Subjects:  1. 1475-1564    2. Architecture    3. Art - General    4. Artists    5. Artists, Italian    6. Biography    7. Biography & Autobiography - Art    8. Children's 12-Up - Architecture    9. Children's Books/Young Adult Misc. Nonfiction    10. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    11. Fine Arts (Young Adult)    12. Italy    13. Juvenile Nonfiction    14. Juvenile literature    15. Michelangelo Buonarroti,    16. History of art & art styles    17. Individual artists    18. Juvenile Nonfiction / Biography & Autobiography / Art    19. Michelangelo Buonarroti    20. c 1500 to c 1600   

Reviews (2)

Pleasant and Fun to Read, but Lacking Somehow
In the author's acknowledgements she thanks the people without whose help she would not have been able to write a book instead of a long essay. This book is chock full of interesting details and amusing anecdotes, but it reads like the long essay the author originally thought it to be. It is short and very light on description. Some interesting subjects are mentioned but only briefly. Very little was expanded on in a way commensurate with the volume of her subject's life works. In a biography, I like to learn more about the subject's personality.I was fortunate enough to meet Anne McCaffrey once and would have loved to be in a position to get to know her better (once I got over being in awe of her imagination). In a nutshell, this little tome is a gem for die-hard fans; an absolute must have, to round out any McCaffrey collection. It would not do much to entice an unfamiliar reader to read Anne's marvelous works.

A Great Biography of a Great Author
This is a well-researched detailed biography of the life of Anne McCaffrey, starting with her childhood and following the development of her writing career to the present.It does a good job of presenting the major events in McCaffrey's life and situating what novels she was working on at various times amongst those events.Included are quite a number of interesting photographs, a chronology, a partial list of McCaffrey's works, and sources for further reading including web sites.I really enjoyed reading this biography, and while I was already pretty well informed about McCaffrey's life I did learn new things from this book.Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Authors, American    3. Authorship    4. Biography    5. Biography & Autobiography - Literary    6. Children's 12-Up - Biography / Autobiography    7. Children's Books/Young Adult Biography    8. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    9. General    10. Juvenile Nonfiction    11. Juvenile literature    12. McCaffrey, Anne    13. Novelists, American    14. Science fiction    15. Young Adult   

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography - Sports & Recreation    2. Children's 12-Up - Biography / Autobiography    3. General    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation    6. Sports & Recreation - Miscellaneous   

Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - History    2. Fiction    3. Historical - Ancient Civilizations    4. History    5. Republic, 265-30 B.C.    6. Rome    7. Ancient Rome    8. Biography: historical    9. European history: BCE to c 500 CE   

Subjects:  1. 1588-1649    2. 17th century    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography - Historical    5. Children's 12-Up - History - General    6. Children's Books/Young Adult Misc. Nonfiction    7. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    8. Governors    9. History    10. History - Europe    11. History - United States/Colonial & Revolutionary    12. History - United States/State & Local    13. Juvenile Nonfiction    14. Juvenile literature    15. Massachusetts    16. Puritans    17. Winthrop, John,    18. Juvenile Nonfiction / History / United States / Colonial & Revolutionary Periods   

Reviews (3)

Fascinating, educating, and highly readable
I had heard of Henry Morgan and the buccaneers, but did not know much about them before I read this book. "Terror of the Spanish Main" presents a wealth of information in an entertaining and understanding way. Some of the parts that I found most interesting include the following: A Great Biography
This is a great book about one of the most famous buccaneers of all time.This is a great book, I couldn't put it down.If you like good books, buccaneers, ineresting information, or all of the above, you will love this book.

Great Pirate book, but not really a book about Henry Morgan
This book was easy to read and packed with information. If you have an interest in pirates, this book will give you a fantastic overview.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1635?-1688    2. Adventure & Adventurers    3. Biography & Autobiography - Historical    4. Buccaneers    5. Children's 12-Up - History - General    6. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    7. Destruction, 1671    8. History    9. History - Europe    10. History - Military & Wars    11. History - Other    12. Juvenile Nonfiction    13. Juvenile literature    14. Morgan, Henry,    15. Panama (Panama)    16. Sir,    17. Spanish Main    18. Juvenile Nonfiction / General    19. Morgan, Henry   

Reviews (7)

