First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers (P.S.)

Amazon.com

Written in the present tense, First They Killed My Father will put you right in the midst of the action--action you'll wish had never happened. It's a tough read, but definitely a worthwhile one, and the author's personality and strength shine through on every page. Covering the years from 1975 to 1979, the story moves from the deaths of multiple family members to the forced separation of the survivors, leading ultimately to the reuniting of much of the family, followed by marriages and immigrations. The brutality seems unending--beatings, starvation, attempted rape, mental cruelty--and yet the narrator (a young girl) never stops fighting for escape and survival. Sad and courageous, her life and the lives of her young siblings provide quite a powerful example of how war can so deeply affect children--especially a war in which they are trained to be an integral part of the armed forces. For anyone interested in Cambodia's recent history, this book shares a valuable personal view of events. --Jill Lightner

Book Description

One of seven children of a high-ranking government official, Loung Ung lived a privileged life in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh until the age of five. Then, in April 1975, Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge army stormed into the city, forcing Ung's family to flee and, eventually, to disperse. Loung was trained as a child soldier in a work camp for orphans, her siblings were sent to labor camps, and those who survived the horrors would not be reunited until the Khmer Rouge was destroyed.

Harrowing yet hopeful, Loung's powerful story is an unforgettable account of a family shaken and shattered, yet miraculously sustained by courage and love in the face of unspeakable brutality.

Customer Reviews:

Everyone should make time for this book.......2007-10-08

We need this type of literature to remind us of the horror we are capable of inflicting, and the delight we are capable of inspiring. Here we have the opportunity to learn about the history of other countries and cultures and the effects of war and violence. By reading Ung's story, Americans can learn to appreciate that some immigrants and refugees to the United States have endured far more than we can even imagine.
Ung's story is told with the innocence and honesty of a child, even though her reality is riddled with hurt, grief, and despair. How is she able to survive the destruction and devastation of war? What makes her want to go on living? The chaos and randomness of life will make the reader see that each gift is a blessing.
Ung has learned to accept the responsibility that comes with survival. Why me...? What not me...? She states that by writing her book she was able to come to terms with many of the haunting details of her past. By writing about her fear and rage, she was able to face the "monsters" of her childhood as an adult. Telling her story was not about the money or the recognition, but about making people aware of what life was like for one family, for one little girl who grew up during the hell years of 1975-1979 in Cambodia. Though there is much anger and pain, it is the love of family and love of oneself that sees Ung through the trauma of war.

Captivating.......2007-10-05

With a story as tragic as this it is no wonder how the details are so vividly portrayed by Loung Ung. Her story captivates in essence the cruel and communist actions of the Khmer Rouge. As one of the few surviving family members, Loung proves how a love for her father helped her endure such a tragedy. However, she was not excluded from being subjected to the endless amount of pain, which created numerous psychological road blocks such as hatred and vengeance. This is clearly a story of heroism through endurance.

Breathtaking.......2007-08-31

I was interested in reading a book about the Cambodian Civil War, and this book gave me insights about the author's life story. The author Ung went through many emotional times with her family that had to do with survival. It made me cry many times... touched my heart. I recommend this to readers who are interested in the Cambodian war and would like to know what it's like to be in Loung Ung position during the time of chaos.

Read it with caution.......2007-08-18

The author was too young and her memories were not always reliable. Read it with caution. For instance, Ung wrote about a family trip to Angkor Wat, which took place in 1973 or 1974 when she "was only three or four years old" (p. 109). I had a discussion with a former Lon Nol soldier who was in Siem Reap at that time and he was adamant that Angkor Wat was not accessible because the Khmer Rouge was in full control of the area.

Cambodia had been fighting a civil war since 1970, so it is hard to believe that there were people vacationing at that time, especially in a region that was controlled by the Khmer Rouge. But the book contains a picture of the family trip to "Angkor Wat," which was taken at Wat Phnom, a temple in Phnom Penh.

