Junie B., First Grader: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells! (p.s. so does May.) (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))

Book Description

It’s holiday time, and Room One is doing lots of fun things to celebrate.
Like making elf costumes! And singing joyful songs! Only, how can Junie B. enjoy the festivities when Tattletale May keeps ruining her holiday glee? And here is the worst part of all! When everyone picks names for Secret Santa, Junie B. gets stuck with Tattletale you-know-who! It’s enough to fizzle your holiday spirit! Hmm . . . or is it? Maybe, just maybe, a Secret Santa gift is the perfect opportunity to give May exactly what she deserves.

Customer Reviews:

Great Holiday Book!.......2007-08-06

Junie B. does it again...she makes us laugh during one of the most memorable holidays in a young child's life!! We see a soft side of Junie B. which rarely shows itself, but allows us to get to know her that much more AND teaches us a life lesson! My daughter and I loved reading this together!

Junie B - elf girl.......2007-07-14

Another story in the series by Park! Keeps you laughing - and will take you down memory lane as Junie B. gets ready for Christmas & will remind you of ALL those "fun" lyrics we made up to Christmas songs! She's still irrepressible & even though her language is "becoming more adult" there are still enough "Junie B.-isms" to keep you in stitches. If you're collecting the series, get going to the cash register!

So funny you will laugh at loud!.......2007-03-18

Barbara Park the author of this book and the entire Junie B. series has a writing style like no other. Her way of getting kids wanting to read through the real true to life stories of the kindergartener and first grader Junie B. Jones is fantastic. Barbara Park and her Junie B. books are consistently on the both the New York Times and the USA Today bestseller lists.

As of this date their are 26 books in the Junie B. series with the newest being Junie B. Dumb Bunny and this being the second newest. We have this book in the hard cover edition that has a paper cover sleeve and attached red satin ribbon bookmark for easily holding your current page. Santa left this in my then six year old's stocking the Christmas before last. It had just come out that previous month of 2005.

Junie B. Jones were the first chapter books that my daughter started reading. She was captivated by them as most kids this age are. They don't tell of a sticky sweet child but rather of the true to life hardships from the kid's view that a determined, opinionated, and sometimes frantic girl. She has some of the funniest moments in this book that my daughter and I burst out laughing at. Junie B. Likes to do things her own way and expects the world to pretty much revolve around her. Of course it doesn't and the trouble starts. In the end Junie B. learns a little bit anyway how to handle things.

In this book it Christmas time as the title suggests. The first grade classroom is getting ready for the holiday and the celebrations to come. They are learning and singing holiday songs and wearing elf costumes all of which are extremely exiciting to Junie B. As we have learned through previous books a classmate May is not exactly one of Junie B.'s favorite people. This time May has become a tattletale that is ruining the fun for Junie B. The part that stops Junie B. in her tracts and just may destroy this whole holiday season is that she draws May's name in the Secret Santa exchange that classroom number one is having. Junie B. comes up with a plan to get back May through the gift she plans on giving her. As usual things don't turn out as Junie B. has planned.

The books has 118 pages with 11 chapters. Their are usually about two illustrations per chapter. These are done in black and white print. The illustrator, Denise Brunkus perfectly captures the emotions of the fun and frustration of Junie B. But it's the cleverly written words that draw you in and make you feel like you can feel not only Junie B.'s joy but also her pain. She's is not quite the kid that you want your child to emulate but just the same a kid can learn from Junie B.'s problems that they are likely to encounter at some point in there grade school career.

Must have!

Hilarious and adorable!.......2007-01-10

My daughter is so in love with Junie B! When she opened this up and started reading, it was wonderful to hear the laughter it brought!!! If you want many laughs brought on by a child's perspective, get this book...too cute!!

Love All Junie B Books!.......2006-12-26

Love them! This one is so cute! We can't wait to get the new book in February.

Junie B., First Grader: Boo...and I MEAN it! (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))

Average customer rating:

Probably the Best Junie B. Ever
A book my son couldn't put down !!!!!
Junie B., First Grader Boo...and I mean it!
Ooh, It's a Scary Clown!
Junie B., First Grader Boo... and I mean it!