A good premise, but...
I have to say, I thought I'd really enjoy this book. It seemed to have a lot of the kind of stories I like, about exotic countries and adventures. The stories themselves were very good, I can't say believable, because they weren't, but they are all true. It is organized roughly chronilogically, but in places it tends to bounce around a little.
Excellent
As a father of MKs (missionary kids) I raised my children in a setting which was more similar to than different from the Peruvian jungle where Ron Snell grew up.We are back in the United States now, and are having a blast reading It's A Jungle Out There! as a family.The stories may seem outlandish to someone who never lived in a tribal setting, but we can believe it all! The Truth About an MK's life
This is a great book. Many people would think that it could not possibly be all true, but it is. I am also a missionary kid (MK) and although I never lived in the jungle, I lived through some of these same adventures. The last chapter is especially true (particuarlly for MKs from the '80s). Parts of it were so true that it was hard to read. But it was a great childhood. Ron Snell speaks out for all of us MKs! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Family & Relationships / Family Relationships    2. Fiction - Religious    3. General    4. Missions & Missionary Work    5. Religious - General    6. Amazon River Valley    7. Biography & Autobiography - Religious    8. Children's 12-Up    9. Children's Books - Young Adult    10. Fiction / Religious    11. General & Literary Fiction    12. Indians of South America    13. Missionaries    14. Missions    15. Peru    16. Religion-Missions & Missionary Work    17. TRAVEL & HOLIDAY    18. Travel / General    19. Travel-General   

Reviews (2)

An inspirational anthology
Compiled and retold by Peninnah Schram, Ten Classic Jewish Children's Stories presents ten classic stories of Jewish and Biblical history. Each tale is presented in a few pages and enhanced with brilliant and powerful color illustrations by Jeffrey Allon. Each individual story is also marked with points to consider, such as "How does this story show us that Miriam gave the Jewish people the strength to go on?" for the tale of Miriam the Wise. An inspirational anthology, deeply respectful of the holy scriptures from which it presents its tales, Ten Classic Jewish Children's Stories is enthusiastically recommended for young readers.

Excellent retelling of classic tales, reinforcing values
Schram, a master of Jewish storytelling, and leader of the Jewish storytelling movement in the USA, retells ten classic Jewish folktales from the Talmud, Aggadah, and Torah Midrash.Each story is followed by questions which help the readers and listeners to think more deeply aboutthe lessons of the tales and reinforce its Jewish values.For example, inthe Talmudic tale about why the Sun is large, the moon is small, and thestars seem even smaller, we learn about complaining and jealousy, and howyou have to be careful what you wish for. Jeffrey Alon's watercolors helpto capture the essence of the tales.My favorite tale was that of Honi,the Rainmaker, as retold from the Gemara.During a drought, the people ofJerusalem ask Honi to intercede for them and pray for rain.Then theycomplain that it is raining too little, and then too much.Once again, youhave to be careful what you ask for, I guess. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Aggada    2. Biography & Autobiography - Literary    3. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    4. Children: Grades 4-6    5. Fairy Tales & Folklore - Country/Ethnic-General    6. Folklore    7. Jews    8. Juvenile Nonfiction    9. Juvenile literature    10. Legends, Jewish    11. Writers, poets & dramatists   

Reviews (2)

Amazing Book and Speaker
Mr. Oertelt came and spoke at my college in MN when I was a junior.Not only was he an amazing speaker, but he made the Holocaust a reality to everyone packed in that auditorium.He signed his book for everyone who wished to purchase it.I read it in one night unable to out it down!!!Highly recommended!

stirring memoir
Oertelt tells the story of his life in Germany from his 1938 until his liberation from a concentration camp.It is a stirring memoir --heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time.He uses the analogy of an18 link chain to demonstrate how each link was important to his survival. The details in the book are remarkable in their lucidity and specificity. He is never graphic in his descriptions, but he is brutally honest.In theend, it is an uplifing tale in the context of terrible sadness. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Berlin    2. Berlin (Germany)    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography & Autobiography - Historical    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. Children's 12-Up - Biography / Autobiography    8. Children's Books/Young Adult Biography    9. Germany    10. History - Holocaust    11. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)    12. Jews    13. Oertelt, Henry A    14. Personal narratives    15. Religious    16. Children's and Educational   