Exaggerated stories of surviving atrocities are not unknown. It even exists within the Jewish community; for example, the story of Deli Strummer, which has been written in the Washington Post. I would compare "First They Killed My Father" to that of Holocaust survivor's Deli Strummer. If you want to read something poignant like that of Anne Frank, get Chanrithy Him's "When Broken Glass Floats."

She remembers for us to remember..........2007-05-15

In the epilogue, Loung thanks her editor, because she's says without the editing, we'd all be reading a much longer book. In this case, I would love to read "the much longer book".... I can't say enough positive about the book, even though I know it has received criticism. It's a first hand account of the same stories I've heard first hand over.. Stories that deserve to be retold so that hopefully they never have to be experienced again. Whether you are an academic with an interest in Cambodia / Southeast Asia or the casual reader, you will be haunted a young girl's life.. in " First They Killed My Father".[...]

The Berenstain Bears' Trouble with Money (First Time Books(R))

Average customer rating:

the berenstain bears trouble with money
awesome book, awesome lesson
Trouble with Money
great book

The Berenstain Bears' Trouble with Money (First Time Books(R))
Stan Berenstain , and Jan Berenstain
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0394859170
Release Date: 1983-09-12

Book Description

To earn coins for the Astro Bear video game, Brother and Sister Bear find ways to work for money. How they find the middle ground between being spendthrifts and little misers makes for a funny, realistic story.

Customer Reviews:

the berenstain bears trouble with money.......2006-02-02

i think this book is a really good book and i think that they have a problem with money and that they are really bad at that and i am to and my mom like tells me the same thing and it is cool just to have something that relates to my life and my mom tells me no don't spend all your money and stuff like that and that means i have a TEXT TO SELF and i love to read and it is cool. thats all i wanted to say. p.s. i love the bereanstain bear books they are so cool and i just love them and they are so cool i wish i could be a good writter just like you but you are a really good writter and if i could be like you i would but i am glad i am diffrent than everybody i love your books.

awesome book, awesome lesson.......2005-12-28

the illustrations are what got me interested in this book when I got it from a book club as a kid. It teaches a good lesson about money and how to not act spoiled, and the idea that money should not make you greedy

Trouble with Money.......2005-12-10

I like this book because it showed me not to spend all the money i receive for special occassions on things that i may not need but i want very badly. It showed me that i need to be very careful with money and that spending it on everything isn't always a good choice.
Alyssa Seifferly

great book.......2000-07-09

This is an excellent book it really helps kids learn about money. The illustrations are perfect for my four year old

Average customer rating:

Inspiring, grounding
Great Book
Great approach, encouraging, do read critically though.
Must Read
Asian compassion and wisdom in child development for the western head

You Are Your Child's First Teacher
Rahima Baldwin Dancy
Manufacturer: Celestial Arts
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0890879672

Product Description

Details what parents can do with and for their children, from birth to age six. This resource book offers new ways for parents to understand their children and provide opportunities to increase their confidence in what they are doing while making the most of the early years. 384 pages.

Customer Reviews:

Inspiring, grounding.......2007-09-11

There is so much info out there bombarding moms on toys and games to push there kids to "parrot" information back to parents so the parents are acknowledged for their kids "intelligence". I loved the down to earth, child friendly info in this book. I do not believe in pushing children to learn beyond their developmental readiness. Kids need to be running and jumping and singing, there is plenty of time for them to sit and be still and learn... As a teaching I believe one of the most important things for children is internal self confidence and a love a learning. This book lays out the 1st 7 years. Get it!

Great Book.......2007-09-10

This is a great book and I am so glad that I bought it. My only regret is that I didn't buy it sooner. If you are expecting or a new parent I would definitely recommend this book to you.

