Boys Books

My Grandson calls me Papa, so I bought this for him. We read it together and he really liked the book.

I think the imagery and colors really carry this book. The story line is good, but the art is great. A great read for young pirates.

This book is a big hit at our house! The story is whimsical (it's easy to do great voices to go along with the characters) and the illustrations are really sophisticated, so they hold our little one's interest. Love it!

This is a great book all around. I am a children's book seller and would recommend this book as a wonderful gift for a boy or girl, or even for a dad, perhaps for a cute father's day gift. The rich, whimsical illustrations and pirate theme are perfect for today's children--pirates are in, and so are quality pictures books like this one!

So far I've bought this picture book for 3 friends who recently had babies. All of the newborns were girls. All of the parents loved the story. Just like illustrations from Kyle Stone's (the illustrator) previous book "Bury Me In the Library", these illustrations are also fantastic!!!

My 4-year-old loves this! He has been through every train book at the library, and I am always on the lookout for a new "angle". Well, this had it!! Much of the lingo was new to him, so he learned a lot. The pictures are both fun and informative. We love this book!

This delightful picture book will thrill young boys and girls alike as they race down the tracks with an ole hogger on engine 417! They'll meet colorful characters along the way, from Ole Joe, the ashcat, to Mabel, the merry-go-round operator, as the illustrations perfectly capture the lingo of this fast-paced E ticket ride. Kids will absolutely love it!

CAN YOU HEAR THE WHISTLE BLOWING? . . .ummm, yes, you sure can! It's coming down the track, coming down the track, coming down the track!

Patricia Newman delivers a zesty read about the world of trains. Told from the point of the engineer, you will learn train terms, facts, and just a fresh appreciation for the chugging world of transportation.

Perfect resource for a transportation unit in the classroom.

I also love the title. . .and I LOVE THIS BOOK!

This beautifully illustrated book about the glorious days of steam railroading is one which all proud grandparents will enjoybuying for and sharing with their grandchildren. Grandfathers especially will enjoy the old railroad lingo and the opportunity of sharing what it was like long ago. It isn't only granmothers who read to the children!

A definite must for your home library! Kids love the detailed watercolors and the almost-musical text. Who knew railroading slang was so fun? Pretty soon your kids will be asking for their milk as "whitewash" and telling your their "trick is up" at bedtime. Train enthusiast of all ages will enjoy this trip down the main line.

I read Lionheart around 3-4 years ago and it instantly reminded me of all the years I went sailing with my family when I was a small girl. It made me appreciate the art of sailing to the fullest. Jesse is an inspiration to everyone that reads his adventures and he gives a great motivation to follow your dreams until they become true!

This is a fabulous book and I was very surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I highly recommend it to anyone but especially to any young people as it shows just where enthusiasm, optimism and determination can get you and that you dont have to (shouldn't) follow the crowd to succeed in life. He is a wonderful storyteller and very modest about his achievement. Everyone I know who has read it has found it unputdownable.

Jesse's honest account of his experiences and his comments on success make this book well worth the read.

I loved this book,and fell in love with sailing all over again. I've been sailing since I was a little girl, yet his out look on sailing affected mine all over again.
This book quickly became my favorite, replacing my old favorite books. I keep it by my bed and for inspiration I only have to open it up.

I just finished reading Lionheart a book that has reminded me that dreams can come true. As a sailor, I dream about taking my boat to distant places but can't find the courage to do it, I think Jesse has opened a new window for me. This book is much more than a sailing story is about fullfilling your dreams.

I can't add much to what's already been said. Adrianne has never written a bad book but this one is something special. Loved Kane and Carleen's story. If you haven't checked her out, you don't know what you're missing!

Carleen Ellison wakes up unsure where the last week went, or what happened to her little boy. Someone else is pretending to be her, and her ex-husband is playing along. Carlie runs to Kane Kindacid, the man she once loved -- the father of her son -- for help.

Kane doesn't know what to make of Carlie's story, but he's sure she's the real deal. Just as he's sure he never got over her, even after she married his cousin. And now he has to help her rescue the son he never knew he had. Will he be able to let her ago again when this mess is finally worked out?

Adrianne Lee writes a compelling mystery and a great romance about a love that never truly died.

What a fantastic read this is. I almost didn't buy it since it's a secret child book but Adrianne has never led me wrong and she didn't this time either. Don't miss this one!

LITTLE BOY LOST is an all around winner. I literally could not put it down until I found out who the bad guy was and all the truths came out. Carleen has to get her son back from the woman pretending to be her. Everybody thinks she's the imposter! Soooo scary and suspenseful. Great book!

This one was no different. She has the most distinctive writing styles of any romance author today. You won't be able to put the book down once you start. Don't miss her!

I had this book as a child and loved it, but lost it. I was so happy to find it at amazon. They really do have an impressive selection of books.

This is a great book for kids just learning to read. Even 2 and 3 year olds love reading along with you (it repeats so many times that they know the words by heart after reading it a time or two). This book works really well if the child reads it to you or at least pretends to read it.

I am 34 years old it was my all time favourite as a child growing up in Canada. I now live in the United States and have a child of my own. I now want to share this great story with him. He is 2 1/2 and loves fish. Thanks!!!!!!

I bought this hard to find book for my son and my grandchildren. It was my son's favorite book when he was young and now my grandchildren are now enjoying it. This book has brought many good memories in my life.