Editorial Review

The California gold rush of 1849 brought a new kind of freedom to manyAfrican Americans. Slavery was illegal in California, and slaves who werebrought in by their owners could escape and be freed. And for free AfricanAmericans, the gold rush opened up incredible opportunities for financialprofit. California's population grew from 8,000 to 100,000 in one year, and,while prejudice raged in the gold mines as well as everywhere else, it becomepossible for some men (and women) to take advantage of the riches available.Mifflin Gibbs arrived in San Francisco in 1850 with 10 cents to his name and apowerful ambition to succeed. Within a very few years, he had established asuccessful boot and shoe business, was working on California's UndergroundRailroad, and leading a campaign to obtain equal legal rights by overturninglaws that prohibited African Americans from testifying in California courts.Read more

Reviews (1)

GREAT BOOK!Worth getting for yourself!
If you have a young adult at home, buy this book!Better yet, buy it for yourself, and let the young adult read it when you've finished it.One of only five books nominated for the 2000 National Book Award for Young People's Literature, "Hurry Freedom" is a great and informative read for everyone, adult or child.Read more

Subjects:  1. 19th century    2. African American pioneers    3. African Americans    4. Biography    5. Biography & Autobiography - Cultural Heritage    6. California    7. Children's 12-Up - History - General    8. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    9. Ethnic - African American    10. Gold discoveries    11. History    12. History - United States/19th Century    13. History - United States/General    14. Juvenile Nonfiction    15. Juvenile literature    16. People & Places - United States - African-American    17. Juvenile Nonfiction / History / United States / General   

Editorial Review

"Our lips met... I felt a few stray whiskers... and suddenly I realized that this was a grown man who was giving me my first real kiss... Something inside me snapped. Now I didn't want this at all. But I couldn't speak." Fourteen-year-old Katherine Tarbox wasn't sure how things had gone so wrong. She had planned to slip away during a school trip to meet 27-year-old Mark, whom she had corresponded with on the Internet for the last six months. Instead, she discovered that "Mark" was actually Frank Kufrovich, a man in his forties with a history of pedophilia. Read more

Reviews (109)

Don't support this greedy publisher's tricks
Regardless of the content of this book, the publisher Penguin has deliberately 'hijacked' the katie.com domain from its legitimate UK owner - Mrs Katie Jones.
Katie.com
Katie.com was a very good book in my opinion. I think that Katherine Tarbox was very brave for writing about the troubles she experienced when she was younger. I don't know many people that would be brave enough to do that. Me, personally, I would be too afraid. She took on her situation full speed ahead. Instead of dwelling in the past she moved on. She moved on to become a wonderful author and possibly a role model for young girls everywhere. Yes it is bad that she had to experience such a truamatic event, but in a way it just made her a stronger individual. She can know look back at what happened to herself and think, "I've been through that. I made it and just look at me now." Seriously though, many people would just stay in a little whole and not come out for the rest of their lives. Those people are not cowards, they are just afraid that they will be judged for their actions. Katie was judged yes, but she proved to those people judging her that she wasn't afraid of them or the person that helped bring her up to point of her life.

Katie.com
I know there are a lot of negative comments about this book, but I personally loved it.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Case studies    5. Children's 12-Up - Biography / Autobiography    6. Connecticut    7. Internet and teenagers    8. Life Stages - Adolescence    9. New Canaan    10. Science & Technology - Computers    11. Sexually abused teenagers    12. Social Issues - Dating & Sex    13. Social Issues - Sexual Abuse    14. Social Situations - Dating & Sex    15. Social Situations - Sexual Abuse    16. Teenage girls    17. Women   

Reviews (10)

The Wright Brothers
Freedman's interesting narrative of the Wright brothers portrays them as proper gentlemen who wore suits with bowties even while repairing bicycles in their shop, mechanical geniuses despite being high school dropouts, and totally dedicated to their dream of creating an aeroplane.The photographs in this book were taken by Wilbur and Orville Wright themselves.In addition to being aviators, they had a fascination with photography and converted a backyard shed for processing film.They knew that documenting their progress would be important for future generations. Interesting
How They Invented the Airplane is probably the best Wright Brothers biography yet.It's written by my favorite author of the genre, Russell Freedman. (Lincoln: A Photobiography) The Wright Brothers is probably the best book ever written
Wilbur Wright, the brother with visions, invented the airplane along with Orville Wright, the brother who loved to tinker.Wilbur once said, " My brother Orville and myself lived together, played together and, in fact thought together."Wilbur and Orville persevered in their struggle against Mother Nature, the public opinion, and failed flights and experiments to fulfill their dream of making a flying machine. Read more

