Saguaro Moon: A Desert Journal (Sharing Nature With Children Book)

Book Description

Here is another model nature journal from a naturalist who has been journaling habitats since she was a youngster. In the desert she sees Gila monsters, watches scorpions with a black light and harvests saguaro flowers with a Native American family that helps her see this unique, arid environment with appreciative eyes. The "collage-style" journal features clippings of articles about animals and plants, stories of the native Tonoho O'odham, her own youthful journal entries, and even her own desert poetry. "Saguaro Moon" is a wonderful way to learn about the desert and also be inspired to keep a nature journal.

Customer Reviews:

Wow! Beautiful, educational and fun!.......2003-03-30

Kristin Joy Pratt-Serafini began writing her fabulous books at age 14. In her fifth book, Kristin has taken her journaling habits and transformed them into interesting and educational masterpiece.

Saguaro Moon takes you on a journey through the Sonoran desert (and through the seasons) while educating you about deserts, the plant life, insects, birds, reptiles and other animals. Obscure facts are included along with references to other books, web references, and an invitation to become a Planet Scout. This is a great book for any child, teacher or home educator!

Wonderful Book!.......2002-09-11

This is a fun book that is interesting for anyone to read. It is well designed because there are journal entries as well as informative articles written by the author on every page. The illustrations are full of color and I enjoy the attention to detail that fills this book.

Kristin Joy Pratt-Serafini has a talent in writing books that are fun and informative. This book details the changing of the seasons (month to month) in the desert environment as seen by a young girl and her friend.

Average customer rating:

A little disappointed

Amazing Comeback

Inspiring

Skiingwith the best of the best!

Technocratic

Hermann Maier: The Race of My Life
Hermann Maier , Knut Okresek , and Lance Armstrong
Manufacturer: VeloPress
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies | Sports | Subjects | Books
General | Skiing | Winter Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books
General | Sports | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Bode: Go Fast, Be Good, Have Fun

Prime Ski Racing: Triumph of the Racer's Mind

Ski to Die: The Bill Johnson Story

The Skier's Edge

Alpine Ski World Cup 2004: Best of 2004

ASIN: 1931382832

Book Description

Hermann “The Herminator” Maier, born in 1972, rose from humble beginnings as a scrawny mason to the heights of sports stardom, skiing to four world championship titles and two gold medals, in super-G and giant slalom. All that changed in 2001, when a motorcycle accident threatened to end not only his career but his life. True to his reputation, Maier fought his way back to the slopes and further victories. This compelling autobiography tells a riveting story of flirting with death and dodging it through sheer willpower, of painful recoveries and worldwide triumphs. The dramatic text and many color and black-and-white photographs cover Maier’s highs and lows, including his appearance at the 1998 Olympic Games at Nagano, where he stunned millions in what has become the most notorious downhill crash of all time. This book profiles a man who is a superstar in every sense.

Customer Reviews:

A little disappointed.......2006-09-07

This book gave me insight into the competitive world of ski racing and I found it very informative. Maier's comeback from his horrible accident is indeed inspiring, but I found the book way too long and detailed to keep my interest from waning. I finished it, but it was tedious. A good editor and a little more flair could have made this a great book.

Amazing Comeback .......2006-08-16

Herman's book can be subtitled "Don't count me down and out just yet...." And this is the recurring theme throughout.

Perhaps it's the translation into English, but the Herminator comes across as not only a great athlete, but a little too self-centered! It's as everything revolves around his being and return to winning, no make that crushing his competitors and not just the race hill. You can almost "see and hear" the snorting, growling, grimacing in the start gate as you read this book - yet you don't really get a true feeling of what all this means to him other than competition, endorsements, and being the all conquering focus for the Austrians - not even his team mates. But somewhat like Bode Miller, Maier came from "outside" the alpine racing mainstream and perhaps that's why he appears to remain somewhat outside the norm.

I read Bode's book at the same time and in the end, you sure know which guy you want to sit and have a beer with or ski a run with.

Inspiring.......2006-03-22

I have always been a fan of Hermann Maier - not many have the ability to bounce back like he can. I bought the book for my son who is just learning to ski and he really enjoyed the biography. It is a good against all odds story and I would encourage anyone looking for a gift for an aspiring skier to send them a copy.

We have learned that Hermann has a talent for skiing but the guy can write too. The book also teaches good sportsmanship and I want my son to grow up respecting his team mates and have a good attitude. Being a good sport is not just about big sponsors.

We really enjoyed watching him ski and win medals at the Olympics!! And we really enjoyed his book!

Skiingwith the best of the best!.......2006-03-22

I thought that Hermann Maier wrote a very candid and authentic book about his victories and struggles in the world of expert skiing...a help to the layman and an inspiration to the professionals about not giving up and how to reach for those goals/dreams!

This book is a realistic perspective of a true hero and athlete and it's a great read for young and old!

