Amazon.com
Each summer, Andrei Makine's narrator and his sister leave the Soviet Union for the mythical land of France-Atlantis. That this country is a beautiful confabulation, a consolation existing only in his maternal grandmother's mind, makes it no less real. Though Charlotte Lemonnier lives in a town on the edge of the steppe, each night she journeys to a long-ago Paris, telling tales that the children then translate with their more Russian minds: "The president of the Republic was bound to have something Stalinesque about him in the portrait sketched by our imagination. Neuilly was peopled with kolkhozniks. And the slow emergence of Paris from the waters evoked a very Russian emotion--that of fleeting relief after one more historic cataclysm ..."
Makine's first novel is a singing tribute to the alchemy of inspiration, but it is no less familiar with the sorrows of reality. And it is only as he gets older that the narrator begins to piece together his grandmother's far more tragic past--her experiences in the Great War, the October Revolution, and after. Dreams of My Russian Summers is a love letter to an extraordinary woman (it's hard not to see the book as autobiographical) as well as to language and literature, which the boy turns to in avoidance of history's manipulations. It has all the marks of an instant classic.
Book Description
Hailed as extraordinary from coast to coast and winner of both the Prix Goncourt and the Prix Medicis, France's top literary prizes, the national bestseller Dreams of My Russian Summers traces a sentimental journey that embraces many of the dramatic events in Russia during the twentieth century. Here is a poignant story of a Soviet boy's ascent into manhood in the 1960s and 1970s, and his extraordinary affection for his mysterious grandmother who seems to have been there for all the pivotal historical events. This epic tale is full of tenderness and passion, pain and heartbreak; mesmerizing, in every way.
Customer Reviews:
Depth of memory and connection.......2007-04-01
This novel is unque in placing me into the transparent and transcental dimension of memory. It let me feel the power of reflectoin and voices from the distant past or other worlds. This novel doesn't have to be compared to Proust's masterpiece. The stream of narration and the language (I am reading an English translation) is almost mesmerizing, sending the reader off this world. I would place this as one of the best literary work.
A beautiful reflection on what it meant to be Russian and French in the 20 th centruy.......2006-05-28
Andrei Makine's book, Dreams of My Russian Summer's, is a very special book. Even though the author wrote the book in French, and I read it in translation (English), the writing is fantastic. It takes a little getting used to it, it's very "flowery", just to give you fair warning, but once you get used to it, you'll appreciate it. And despite all the attention given to the language, quite a bit actually happens, the dialogue doesn't stand still. It's a moving and interesting story.
The story is told in retrospect in the first person. It's a memory. We are told that he has a grandmother who has both French and Russian backgrounds, born and raised in France and married a Russian and lived out the rest of her life there, making her way through world wars and quirky Russian society. What we're not told immediately is why the narrator is fixated on his grandmother's dual nationality, which is what the novel is about.
Take time to enjoy the language and to fully appreciate the details of the story. I immediately reread the first 20 pages upon finishing, just to make sure I didn't miss anything important. This 1995 book will definitely be read and reread for a long time.
Lyrical memories of idyllic summers past.......2004-04-04
Andrei Makine, born in Siberia in 1957, has written an prose ode to his French grandmother, a memorable account of life in Communist Russia as lived by the woman who gave him joy, comfort, and permission to dream of other worlds.
Each summer, Andrei and his sister visited this grandmother at the edge of Russia's vast steppes, and in the evening she told them stories of her past. Trapped in Russia after the revolution, she married a Russian and became a hardworking Soviet wife and mother - but she never lost the Frenchness of her utmost being. Slowly, over the years, she reveals harsh truths to young Andrei - but always with a lyrical and dreamlike quality that makes reading this book feel as though you're inhaling pure, gauzy poetry.
speak, memory.......2003-12-22
A lovely, lyrical "autobiographical novel". Makine, born Russian, has lived in France since 1987. This novel covers his extraordinary relationship with his grandmother, who sets his life in motion by re-telling stories of her French past. This is a wonderful book, filled with spare, powerful writing. One of the loveliest books I've read in a long time.
Beautiful.......2003-08-21
A work of art, Makine's use of language is stunning. Not a quick read, I frequently had to stop and ponder many profound passages. Literature as an art form is not dead.
Book Description
NEW and Improved Summer Bridge Activities for 2006!