Great approach, encouraging, do read critically though........2007-09-03

Very interesting book. Great to reinforce things we already know and suggest ways to enact our ideals as parents. I especially liked the specific suggestions for kinds of toys and for activities. Gentle, realistic, and encouraging suggestions regarding discipline. Good citations of studies to back up concepts. Those new to Steiner, Waldorf, and Anthroposophy should be aware it is very "Stainer oriented" and the realities within this "spiritual science" are considered a given, though not pushed aggresively. For example, the ideas about the incarnation process and life forces are used as part of explainations. Read carefully and critically and accept only what you like, study the rest objectively. Spiritual ideas aside, it's a good look at interacting with children in developmentally appropriate ways and nurturing their holistic (all around) growth.

Must Read.......2007-05-17

I think this book should be read by all parents. I was always put off by the title and thought it was about teaching your child early- like baby einstein. It is the exact opposite. The book covers child developement from birth through age seven with a Steiner perspective. It includes activities that are age appropriate and nuturing. It is so packed with information I know I will refer to it often. Each chapter also includes a recommended reading list.

Asian compassion and wisdom in child development for the western head.......2006-06-15

I just purchased a copy of this book in English, because my wife has been translating the Thai version form me and we are both completely impressed by the wisdom contained in this book. My wife is Thai and her parents raised her with the same considerations and compassionate love that the book uses as the foundation for guiding parents how to raise their children. Currently, we are experimenting with the classic US style of education at the American School of Bangkok and will also try one of the Thai Waldorf school near our home and observe how the child responds the each on all levels of development. We, because of living in Bangkok, have the multiple education options incudintg British system, French system, Australian system, Multiple Intelligenc system, Montisori system, Christian schools etc..., and are very impressed with what we have seen in the Waldorf schools. Regardless of which education modality we choose the foundations in this book will guide our child development decisions.

I am completely put off by reviewers splattering their judgements of cultish, religous etc around this book. I just don't get it. If someone writes about Montisorei they reference Maria Montisori. If someone writes about Multiple Intellegence education they reference Harvard's Garnier. The primary researcher is always the source of the knowledge. Let's stick to what we know and not conjecture and judge what we do not know. Steiner was definitely on the something, and in today's world we definitely need all the help we can get in raising a new breed of human.

The Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room (A First Time Book)

Average customer rating:

the original "Mission Organization"
Scientific Facts not Accurate
Another great story from the "Bears"
Very useful book
I loved this book

The Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room (A First Time Book)
Stan Berenstain , and Jan Berenstain
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0394856392
Release Date: 1983-05-12

Book Description

"The room shared by Brother and Sister is a mess because the cubs argue over who should neaten up instead of working together. Sure to make toddlers smile while they absorb an implied lesson."--Publishers Weekly.

Customer Reviews:

the original "Mission Organization".......2007-07-16

The first time I saw this book my younger sister and I had pushed our poor mom to the limits with our messy room. Dolls, costumes, arts & crafts projects and so much more covered every surface of the room to the point we were barely able to find our beds. One day while we out were playing with the neighborhood kids, after breaking our promise we would clean the room first, my mom went in with big black garbage bags and packed up the entire mess and put the bags in the spare room. When we got home and discovered the "theft" we were livid. After she calmed us down and gave me my favorite teddy and my sister her favorite bunny, she sat us down with this book and we read it together. Gradually we got all our toys and other stuff back and the room actually did stay clean much longer than usual. She never had to take drastic action again because she would just pull out this book whenever the room started looking overly cluttered and we'd get the picture. Now twenty years later, I'm almost obsessively neat and organized (though sometimes it's fun to make a huge mess in the process of reorganizing) and I remember this book fondly every time I undertake a big organizing project. I'm sure it's not the only children's book about cleaning a messy room, but the Berenstain humor and memorable artwork make it a classic.

Scientific Facts not Accurate.......2007-02-07

I enjoyed this book (and others in the series) with my three girls when they were little who all are now twenty-somethings.

As a geologist, it was grating to see dinosaur model toys being referred to as being from the Pleistocene!! (the age of woolly mammoths, sabre-tooth tigers, dire wolfs etc.)

