10-K Books

McAbee deserves a huge audience. From her plotting to her amazing details, she is a master of the craft.

Valerik had been a gladiator and then a slave. When he murdered his Mistress, he was sentenced to death by hunting. So Val was released to be prey and the hounds were shortly released afterward to kill him.

Saved by the mysterious and lovely Madryn, Val accompanied her on her self appointed mission. Unknown to them, they were to become the champions of some magical guardians in a war against a sorceress and her evil brother.

*****K.G. McAbee seems to breathe life into her unforgettable characters! From the opening sentence, until the last, it is non-stop thrills which is destined to captivate readers! I am proud to recommend it to everyone!*****

Valerik had been a gladiator and then a slave. When he murdered his Mistress, he was sentenced to death by hunting. So Val was released to be prey and the hounds were shortly released afterward to kill him.

Saved by the mysterious and lovely Madryn, Val accompanied her on her self appointed mission. Unknown to them, they were to become the champions of some magical guardians in a war against a sorceress and her evil brother.

***** K.G. McAbee seems to breathe life into her unforgettable characters! From the opening sentence, until the last, it is non-stop thrills which is destined to captivate readers! I am proud to recommend it to everyone!

K.G. McAbee is now an auto-buy author for me. This tale is a nonstop action, suspense, adventure fantasy that kept me glued to the pages. Valerik is the epitome of any woman's hero and Madryn is a strong, mystical match for him. Good prevails over evil; and I mean EVIL! Whew.

K.G. McAbee has an imagination that knows no bounds and I look foward to reading her other unique books - as soon as I can find them all!

For killing his owner, he is to be executed in the human and the hounds playful manner of the elite. Thus the hounds and their aristocratic owners pursue the condemned slave. Valerik's flight for life seems futile until he meets Madryn, who rescues him from certain death. However, though he has little choice, Valerik wonders who the mysterious woman is and if he has entered the fire after escaping the frying pan?

Thugs attack them and they are fortunate to survive. Other adventures follows as dueling sorcerers plot their fate. While Valerik ponders deserting his hostess, Madryn distrusts him though she intellectually knows she needs him to succeed on her quest. Though attracted, they fight to thwart the feelings that bind them together, but love blossoms anyway. With Garet the thief tolerated as an unwanted appendage, Madryn and Valerik continue on her mission, which looks more hopeless than a relationship between an aristocrat and a slave, if that is even their true identities.

ESCAPE THE PAST is an interesting romantic fantasy starring an engaging heroic pair and an insightful, irritating (to the lead couple but not the reader) young thief (mindful of Broderick in Ladyhawke). The story line is fast-paced but similar to other sub-genre novels as side adventures test the mettle of the hero and heroine during their epic journey. K.G. McAbee provides fans with a fun fantasy filled with delightful protagonists struggling to endure on a vividly described world of magic.

Harriet Klausner

I Love this writer. There is nothing dated about these absorbing tales from one of the English language's greatest adventure writers, regardless of Hollywood's love of his fictative works; and regardless of the time and venue in which men were men and heroes were conquerers of the elements.: M. Gann's achievement has been to see himself, daringly or humbly pick his way up the ladder of seamanship, and evoke,with humour and narrative storytelling, among the fleet of all us fellow lovers of the sea and ships, delightful fascination for the vessels of a now-passing era.

I read as many sea and sailing stories as I can get my hands on. This is one of the best. Read the other rave reviews here of this book--they pretty much say it all.

I would just emphasize that this is one of the few contemporary sailing books that has a lot about sailing square rigged boats.

Also an interesting twist is that Gann's Albatros is the boat that Sheldon lost in White Squall.

