Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life

Book Description

Bestselling author Barbara Kingsolver returns with her first nonfiction narrative that will open your eyes in a hundred new ways to an old truth: You are what you eat.

"As the U.S. population made an unprecedented mad dash for the Sun Belt, one carload of us paddled against the tide, heading for the Promised Land where water falls from the sky and green stuff grows all around. We were about to begin the adventure of realigning our lives with our food chain.

"Naturally, our first stop was to buy junk food and fossil fuel. . . ."

Hang on for the ride: With characteristic poetry and pluck, Barbara Kingsolver and her family sweep readers along on their journey away from the industrial-food pipeline to a rural life in which they vow to buy only food raised in their own neighborhood, grow it themselves, or learn to live without it. Their good-humored search yields surprising discoveries about turkey sex life and overly zealous zucchini plants, en route to a food culture that's better for the neighborhood and also better on the table. Part memoir, part journalistic investigation, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle makes a passionate case for putting the kitchen back at the center of family life and diversified farms at the center of the American diet.

"This is the story of a year in which we made every attempt to feed ourselves animals and vegetables whose provenance we really knew . . . and of how our family was changed by our first year of deliberately eating food produced from the same place where we worked, went to school, loved our neighbors, drank the water, and breathed the air."

Customer Reviews:

Thinking about your food.......2007-10-05

Ms Kingsolver writes smoothly and with passion about organic farming. Sidebars from her college age daughter cover practical personal concerns, complete with recipes to enjoy the seasonal bounty of the land; while ones from her husband give the political overview of how farming policies affect us all on a world level. All in my book group enjoyed the book as a whole. It was obviously edited tightly to be easy and fast to read while still introducing ideas that would be unusual to most people in North America. As one with a extensive backyard fruit and vegetable garden in California, I would have enjoyed more detailed planning information on how she decided what and how much to plant, why she did not try to raise more and different animals for food, (e.g., rabbits, sheep, or even guinea pigs)and what she could have done with a greenhouse and solar or wind power.

Powerful Read.......2007-10-04

I think this is an important book about our society, economy and values. While it can be a bit preachy at times, Barbara's humor is wonderfully dry. I highly recommend.

Great book and fun to read! .......2007-10-01

I loved the book, it was informative and entertaining. Everyone can benefit from reading it and trying to follow Barbara's lead.

Lifechanging book.......2007-10-01

I heard an interview on NPR with the author and purchased this book because her ideas were very interesting to me. I was not disappointed. This book was riveting and eye opening. I've been checking out the websites suggested in the book to find local harvest information and I intend to frequent my local farmers and farmers markets during next years growing season and maybe even try my hand at canning. I'm hooked. Thank you so much for this wonderful informative book.

Totally Awesome!.......2007-09-29

This is one of the best books on what's wrong with our Farm Bill and our Standard American Diet (SAD) and how to fix it! The Kingsolver family have done a great and wonderful service for our country and the world by creating this wonderful book. It should be required reading in every school in the country!

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Seasons of Delight
Tasha Tudor
Manufacturer: Philomel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0399213082

Average customer rating:

All Time Classic
Life Lessons
Not Free SF Reader
Great Book
BOOKREADER

Charlotte's Web (Trophy Newbery)
E. B. White
Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0064400557
Release Date: 2004-12-14

Product Description

These are the words in Charlotte's web, high in the barn. Her spiderweb tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, as well as the feelings of a little girl named Fern ... who loves Wilbur, too. Their love has been shared by millions of readers.

Amazon.com

An affectionate, sometimes bashful pig named Wilbur befriends a spider named Charlotte, who lives in the rafters above his pen. A prancing, playful bloke, Wilbur is devastated when he learns of the destiny that befalls all those of porcine persuasion. Determined to save her friend, Charlotte spins a web that reads "Some Pig," convincing the farmer and surrounding community that Wilbur is no ordinary animal and should be saved. In this story of friendship, hardship, and the passing on into time, E.B. White reminds us to open our eyes to the wonder and miracle often found in the simplest of things.

Customer Reviews:

All Time Classic.......2007-10-03

This is a timeless coming of age story and an all time classic good read. Farmgirl Fern saves the pig Wilbur, the runt of the litter. She raises him like one of the family as much as possible. Wilbur is horrified, afraid and lonely when he's sold to Fern's uncle. To help him through this difficult time, Charlotte the spider becomes his friend and undertakes the writing challenges of her life when she spins words into her web to help save Wilbur's life. Meanwhile, Fern is growing up, becoming interested in boys and spending less time with Wilbur. Wilbur is taken to compete at the county fair and Charlotte goes along, even though it's the twilight of her life. She gives her all for Wilbur at the fair and in return, Wilbur saves her egg sac and takes it back to the farm with him upon her death. The next spring the little spiders hatch and begin to leave and Wilbur, who desperately misses Charlotte, believes he's destined to be alone. However, three of Charlotte's offspring decide to stay at the farm with Wilbur, insuring that he will have friends in the future. Wilbur welcomes them to the farm and tells the baby spiders about their mother and her legacy.