We wrote a letter to the Berenstains and got a cute letter reply from Papa Bear. He said they would correct the mistake in the next printing. OK, that was well over 20 years ago, and the book is still the same. Sigh! And people lament that our children are uninformed about science.

Now that my youngest daughter is about to get a teaching credential to teach science in elementary and middle school, maybe it's time for her to write another letter.

Another great story from the "Bears".......2007-01-03

My 4-yr old daughter has enjoyed the shows and stories involving the Berenstein Bears & this one is just as fun. The story covers the importance of a neat room but throws in some humor during the "pick-up" or cleaning periods involving the entire family. A great short read for little ones who are just learning the importance of cleaning up after themselves. Enjoy.

Very useful book.......2005-12-29

This is a great book to teach kids to clean up after themselves and what happens when they don't. In this book, mama gets so fed up with the mess in the cubs' room, that she comes back with a huge box and starts tossing all their things into it. Much at the cubs' protest, all their favorite toys are tossed inside. The illustrations are just wonderful in this book. They show a puzzle half finished and covered with cobwebs, spilled cups and drinks and dust and dirt all over everything. It's just very clear how nasty a room can get when it's not kept in order. Papa bear comes to the rescue and makes the cubs their very own organization center (must have watched HGTV out there in his garage where he makes his furniture!) where they have a toybox and a pegboard to store the items in the room. And, he makes boxes with labels to stack in their closet for their smaller items so they don't come tumbling out onto their heads anymore.

Everyone is very happy with the solution, especially the cubs since now they have a room they can enjoy themselves and with their friends.

Highly recommend!

I loved this book.......2005-12-28

I loved this book as a kid but unfortunately I could never live up to it and am the biggest slob ever and I'm in my 20's

First Steps Toward Teaching the Reggio Way

Average customer rating:

I recommend this book highly!
Okay as a supplement to other articles and books.

First Steps Toward Teaching the Reggio Way
Joanne Hendrick
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0134373022

Book Description

The first book of its kind, this timely, hands-on guide examines how real teachers in real schools are working to grasp the principles of the Reggio Emilia approach and apply them in their every day classroom settings. Written for practicing and future teachers by leading advocates of the Reggio philosophy, it explores the most essential features of this emergent and constructive Italian curriculum by combining discussions of Reggio concepts with examples of their application in American schools. Written in simple, clear language by foremost American and Italian authorities in the field, the book answers the burgeoning need for information on this emergent, inquiry-based, project approach philosophy in early childhood education. Offering practical, real-life examples and advice, it shares experiences of ordinary teachers working to apply the Reggio Approach in their own classrooms, and demonstrates its wide applicability by discussing its implementation in a variety of teaching settings - including preschool, elementary school, with inner city children, in children's museums and more. College professors and practicing teachers in Early Childhood, Education or Home Economics.

Customer Reviews:

I recommend this book highly!.......2005-12-25

This book is indispensable to those in the education field or working with children in any setting. I first went to a conference on Reggio Emilia educational practices back in 1995. Baji Rankin was the presenter. She was very credible. I learned a tremendous amount from her. After going to this conference, I was so inspired, I attended two more. I was astounded by what they were doing in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Dumbfounded really... It opened my whole world to the possibilities of what children are capable of in an environment that is collaborative, constructivist, and supports the fact that children are strong, resourceful and powerful beings. I worked in a preschool setting and then subsequently, in an after-school program. I was inspired by this approach and used aspects of this approach in these settings. This book has been invaluable. I know it backward and forwards. I recommend it highly! I recommend it to counselors who are play therapists too. That is how I implement this approach now- in a play therapy context as a clinical counselor. To aide in implementation of this approach I also recommend the book "Education on the Edge of Possibility" by Renate Nummela Caine and Geoffrey Caine. It discusses brain-based learning and how to incorporate a wholistic approach in a classroom setting. I hope we see more of brain-based learning and approaches like those seen in Reggio Emilia, Italy in the United States. These approaches are simply a different way of looking at the child. It is not a technique. It is not a fad for teachers to endure until the next new popular approach hits the school system. It is a completely different way of viewing the student. It is a process of emergence; it is a way of viewing the whole child; it is a way of catching the child's engagement level and curiosity and capitalizing on that; and most of all it is deeply respectful of the child and the child's processes. This approach creates safe places and environments for children to learn and grow. The children in my preschool program and after-school program thrived! Thank you for the exposure to this material! It has changed my life and my own way of being in the world. I feel very blessed to have come across this material. It changed my career path.