Junie B., First Grader: Boo...and I MEAN it! (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))
Barbara Park
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0375828079
Release Date: 2005-08-23

Amazon.com

In the 24th installment of Barbara Park's Junie B. Jones series of illustrated early chapter books, Boo... And I Mean It!, the precocious first grader is worried about Halloween--with good reason. Paulie Allen Puffer has given her five good reasons, in fact, not least of which is that real witches and monsters go trick-or-treating on Halloween (no costumes necessary); if you carve pumpkins with pointy teeth, they will bite your feet; and...shhh...candy corn isn't really corn. Junie B. goes to great lengths to avoid trick-or-treating altogether, but she finally decides that if she dresses up like Squirty the Clown (a disturbing circus clown who terrified her grandmother by chasing her with a seltzer bottle and making her wear an "unattractive balloon hat"), even the most horrific witches and monsters will be scared off. As ever, her way of expressing herself "I did a groan" and "Chills came on my arms" is grammatically unique, but as you get to know her, more endearing than alarming. Children who have mixed feelings about Halloween festivities will relate to Junie B.'s fears, and they'll be relieved when Halloween passes without a monster attack or pumpkin bite, just a delicious bag of 100% candy. (Ages 4 to 8) --Karin Snelson

Book Description

Halloween with Junie B. has got to be a scream! Get ready for a “Halloweenie” adventure with the world’s funniest first grader!

“Despite Junie B.’s ascent to the rigors of first grade, Park’s feisty, funny heroine retains her trademark use of language, mirthful malapropisms, and essential larger-than-life personality.”—Kirkus Reviews

“First grade offers a whole year of exciting possibilities for Junie B. . . . As always, Park is in touch with what kids know and how they feel.”—School Library Journal

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Probably the Best Junie B. Ever.......2007-01-21

Hands down this is one of the best Junie B. books ever. I would say it is tied for first place with my other personal favorite, Junie B. Jones is a Beauty Shop Guy. This one will have you laughing out loud non stop! We have the book, and the recording, and we have listenend so many times, we all repeat the funny one liners along with Junie B.-even my husband! "If candy corn isn't corn, then what kind of vegetable is it?" If you don't have this one in your collection, get it!

A book my son couldn't put down !!!!!.......2006-12-08

My 9 year old, son is a reluctant reader! I"m lucky to get him to sit and read for 15 min. per night. He started to read this book and couldn't put it down! One hour of straight reading! The author has a charming writing style. My son and I giggled throughout the book. My son said,"It was a very fun book to read."

Junie B., First Grader Boo...and I mean it!.......2006-05-25

This book was hilarious only like Junie B. can be. As a first grade teacher I have read the kindergarten books to my past two classes, and they LOVE her! Although I have not read BOO...and I mean it! to them I know they would love this book as well. I myself laughed throughout the entire story. Junie B. is scared of Halloween because a boy, who has been known to tell, lies to Junie B., has told her awful things about the holiday. Readers will enjoy reading this book as Junie B. tries to find ways to avoid Halloween and the scary things that is until she decides to scare the "scary" things first. I love this book because I know first graders who are also scared of Halloween. If you know a child who is scared of Halloween I suggest that you read this book to them. It is wonderful!

Ooh, It's a Scary Clown!.......2005-12-22

Halloween is fast approaching, but this is one holiday Junie B. Jones is not excited about. In fact, she's a bit scared and upset. It seems that crazy boy Paulie Allen Puffer is at it again --- he told Junie B. five scary secrets about Halloween that have soured her on the holiday. Despite the fact that Paulie Allen's information has been bad in the past, Junie B. is still scared. She tries to literally hide from the holiday and doesn't want to go shopping for a Halloween costume.

Junie B. gets a great idea on how to overcome her Halloween fears. It's a funny idea, but one that exasparates her Mom.

This book is full of the usual clever humor including some funny bits about candy corn not be real corn and "thank you" sometimes being a fib.

This story really isn't too different from any normal Junie B. Jones story. Most fans of the series will likely eat this up, just like a bag of candy.

Junie B., First Grader Boo... and I mean it!.......2005-09-17

Junie B. has a problem that she needs to deal with and quick, she is scared of Halloween. Of course her fears are based in "fact" because she got her info from an 8th grader and as she states they are almost adults. She works through her fears in a logic that, I think, very much paralles the thought processes of a first grader. Barbara Parker makes this girl take life in a fantastically funny manner. She makes Junie intelligent and witty, sometimes to witty for her own good. This was my first encounter with Junie but I can assure you it will not be my last. A must read for either caretakers of small children or Halloween lovers of any age.