Along with the main characters, there's a cast of additional farm animals that help move the story along. It's good read for kids, and I've reread it as an adult. I liked it just as much then as the first time I read it. So will you.

Life Lessons.......2007-10-01

What a great book. One of the themes of this work is the reality of death. The author approaches this topic with the delicacy required for the young audience.

Wilbur is faced with possibility of an early demise because he is the runt of his litter. His wise and caring friend, Charlotte, devises a plan to save his life and though it works, she looses her life in the end.

The book is much more than this theme alone, but it is the most salient and captivating.

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

A very good children's story that use the mechanism of talking insects,
as well as arachnids, of course, to discuss friendship, life, and
death, and the roles of things in the world.

Perhaps a little sentimental, given the amount of pig saving antics that are found within. People have to eat, after all.

Great Book.......2007-05-29

Thanks for the fast delivery and good condition of the book. Perfect satisfaction!!!!!!

BOOKREADER.......2007-05-27

THIS STORY IS A TRUE COLLECTOR. THE ANIMALS IN THE STORY IS THE BEST PART AS THE SPIDER AND OTHERS COME TO LIFE AND HAVE TRUE FEELINGS...............

Average customer rating:

A Brilliant Satire of Government Politics!!!
The Rise of Totalitarianism
A historical commentary
All Animals Are Equal But Some Animals Are More Equal Than Others.
Best book I was ever forced to read

Animal Farm (Signet Classics)
George Orwell
Manufacturer: Signet Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0451526341
Release Date: 2004-01-06

Amazon.com

Since its publication in 1946, George Orwell's fable of a workers' revolution gone wrong has rivaled Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea as the Shortest Serious Novel It's OK to Write a Book Report About. (The latter is three pages longer and less fun to read.) Fueled by Orwell's intense disillusionment with Soviet Communism, Animal Farm is a nearly perfect piece of writing, both an engaging story and an allegory that actually works. When the downtrodden beasts of Manor Farm oust their drunken human master and take over management of the land, all are awash in collectivist zeal. Everyone willingly works overtime, productivity soars, and for one brief, glorious season, every belly is full. The animals' Seven Commandment credo is painted in big white letters on the barn. All animals are equal. No animal shall drink alcohol, wear clothes, sleep in a bed, or kill a fellow four-footed creature. Those that go upon four legs or wings are friends and the two-legged are, by definition, the enemy. Too soon, however, the pigs, who have styled themselves leaders by virtue of their intelligence, succumb to the temptations of privilege and power. "We pigs are brainworkers. The whole management and organisation of the farm depend on us. Day and night, we are watching over your welfare. It is for your sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples." While this swinish brotherhood sells out the revolution, cynically editing the Seven Commandments to excuse their violence and greed, the common animals are once again left hungry and exhausted, no better off than in the days when humans ran the farm. Satire Animal Farm may be, but it's a stony reader who remains unmoved when the stalwart workhorse, Boxer, having given his all to his comrades, is sold to the glue factory to buy booze for the pigs. Orwell's view of Communism is bleak indeed, but given the history of the Russian people since 1917, his pessimism has an air of prophecy. --Joyce Thompson

Book Description

Orwell's brilliant 1946 satire, chronicling a revolution staged by the animals on Mr. Jones's farm.

Customer Reviews:

A Brilliant Satire of Government Politics!!!.......2007-10-07

George Orwell was not only the author of 1984 but Animal Farm as well as written numerous essays, articles, etc. about his take on politics. In 1984, society was in the future under a totalitarian dictatorship where nothing was sacred or left to chance. In Animal Farm which I think it's more effective and definitely better reading material than 1984 is the story about a farm of animals who take over the farm against Jones, a drunken, abusive farmer and master of Manor Farm. At first, the rules were applied but slowly changed according to the leaders' rules. The animals in charge were symbolically pigs named Napoleon and his right-hand man, Snowball. Napoleon begins breaking the rules by sleeping in the main house and having parties with the other pigs. The rules or commandments are representative of Moses and the Jews when they were going to the promised land and received the ten commandments. Also, the rules begin to change when the pigs in charge become more like Jones by abusing alcohol and even killing other animals when they disobeyed. Slowly, the animals that were once united by their hatred towards Jones were becoming divided again amongst themselves. The story is quite a classic novel and better suited for younger readers than 1984.

The Rise of Totalitarianism.......2007-10-07

Animal Farm is a strong metaphor for the rise of tyranny using the model of a failing communism after the deliberate overthrow and subsequent breakdown of capitalism and democracy. In Orwell's story oppressed farm animals rebel against their masters only to find themselves falling prey to the inherent problem of an escalating despotism following emancipation that culminates in an even vaster gap of inequality between upper and lower classes with the wants of the very few outweighing the needs of a neglected majority that are slowly turned into isolated brainwashed slaves controlled by fear.

