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The author gives a 'lateral' approach to cultural changes, groupings. He shows that trends are both recent and yet many have occurred throughout history.

The content of this book is self-explanatory, as revealed by the title. The reason I ranked this book as five-star is not because its detailed and comprehensive researches on how different cultures (which is one, but not only, critical element about human behaviors and thinking according to the book) affecting human nature. Instead, it's the AUTHOR'S THINING STYLES AND PROCESSES that impress me most. The author explcitly, and skillfully, articulates how he came up with each idea in the book. This makes me, as a reader, feel that I was having a face-to-face conversation with the author when reading. The author analyzed his own thinking processes like an open book(just an analogy here, don't take it literally hehe), like a psychology surgeon dissecting his own thoughts. Also, the readers may not only benefit from the concrete knowledge from the book, but also, more importantly, from improving the readers own thinking abilities by modelling the author's. I would say this book can be viewed as a reasoning guide book as well.

I am using this book with my elementary school-aged children to help teach them eye-hand coordination and basic scissor skills. The kids love cutting out the challenging but fun costumes and are motivated to do their best work. This book utilizes heavier stock paper which is easier for the children to manipulate. There are dozens of outfits in a wide variety of themes, so you are sure to find something to please. I had just as much fun as the children cutting out the clothing and dressing up George.

These are colorful and imaginatively designed paper airplanes. All you need to assemble them are sissors, glue, and paper clips. Assembly is straightforward. Now, the planes won't win any contest for distance in flying. They often don't fly in a straight line. But my 3 year old boy loves them. He loves it when Daddy builds an airplane for him. They fly, and even fly after getting beat up by a 3-year old's play. Just think, 8 airplanes for $5. What a great deal. I gave these these to my son at Christmas and have built 4 already (3 months later). I suggest you don't build them all at once. Space them out as treats. I highly recommend these!

This is a great book that will add flavor to your storytime! Grab the children's interest as you literally 'cut' a picture of the story you are telling!Jean Warren displays her talent with curriculum once again with this one. You'll never tell the 'same old story' again!

Danielle is part of The Keepsake Collection of three-dimensional paper dolls based on classic, antique dolls. She is based on a French bebe created by Emile Jumeau around 1880. The costumes can be worn with any doll in the series. (Only one other doll is named - Aimee.) The doll, her trunk and some of her accessories are printed on glossy card stock. The outfits are printed on glossy paper. The colors are brilliant; the dresses are lovely. She has a red, fur-edged coat. Her dresses have plenty of buttons and bows and lots of lace. They range in color from emerald and blue to purple and deep peach. She has six different outfits in all. She has a portfolio to hold her accessories. She has a black trunk to hold her outfits. Unfortunately, the trunk won't hold Danielle. Her main body is 8 inches tall with another 2 to 3 inches for her head. The trunk is only five inches long and 3 and ½ inches wide when assembled. This isn't a paper doll for young children. Danielle and her trunk are quite intricate to put together. There are two pages of instructions at the back of the book. You'll need scissors and glue. The author recommends a Low temperature glue gun for card stock items and a glue stick for the outfits. Optional items you may need include a pencil, clear tape and an x-acto knife. Danielle consists of a stand, a cone-shaped main body and a head. Her outfits have both an underskirt and an over dress. She and her outfits have a back and a front. You have to dress her before you put her head on. The trunk is really a box when you put it together. This is a wonderful collectible paper doll.

David and the Giant is a delightful book. It tells the storyof David and Goliath in a way that has our son captivated and theartwork is bright and interesting. We have been searching for bible story books that would engage and interest our 2 1/2 year old for sometime. We have finally found a real winner! I highly recommend this book!

The big budget movie of "The Alamo" that is opening next month was supposed to open last December. Supposedly the reason for the delay was that the director needed to work on the film some more but the big rumor was that he had to change part of the ending which depicted Davy Crockett (Billy Bob Thornton) surviving the final battle and then being executed by General Santa Anna along with a few other prisoners. The story was that Texans were outraged by this distortion of history and insisting that the film show Crockett going down fighting, as was seen in John Wayne's version of "The Alamo" (and even going back to Fess Parker in the stories of Davy Crockett aired on "The Wonderful World of Disney").

In this volume of Scholastic's In Their Own World series, George Sullivan explains the conflicting stories about Crockett's death at the Alamo, explaining to young readers the origins of the two conflicting stories. More importantly, this juvenile biography of Davy Crockett is based on his own personal recollections, letters, and newspaper articles. Crockett's declaration from his own 1834 biography, published two years before the siege of the Alamo, "I stood no chance to become great in any other way than by accident," becomes a guiding idea in Sullivan's biography. The goal is to help separate the legends from the reality, but Sullivan does provide insights into both.

I certainly learned a lot of new information about Crockett's life. Crockett's autobiography was basically written for his last campaign for Congress. I always knew he had lost his last election and headed off for Texas, but I did not know that this was the second time he had been defeated for reelection: he won in 1827 and 1829, was defeated in 1831, reelected in 1833, and then defeated the final time in 1835. Nor did I know that the remains of the Alamo defenders are in a sealed marble casket in a San Antonio church. I especially like the contemporary art work , which includes several illustrations from the books and almanacs the helped created the Crockett legend.

Interest in Crockett will certainly be renewed by the new movie and Sullivan's biography will impress all the young readers who come across it. Sullivan covers Crockett's extraordinary life from growing up in the backwoods of Tennessee to how he made it to the U.S. Congress. His sense of humor and dedication to helping others were constant elements and young students will be surprised to learn Crockett ran away from home when he was only thirteen and even though he was a poor speller ended up being a frontier judge. Additionally, Sullivan takes pains to not only separate fact from fiction but explain where some of the Crockett legends sprang from in this solid juvenile biography.

The setting of this book is so real. The places really are there. The story continues the saga that started in the first book of this series-Waterview Manor. The characters were the same as we met before and just as lively, curious, and endearing. The author presented the details in such a real way but used just the right touch of imagination to keep the story moving smoothly. I recommend this book and hope the author is planning another book for these characters.

For the millions of descendants of those erstwhile Islay citizens who left those shores for "new worlds" Freda Ramsay's edition of this diary is a strongly framed portrait of the currents of daily life on this speck of land which was once the seat of the Lords of the Isles and a major crossroads of Western Europe.

For the neophyte historian or searcher for genological roots, the daybook's entries will regularly pose questions which should send the reader scurrying to other resource material. For those better versed in island history of this period, this Day Book provides a reliable view of community affairs on Islay and similarly on other nearby islands.

The few stateside copies of this book are crumbling so it is tragic that the Aberdeen University press is not keeping it in circulation. Send them an e mail to encourage reprinting. END