Ernest Gann has written a memoir of what happens when you hear the Sirens singing and follow them. I loved this book as the sea-going counterpart to his marvelous memoir of flight, Fate Is the Hunter; there's the same wrily witty, compassionate observations on the vicissitudes of the sea and those who sail upon it, particularly himself, the same amused humility in the face of the perversities and miracles of chance, whether they be a failing engine at the height of a tempest, intransigent bureaucrats of the Panama Canal, a balsa raft costing less than sixteen dollars which can leave a scientifically designed catamaran in its wake, or a wild voice singing in the Greek Islands. Whether recounting desperation in a great storm off the Oregon coast, or the nostalgic reminiscenses of his earlier sailing boats and shipmates, or the languid monotony of a long tropical ocean passage, or the nature and the workings of what he terms the 'Dock Committee' (which has membership worldwide), even the time he was masterfully conned by a crafty old sailor on the wharves of New York, Gann maintains a close and humorously affectionate eye on the sometimes clear, sometimes problematical, but always interesting relationships between the mundane acts of everyday and the greater universe which lurks behind every common act and thought.

Above all, there is in Sirens, as in all his books whether fic or nonfic, a love of the sea, of boats, of living fully in and of the world and of us frail, fallible and funny humans in it. In Fate Is the Hunter, it is the world of the air and those who fly; in Song of the Sirens, the sea. A wonderful read.

I've read several book by Ernie Gann and being a pilot I was in awe of Mr. Gann's story telling ability in "Fate is the Hunter" and thought this is surely the best autobiography ever written. Now having read "Song of Sirens" I have to re-evaluate this opinion. It makes you want to run out and buy a boat!

Ernest K. Gann is, quite simply, a great writer. In Song of the Sirens he writes about his adventures aboard the many ships he has owned. His writing skill takes the reader, even a landlubber like me, along with him to experience what it is like to ride out a storm 50 miles off the coast of Oregon in a fishing trawler or to sail across the Atlantic Ocean with an old, rusty, leaky training boat with a suspect engine. The book is slanted more for the boating afficionado. While he does explain some of the technical terms, a lot of them are obviously for someone who knows sailboats. There are no pictures, either. Pictures of the ships (not boats because, as he explains in the book, a boat is carried by a ship)would have been helpful. All in all, though, this book will greatly appeal to Ernest K. Gann fans, those who enjoy adventure stories, and those who enjoy sailing stories.

As a middle school English teacher, I deal with young people and their struggles to understand themselves and focus their lives daily. What Do you Really Want? is the perfect resource to help teens do just that! Presented in an easy-to-read and manageable format with a positive, upbeat tone, the book makes the lofty and overwhelming task of "getting what you want" a simple, sytematic process that untimately leads to personal satisfaction, self-esteem, and, of course, happiness. I plan on using the book and its many wonderful activities, quotations, empirical examples, inspirational quotes, and self-reflection techniques in my classroom on a regular basis. This book is an outstanding resource for any teen, but as I read the book, I couldn't help but think that Ms. Bachel may have marketed the book incorrectly. It's down-to-earth tone and empowering message is as relevant to adults as it is to kids! I wish that I would have discovered it sooner to help me in my daily life. I have recommended (and will continue to recommend) the book to friends and students alike!

Bev Bachel's friendly book helps teens -- even adults -- understand what it takes to get what you want from life. She shows how to decide what you want, determine what steps you can take to achieve it, and cheerleads you along the way. A must for any teen -- or anyone -- who wants to be more successful but has doubts about their ability to achieve.

I find this book to be a practical, no-frills guide on Goal Getting for teens. There are only 100 odd pages. Paragraphs are inter-laced with inspiring quotations as well as personal anecdotes.

The author goes straight into the jugular. No fancy theories...Just what you need to get started. There are also nineteen useful, reproducible forms for goal getting. 'Think It & Ink It' journaling exercises are also included to help you think more deeply about what you want & how to get it.

At the back of the book are some goal-getting resources.

This wonderful book comes from Free Spirit Publishing. Please check out their website if you are seeking useful resources for teens & kids. Parents, please take note.

As a father of three teenage girls, I'm always looking for ways to help them reach their full potential. What Do You Really Want has really given focus to my daughters' everyday lives. Like so many teens, my girls have great hopes and dreams but aren't sure how to make sense of them. The book's fun worksheets and journal exercises helps teens decide what's truly important to them and takes them step by step through the goal-setting process to help them achieve those goals. What's more, it's a book they can carry with them for the rest of their lives and continually turn back to for guidance. I recommend this book to any parent or teacher looking to bring direction to teens they care about - or even themselves. I was surprised at how much I've incorporated what I learned about goal setting in my own life!