The ideology of equality is sound but in overthrowing the ruling elite who cannot say that yet another privileged will not emerge? An even stronger dictatorship that can control the masses with the intimidating thought that if the populace doesn't obey any order then the old ways can come back? What makes Animal Farm so good is that it explains how revolutions designed to close the differences in rank can be easily exploited. This is the inevitable dilemma faced by all civilizations that desire governed order and is especially true of socialism and communism. Nobody has captured the difficulty of the exploitation of trust and power any better than Orwell has done with Animal Farm.

Animal Farm doesn't answer any questions but makes lots of them and is all about awareness of these possibilities, a conundrum born out from our systemic need to consolidate power socially.

Orwell based his work on a combination of the Bolshevik revolutionaries and Stalinism but the overall message is a one of warning about how any system of political control can become corrupt if it is allowed run with carte blanche.

It is also a message about how awareness of one's own strength can suddenly change the balance and for this reason has been seen as subversive material. Animal Farm is often banned by most totalitarian regimes and even some governments had banned it because they didn't understand it or believed that its anti-communism message was considered too strong for public consumption.

A historical commentary.......2007-09-30

Best book ever written. It's important to note that it is not only about Russian Communism but equally about the French revolution. Orwell himself was a disillusioned socialist, so to view this book (as conservatives do) as a simple polemical against Communism is a distortion. Rather it is a tragedy about many years of history.

Orwell correctly never denies that Mr. Jones abused his animals. He correctly recognizes the socialist dream as exactly that. It's worth noting that the theme song of the revolution, "Beasts of England" is an exact parody of the old Socialist poem "Men of England" by Percy Shelley from the early 19th century. The character Napoleon the pig is both Napoleon Bonaparte and Stalin. Orwell's relentless cynicism portrays most of the animals as far too stupid to realize what's happening as the revolution betrays its original principles. The most sympathetic character is the old donkey who knows better, but can only watch helplessly as the dogs and pigs establish their tyranny. Its ending corresponds closely with Napoleon (Bonaparte) crowning himself king.

As far as advice, Orwell offers none. Figure it out yourself.

All Animals Are Equal But Some Animals Are More Equal Than Others........2007-09-23

_Animal Farm: A Fairy Story_, fist published in 1946 by George Orwell (pen name of Eric Blair), is a satirical tale of a farm taken over and run by animals meant to satirize the totalitarianisms of the day and in particular communism and Stalinism. George Orwell (1903 - 1950) was the pen name of the British author Eric Blair, who developed an early enmity towards those in power and their abuses of power. Orwell was a socialist but came to witness the horrors of the Soviet state and the betrayal of his ideals by Stalinists. As such, Orwell came to loathe totalitarianism in general and wrote novels, including this book and _1984_, showing the degrading effects such societies (and in particular the communism of the Soviet state) had on people. Orwell's books are indeed prophetic and show us a world in which the very life-force has been sapped out of mankind by those in power. Orwell imagines a highly efficient totalitarian state, capable of enforcing political correctness at the highest levels, tampering with the memories of men (or animals as is the case in this book), and maintaining a total disregard for the truth. Orwell shows how under such regimes the very notion of truth becomes suspect and the individual can no longer distinguish between fact and state propaganda. This particularly applies to the Soviet Union under Josef Stalin, which is the primary setting for Orwell's stories. During the Second World War, when Stalin was regarded as an ally by many British, Orwell's stories came as a shock in that they showed the vile nature of the Soviet regime.

