material concerning High/Low materials.

Wind over Stonehenge (Bestsellers II (Turtleback))

Customer Reviews
High Interest Reading for Teen With Limited Literacy Skills
From the back of book - A Wind from Ages Past, Blowing with An Evil Power
Who built the great stone circle known as Stonehenge? What had it been used for? These were some of the questions Otis Reed and his friends had come to England to find answers to. But for Odvard, the last of the Druids, the answers to these questions had to stay hidden. For only Odvard knew the power of the giant stones. And only Odvard knew what would happen if that power were once again set free.
The Pacesetters series is high interest reading for those who have literacy problems, or who just have a reluctance to read. The reading level for these books is between 2 and 3. Many of these books are mentioned in reference material concerning High/Low materials.

Kingfisher First Picture Atlas

Product Description
Beginning with a simple explanation of what maps are and how they are used, the book includes a general survey map of each continent, as well as pictorial maps that detail each continent's main products and industries, physical features, and wildlife. A large foldout map of North America includes a quiz and facts about the continent.


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Product Details
Published on: 1998-06
Binding: Hardcover
40 pages

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Editorial Reviews
From Booklist
Gr. K-3. This colorful starter atlas offers a selection of large, simple national and regional maps. Major physical features and political divisions are shown, and picture symbols indicate animals, industries, and landmarks. Children are also introduced to some important map concepts, such as grids and scales. There is one map for the U.S. (Alaska is shown with Canada). A cartoon penguin serves as the child's guide through the atlas, and appears on the story boxes that contain interesting facts and accompany each map. The atlas comes with a poster displaying a map of North America and state and provincial flags.

Mary Ellen Quinn
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


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Customer Reviews
Kingfisher delivers on another great educational tool
This is another great Kingfisher educational tool. My daugher loves it. It is a great way for her to learn all about the world, cultures and indigenous animals of countries,continents and oceans. My sister sent this book to me and I absolutely love it.

Good First Atlas
Easy to read, colorful pictures, a great book for your child's collection. It has facts about the differnt lands, shows pictures of the animals native to relative regions and tibit facts. Very basic and simple. My daughter uses this as a reference to her storytime books. She will, for example, find Paris where 'Madeline' lives. It is easy to handle and look at too.

Lad of Sunnybank (G K Hall Large Print Perennial Bestseller Collection)

Customer Reviews
A great book as always Lad books are.
As the title says, this book is great like all Albert Payson Terhune's Lad books are. I can admit that I got a little burnt out hearing lines repeated (you'll get it if you remember great books like me and if you remember the previous books) and reading about Lad saving things one story after another after another, but it is great all the same.

It's okay.
It's not as good as LAD: A DOG, but I've owned a Sunnybank descendant, and it's whole lot better than most!

Great Reading for Animal Lovers of All Ages
Sitting on the bookshelf in my four-year old daughter's room is a copy of this book, waiting for the day when she is ready to have books read to her that don't have pictures. I loved all Terhune's books as a child and have tried to pick up hardcover editions when and where I can. Luckily, I managed to order this shortly after my first's daughter's birth in anticipation of the day when I could introduce her to Lad and the other dogs of Sunnybank. I have no doubt she will love all theses stories as I did.

Lad was a real collie who belonged to the author in the early part of the twentieth century. He was not Terhune's only dog, but he is the best known and best loved of all of them. And Terhune while wrote many tales for magazines of most of his dogs, Lad was always a favorite of the reading public. The stories were so popular that many eventually were collected into volumes such as this one.

Amazingly, Lad apparently lived less than ten years but packed a lot of living into that life. It is my understanding that a part of Sunnybank (which was Terhune's home) has been preserved to this day and it has the graves of Lad and other of the Sunnybank dogs there.

This book is essentially the further adventures of Lad, following up the success of "Lad: a Dog." These stories are wonderfully told (even though Terhune thought himself a lousy writer) and are all the more compelling in that they are true. Truly Great reading for animal lovers of all ages.

Richard Scarry's Best Mother Goose Ever (Golden Bestsellers Series)

Product Description
This is a collection of the fifty all-time favorite Mother Goose nursery rhymes including Simple Simon, Georgie Porgie Pudding Pie, Little Miss Muffet, Old Mother Hubbard, Peter Piper and Jack Sprat.


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Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #2266677 in Books
Published on: 1970-06
Number of items: 1
Binding: Hardcover

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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Richard Scarry's bright and humorous animal characters have been charming children for decades. Always inventive in the world of animal fashion, Scarry shows the cow jumping over the moon in pearls and a pink dress, and the little dog who "laughed to see such sport" sports a sailor suit. You won't hear "I can't see the pictures!" with this book; its large size makes it a good choice for group story hour. This collection of 50 Mother Goose rhymes is especially appropriate for toddlers; most of the two-page spreads contain only one illustrated rhyme. (Many children younger than three can focus better on one simple verse than on many rhymes on each page.) Richard Scarry's Best Mother Goose Ever has stood the test of time for more than 25 years and is still a hit with young readers. (Ages 1 to 4)


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Customer Reviews
Very Good
Good book. The little kids love this book, and I do too. I first read this book when I was a little kid. This book has all the great stories.

Richard Scarry's Best Mother Goose Ever
I liked the book just fine, but for some reason I ended up with 2 instead of the one I ordered.

Great presentation of nursery stories
So many mother goose out there, and most are very nicely done. This one, however, caught my attention because it utilizes the familiar busytown characters which I feel children so easily identify with as opposed to books with illustrations of children from long ago. Those are great too but this one should not be overlooked.

The Demeter Star (A Pacemaker bestseller book)

Product Details
Published on: 1977
Binding: Unknown Binding
60 pages

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Editorial Reviews
Card catalog description
On his first ocean dive, Mike discovers a sunken cargo ship that he later learns may be carrying a treasure in silver.


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Customer Reviews
snufalufagus, can i have a sandwhich with cheese and mayo?
THE DEMETER STAR is a boring book. on a scale of one to ten I give it a one. This book is dumb because nothing good happens in it. If you dont like boring books, I would highly reccomend you stay away from... THE DEMETER STAR. END!

North to Oak Island (Bestsellers II (Turtleback))

North to Oak Island (Bestsellers II (Turtleback))
By Dudley Bromley


Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #6366555 in Books
Published on: 1977-06
Number of items: 1
Binding: Turtleback
59 pages

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Editorial Reviews
Card catalog description
Robbed of all his money and desperate to get to the New World, Will becomes a stowaway on a pirate ship captained by a woman.


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Customer Reviews
Great ficticious pirate adventure for young readers
My daughter loves this story, which I had as a child back in the 70's. A short, easy-to-read pirate adventure with the main character being Will, who gets on board a pirate vessel be accident. The ship's captain, a female pirate, is locked in a deadly rivalry with another pirate captain and this leads eventually to the New World for Will (which is what he wanted in the first place). Great action and suspens for young readers.

High Interest Reading for Teen With Limited Literacy Skills
From the back of the Pacesetters edition -
The Greatest Pirate Treasure In History

Gold bars, gold bricks, gold coins. Jewels by the millions, of every kind and color. Great chests full of them, piled high. It was all there on Oak Island, the treasure of the pirate ship Revenge. It was a treasure that men would kill for - and die for. But only one person knew how to get it - the captain of the Revenge, Captain Kate.

The Pacesetters series is high interest reading for those who have literacy problems, or who just have a reluctance to read. The reading level for these books is between 2 and 3. Many of these books are mentioned in reference material concerning High/Low materials.



Desperate, and Hopeful Character
North to Oak Island is about a man named Will. Will is planning on going to America in the 1700's. He has a ship that leaves in the morning and has just enough money to buy a ticket on a ship. Then he is robbed. He loses all the money he has saved for many years. There is another ship leaving, but it only takes it's crew. He hides and then shows himself when they are well out in the ocean. The crew wants him to walk the plank but the captain has another idea for him, by the way this is a pirate ship. I like the suspense in this book, it has alot of twists. I thought it was well written and had a great plot. This is also why i gave it 5 stars.