Subjects:  1. 1867-1912    2. 1871-1948    3. Aeronautics    4. Biography    5. Biography & Autobiography - Historical    6. Children's 12-Up - Biography / Autobiography    7. Children: Grades 4-6    8. Juvenile Applied Sciences    9. Juvenile Nonfiction    10. Juvenile literature    11. Science & Technology    12. United States    13. Wright, Orville,    14. Wright, Wilbur,    15. Wright, Orville    16. Wright, Wilbur   

Subjects:  1. 1927-    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography - Political    4. Chavez, Cesar,    5. Children's 12-Up - Biography / Autobiography    6. Children's Books/Young Adult Biography    7. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    8. General    9. History: World    10. Juvenile Nonfiction    11. Labor leaders    12. Labor unions    13. Migrant agricultural laborers    14. Migrant labor    15. Officials and employees    16. United States    17. Chavez, Cesar   

Reviews (6)

Betsy and the Emperor
I highly suggest this book, Betsy and the Emperor. It shows that two opposite people can have a strong compassion for each other. Characters have tension between each other that they must overcome, such as being free of the vast mountains and valleys of ST. Helena, or being stuck there with the one you love. After someone important dies Boney doesn't have a very good chance of escaping. Stricter Laws and Rules are then set on what the Emperor Boney can do.Out side her house when she got back from boarding school she recognized a sickly-sweet smell. Betsy has to make tough decisions and she doesn't always make the right choices. Now it is up to you to find out what happens to the Emperor Boney and Betsy. By: Taylor Farley (6th grade)

I could not finish this book fast enough!
It sounded like an interesting enough YA book. Betsy Balcombe, a resident of St. Helena, returns home from her London boarding school. St. Helena, you might recognize, was one of the islands Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled too. Betsy arrives home only to have Napoleon arrive several days later, and with his lodgings not yet finished, he is sent to live in her guesthouse. A relationship begins between the two, and while I'm pretty sure the author was trying to create a friendship between Betsey and Napoleon, I found it sort of creepy that Napoleon would want a purely platonic friendship with a fourteen year old. Putting that bit aside, the book moved incredibly slowly, and while I kept expecting things to really pick up, they didn't till the very end. By that point, I just wanted to finish.

too "modern" ideas were inserted in Betsy
It will appeal to young female teens but the historical setting and female perspective will alienate many teens, especially reluctant readers. Also I several issues with the story itself: first it was slow reading until the middle, second even though it is historical fiction I felt that too many "modern" ideas were inserted in Betsy and several of the other characters, some of those issues would not have been dealt with in that matter, especially the frankness of sex and premarital sex, at that, lastly the lack of historical accuracy when dealing with actual events and people always poses an issue with me. I feel that there should be some responsibility and accountability for truth even in fiction; particularly when Betsy attempts to help "Boney" escape even at the cost of another's life, the author even admits that there is no evidence for this. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1769-1821    2. Abell, Lucia Elizabeth Balcombe,    3. Action & Adventure    4. Biographical - European    5. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    6. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - History    7. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    8. Emperor of the French,    9. Fiction    10. Friendship    11. Historical - Europe    12. Historical - Military & Wars    13. Historical Fiction (Young Adult)    14. Juvenile Fiction    15. Napoleon    16. Social Issues - Friendship    17. d. 1871    18. Juvenile Fiction / Historical / Europe   

Subjects:  1. King, Stephen,    2. Children's Books/Young Adult Biography    3. Children's 12-Up - Biography / Autobiography    4. Juvenile literature    5. Juvenile Nonfiction    6. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    7. 20th century    8. Authorship    9. Novelists, American    10. Biography & Autobiography - Literary    11. 1947-    12. Horror tales    13. Biography   

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Canada    3. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    5. Historical - Other    6. Hockey players    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Juvenile literature    9. Sports & Recreation - Hockey    10. Sports & Recreation - Winter Sports   

Reviews (3)