This year the bestselling summer workbook features new covers, new activities, new reading lists, updated bonus sections, and a whole lot more to give kids a summer learning experience they won't forget! Designed to keep kids busy, happy, and learning between grades, the NEW Summer Bridge Activities continues to focus on math, reading, writing, and language arts, but also includes new activities in science plus Factoids and fun to-do lists to keep brains and bodies active. Assignments build on one another as children review skills they have just mastered and preview the grade ahead!
New features include Super Summer Science experiments, skills checklists, updated reading lists, revised assignments to meet more diverse state curriculum standards, an updated bonus section, plus an updated cover and a new-look interior.
* Super Science experiments give kids a hands-on learning experience as they discover interesting facts about the world around them.
* Fun Factoids provide kids with fun tidbits of information to get their minds revved up for the educational assignments.
* Updated bonus section incorporates the new food pyramid and helps kids learn how to eat healthily.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent program!.......2007-07-06
This program is exactly what I was looking for. We call it "summer homework". It's just enough to remind my son what he learned all year and review it. We also purchased the Summer Bridge Math and the Summer Bridge Activities for Grades K-1. The pages are fun, bright, and colorful. I plan to use this program also for my younger son when it's time.
Keeps their minds active during summer break.......2007-07-03
I have three daughters - ages 9, 6 & 3. My 9 year old will be entering 4th grade this year and the 6 year old will be entering 1st. My 9 year old struggled at the start of 2nd grade. It took her almost a whole month to get back into the swing of things. So, last summer I bought a Summer Bridge Activities book for her. She sailed right into 3rd grade. Her teacher agreed that it made a difference. This summer, I'm having both the 6 year old and the 9 year old use their Summer Bridge Activities books as well as read as time allows. I can already see it helping keep them fresh on what they've already learned in school and I'm sure they will be ready to go in September!
One side note - I bought a similar book at KMart called "Summer Activities" published by Cookie Jar Publishing for $4.99. Guess what....it is almost the same book as Summer Bridge....I mean the same exact pages/activities!!! The only difference is that Summer Bridge has a few extra pages/activities. I wasn't very happy when I discovered this!
My kids love it.......2007-06-09
They just began doing the pages but my kids just love them. They are easy to follow , with a lot of color pictures, my kids want to do more pages per day. They just have fun studying.
Too EASY!.......2007-05-31
My son is bright, but not brilliant and even the end of this book is way too easy for him. I've ordered the 1-2 book and I hope that will be better suited to his abilities. On the other hand, the 2-3 book is just about right for my other child. I guess we just have to remember that all of our children are different (duh!).
Excellent Summer Activity.......2007-05-13
I recently purchased this for my son. My daughter and I have been using Summer Bridge since Kindergarten. She definately enjoys the books. She asks me to purchase her one each summer! She is now finishing 4th grade and is eager to start her Summer Bridge book.
The book becomes part of our summer routine. Everyday she does her Summer Bridge page and reads for one hour. After she completes those activities, she is free to play or we all go to the pool.
The activities are fun. The each page (front and back) takes 15 minutes to 30 minutes to complete. The activities in the first two sections are designed to review the material learned during the previous school year. The last section begins to expose the student to material they will learn in the upcoming school year. The first section is 15 days, the second is 20 days and the third is 15 days. Each day the student completes one page. When the student completes each section the receive a "reward" or "treat" that their parent has agreed to in advance. I try to limit the reward to about $5 (unless they want to go somewhere educational like the zoo). In the past our rewards have included a trip to the used book store, going to Dairy Queen, or a trip to the local zoo.
Book Description
From the Christy Award-winning Author of Levi's Will "You never know what the day will bring..." Mick Brannigan, a construction worker, loses a good-paying job because of some freak accident, sort of his fault but not his fault. Adding insult to injury, he finds himself playing nursemaid to his three kids. "Mick's whole life felt like an accident..." Even more flustered is his wife, Layne, now forced to get a job to keep a paycheck coming in. Mick isn’t the stay-at-home-dad type, she’s sure. He’s a good dad—when she is there to supervise it all…the unrelenting daily stuff. Keeping the house clean, food in the fridge. Attacking the ever-mounting laundry. Supervising their five acres of land and the menagerie of animals.... "It wasn't his idea to stay home with the kids..." A lot is on the line, and just how the Brannigan family will survive—that is, without anyone getting seriously hurt or killed, the kids not ending up psychologically and emotionally damaged, the laundry not undoing their marriage—all remains to be seen.... Packed with humor, true-to-life characters, and themes to enlighten the soul, Summer of Light is altogether poignant, witty, entertaining, and delightfully down-to-earth.