I enjoyed it very much and I applaud Hermann for his perspective on life and on skiing.

Technocratic.......2006-03-20

As a friend of Bill Johnson and a longtime racer and race fan, I looked forward to the book, but after 100 pages it was clear the technocratic writing style would not bring Maier's compelling recovery to much life. On the facts alone one feels deeply for Maier personally and respects his incredible rehab, but oft cited medical reports,training charts and plans, and media strategy do little to tell us how Maier personally coped with his losses and regained his form. Clearly Maier has great courage, on and off snow, but the book reduces him largely to a re-engineered man and athlete, rather than someone facing human and career death who by family,will,passion,faith and science recovers. That story is there, but barely. To be fair, the book seemed to be a function of Maier's stoicism, which is clear throughout the book. I think there is more to Maier than he was willing to tell.

Customer Reviews:

I highly endorse Time out guides.......2002-10-21

I am a Time out travel guide user for life. Once again, the detail, accuracy and maps are superior; esp to other travel books. I highly endorse the Time Out travel series to my friends all the time. The Time Out guide series is not truly for backpackers, or those on a shoe string type of budget. But if you are one who wants to get everything out of a city...and experience the best the city has to offer, Timeout is for you.

Honest and reliable information.......2002-07-30

I lived in Prague for a year and I referenced my Time Out nearly every week for restaurants, reliable maps, activities and historical information. I found the information to be well-written with clear explainations. Dress codes, crowds at certain bars and restaurants, prices were all accurate. I owned four guidebooks by four different well-known publishers, and the Time Out was all I really needed.

Witty and entertaining and covers the basics as a guidebook.......2001-02-04

This guidebook has accurate and good recommendations for hotels, restaurants and basic shopping and is written with wit. It also links hotels, restaurants and shops (if in central Prague) to the maps in the back of the book which is a tremendous help to find places. In terms of covering the sites in Prague, it is good for a basic overview. If you plan to visit Prague for a weekend or a long weekend, this is a great guidebook. If you are looking for a deeper understanding of specific sites, take a tour or supplement with another guidebook.

Its okay - but its not as good as the Rough Guide.......1998-07-01

I bought this book and the Rough Guide to Prague last week in order to plan my trip around Europe. The Time Out guides are okay but are more like directories of hotels, shops and sights than critical guides. They give you all the information you will ever need - but no information on what to see in the museums or at the sights it lists. This is why the Rough Guides are far superior. You get more criticism - really detailed commentaries on museums and galleries as well as the different areas and districts of Prague. The TO guide is also quite dry - with little on Politics, History and Culture compared to the Rough Guide.

Book Description

Someone is planning to kill George Washington, and young Phoebe Fraunces is trying to save his life. Phoebe gets a job as George Washington's housekeeper, but her real job is to work as a spy. She listens and watches very carefully, and she meets her father every day to tell him what she has learned. One day Phoebe's father tells her that Washington is planning to leave town in a few days, and the person plotting against him will act before then. Phoebe is very frightened, but she is determined to figure out who is after Washington before it's too late. . . .

"This episode drawn from the Revolutionary War is related with historical accuracy and suspense and illustrated with finesse." (School Library Journal)

Customer Reviews:

One of our favorite revolutionary war books!.......2007-05-15

A great book to include in a unit study or just read out loud to your children. It is filled with excitement and intrigue for children. There is a book two to Phoebe the Spy!

Ryan Reader's 3.......2007-02-07

Phoebe Fraunces is a young girl that is on a mission to help Genearal George Washinngton and findd is trying to kill him.Phoebe had to be a spy. So she had to work undercover.She was a maid for Mr. Washington.I love this book because it was very mysterous.

Ryan's Readers 2.......2007-01-31

Phoebe the Spy is a great book. This is what happens: Phoebe's father asked Phoebe to be a spy and Phoebe said yes, she would do it. She was a brave girl. Phoebe is a wonderful spy. She helped save General Washington's life from Thomas Hickey. I likeed this book because it is a mystery book and I love mystery books.

Phoebe the Spy.......2007-01-19

This is an exciting and wonderful book, but the title character is not real. You can visit the Fraunces Tavern in NYC at Broad and Pearl Streets, and they will tell you that Sam never had a daughter named Phoebe. It is a great book to read, but they need to change the postscript in the back and let people know that the Fraunces family was not African-American, and Thomas Hickey was a traitor, not an assassin.

Great story.......2005-02-23

I liked this book alot! I had to read it for 5th grade so I thought it would stink, but it was really interesting.

Buttons for General Washington (Carolrhoda on My Own Book.)

