Unintended Review: This Is the Place Takes Publisher's Reading Pile Honor

This review is really an unsolicited letter to me about my novel, This Is the Place. I don't run my own review often, but this one was irresistible and it seemed, well... fair is fair. It is still available used (sometimes for only $1 or $2!) on Amazon. And I thank Mindy Philips Lawrence, publisher of Thinking Stone Press and author in her own right, for her kind words. Sometimes the best reviews are the unintended reviews!

This Is the PlaceBy Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Published by AmErica House
Fiction, literary, historical, women's, western
ISBN: 1588513621

Unsolicited Comment by Mindy Philips Lawrence

This is The Place is so motivating! It’s an excellent lesson in tolerance or, more than that, acceptance. It’s going to go in my pile of books to dissect and study. Few books make it to that pile. I’m reading David Balducci now (two books) and have to say he’s good but won’t go in my pile (Dan Brown made it because of the intricacy of his plot in The DaVinci Code). What my reading now is teaching me is to have depth to my writing and not just random characters doing stuff. Your book, Laila Lalami’s book and V.I. Naipaul’s book all show characters operating in a backdrop of either history, geography, religion or something larger than just an individual’s story. That’s what I am seeking to do with my novel . . . still too underdeveloped to write.

Thought you’d like to know.
Mindy Lawrence, Publisher THINKING STONE PRESS

Technorati Tags:
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Overcoming Fear

A Layman's Guide To Managing Fear
Author: Stanley Popovich
www.managingfear.com
Nonfiction: SELF HELP
ISBN: 1928602975 AND Rated: [G]

Review by Piers Watson, OCD Action, London England for Treble Heart BooksReview


This short booklet, published in the USA, is full of common-sense practical advice on techniques for coping with fear. As the title makes clear, it is very much a layperson's interpretation and explanation of the most commonly accepted methods of managing or overcoming fear, namely behaviour therapy and cognitive behaviour therapy (terms not used by Popovich). Effective use is made of examples to illustrate the choices we all face.

For some this booklet will be profoundly helpful. Everyone, however, whose life is crippled by fear, will find something useful here

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Valerie Landau Tells Teachers How To Develop an Online Course

Title: Developing an Effective Online Course
Author: Valerie Landau
Publisher: McGraw-Hill
ISBN-10: 0072587024
ISBN-13: 978-0072587029
My Rating - 4 out of 5

Reviewed by Judi Silva

Author Valerie Landau is very thorough in helping you to develop and evaluate a successful online course. Each topic comes complete with goals, objectives, warm up activities, famous quotes, instructor’s notes, student assignments and a list of resources.

Topic 1: Course Introduction
A discussion of the production process of online media (Web sites and multimedia) pros and cons will be the crux of this topic. Features of the online medium and the four stages of it, namely, concept definition, design, production, and testing and quality assurance phases will be discussed in detail.

Topic 2: Evaluation and Criteria
How to find review and evaluate existing online courses will be shown. Included are links to sample courses and a list key questions your course needs to be able to answer.

Topic 3: Survey of Online Courses
The objectives in this topic include: reviewing existing online courses related to your topic, using "Bloom's Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain" to identify levels of cognition, analyzing the advantages and drawbacks two different approaches the student-centered approach and the teacher-centered techniques

Topic 4: Goals and Objectives
You will learn to write a broad overall goal for the course you are developing, measurable objectives for the course, a broad goal for one module of instruction and measurable objectives for the module of instruction. You will also learn to categorize each learning objective according to "Bloom’s Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain".

Topic 5: Developing the Course Outline
Learn just what a course outline is and how to write one using your goals and objectives discussed in the previous topics.

Topic 6: Developing Assignments
Here Ms. Landau teaches the most difficult part of developing an online course - how to developing engaging assignments. She also discusses how to describe the type of feedback students will receive, categorize the assignment according to Bloom’s Taxonomy and describe how the assignment leverages the Internet.

Topic 7: Developing Instructor’s Notes
This topic shows how to create properly developed instructor’s notes in order to close the gap between what people already know and what they need to know in order to perform the module objectives.