Customer Reviews:
Feel the love!!!!!!.......2007-07-26
I'm usually not a very emotional guy, but this book had me on the verge of tears time and time again. Don't worry they would have been tears of joy, not sorrow. This is such a sincere and heartfelt book it's hard to describe how good it makes you feel. It's like the whole time you're reading it, someone is giving you a hug, maybe that's the point. I guess it helps that I have a son and can relate to fatherhood. It also helped that the author managed to preach w/o shoving it down my throat, which is hard to pull off. I can't wait to read his other novels, especially if they make me feel like this one did.
Fantastic summer read, full of humor and love.......2007-07-10
Summer of Light by W. Dale Cramer is about Mick Brannigan, tough guy ironworker, who gets his life turned upside down by the Lord. Mick and his wife Layne are struggling to deal with their youngest son Dylan's diagnosis of sensory integration dysfunction. Dylan needs someone to work with him daily, and Layne can't leave her cushy law office job, so she suggests that Mick take a break to care for Dylan. Mick laughs at the idea. To him, being a father means working a job and bringing home a paycheck, anything less is unmanly. But then God laughs in Mick's face and soon Mick is out of a job and trying to put his neighbor's house back together. Mick has to learn what it really means to be a father from the Father himself. I love Cramer's other books, but they are heavy and spiritually deep. This book has equal depth but also a broad sense of humor that makes for delightful reading. Mick isn't afraid to laugh at himself, and it's obvious that much of this book was written with a smile on its author's face. Several chapters are almost stand alone essays, specifically the one about a visit to an unnamed Florida theme park. Mick's escapades with his three children, several chickens, goat, unruly dog and neighbors made me laugh out loud several times. As Mick grows, he befriends another neighbor and soon starts takes up photography, even entering photos in a local competition. Cramer manages the difficult job of describing the photos so that I could see them in my mind. Mick's faith grows slowly, but steadily and never in a showy, proselytizing manner. This is almost Christan chick-lit for guys. Cramer never fails to write a tremendous message of faith and life.
A very enjoyable read.......2007-07-03
This is my second Cramer book and as with the first (Bad Ground) I highly enjoyed it. His writing style is top notch and his gift for getting me caught up in a story that has very little to no plot just astounds me. The characters are endearing (although I'm very thankful my kids don't behave like Micks) and very quickly you get to know them as friends. The book has many facets and lessons but never comes across as preachy (and I like preaching but you know what I mean). It's a good book to give an unbeliever. The humor is believable and flows well with the story, not seeming to be forced just to get a laugh. If you're looking for something to break up your murder mystery, war, end times and world domination novels this is a good choice. Dale doesn't live far from me so maybe one day I'll run into him in Home Depot so I can pick his brain to see where I can get some of this talent. (That's figuratively speaking of course).
1 Star = I've been robbed!
2 Stars = Why'd I finish it?
3 Stars = Good
4 Stars = Excellent
5 Stars = Life changing
A warm, engaging book.......2007-06-06
It's about the worst thing that can happen to a construction worker --- a freak accident that exposes an alleged safety hazard. For Mick Brannigan, an ironworker who thrives on "high steel," the accident stops his reliable routine in its tracks. But it's not his relatively minor injury that shakes up his world; instead, it's the loss of his job. The project manager can't risk another safety violation, and he fires Mick for gross negligence. To make matters worse, Mick's wife, Layne, begins pressuring him to stop looking for a job. Their four-year-old son, Dylan, needs constant supervision and a predictable routine; she reasons that her job in a law office could support the family, and Mick could stay at home with Dylan and their two school-age children.
For a man whose identity is wrapped up in his job, and whose father bailed on his family when he was a child, the idea of not being the provider does not sit well with Mick. But Layne's arguments eventually win out. He concedes that her plan makes sense, and he agrees to become a stay-at-home dad --- for a while. He used to manage a crew of tough construction workers on high-rise buildings. How hard could it be?
While that premise makes for some pretty funny scenarios, the heart of the book is the profound transformation of a man and his family. That transformation results in part from the unfamiliar situations that Mick is confronted with, but the greatest catalysts for change are the people in his life. W. Dale Cramer is a master at drawing believable, authentic male characters, and he gives every man in Mick's life the same attention to detail that he gives to Mick. The Man with No Hands, a homeless man whose intellectual insights "send everyone's wackometer into the red zone"; the eccentric neighbor Hap on one side and perfectionist neighbor Aubrey on the other; the construction workers; the residents of Overpass Plantation, a homeless community --- Cramer created each character with precision and care. And the women and children hardly get short shrift; Layne, her sister, the children, and even the dog have strong, finely developed personalities that have a distinctive impact on Mick.