Average customer rating:

Fun to read.
Great spy story

Buttons for General Washington (Carolrhoda on My Own Book.)
Peter Roop , and Connie Roop
Manufacturer: Carolrhoda Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0876144768

Customer Reviews:

Fun to read........2003-01-20

This book was about a kid named John, and he was a spy for General Washington. I liked this book because the pictures were cool. They were very colorful. I learned some things about the Revolutionary War from reading this book. I learned that buttons could be used to carry secret messages, and that British soldiers hung American spies. I thought that John was really brave. This book makes me want to learn more about the Revolutionary War. I am 8 years old and in 3rd Grade, and this book was easy for me to read.

Great spy story.......2000-04-11

This easy to read book is great for the 1-3 grader who is studying the Revolutionary War. A family acts as spies for the patriots by smuggling messages. The mother places the messages inside her sons buttons and sews them onto his coat. The young boy then takes them to his brother who is stationed with General Washington. Plenty of colorful illustrations and enough suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat.

George Washington, Spymaster: How the Americans Outspied the British and Won the Revolutionary War

Average customer rating:

History of the American Revolution made fun!
George Washington: Spymaster is a great book!!!!!
Fun children's book
For the Revolutionary War enthusiast there is nothing better!
He likes his redcoats shaken, not stirred.

George Washington, Spymaster: How the Americans Outspied the British and Won the Revolutionary War
Thomas B. Allen
Manufacturer: National Geographic Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Intelligence & Espionage | Military | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0792251261
Release Date: 2004-01-01

Customer Reviews:

History of the American Revolution made fun!.......2007-07-16

In preparation on a column that I am doing for middle and teen readers on espionage, I picked this title up at the library on the recommendation of the young adult librarian. What a great suggestion! Allen does a fantastic job of leading the reader through the incredible story of spying, double agents, and treason during the Revolutionary War. This book has it all - invisible ink, disguises, codebooks, hidden messages, and more. And readers are invited to test themselves at decoding, using a "mask", and other spy talents. Recommended for school use in American History units, and for anyone (gr 4 and up) that is looking for something really different and entertaining, while being completely factual! This would make a great read-aloud for teachers too.

George Washington: Spymaster is a great book!!!!!.......2006-05-09

This is the best book ever. I highly recommend it, because it is easy to read, and gives you important information, the most history books leave out.

Fun children's book.......2006-04-22

I read this book to my daughter, who is almost six. The narrative held her attention and she really enjoyed decoding the secret messages hidden in the text and learning about invisible ink. This is a fun, well-designed book for children.

For the Revolutionary War enthusiast there is nothing better!.......2005-10-17

When George Washington stepped into the position of General, the tide turned. "There is nothing more necessary than good intelligence to frustrate a designing enemy and nothing that requires greater pains to obtain." - George Washington. This book proves that statement on many accounts.
This book is crafted in a clever style that makes the book impossible to summarize. It relates to the reader the exact intelligence used and devised by Washington to win countless battles during the revolutionary war.
The book pulled me into it amazingly far as non fiction was never an interest of mine let alone the revolutionary war. I loved how it was explained in such detail, relating the accounts yet holding my attention. Sort of. As I have already stated, I do not enjoy reading about the revolutionary war. So I did not enjoy the book as much as I would have other genres. But I would recommend this book to any enthusiast of the Revolutionary War.

He likes his redcoats shaken, not stirred........2005-09-02

On the coolness scale, kids rank George Washington just above Chester B. Arthur and just below... oh, I dunno... pickled yams. Which is to say, GW's PR department needs some help. Enter the National Geographic publishing company. Continually churning out fine fine non-fiction titles for kiddies everywhere, the good folks at the National, with the help of author Thomas B. Allen, have done their darndest to make Mr. Washington less the kind of guy you're supposed to remove your hat in memory of, and more the kind of guy who'd give James Bond a run for his money when it comes to espionage. Sporting a cover on which George smirks slyly from beneath a dark and shadowy cape collar, the book makes the claim that the only reason we really won the Revolutionary War was because our first president was a whiz at spying. It's an intriguing premise and an amusing little book.

Let's say you're an up-and-coming young republic. You've been ruled by a distant country over the sea for quite some time but recently that rule's been chafing you. What is the answer then? Well, if you happen to be America the answer is open rebellion (if you happen to be Northern Ireland, good luck to you). As George Washington came of age in America, he learned how important a good intelligence network was in a time of war. Having served in the French and Indian War, George saw good spying done firsthand. When America next attempted to pull away from the British, Mr. Washington was able to put this theory into practice. Chronicling the course of the war and the significant changes wrought due to both American and British intelligence, Allen gives fresh insights into everything from Paul Revere's Ride to the heroism of Lafayette. Kids reading this book will learn how to create invisible ink, hide a message within a message, and codify their writing. There's even a complete word for word Tallmadge code at the back of the book for future use, and the book hides hidden messages on selected pages for translation.