Junie B., First Grader: Shipwrecked (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))

Average customer rating:

This is a great book! It is EXCELLENT!!
Confusing - in a good way!
Junie B., First Grader Shipwrecked
Junie B., Superstar!
Junie B.first grader shipwrecked

Junie B., First Grader: Shipwrecked (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))
Barbara Park
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0375828052
Release Date: 2005-05-24

Amazon.com

Everybody's favorite sass-mouth first grader comes back for her 23rd installment in this popular series . This time around, Junie B. fends off a stomach virus and earns a starring role in the Parent's Night play. The action starts with a bang--or rather, a "SPLAT-O!"--as one of Junie B's classmates falls victim to a stomach virus right there in class: "It was the disgustingest thing I ever saw. Also, the odor was not delightful." But only after everyone improvises their own virus defenses ("We held our noses tight with our fingers. And we didn't breathe for the whole rest of the morning") does the real excitement in Room One begin. Poor, put-upon Mr. Scary has planned a special event for Parent's Night--a play about Christopher Columbus. Junie B. lands a plum role ("I want to be the Pinta! Cause the Pinta was the fastest ship! And the fastest ship is the winner ship. And the winner ship is the star!"), but as with all Junie endeavors, expect a bumpy voyage.

The usual classroom crew is back, including Lennie, Herbert, and Jose, and Junie doesn't disappoint with her unintentionally hilarious asides ("Attendance is the school word for who isn't here") and trademark wisdom ("Glitter can turn your whole day around"). (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul Hughes

Book Description

Ship Ahoy!

Room One is putting on a play. And guess what? It’s about explorers looking for the New World! And there’s ships and sea captains and everything! Plus here’s the bestest news of all—Junie B. Jones thinks she might be the star of the whole entire production! Only, sailing the ocean blue is not as easy as it looks, apparently. ’Cause problems keep on happening. Like the actors keep catching the flu. And bossy May keeps trying to take over the show.

Can this play be saved? Will the ships ever get to land? Or is Room One in for a disaster at sea that they will never forget?

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

This is a great book! It is EXCELLENT!!.......2006-10-02

This book is about Junie B. Jones and a play. Junie is a ship in the play. The play was about Christopher Columbus and Junie says he didn't discover America. Read the rest of the book to find out what happens!

Confusing - in a good way!.......2006-08-25

I think that junie B. Jones realy made it sound like she was going to be the star of the play! But then everything turned around,when her part was picked she thought she got a dumb old boat. And then William sneezed in the middle of the show. It was confusing because too many things were going on!

Junie B., First Grader Shipwrecked.......2006-05-18

I teach first grade so Junie B. is a fan of all of us. I just finished reading Shipwrecked, the newest Junie B. book in the series. This series continues to be entertaining for both my students and myself. The author does an outstanding job of placing everyday children's issues in an exciting way. These books have made my students realize the importance of helping each other and thinking of others needs before their own. In Shipwrecked it covers the topics of germs, sharing, and teamwork in a way that everyone can enjoy and learn from. I will continue to read Junie B for years to come and enjoy reading the new books as they are published.

Junie B., Superstar!.......2005-12-21

Junie B.'s first-grade class is a bit confused and worried after an illness goes around their class, but news of a play brightens their spirits. They're told they'll be putting on a play about Christopher Columbus and Junie B. is very excited. She decides to get lots of facts about Christopher Columbus and land a starring role. She gets a great role, but will the continued tensions between May and her ruin all?

This is a great story that touches on a lot of topics. I just love that cute little Junie B. Jones!

The dialogue in this and other Junie B. Jones is natural. She speaks like that in all of the books (although she's learning too) and kids need to be given more credit --- generally, they know that the way Junie B. speaks isn't correct --- and they find it funny!

Junie B.first grader shipwrecked.......2005-10-13

My favorite part in the book is when her dad has to drag her out of bed because she does not wnat to go to school because she has to get on stage. My favorite character is Junie B. because her book covers make me laugh. It makes me laugh in chapter 2 because she wants to be a duck. The problem is she has to be a boat.

Storm Run: The Story of the First Woman to Win the Iditarod Sled Dog Race

Average customer rating:

A highly recommended story of fulfilling one's dreams.