Topic 8: Web Design
The goal in this topic is to draft a plan outlining the guidelines you will use to design your course so it is accessible and easy to read and navigate. You will also learn to identify basic Web design principles and accessibility requirements.

Topic 9: Course Management & Planning
Here you will define a policy for group work, ‘netiquette’, and student expectations, along with developing a plan on how to complete your course

Topic 10: Planning a Formative Evaluation
Prior to publishing a course, two basic types of testing is recommended: Quality assurance and Formative evaluation (usability studies). This topic will walk you through both of them. Learn when to test, what a test plan should include, examples of commonly used testing methods and formative evaluation reports.

Topic 11: Conducting a Formative Evaluation
Once you have developed a plan for formative evaluation, the next step is to test your course via the target audience. This topic will show you how to conduct a successful evaluation of your course. The 8 top priorities in doing this will be discussed so that you will know what to do with all the useful information that you’ve collected to your course’s benefit.

All in all, a very detailed and informative writer’s guide to developing an effective online course.

You can purchase Ms. Landau’s book at Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0072587024/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Reviewed By Judi Silva
judi.silva@gmail.com
http://www.dark-horse-adaptations.com/
Originally published on Assoicated Content: http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/1968/simran.html


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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Sound Advice on Publishing in Little Time

Publishing Possibilities
Subtitle: Eight Steps to Understanding Your Options and Choosing the Best Path for Your Book
By Cheryl Pickett
Brighter Day Publishing, 2009
ISBN: 9780615260808
Nonfiction/Publishing/Writing
Contact Reviewer: hojoreviews@aol.com
Publisher's Site: www.publishinganswer.com





Getting Your Publishing Options Straight


The days when authors were at the mercy of others is gone. Any writer in any genre now has choices; those who rely on the old, traditional mode of publishing may be doing themselves a disservice. Equally so of those who plunge headlong into the world of partner, subsidy and self publishing without considering what that will entail.

Publishing Possibilities, by Cheryl Pickett gives a new author the essentials they need to choose a publishing process that is best for his or her books and experienced writers options they may never have considered.

Authors who have been around publishing for a while may have picked up shreds of publishing wisdom that are not rooted in fact, even terms that are misused. Picket clarifies. She also offers these more experienced authors new possibilities, especially if their work has taken a new direction. A publishing plan for one genre may work fine but not work as well for another.

I must insert a disclaimer here. After reading Publishing Possibilities, I asked Cheryl to contribute a column to my newsletter, Sharing with Writers. That does not diminish my belief that this book serves authors. In fact, it confirms that I found it a useful resource for writers.

Publishing Possibilities is short and clearly written so it does not soak up valuable time an author could use doing other things to further their careers unnecessarily. It gives them the essential on publishing as well as resources for finding more information from seasoned and trusted publishers, writer’s Web sites and consultants.

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

A Memoir--Nay, a Saga--of World War II

Abandoned and Forgotten: An Orphan Girl’s Tale of Survival during World War II
Biographies / Memoirs
Author: Evelyne Tannehill
6 x 9 Trade Paperback
440 pages
ISBN: 978-1-58736-693-2



Reviewed by Douglas Brough, UK Press, http://www.laurahird.com/newreview/abandonedandforgotten.html



“I will do anything for food and shelter with a little love thrown in and no beatings”

‘Evelyne as a young child during WWII’.



From time immemorial society has given men weapons and the knowledge of how to use them. Sent to kill, maim and win the war they were greeted as heroes upon their return, having killed indiscriminately in the name of victory, having sold their souls to the devil. But the true heroes, the true survivors are those without weapons, those without knowledge of war and those without the benefits of age who survive the fiercest of battles based on their wits alone, their compassion stretched to the limit, their tolerance in mankind stretched beyond recognition, solely because of their naïve childhood innocence.

To speak of a war hero, natural thought suggests those who win wars, those who kill in the name of freedom. The “laughing faces of young boy pilots” zooming in on their innocent victims were heroes’ faces in their native Russia during those dark days. Yet Evelyne Tannehill, the face of one of the true heroes of World War II, lies, neglected, in the midst of historical memorial as the forgotten one; forgotten of all recognition as a flesh and bone human being; forgotten because she was guilty of a crime, guilty of the crime of being German, despite her American citizenship. It was Evelyne, the war-orphan of the family who emerged as the true victim, the true hero of this very conveniently forgotten story of survival, survival against the fiercest of odds.