The Turn of the Screw (G.K. Hall Large Print Perennial Bestseller Collection)

The Turn of the Screw (G.K. Hall Large Print Perennial Bestseller Collection)
By Henry James


Product Description

One of literature's most gripping ghost stories depicts the sinister transformation of 2 innocent children into flagrant liars and hypocrites. Elegantly told tale of unspoken horror and psychological terror creates what few stories in literature have been able to do — a complete feeling of dread and uncertainty.



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Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #2946985 in Books
Published on: 1995-06
Format: Large Print
Number of items: 1
Binding: Hardcover
177 pages

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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The story starts conventionally enough with friends sharing ghost stories 'round the fire on Christmas Eve. One of the guests tells about a governess at a country house plagued by supernatural visitors. But in the hands of Henry James, the master of nuance, this little tale of terror is an exquisite gem of sexual and psychological ambiguity. Only the young governess can see the ghosts; only she suspects that the previous governess and her lover are controlling the two orphaned children (a girl and a boy) for some evil purpose. The household staff don't know what she's talking about, the children are evasive when questioned, and the master of the house (the children's uncle) is absent. Why does the young girl claim not to see a perfectly visible woman standing on the far side of the lake? Are the children being deceptive, or is the governess being paranoid? By leaving the questions unanswered, The Turn of Screw generates spine-tingling anxiety in its mesmerized readers.

From AudioFile
James's novella is one of the great intellectual spook tales of all time. The plot: A neurotic governess, believing that the two children in her care are being haunted by malevolent ghosts, seeks to exorcize them. Here Emma Fielding gives an arresting and dramatic performance. Unfortunately, she doesn't give full character to the narrating governess. How can she? This is an abridgment of an unabridgeable text, one so carefully nuanced that every phrase contributes another color to the palette. Y.R. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Midwest Book Review
Henry James' haunting, complex, and still controversial short story proved to be a perfect vehicle for translation to the graphic novel format by the gifted artist Guido Crepax. Crepax (in his unusual page layout designs) is a proven master of the innuendo, the mysterious and the sensually disturbing sexual undertones. Crepax is very well known for his remarkable adaptations of such adult classics as "Emmanuelle" and "The Story of O". With the brilliant story-telling talent of Henry James, Crepex has once again successfully tackled with finesse and great sensuality, an aspect of our psyche that may fascinate, but also possibly horrify us. The atmosphere in The Turn Of The Screw is visually loaded and deceptively quiet and routine.


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Customer Reviews
Turn of the screw...
I found this to be a rather boring classic. I just couldn't really get interested in it enough to not be confused. I didn't even understand what happened in the end. I stayed confused for most of the book. I started over several times but still couldn't keep up with who was speaking who they were speaking about. So I can't recommend this book. Sorry.

Honestly? Don't read it for fun.
It's hard to know how to rate this. Of course, it's ridiculously presumptuous for me to give a classic of English literature anything less than the full rating, but honestly? It's hard to read. The sentences are so elliptical, and the sensibilities of the narrator so difficult for a modern reader to intuit, that I finally rated it for its appeal to a casual reader. Reading it now, I didn't really suffer any thrills of horror. The ghost story really hasn't been the same since Stephen King started writing. Instead, what struck me was the flightiness of the governess, her daisy-chains of inference, and at least two instances where she reports things to the housekeeper as facts that contradict elements of her own narrative. That's the beauty of the story for me, the deftness with which James instills doubt about the credibility of his narrator. So, as a foundation of the horror genre and part of the English lit cannon, may every library contain at least one copy. But it's probably best actually read in the context of a class, where it can be appreciated for its structure and significance and no one will expect reading it to actually be fun.

An OK novella
The Turn of the Screw is an alright novel if you like that sort of reading, it requires in depth dissection of everything said, and you get no real answers in the end, which is what I really didn't like, though I have theories of my own. After the initial read I was very disappointed, I had been told that it was a great novel; however, after discussing the book in my American novels class, many things were revealed to me that I had not noticed before.

For those of you that don't like dissecting books and just want to sit down and enjoy a good read, I really don't recommend this story. However if you enjoy picking stories apart you will love this book. For me it was a 50/50 toss up book, not great but not bad either.

What Does Being Jewish Mean?: Read-Aloud Responses to Questions Jewish Children Ask About History, Culture, An

What Does Being Jewish Mean?: Read-Aloud Responses to Questions Jewish Children Ask About History, Culture, An
By E.b. Freedman, Jan Greenberg, Karen A. Katz


Product Description

Is everything in the Bible true?
Why are there bad people in the world? Can't God stop them?

Why do I need to learn to read, write, and speak Hebrew?

Why do we fast on Yom Kippur?

Where do we go after we die?

This classic reference -- updated for the 21st century -- provides answers to more than 180 questions that Jewish children most frequently ask about their faith. The authors cover not only the basics of Jewish belief, custom, and practice but also the kinds of questions that arise from the unique way that children view the world, such as "Will the Messiah have superpowers like Batman or Superman?" And perhaps most important for our time, What Does Being Jewish Mean? tackles the knotty philosophical questions that often leave parents stumped for quick and appropriate responses.



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Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #2368710 in Books
Published on: 1991-08-15
Number of items: 1
Binding: Paperback

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Editorial Reviews
Review
Rabbi Alfred J. Kolatch, author of The Jewish Book of Why What Does Being Jewish Mean? will be a great help to parents seeking to answer their children's questions about Judaism and Jewish life. It will certainly be a wonderful source of information for adults anxious to share with young people an appreciation of their heritage.

Card catalog description
Answers questions commonly asked about the daily practices and beliefs of Judaism.


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Customer Reviews
Clear, concise straightforward information
This book is about basic beliefs of Judaism and is written in a very easy-to-read format -- question and answer paragraphs divided into chapters with similar subject matter.

It's ideal for giving meaningful answers without going into great detail. The complete index in the back allows one to look up a specific subject or question easily. The subject level would be appropriate for middle elementary students and older, yet it isn't written in such a manner that would be awkward for adults to read. This reference book could be quite useful for adults who would like to learn some basic facts of Judaism.

An excerpt:

"153. What is the most important Jewish holiday?"

"Shabbat, because it comes every week, may seem as if it is not that important a holiday, but actually the Torah tells us that it is the most important holiday. It is more important than Passover and other Jewish holidays - even more important than Rosh Hashanah. The only day of the year considered more holy than Shabbat is Yom Kippur, which is considered the Shabbat of Shabbats. Once a year there is even a greater Shabbat than Shabbat and that is Yom Kippur."

Other questions addressed are: Why don't Jews believe in Jesus? Does God have feelings? Do Jews believe in the devil? Why are Jewish males circumcised? Why have the Arabs fought so many wars with Israel? Why don't we kneel when we pray? What is a cantor? Why do some people write "G-d"? What are the Ten Tribes of Israel? Why don't the kind of miracles in the Bible happen today?

Because of the way it's organized, the book is also excellent for sitting down with a child and reading one question at a time and researching the answer further. Very useful Jewish reference!

Must-reading for anyone Jewish or interested in Judaism
This book is an insightful, authoritative and comprehensive companion to anyone interested in learning more about Judaism. Well-written and thought-out, and full of some of the most frequently asked questions about Jewish rules, customs and more, "What Does Being Jewish Mean?" not only serves as an invaluable tool for educating children on Jewish laws, but it is without a doubt equally useful to adults. If you've ever had a question about any facet of Judaism or Judaic law, "What Does Being Jewish Mean?" is your answer.

Richard Scarry's Busy Busy World (Golden Bestsellers Series)

Richard Scarry's Busy Busy World (Golden Bestsellers Series)
By Richard Scarry


Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #1145662 in Books
Published on: 1970-06
Number of items: 1
Binding: Hardcover
92 pages

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Customer Reviews
Richard Scarry's BEST
Definitely Scarry's best work and one of the few books I vividly remember from my childhood. It is a great introduction to geography and world cultures. At 3, my son was able to identify shapes of countries, flags and traditional clothing from around the world.