Anyone who figures that Dale Cramer is a couple of books overdue for the inevitable sophomore jinx may as well give up. SUMMER OF LIGHT is his fourth book, and it's every bit as captivating as the previous three --- maybe even more so. With some authors, you can figure on reading only a few pages or a chapter to see if it's worth it. Not so with Cramer. His storytelling is so compelling, his writing style so exquisite that the reader doesn't stand a chance. He makes you resent your need to sleep and work and live a normal life; all you want to do is keep reading.
What sets Cramer apart as an author is his apparent insistence on strengthening every element of his novels to the max. There just aren't any weaknesses. As always, his characters are the people we see everyday, the people we know, the people who actually live and breathe and populate our communities. The dialogue reflects conversations you've heard and participated in. The story rings true. The imagery is nothing short of magnificent. And the ending is, as always, just right.
SUMMER OF LIGHT is a warm, engaging book --- and, like all of Cramer's novels, a rarity in contemporary fiction: a novel that will appeal to men without sacrificing the interest of female readers.
--- Reviewed by Marcia Ford
Dale Cramer is a Master at his craft.......2007-05-13
I've read all four of Mr. Cramer's novels. Interestingly, the Christy-Award winners were not my favorites. I felt that Sutter's Cross (his first novel) was the most finely-tuned and "real" of the four novels, with Summer of Light its runner-up.
Within the first few chapters, I knew the characters--and I loved them. The focus on photography in this novel lent itself to vivid description and also revealed a much deeper understanding of how each person viewed life.
Cramer's quirky characters are interesting but believable, and the Christian message is always clear but not overbearing. He strikes a perfect balance. Dale Cramer is a Master Craftsman.
Book Description
The Summer Smarts series provides a substantive and fun bridge that covers all appropriate subjects between grades during the summer, when a child most needs a refresher. Children anticipate going back to school and facing the unknown expectations of a more difficult grade, and these activity books are designed to offer them the opportunity to increase their learning self-confidence. Summer Smarts is the only series to include a unique integration of material, combining elementary school subjects such as phonics, spelling, math and, geography into one friendly workbook.
Customer Reviews:
Summer Smarts : Activities and Skills to Prepare Students fo.......2000-08-10
This book provided a blend of fun & education which helped prepare for 1st grade.
Book Description
NEW and Improved Summer Bridge Activities for 2006!
This year the bestselling summer workbook features new covers, new activities, new reading lists, updated bonus sections, and a whole lot more to give kids a summer learning experience they won't forget! Designed to keep kids busy, happy, and learning between grades, the NEW Summer Bridge Activities continues to focus on math, reading, writing, and language arts, but also includes new activities in science plus Factoids and fun to-do lists to keep brains and bodies active. Assignments build on one another as children review skills they have just mastered and preview the grade ahead!
New features include Super Summer Science experiments, skills checklists, updated reading lists, revised assignments to meet more diverse state curriculum standards, an updated bonus section, plus an updated cover and a new-look interior.
* Super Science experiments give kids a hands-on learning experience as they discover interesting facts about the world around them.
* Fun Factoids provide kids with fun tidbits of information to get their minds revved up for the educational assignments.
* Updated bonus section incorporates the new food pyramid and helps kids learn how to eat healthily.
Customer Reviews:
Great summer program.......2007-06-27
A friend told me about this book and it has been great for my soon-to-be- starting Kindergartener. It is a great review of things she already learned at pre-school and she loves the idea that this is helping her get ready for school. The summer has just started and she is 1/2 way through the book.
Love this series.......2006-07-05
I have been using this series with my children for the last few years...I love it. Their teachers are always impressed with the amount on knowledge they retain over the summer!! I highly recommend this series.
My preschooler loves it.......2005-07-29
This book is not teaching my son anything new but he enjoys it. The book is what it says a review of what they did the year before. I like it because its not difficult for him and he can breeze right through. He does enough work so he doesn't forget what he's learned and each day is very short so I don't lose his attention. The incentive contracts is a great motivation system.
Good activity book for summer........2000-06-30
This book is a nice introduction to kindergarden work. I'd particularly recommend it for kids who already like doing "worksheet" type activities. My son's older brother has started the 45h-5th bridge activity book, so both signed the contracts in the beginning-if they complete 20 days they get a trip to the toy store, and both work on their books at the same time. This is no substitute for interactive learning, or playing, or reading to them, but keeps skills from getting rusty, and in the case of my pre-kindergardener gets him thinking about the sorts of things he'll be doing next year.