In What Do You Really Want?: A Guide For Teens, motivational and communication expert Beverly Bachel, shows adolescent and young adult readers how to set a goal for themselves and effectively pursue whatever they have targeted! A down-to-earth, "user friendly" self-help guide which is written in simple, direct language, What Do You Really Want? is as practical and effective, as it is informative and inspiring. Enhanced with self-tests, resources, and exercises, What Do You Really Want? is a superbly presented and highly recommended introduction to focusing one's life and contains numerous lessons for that could profit readers of all ages!

This is a fabulous book...loaded with tips, links, resources and more! We adopted 2 children from Russia a few years ago and I would have loved having this as a resource. I am now an Adoption Coach and share this book with all my clients.
Debbie Mumm, http://www.adoptionhighway.com

I gave this book to my sister as a gift. She said that the information was very detailed and informative.

This book was a little less friendly than I had expected. Although I really like the areas in the book to write down information.

Hours before my flight to adopt, all I remember were my unpacked carry on items all over the living room floor. I was frantically searching for my ER telephone list. My sister was yelling" you're going to miss the plane" and I'm saying......well let's say if I had 10 Steps to Successful International Adoption those ER numbers would have been packed days ago in a brightly colored packet.

It's hard to say what I liked the most about this book. Maybe it's the incredible organization...or the easy-to-read style...or the great quotes from adoptive parents ( called Voices of Experience)...or the sprinkling of great tips throughout.

The bottom line is that I thoroughly enjoyed this guide and give it a big thumbs up!

Take Care Beth O'Malley

This book is very thorough and very well thought out. It covers every step from the beginnng to the end of the adoption process. This includes not forgetting to be prepared for the child once they are brought home. Very well done!

Well, I read this book last year and I LOVED IT. It got kinda...eekee... in the middle. (Rubbing on a mummy anyone?) But it is really good and is probably in my top 10 favorites list.

Abel Dandy is a normal boy in an abnormal world. Born to "freaks" and living in a sideshow, he's never felt special, until the Siamese twins give him an Egyptian ring and he is suddenly haunted by dreams of a beautiful dancing woman. Abel, accompanied by his friend the "dog-boy" Apollo, decides to leave his comfortable home of protection and acceptance and make his fortune. Abel eventually finds himself in a traveling freak show where the people (including abducted children) are abused, neglected, and bullied. Intriguingly, Abel discovers a mummy in the show that seems to speak to him in dreams. Klause's refreshingly unique and fascinating story is populated by charming and frightening, sympathetic and grotesque and human characters. The magical story concerns all kinds of deformities and abnormalities and the "freak" in everyone. Fantastic and engaging read. Grade: A+

"When a boy's first romantic interlude is with Phoebe the Dog-Faced Girl, he feels a need to get out into the world and find a new life. So I thought as I stood in the wings and watched Colonel Kingston introduce the next act. Not that I had anything against Phoebe. She was a sweet girl under all that fur. "Oh, Abel," she whispered prettily whenever I brushed her lips with mine, and perhaps she blushed -- who could tell? -- but I was seventeen and yearned to kiss a mouth sometimes without getting hair up my nose."

Come on...with an opening paragraph like that, who could you not love this book??

Abel Dandy had grown up in the world of "Freaks". His parents were considered human oddities, and he lived amongst them in Fairyland, a compound that was the home of Colonel Kingston's Freak show. But because he was "normal", Abel just didn't fit in. His uncle had taught him to throw knives, but there didn't really seem to be much room for a normal boy in a show of Freaks.

So Abel decided he was going to go off and join the Circus, and make his own way in the world. Armed only with his knives and a mysterious Egyptian ring given to him by Rose and Violet, the Siamese twins, Abel left Fairyland to try to make it on him own.