Very fun anthology of numerous 2-page stories from around the world. Charming detailed pictures, culturally relevant backdrops.

Publishers: Please renew licenses for this and reprint it! I've bought "busy, busy town" and "mother goose" as gifts only because this one is out of print.


Loved this book
Wow! I can't belive this book is not in print. I loved it as a kid and was hoping to get one for my new baby. My sisters and I loved reading this stories. It's too bad we don't have our old copy. Publishers, please bring this book back!!

Memories
This is my Favorite book from when I was a child. I still have my torn up copy at home and when I feel really sick I make my Dad read it to me.

My First Missal (Kids Bestsellers)

My First Missal (Kids Bestsellers)
By Maria L. Benigni

Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #2004003 in Books
Published on: 1997-05
Number of items: 1
Binding: Paperback
56 pages

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Customer Reviews
Excellent companion for Sunday Mass
It has been very useful to help my 1st grader be attentive during the mass. She has read it cover to cover. She understands why we sing the opening song, say "Alleluia" and other parts of the mass.

The Mass nicely explained for children
"My First Missal" is one of those little books that is so inexpensive, you might not immediately see its usefulness... "My First Missal" tracks the entire Mass (with pastel-colored drawings along the way), explaining why we do the things we do in simple-to-read detail, following the pattern of the Mass in Ordinary time. It is easier for kids to follow along with than it is for them to use the missalette in the pew. There's also a nice part at the end which explains the Sacrament of Reconciliation and teaches children how to examine the conscience. We keep copies of this little book on our church's book table and my children each have their own copy.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (G.K. Hall Large Print Perennial Bestseller Collection)

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (G.K. Hall Large Print Perennial Bestseller Collection)
By Mark Twain

Product Description
'Cordially hated and dreaded by all the mothers of the town because he was idle, and lawless, vulgar, and bad - and because all their children admired him so', Huckleberry Finn, the fourteen-year-old son of the town drunkard, joins runaway slave Jim on an exciting journey down the mighty Mississippi River on a raft.


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Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #2178503 in Books
Published on: 1996-03
Format: Large Print
Number of items: 1
Binding: Hardcover
420 pages

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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
A seminal work of American Literature that still commands deep praise and still elicits controversy, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is essential to the understanding of the American soul. The recent discovery of the first half of Twain's manuscript, long thought lost, made front-page news. And this unprecedented edition, which contains for the first time omitted episodes and other variations present in the first half of the handwritten manuscript, as well as facsimile reproductions of thirty manuscript pages, is indispensable to a full understanding of the novel. The changes, deletions, and additions made in the first half of the manuscript indicate that Mark Twain frequently checked his impulse to write an even darker, more confrontational book than the one he finally published.

From Publishers Weekly
In this centenary year of the first American edition of Huckleberry Finn, Neider, who has worked long and well in the thickets of Twain scholarship (this is the ninth Twain volume he has edited), offers a most fitting tribute, for which he will be thanked in some quarters, damned in others. Neider's contribution is twofold: he has restored to its rightful place the great rafting chapter, which the author had lifted from the manuscript-in-progress and dropped into Life on the Mississippi, and he has abridged some of the childish larkiness in the portions in which Huck's friend Tom Sawyer intrudes into this novel. For decades, critics have lamented the absence of the "missing" chapter and deplored the jarring presence of Tom in episodes that slow the narrative, but not until now has anyone had the temerity to set matters right. In paring back the "Tom" chapters (which he fully documents in his lengthy, spirited introduction, with literal line counts of the excised material), Neider has achieved a brisker read. Though there may be some brickbats thrown at him for this "sacrilege," few should object to the belated appearance of the transplanted rafting chapter in the novel in which it clearly belongs. October 25
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 9 Up-All the highwater tales of Huck's journey are in this abridged versionAhis faked death, the Jackson Island sojourn, the Grangerford-Shepherdson feud, the Duke and the King, and his reunion with Tom Sawyer. Along the way, we are treated to a sensual feast of the sights, smells, and rhythms of the Mississippi River and the humanistic education of Huck that culminates in his assisting in Jim's escape. The familiar adventures of Huck and runaway slave Jim's odyssey on a raft floating down the Mississippi have been well documented previously in audio format with noted versions read by Ed Begley, Will Wheaton (both from Dove), and the 1985 Grammy nominated Durkin Hayes production read by Dick Cavett. This version, beautifully read by actor Mike McShane, is a wonderful contribution to the recorded Twain canon. McShane handles multiple characterizations well, but excels in Huck's folksy narrative voice and Jim's understated power and dignity. School and public libraries should not miss this excellent rendition.
Barry X. Miller, Austin Public Library, TX
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.


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Customer Reviews
One of my favorites! Why do people hate it?
First off, I love this book and I was very mad to hear stuff like "All people who like it are stupid" I read one review where the person said "It shows how stupid Anericans can be" You misspelled Americans buddy! People did talk like that. I know because they still talk like that. I loved the language, and snobs who just turn their noses up and say "that's not proper English!" are obnoxious and pitiful! How is it hard to read? The bad reviewers called lovers of this book stupid when they couldn't even understand the book. Twain uses the N word so much because that's how people talked back then! Americans who insult this book are uncultured, know nothing about history and are complete snobs. I find Jim to be a kind, patient, fatherly figure, Huck to be an interesting main character and Tom to be lovable and funny. People say it's childish and that Jim is childish, but that's because the book is written through the eyes of Huck, a 13 year-old boy. You would have to be racist to call this book racist. MARK TWAIN WAS VERY ANTI SLAVERY! I'm really mad that people can be so ignorant as to want to ban this book. People say that Huck's adventure were boring, but they were not. He is a 13 year-old helping to free a slave and then there's all the stuff in between. How many 13 year-olds do you know who have ever travelled down the mississippi river constantly being hunted for, without any parents? I love this book, the characterization is flawless and all Americans should read this and enjoy it. Mark Twain was a brilliant writer and all you people who hate on this book and are mean to people who like it, I feel kind of sorry for you that you are such stupid snobs who can't even understand a dialect which is still used today. This book takes place at America's most shameful time in history and yet I am still proud that this is a book that represents america.

Not my cup of tea
I was disappointed after reading this story. Of course the message is important and Mark Twain is a talented writer, no one can deny that. However I found it difficult to read this book with the dialoge and the plot wasn't really holding my attention.

disappointed
Maybe I shouldn't have read Tom Sawyer before Huck, as it might have been to much Twain all at once. Words don't bother me in a story, it's the boring repetion the boy had, we all have dreams and children maybe more, but to act them all out over and over, I couldn't wait to finish the book. I think some books fit their period more so, maybe Huck being one of them, and it just may be the books controversy and popularity is because of a few certain words, and that is a same.

A Wrinkle in Time (Thorndike Press Large Print Perennial Bestsellers Series)

A Wrinkle in Time (Thorndike Press Large Print Perennial Bestsellers Series)
By Madeleine L'Engle


Product Description
General FictionLarge Print EditionIt was a dark and stormy night when Meg Murry, her brother Charles Wallace and her mother came down to the kitchen for a midnight snack and were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger. The unearthly stranger spoke to them and told them there was such a thing as a tesseract a wrinkle in time . . .A Wrinkle in Time winner of the Newbery Medal in 1963 tells of the adventures of Meg, Charles Wallace and Calvin OKeefe as they search for Megs father, a scientist who disappeared while trying to solve the tesseract problem . . .


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Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #6068024 in Books
Published on: 1998-03
Formats: Large Print, Import
Binding: Hardcover
232 pages

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Editorial Reviews
Card catalog description
Meg Murry and her friends become involved with unearthly strangers and a search for Meg's father, who has disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government.


