Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul II Review

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(More customer reviews)Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul is an excellent book for every teenager, and anyone who wants to understand what problems teenagers are facing these days. This book contains stories that range from incredibly funny to sad and serious, but yet uplifting.All teenagers facce hardships that have to do with self esteem and fitting in. It is a book that you can go to when you are having problems. I feel tha tevery teenager can relate to this book. It is a good book to uplift your spirits. I recently had some trouble with one of my friends. The book was very helpful and helped us get over our differences. However, there was one story that really touched me. it was titled "A Lesson for Life". The quote at the beginging sort fo explains it all: "The turning point in the process of growing up is when you discover the core strength within you that survives all hutr." It is about a boy who stand up for another boy when he is being picked on. This story changed my life in a way. I started to look around, and I realized that many people around me felt that they did not fit in. I suddenly thought that I was not very confident about myself, but I wanted to help others. The less that I started to worry about myself, and getting to know others, the more and more confident I became about myself. I now have a very happy life, and when someone feels down about their self, I can relate to them and give them advice. More people in this world should be friendly and stick up for others. The book teaches life lessons that everyone should be aware of. One of my friends's parents read the teenage version of htis book when her daughter was done. They previously had a rocky relationship, and everything has changed for the better since then. Another story in this book that has helped me in the struggle as a teenager was titled "No Matter What Happens". It is about growing up and how to deal with it. This book is a great place to turn to when you are looking for inspriration or help in life. You can relate to almost everything in the book.

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Piper Reed: The Great Gypsy Review

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(More customer reviews)I found this creation very entertaining. Especially liked the chapter that presented the 3 childrens' individual versions of "how mom broke her leg". That was classic.
Ms. Holt, the author is the eldest daughter among 3, but she told the story from the eyes and mindset of the middle child. She rose to the challenge and pulled that off flawlessly. I'm also remembering that she had to think like a pre-teen boy when she created an earlier book - "When Zachary Beaver Came to Town". She obviously did an excellent job with that, as the book was awarded the NBA (National Book Award) for young adult literature in 1999, and was later made into a movie, which is shown regularly on various cable and dish network channels.
I know those sisters that are presented in "Piper Reed (Navy Brat) and Piper Reed (The Great Gypsy). Both books have taken me down nostalgia lane and refreshed many fond memories. I may be a little biased because -I'm "The Chief".

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Lunch Walks Among Us (Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist) Review

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(More customer reviews)I am so happy to have found this series of books for my 3rd grade son! We both loved this book. It is funny, with great illustrations. It also has a fabulous message! I highly recommend it for your school-age kids.
Franny K. Stein is an unusual little girl. Rather than dollies and horsies and flowers, Franny loves bats and tarantulas and poison ivy. Her lunches were a bit different too! But like other little girls, Franny needs friendship. In order to make friends, Franny experiments with being someone she is not (the stereotypical little girl), but is unhappy. When she is herself, she finds that her new friends like her just as well or better! In the end, we learn that even if friends don't always like the same things, they can still be friends.

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Franny K. Stein is not your average girl -- she's a mad scientist. She prefers poison ivy to daisies, and when Franny jumps rope, she uses her pet snake. The kids in Franny's class think she's weird, wacky, and just plain creepy. Tired of being stared at, Franny decides to attempt her most dangerous experiment yet -- she's going to fit in. but when a giant Monstrous Fiend attacks the class, everyone knows it's up to a mad scientist to save the day. But has Franny lost her creepy, crawly ways?