Okay as a supplement to other articles and books........2000-03-26

This book basically describes different contributors' experiences with attempting the Reggio Emilia approach. I had the idea that the book was going to tell me how to take the "First Steps Toward Teaching the Reggio Way," however, it was more of a diary about other people's experiences. More like reflections than advice. There were some chapters at the beginning describing the approach, but nothing that any common journal article wouldn't cover. I would consider this book useful for someone who is quite familiar with the approach and is looking for additional reading, but not for someone who is looking to begin to implement the strategies and is looking for a resource guide.

First Words: A Childhood in Fascist Italy

Average customer rating:

A very important book
A Splendid, thought-provoking book!
Another false perpetuation

First Words: A Childhood in Fascist Italy
Rosetta Loy
Manufacturer: Metropolitan Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0805062580

Amazon.com

In this understated yet scathing memoir, novelist Rosetta Loy intersperses scenes from her affluent childhood with a broader portrait of anti-Semitism in fascist Italy. The otherwise effective translation has softened Loy's original title (in Italian, "The Word Jew") but not her blistering depiction of the Church's complicity in Mussolini's persecution of Jews. Pope Pius XI, an outspoken opponent of state anti-Semitism, died in early 1939. His successor, Eugenio Pacelli, had been a papal nuncio in Germany for 12 years, where he signed the 1933 concordat that urged German Catholics to obey the Nazis (events analyzed at length in John Cornwell's excellent 1999 biography, Hitler's Pope). As Pius XII, Pacelli said little and did nothing to prevent racist genocide. Born in 1931, Loy was just a girl during this dreadful period, but she does not excuse herself or her family for going about their daily lives while their Jewish neighbors were subjected to increasingly restrictive laws and then, in late 1943, transported to the German death camps. The author also relates stirring acts of moral heroism--Catholic priests who denounced anti-Semitism as un-Christian, individuals who sheltered Jews--but her quietly uncompromising book suggests that her parents, good people who found fascism personally distasteful but felt helpless to defy it, were more typical. --Wendy Smith

Book Description

An internationally acclaimed novelist and journalist movingly chronicles her childhood in Rome during World War II, providing a rare account by a Catholic of Jewish persecution and Papal responsibility

In 1937, Rosetta Loy was a privileged five-year-old growing up in the heart of the well-to-do Catholic intelligentsia of Rome. But her childhood world of velvet and lace, airy apartments, indulgent nannies, and summers in the mountains was also the world of Mussolini's fascist regime and the increasing oppression of Italian Jews. Loy interweaves the two Italys of her early years, shifting with powerful effect from a lyrical evocation of the many comforts of her class to the accumulation of laws stipulating where Jews were forbidden to travel and what they were not allowed to buy, eat, wear, and read. She reveals the willful ignorance of her own family as one by one their neighbors disappeared, and indicts journalists and intellectuals for their blindness and passivity. And with hard-won clarity, she presents a dispassionate record of the role of the Vatican and the Catholic leadership in the devastation of Italy's Jews.

Written in crystalline prose, First Words offers an uncommon perspective on the Holocaust. In the process, Loy reveals one writer's struggle to reconcile her memories of a happy childhood with her adult knowledge that, hidden from her young eyes, one of the world's most horrifying tragedies was unfolding.

Customer Reviews:

A very important book.......2004-01-04

Rosetta Loy opens this book with her first memories of childhood as a young girl in Rome in the early 30s. She then paints the picture from that time to 1943.