_Animal Farm_ begins as the Manor Farm of the human farmer Mr. Jones, who the animals believe exploit them. As such, the animals on the farm gather together and stage a rebellion against the human exploiters so that they may together own the farm to work for the benefit of all animals. The story begins as Old Major, a prize white boar near the end of his life, tells of a future society in which animals work together free from the exploitation of man. It has been suggested that Old Major very likely represents either Marx or Lenin, the precursors of the Russian revolution. Following this, all the animals join together in singing the traditional folk song "The Beasts of England", expressing their hope for a better society. Following this, the animals stage a revolt against Mr. Jones and drive him from the farm, assuming ownership of the farm themselves and re-naming it "Animal Farm". In particular, two pigs named Snowball and Napoleon come to play prominent parts as leaders; however, soon there develops rival factions surrounding each of these pigs. Together the animals create the Seven Commandments of Animalism, which maintain that all animals are equal and that those who go upon four legs or have wings are friends while those who go upon two legs are enemies. However, as the story continues, all seven of the commandments are eventually to be broken by the pig leadership. The animals then begin working together on the farm and design their own society ruled by animals. However, a rivalry develops between the pigs, Snowball and Napoleon. Snowball advocates building a windmill while Napoleon opposes it. Eventually, Napoleon and his dogs are to drive Snowball from the farm; however, the memory of Snowball is to forever come back and haunt the animals and he is systematically blamed for whatever goes wrong on the farm. It has been suggested that while Snowball represents the character Leon Trotsky from the Russian revolution, Napoleon represents the vile dictator Josef Stalin. Napoleon then begins consolidating his power and little by little takes over all aspects of the farm. Napoleon also uses propaganda and uses the pig Squealer to manipulate the animals and provide an alternate history which places Napoleon at the center of the rebellion. Other characters on the farm include the work horse Boxer (whose mottos "I will work harder" and "Napoleon is always right" serve to illustrate his persistence but whose role on the farm is cruelly exploited by the pigs and who is eventually cruelly killed by them - perhaps reminiscent of the Soviet Stakhanovite movement), the horses Clover and Mollie, the sheep (perhaps reminiscent of the proletariat), the raven Moses (who preaches of a "Sugarcandy mountain" in the sky where animals go after death - reminiscent of religion and the churches), the dogs (Napoleon's private guards), the cat, and Benjamin the donkey. As time passes, the pigs led by Napoleon begin abusing their power and breaking the Seven Commandments. They drink alcohol, they have dealings with humans on other farms, the stage a great show trial in which they slaughter animals believed to be spies for Snowball, etc. Throughout the book Napoleon continues to engage in negotiations with human owners of other farms and in particular a conflict develops between Mr. Frederick and Mr. Pilkington, reminiscent of other leaders that Stalin engaged in negotiations with. Meanwhile, life on the farm continues to grow worse and worse, with longer and harder working hours and less benefits, though the animals have forgotten whether life was better or worse under Mr. Jones. At the end, the animals see for themselves exactly what the pigs have wrought, as it is shown that the pigs are no different than the humans. This book also shows the collaboration between the big capitalists and the communist leaders, both of whom plotted against the people to consolidate power in the hands of a few. The book ends on a very disturbing note, in which we see the complete abandonment of the ideals which launched the rebellion by the pigs.

Orwell's books provide classic and disturbing accounts of the horrors of Soviet totalitarianism. They show us an efficient bureaucratic apparatus capable of sapping the life from the very people it claims to represent. As such, they are classic tales of the dangers that lurk behind totalitarianism and the manner in which human idealism is exploited by evil dictators. They are to be highly recommended to each new generation who seeks to understand the world in which we live today.

Postscript: In a truly disturbing fashion, this "Centennial Edition" comes with a pro-communist foreword by Ann Patchett which rails against the evils of "McCarthyism". I believe that this foreword is best ignored in light of the fact that this is an anti-communist work of fiction.

Best book I was ever forced to read.......2007-09-21

I'm quite old now, but many decades ago I was forced to read this in school. It was the first time I loved a book I was forced to read, and to this day it was the one I enjoyed the most at least until college.

Average customer rating:

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!
Utterly Meaningless Fabricated Music For Obnoxious Children
A carload full of fun
Fun!
A present for toddlers AND their parents

Philadelphia Chickens
Sandra Boynton
Manufacturer: Workman Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0761126368

Book Description

What an event! What a show! It's catchy and quirky. Tuneful and toe-tapping. Exuberant, unexpected, and utterly endearing. It's what happens when you take America's beloved illustrator and children's author and combine her buoyant genius with some of the most talented people on the stage—presenting Philadelphia Chickens!

Created by Sandra Boynton, Philadelphia Chickens is a family musical in a book, bringing together a full-color songbook of 17 1/2 illustrated story-poems with a full-length, fully orchestrated CD of original songs performed by the likes of Patti LuPone, Kevin Kline, Meryl Streep, The Bacon Brothers, and Laura Linney, who pleads "Please, Can I Keep It?"—it followed me home. / What exactly it is/ I don't know. Also joining in are Eric Stoltz, Natasha Richardson, Scott Bakula, and two Boyntons, including daughter Caitlin McEwan, who performs a piece that every little listener will relate to—a love song to the chocolate chip cookies that are just out of reach. With the collaboration of composer Michael Ford (known to Boynton fans from Rhinoceros Tap), Philadelphia Chickens is that rarest of kids' musical discs—one whose inimitable lyrics and music make it as sing-along, dance-along, cluck-along for parents as it is for their children.

Customer Reviews:

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-10-04

My daughter loves music and this is a fun, lively, entertaining album that we listen to all the time. Tunes are catchy and I find myself still listening after she goes to bed and am often still singing/humming the songs after I've turned it off.

Utterly Meaningless Fabricated Music For Obnoxious Children.......2007-09-14

My children love music. Our home is basically an opera house with all four of us singing about everything as we go through the day. As a homeschooling mom, I am looking for beautiful, creative, and meaningful music that will inspire us and bring joy to our day. The many good reviews for this book-album had me all happy about it. When I found it at our library, I was so excited!

My elation fell when I heard the opening number, Cows. "It MUST get better," I told myself as the droning/moaning "we're remarkable cows..." continued for nearly 3 minutes. Sadly the remaining 16.5 songs continued with only slight variations of obnoxiousness.