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Moses in Egypt Review

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(More customer reviews)I would not recommend this book at all. While it is written in exciting, page-turning fashion, it grossly distorts the story of Moses from the Bible so much that it's pure sensationalism. I am very much a fan of historical fiction, and I realize that when we don't know the full facts of a historical figure's life we need to make them up. Authors do this within reason by deciphering clues of the person's life to determine what could have happened.
The problem is, this book not only goes far beyond reason in making up the details of Moses' life missing from the Bible, but it also completely skews what facts we do know.
FACT: We can only surmise that Ramses was the Pharoah during Moses' adulthood. We're not sure.
THIS BOOK: Moses and Ramses grow up together as brothers and best friends. They get into all kinds of mischief together. Both are painted as immature, misbehaving youth. They are naughty.
FACT: Moses intentionally killed the Egyptian slavedriver and buried him in the sand.
THIS BOOK: In a very dramatic attempt to rescue an old Hebrew man being beaten by the slavedriver, the Egyptian *accidentally* falls to his death. Moses narrowly escapes death himself and is saved at the last minute by grasping for the old man.
FACT: Moses meets his wife, a Midianite, at the well. This happens after he leaves the pharoah's kingdom.
THIS BOOK: During a banquet while Moses is being raised as the pharoah's son, a Midianite woman who has been kidnapped by the Egyptians is brought in as a "gift" for Ramses. In an incredibly sexist and disgusting chapter, she is dismissed by Ramses because she is too spunky in fighting for her freedom, so he "gives" her to Moses. She is taken to Moses' chambers. Moses heads back to his chambers to do who knows what with her as the book insinuates (the book uses words I wouldn't want a child to read, such as describing her voluptuous body). By the time he gets there she has escaped by tying up a servant in her place. Later, Moses sees this same Midianite woman at the well, and only later does he meet her again at the well for the story we read about in the Bible.
This book is basically the printed version of the animated movie "Prince of Egypt." For some reason I think we understand that what we see on TV is sensationalized so that we'll watch it, but I found it truly disgusting to read such misinformation in print.

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Inspired by the biblical story of Moses, this novelization features the Prince of Egypt who follows Moses as he is set adrift in a basket on the Nile as a baby to the pivotal moment when he delivers his people from Egypt into the promised land.

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Changes for Josefina: A Winter Story (The American Girls Collection, Book Six) Review

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(More customer reviews)The books are organized into life phases and seasons, and this book is a good read about a girl growing up in the southwest.

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Josefina and her sisters are shocked when Tia Dolores announces that she plans to leave the rancho. Is there anything that can persuade her to stay? A part of "The American Girls Collection".

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I Can Do It Myself: Featuring Jim Henson's Sesame Street Muppets Review

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(More customer reviews)I remember this book as being one of my favorite books from when I was a little girl. I'm 21 now and have two kids of my own and personally, I wouldn't recommend any other books. It's a great choice for any parent who wants to start their little one down the road to reading. ^_^

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Aquamarine Review

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(More customer reviews)A sweet little coming-of-age novel (check that, NOVELETTE), is a nice read and good diversion, by the author of Oprah Book Club "Here on Earth" (though I doubt anyone reading this book will care diddly). Though a bit too short and a bit too shallow, it's sweet.
Twelve-year-old neighbors Hailey and Claire have been best buddies all their lives, but this summer is the last they will be able to hang out together. Claire will be moving to Florida, and this hangs a pall over their fun. A nearby club will also shut down at the end of summer, a place that they know and enjoy.
But what happens when a mermaid is washed ashore? Aquamarine is not your typical Little Mermaid type, being both cranky and lovelorn. Despite the fact that land-based life will destroy her, Aquamarine falls in love with a local boy (I didn't see his charm, personally). Hailey and Claire manage to smuggle her about in a wheelchair -- but how can they help her survive, if she doesn't want to go back?
It's a nice little book, with excellent descriptions of the local areas. Unfortunately, Aquamarine was the only truly interesting character, as Hailey and Claire are typical book-kids who could be lifted from any other book. Their bright spot is the separation anxiety, which is often reserved mainly for parents. But things simply happen, with little insight into the characters' thoughts.
I also found the shortness of this novel distracting -- there are a fair number of pages, but there are very few lines per page, and the omniscient voice of the narrator destroys some opportunities to initiate more character development (telling us stuff about Aquamarine's background rather than having HER tell Claire and Hailey and US).
I advise younger kids to read this book, but middle grade and older readers will find themselves severely frustrated.

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Karen's Ghost (Baby-Sitters Little Sister #12) (Little Apple Paperbacks) Review

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(More customer reviews)the ben brewer story she told in class wasn't even scary and people freaked out. She believes her deceased great grandfather ben lives on the fourth floor and wants to learn more so she and kristy do research and find his diary and learn some creepy things that freak her out during halloween but they all turn out to be coincidences. But someone needs to tell karen that ghosts aren't all evil and huant you. When somene dies they may be gone physically but their spirit still is watching over you and that's not necessarily a creepy thing at all.