This book actually tells two stories - first the account of Rosetta's life during that period of time and second the historical facts of the time.
The entire book impressed me, but two things about this book absolutely AMAZED me.

1. Roessetta Loy's voice. On the first page she is a young girl tended by a nanny, the reader is treated with the perspective of life at this point in time from the unusual view of a curious and intelligent child. As the book progresses and Rossetta ages the story changes in vocabulary and scope.
2. Ms. Loy presents the key points of political and legal changes in her church, city and country with simply clarity. This is the first book that I have read on the subject that didn't attempt go overboard on explanations, excuses or "what ifs". Ms. Loy states the facts of legal changes and racial politics of Italy at the time without attempting to question `how', `why', `to what end' and `what if'. Instead the reader will hear these questions echo in their own mind.

This is a powerful book. It is written in simple style and easy to read. It could be read in a day or two, but if you are like me when you get to the end you will want to read it again.

A Splendid, thought-provoking book!.......2000-08-18

I could not disagree more with the previous "book critic". This book is not a lambasting of individual Catholics or of the many individual priests that helped to save many Jews. One need only look at Ms. Loy's characterization of Pope Pius XI and his very anti-semetic stance to see that this book in no way sees all Catholics as heartless beasts. What it does show is that with the on-slot of Pope Pius XII's reign, the organized Catholic body-politic did nothing privately or publicly to condemn the atrocities committed against Jews at home or abroad in Nazi Germany. There were over 1200 Jews in Rome alone that could have been "hidden" in the Vatican...but no, the response to that was that Pope Pius XII could have been arrested. Getting arrested seems very tame to Jesus being crucified, does it not? All I can say is that, along with the reading of this very touching book by Ms. Loy, I would also recommend everyone out there supplimenting the reading of this book with Mr. Cornwell's "Hitler's Pope".

Another false perpetuation.......2000-08-06

The media seems to be eating up every book that blasts the Catholic Church and Pope Pius XII...here's another attempt to cover up the heroics of the Church during the Nazi era....

The Berenstain Bears Count Their Blessings (First Time Books(R))

Average customer rating:

Excellent Children's Book with a message
Love these books!
A Nice Book - a review of "The Berenstain Bears Count Their Blessings"
Counting blessings
Not the first time.

The Berenstain Bears Count Their Blessings (First Time Books(R))
Stan Berenstain , and Jan Berenstain
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 067987707X
Release Date: 1995-10-24

Book Description

Illustrated in full color. Mama Bear is tired of hearing how many Bearbie dolls Lizzy Bruin has and how many Game Bear video games Cousin Freddy just got. During a thunderstorm, Mama gets her cubs to realize that love and a good home are much more valuable than material possessions.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Children's Book with a message.......2007-02-17

This book is an excellent book to read your children. Not only is it entertaining, it actually has a valuable message for your children. Imagine being able to entertain and teach at the same time. What a novel concept!

Love these books!.......2007-02-01

I've been reading them since I was a child, now my little girls have all of my old ones and we continue to add to the colection. GREAT BOOKS!

A Nice Book - a review of "The Berenstain Bears Count Their Blessings".......2006-02-18

I am totally baffled as to why this Berenstain series is called "First Time Books". Nothing could be further from the truth. The vocabulary is sophisticated (words like 'Killer Koyote', 'Avenger', 'Equestrienne') and there are way too many words per page to make this appropriate even for a first grader. [In fact, at least one of the kid's reviews here was written by a 10 year old!]

Note: Take a look at the page offered in Amazon's "Search inside this book" feature to judge for yourself.

And while I like the moral of this book, I find that it suffers from a reversal of heart at the end. In this case, after having made the point (very well I thought) that children *should* be thankful for what they have; the story suddenly reverses course and has Mama and Papa caving in and planning to buy the desired toys anyway. What gives?