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Customer Reviews
The battle between good and evil.
I have often heard people comment about how good this book is, but I've never taken the time to read it before now. I can't say that I was mislead. This is a highly imaginative tale of good vs. evil, told from the point of view of young Meg Murry. Meg is smart but rebellious, fiercely protective of her unusual family. She and her brother, Charles Wallace, are about to go on a journey through space and time to find their long absent father, and in the process, confront an evil so powerful that it threatens to engulf them all.

Written with vivid imagery, this story is a fantasy wrapped inside some of the conventional trappings of science-fiction. Along the way, we consider the nature of evil, how it robs people of their individuality and choice. In the end, discovering the one thing evil can't do will be the key to Meg's victory.

Not a Fighter
I re-read this book from my childhood and I'm very disappointed with particular messages Madeleine presents to children. I think enough has been said about stars (angels?) being conceived as witches to "play a joke" on everyone and the centaur appearance of the other "angels". No matter what the rest of the story conveys, I am completely revulsed by the notion she presents that Jesus was a fighter. He is not a fighter, but represents peace & love spreading the word of the Father on this earth for all to follow. Also, Jesus has already won the battle for us. All of these ignorant statements in this book by Madeleine need to be pulled before I will even think about looking at this book or sharing it with others.

Not Free SF Reader
A book for children, but not too bad for that. A bored girl, her brothers and others get mixed up in an adventure across the space-time continuum by way of some nifty tesseract tricks.

When a strange older woman comes visiting they set off to find the father of all these children, who is a prisoner of one of your standard supervillains, a giant disembodied telepathic brain.

Beautiful Joe (Library of Congress Centennial Bestseller Series)

Beautiful Joe (Library of Congress Centennial Bestseller Series)
By Marshall Saunders

Product Description
Beautiful Joe was a winning entry in a contest sponsored by the American Humane Society in 1893. Based on a true story, this book was the first book published in America told from a dog's point of view.


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Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #2135339 in Books
Published on: 1994-08-01
Number of items: 1
Binding: Hardcover
304 pages

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Editorial Reviews
Download Description
BEAUTIFUL JOE is a real dog, and "Beautiful Joe" is his real name. He belonged during the first part of his life to a cruel master, who mutilated him in the manner described in the story. He was rescued from him, and is now living in a happy home with pleasant surroundings, and enjoys a wide local celebrity.

About the Author
Margaret Marshall Saunders disguised her name (she is identified only as Marshall Saunders) because she thought it would add to the credibility of the book. She wrote Beautiful Joe after a real dog she encountered in Meaford Ontario which was cruelly mistreated by its master.

Download Description
BEAUTIFUL JOE is a real dog, and "Beautiful Joe" is his real name. He belonged during the first part of his life to a cruel master, who mutilated him in the manner described in the story. He was rescued from him, and is now living in a happy home with pleasant surroundings, and enjoys a wide local celebrity.


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Customer Reviews
One of My Favorite Books from Childhood
"Beautiful Joe" is a wonderful story. It was given to me in the late 50's when I was about 10 years old, and I think I read it three times. It's always amazed me that so few others know of it. But it is a beautiful and enriching story especially suitable for a 9-12 year old child who loves dogs. It is very sad (and distrubing) in the beginning, however, so I would never recommend it for a young child.

my childhood revisited
I read this book countless times when I was a child in the 1950s; I was delighted to find it still in print and even more delighted to find that it is as moving and meaningful as ever. Today's children may find the language somewhat formal and will need to broaden their vocabularies, but they and their parents will find the small effort well worth it.

My favorite childhood book..
I love this book. Everyone should read it young or old. Beautiful Joe and the rest of the animals will touch your heart. I have never read this book without crying at the end.

Come cook with me!: A cookbook for kids

Come cook with me!: A cookbook for kids
By Carolyn Coats

Product Description
Kids are crazy about cooking! There's no trick to following these fun-to-make and fun-to-eat recipes. The step-by-step directions and illustrations will have them cooking like a "grown-up" in no time. And these recipes are as good-tasting as they are good for them!


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Product Details
Published on: 1989
Binding: Unknown Binding
120 pages

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)
By J. K. Rowling

Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #47 in Books
Published on: 2007-07-21
Released on: 2007-07-21
Number of items: 1
Binding: Hardcover
784 pages

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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Readers beware. The brilliant, breathtaking conclusion to J.K. Rowling's spellbinding series is not for the faint of heart--such revelations, battles, and betrayals await in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that no fan will make it to the end unscathed. Luckily, Rowling has prepped loyal readers for the end of her series by doling out increasingly dark and dangerous tales of magic and mystery, shot through with lessons about honor and contempt, love and loss, and right and wrong. Fear not, you will find no spoilers in our review--to tell the plot would ruin the journey, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is an odyssey the likes of which Rowling's fans have not yet seen, and are not likely to forget. But we would be remiss if we did not offer one small suggestion before you embark on your final adventure with Harry--bring plenty of tissues.

The heart of Book 7 is a hero's mission--not just in Harry's quest for the Horcruxes, but in his journey from boy to man--and Harry faces more danger than that found in all six books combined, from the direct threat of the Death Eaters and you-know-who, to the subtle perils of losing faith in himself. Attentive readers would do well to remember Dumbledore's warning about making the choice between "what is right and what is easy," and know that Rowling applies the same difficult principle to the conclusion of her series. While fans will find the answers to hotly speculated questions about Dumbledore, Snape, and you-know-who, it is a testament to Rowling's skill as a storyteller that even the most astute and careful reader will be taken by surprise.

A spectacular finish to a phenomenal series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is a bittersweet read for fans. The journey is hard, filled with events both tragic and triumphant, the battlefield littered with the bodies of the dearest and despised, but the final chapter is as brilliant and blinding as a phoenix's flame, and fans and skeptics alike will emerge from the confines of the story with full but heavy hearts, giddy and grateful for the experience. --Daphne Durham

Visit the Harry Potter Store
Our Harry Potter Store features all things Harry, including books, audio CDs and cassettes, DVDs, soundtracks, games, and more.

Begin at the Beginning
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Hardcover
Paperback Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Hardcover
Paperback Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Hardcover
Paperback Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Hardcover
Paperback Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Hardcover
Paperback Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Hardcover
Paperback

Why We Love Harry
Favorite Moments from the Series
There are plenty of reasons to love Rowling's wildly popular series--no doubt you have several dozen of your own. Our list features favorite moments, characters, and artifacts from the first five books. Keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive (what we love about Harry could fill ten books!) and does not include any of the spectacular revelatory moments that would spoil the books for those (few) who have not read them. Enjoy.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
* Harry's first trip to the zoo with the Dursleys, when a boa constrictor winks at him.
* When the Dursleys' house is suddenly besieged by letters for Harry from Hogwarts. Readers learn how much the Dursleys have been keeping from Harry. Rowling does a wonderful job in displaying the lengths to which Uncle Vernon will go to deny that magic exists.
* Harry's first visit to Diagon Alley with Hagrid. Full of curiosities and rich with magic and marvel, Harry's first trip includes a trip to Gringotts and Ollivanders, where Harry gets his wand (holly and phoenix feather) and discovers yet another connection to He-Who-Must-No-Be-Named. This moment is the reader's first full introduction to Rowling's world of witchcraft and wizards.
* Harry's experience with the Sorting Hat.


Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
* The de-gnoming of the Weasleys' garden. Harry discovers that even wizards have chores--gnomes must be grabbed (ignoring angry protests "Gerroff me! Gerroff me!"), swung about (to make them too dizzy to come back), and tossed out of the garden--this delightful scene highlights Rowling's clever and witty genius.
* Harry's first experience with a Howler, sent to Ron by his mother.
* The Dueling Club battle between Harry and Malfoy. Gilderoy Lockhart starts the Dueling Club to help students practice spells on each other, but he is not prepared for the intensity of the animosity between Harry and Draco. Since they are still young, their minibattle is innocent enough, including tickling and dancing charms.


Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
* Ron's attempt to use a telephone to call Harry at the Dursleys'.
* Harry's first encounter with a Dementor on the train (and just about any other encounter with Dementors). Harry's brush with the Dementors is terrifying and prepares Potter fans for a darker, scarier book.
* Harry, Ron, and Hermione's behavior in Professor Trelawney's Divination class. Some of the best moments in Rowling's books occur when she reminds us that the wizards-in-training at Hogwarts are, after all, just children. Clearly, even at a school of witchcraft and wizardry, classes can be boring and seem pointless to children.
* The Boggart lesson in Professor Lupin's classroom.
* Harry, Ron, and Hermione's knock-down confrontation with Snape.


Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
* Hermione's disgust at the reception for the veela (Bulgarian National Team Mascots) at the Quidditch World Cup. Rowling's fourth book addresses issues about growing up--the dynamic between the boys and girls at Hogwarts starts to change. Nowhere is this more plain than the hilarious scene in which magical cheerleaders nearly convince Harry and Ron to jump from the stands to impress them.
* Viktor Krum's crush on Hermione--and Ron's objection to it.
* Malfoy's "Potter Stinks" badge.
* Hermione's creation of S.P.E.W., the intolerant bigotry of the Death Eaters, and the danger of the Triwizard Tournament. Add in the changing dynamics between girls and boys at Hogwarts, and suddenly Rowling's fourth book has a weight and seriousness not as present in early books in the series. Candy and tickle spells are left behind as the students tackle darker, more serious issues and take on larger responsibilities, including the knowledge of illegal curses.


Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
* Harry's outburst to his friends at No. 12 Grimmauld Place. A combination of frustration over being kept in the dark and fear that he will be expelled fuels much of Harry's anger, and it all comes out at once, directly aimed at Ron and Hermione. Rowling perfectly portrays Harry's frustration at being too old to shirk responsibility, but too young to be accepted as part of the fight that he knows is coming.
* Harry's detention with Professor Umbridge. Rowling shows her darker side, leading readers to believe that Hogwarts is no longer a safe haven for young wizards. Dolores represents a bureaucratic tyrant capable of real evil, and Harry is forced to endure their private battle of wills alone.
* Harry and Cho's painfully awkward interactions. Rowling clearly remembers what it was like to be a teenager.
* Harry's Occlumency lessons with Snape.
* Dumbledore's confession to Harry.




Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
* The introduction of the Horcrux.
* Molly Weasley asking Arthur Weasley about his "dearest ambition." Rowling has always been great at revealing little intriguing bits about her characters at a time, and Arthur's answer "to find out how airplanes stay up" reminds us about his obsession with Muggles.
* Harry's private lessons with Dumbledore, and more time spent with the fascinating and dangerous pensieve, arguably one of Rowling's most ingenious inventions.
* Fred and George Weasley's Joke Shop, and the slogan: "Why Are You Worrying About You-Know-Who? You Should Be Worrying About U-NO-POO--the Constipation Sensation That's Gripping the Nation!"
* Luna's Quidditch commentary. Rowling created scores of Luna Lovegood fans with hilarious and bizarre commentary from the most unlikely Quidditch commentator.
* The effects of Felix Felicis.





Magic, Mystery, and Mayhem: A Conversation with J.K. Rowling

"I am an extraordinarily lucky person, doing what I love best in the world. I'm sure that I will always be a writer. It was wonderful enough just to be published. The greatest reward is the enthusiasm of the readers." --J.K. Rowling

Find out more about Harry's creator in our exclusive interview with J.K. Rowling.



Did You Know? The Little White Horse was J.K. Rowling's favorite book as a child. Jane Austen is Rowling's favorite author. Roddy Doyle is Rowling's favorite living writer.


A Few Words from Mary GrandPré

"When I illustrate a cover or a book, I draw upon what the author tells me; that's how I see my responsibility as an illustrator. J.K. Rowling is very descriptive in her writing--she gives an illustrator a lot to work with. Each story is packed full of rich visual descriptions of the atmosphere, the mood, the setting, and all the different creatures and people. She makes it easy for me. The images just develop as I sketch and retrace until it feels right and matches her vision." Check out more Harry Potter art from illustrator Mary GrandPré.



From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Potter fans, relax—this review packs no spoilers. Instead, we're taking advantage of our public platform to praise Rowling for the excellence of her plotting. We can't think of anyone else who has sustained such an intricate, endlessly inventive plot over seven thick volumes and so constantly surprised us with twists, well-laid traps and Purloined Letter-style tricks. Hallows continues the tradition, both with sly feats of legerdemain and with several altogether new, unexpected elements. Perhaps some of the surprises in Hallows don't have quite the punch as those of earlier books, but that may be because of the thoroughness and consistency with which Rowling has created her magical universe, and because we've so raptly absorbed its rules.

We're also seizing the occasion to wish out loud that her editors had done their jobs more actively. It's hard to escape the notion that the first three volumes were more carefully edited than the last four. Hallows doesn't contain the extraneous scenes found in, say, Goblet of Fire, but the momentum is uneven. Rowling is much better at comedy than at fight scenes, and no reader of the sixth book will be startled to hear that Hallows has little humor or that its characters engage in more than a few fights. Surely her editors could have helped her find other methods of building suspense besides the use of ellipses and dashes? And craft fight dialogue that sounds a bit less like it belongs in a comic book? Okay, we're quibbling. We know these minor nuisances won't dent readers' enjoyment, at least not this generation of readers; we couldn't put Hallows down ourselves. But we believe Rowling, and future readers, deserved even better. Ages 9-12. (July)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From School Library Journal
Grade 6 Up—In this concluding volume, Rowling brings together the themes and characters familiar to her readers, providing thrills both expected and unexpected. Harry, Ron, and Hermione set out on the mission left to Harry by Albus Dumbledore, to search for the remaining Horcruxes, the hidden pieces of Voldemort's soul that must be destroyed to ensure his final defeat. Harry and his friends find themselves fugitives, but help comes from unexpected quarters and old friends. Harry is also searching for the truth about Dumbledore's life, as he tries to reconcile rumors about the man's past with the heroic headmaster he thought he knew. The legend of the Deathly Hallows, three magical objects that have the power to overcome death, proves to be related to Dumbledore's past as well as the present conflict. While the plot wanders somewhat on its way there, the final battle with Voldemort, involving a full range of friends and foes, is Rowling at her finest. The headstrong plot involves clues and characters from all of the volumes, building on details and tying up loose ends. An underlying message about the power of truth and redemption is reflected in a range of characters, combining with mythic allusions to give depth to the series as a whole. Hallows continues the darker tone of Half-Blood Prince, and there's no Quidditch to be found here, though there are comic moments. Fans of the series will devour this lengthy tome and will be left hoping for more tales from this fully fleshed out fantastic world.—Beth L. Meister, Pleasant View Elementary School, Franklin, WI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


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Customer Reviews
Absolute classic
I cannot say enough about this series. I am 50 years old, have always been extremely into children's literature- most of the children in my life receive classics from me for birthdays and holidays. The Harry Potter series is one of the best I have read. Each book is special in its own way and each allows us to know the characters a little better.

Every parent should be reading through this series with their pre-teens and teens. They are an absolute delight that every child should experience! Wonderful!!!

Superb! A book that entertain generations!
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is a fantastic book. I know many people who read the entire book at once. I personally made myself put it down, this way I could really think about it hard, and cherish it longer. There are not enough ways to thoroughly describe what each individual reader my experience while reading this outstanding literature, but it is worth every penny to discover it for you self. I would highly recommend this book to reader, and if this is your first book of the Harry Potter series, I would go back a few first, that way this book will be all the more amazing!

THE GREATEST
This is the best book of the series. I was a little disappointed by a few of the characters they left alive but the fights all make up for that. I loved the action and cant wait to see the movie. its all tied together so well that it would be very hard to leave any of this book out or change things around.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (Diary of a Wimpy Kid)
By Jeff Kinney

Nick of Time

Nick of Time By Ted Bell

Product Description

Nick of Time is the first young reader's book written by bestselling author Ted Bell.