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Karen thinks the ghost of Ben Brewer lives in her house but she's never really seen him until now. Karen and her stepsister have found out that Ben and his spooky friends are going to have a party in her attic.

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Karen's Haircut (Baby-Sitters Little Sister) Review

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(More customer reviews)it's nice karen wanted to feel good about herself and went to the hairdresser's, but it's SO UNREALISTIC that the hair dresser would cut her hair all wrong, especially when karen is just a little kid and she gave the hairdresser a picture of the haircut she really wanted!! But it's still a good read, and though hannie was being mean, karen was really cute when she started sneaking makeup to school, and hannie's pretend wedding to scott was unrealistic but adorable. It's a nice read if you're about 7 or 8, the age I was when I bought this book

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Poor Karen is feeling ugly. Not only does she have glasses, but now her two front adult teeth have grown in and they look like "rabbit teeth." Karen and her mother go to the beauty shop for a makeover. But Gloriana snips away madly and Karen is left with a punk haircut she hates. What will she do about school tomorrow?

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Karen's School Picture (Baby-Sitters Little Sister, No. 5) Review

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(More customer reviews)I first read this years ago when I was 8, sometime after I got glasses when I was 7 and I could relate to the book somewhat when Karen was teased for her glasses, I myself had pink glasses when I was younger and because Karen was proud of her glasses by the time the book ended, I tried to be too because I wanted to be just like her. My favourite parts of the book were when Karen made a list of jokes to play on Ricky, and when Kristy took her to the library to look at pictures of cartoons who also wore glasses.

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Karen, who's just found out that she needs glasses, has to decide whether or not to wear them in the school pictures.

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Kristy and the Mother's Day Surprise (Baby-Sitters Club, No. 24) Review

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(More customer reviews)Okay, you may like it if you're a brainless 10-years-old white caucasian upperclassman. Otherwise no. All BSC books are dull but this one is the dullest. Like parents were going to give their kids to a bunch of 13-years-old. And the throwing up scene in the carousel. How thrilling

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Devising a kid-free day off for all the hardworking mothers in Stoneybrook, Kristy and the rest of the Baby-sitters Club are pleased by the successful day, which concludes with a big surprise for Kristy. Reissue.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Dawn's Wicked Stepsister (Baby-Sitters Club, 31) Review

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(More customer reviews)I liked this! It was a very real portrayal of the struggles to adjust to life in a stepfamily. Dawn discovers that being friends with someone & LIVING with that person are two different things. Dawn & Mary Anne each have different habits, like Dawn is a vegetarian & Mary Anne is a junk-food & meat lover. They discover that the CAN'T share a room & nearly drive each other to the brink of insanity when Dawn wants the radio on & Mary Anne needs complete silence to study. I thought it was funny & creative how Dawn thinks up a way to scare Mary Anne, who still believes in ghosts, into a near-faint! Poor Mary Anne! All in all...realistic.

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Dawn and Mary Anne are finally stepsisters and also roommates. When they begin to get on each other's nerves, Dawn comes up with a solution which pleases everyone.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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The Ghost at Dawn's House (The Baby-Sitters Club #9) Review

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(More customer reviews)ISBN 0590435086 - Martin's The Baby-Sitters Club series as a whole is great reading and The Ghost at Dawn's House misses the 5 star mark by mere sentences.
Maybe it's just her imagination. After all, there's stormy weather and scary stories and they DO live in an old house... so maybe Dawn's not really hearing noises behind her wall - but she thinks she is, and sets out to find the secret passage that she's sure is there. When she finds it, the mystery just begins. What, or who, is making those noises? Is her house really haunted? If so, who's haunting it and why?
In the meantime, the BSC is dealing with their feelings about the Perkinses, who now live in Kristy's old house, and Nicky Pike is feeling left out because the other Pike boys don't want to play with him, so he finds a special place to call his own and takes to disappearing on his sitters!
The ending was incomplete, to me, leaving too much unanswered. Unfortunately, if I go into it, I'll give away too much! I do hope Martin revisits Dawn's ghost and her secret passage, if only to clean up the unfinished threads of this book. Even so, BSC fans will enjoy the story, as always!
- AnnaLovesBooks

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I'm Sorry Review

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(More customer reviews)I like this book because it is sweet and simple. It talksabout friendship and love and being hurt and saying "I'msorry". The illustrations are adorable. This is a great book to teach young children about apologizing and would also be a great gift to give as an apology to a friend, sister, brother, husband, or anyone who needs it. It would be hard not to accept such a sweet apology.