Storm Run: The Story of the First Woman to Win the Iditarod Sled Dog Race
Libby Riddles
Manufacturer: Sasquatch Books/Paws IV Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1570612935

Book Description

In 1985, Libby Riddles made history by becoming the first woman to win the 1,100-mile Iditarod Sled Dog Race. This brand-new edition of Riddles's timeless adventure story is complete with updated narrative details, sidebars on all aspects of the race, photographs, and all-new illustrations by beloved illustrator Shannon Cartwright. An inspiration to children and adults everywhere, this is a compelling first-hand account of the arctic storms, freezing temperatures, loyal sled dogs, and utter determination that defined Riddles's Iditarod victory.

Customer Reviews:

A highly recommended story of fulfilling one's dreams........2002-03-30

Libby Riddles' Storm Run is a picturebook of the exciting true story of the first woman to win the Iditarod Sled Dog Race in Alaska. Storm Run is the story of fulfilling one's dream, daring freezing treasures and bonding with loyal sled dogs. Wonderfully illustrated by Shannon Cartwright with soft, full-color artwork, Storm Run is an especially recommended giftbook for young girls nurturing their own dreams.

Average customer rating:

Great Book!
Supper
Excellent!
okay

Pippi Goes to School
Astrid Lindgren
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0141302364

Amazon.com

Pippi Longstocking's long red braids are the very image of childhood rebellion. In Pippi Goes to School, our heroine's insurrectionary spirit is hardly dampened by her first taste of academe. Her friends Tommy and Annika head off bright and early at 8 a.m., "hand in hand, swinging their schoolbags." Pippi can't be bothered to get going until a little later: "At exactly ten o'clock she lifted her horse off the front porch, and a little later all the people in the town ran to their windows to see what horse it was that was running away." It's just Pippi headed for school in her own inimitable fashion. The teacher's vain attempts to teach her math and art and music fail miserably. When asked to add 7 and 5, she retorts, "If you don't know that yourself, you needn't think I'm going to tell you." It's not that Pippi's naughty, it's just that she has her own way of doing things. At the end of the day, it's she who's consoling the exhausted teacher: "You understand, Teacher, don't you, that when you have a mother who's an angel and father who's a cannibal king, and when you have sailed on the ocean all your whole life, then you don't know just how to behave in school." This slender paperback picture book is neatly adapted from the Astrid Lindgren classic Pippi Longstocking, with assistance from Lindgren herself. Michael Chesworth's lively, modernized illustrations make clever reference to the original edition, without being slavish. (Ages 4 to 8)--Claire Dederer

Book Description

Pippi Longstocking has her own special way of doing everything, even going to school. She's not about to walk, she'd rather ride her horse. And Pippi can't be bothered with spelling and math; she's more interested in drawing on the floor and finding out when Christmas vacation starts. Pippi may be ready for school, but is school ready for Pippi? Pippi Goes to School is a great introduction for young children to the wacky, wonderful world of Pippi Longstocking.

* A Picture Puffin
* Full-color illustrations
* 32 pages
* Ages 4-8

Customer Reviews:

Great Book!.......2005-10-16

A great introduction to the Pippi Longstocking story. We got this book along with Pippi Goes to The Circus, my 7 yr old enjoyed them both.

Supper.......2004-03-21

This book is supper ! I love Pippi ! I have her Video and DVD. She is the smartest girl in the whole world ! When she got in shool she starts jumping on the desks ! Because she din't know what to do in shool. I really recomend it to buy this book.

Excellent!.......1999-07-28

This is a marvelous way to introduce young readers to the fabulous world of Pippi Longstocking! The illustrations are delightful and the stories are rollicking and full of fun!

okay.......1999-06-26

This book, I had thought when I bought it, had a good plot. Key word there? Thought!

Average customer rating:

Women and Children First
Francine Prose
Manufacturer: Pantheon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ASIN: 0394565738
Release Date: 1988-02-12

Book Description

Francine Prose's first collection of stories displays her gift for revealing the mysteries and contradictions at the heart of contemporary life.

A young woman, disappointed by her lover, discovers that "what you'd hoped was the start of your life could turn out to be a scene from someone else's porn movie." A college professor is disturbed by his attraction to the physical therapist caring for his dying father. A Manhattan gallery owner baby-sitting her infant nephew watches herself pretending to be her suburban housewife sister.