Average customer rating:
- Wonderful!!!
- One of Rice's best!
- 3 1/2 Stars
- Nice to see some spirituality
- First time Luanne Rice reader.........
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Summer's Child
Luanne Rice
Manufacturer: Bantam
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Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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Summer of Roses
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The Perfect Summer
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Stone Heart
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Beach Girls
ASIN: 0553587625
Release Date: 2005-05-31 |
Book Description
THERE’S A PLACE IN OUR HEARTS RESERVED FOR MIRACLES…
From Luanne Rice, the celebrated author of
Beach Girls and many other New York Times bestsellers, comes this powerful novel of a mystery, a love affair, and a bond that cannot be broken set in a seaside town where miracles are made...
On the first day of summer, Mara Jameson went out to water her garden–and was never seen again. Years after her disappearance, no one could forget the expectant mother whose glowing smile had captured the heart of everyone who’d known her: Maeve Jameson, still mourning the loss of a granddaughter she had struggled to protect…Patrick Murphy, a dogged police detective obsessed with a vanished woman…and Lily Malone, drawn to the rugged beauty of the Nova Scotia coast and its promise of a new life.
Here Lily hopes to raise her nine-year-old daughter, Rose, far from the pain and loss of the past. Here she will meet a gifted scientist, Liam Neill, whose life is on a similar trajectory from heartbreak to hope. And before the season is over, Lily will find the magic that exists in people we love the best…the everyday miracles that can make the extraordinary happen anywhere.
Download Description
LUANNE RICE is the author of nineteen novels, most recently Silver Bells, Beach Girls, Dance With Me, The Perfect Summer, The Secret Hour, True Blue, Safe Harbor, Summer Light, and Firefly Beach. She lives in New York City and Old Lyme, Connecticut.
From the Paperback edition.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful!!!.......2007-06-23
This was such an interesting story. Women who escape abusive men and move to a remote whaling village to reinvent themselves, forming a support group in the process, and paving the way to trust and falling in love again. A whale-watching party. A community rallying behind a sickly child - I wish I could buy a Nova Scotia pine pillow! The setting was beautiful in its harshness - a sharp contrast to the warmth and loyalty of the people. I can't wait to read its follow-up, Summer of Roses!
One of Rice's best!.......2006-12-13
All 9-year-old Rose Malone wants is a regular childhood...which seems like more and more of an impossibility, given her increasingly worsening heart condition. Still, she has her mom Lily's love and reassurance, letting her know the whole town is rooting for her as she approaches what she hopes will be her final operation.
But despite everyone's optimism, Rose knows she might not live through the operation...or even survive until the scheduled date...
Meanwhile, Lily is afraid that her past is finally catching up with her, as a new arrival in town bears similar emotional scars to her own. Just like herself, Marisa Taylor and her 9-year-old daughter Jessica fled an abusive husband and are afraid to finally let themselves relax. Lily and Rose quickly befriend the two, and Lily is flooded with memories of her own life nine years earlier, when she staged her own disappearance...
Although she's determined not to let Rose know, Lily knows that just because she's kept her daughter safe for nine years doesn't mean their nightmare is over...
If you enjoy this book, be sure to pick up "Summer of Roses," which concludes Lily and Rose's story.
3 1/2 Stars.......2006-06-20
Having read everything Luanne Rice has ever written, I am a big fan and have high expectations for her books. Books like Cloud Nine, Firefly Beach and True Blue were pure magic for me. However, along with Silver Bells, I felt that Summer's Child was not along the same lines as my other favorites of her's.
The book is about a mother, Lily and her 9 year old daughter Rose who live in Nova Scotia. They've moved there to get away from a past life, and have started over even though the past is still not far from Lily's mind. A parallel story is being told- a grandmother whose granddaughter has been missing for 9 years and is presumed dead. However, both the grandma and the cop who investigated the case, can't seem to let it be. Eventually, the two stories collide.
The book is about more than Lily's past, it's about a love story of two broken hearts, it's about a little girl who has a heart defect and is fighting for her life, it's about another mother and daughter who have come into their life and who are also struggling with a violent past....it's about friendship, love, bravery, persistence...