But nothing seemed to work out like it should. The circus that he joined, wouldn't let him try his hand at knife throwing. It was filled with perfect people that looked down their noses at the ones they considered human oddities. Then it was discovered that Abel was followed, and his young friend Apollo, the dog-faced boy, had stowed away with the circus. Since the Marvel Circus had no use for freaks, both were thrown out.

But when the two were picked up by the sinister Dr. Mink and his Monster show, bad things started happening. Abel had a bad feeling about Dr. Mink. But Abel's need to protect the young Apollo and the other children that were being held by Dr. Mink was strong. And what did all of this have to do with the mysterious dreams he kept having about the beautiful Egyptian dancing woman? The one who was calling him to save her.....

Annette Klause has done a wonderful job of painting the world of freaks. She has a special knack for showing us that there is a little "freak" in all of us. This book isn't so much about oddies as it is about acceptance. Accepting who we are and being able to live with that. And accepting others, not matter what differences are between us.

On top of that, there is a great mystery to be uncovered. This book is filled with action from murder to kidnapping.....and even a bit of a ghost story. Abel Dandy is such a strong character. He feels he is lacking in some way because he ISN'T different. And yet, he has such a strong sense of right and wrong, that he is willing to put his own life on the line to help the people he considers a friend, no matter what the consequence. It's a mesmerizing tale, and one that I highly recommend.

There are moments when you go to the bookstore with a specific purpose in mind, and you come home with the treasure you set out to find. There are other moments when one can wander around the bookstore experiencing myriad temptations, but nothing speaks to you. And then there are times like I had yesterday afternoon. Times in which you wander quite aimlessly to and fro and then a book catches your eye and you feel its pull and you just know that you will have to leave with that book. Yesterday that book was Freaks by Annette Curtis Klause. The full title of the story is Freaks: Alive, on the Inside, but I prefer the simple title and will thus refer to it in that regard for the remainder of this review.

There is no mystery regarding my initial attraction to this book:

It was the James Jean cover that did it! The cover art of James Jean never fails to illicit that response in me. The fact that this book was written by Annette Curtis Klause, whose novel Blood and Chocolate is a New York Times bestseller, sealed my fate.

I was currently in the middle of another book, but true to my nature I arrived home that day with the intention of just taking a taste of this novel before returning to my current read. Dame Fortune had other plans. An introductory quote by Edgar Allan Poe and the line, "When a boy's first romantic interlude is with Phoebe the Dog-Faced Girl, he feels the need to get out into the world and find a new life." was all it took...I was lost.

Freaks is the story of 17 year old Abel Dandy, an oddity amongst oddities, as he is the only non-freak in the freak show. An ever-present sense of not fitting in prompts Abel to leave the only family he has ever known to seek his fortune elsewhere. A parting gift of a scarab ring and words of fate spoken in his ear bring Abel Dandy dreams in which a beautiful and mysterious woman beckons to him with words of passion and pleas for rescue.

Freaks is a teen novel, and as such I was not sure what to expect. Having seen Tod Browning's controversial 1932 film of the same name, I had visions of this novel treading along those same paths. I had no idea, however, of the truth of that film's inspirational influence on this novel and found myself pleasantly surprised with the depth of emotion and the powerful sense of community and family that inhabits these pages.

Annette Curtis Klause has written a thoroughly researched tale of life during the time when freak shows and traveling oddities were a booming business. That research (which she discusses in an afterward) lends such a strong sense of history and realism to the story. Set amidst that backdrop is the story of a young boy coming of age, struggling to find identity during the twilight of adolescence and the dawn of manhood. And if that isn't enough, Klause deftly weaves a mysterious Egyptian reincarnation romance, reminiscent of the subplot in the film The Mummy Returns, into her tale.

Within a few pages, Freaks becomes a page turner. Mystery, suspense, and danger rub shoulders with romance, adventure, and intrigue. Powerful messages about acceptance of those around us lie just at the surface and yet those messages are never preachy or forced. Klause uses her words to provoke such an immediate sense of caring about these characters that you feel their plight and from the very beginning you are rooting for their success.