With wit and compassion, Prose's collection reminds us that nothing is as we've foreseen ... not even our own desires.

Average customer rating:

And On and On and On
A somewhat sensationalized, and exaggerated, slice of Korean American life
Loved This Book
Started out great but ending was flat
Good writing, but perpetuates terrible racial stereotypes of Asian men

Free Food for Millionaires
Min Jin Lee
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0446581089

Amazon.com

Free Food for Millionaires, the debut novel from Min Jin Lee, takes on daunting themes of love, money, race, and belief systems in this mostly satisfying tale. Casey Han is a Princeton grad, class of '93, and it is her conflicts, relationships, and temperament that inform the novel. She is the child of immigrant Korean parents who work in the same laundry in Queens where they have always worked and are trying hard to hang on to their culture. Casey has catapulted out of that life on scholarships but now that college is over, she hasn't the same opportunities as her white friends, even though she has acquired all of their expensive habits.

The concept of free food for millionaires is the perfect irony that describes much of what Casey faces. Walter, one of her bosses, says, when a huge buffet lunch is delivered to the floor: "It's free food for millionaires... In the International Equities Department--that is, Asia, Europe, and Japan Sales--the group you're interviewing for--whichever desk that sells a deal buys lunch for everyone in the department."

Casey is ambivalent about everything--her love life, work, friendships, her family, dating a Korean man--but she seems to believe that money would sort everything out and smooth any rough spots. She works part-time for a fashion maven who would like to "adopt" her by paying for business school, but Casey can't quite accept all that she offers. She pulls back from help, digs herself deeper in debt, works like a slave during an internship and then, when she is offered the job, finally begins to realize what she might really want--and it isn't only money.

There are several loose ends left dangling, some bad behavior toward others on Casey's part and an unlikely and too coincidental passing acquaintance with an old bookseller whose wife was crazy about hats, as is Casey. When he dies, he leaves all her hats to Casey--which just might just be the start of something. The author runs out of steam after 512 pages and ends the book without really finishing it, but it is a thoughtful treatment of many of the questions Lee raises, and an emninently worthwhile debut. --Valerie Ryan

Book Description

Casey Han's four years at Princeton gave her many things, "But no job and a number of bad habits." Casey's parents, who live in Queens, are Korean immigrants working in a dry cleaner, desperately trying to hold on to their culture and their identity. Their daughter, on the other hand, has entered into rarified American society via scholarships. But after graduation, Casey sees the reality of having expensive habits without the means to sustain them. As she navigates Manhattan, we see her life and the lives around her, culminating in a portrait of New York City and its world of haves and have-nots. FREE FOOD FOR MILLIONAIRES offers up a fresh exploration of the complex layers we inhabit both in society and within ourselves. Inspired by 19th century novels such as Vanity Fair and Middlemarch, Min Jin Lee examines maintaining one's identity within changing communities in what is her remarkably assured debut.

Customer Reviews:

And On and On and On.......2007-09-28

I listened to all 16 of the disks of this novel -- patiently and expectantly. Some of the characters were interesting, and their dilemmas recognizable. Some of the appeal was the exoticism of getting into the heads of highly pious, Korean immigrants and ambitious, frightened Wall Street interns. I learned a little about Ivy League striving and the ambivalence of young professionals. Unfortunately, this book cries out for a strong editor.

A somewhat sensationalized, and exaggerated, slice of Korean American life.......2007-09-02

As a Korean American male in my early 30's and also in the Investment Banking industry I picked up this book with much curiosity and anticipation. I have to say at the end of it, my thoughts were mixed. In my life, I've lived in the environment that both the author and the main character have gone through- Korean American church life, demanding academics, traditional parents and the rush to find a reputable profession after college. In my time I've known my share of archetypes in the mold of Casey Han, Ted Kim, Joseph Han, Unu Shim and yes even the ultra innocent, tragically beautiful, but ultimately naiveté and played like a fiddle Ella Shim. These caricatures not only exist in our community, but are also recognizable and realistic.