I think part of what I didn't care for so much about this book was the love story. For some reason, the characters did not click for me. I felt like some parts of the story were getting to be "cookie cutter", perhaps after reading so many Rice books. Either way, I did enjoy the story and will be reading Summer of Roses to see how it ends. I'm hoping perhaps that book might be better...
Nice to see some spirituality.......2006-05-11
Was wonderful to see the characters depend on spirituality for a foundation in life. It clearly illustrated the conflict, the decisions and the conclusions. The thoughts of the characters made it easier for the reader to relate to a sadly popular occurance between couples. The relationship between the children and their spirituality was also evident when the idea of religon was introduced during a time of crisis. All the while, encouraging a family unit as well as independent growth.
The plot was intriguing and kept the reader guessing as to which one was the main topic. Definately a summer read!
The only way to improve this book would be to offer a little bit more history about the supporting characters. Although it may not contribute to the plot, it would help give a more rounded picture of the group of friends. This may help other use this book as an example of a support group and may provide a shimmer of guidance and hope to those in such a situation.
First time Luanne Rice reader................2006-04-23
I just finished "Summer's Child", which was my first Rice book. I found the story well written, intriging, emotional. I felt it was slow at some points, and I became anxious for it to move a little faster, especially the relationship between Lily and Liam. I see there is a sequel "Summer of Roses" but after reading the reviews, I probably won't read it. I will check out the other novels though.
Book Description
NEW and Improved Summer Bridge Activities for 2006!
This year the bestselling summer workbook features new covers, new activities, new reading lists, updated bonus sections, and a whole lot more to give kids a summer learning experience they won't forget! Designed to keep kids busy, happy, and learning between grades, the NEW Summer Bridge Activities continues to focus on math, reading, writing, and language arts, but also includes new activities in science plus Factoids and fun to-do lists to keep brains and bodies active. Assignments build on one another as children review skills they have just mastered and preview the grade ahead!
New features include Super Summer Science experiments, skills checklists, updated reading lists, revised assignments to meet more diverse state curriculum standards, an updated bonus section, plus an updated cover and a new-look interior.
* Super Science experiments give kids a hands-on learning experience as they discover interesting facts about the world around them.
* Fun Factoids provide kids with fun tidbits of information to get their minds revved up for the educational assignments.
* Updated bonus section incorporates the new food pyramid and helps kids learn how to eat healthily.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent!.......2007-08-15
I really like this workbook for summer practice, review and introduction of new material. This book includes a variety of subjects especially math.
Great summer time workbook.......2007-08-01
My daughter loves these workbooks. They have a great calendar and pacing marks. She sets the goals and goes for them.
Refreshment for the Summer Brain.......2007-07-03
I have used this series for my children for years. This year they actually reminded me to purchase them. Much of what was learned in school can become fuzzy when mixed with the sand and surf of summer. This workbook series helps keep it fresh. We usually do three pages every three days, paired with 30 minutes of daily reading. Still plenty of time for swimming, water balloons, and catching fireflies, and your child will return to school knowing that Marco Polo is not just a game you play in the pool!
This edition has a good balance of math, science, social studies, and language arts. By reviewing what they learned in 4th grade, and using the opportunity to research included information that they may not be familiar with, your child can start the 5th grade with confidence.
Summer Bridges are Great.......2007-06-14
I get a copy of Summer Bridges Activities for my sons every summer. They are great for preventing Summer Brain Drain and have great ideas for Summer activities.
Summer Studies = Summer Fun.......2007-05-07
My daughter and I have used this series for five years now. The older she gets the more she enjoys her summer studies. This book is great! It is always broken down into three sections and has reward charts to track progress. We also love the Summer Reading List in the book, and look the books up at our local library. I really enjoy the Better Bodies Better Behavior section and the flash cards as well. Each day's work and reading takes less than an hour. Definately worth the money, get it every year!
Book Description
NEW and Improved Summer Bridge Activities for 2006!
This year the bestselling summer workbook features new covers, new activities, new reading lists, updated bonus sections, and a whole lot more to give kids a summer learning experience they won't forget! Designed to keep kids busy, happy, and learning between grades, the NEW Summer Bridge Activities continues to focus on math, reading, writing, and language arts, but also includes new activities in science plus Factoids and fun to-do lists to keep brains and bodies active. Assignments build on one another as children review skills they have just mastered and preview the grade ahead!
New features include Super Summer Science experiments, skills checklists, updated reading lists, revised assignments to meet more diverse state curriculum standards, an updated bonus section, plus an updated cover and a new-look interior.
* Super Science experiments give kids a hands-on learning experience as they discover interesting facts about the world around them.