In the grand tradition of epic novels like Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island comes a wondrous tale of time travel, adventure, and riches, in which twelve-year-old Nick McIver sets out to become “the hero of his own life.”

The setting is England, 1939, on the eve of war. Nick and his younger sister, Kate, live in a lighthouse on the smallest of the Channel Islands. Nick and Kate come to the aid of their father who is engaged in a desperate war of espionage with German U-boat wolf packs that are circling the islands. The information they provide to Winston Churchill is vital as he tries to warn England of the imminent Nazi invasion.

One day Nick discovers an old sea chest, left for him by his ancestor, Captain Nicholas McIver of the Royal Navy. Inside, he finds a time machine and a desperate plea for help from the captain. He uses the machine to return to the year 1805. Captain McIver and, indeed, Admiral Nelson’s entire fleet are threatened by the treachery of the French and the mutinous Captain Billy Blood. Nick must reach deep inside, using his wits, courage, and daring to rescue the imperiled British sailors.

His sister, Kate, meanwhile, has enlisted the aid of two of England’s most brilliant “scientific detectives,” Lord Hawke and Commander Hobbes, to thwart the invading Nazis. She and Nick must face England’s underwater enemies, a challenge made all the more difficult when they discover the existence of Germany’s supersecret submarine.

In this striking adventure for readers of all ages, Nick must fight ruthless enemies across two different centuries, on land and sea, to help defeat those determined to destroy his home and his family.



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Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #236 in Books
Published on: 2008-05-13
Released on: 2008-05-13
Number of items: 1
Binding: Hardcover
448 pages

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Editorial Reviews
Review


Praise for Nick of Time

"An immensely appealing book... Nick is the pluckiest, most likable boy-hero since Robert Lewis Stevenson's David Balfour (Kidnapped ). With great battle scenes; lots of nautical jargon; and themes of courage, integrity, and honor, this book will appeal to restless boys who can never find books written just for them. Three huzzahs and a great big 21-gun salute to Bell for his first novel for kids. Hopefully, it won't be his last." --School Library Journal, Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK

“Nick of Time is a blast---the best of Robert Louis Stevenson, Horatio Hornblower, and Harry Potter. The kid in me loved it, and so did the adult.”
---James Patterson, New York Times bestselling author of the Maximum Ride series

“A brilliant adventure, hidden within a rolling saga, tucked inside an intriguing mystery. That's Nick of Time. Ted Bell proves that he's the master of swashbuckling for both young and old.”
---Steve Berry, author of The Venetian Betrayal

“Wow! Some books sweep you away. NICK OF TIME amazed me, dazzled me, and swept my imagination off to sea.... I've been craving an adventure story with a good mystery and this arrived in the nick of time to rescue me.”
---Diane Chen, School Library Journal.com

“Nick of Time reminded me of Brian Jacques, one of my favorite authors. Everything clicks together perfectly. . . . I really like the era and technology of WWII, especially the ‘secret weapons’ . . . the whole pirate thing really appeals to me. . . . The time travel idea is cool, and what’s even better is that da Vinci created it!”
---Henry Willshire (13 years old)


About the Author


Ted Bell is the former Vice-Chairman of the Board and World-Wide Creative Director of Young & Rubicam, one of the world’s largest advertising agencies. He is the New York Times bestselling author of Hawke, Assassin, Pirate, Spy, and Tsar. This is his first novel for young adults.


Customer Reviews
exciting Twin City Noir
In St. Paul, Minnesota sixth grader Victoria and fourth grader Katie Dunston were walking home from St. Mark's Elementary School when a man in white coveralls and a black ski mask abducts the older sister. Their father Bobby, the city's homicide chief, asks his long time friend former cop Rushmore McKenzie to help rescue his daughter although the detective knows his buddy lacks a sleuthing license.

The kidnapper demands Mac deliver the ransom, which he is willing to do. Mac begins racing through St. Paul following tips while someone places a $50,000 bounty on him. Soon Mac and Bobby begin to realize who the abductor is and why this snatch is personal. The knowledge brings fear to both men not for themselves, but for what their former childhood buddy might be capable of doing to this preadolescent girl out of an obsession to avenge what he believes was a betrayal of their friendship.

This is an exciting Twin City Noir that never slows down from the opening abduction to the final confrontation. Part of the fascination with this strong series (see DEAD BOYFRIENDS).is Mac makes mistakes that can prove costly as he does in MADMAN ON A DRUM. Although action-packed, the tale also focuses on loyalty between friends as Bobby was doing his job when the betrayal occurred (though not quite as potentially dangerous and it was a law enforcement matter, but think in terms of the heroic parents who turned in their son recently because they feared a Columbine). This is a strong entry in a powerful series.

Harriet Klausner


Courtesy of Teens Read Too
Set in 1939, NICK OF TIME is about young Nick McIver and his adventuresome spirit.

Nick loves to sail and be out on the water with his trusty dog, Jip. He loves it so much that he often loses track of time and comes home late for dinner, which irritates his tough yet loving mother. One night, Nick also discovers that his father is no ordinary lighthouse keeper. He's also a spy for England. What would become World War II was brewing, and Nick joins his dad in his efforts of spying for Nazis.

This story has a lot going for it. The writing is excellent, the story includes sailboats, Nazis, submarines, secret castles, mysterious villains, pirates, squawking parrots, dogs, cats, spies and, as the title implies, travel through time. The one downside is that it takes more than one hundred pages to get to the time travel promised by the title.

Nevertheless, it's a fun story, full of adventure and suspense, with a dose of history thrown in.

Reviewed by: Marie Robinson

A must read!
If you liked Ted Bell's "Hawk" series, you'll LOVE "Nick of Time". I was hesitant when I first ordered this book, since I'm usually disappointed with the early works of authors when they are released after a successful series. This certainly wasn't the case here. Not only was "Nick of Time" a lively tale that kept me drawn in from page one, it also provided an interesting background for the "Hawk" series. If you've enjoyed his work thus far, then "Nick of Time" belongs on your shelf!

Richard Scarry's Best First Book Ever!

Richard Scarry's Best First Book Ever! From Random House Books for Young Readers

Product Description
Illus. in full color. Favorite Scarry animal characters introduce simple learning concepts and over 700 words.


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Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #20923 in Books
Published on: 1979-09-12
Released on: 1979-09-12
Number of items: 1
Binding: Hardcover
48 pages

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Editorial Reviews
Review
"Kids will enjoy the surprises as Scarry teaches the alphabet, numbers, and vocabulary."--The New York Times.

Review
"Kids will enjoy the surprises as Scarry teaches the alphabet, numbers, and vocabulary."--The New York Times.

Card catalog description
Introduces the alphabet, counting, shapes and sizes, colors, parts of the body, months of the year, manners, nursery rhymes, and more.


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Customer Reviews
A must have
A childhood favorite of mine this was a gift to my children. This book covers everything! There are so many things on each page that each time we open it we are talking and looking at different things. Great for kids that are just starting to use 'words' as well as those that are old pros. Richard Scarry makes it fun!

Best First Book
Someone gave me Richard's Scary's Best First Book Ever when I had my baby back in the 80's. My son loved it. We read it so much that I taped it and taped it. When my nephew's wives had their babies, I gave one to each of them. They loved it. Now I give the book as a gift whenever I am invited to a baby shower.

Odd but useful
While there are some oddities in the book (like the parents sleeping in separate beds and Mommy Cat always wearing a dress), it's still a good and solid introduction for vocabulary building. Every page has every item labeled in a variety of situations and places: home, the kitchen, the living room, the laundry room, school, the grocery store, an ice cream parlor, and so forth. It also introduces the basic parts of the body, color theory and counting.

Richard Scarry's books often times contain a running gag of some sort. In Cars and Trucks and Things That Go, readers are asked to find Gold Bug on every page. In this book, readers can follow Mr. Fumble as he tries to catch his windblown hat.The question of where's Mr. Fumble's hat and the often times surreal things depicted and labeled are what make these books so much fun to read.