So how readable is "George Washington, Spymaster"? Well, it has its moments, that's for sure. Allen is at his best when the action is at its peak. The sections describing Benedict Arnold's betrayal are fairly riveting as are the parts of the book that talk about double agents. One of the problems with the story, however, is the number of characters that randomly pop up in it. Keeping one spy apart from another is a hazardous undertaking. Allen provides the reader with a makeshift spy chart at the beginning of the book, but if you're able to refer to it then you're a better man than I, Gunga Din. I did enjoy seeing how many women and African-Americans aided the spy cause. What struck me as a little odd, however, was the fact that the blacks helped out the Revolutionaries at all. I mean, slavery was illegal in England and legal in America. Wouldn't the African-Americans have wanted to align themselves with a nation that disapproved of such a barbaric practice? Allen leaves such questions unaddressed and unanswered.

If you've a kid who has enjoyed the tricky techniques and clever underground networking of this title, then may I suggest the similarly tricky if fictional, "The Year of the Hangman" by Gary Blackwood. That book offers the what-if premise of "What if the British DIDN'T lose the Revolutionary War?" and utilizes all the spy techniques mentioned in "George Washington, Spymaster". The two books tackle the same subject from different angles and end up complimenting one another nicely. Not every kid is going to glom onto the notion that Washington was as cool a spy as 007 or whatever spy cartoon is currently all the rage. Still, this is one biography that's just a bit less fuddy-duddyish than its contemporaries. If I have a kid come into my library moaning that they need to read a bio on a Revolutionary War figure, this will be the first book I pluck from the shelves. A great addition to any collection.

Average customer rating:

Great NEW American History Book for Middle Grades
Parents and teachers, this book is a must read ....

By the Sword
Selene Castrovilla , and Bill Farnsworth
Manufacturer: Calkins Creek Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Military & Wars | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Why Not Lafayette? (Unforgettable Americans)

ASIN: 1590784278

Customer Reviews:

Great NEW American History Book for Middle Grades.......2007-08-17

BY THE SWORD is a touching Revolutionary War story told from a unique perspective. A young teacher, just twenty-two years old, is moved to enlist in George Washington's army. Neither he nor his beloved horse, Highlander, is prepared for battle. As Selene Castrovilla begins her story, "Benjamin Tallmadge had never killed before." When he fires his musket for the first time, he takes off, "not looking to see if he'd hit anyone." Young readers will identify with his reluctance.
The Battle of Long Island unfolds with breathtaking intimacy. We are close to the man and his horse as they weather a British assault, the lack of sleep, poor food, drenching rains, contradictory orders, and their own fears, in order to help save Washington's army from annihilation. Selene Castrovilla's prose evokes the anxiety of war with painterly details, but without drenching young readers in the carnage.
When Benjamin, in the heat of retreat, forgets Highlander, he receives permission to go back, by boat, to retrieve him. So this story is also about a brave young man who risks his life to save his beloved horse. As cannonballs from the fierce, advancing Hessians (mercenaries on the British side) narrowly miss Benjamin's retreating boat with Highlander safe on board, readers of all ages will be cheering.
Bill Farnsworth's expressive oil paintings on canvas enhance the text, from the flash of musket fire to the thick blanket of fog that kept the British fleet idling long enough for Washington's army to escape. Detailed endpaper maps enable readers to follow the troops. The author's research notes, timeline, suggested places to visit, and detailed bibliography of sources makes this an absolute must-have book for all teachers and students of history, for anyone interested in the birth of the United States of America. .

Parents and teachers, this book is a must read ...........2007-04-27

Do you want your kids to actually read a book, enjoy it and learn something too? Well, this is the book for them. It's a good read, action packed, interesting and surprise, surprise ... you learn some local history. Selene Castrovilla sucks you into Benjamin Tallmadge's world even if history is not your thing. Coupled with wonderful illustrations by William Farnsworth this book is a must have.

George Washington Arrington: Civil War Spy, Texas Ranger, Sheriff and Ranger

Average customer rating:

George Washington Arrington: Civil War Spy, Texas Ranger, Sheriff and Ranger
Jerry Sinise
Manufacturer: Nortex Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0890152160

Average customer rating:

RED SPIES IN WASHINGTON
CARPOZI GEORGE JR
Manufacturer: Pocket Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000H9SE02

Average customer rating:

Red Spies in Washington
Jr. George Carpozi
Manufacturer: Trident
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PKE1O6

Product Description

Detailed accounts of Soviet intelligence agents working out of D.C.

Average customer rating:

Red spies in Washington
George Carpozi
Manufacturer: Trident Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Average customer rating:

The Spy and General Washington
William Wise , and Peter Burchard
Manufacturer: Dutton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Spy for George Washington (Choose Your Own Adventure, No 48)

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Spy for George Washington (Choose Your Own Adventure, No 48)
Jay Leibold
Manufacturer: Skylark
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

General | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0553254979
Release Date: 1985-08-01

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