The first half of the book I thought Lee was building up to something quite interesting, perhaps accomplishing something groundbreaking like Chang Rae Lee did in his book "Native Speaker." However, the second half of the book devolved into something that didn't say anything really and was just fodder for gossip talk. Although, there were plenty of flawed characters in this book, it seems as if the Korean Americans, both men and women, were the most dysfunctional people. The only two Korean Americans that had the best values and most consistent personalities, Ellas's father and Casey's sister, were the most underdeveloped characters. The more drama you had in your life, the more words Ms. Lee devoted to developing your character. Maybe that was Lee's point? To take the standard immigrant literary fare of the hard working and noble immigrant family and turn it on its head and write about immigrants who are just as messed up as everyone else around them. For good measure, make them a little more messed up then their non-Korean peers. This is not an accurate representation of what most Korean Americans are. There are certainly characters in real life that are like the characters in the book, but the frequency is certainly skewed.

Also, the date rape that happened in the last third of the book bothered me greatly and I didn't think it was at all necessary. If Ms. Lee wanted to demonstrate tragic flaws in some characters I honestly do believe she could of used another vehicle to achieve her purpose. If I wasn't Korean American, I'd probably give this book another star. It is very well written and engaging if you are not emotionally tied to the culture that the characters navigate through. However, it is far from a classic and it is more along the lines of a light summer read. What saddens me is that, with a little more intelligence, foresight and responsible writing, it could have been so much more.

Loved This Book.......2007-08-28

Although I'm probably a "third tier reviewer" (see nastly useless review below), I adored this book. It was completely a revelation about Korean immigrant culture, something I know nothing about, but with characters that anyone could recognize and relate to. Having read so many books where the characters have one personality trait, it was so wonderful to read a book where the characters have flaws, make terrible mistakes but you still care for them and want them to succeed. I did not want this book to end. Speaking of endings, my only criticism is that the ending was ambiguous. After having invested so much time with these characters I wanted a tighter ending. But, having thought about how the book ended, I do think it was very true to the nature of the book which was almost a movie/narration of four years in one character's life. This was my favorite book in a long long time. I thought it was brilliant and on a subject no one focuses on in any kind of sophisticated manner -- that period after college but before career. Finally, for anyone having trouble getting through the print edition of the book, I also recommend the unabridged audio; the narrator brings all of the characters to life making it hard to stop listening.

Started out great but ending was flat.......2007-08-24

I loved the first half of the book. It had direction, wit, suspense, and the beginnings of a naive protagonist who I figured would grow and evolve into someone who would actually make use of her enormous potential to do SOMETHING.

It was very frustrating to read the latter half of the book. In a way, it was too realistic. Example: Casey's encounter with her father, Joseph. That conflict was never really resolved nor addressed in the latter half- an element of reality that is overshadowed by happy endings and hugs&tears in storybooks and movies. In this book, the ending brought no closure, and offered little insight as to where the central protagonist was headed. It was very disappointing.

Looking at some of the other reviews, I'm surprised at the comments criticizing the author's writing (which I thought was superb). Ms. Lee has potential and I hope that she, unlike Casey Han, is able to deliver a story worthy of her descriptive eye and writing talent later on in her career.

Good writing, but perpetuates terrible racial stereotypes of Asian men.......2007-08-24

My goodness. I have never been so impressed with the beginning of a book only to be let down like this. Up until around page 400, I was still filled with hope that this was going to be a groundbreaking book. It wasn't until around 400 pages that I realized where this shipwreck was headed. To summarize, let me first start with the good points.

First, it was well written in terms of the suspense. I admit that I couldn't stop turning the pages, even after I realized the underlying message. It was a 560 page book, and I finished it in five days. At times, it had me spellbound, and I couldn't wait to find out what happened to the characters. Second, I like Lee's style. It was a bit confusing the way that she dove into every character's head, but it worked. It captured the entire society. For that she should be praised. Third, I thought Lee did a pretty good job of describing the lives and feelings of her female characters. Fourth, Lee puts a fair amount of time into describing her Asian male characters. Most Asian female authors glance over their Asian male characters as if they were an afterthought. Lee actually gives them something to do.

Now the bad things about this book.

First, Lee's male characters are weak. They seem like women inside men's bodies, or they seem like superficial caricatures thrown in to support the women's stories. Whether the male characters were white or Asian, old or young, I just couldn't get into them because they weren't believable. Hugh Underhill, for example, is a stereotype of a Wall Street salesman. He thinks about trades, sex, and nothing else. Casey's father is a stereotypical Asian male brute who beats his children. Unu is a stereotypical Asian male loser who doesn't have self-control.