* Fun Factoids provide kids with fun tidbits of information to get their minds revved up for the educational assignments.
* Updated bonus section incorporates the new food pyramid and helps kids learn how to eat healthily.
Customer Reviews:
Well thought out work book.......2007-07-21
My soon-to-be 4th grader has been working through the book this summer, and we have found it to be very rewarding. The math and reading exercises are age-appropriate and he has enjoyed doing them. I also like the suggestions for other activities through the summer. Just remember to remove the answer pages before leaving your child alone with the book! Normally we worked through the book together but one day I left for a few minutes, and was surprised by a fast and perfect completion of the day's work!
Great Summer work books.......2007-07-12
I have been using these workbooks in my preschool program during the summer for 5 years now and even my son's Catholic School are now highly recommending them to work out of over the summer. I will never to with any other work book than Summer Bridges and the price was very reasonable for the size of the workbook!
good..... for busy work.......2007-01-24
If you want busy work for your child, these are a great series. They can do page after page on their own without much inquiring thought processes.Our school made parents buy these for the summer and I hated them!
Fun and Educational.......2006-07-26
My daughter has enjoyed this book. I believe it is keeping her skills sharp so she will be prepared for 4th grade.
Buy these books a year ahead.......2002-07-04
I bought this for my grandson and granddaughter, who have just finished the third and fourth grades, in hopes it would help them keep up the skills they learned and get them a little ahead for next year. I also bought the 1-2 for our just-finished first grader.
Having observed what it took to get our oldest grandson through the school system and prepare him to compete for the best colleges (he won a scholarship to West Point), and having raised and educated four children of my own, I'm probably (dare I say it?) more qualified than a teacher to judge what's best in terms of academic materials. (I have also taught at the elementary level as well as in college.)
This material is too repetitive in terms of lessons already learned. It doesn't provide enough new material to be interesting, much less challenging. Reading to and with them provides more in terms of education than these workbooks. They're just too easy.
To be fair, the book did half of what I'd hoped. It does help them keep the skills they acquired. It doesn't, however, move him ahead. I will have to provide exercises to do that on my own.
The competition for top-notch colleges today is fierce. It will probably only get "fiercer" in the future. I'll be looking for -- and developing -- other sources to help my grandchildren excel in their schoolwork.
Book Description
NEW and Improved Summer Bridge Activities for 2006!
This year the bestselling summer workbook features new covers, new activities, new reading lists, updated bonus sections, and a whole lot more to give kids a summer learning experience they won't forget! Designed to keep kids busy, happy, and learning between grades, the NEW Summer Bridge Activities continues to focus on math, reading, writing, and language arts, but also includes new activities in science plus Factoids and fun to-do lists to keep brains and bodies active. Assignments build on one another as children review skills they have just mastered and preview the grade ahead!
New features include Super Summer Science experiments, skills checklists, updated reading lists, revised assignments to meet more diverse state curriculum standards, an updated bonus section, plus an updated cover and a new-look interior.
* Super Science experiments give kids a hands-on learning experience as they discover interesting facts about the world around them.
* Fun Factoids provide kids with fun tidbits of information to get their minds revved up for the educational assignments.
* Updated bonus section incorporates the new food pyramid and helps kids learn how to eat healthily.
Customer Reviews:
wonderful summer practice book.......2007-08-15
I think this workbook is great for covering all the subjects needed for the coming year. Some of the work is review which is good for retention over the summer but can be boring for quicker learners.
Super book!.......2007-07-19
I am so impressed with this series. I have five kids, four of which will be in school this year. My kindergartener-to-be loves doing the book just like his older brothers. My second-grader-to-be is right on track with his bridge book--it's definitely keeping it fresh and teaching him at the same time. Both boys are very independent in their bridge books. My [...] balks at the book sometimes saying it is too hard, but he tends to be a child requiring constant adult interaction with school. He does well with it but needs to review the directions a few times. Overall I think this is a must for any parent whose children are home over the summer and off from school. I like the length of the lessons--typically 2 pages, as well as the way it is divided. It is broken into 3 sessions--15 days, 20 days and then 15 days--with the option for children to earn a reward after each session. This is what geared my [...]to be last year--he was so proud when he earned a movie! Unfortuntely, the series stops at [...]bridge, but we're making due! Great product from Carson Delarosa!