Annette Curtis Klause deserves praise for writing an adolsecent male character with a voice that feels genuine. The sexual urges of a seventeen year old boy are a very realistic part of the tale and yet the references to that aspect of adolescence are never treated as lurid nor included to shock or titillate. Those aspects are treated with respect as are the urges of teenagers to leave the comfort and protection of their parents behind to make their own way in life. Maybe men just aren't that hard to figure out, but I still give Ms. Klause her props for giving voice to a male protagonist that will resonate with males who read this book.

This is a beautiful little trade paperback book that tells a beautiful story of love and friendship, of the cruelty of the world and of the need to stick together to fight that cruelty. I could not put it down and yet I am very sad now that I have finished it. I miss the characters in this book already and imagine that I will be revisiting them again in the future.

In the author's note Ms. Klause says, "...and I didn't know that I would fall in love with my characters as much as I did". I didn't know that I would either, but I am so glad that I was given the chance. They are wonderfully realized and I already consider them old friends.

I highly recommend this book. It is a fascinating look into a part of our past that no longer exists wrapped up in a wonderful, adventure-filled romance. I look forward to reading more of Annette Curtis Klause's work soon.

This book gripped me from the very first page. I never could quite get into Annette Curtis Klause's previous books, but this one was up my alley. I've always found circus freaks interesting--the way people were marketed just for being different, regarded by the general public with awe, fear, and/or fascination, how they must have lived in this strange combination of fame and admiration and being set apart from the rest of the world. Ms. Klause captures all this and wraps it up in a fascinating story.

There is a large cast of characters, but she handles them all well, creating a memorable, distinct and highly likable group. I especially liked the sweet (and sometimes bittersweet) romances between some of the "freaks" that play out over the course of the book. The book is also a great page-turner, with constant action, but it never seems like page-slogging action like some books...I was always invested in Abel's fate.

If I have one complaint, it's Abel's own romance...although the scenario was intriguing (I won't give away too much), I wish the girl had been better developed as a character, and several flashbacks didn't quite work for me. However, this is a very small nitpick--I enjoyed this book as I have enjoyed few other YAs to come along in recent years.

This book is an excellent resource for students as well as others who want to know the ins and outs of the federal hiring process. From networking to resume writing, this comprehensive guide tells you all the steps you will need to know in order to obtain a federal job. If you want to gain valuable knowledge about government programs and become more effective in your job search, this book is for you! Learn from the real experts, Kathy and Emily Troutman!

Let's face it, the federal hiring process can be quite complicated and arduous. Even if you are highly qualified, obtaining a federal job can be extremely difficult if you are unfamiliar with the requirements of the government. As a graduate student of public administration, I was confident that I had suitable knowledge and skills to land a federal position, yet I was intimidated by the federal hiring process. I believe that The Student's Federal Career Guide was instrumental in guiding me through the process. By following the book's suggestions and tailoring my resume to the samples provided in the book, I landed a position with the agency of my choice.
The book is well organized as the chapters cover all the steps from how to locate opportunities to preparing for the interview. Much of the book is devoted purely to students who are seeking current or future employment with the federal government. There are a myriad of suggested resources for exploring student opportunities such as internships and part-time employment. The Student's Federal Career Guide will provide you with invaluable information on obtaining a position with the federal government.

Enhanced with an accompanying CD-ROM offering case studies and samples, The Student's Federal Career Guide: 10 Steps To Find And Win Top Government Jobs and Internships shows students just how to utilize networking to discover the availability of federal jobs, how to identify and locate the relevant federal agency; what internships; federal pay scales; researching federal job listings on-line; writing a federal job oriented resume; writing cover letters showcasing knowledge, skills and abilities; the federal job application process; tracking and following-up job applications and interviews; and conducting oneself in the interview process. Of special note is the accompanying website at www.TenStepsForStudents.org offering samples, internships links, job prospect information, and tips from actual government agency recruiters. Specifically designed for college students and recent graduates entering the job market, The Student's Federal Career Guide is also very highly recommended for men and women of any age seeking a public service career with the federal government.

