High-grade

This book outlines teacher-tested ideas for teaching reading and writing. I have used many of them in my classroom, and they really work. Used in conjunction with Brandvik's other book--Writing Process Activity Book--this book is a gold mine.

This is a fabulous, easy to use book. As a new teacher thrown into a long-term sub position in 8th grade, I am finding this book invaluable for ideas in the classroom.

As a first year teacher, this book saved my life on more than one occasion. Like most new teachers, I had been taught a great deal of educational theory, but was given very little practical advice about arranging my classroom, managing my class space, and making lesson plans. Brandvik's book provides a ton of useful suggestions and ideas that can be put to use in any classroom. I highly recommend this book to any teacher, from those in their first year who are hungry for new ideas to those who have been in the profession a while and want to rejuvinate their methods.

This book was great. I like the part were they were galloping in the morning and Lisa thought that Phil or Stevie had gotten hurt when she didn't see them when they got to the top of the hill. I also like it when they were on the walk and Stevie almost fell! This book was so cool it was funny to I had my friends laughing the hole time we were riding our horses. It was kind of weried when Stevie and Phil were always on oppsite teams. This book was cool and even if your not a Stevie-fan this book talks about Lisa and how she has to do something for school and it talks about carole and how she has to help the younger riders. I liked this book and I know that if your a horse-fan you'll like it to.

I think the book was great! It's about when the saddle club's going on the MTO (Mountain Trail Overnight) and this time Phil's coming along too! Stevie is really exited, but when Jo Novick comes and asks Stevie to help him with his horse, Phil sees and gets Jealous. So he goes and helps Betsy Cavangh, and Stevie is not really happy with him. Things go from bad, to worse when the MTO starts. I thought it was funny when Carole dreamed of swatting giant Mosquitoes and instead hit Stevie in real life instead! I recomend this book to peale who love horses!

It's been nearly 2 years since I read this book. But I remember that it was good! The thing I remember most about it, though, was on the M.T.O. (Mountain Trail Overnight), Carole had a funny dream about giant mosquitos, and she was trying to hit them. She ended up hitting Stevie in real life, instead of mosquitos in the dream! Overall, this is a great book and you should get it!

I am an elementary school teacher and one of my students - an extremely thoughtful and insightful 7 year-old - gave me an angelfood cake (with this book) for an end-of-the-year gift. She told me to be careful when I eat the cake and to look for the surprise. I was finishing up my room cleaning and had a piece of the cake, but unfortunately, the rest of the cake went bad in the heat. I looked through the rest of the cake to find a thimble. Puzzled, I read the book and cried through the last part of it. For anyone who is wanting to show good wishes, love, luck, modern angels watching over you or just a TERRIBLY wonderful and sentimental gesture towards someone...Read this book, bake an angelfood cake with a thimble in it and give book and cake as a gift. My thimble is in my china cabinet next to my fine crystal and Hummell figurines - it has that much heartfelt value. If you are "angel phobic" or concerned about religious undertones - it really has none. No preaching involved, just simply a FEEL GOOD story.There's no rhyme or reason to the illustrations which are detailed, subtle, yet bright and the storyline is quite cleaver and unpredictable. But it is the meaning woven into the words and storyline that is honest, loving and genuine. One to treasure for generations!

When I was nine, my favorite teacher gave me this book to read. It was incredibly imaginative and it put a smile to my face on even the worst of days. For my mother's birthday, i used the exact recipe and directions for the The High Rise Glorious Skittle Skat Roarious Sky Pie Angel Food Cake to bake her the very best birthday surprise ever! Read it today!

What a perfect marriage of words and pictures! This is the story of a girl who wants to give her mother a birthday gift more precious than gold: something that blends love, nostalgia and magic with good cake. She is aided (and abetted) in this venture by her goofy, unwitting uncle, and a trio of the most endearing angels ever illustrated. (Check out how the oldest angel's socks don't match!) The finely drawn pictures are delightfully evocative and reward close inspection. The whole book soars with whimsy, glory, and love. A keepsake.

I read this for a book report at school, and I loved it! Silver dreams of getting a dog for her thirteenth birthday, because she has been lonely ever since her parents and baby sister died in a car accident. But her grandfather, who she now lives with, tells her that she'll get a dog over his dead body. I won't tell the end, but it has a good ending-so read this book!