My almost 4-year-old daughter declared the music to be "Creepy," a word which I can't recall her ascribing to anything else in the world. It was like a bunch of automatons singing soullessly about random animal-related topics. I like silly stuff, I like animals, and I even can get along with pop culture to an extent. However, the lack of feeling in the singers' voices, the similarity of the songs to one another, and the overuse of meaninglessness immediately gave me the impression that the music was fabricated for sales, contrived not for love of music and beauty and art and children, but for success.
...And with me, it failed.

I give it 2 stars simply because the idea is good and it COULD have been well executed if the writers and singers were more creatively and passionately inclined.

But don't take my word for it...
Just borrow it from the library before you make the commitment.

A carload full of fun.......2007-09-10

My daughter borrowed this book from the library and didn't want to give it back. We borrowed it twice and then bought our own copy. She loves to dance and sing the songs...especially the one that the lion sings about being very busy! She almost has it memorized! I hope they make a DVD to go along with the songs!!!

Fun!.......2007-08-27

My kids love this book and CD, mostly the CD. It is fun! You can sing and dance and enjoy it as a child or an adult. It can be fun for the adults to guess the celebrities singing the songs. It is great for either dancing with the kids around the room or the kids singing themselves to sleep listening to it. I bought copies for my 2 nieces to enjoy too.

A present for toddlers AND their parents.......2007-08-19

This CD/book set was an impulse purchase for my granddaughters when they were six months and two-and-a-half. What an incredible find! You just have to laugh out loud at the funky lyrics, set to music that will have the whole family dancing. Seriously! Oh, you don't think you'll really dance? Well try it and see!

The older sister claimed at least six of the songs as her favorites ("Nanna, I like THIS ONE the best!") and the baby would drop everything and listen as soon as "Belly Button" started playing.

"Philadelphia Chickens" won't wear out its welcome -- many thanks to the brilliant Sandra Boynton and her cast of amazing performers. I've bought two copies of the CD for myself and wound up giving them away -- well, I meant to lend them but couldn't seem to get them back. DO give a toddler this wonderful gift, but you'd better get your own as well. It's a real ray of sunshine!

Average customer rating:

Great learning book!
One of our favorites!
Better Offerings Out There
Love this book!
Great Book

Big Red Barn Board Book (rpkg)
Margaret Wise Brown
Manufacturer: HarperFestival
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

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ASIN: 0694006246

Book Description

By the big red barn
In the great green field,
There was a pink pig
Who was learning to squeal.

There were horses and sheep and goats and geese--and a jaunty old scarecrow leaning on his hoe. And they all lived together by the big red barn. In joyous and exuberant

Pictures, Felicia Bond lovingly evokes Margaret Wise Brown's simple, rhythmic text about the cycle of a day on a farm, where a family of animals peacefully plays and sleeps.

In the barnyard there are roosters and cows, horses and goats, and a pink piglet who is learning to squeal. Margaret Wise Brown's lulling story about a day in the life of a barnyard is now available as a sturdy board book. Felicia Bond's atmospheric illustrations add to the tranquil simplicity of this story.

Customer Reviews:

Great learning book!.......2007-08-01

Our 18 month old daughter loves this book. Easy to read, easy for her to follow. We enjoy it at bedtime. Words and pictures teach animals, some numbers, colors, etc. Much to gain from this book! Highly recommend!

One of our favorites!.......2007-06-14

This book is such a classic. My kids love it, but it is also one of my favorites. As with most Margaret W. Brown books, the words just flow and capture the kids' attention. My son loves horses, so he really loves the pictures of the farm animals. I like this book even more than "Goodnight Moon."

Better Offerings Out There.......2007-05-13

The illustrations in this book are good but too small in the board book format for little ones. If you really want this book, purchase the traditional sized hardback edition.

Love this book!.......2007-05-12

I can recite this book by heart and so can my 2 1/2 year old grand daughter. Sometimes we will be driving or playing in the yard and I will start reciting and she will join in. At night when you read it together and look at the beautiful pictures, it calms you and relaxes you (and the child) and gets you set for a nice nights sleep. I can not give it more then 5 stars but I would if I could. Every good grandmother should have this in her arsenal!

Great Book.......2007-05-09

This is a great book to read to your child beginning at an early age. The colors are wonderful for them to look at. As you read the story you can teach them all about farm animals. Highly recommend this book to all parents.

Average customer rating:

A Darling Book!
Great read for kids and adults!
Cows on Strike!
Kids LOVE this book!
Great Kids Book

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type
Doreen Cronin
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0689832133

Amazon.com

The literacy rate in Farmer Brown's barn goes up considerably once his cows find an old typewriter and begin typing. To the harassed farmer's dismay, his communicative cows quickly become contentious:

Dear Farmer Brown,
The barn is very cold at night. We'd like some electric blankets.
Sincerely,
The Cows

When he refuses to comply with their demands, the cows take action. Farmer Brown finds another note on the barn door: "Sorry. We're closed. No milk today." Soon the striking cows and Farmer Brown are forced to reach a mutually agreeable compromise, with the help of an impartial party--the duck. But this poor, beleaguered farmer's "atypical" troubles are not over yet!