- Betsy L. Hogan

I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!! I cant stop reading it, there is so much good information. It gave me alot more incite on the direction I need to go in with my resume. Also, the sections on contacting HR and interviewing definitely will help in the job search. The Government is the nations largest employer, with this book you will get a great understanding of what you need to do to get hired. The writters of the book have years of experience, they know the process from start to finsih!! This is money well spent or should I say a great investment in yourself!!!

The authors website has great information too!!!!
www.resume-place.com

Enhanced with an accompanying CD-ROM offering case studies and samples, The Student's Federal Career Guide: 10 Steps To Find And Win Top Government Jobs and Internships shows students just how to utilize networking to discover the availability of federal jobs, how to identify and locate the relevant federal agency; what internships; federal pay scales; researching federal job listings on-line; writing a federal job oriented resume; writing cover letters showcasing knowledge, skills and abilities; the federal job application process; tracking and following-up job applications and interviews; and conducting oneself in the interview process. Of special note is the accompanying website at www.TenStepsForStudents.org offering samples, internships links, job prospect information, and tips from actual government agency recruiters. Specifically designed for college students and recent graduates entering the job market, The Student's Federal Career Guide is also very highly recommended for men and women of any age seeking a public service career with the federal government.

This book was about a boy named Adam, who got onto a car crash and traveled cross-country.The main character of this book was the boy Adam, but also some people who helped him got to his destination. Adam had many problems in th book such as: he couldn't talk and he couldnt really hear to well. I would recommend this book to anyone.

This book was about a boy named Adam, who got onto a car crash and traveled cross-country.The main character of this book was the boy Adam, but also some people who helped him got to his destination. Adam had many problems in th book such as: he couldn't talk and he couldnt really hear to well. I would recommend this book to anyone.

this book was so emotional and i really liked adam and his girlfriend mira. i know people like that. i totally believed the pissing contest happened, because it happened at my school. mira was so complicated and deep. i have a friend who cuts herself and has rich parents like her. i read this in one sitting. you will not be able to put it down.

History comes to life in a survey of their family's changes. Kelly Easton's AFTERSHOCK holds explicit violence and underlying sexuality along with the story of a 17-year-old who is the sole survivor of a fatal car crash. How Adam puts together the pieces of a changed world makes for riveting reading.

This will get your heart pounding. I always read everything before my kids do. Even though this book is about a boy dealing with grief, it's more about his life and the life of many boys in this country have to deal with the pressures of being macho. I thought that the sex in the book was handled with a lot responsibility. There's a lot of crass reading out there for this age group. This book was a class act. I am a therapist and am recommending it to my teen readers, male and female.
It's a can't put it down read that will haunt you long after you're finished.

Like some other people in these reviews I first read this book because it had my name in it. It turned out to be one of the best books I have ever read and am only sorry that it is out of print becauses I do not have a copy. I would recomend this book to anyone looking for romance, adventure, drama, and excitement.

I bought this book back in the second grade at the school bookfair simply because it had my name in the title. About a year ago I found it and read it. I loved it. Its got family life, friends, healing, and it strongly emphasizes the importance of love in a young girl's life. Though I am 15 and bought the book when I was 7, I still think its a wonderful story. I even read it for inspiration. I've read it numerous times, and its still an adventure every time.

I read this book in the junior high years, and from then on checked it out at least once a year from the library. Now that I am much older I am glad to find the book through amazon to purchase for my future children as a collector's item. It is the best book I have ever read, and can read it over and over again even now. I recommend it for any female that loves to read a great story of with (rated G) romance. The character loses all she has, and is place into a home of strangers. With so many obstacles against her she gains strength, a career, and romance.

When Rachel's parents die in a fire, she is sent to live in the mountains with her family. She struggles to fit in, she meets old Granny Sharp. Granny Sharp teaches her medicine and doctoring skills to help the mountain folk. With the Civil War flaring, her grandfather makes his farm take no side. Not North. Not South. The reason for his action is that part of the their family is fighting for the North and part for the South. Rachel is working on the farm tending to wounded soldiers from both sides when a young military captain by the name of Ben is found hurt outside the farmhouse. Rachel cares for him and they soon fall in love. Rachel can't marry him because she has important duties at home, and it's a mountain tradition to follow the man to his home after marriage. She can't go to Pennsylvania with him because everyone tells her she is needed where she is as a doctor. I am upset that the publisher stop printing this book. I do not have a copy but got it out from a local library. Although I would like to buy a paper back because it is much cheaper I would also buy it in hardcover if that was the only format. If you enjoyed this book, you will also like Time Enough for Drums which will be out in paper back in May.