A tale that begins on her ninth birthday, the youngest of five children, on her parents farm by the Baltic Sea in the then East Prussia in Germany. Her family worked the land surrounded by the political legacy of World War I and its Treaty of Versailles which, it is claimed, led the already devastated Germany into its second war in twenty years; a war that was to see all collectively considered as guilty for the actions of the few.

The nearby Russian Front had left relatively untouched their tranquil lifestyle but It wasn’t to be long before the closing and subsequent months of the war were to unleash a surging flood of devastation upon the German people unmatched in 20th century history; a surging flood that was to see “a wave of humanity” fleeing the advancing Russians, complicated by counter-propaganda alleging that the “set-backs were only temporary” and forbidding the civilian populous to flee without prior written authorisation.

“How could God allow this?” were words frequently on the young Evelyne’s lips as her family was drawn apart by the demands of war and survival; as father and son, mother and daughter, brother and sister were separated by the cruel aura of war, death and survival.

Evelyne was to see her brother Douglas taken by the Russians looking for German deserters; she was to participate in the family evacuation; she was to be taken by the Russians to herd the cattle and was to endure constant threats of abuse and death for the smallest of reasons, and all this was before the war ended in May 1945.

Perhaps now that the war was over mankind would rekindle some of its humanity but this was not to be so. Her ‘education’ was to take new meaning in the months after the war as she saw her mother raped and then die a painful death brought about by typhoid. It wasn’t to be long before Evelyne found herself alone, separated from her family - her brother Henry she only saw occasionally - leaving the young naïve and impressionable girl to fend for herself in a world of ignorance, bitterness and slavish attitude instigated by the now dominant Polish population. Never in one place for long, she gained few friends but many enemies among the Russian and then Polish inhabitants as she was finally split from her remaining family member, having been moved from pillar to post; the bane of those who took her in.

Despite being treated in a manner more reminiscent of the 1800’s and suffering repetitive sexual abuse and violent outburst from those around her, Evelyne manages to write without bitterness, without anger and without blame for her childhood years where she was moved from one house of servitude to another, her youthful years of no consequence to the labour she was forced to undertake in return for her keep or for the bare morsels that did little to sustain her young, innocent life.

Through one of these friends she was soon to find herself among the mass exodus out of the area and on one of the last cattle trains destined for the new Germany. Being re-united with her brother at the train station was a poignant moment; perhaps the beginning of the rest of her life as Evelyne and Henry soon found themselves in an orphanage in Bautzen where friendships and compassion began to grow; where she was given clothes and where her schooling was to continue; where she was to finally find someone who cared.

Two aunties, Elsbeth and Gertrude had gone to great pains to find their niece; their hard work reaped reward and a letter duly arrived at the orphanage informing them that her uncle Eduard was to shortly collect them. It was a moment of great joy as they fought through the crowds to get to their aunties in Klosterburg. Subsequent years were still tough: Evelyne was schooled at the nearby Gymnasium where she worked hard to master the English language in preparation for her new life in America. She felt loved, but still troubled by the traumas of the past.

Aunt Gertrude took her to the ship which was to take her to America and then slipped away quietly in the crowds, perhaps as Evelyne suggests, to avoid the pain of goodbye. “Sailing to America with a small trunk filled with books, a single suitcase of clothes and an unrestrained optimism that only the young are capable of.” Upon arrival there was to be no family welcome - her brothers were fighting for the Americans in Korea. She ended up staying with an older German couple.

Despite being in America, the ghosts of the past continued to haunt her. Her first marriage suffered. Not until her second relationship was she able to put the ghosts of the past to rest.

When the Iron Curtain was raised she was able to travel back to the land of her childhood; some people had long forgotten her, yet others still remembered this small impressionable girl; one offered to slaughter a chicken before she departed, but had to make to with a gift of apples.

Past memories were overwhelming as Evelyne went to where she remembered her mothers grave was, sending her unspoken thoughts in her mother’s direction, “I want to tell you about my life,” she began, “I loved you more than I knew. Not until you were gone did I learn how much. And I will always love the memory of you”.