To me this counters the good message of being thankful, with the supposition that if they `just wait' children will eventually get what they desire.

from the book:

So while Papa set the table and Mama started supper,
Sister went upstairs to play with her Bearbie doll, and
Brother tried to reach the next level on one of his video
games.

"You know, my dear," said Papa. "There are birthdays and
Christmas coming. Do you have any ideas for the cubs?"

"I thought perhaps a Just Married Bearbie for Sister and
a couple of video games for Brother might be nice," Mama
said. "What do you think?"

"I think we should count our blessings too," said Papa.

I don't know what other children make of this mixed message, but mine were happy that the cubs were going to get what they wanted.

Four Stars. [B-] The book starts off very well. It *does* convey the message that we should be thankful for what we have and not want new things all the time just because our friends get/have them. But in my opinion, you will have to have a discussion about the ending to make sure that message sticks.

Counting blessings.......2006-02-04

I think that this book was good. i thought that this book was good becauseit was mabey helping poeple count there blessings.I think that you should read this book if you want to read a little kid book.It is a good book.

Not the first time........2006-01-04

This book is ok, but I think they've already learned about "counting their blessings" in "Get the Gimmies." That's why I gave it a three!

Average customer rating:

Poignant memoir
A tragic story written beautifully
Wonderful Book Thea!
A Message of Appreciation From John Halo
Important part of history

Not Even My Name: A True Story
Thea Halo
Manufacturer: Picador
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0312277016

Book Description

Not Even My Name is the unforgettable story of Sano Halo's survival of the death march at age ten that annihilated her family-as told to her daughter, Thea-and the poignant mother-daughter pilgrimage to Turkey in search of Sano's home seventy years after her exile. AUTHORBIO: Thea Halo, shown here with her mother, Sano, at age eighty-nine, is a writer and painter who has won awards for her poetry and essays, and has exhibited her paintings in galleries in New York City and elsewhere. She lives in New York City.Sano Halo is a recipient of New York State's Governor's Award for Excellence in honor of Women's History Month, "Celebrating Women of Courage and Vision."

Customer Reviews:

Poignant memoir.......2006-09-26

This poignant memoir written in such astonishing detail is an unforgettable story that will capture the reader from the start. Sano is like a small but sturdy flower growing in the most unlikely and least advantageous of garden spots. In her we see goodness and love survive heart rending loss and the cruel displacement of senseless war. I could not put the book down once I began to read it.

A tragic story written beautifully.......2006-05-28

This is not a book to read if you want to be cheered up, yet I will never forget the story. I wept off and on reading of the author's mother's experience on the death march. I have traveled to Greece and Turkey twice yet had no knowledge of the genocide of the Pontic Greeks. I thank the author for the courage to live through her mother's amazing journey as she told her unforgettable story.

Wonderful Book Thea!.......2005-10-22

I am also of Pontic Greek and Assyrian origin. Even though our lands were taken away, our people still exist, we still maintain our language, and the gospel is still spreading which is a blessing. I am glad to see someone wrote a book on the Greek/Assyrian/Armenian Genocide. The Turks tortured and massacred millions of Greeks, Assyrians and Armenians. I am happy to see you raise more public awareness about this. I pray for the Greeks, Assyrians and Armenians still living in Asia Minor that deal with constant persecution for their Christian faith. Great Book Thea!

A Message of Appreciation From John Halo.......2005-10-22

I am John Halo the brother of Thea Halo. I am very proud of my sister for writing such a wonderful book, NOT EVEN MY NAME, that depicts such an accurate account of my mothers life, that discribeds the pain that my wonderful mother endured in her childhood and throughout her life. Thea Halo is a champion and a woman with a beautiful hart and a loving sole that deserves the recognition of a grate author, and I hope someone will relize the value of this true story and make a movie and documentary so to educate our generation and future generation from repeating this horror. I would also like to let everyone know that my mother was so grateful and proud that Thea wrote this book and is also grateful to all of the wonderful people that came to see her speak. And last I would like to say how proud and thankful I am of my sister Thea Halo for being my sister.
Sincerely
John Halo

Important part of history.......2005-07-08

The subject is of great interest and great importance to the present situation in the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East. It is well written and quite engaging. As it is a book I want to keep permanently in my library, I only wish it were printed on higher quality paper.