This hilarious tale will give young rebels-in-the-making a taste of the power of peaceful protest and the satisfaction of cooperative give and take. Witty watercolors by award-winning illustrator Betsy Lewin (Snake Alley Band, Araminta's Paint Box) will make this a favorite for one and all, even if words such as "ultimatum" and "neutral" throw the younger set. (Ages 5 to 8) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

Farmer Brown
has a problem.
His cows like to type.
All day long he hears

Click, clack, MOO.
Click, clack, MOO.
Clickety, clack, MOO.

But Farmer Brown's problems REALLY begin when his cows start leaving him notes....

Doreen Cronin's understated text and Betsy Lewin's expressive illustrations make the most of this hilarious situation. Come join the fun as a bunch of literate cows turn Farmer Brown's farm upside down.

Customer Reviews:

A Darling Book!.......2007-09-29

I love this book! It is so creative and fun to read and it has a sweet message. Children will love it. It is also available in Spanish. Another one of her books, "Dooby Dooby Moo," is also an absolutely wonderful book!

Great read for kids and adults!.......2007-09-26

This book is fun for kids with real-life humor. The cows and farmer are feuding over electric blankets. So, of course, "Being a neutral part, duck delivered the message."
It doesn't get any better than that!!!!

Cows on Strike!.......2007-09-04

This is one of those childrens books that I probably enjoy a lot more than my children -- and they enjoy it quite a bit. The cows are going on strike, typing letters to Farmer Brown to negotiate better "living conditions". By the time Farmer Brown relents through his intermediary, Duck, he's got another problem on his hand. Guess who? The Duck. Utterly enjoyable, this book makes me and my kids laugh every time I read it to them.

Kids LOVE this book!.......2007-08-18

This book has been read so many times at our house! Okay, honestly, the first time I read it, I thought it was just okay. -But, since I'm a grown up, I can be a little rusty on the kid wisdom of what's great and what's not. This book was an instant hit with our daughter and for a while she would request it every night! So then I was thrilled that she loved a book that much and since I was reading it so often, I came to love it too.

The story is about some sly cows that type out their demands and hold their goods till they get what they want. The hens are in cahoots as well. Farmer Brown types out his reply of noncompliance. Finally, a deal is struck and everyone is happy. -Until the ducks get a hold of typewriter and make out their own requests.

Recommended ages for this says 4-8, but I'm thinking this is more along the 2-6 range.

Great Kids Book.......2007-07-22

I don't have kids, but have given this to a number of friends' kids who are around age 3. It has been a big hit. It is fun for the adult to read also. One of my friend's little boys started "demanding" milk after hearing it a couple of time!

Average customer rating:

1984 - George Orwell
just what i wanted
Terrific reads.
Animal Farm and 1984
A Classic

Animal Farm and 1984
George Orwell
Manufacturer: Harcourt
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0151010269

Book Description

ANIMAL FARM

George Orwell's classic satire of the Russian Revolution is an intimate part of our contemporary culture. It is the account of the bold struggle, initiated by the animals, that transforms Mr. Jones's Manor Farm into Animal Farm--a wholly democratic society built on the credo that All Animals Are Created Equal. Out of their cleverness, the pigs Napoleon, Squealer, and Snowball emerge as leaders of the new community in a subtle evolution that proves disastrous. The climax is the brutal betrayal of the faithful horse Boxer, when totalitarian rule is reestablished with the bloodstained postscript to the founding slogan: But some Animals Are More Equal Than Others. . . .

1984

In 1984, London is a grim city where Big Brother is always watching you and the Thought Police can practically read your mind. Winston is a man in grave danger for the simple reason that his memory still functions. Drawn into a forbidden love affair, Winston finds the courage to join a secret revolutionary organization called The Brotherhood, dedicated to the destruction of the Party. Together with his beloved Julia, he hazards his life in a deadly match against the powers that be.

Customer Reviews:

1984 - George Orwell.......2007-10-01

On 1984:
In George Orwell's 1984, war is peace, freedom is slavery, and ignorance is strength. So goes the slogan that describes life in dystopian London, a city monstrously ruled by the totalitarian state of Oceania. Along with Oceania, the states of Eurasia and Eastasia rule the world. Their co-existence isn't peaceful, however, as the three states are perpetually at war with each other. In Oceania, the government's figurehead is Big Brother, who is a personification of the collective power of the state and not a real person. His "face" fills the streets on the poster fronts plastered all over the city with the words "Big Brother is Watching You" underneath his overbearing glare.