First the Egg Book

First the Egg (Caldecott Honor Book and Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book (Awards)) By Laura Vaccaro Seeger

Product Description
WHICH CAME FIRST? The chicken or the egg? Simple die-cuts magically present transformation-- from seed to flower, tadpole to frog, caterpillar to butterfly.
The acclaimed author of Black? White! Day? Night! and Lemons Are Not Red gives an entirely fresh and memorable presentation to the concepts of transformation and creatiity. Seed becomes flower, paint becomes picture, word becomes story--and the commonplace becomes extraordinary as children look through and turn the pages of this novel and winning book.


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Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #850 in Books
Published on: 2007-09-04
Released on: 2007-09-04
Number of items: 1
Binding: Hardcover
32 pages

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Editorial Reviews
Kirkus Reviews-starred review
"...Another perfectly pitched triumph from an emerging master of the concept book..."

Review
Publishers Weekly In another nimble page-turner, Seeger (Black? White! Day? Night!) toys with die-cuts and strategically paired words. She introduces a chicken-or-egg dilemma on her book’s cover, picturing a plump white egg in a golden-brown nest. Remove the die-cut dust jacket, and a hen appears on the glossy inner cover. The eggshell, thickly brushed in bluish-white and cream, also serves as the chicken’s feathers. This “first/then” pattern is repeated (“First the egg/ then the chicken./ First the tadpole/ then the frog”), with a die-cut on every other page. By flipping a page, readers see the cutout in two contexts. For instance, when an ovoid shape is superimposed on a white ground, it’s an egg; on a yolk-yellow ground, it’s the body of a baby chick. Seeger lines up the recto and verso of every sheet, maintaining a casual mood with generous swabs of grassy greens, sky blues and oxide yellows on canvas. Given the exuberant imagery, the occasional cutout (like the fingernail-size seed of a blowsy peony-pink flower) looks none too impressive. But if minuscule die-cuts seem barely worth the trouble, they do imply the potential in humble sources. Seeger’s clever conclusion brings all the elements together in an outdoor scene that returns readers to the opening: “First the paint/ then the picture… / First the chicken/ then the egg!” Ages 2-6. (Sept.) Kirkus Reviews Starred Review A deceptively simple, decidedly playful sequence of statements invites readers to ponder, what comes first: the chicken or the egg? Carefully choreographed page turns and die-cuts focus on the process of change and becoming, so “First” sits alone on a yellow background, facing “the EGG”—an egg-shaped die-cut revealing a white egg against an orange-and-brown background. Turn the page, and “then” appears, the egg-shaped die-cut now forming the yellow body of a chick emerging from the shell, facing “the CHICKEN”—the white hen whose body gave color to the previous spread’s egg. Tadpole and frog, seed and flower, caterpillar and butterfly all receive the same treatment, then word and story, paint and picture bring all the disparate elements together, nature being the catalyst for art. Seeger’s vibrant, textured oil-on-canvas illustrations contain a wealth of subtlety, allowing the die-cuts to reveal cunning surprises with each turn of the page. Children and adults alike will delight in flipping the sturdy pages back and forth to recreate the transformations over and over again. Another perfectly pitched triumph from an emerging master of the concept book. (Picture book. 2-6) New York Times Children’s Books Bestseller List at #9

Kirkus Reviews-starred review
"...Another perfectly pitched triumph from an emerging master of the concept book..." "

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Customer Reviews
Really, 5 Stars?
I love the book. I bought it for my son last Christmas, but it's a little too conceptual for a three year old. Still, it's beautiful. I'll try this out with him in a year.

A concept journey: egg or chicken? chicken or egg?
Which came first--the chicken or the egg? Finally, someone is here to tell us. But the answer later.

"First the egg," written and illustrated by Laura Vaccaro Seeger, is a Caldecott honor winner for 2008 and an honor book for the Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss) Award. What makes it special? Both the artwork and the story, or actually, in this case, concepts that lead from one transformation to the next. Two previous clever winners are Flotsam (Caldecott Medal Book) by David Wiesner and Black and White, an earlier Caldecott by David Macauley.

I took this book from a display in our bi-annual Book Fair. I read it in just one minute. Then reread it. And reread it. Every time I pick up this seemingly simple book, I see something else I missed. Even the covers are part of the story. This book is more than clever--it is brilliant, as in illuminating.

Listen, here is the story. Get comfortable and let me read it to you:

First the EGG
then the CHICKEN
First the TADPOLE
then the FROG
First the SEED
then the FLOWER
First the CATERPILLAR
then the BUTTERFLY
First the WORD
then the STORY
First the PAINT
then the PICTURE, First the CHICKEN
then the EGG!

Well? Exactly! Without the bold colors and almost in-your-face images in the background, the words are fine, but...? A Caldecott Award is given to the most distinguished picture book of the year. Please look at the cover image with this review. That gives an idea of the power of the colors and paint technique, which is impasto on canvas, providing two layers of texture. That is what this book has--texture: layers of texture in the art and the concepts.

Art? A creative, bold enterprise that can make the chicken or the egg first. Think it, do it. Create. That is exactly what Ms Seeger did. She created a bold, creative way to examine this age-old riddle.

"First the egg" is highly recommended, not only for children, who will adore it, but also for adults, who will be reminded of the grandeur of creation in all its many forms. Great children's books belong in the collection of adults as well as in children's.


Which comes first?
A lovely book for young people, with die cut pages that explain some of life's mysteries in an age appropriate way.

Cars and Trucks and Things That Go

Cars and Trucks and Things That Go (Giant Little Golden Book) by Richard Scarry
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
BIG R, little r,
what begins with R?
Rosy's red rhinoceros.
R...r...R
From Aunt Annie's Alligator to Rosy's red rhinoceros to a Zizzer-Zazzer-Zuzz, learning the alphabet is bound to be fun with Dr. Seuss. And with this small, sturdy board-book version of his classic ABC book (Dr. Seuss's ABC), even the tiniest tots can indulge in a little alphabetical education. Each letter is featured with Dr. Seuss's unmistakably nonsensical illustrations and text: "Lion with a lollipop," "Camel on the ceiling," "Uncle Ubb's umbrella and his underwear, too." The youngest readers-to-be will get lots of letter practice with the repetitive use of each letter and the easy-to-memorize rhythmic rhymes. Soon your favorite preschooler will be reading this book aloud to you! (Baby to preschool) --Emilie Coulter

Product Description
With Dr. Seuss as your guide, learning the alphabet is as easy as A, B, C.

Inside Flap Copy
With Dr. Seuss as your guide, learning the alphabet is as easy as A, B, C.

About the Author
Dr. Seuss was born Theodor Geisel in Springfield, Massachusetts on March 2, 1904. After attending Dartmouth College and Oxford University, he began a career in advertising. His advertising cartoons, featuring Quick, Henry, the Flit!, appeared in several leading American magazines. Dr. Seuss's first children's book, And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street, hit the market in 1937, and the world of children's literature was changed forever! In 1957, Seuss's The Cat in the Hat became the prototype for one of Random House's best- selling series, Beginner Books. This popular series combined engaging stories with outrageous illustrations and playful sounds to teach basic reading skills. Brilliant, playful, and always respectful of children, Dr. Seuss charmed his way into the consciousness of four generations of youngsters and parents. In the process, he helped kids learn to read.

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1984 and three Academy Awards, Seuss was the author and illustrator of 44 children's books, some of which have been made into audiocassettes, animated television specials, and videos for children of all ages. Even after his death in 1991, Dr. Seuss continues to be the best-selling author of children's books in the world.