Second, what's with all the sex? Everybody likes sex, but this was just ridiculous. Your average porn doesn't have as much sex as this novel. It might be titillating, but it doesn't always make good literature, and in the case of this novel, I had problems in places where I felt the sex was not believable. For example, I highly doubt that all those old Koreans spend their time thinking about sex. I highly doubt Leah would have been so emotionally helpless because of her sexual urges.

Third, and this is the most problematic aspect of this novel, is the racial stereotyping of the men. This, in my opinion, is what eventually broke this novel. Sure, Lee gives more airtime to Asian men than perhaps any other Asian American female author to date. However, the same old tired stereotypes of Asian men and white men poison this book. A quick read should make this obvious. The shameless philanderer Ted who leaves his wife and infant child, the calculating rapist Charles Hong, the old Asian man Joseph who feels threatened and then takes it out physically on his grown daughter, the loser Unu who can't control his gambling habit, are all Asian. On the other hand, the perfect man with the blue eyes David Greene, the gorgeous and irresistable ladies man Hugh Underhill, the father figures Isaac Gottesman and Joseph McReed, are all white men. Even Casey's ex-boyfriend Jay Currie is depicted as a flawed but ultimately superior individual who is passionate and focused. With a quote on the back cover by David Henry Hwang, I probably should've predicted that Asian men were going to get dragged over the coals, but the amount of racial venom that this story dishes out really surprised me. I guess the racist anti-Asian male culture perpetuated by Hwang, Amy Tan, and Maxine Hong Kingston is alive and well.

If there were one moral lesson of this story that I took away with me, it was this: Asian women need to be more assertive and need to support each other, White women are either airheads or sluts, Asian men are evil or weak, and White men are the epitome of all that is good and wonderful in the world. The message is quite clear. It's not just one or two characters who embody these racial stereotypes, it's ALL of them.

I sometimes wonder why so many Asian American authors perpetuate such hatred against Asian American men. Sure, you'll find Asian American men who are rapists, child beaters, and philanderers, but I'd be surprised if those among our population are any more common than in other populations. Similarly, I'm always so shocked when I read how Asian American authors love to exalt White men as if they were gods. Both the hatred against Asian men and the deification of White men have to stop.

Anyway, two stars for the good writing. The overall message, however, is not something that I want to be a part of. It's sad that authors continue to perpetuate this kind of backward racist thinking in this day and age.

Race Across Alaska: First Woman to Win the Iditarod Tells Her Story

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Race Across Alaska: First Woman to Win he Iditarod
Fantastic Adventure Story
Libby's a Courageous Woman
A page turning adventure for all ages!
I felt the chill, adventure and excitement of the Iditarod!

Race Across Alaska: First Woman to Win the Iditarod Tells Her Story
Libby Riddles
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: School & Library Binding

General | Biographies | Sports | Subjects | Books

Iditarod & Dog-Sledding | Winter Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

Girls in Sports | School & Sports | Teens | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0785773932

Customer Reviews:

Race Across Alaska: First Woman to Win he Iditarod.......2007-05-20

Libby Riddles brings you on the Iditarod trail with her. You will feel her cold, her fatigue and the fur of her dogs whom she loves above all. This is the ultimate armchair adventure. It's incredible top believe that people actually put themselves through this. A bonus feature of this book is the informaive sidebars. I recommend it with five stars.

Fantastic Adventure Story.......2007-01-14

I loved this book, from beginning to end. It was engaging, exciting, informative and just a great read. Adventure stories are my favorite and I love animals so it was a great combination. Hooray for Ms. Riddles for her victory and a well written book.

Libby's a Courageous Woman.......2002-01-23

I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Libby Riddles personally on a cruise with Princess Cruise Line. Her talk was so enlightening that I bought the book. This is a must read for every Iditarod fan or interested person. The grueling schedule and trails will hold your interest until the end of the book. You'll find out what Libby cared on her sled, how she prepared for each checkpoint and what all the mushers have to endure to come out on top of the pack. You'll easily learn to respect the mushers and the love/dedication they have for the Iditarod.

A page turning adventure for all ages!.......2001-08-02

Libby Riddles is the first woman to win the Iditarod, which is the Alaskan dog-sled race that covers over 1,000 miles.