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Claudia and the Sad Good-Bye (Baby-Sitters Club) Review

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(More customer reviews)claudia and her grandmother mimi were so close. She would come from school everyday and together they would drink 'special tea' in beautiful japanese tea cups as displayed on the cover and mimi was the only one who understood claudia in her family. Mimi had a stroke recently but was doing fine for some time but her health begins to decline in this book and she's had to be rushed to the hospital a few times after collapsing and was sent home, but after being sent back a second time and saying she was doing fine she passed away peacefully in her sleep. Claudia experienced so many emotions that she couldn't grasp or understand throughout the events following the death. She felt sad, angry, abandoned and so forth and those feelings are real. Her family helped her out at the end though come to terms with it and it made me cry too cause my great grandmother passed away when I was a kid and I remember not knowing how to feel myself, happy cause she was in no more pain and in a better place, or sad cause i will never see her again and stuff like that.

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One of a series of stories that revolve around the babysitters club. Kristy Thomas and her friends are all experienced babysitters who can tackle any job from rampaging toddlers to a pandemonium of pets.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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The Truth About Stacey, Collector's Edition (Baby-Sitters Club, No. 3) Review

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(More customer reviews)I don't know if series author Ann M. Martin either personally has disabilities herself, and/or knows the real-life struggles of people who do, but this is an unflinchingly realistic account of what it is like to be a teenager with a disability in America. Years after reading it in a fourth grade English class, I remain impressed at the storyline candor.
Sure, there are laws on the books then protecting Stacey's access to education...etc but her real challenges come from insensitive peers. A friend had liked Stacey until she found out that Stacey had diabetes during a sleepover, and then ended their friendship abruptly. Having endured identical torturous experience for my own disability, I appreciate the unflinchingly honest (and even descriptively blunt) account of what this reality is like.
Likewise, the issue of well-meaning but over protective parents are brought up. Stacey's minor status is compounded by the fact that she is also a person with a disability. Rushing to 'help' her with something they do not personally themselves have, parental actions frustrate Stacey. She loves them dearly, but wants her life to be much more than hospitals and doctors---Stacey only wants to be a 'normal' kid.
Yes, this subject area might go beyond standard children's fare, but taking note of the human effects of discrimination and 'difference' are important. Even if they do not have disabilities themselves, young adults should read this book to realize that teasing other people because of their disability does hurt everybody.

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Stacey, a member of the Baby-sitters Club, learns to cope with her diabetes and her overprotective parents.

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Mary Anne Saves The Day (Baby-Sitters Club #4) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm 28 years old, and I recently moved. While cleaning out my house to pack for the move, I ran across a box of Babysitters Club books that I read when I was younger. I had forgotten about those since I hadn't read them in many years. I was 13 when my dad bought Mary Anne Saves the Day for me at the local grocery store. He said I could get a book and that one caught my eye. I read it when I got home, and I was hooked. Since then, I bought books 1-3, and then each book after that every month when it came out. I was 18 when I stopped reading them. I felt I had outgrown them. When I recently found those books, I reread them all, starting with Mary Anne Saves the Day. It brought back a lot of memories, and I am now collecting them all again for my own daughter, if I ever have one.
Mary Anne Saves the Day is about a shy 12 year old girl who lives with her single father, who is very strict when it comes to raising her. She belongs to a great group of friends who run a business called The Babysitters Club. During one of her jobs, a little girl grows ill while in her care, and Mary Anne must use quick thinking to get the child to the hospital.
These are wonderful books for children. It's a shame Ann M. Martin is no longer writing them, but they will be always cherished

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When a fight breaks out among the members of the Babysitters Club, timid Mary Anne finds herself becoming more assertive as a baby sitter and in her relationships with her father and friends.

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