Laura Ingalls Wilder Growing Up In The Little House
I did my book report on Laura Ingalls Wilder. The book is called Growing up in The Little House. Laura was born on Feburary 7, 1865. Laura had a hard life. She had to do chores all day everyday. She always loved being outside. Laura had a sister named Marey. She had gotten really sick and became blind. It was a hard time for the Wilder family.Laura and Marey had a baby sister named Caroline. After one year they all moved to Minnesota. When Laura was 18 years old she became a teacher at a pulic school. That's when she met a man named Almonzo. They spent the rest of their life together. Almonzo and Laura had a baby girl named Rose. Laura always wanted to name one of her children Rose. Two years later they had another baby which was a boy, but he died in her arms unnamed. Laura was very upset that she lost her baby boy. Then the Wilder family had a problem,they were not raising enuough money for there family. Their jobs were not good paying jobs. Laura had to get a second job. She had gotten a sewing job. After her raising one hundred dollors from sewing, Almonzo and Laura decided to buy a farm to grow crops and food for their family. Rose is all grown up now. Almonzo had just died. Laura had just turned 90. She writes to kids all over the world and tells them about her life. Three days after Laura's birthday she past away. That is how Laura Ingalls Wilder's life had been. This book is amazing you should buy this book because it shows you how they lived back then or even how Laura spent her life. This book is good for ages 10 and up.
A good,informative book about Laura Ingalls Wilder
This book is great,with details and paintings of Laura`s life as a pioneer girl and wife.I give it 5 stars.Deffinately reccomended if you want to learn about pioneer girl/wife Laura Ingalls Wilder!

laura Ingalls Wilder growing up in the little house
Laura Ingalls wilder
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Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Authors, American    3. Authorship    4. Biography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    7. Children's stories    8. Frontier and pioneer life    9. General    10. Juvenile literature    11. Juvenile Nonfiction / Biography & Autobiography / General    12. USA    13. Writers, poets & dramatists   

Reviews (1)

The legend of Jesse Owens
This is one of the best books I have ever read.What an incredible life Jesse had. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1913-    2. African American athletes    3. African Americans    4. Biography    5. Biography & Autobiography - People of Color    6. Biography & Autobiography - Sports & Recreation    7. Children's 12-Up - Biography / Autobiography    8. Children: Grades 3-4    9. Juvenile Nonfiction    10. Juvenile literature    11. Owens, Jesse,    12. Sports & Recreation - Track & Field    13. Track and field athletes    14. Owens, Jesse   

Reviews (9)

Shelley Nixon's poetry
I am priviledged to know Shelley and to work with her in a volunteer theater group to which we both belong.Shelley is one of the most uplifting, positive people I have ever met.She meets her disability and its challenges without hesitation every day.Shelley's poetry is often featured in the performances that the group does, and her writings are always greeted enthusiastically by the audience.The poetry in this book is honest, forthright and does not gloss over the hardships of being disabled.Instead, Shelley's book and her life offer other people a view of someone who deals realistically with CP every day, and does not let the disability hold her back from living her life fully.

Quietly moving bio of a young woman
Shelley Nixon was born with Cerebral Palsy. Many readers will expect an informative look at CP, along with an emotional description of dealing with a disability. Great book!
I am a senior Rehab major at Indiana University of PA and I have had over 5 years of experience working with people with CP and other disabilities. I started off having to read this book for a class and loved it! I could not put it down!! This book is an excellent source for anyone who may or who already does work with people with CP. It would also be good for people with CP because it shows everything she had to overcome throughout her life and now she has written a book when many people said she couldn't!! It allows you to view her through her point of view without prejudice and discrimination.What Shelley writes about is everything i have seen with persons with quadriplegic CP.This is not a depressing book. It is inspirational and very eye opening. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography & Autobiography - General    4. Cerebral palsy    5. Children's 12-Up - Biography / Autobiography    6. Children's Books/Young Adult Biography    7. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    8. Health    9. Health & Daily Living - Diseases    10. Health - Diseases    11. Nixon, Shelley    12. Patients    13. Social Issues - Special Needs    14. Social Situations - Special Needs    15. United States    16. Women   

Reviews (1)

Important Biography for Young People
I taught this book to my 8th graders last year and I was delighted with its combination of clarity and detail. It's sometimes hard to find biography geared to middle school, but this book is perfect. Its pictures and text communicate to young people what motivated Gandhi and got to the heart of what made this geat man tick.Also, it's a good idea to teach young people what and who motivated Martin Luther King,Jr. I just wish it was available in paperback. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1869-1948    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography - Political    4. Biography & Autobiography - Religious    5. Children's 12-Up - Biography / Autobiography    6. Children's Books/Young Adult Biography    7. Children: Grades 4-6    8. Gandhi,    9. History - General    10. India    11. Juvenile Nonfiction    12. Juvenile literature    13. Mahatma,    14. Nationalists    15. Statesmen    16. 20th century    17. Biography: general    18. Demonstrations & protest movements    19. Juvenile Nonfiction / Biography & Autobiography / Political    20. Political leaders & leadership