As I'm not very familiar with Alaska, I had never heard of Libby Riddles, or the Iditarod for that matter. However, my boss, who is from Alaska, brought me an autographed copy of the book as a souvenir from one of her trips home. I immediately started reading the book and was quickly engrossed in Libby's adventure.

The book is written in journal style. I felt as if I were right there on the trail with Libby throughout her grueling race to the finish. Interspersed throughout the pages are interesting Iditarod facts that help the reader to better understand the life of a musher as well as the ins and outs of the race.

Libby, as well as all the mushers, show an amazing amount of courage and strength. From start to finish, many mushers don't get to shower and exist on an hour or so of sleep every 15-24 hours! Imagine that kind of schedule, coupled with the intense physical endurance they're also experiencing. It was simply mind boggling, but very admirable.

I found this a fascinating read; my only complaint is that I wish it were longer! I wanted the story to continue a little bit after Libby crossed the finish line in Nome!

I felt the chill, adventure and excitement of the Iditarod!.......2001-06-14

After meeting Libby personally in Juneau May 2001, I had to read the book! She takes you "with her and her precious dogs" on this adventure with details about the event and how she feels,copes and thrives throughout the 1984 Iditarod.

The best part? She won as a team (with her dogs) and as a person of strength with the knowledge that she would also be a role model from both women and men.

Book Description

John Hercules Po's kindergarten class is made up of 19 girls . . . and him. His older brother warns him not to let all those girls turn him into a sissy, but as John Hercules Po discovers, he needn't worry. As he and the girls let their imaginations run wild during recess, they end up digging all the way to The Great Wall of China, floating on the Amazon river, singing to the Man on the Moon, and racing a car 600 miles per hour.

So . . . 19 girls and 1 lone boy? Nope, even better—20 good friends.

By the acclaimed author of The Journey of Oliver K.Woodman and the illustrator of Bedtime! comes this delightful story that parents will adore just as much as their children.

Customer Reviews:

19 girls and me.......2007-06-08

This book was read to elementary students grades k-6, every one of the students loved this book and requested it be read again the very next week. We discussed the pictures (first gray and then color when playing and at the end), the connections with siblings and finally friendships. I highly recommend this book.

A Delightful Story About Friendship.......2007-01-01

19 Girls and Me is a story of a kindergartener named John Hercules Po who finds himself in a class of nineteen girls. He is the only boy. His brother worries that he will become "sissified" from playing with all of those girls. In the end, everybody realizes that playing together can be a lot of fun.

19 Girls and Me is a delightful story that shows kids that it is okay for girls and boys to play together. Girls won't become tomboys just because they are playing with boys, and boys won't become sissies just because they are playing with girls. Everyone can get along and have a good time.

My five-year-old daughter likes this story. She also enjoys looking at all of the details in Steven Salerno's playful illustrations.

19 Girls and Me + Me + My Daughter = FUN!.......2006-12-19

I love this book for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that my daughter, in first grade, totally digs the story of John Hercules Po and his adventures with his 19 friends in Mrs. Ray's Kindergarten--19 friends who just happen to be GIRLS! The repetition is fun, and the imaginative adventures that the kids think up delight both of us! I've already taken the book to school twice and read it in a few different classes, and the kids eyes are big--and their smiles are bigger--as I regale them with the developing friendship between John Hercules Po and his 19 new friends! The book imparts an excellent message without clobbering the reader over the head with it--nicely done! Salerno's illustrations add to the fun!

excellent picture book.......2006-10-31

19 Girls and Me is a story for both girls and boys. Kids will enjoy reading about the wonderful adventures John Hercules Po and his new friends have at recess each day. In addition to a great story, there are glimpses into places around the world that may teach kids a thing or two. This is a book that kids will enjoy again and again.

Clever story - wonderful illustrations.......2006-09-30

John Hercules Po - can his name get any better? John Hercules has a great imagination and takes his all-female classmates on wonderful adventures during recess. But playing with girls can elicit name-calling from brothers. This is a very enjoyable ride of a picture book with a satisfying ending and illustrations that lushly depict the imaginary world while the real world of school remains dull and drab. Great for entering kindergarteners, early grades and a definite read over and over book!

The Value of Caring: The Story of Eleanor Roosevelt (Valuetales)

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The Value of Caring: The Story of Eleanor Roosevelt (Valuetales)
Ann D. Johnson
Manufacturer: Value Communications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0916392112

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