One spends a lifetime waiting for ‘the book’ and then along comes a story so full of personal emotion and courageous honesty that it becomes a privilege to read. This, is that book. It took courage to address her past and open her life to public scrutiny and write of her life as an orphan of the Second World War. I offer a debt of gratitude for the privilege of reviewing her story; a story that I hope goes some way towards reconciliation between former enemies; a story so full of emotion that as she finally left her childhood roots after her visit, she decided was a chapter in her life that needed closing.

And then, Evelyne wrote the book, and the rest, as they say, is history…………………

(The author may be found at http://abandonedandforgotten.com. She blogs at http://abandonedandforgotten.blogspot.com/


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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

The Great Cholesterol Lie

The Great Cholesterol Lieby Dr. Dwight Lundell
Health/Body
ISBN #978-0-9790340-1-5
Physicians Health Plan

Review by Tally Green

That’s the question –Why are we still faced with an epidemic of heart disease that will kill more than half of our population? Dr. Lundell witnessed heart disease; he held it in his hands a quarter century after performing over 5,000 open heart surgeries.

While he was saving lives for many years he also wrestled with what he saw in the arteries of every patient-inflammation. The question he asked himself was why was inflammation present?



This book is about a dedicated heart surgeon, Dr. Dwight Lundell. He wrote this book for the people, our hearts, our life’s for us to act on the knowledge and share this information with our loved ones, friends, etc. We need to tell as many about the truth so we can save as many life’s as possible. The book helped me to understand the reason people develop and die from heart disease. If only I knew what I just found out I would have been able to help some of my family and friends that have passed away as a result of heart disease. I thought high cholesterol was the cause of heart related diseases.

Now I see the real cause is inflammation-not cholesterol. This is inflammation you have swelling, redness, heat and pain around the area of the reaction to the injury or infection. The combination of the low fat and low cholesterol diet with other life style choices has created a firestorm. The most important thing to understand is with the long lists of aliments-inflammation is the common factor in almost all cases. The awesome news is that we can reduce inflammation. Dr. Lundell’s book explains in very simple terms how to take a stand and fight inflammation. We just need to read this book and follow his recommendations, watch our health change, get that glow back in our face.

This book is a must have in your library of books. Dr. Lundell says we need to make simple changes that will treat the inflammation instead of believing that cholesterol causes heart disease. If we give our bodies what it needs to operate properly our health will make remarkable strides and respond.

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

A Feel-Good Site for Children's Reviews

The Reading Tub is a review site that all parents should know about. It is also a charity that promotes family and children's literacy. They read every children's book that is sent to them for a review. The books are then donated to community organizations. Go to http://www.thereadingtub.com for great reviews of children's literature.
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Submitted by Patrika Vaughn, your Author's Advocate. See her online classes at http://www.acappela.com/classes.htm.
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Sybil Baker Offers Up Chicklit in "Life Plan"

Title: The Life Plan
Author: Sybil Baker
Genre: Women's Fiction/Chick Lit
ISBN-10: 1934081167
Format: Paperback, 192 pages
Publisher: Casperian Books LLC (March 1, 2009)

Review by Joanne Hirase-Stacey

I’ve never been to Thailand, but author Sybil Baker made me feel like I was there with Kat Miller.

For Kat, life was all planned out. She is a patent attorney on her way to becoming a partner at Pratt, Simpson & Livingston. She and her husband, Dan, created their Life Plan and five years into their marriage, Kat is certain everything is on schedule. But after Dan loses his job and starts taking yoga classes at the gym, Kat becomes suspicious of his fidelity.

When Dan announces he’s going to Thailand to learn massage techniques, Kat’s best friend Susan, a divorced divorce attorney, and Kat’s mother prod her into going along. Kat finally agrees after she meets Tiffany, a beautiful Asian woman in Dan’s yoga class, who just happens to be going to Thailand as well. Kat wants to save her marriage and make sure the Life Plan stays on track because she is almost 30, and if she has to start over with another man, it will push back all her plans of buying a home and starting a family.