Great somewhat Christian book. Silver is like every 12 year old girl (i know being one myself)except without the makeup and boys outlook (yes finally!). All Silver wants is a dog I remember before I got one wanting one soooo bad!. Won't tell the end but loved it anyway!!!!!!

My daughter Kristen loved reading this book. We even purchased a copy from the publisher to give to Kristen last Christmas. Kristen would love to write to Linda High about Hound Heaven. Does the author have an e-mail address? Or, if Linda High reads this message could you please contact Kristen at mygirlkns@aol.com. Thank you.

This book continues the Roswell saga where the other one finished off.with Micheal held captive by Valenti (who gets hot under the collar by the end-literally)and meets 3 new playmates there's a new girl in town in the form of traitor Cameron who Mikey is smitten with and cute (or is he,Max?) innocent Alien Adam who loves Daddy Valenti until he finds out what he is and then escapes the compound and falls for our resident princess Liz much to Maxs dismay, the scene in the car where Max obsesses about whether or not Adam is cute is so funny i went into hysterics. The endeing is funfilled with the gang springing Mikey from the compound and finding out a little something about Adam in the process, all is revealed in the next installment. chock full of shocks suprises and sweetness esp. Max and Liz a must read for everyone. i personally could not put it down and have banned my sisters grubby mitts from EVER reading it.

Everything is this book was great! The romance just fit so perfectly just like a puzzle. It was awesome. The plot was also great in every way. The story between Max and Liz was phenomonel. It was a one of the best in the series.

This is a great book it not only contains Sci-fi but also romance action and suspense. I just got the next book the Stoaway which is sure to be a great one too! I recomend this book to everybody!

I'm a die-hard Roswell fan so it's hard for me not to like this book, but people who do not watch the series will like it too. The book is aimed at a young teen audience and because of that, the writing can be very simplistic. I still enjoyed it. I didn't need an elaborate writing style to evoke the world of Roswell for me. Metz has wit and writes her characters very well. One of the wonderful things about the Roswell High books is the humor. You will never run out of one-liners! The romance and sci-fi and action elements are balance perfectly - by the end you will have no choice but to buy the 2nd one. Trust me...I tried to resist, but ended up getting all ten. (I suggest buying 2 or 3 books at a time...you'll get through them pretty fast.)

If you love the TV show you will love this book. There are a few differences such as name changes or the Pod-squad's mythology. The only thing that I didn't like was the fact that Max Evans had blonde hair! (I read it and change it to brown in my mind - I know...what can I say? I'm a fan.) All in all it's a great read - A lot of fun.

This book is about Isabel, Max, and Michael being a little diffrent from ordinary teenagers at their highschool. Little did Maria and Liz know that they are about to be in to this big secret. That Max, Isabel, and Michael had survived the Roswell crash in 1959. The were incubated in a a hard substance and were put up for adoption at a young age. Now still living in Rosewell, New Mexico they want to learn more about their past lives and meet their real parents. Until Sheriff Valenti comes to town and has a wierd feeling about these three teenagers. How will Maria and Liz handle this news when they find out this big secret? How will they react? Read the book and you will find out! I think that this book is a most read for all people that enjoy the TV show on Wednesday nights. If you read the books you will have a better understanding of the plot of the show. If you love Science Fiction books this is also a most read. But I think that for now I'll stick with the TV show.

"The Outsider" was an awsome I could not put it down. It is really interesting how they mix alien life and human life together. And it is very action filled. I would read it a second time just to get the juice going. And the characters are very intersesting and the author Melinda Metz is a very good writer. I would say that readers anywhere from 12-25 could read this cause it is interesting.

This book gives a glimpse into how we live our daily lives. Just like Much-Afraid we travel through the Valley of Loss and walk along the Sea of Loneliness. We always must trust God no matter where He asks us to go, no matter what He asks He do. Like Much-Afraid we will encounter Pride, Anger, and Jealousy and we will call on the Shepherd and He will help us. The seed of true love was planted in Much-Afraid's heart and when she reached the High Places she finally learned what it felt like to be truly loved. The love we experience in this world is nothing compared to the love Jesus has for us. He wants to love and help you but you must ask for Him to. The journey to the High Places is a hard one Much-Afraid learns but the destination is well worth the journey. Learning to give our entire life to Jesus is hard but the reward of knowing Him is more amazing than anything we could ever want or desire. My favorite part of this book was when the Lord asked Much-Afraid what she would do if He lied to her and her reply was "My Lord-if you can decieve me, you may. It can make no difference. I must love you as long as I continue to exist. I cannot live without loving you." I know personally I could not live without God in my life and taking care of me and I hope everyone that reads this review feels the same way.