Winston Smith, the novel's main character, works for the Party (the government). He despises his job along with the Party and Big Brother, but under no circumstances is he allowed to show it. In fact, to so much as even think a thought against the Party or Big Brother is considered treasonous and punishable by death! At present time, the Party doesn't have the technology to read people's minds, but they are working on it. Instead they control behavior through telescreens (television panels) and microphones. In London, telescreens are ubiquitous and cannot be turned off or interacted with. Presumably there are agents monitoring activity nearly everywhere that a member of the Party might frequent through these devices. In addition to technological surveillance, there is also human surveillance offered by both children and adults. Citizens of Oceania and members of the Party in particular are encouraged to report any unusual behavior which is interpreted as disloyalty to the state. It becomes virtually impossible, then, to get away with saying or projecting any kind of dissidence towards the Party. Individualism of any kind is considered unorthodox and a threat to the state. Winston would not be allowed to read this review without risking his life.

Oceania's population is divided between Party members, who make up 15%, and the unintelligent and underprivileged proletariat, which round out the remaining 85%. The "Proles" as they are known, could theoretically rebel and destroy the Party, but they are too ignorant and simple-minded to even dream of it. Winston knows this to be true, though still reserves some faint hope that he could be wrong and that the Proles could rise against the machine. The only other hope he has of an overthrow lies in the mysterious existence of the Brotherhood, a shadow collective inside of Oceania seeking to eliminate the Party and establish a democratic government. Winston has never met a member of the Brotherhood because it is impossible to even approach somebody to find out if they are disgruntled with the Party. To do so would be to risk your life. If they caught you, you would be eliminated and dubbed an unperson in Newspeak (the official and preferred language of Oceania). You will never have existed.

This is why Winston was apprehensive when Julia, a girl working in the same government building, slipped him a note. Initially he had suspected that she was a member of the Thought Police, an organization involved with seeking out heretics or disloyal Party members. Was she trying to snuff him out? Had she tapped into his mind and found a reservoir of anti-government angst? Winston thought his days were numbered, but was she the one that would reveal this to the authorities?

Orwell has given the world a political and psychological masterpiece. Written in 1948 as a vision of how the world would look in 1984, Orwell's only fault has been the fact that the novel is more relevant today than during its namesake. In our ever-advancing technoage, 1984 stands as a caution and a warning against governmental controlling measures. But to view his novel as a reaction against totalitarianism is to miss the boat. Orwell also explores human nature from a multiplicity of levels. He examines the human thirst for power and how this thirst intensifies when a group fuses their collective thirsts into a giant groupthirst (to use Newspeak). He asks what ultimate loyalty really means and how it can be redistributed from one object to another. What will such a task require? Can pain or love or any human longing outlast or outperform the other? Can truth be altered? And if so, who has the right or the power to alter it? These questions and more are asked in 1984. Will your answers to the questions tow the Party line, or will you sigh in paranoiac relief that you can think for yourself?

On the quality of the edition:
The cover is hard and firm, just what you'd want from a hardcover edition. Unlike other hardcovers which bend easier, however, this version takes quite an effort to keep the book fully opened and bent back to read. This makes it impossible to read with one hand holding the book up. I read with the book placed on a surface, so I have no problems. But for others, this might be an issue. All in all, I am very satisfied with the quality of this edition.

just what i wanted.......2007-07-18

this was just the item i wanted so i was very well pleased with it.

Terrific reads........2007-06-13

We are living in George's nightmare !!ONE!1! =O

Animal Farm and 1984.......2007-02-12

I only wanted "1984" but was unable to find "1984" in a book apart from "Animal Farm". Otherwise the book and timelyness of shipping and receipt were great. You have made my Grand daughter happy with her gift.

A Classic.......2007-02-10

Should be required reading. A starkly written story with incredible accuracy considering it was written decades ago. Orwell is one of the best. Read Animal Farm also.

Barnyard in Your Backyard: A Beginner's Guide to Raising Chickens, Ducks, Geese, Rabbits, Goats, Sheep, and Cows

Average customer rating:

Fantastic!
great book!
Excellent book, on various farm animals
Best farm book yet
it is what the title says!

Barnyard in Your Backyard: A Beginner's Guide to Raising Chickens, Ducks, Geese, Rabbits, Goats, Sheep, and Cows
Gail Damerow
Manufacturer: Storey Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1580174566

Book Description

When is the right time to shear a sheep? Is there a market for manure? What time of day is best to collect eggs? What is the correct way to milk a goat? What does a duck eat? Can a cow and a sheep share the same pasture? Which types of rabbits are easiest to raise?

The perfect book for anyone who has ever dreamed of having that little place in the country, Barnyard in Your Backyard offers tried-and-true, expert advice on raising healthy, happy, productive farm animals: chickens, geese, ducks, rabbits, goats, sheep, and dairy cows.