Once in Thailand, Kat tries to be fun and spontaneous, but she really wants to return home to their normal life, and to her mom and Susan who are each experiencing life changing circumstances as well. After Kat hurts her foot, Dan takes off, and Kat meets some interesting characters: Jean Paul, Lucy, and Chad, who take Kat outside of her structured, controlled world.

But Kat desperately wants to find Dan and work out their problems. A series of events leads her to him, and ultimately to realizations about herself and her need to follow the systematic life plan she and Dan created.

Read The Life Plan to find out what happens to Kat and Dan and to their Life Plan.

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Behind the Scenes at the Faire

Knight Errant :Death and life at the Faire
Written by Teel James Glenn
Edited by Joan McNulty-Pulver
Author’s e-mail: Tjglenn@aol.com
Genre: Mystery/thriller
Published by ePress-Online
Isbn#: 097722454
Priced at 14.99 for paperback version, $5.99 for e-book version


Review from Renaissance Magazine issue #66

The hero’s carefree life of beer, pizza, knocking the heads of punk robbers, and renaissance faire combat is shattered when his best friend tom is mysteriously killed. This action packed novel will keep the fan of hard-boiled renfaire mysteries on the hedge of his seat.

About the Author
Teel James Glenn) is a professional fight choreographer, actor, and film stuntman who’s has appeared in over sixty films, hundreds of soap opera episodes, too many plays to name, and over forty seven renaissance faires. He has written for several dozen magazines including Fantasy Tales, Anotherrealm, Afterburnsf, UnEarth, Blazing Adventures Black Belt, Aces, Mad Magazine, and the Fantastic W orlds of E.R.B.


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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Katie Hines Reviews Much-Needed Book about Interracial Adoption

TITLE: Red in the Flower Bed
AUTHOR: Andrea Nepa
PUBLISHER: Tribute Books
SUBJECT: Interracial Adoption
ISBN-13: 978-0-9814619-9-1
ISBN-10: 0-9814619-9-9
READING LEVEL: Picture Book
RATING: 5 Stars out of 5 Stars

This review by Katie hines originally appeared on her blog.

Imagine you have made a secret promise that can lead you to an incredible treasure and an ancient power. But in order to fulfill that promise, you must defeat an age-old sect determined to claim the treasure and power themselves.


This beautifully illustrated book about interracial adoption follows the story of a poppy seed that couldn’t thrive and grow in its host environment. Through a journey, the poppy seed comes to rest, grow and blossom in a flower bed where there were other flowers of different types.

Just as a child is incorporated with joy into a new adoptive home, so was this poppy welcomed and allowed to thrive and grow in her new home of rainbow flowers. The book treats the subject of interracial adoption with tender, loving gentleness. A must read with your adopted, interracial child.

Reviewer Katie Hines is a children's author. Find her on Facebook Children's and Twitter. Her "Guardian" a middle grade urban fantasy, will be published in June.

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Incredible Resource for Homeschool Families!

Through Endangered Eyes - a poetic journey into the wild
Written and Illustrated by Rachel Allen Dillon
www.RachelDillon.com
Children's Nonfiction Book
ISBN-10: 0893170674
ISBN-13: 978-0893170677


Reviewed by D. Mitchell (Northern Arizona) for Amazon



This book is beautiful!

Rachel uses her detailed artwork of dot painting as a medium to attract the kids to individual animals that are endangered. Then engages them even more with the simple poetry. Simple but engaging.

If you or your kids are taken in by a specific animal then you just flip to the back of the book for more. I tell ya this little book is a charm! The back of it is packed full with resources. Each animal has more specific information as well as more general resources for all endangered animals. These resources help you find ways we can make a difference in our own homes, organizations involved with endangered animals and even some lesson plans for elementary kids.

So, in ONE book you get art, language arts and science. My children are ages 3,4,6,& 8 and all of them love it. It is even the right size for little hands to hold and enjoy.

I hope you purchase this book and find it as enjoyable and rewarding as our family is. It is a keeper! Just as the author's dots come together for a beautiful picture our small acts come together to make a difference.