The Berenstain Bears and the In-Crowd (First Time Books(R))

Average customer rating:

A Bit Old For 4
A book that teaches you self confidence
In-Crowed
A Wonderful Book

The Berenstain Bears and the In-Crowd (First Time Books(R))
Stan Berenstain , and Jan Berenstain
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 039483013X
Release Date: 1989-02-18

Book Description

Queenie McBear, the bossy new she-cub in town, tries to take over by putting other cubs down. But she's in for a lesson when Sister Bear decides not to give in to Queenie's peer pressure tactics.

Customer Reviews:

A Bit Old For 4.......2006-02-25

My son automatically LOVES anything Berenstain Bears, but this book was a bit old for him (not to mention girly)

A book that teaches you self confidence.......2005-08-12

This book tells the story of sister bear when she meets a young cub that recently arrived to town. This new cub is a little annoying, and at first it makes sister sad.
But she finally realizes that with self confidence, she can be herself, and have good times with her real friends.
My 4 year old loves it.

In-Crowed.......2001-07-21

When a new hip cub moves into town everyone is amazed by her. They start dressing like her, acting like her etc etc. Sister is the only one who is not in the "in-crowed" what is she to do?

This book teachs kids that you don't need to dress a certain way or act a certain way just to be liked.

A Wonderful Book.......2000-08-02

This is such a great book. It shows little kids that no matter what there is always good in people. Even if they don't show it right away.

Moments of Childhood: A Journal for the First Five Years

Average customer rating:

An incredible find for the price. I've bought boxes of them.
Awesome! Great Gift Idea
Wonderful way to capture memories
absolutely beautiful

Moments of Childhood: A Journal for the First Five Years
Edelen Wille
Manufacturer: Andrews McMeel Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

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ASIN: 0740723529

Book Description

In Moments Of Childhood: A Journal For The First Five Years, you'll catch a beautiful glimpse into the timeless and carefree world that is childhood. The journal features some of the best-loved turn-of-the-century illustrations and is bound with tabbed pages marking each year, along with reminders of milestones throughout the baby's life. This keepsake journal allows lots of room for creativity and personal recollections, offering a new approach to those who may find traditional baby books a bit stuffy and overwhelming.

Customer Reviews:

An incredible find for the price. I've bought boxes of them........2004-03-03

As you may already know, it is nearly impossible to find beautifully designed baby products--especially those that don't cost an arm and a leg. I was ecstatic when I received my first copy of this book through Amazon. The paper and printing quality are impeccable--printed in Italy. I was actually shocked at the quality of this book, considering the retail price. Even more important, the editors have excellent taste--the vintage illustrations are gorgeous and unique enough to please my most discriminating friends. Also, the text is simple and classic--not at all sappy or cheezy, like most baby journals.

I live in Hollywood and cannot tell you how many of these journals, and especially the Edelen Wille vintage poster books, I have given my picky hipster mommy friends, as well as my more conservative friends & family members, with WONDERFUL results across the board--very unusual. People go on and on over how much they love these journals and books! Needless to say, I have bought over a dozen of these journals already and I'm sure will buy many more.

Awesome! Great Gift Idea.......2003-12-08

I have given this as a gift several times and everyone loves it. It is a beautiful book that is so much better than all of the other "journal-type" books I have seen. Hands down the best journal on the market and a great, great gift idea.

Wonderful way to capture memories.......2003-12-04

This book is gorgeous - very high quality. It is filled with beautiful reproductions of classic prints of children. I bought it for a shower gift for a baby boy and liked it so much I bought it for myself to use for my daughter.

absolutely beautiful.......2003-12-03

I've never seen a baby book like this one- every page is absolutely beautiful and the quality is so nice-highly recommended!

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