This is an extended allegory taken from Habakkuk 3:19 about God making one's feet like hind's feet in overcoming difficulties in life. The author talks about observing the animals in action for herself and discovering that "their motion was one of the most beautiful examples of exultant and apparently effortless ease in surmounting obstacles which I have ever seen." The reference to hind's feet is also found in Psalms 18:33.

The first chapter starts with an invitation to the high places. It is in the concluding few chapters that she reconnects back to the book's primary theme. Numerous Christians have been encouraged by this book and chances are you will be too.

I first read this beautifully written book several years ago, when I was going through a not-so-happy time in my life. It is a beautiful and encouraging story, especially for Christians, but also for anyone who has suffered in life (my sister read this book & loved it, and she is not a religious person at all). The allegory is wonderful... Much Afraid's crippled feet represent an inability to walk successfully alone and reach higher places. Her twisted mouth represents the speaking of shameful, wrong, or cowardly things that don't befit a servant of the Lord... or perhaps an inability to speak her true heart. Her companions are called Sorrow & Suffering... but when they are revealed in true form, you will cry with understanding! All in all, you'll certainly adore this book if you read it, especially if you are troubled or just discovering God. I know I did.

_The High King_ brings to a rousing conclusion Lloyd Alexander's magnificent blending of Welsh mythology and Tolkienesque heroic fantasy. This is definitely the most reminiscent of _The Lord of the Rings_ of all the Prydain books, but that isn't a bad thing. Tolkien had the right formula, and there's nothing wrong with using it, as long as you use it well--which Alexander certainly does. In this novel Taran finally becomes a full-fledged hero, following the quests and disappointments of the preceding novel. If _Taran Wanderer_ was the quietest of the series, this more than makes up for it, with treacherous lords, deathless Cauldron-Born, and relentless Huntsmen aplenty. Alexander weaves together all the threads he has spun in the previous novels, but without appearing to force anything. I read this novel first in the series, which definitely wasn't a good idea. But even without the others, it was excellent. As the capstone of an excellent series, it is superb.

I've loved Lloyd Alexander's classic series ever since I read "The Book of Three" in elemantary school. A well-chosen Christmas gift from my parents ensured that I got my hands on the next four books, concluding with "The High King".

One of the strengths of this series is that the characters learn and grow from one book to the next; it's great to see Taran from "The Book of Three", who reminds me rather of myself at that age (*grin*) grow up to take the responsibilities he has earned by the end of "The High King".

Alexander's use of Welsh mythology is excellent and for the most part right on target, though Arawn isn't quite as malevolent a figure in myth as he is in the Chronicles of Prydain, and the Gwydion of the Mabinogion is as much a trickster as he is a hero. (This isn't really a criticism; these are books for children, and I know that making Arawn and Gwydion more ambiguous characters would have confused me when I was younger.) The Triple Goddess, the people of Twylyth Teg, the people of Llyr--they're all here, forming a seamless and very real-feeling backdrop to the main characters' adventures.

Older readers may be interested in checking out the Mabinogion, the main body of Welsh myth that has survived the ages, after finishing this series. Gwyn Thomas and Kevin Crossley-Holland's "Tales from the Mabinogion" is an excellent edition to try, with beautiful illustrations.

Overall, the Chronicles of Prydain remain among my favorite stories, with "The High King" the best of the lot. I highly recommend them.

Lloyd Alexander's The High King is a good book. Taran Wanderer gets word from Kaw (his pet crow) that Princess Eilonwy has come back to Caer Dallben. She is accompanied by an old friend Prince Runn. Actually he's King Runn, because of the fact that Runn's father, King Ruddlum, had died. Be prepared reader. In this book people die. For example King Runn dies. Another character close to Taran dies. Parts of the book are very sad but the whole book is very good. Old friend reunite. Doli and Fflewdur Ffam join up with Taran and Eilonwy. Prince Gwydion, Taran, and the Sons of Don are on a journey to recover the sword Dyrnwyn and to destroy Arawn, the lord of death. Why don't you try fighting against vast armies of deathless warriors and you tell me if you think it would be fun to be a war leader. Taran does and he actually wins. Taran uses his brain and not any magic. In the end the overall quest may or may not succeed. To find out if the group succeeds, you will have to read the book yourself.