This is the best book i've ever read! it's just wonderful! A perfect combination of every thing... Witchcraft, love, romance, mountain life, everything good!

I am an English teacher who has been looking for YA books to read in the classroom. I used to teach ninth grade but am now moving down to eighth grade, which is incredibly disappointing because I won't be able to read this book with the younger students. I loved, loved, loved Iggy! There are moments of beauty so poignant that they almost brought tears to my eyes. I found myself talking to Iggy--"No, Iggy, don't do that!" Rarely do I get that involved in even adult literature books. I think any teacher who deals with difficult students should be required to read this text. I wish young adult writers would take the swear words out of their books so I could read them with my eighth graders!

I LOVED "Saint Iggy", and I don't say that lightly. Iggy was lost from the start. He was born to a drug addicted mother and an alcoholic father. Although there was no physical abuse he was raised in a roach infested drug house and basically left to raise himself. He didn't have the good fortune to be intelligent or talented and was never taught to think before acting. His impetuous nature gets him into trouble so many times that he gets kicked out of school. With no place else to go, he goes to get help from an adult friend that needs help even more than Iggy.
This book should be required reading for every teacher, or other adults who have contact with young people. It does a great job of portraying how a young man from unfortunate circumstances views the world and himself and will help you view some of these kids with different eyes.

Randy "Igmund" Corso is a third-year freshman with a colorful track record at school. When you have a record like he does, teachers can lie about you, and no one believes you, especially not the court system that's supposed to decide if you're expelled from school or not. With the way everyone treats him, you'd think he's a bad kid, but he's not. He attends class, sometimes. He doesn't use drugs, even though he was born addicted. He does his best to stay away from his father's drug dealer Freddie, who is always knocking on their door looking for money.

With his dad most likely passed out drunk or high at home and his mom "visiting someone" somewhere, Iggy doesn't have anyone to tell when he gets indefinitely suspended from high school for an offense he didn't commit. Even the social worker can't get through because the phone has been disconnected.

With a few days until the hearing, Iggy turns to his friend Montell, a law school dropout from the rich side of town who is investing his time in pot and philosophy. Iggy needs a plan to straighten out his life, but that's more difficult done than said for a 16-year-old with no skills or money who has just been kicked out of school. His makeshift plan is to:

1) make a plan
2) get out of the projects
3) do something with my life
4) change everyone's mind about me
5) get back into school

During the week before Christmas, Iggy drags himself around the city looking for answers and enlightenment. He keeps thinking about his principal, who told him to "do something that contributes to the world." That seems like such an easy thing to do until he tries it.

How exactly can one kid do something to contribute? What if he's never had any examples to follow? What if the only differences he can make are too small for anyone to notice? And does it even matter if people notice?

Author of the Printz Honor Book FAT KID RULES THE WORLD, K. L. Going has put together another enjoyable read. The contrast of Iggy's dark urban world against Mo's posh lifestyle provides the story with an ideal backdrop for a grim hero like this to emerge. An entertaining novel with more depth than you'd imagine at first glance, SAINT IGGY takes the life of a fringe-living outcast from the projects and makes him someone unforgettable.

--- Reviewed by Jonathan Stephens

Randy "Igmund" Corso is a third-year freshman with a colorful track record at school. When you have a record like he does, teachers can lie about you, and no one believes you, especially not the court system that's supposed to decide if you're expelled from school or not. With the way everyone treats him, you'd think he's a bad kid, but he's not. He attends class, sometimes. He doesn't use drugs, even though he was born addicted. He does his best to stay away from his father's drug dealer Freddie, who is always knocking on their door looking for money.