Each chapter focuses on a different animal, discussing the pros and cons of raising the animal, housing and land requirements, feeding guidelines, health concerns, and a schedule for routine care. Species that are easy to raise, hardy, and companionable are profiled. First-time farmers will discover simple, clear instructions for caring for animals throughout the year, as well as guidelines for processing barnyard products such as milk, wool, and eggs. Combining practical advice from real experts, easy-to-use checklists and charts, a seasonal care calendar, and detailed black-and-white illustrations, Barnyard in Your Backyard offers a comprehensive review of the ins and outs - the tribulations and triumphs - of living with and caring for a small barnyard.

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic!.......2007-09-09

This book tells you everything you need to know for the novice to the experienced. Suggestions for those who want ornamental animals to the getting down to farming people. Pictures are great. Highly suggest this book!

great book!.......2007-08-10

This book works great and spells everything out very easily. Not the most comprehensive I am sure but I actually learned alot from it. I was mostly interested in chicken and sheep as well as ducks and geese. great book for a beginner like myself.

Excellent book, on various farm animals.......2007-08-08

This book is a wealth of knowledge! I own lots of books on raising ducks and chickens, and I have to say this book matches up well with all of my other books. Why is this impressive? Because the other books I'm comparing this book to are books that deal with only one type of animal (ducks, geese, chickens, exc). This book gives almost the same amount of detail as my other books plus it covers: Chickens, Ducks, Geese, Rabbits, Sheep, and Cattle. If your going to raise three or more different forms of live stock as a hobby, this is the only book you will need. If your going to try your hand at commercial production than you will need other books to supplement this book. I gave this 4 stars because the chicken and duck sections were not quite a thorough as some of my other books I own (though it came amazingly close). This is a no brainer purchase for anyone raising three or more of the animals listed above. A must buy...

Best farm book yet.......2007-07-19

Have read lots of books in trying to get spun up on hobby farm life, and this by far takes the cake as number one animal 101. It is well presented, covers all the facts and includes diagrams and discriptions. Will recommend to others as first resource to start with.

it is what the title says!.......2007-07-05

if you've just moved somewhere with a little land and are thinking of adding a few farm-type animals to your yard, this is a great book. It will tell you the demands that each of these little furry/fluffy/downy creatures will make on you, your property, and your bank account! The author gives a great overview of each of the animals mentioned in the title. BUT once you actually purchase the critters, you'll probably need a book that gives more in-depth information, especially in the health area. A great book to help you make educated decisions about what to toss in your ark!!

Average customer rating:

Boynton's Best
cute book with interesting text
Barnyard Best
I have three books by Sandra Boynton for my four-month old
Best Baby/Toddler Books!

Barnyard Dance! (Boynton on Board)
Sandra Boynton
Manufacturer: Workman Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

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ASIN: 1563054426

Book Description

Everybody sing along—because it's time to do-si-do in the barnyard with a high-spirited animal crew! From Boynton on Board, the bestselling series of board books, here is BARNYARD DANCE, with Sandra Boynton's twirling pigs, fiddle-playing cows, and other unforgettable animals. Extra-big, extra-fat, and extra-fun, BARNYARD DANCE features lively rhyming text and a die-cut cover that reveals the wacky characters inside. Guaranteed to get kids and adults stomping their feet. Main selection of the Children's Book-of-the-Month Club. Winner of the 1994 Gold Medal from the National Parenting Publications Award. Suitable for ages 1-4.

Customer Reviews:

Boynton's Best.......2007-09-15

My wife and I received this board book from a co-worker of mine about three months before our first son was born -- almost nine years ago. A daughter and another son later, this remains my favorite children's board book and definitely a favorite of my three children during their first couple of years. The tempo, simplicity and fun illustrations captivated them. Even though the books has been chewed, drooled on and worn down, it is one of those books that we'll save for our grandchildren because it holds special memories of what must be nearly a thousand readings that produced joyful smiles and laughter from our three children. We love Sandra Boynton books and we rate this one the best of all.

cute book with interesting text.......2007-08-23

This children's book is cute with all of the barnyard animals dancing around and contains more content than typical children's books out there. The only reason I rated it a 4 and not a 5 is because the illustrations are pretty colorless and one-dimensional. They really don't hold my child's attention at all. Maybe they will when she is a toddler, but for now, they just don't appeal to her. Being an artist, I can't say that I blame her! The text on the other hand is very lively and imaginative, so I sing the words and act them out to my child with over-the-top gestures, and that seems to do the trick!

Barnyard Best.......2007-08-03

My baby LOVES this book. We can read the story and then go through the whole thing again just pointing out animals and making each animal's sounds. This one is a must have.

I have three books by Sandra Boynton for my four-month old.......2007-07-17

I plan to buy more from the Sandra Boynton collection. My four month old loves this book and the other two we have (Snuggle Puppy and The Belly Button Book). She has shown interest since she was two months. Her books rhyme which makes them fun to read.

Best Baby/Toddler Books!.......2007-07-09

my mother-in-law got my son the barnyard dance and my son loves the book! I love reading it to him because you can sing to it and its fun. I already bought him Pajama Time and I am off to buy some of the box sets.

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