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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Carol McManus Shares Love of Family, Cooking and her Foody Business

Table Talk - Food, Family, Love
A cookbook by Carol McManus
Paperback: 114 pages
Publisher: Vineyard Stories (August 13, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 097713847X
ISBN-13: 978-0977138470

A Series of Quotes from Reviews

"An attractive and temptation-filled cookbook...chock full of recipes to encourage and entice. Sitting at a table is about feeding the body and soul, and Table Talk celebrates both the love of eating and the love of family." --Martha's Vineyard Times

"Full of tasty recipes with New England flair and abundant color photos of island life, the new cookbook from Carol McManus is about as gift-basket ready as it gets. The vibrant paperback...comes off as warmly authentic. The recipes are fairly simple and straightforward, making them a boon for both time-starved and skill-deprived chefs. All in all, Table Talk has the makings of a great little keepsake, the kind you're tempted to keep around for yourself." --Boston Magazine

"When Table Talk arrived in my mailbox, I was immediately sucked in the second I opened the cookbook and read Carol s forward. Then I continued to flip through the book and you know what... I sat there and read through the entire thing, front to back. The recipes are very appealing, simple and special... the majority have ingredients I already have on hand. The photography is stunning. Most importantly, the core values of Carol and her family shines through in each little snippet, quote and story behind life on Martha s Vineyard and the recipes to accompany such a life." --dineanddish.net

Synopsis

What owner of a popular cafe tells you to stay at home and eat? And why does she start her book with the words, "We need to bring back the family meal." Carol McManus, proprietor of Espresso Love, a well-known cafe on the Island of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, raised five children and put a meals on the table each day, while still working full time. She has written a cookbook that stresses family meals and included 80 recipes that help you put your family back to the table. Citing scientific studies that show family meals impact on everything from children's school grades (they get better) to premature sex (they wait longer), she recalls her own beliefs: "When my children were small and started to bicker, I'd gather them in a huddle and ask, 'Where's the love? We're family.' And one place we could always count on getting together, every night was the dinner table."

This is family-friendly food, designed to help recapture life the way it was meant to be lived. The ingredients are from items grown close to home, and the recipes are easy enough for every day preparation--many simple enough to reassure even the most inexperienced cook. The cookbook is divided into six useful sections: the Dinner Table, the Breakfast Table, the Healthy Table, The Weekend Table, the Dessert Table and the World's Table, designed to satisfy our more global palates. The recipes range from the simple to the sublime. Many of them feature food Carol's mother, to whom she dedicates the book, cooked, such as a home-made veggie burger called "The Mama."

Others are food served in her garden cafe off Main Street in Edgartown, on Martha's Vineyard. Accompanying the recipes are charming photographs, quotes and stories. Here you'll find the recipe for Presidential Muffins, created for former President Bill Clinton when he vacationed on the Vineyard during his presidency. Carol offers up the story of when the president came into her then-tiny shop in the corner of one of the Island's hotels to buy his muffin, dazzling both her and the Secret Service.

The book's bright, attractive design also makes use of quotes from people as diverse as comedian Buddy Hackett and movie star Sophia Loren (who notes, under a picture of spaghetti and meatballs, "Everything you see I owe to spaghetti.")

Accompanying the cookbook are tips and suggestions for getting meals to the table, including ways to engage children in cooking without letting them slow down the process. This is a must-have cookbook for every household with children -- or just people who like to eat.
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

New Feature: Margaret Fieland Is April Feature

I am starting a new feature on this blog. Every month or so on the 1st day of the month I'll feature a new author. I'll include a brief biography and an excerpt of his or her work or an interview. The first in the series is Margaret Fieland. She was born and raised in New York City. Her poems, articles and stories have appeared in journals and anthologies such as Main Channel Voices, Echolocation, and Twisted Tongue. In spite of making her living as a computer software engineer, she turned to one of her sons to format the initial version of her Web site, a clear illustration of the computer generation gap. You may visit her website at http://www.margaretfieland.com.

AN EXCERPT FROM THE UGLY LITTLE BOY
An Unpublished Manuscript.

Alvin's eyes burned and his chest felt tight when he remembered the last time he'd visited Grandma he'd driven there with Mom and Dad. Now Mom was dead and Dad still in the hospital. Alvin peered out the window of Grandma's car as they passed through Millbank and down the tree-lined road that led to Pine Crest point. As Grandma drove past the lake with the community beach, down the road and into her driveway, Sam, Alvin's collie mix, put his front paws on Alvin's lap and barked.