With his dad most likely passed out drunk or high at home and his mom "visiting someone" somewhere, Iggy doesn't have anyone to tell when he gets indefinitely suspended from high school for an offense he didn't commit. Even the social worker can't get through because the phone has been disconnected.

With a few days until the hearing, Iggy turns to his friend Montell, a law school dropout from the rich side of town who is investing his time in pot and philosophy. Iggy needs a plan to straighten out his life, but that's more difficult done than said for a 16-year-old with no skills or money who has just been kicked out of school. His makeshift plan is to:

1) make a plan
2) get out of the projects
3) do something with my life
4) change everyone's mind about me
5) get back into school

During the week before Christmas, Iggy drags himself around the city looking for answers and enlightenment. He keeps thinking about his principal, who told him to "do something that contributes to the world." That seems like such an easy thing to do until he tries it.

How exactly can one kid do something to contribute? What if he's never had any examples to follow? What if the only differences he can make are too small for anyone to notice? And does it even matter if people notice?

Author of the Printz Honor Book FAT KID RULES THE WORLD, K. L. Going has put together another enjoyable read. The contrast of Iggy's dark urban world against Mo's posh lifestyle provides the story with an ideal backdrop for a grim hero like this to emerge. An entertaining novel with more depth than you'd imagine at first glance, SAINT IGGY takes the life of a fringe-living outcast from the projects and makes him someone unforgettable.

Reviewed by Jonathan Stephens

Copyright 1997-2006, [...] All rights reserved

There's something about Christmas in the city. The lights, the shopping, the darkness. December is the darkest month of the year. KL uses wonderful imagery to describe the life of Iggy, who you care and root for, but it is December, and Iggy is surrounded by darkness.

Yet, around every corner, a light.

It's refreshing to read a book where drugs play a role, but don't get a hundred pages in the protaganist's head or with his/her friends trying to decide what to do. For Iggy, there is no decision. The answer is simply no.

Having been born addicted to crack, he spent his whole life watching drugs destroy his parents. Now, as a teenager, he sees his worthless dad, strung out on the couch each day, and his mother - missing because she is possibly with the local dealer, Freddie.

Iggy wants to do something "good". After a misunderstanding at school in which Iggy's so called reputation causes a teacher to vastly misinterpret his intentions, Iggy is kicked out of school. But first he is given a lecture by the principal which sticks in his thoughts. Haunts him. Wakes him up to the world in which he is perceived, and makes him ache for an answer.

He doesn't have access to things others take for granted, namely money. World peace would not cross Iggy's mind. In his world, he imagines himself saving a kid from a drug dealer. Or, perhaps he could simply find his mother, and with her, the world itself would be good once again.

So, Iggy forms a plan...

Iggy Corso is one of the most detailed characters I've ever read. I would swear if I were to visit the city I would find him walking down the street, or sitting at the barber's getting his hair cut.

This book isn't the typical teeny bop pink fantasy. It's a rare literary masterpiece for the teen market. I hope it gets the attention and the audience it deserves.

I used this book with teens for a Bible study breakfast a few years back and have not found anything this GOOD!! wish there was another like it!

This was my first teen devotional, and I was impressed by the uniqueness of this book! This book really helped me a lot in my everyday life. I sensed God talk to me in the pages of this book. I belive it will help out a lot of teens, as it helped me. It features real day-to-day experiences that teens like me can relate. Once I started reading a page a day, I never stopped having my quiet time with the Lord!

What a blessing this book has been to me and my family. We have been using it for about a year in our devotions before we begin the day of homeschooling. A relative of mine who attends college, was looking for a devotional book for her Bible study group so we sent her one as well. I hope "the word has gotten out" on what a great book it is.

This is a great devotional for older youth. My kids were a bit young for some of the stories in there (like premarital sex, etc). When I realized it was too old for my 7 & 9 year olds, I gave it to my 12-year-old nephew.

I teach 8th grade English in a Christian Academy. Every morning I start off by reading a devotional from this book. I have no discipline problems, and I believe it to be because I start off each day with a devotional. I spent a lot of time searching for a book that I could use, and this one was by far the best.