The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 4)

The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 4) By Rick Riordan
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Ships from and sold by Amazon.com

Product Description
Percy Jackson isnt expecting freshman orientation to be any fun. But when a mysterious mortal acquaintance appears on campus, followed by demon cheerleaders, things quickly move from bad to worse. In this latest installment of the blockbuster series, time is running out as war between the Olympians and the evil Titan lord Kronos draws near. Even the safe haven of Camp Half-Blood grows more vulnerable by the minute as Kronoss army prepares to invade its once impenetrable borders. To stop the invasion, Percy and his demigod friends must set out on a quest through the Labyrintha sprawling underground world with stunning surprises at every turn. Full of humor and heart-pounding action, this latest audiobook promises to be their most thrilling adventure yet.


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Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #18 in Books
Published on: 2008-05-06
Released on: 2008-05-06
Number of items: 1
Binding: Hardcover
368 pages

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Customer Reviews
Still like these better than Mr. Potter.

Percy and friends have it hard this time. Annabeth has been chosen to lead a team into the labyrinth, which they have discovered an entry in Camp Half-Blood. Grover has been given a week to fine the God, Pan, or his searcher's license will be revoked. Luke is an ever present threat, as well as Kronos. But I can't tell too much more, or I will give it all away.

This series is still good. In fact, it's so good. I devoured this book in about two sittings and now I should reread it because, wow... it's so good! I feel like Riordan is starting to go downward on his story arc, so I believe we can expect one, maybe two more books, and that is it. That said, these are quite popular, and Riordan may be compelled to pull an L. Frank Baum and just continue to write the series.

These are still one of my favorites. I like them more than Harry Potter, still, because it's Greek mythology and that has always been a favorite of mine. I will be sad to see these go. That said, we have a little while before that happens. I'm so glad that Riordan continues to write this, and I am so glad that it is snowballing in popularity. I love these books. I loved this book. I am so happy about it all.

This is a wonderful series -
Percy Jackson always knew he was different...turns out that he's a demi-god...that means the child of a god and a mortal - at a certain age, he gets the word to go to a camp for these kids - it's called appropriately Camp Half-Blood...
You know the Greek Gods - they were powerful and er, prolific...needless to say there are a lot of kids at the camp!
Each summer these kids go on a quest - things are happening - the Titans are trying to come back and defeat the Greek Gods - Yikes!
The kids of the camp have to enter the Labyrinth to stop the Titan revolt. They meet another child of Athena - Daedalus - remember Daedalus and his son Icarus? That's the guy -
This book continues to amaze the adventure and Rick Riordan is amazingly accurate in his knowledge in Greek Mythology - I take my Hamilton book on mythology out and learn more and more every time I read one of Riordan's books.
Love Percy Jackson - OK the series is for kids...but us big kids really love the series too.

Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4)

Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4) By Stephenie Meyer

Availability: Not yet published
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com

Product Description

Twilight tempted the imagination. New Moon made readers thirsty for more. Eclipse turned the saga into a worldwide phenomenon. And now, the book that everyone has been waiting for....


Breaking Dawn, the final book in the #1 bestselling Twilight Saga, will take your breath away.


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Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #5 in Books
Published on: 2008-08-02
Released on: 2008-08-02
Number of items: 1
Binding: Hardcover
768 pages

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Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Stephenie Meyer graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in English Literature, and she lives with her husband and three young sons in Arizona. Stephenie is the author of Twilight,New Moon, and Eclipse.

The Screwtape Letters

The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis and Joss Ackland
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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Who among us has never wondered if there might not really be a tempter sitting on our shoulders or dogging our steps? C.S. Lewis dispels all doubts. In The Screwtape Letters, one of his bestselling works, we are made privy to the instructional correspondence between a senior demon, Screwtape, and his wannabe diabolical nephew Wormwood. As mentor, Screwtape coaches Wormwood in the finer points, tempting his "patient" away from God.
Each letter is a masterpiece of reverse theology, giving the reader an inside look at the thinking and means of temptation. Tempters, according to Lewis, have two motives: the first is fear of punishment, the second a hunger to consume or dominate other beings. On the other hand, the goal of the Creator is to woo us unto himself or to transform us through his love from "tools into servants and servants into sons." It is the dichotomy between being consumed and subsumed completely into another's identity or being liberated to be utterly ourselves that Lewis explores with his razor-sharp insight and wit.

The most brilliant feature of The Screwtape Letters may be likening hell to a bureaucracy in which "everyone is perpetually concerned about his own dignity and advancement, where everyone has a grievance, and where everyone lives the deadly serious passions of envy, self-importance, and resentment." We all understand bureaucracies, be it the Department of Motor Vehicles, the IRS, or one of our own making. So we each understand the temptations that slowly lure us into hell. If you've never read Lewis, The Screwtape Letters is a great place to start. And if you know Lewis, but haven't read this, you've missed one of his core writings. --Patricia Klein --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Amazon.com Audiobook Review
This adaptation of C.S. Lewis's biting satire received a 1999 Grammy nomination for best spoken-word performance, and it's easy to see why--the story fits the format perfectly. It's relatively brief (the unabridged reading takes a mere four hours), and contains only one character--the demon Screwtape, who writes letters to his novice nephew Wormwood, instructing him on how to best tempt his "patient" (a wayward soul on earth) into the bosom of "our Lord below."

Obviously, the book wasn't written with former Monty Python John Cleese in mind, but it's hard to imagine a better Screwtape. Cleese's voice provides the perfect vehicle for Lewis's dry, razor-edged wit. His uncanny comic timing and ability to milk each phrase for maximum effect betray an infectious enthusiasm for the story. It's clear that he's having a great time reading, and it's impossible not to laugh along with him. This inspired pairing of two of the 20th century's greatest wits makes for a meditation on the dark side of spiritual guidance that's as relevant and funny today as it was in Lewis's war-torn England. (Running time: 4 hours, 3 cassettes) --Andrew Neiland --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal
Lewis's satire is a Christian classic. Screwtape is a veteran demon in the service of "Our Father Below" whose letters to his nephew and prot?g?, Wormwood, instruct the demon-in-training in the fine points of leading a new Christian astray. Lewis's take on human nature is as on-target as it was when the letters were first published in 1941. John Cleese's narration is perfect as he takes Screwtape from emotional height to valley, from tight control to near apoplexy. This will be a popular in most libraries.ANann Blaine Hilyard, Lake Villa Dist. Lib., IL
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From AudioFile
These letters of advice from senior fiend Screwtape to his nephew, Wormwood, an apprentice tempter trying to capture the soul of a mortal Englishman wavering between sin and salvation, appeared in 1942 in some of the darkest months of WWII, when evil certainly seemed personified and loose in the world. Joss Ackland inhabits the character of Screwtape masterfully, making him a suave and seductive elder statesman who uses his velvety charm and deep knowledge of human nature to make you forget that his politics are appalling. It is not necessary to be a Christian to be fascinated by this apologia, and Ackland's brilliant performance makes it well-nigh unforgettable. B.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

John Updike
"I read Lewis for comfort and pleasure many years ago, and a glance into the books revives my old admiration." --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

The New Yorker
"...wit and wisdom, style and scholarship..." --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Los Angeles Times
"Lewis...forced those who listened to him and read his works to come to terms with their own philosophical presuppositions." --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Description

Now available unabridged on cassette and CD -- C.S. Lewis' classic Screwtape Letters -- the engaging correspondence between two devils.

Read by Joss Ackland.

From the Back Cover
A worldwide best-seller now available unabridged on audio cassette and CD.

This clever guide to temptation gives insight into the danger of pride, the power of prayer, and the ultimate victory of faith in Christ over the forces of evil.

About the Author
C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably the most influential Christian writer of his day. He was a Fellow and Tutor in English literature at Oxford University until 1954 when he was unanimously elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance English at Cambridge University, a position he held until his retirement. His major contributions in literary criticism, childrens literature, fantasy literature, and popular theology brought him international renown and acclaim. He wrote more than thirty books, allowing him to reach a vast audience, and his works continue to attract thousands of new readers every year. His most distinguished and popular accomplishments include The Chronicles of Narnia, Out of the Silent Planet, The Four Loves, The Screwtape Letters, and Mere Christianity.