I liked this book because it keeps you on the edge of your seat. Some parts of the book are really funny, like when Gurgi and Eilonwy are captured by bandits and Gurgi is saying "No crackings and smackings on poor tender head!" And the bandits are just about to kill them when they are rescued by a pack of wolves. The wolves are a pack of Medwyn's. Two of the wolves Gurgi and Eilonwy already knew. Another reason why I like this book is because there are a lot of war scenes. There are some warriors called the cauldron warriors also known as the cauldron born. These warriors are deathless warriors who, when they are far from their master and Annuvin they get weaker and slower. This book is part of a great series of books called The Chronicles of Prydain. If you plan to read this novel you should plan on reading the series. Start with The Book of Three and finish with The High King.

This was one of the best Sweet Valley Senior Year Books by far!After Conner kicked out Liz, I absolutely HATED him with a passion!But after this book, may I say he is forgiven and then some. I knew that Will was a jerk and a butthead, so none of that surprised me. I loved how this book was funny AND sweet at the same time! I recommend this book be nominated for some big time award! Okay, I know, I know, that's a little exaggerated, but this was a REALLY good book! Go Conner!

"All About Love" picks up where the wild party in the previous book left off--with a prim-and-proper Elizabeth Wakefield getting drunk and unexpectedly being rescued by a chivalrous Conner McDermott. After that knight-in-shining-armor scene, it appears that Conner is half-man enough to get involved with Liz once again, where before he was too commitment-phobic to even speak to her, for fear of being tied down to one person.

Will Simmons and Jessica Wakefield are obviously having some problems in this book. For starters, Will repeatedly compares Jessica to his long-term ex-girlfriend, Melissa Fox; and Jessica thinks Will is being too possessive and pushy for her taste--plus she's not entirely over her ex either. Things get worse, though, when they decide to double date with Conner and Elizabeth, and one of them walks out during the meal.

Personally, I've never cared for Will. He's obviously not over Melissa, and I still can't excuse his previous spineless behavior concerning the rumors about Jessica.

Meanwhile, Andy Marsden, the joke-cracking slacker (one of my favorite characters in this book), is trying to get "serious" (if you can ever call him that) about raising his GPA and SAT scores for college--but fails miserably. It's amusing how easily he's distracted, like when he finds his old Game Boy hiding on the floor of his closet.

Overall, "All About Love" is another great addition to the SVH Senior Year series, though the title is a little misleading if you're expecting an in-depth explanation on love or expect everyone to be happy with who they're currently with--and that just won't happen, because where would the fun be in that? The unknown ghostwriter (Francine Pascal is just the creator of this series, not the actual writer) continues to generate enjoyably fast-paced stories that are barely printed fast enough for her(?) hungry fans, who can usually devour one or more of them a day. The chat room conversations, short stories, and journal entries certainly make this series more hip and popular than other teen romance series out there.

wow, i really loved this book. id have to say that this might be the best one in the series. I have been waiting forever for conner to finally admit that he does care about Liz and then freaking not dump her after a week. Thank god that didnt happen, like maria and all his other "conquests". although, i did feel bad for maria for a splitsecond about them getting together...since she was so crushed before. oh wait, shes dating Ken. nevermind, i guess this is a good book because my favorite couple finally admited that they were in l-o-v-e and are happy about it. :) doesnt it make you wish there were a conner for everyone?
makes me wish that...;)

All of the Brambly Hedge books are wonderful. The stories are gentle and imaginative, and the illustrations are detailed and creative. I'd give all of them 5 stars except for one thing: the size of the books. On one hand their smaller size gives them a certain charm, but the first Brambly Hedge book I saw was one I took from the library in a "standard" picture book size, and you could just get lost in the illustrations. The smaller size of these books detracts from the loveliness of the pictures -- it's much more difficult to pick out the wonderful details, and the color is also a little less vibrant than the version I had seen, again making it hard to pick things out. What a disappointment, because the illustrations are half the charm of the books. If they had only made these books larger, they'd be perfect in every way.

When I was a kid, I loved these books, I was delighted to find these here, as I still have my original copies from childhood. For those who love the artwork, target has the whole line!!

My daughter and her children and I all love the Brambly Hedge series. The stories and illustrations are fabulous. Anyone interested in porcelain will also love collecting the Brambly Hedge teaset and wall plates by Royal Doulton. Fabric is also available for quilts, tablecloths, etc. Brambly Hedge is a wonderful place to visit.