"Yes, Sam, we're here," Alvin said, ruffling Sam's soft ears as they all climbed out of the car. Alvin noticed that he was almost as tall as Grandma, and that she looked even thinner and frailer and with her reddish-gray curls more faded.

Alvin, Sam and Grandma followed the flagstone path down the hill, past the rock garden. The marigolds, petunias, and geraniums lifted their faces to the sun.

The house, a ranch, was stained brown, surrounded by several large trees.

"Was there really a fence here when Dad and Uncle Arthur were little?"

"Yes, and your Grandfather and I really did tie the gate shut so they wouldn't fall into the lake." The lake was right across the road.

Grandma opened the front door, and Alvin followed her into the big living room. Paneled in pine, it had windows on both ends, a dining table at one end, couches and chairs at the other and a large fireplace in the middle.

Sam trotted up and dropped a ball at Alvin's feet.
"Grandma, Sam found a ball."

"Sam always manages to find a ball." Grandma stared at Sam, who opened his jaws and grinned a doggy grin. "You two go outside if you want to play catch. No playing ball in the house."

"That's what Mom always said." Alvin's throat felt tight. He frowned and rubbed his eyes.

Alvin pushed open the door and went outside. Standing on a flat spot in front of the house, Alvin threw the ball up the hill and Sam ran to get it.

It was beginning to get dark when Grandma called, "Alvin, time for dinner. Come in and wash your hands."

"Grandma, when will me and Dad have our own house again?" Alvin said when they were seated at the dining table.

"I don't know, Alvin. I don't know whether your father will try to rebuild your old house when he gets the insurance money." Grandma handed Alvin a hamburger and put one on her own plate. Alvin took a big bite. His throat felt almost too tight to swallow.

"I miss our house. I miss Mom and Dad. I wish everything would go back the way it was."

Grandma looked at Alvin and said, "Alvin, you're nine years old. That's old enough to know your mother isn't coming back."

Alvin ate a few more bites. Grandma put down her half eaten hamburger and stood up. "I guess we aren't very hungry tonight. Let's clear the table and wash the dishes. Then you can brush your teeth and get ready for bed."

Alvin picked up his plate and glass. He followed Grandma into the kitchen, Sam at his heels.

Grandma put the dishes on the kitchen counter. "Just scrape the hamburger into the trash and then put the dishes into the dishpan. I'll wash and you can dry."

"We could give the hamburger to Sam. I'll bet he's still hungry." Sam sat by Grandma's feet and panted hopefully.

"Hmmph," said Grandma, but she broke the hamburger into pieces and put them into a bowl on the floor. Sam grinned, then started to eat.

"At home Dad always did the dishes. "I just cleared the table." Alvin looked out the kitchen window at the front yard. He could feel the soft breeze through the open window. The sky was a dark blue with a few fluffy white clouds. Grandma's flowers swayed back and forth. It looked very peaceful. "I wonder if Mom can see the flowers from Heaven?"

"Here we both clear the table, I wash and you dry." Grandma handed Alvin a blue and white striped dishtowel. "Stack the dishes on the counter and we'll put them away when we're finished."

"At home Mom just left the dishes in the dish drain and put them away in the morning," Alvin said.

"I like my dishes in the cabinet," Grandma said as she pushed her lips together. Alvin remembered that when Grandma came to their old house she always dried and put away the dishes and Mom would get annoyed. It made him smile to remember. Dad always used to stay out of the kitchen when Grandma visited.

"All I have is one pair of pajamas, Grandma," Alvin said later when they walked out of the kitchen.

"We'll go shopping tomorrow," Grandma said. It made Alvin feel funny to think that his beloved quilt and all his clothes and books were gone forever.

"Mom used to read with me to every night. We'd just started The Fellowship of the Ring." Alvin glanced at the full bookshelves as they passed through the living room.

"We can buy you another copy. Or I might have an old one of your father's around somewhere."

"No thanks, Grandma. It wouldn't be the same. When we stopped, Mom said we'd read more tomorrow. That was the last thing she said to me. Except goodnight and stuff." Every time Alvin thought of the book his chest felt tight.


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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.