Summer Studies = Summer Fun.......2007-05-07
My daughter and I have used this series for five years now. The older she gets the more she enjoys her summer studies. This book is great! It is always broken down into three sections and has reward charts to track progress. We also love the Summer Reading List in the book, and look the books up at our local library. I really enjoy the Better Bodies Better Behavior section and the flash cards as well. Each day's work and reading takes less than an hour. Definately worth the money, get it every year!
Neat.......2006-07-17
Went thru this with my Grandson and quickly realized this is the last year I will be able to help him - Wow this stuff is hard but Chance (my grandson) did not seem to think it was unusually hard - I think it is perfect to keep their minds fresh - if they are not they get behind first of the year and never catch up
Very good program with parent support, website is poor........2006-07-10
I am commenting on the 2006 version. My son was behind in math and is going to middle school. He agreed to this program because it has very small pieces. He can complete the pages in the morning and go on with his day. We spend more time on the math portions but he is progressing.
I do find it helps if I prepare it for him, give him enough scrap paper and go over the directions. If you think you can just rip out a page, give it to your child and they will learn on their own, you would not be getting the full use of this program.
My only complaint so far this summer is that the book constantly tells you to go to the website. As of mid-July, this site is barely operational. If anyone has any tips on how to get into this website, please let us know. I enter the Official Pass Code from my book but there seem to be no operational sections. That is too bad.
With a little support from an adult, this program is very good for keeping kids sharp over the summer.
Enjoy parenting everyone!!
Book Description
The Summer Smarts series provides an enjoyable, substantive bridge between grades during the summer, when a child most needs a refresher! And because young children begin to anticipate going back to school and face the pressures and expectations of a higher, more difficult grade, Summer Smarts activity books are designed to offer them a fun way to increase their confidence and self-esteem. This new series of activity workbooks is designed to meet the demand for the growing in-home educational market. It is the only series to include a unique integration of material, combining elementary school subjects such as phonics, spelling, math, and geography into one friendly workbook. Offers engaging, motivational exercises that reinforce the skills and knowledge learned during the previous school year. Arranged in a logical sequence, the worksheets move progressively from basic concepts to more difficult ones. A carefully selected Book Section supports a literature-based approach.
Customer Reviews:
a cute, fun, child friendly workbook.......2007-07-19
This is a really cute workbook, filled with sweet illustrations and a diverse selection of excersises. The book starts with a section on "who am I" and continues with math excersises, easy science projects, geography quizes and language arts questionaires sprinkled randomly throughout the book. One of my favorite things about "Summer Smarts" is the reading selection. There are three main books to read through the summer with questions for your child to answer located at the back of the workbook. Other cute books are recomended throughout the workbook.
Having giving the book a glowing review I cannot say that my daughter agrees with me. She really dislikes worksheets in general and getting her to sit and do the excersises in this book has been next to impossible. The recomended reading is wonderful for reading to her, but they are far too difficult for her to read by herself. I purchased this book because she has been struggling in school and I thought this would help her keep from falling further behind this summer. I still recommend the book though, especially if you have the kind of child who enjoys working independantly. Like one of the other reviewers I agree that this book would be best for a child who is already doing well in school and who enjoys this sort of thing.
Keep Your Kids Engaged in Learning Over the Summer.......2007-06-27
I bought Summer Smarts along with another series called, Summer Bridge Activites. Both books support practice of school skills over the summer. I love how this book looks sort of like a coloring book. My son has enjoyed coloring the pages after he completes them. Unlike the other series I mentioned, this book also encourages critical thinking. My son and I have had great conversations while he was working on his pages. I think this is a great book for kids because it isn't too difficult or frustrating.
Great Preparation.......2005-08-24
As a former second grade teacher, I found this book an excellent preparation for second graders. There are many concepts and skills that are normally taught in late first grade or in second grade. The pages are well presented and have a fun element to them. The book would be appropriate to use throughout the second grade year as some of the sections may be somewhat difficult for before the school year starts. I bought it for a child who will start second grade this year and he loved it. His comment was that it was "pretty easy".
Summer Smarts - Second Grade.......2000-06-03
This book is perfect for a smart child waiting for second grade. It provides a chance to review basic skills needed in second grade without being boring or tiring. Other books of the same kind tend either to be too easy or to have too many exercises. A child who has worked hard needs some rest! This book also suggests titles for summer reading, which is great because summer reading are the ones that teach a child how nice it is to stop and read a book, and it also provides worksheets for four books. I would recommend this book to any student whose grades are C or above. For those children who are behind schedule, however, I would propose "Summer Bridge Activities" because it provides many more exercises.
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