I a 39 years old with 4 children- Pre-school to high school. This was my ALL TIME FAVORITE BOOK as a child. I have searched antique stores for it, wishing for years that I had coveted my copy of this book, but I guess it just got away. Jill Reiter, Parker Colorado

Dominic Carter has written a deeply moving memoir framed around the horrific physical and sexual abuse he suffered as a young child. No Momma's Boy is not for the faint of heart. Some of the descriptions of the abuse that Mr. Carter suffered at the hands of his mentally ill mother, Laverne, are almost unbearable to read.

Yet, ultimately, Dominic Carter's story is one of triumph over adversity. Laverne sexually abused Carter and tried to kill him when he was a toddler. Born with heart defects and pneumonia, Mr. Carter grew up in poverty on the mean streets of Harlem and The Bronx. Under these circumstances, it is remarkable that he survived, let alone thrived. "Prisons and mental institutions are full of people with backgrounds similar to mine," Carter opines.

In a fast-paced, conversational style, Carter takes readers through the darkest days of his inner city childhood, his escape from poverty via graduate school in upstate New York, and his meteoric rise to journalist extraordinaire at one of New York's top cable television stations.

A key factor in young Dominic's survival was the support he received from his grandmother, Anna Pearl, and his Aunt Inez. Laverne was in and out of mental institutions, and Dominic's father was absent most of the time. Anna Pearl and Inez stepped in to fill the parental void, providing love and putting steel in Dominic's spine, which served him well growing up and later in the cutthroat profession of television journalism.

Mr. Carter is brutally honest about his volcanic temper and the subsequent emotional breakdown following Laverne's death which nearly ended his career. No Momma's Boy is not only an eye-opening read, it represents a cathartic healing of Carter's pain. After a lifetime of holding back powerful negative emotions relating to childhood trauma, Mr. Carter has found the courage to admit that "talking about issues that shame you is like giving CPR to your soul."

Mr. Carter proudly displays bravado and does a lot of name-dropping. This trait is a double-edged sword. It is initially off-putting, but as Carter cogently notes, it is also a critical source of self-confidence that enabled him to overcome extraordinary adversity.

He brags, but he has a lot to brag about. Mr. Carter is a top reporter at NY1, a premier cable television station in the nation's largest media market. He has interviewed world figures such as Bill Clinton, Rudy Giuliani, and Nelson Mandela. This would be a monumental achievement for anyone; it is absolutely amazing for someone who grew up poor and abused in The Bronx.

All I can say is thank you Dominic for opening up your heart and allowing me the opportunity to read about your family secrets. From start to finish I was captivated by this story and I must say what a delightful person he is when you meet him in public. This was one gem of a read......you go New York 1 Political Commentator!

NY1's top reporter/political analyst gives a painful recollection of his childhood with a schizophrenic mother and how he was able to overcome it to become successful, careerwise and personally. I thought his writing was sincere, not showy, and gave insights into the people and institutions that influenced him in a positive way. An interesting read.

Often the family history of some one who has a mental illness is covered up. This almost happened in this mans family. His story lets us all know that to seek the truth brings healing to deep hurts. Leaving the truth covered never gets to forgiveness. As a Black family member this is particularly true. The unspoken code of Black families is to not ever uncover mental illness, just pray to deal with the issues. Additionally, most men do not speak of a difficult past, espically one in the public eye as this important well known news personality. The book was easy to read, and tells of wonderful forgiveness, and can help anyone bring their own hidden truths of abuse and mental illness into the sunshine of healing. Thank you Dominic Carter for telling your story.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has included this as one of the best books of 2007. It probably did't hurt that Dominic Carter--a colorful media celebrity--served as grand marsal for the NAMI New York City walkathon, but the book deserves the distinction in its own right.

It is an incredible book by a person who has lived an incredible life, and overcome odds that would defeat most people.

Carter is a character written in bold and an inspiration. He grew from a childhood of poverty in the Bronx to become one of New York City's best-known news anchors and political reporters, interviewing Nelson Mandela and President Clinton and sparring with former New York City mayor Rudy Guliani. (If Guliani does become president, let's hope that one of the national television networks assign Carter to the White House press room; it would be great theater to watch and a service to the nation).

Carter also lived with a secret of physical and sexual abuse as a child. After his mother died in 2001, he collected 620 pages of medical records and learned for the first time of her life-long struggle with paranoid schizophrenia. "I got hit with a double-barreled shotgun," he said in recent newspaper interviews. "As a child, I didn't know what was going on,"

His autobiography is therapeutic. "I've been running from the ghetto...I've been running from my mother, and I didn't want to run anymore."

In confronting the past, Carter comes to terms with his mother's mental illness and his own emotions. "My mother was not a demon, but she saw demons," Carter writes. "If a demon exists in this story, it is society's collective mistreatment and misunderstanding of mental illness."

"In spite of her tragic life, I celebrate my mother for this one thing," Carter concludes. "She was a survivor...I am proud of my mother for not giving up...You become a real winner in life when the winds of fate knock you down and you manage to get back up. Many people, rich or poor, cannot get back up, but my mother did."

"I am not ashamed to be called her son."

The book is self-published and candid. To his credit, Carter resisted suggestions by mainstream publishers to sensationalize his story, because the basic facts and description of his childhood are upsetting enough. It is a memoir marked by pain, but also, an enduring love. It details Carter's successful career, but the unifying theme throughout is one of family. Its candid disclosures are also an act of courage, not unlike Mike Wallace's disclosure of long history of depression, or that of actor Joe Pantaliano, whose 2003 autobiography similarly reflects his mother's mental illness.

Frankly, I'd love to see Dominic, Wallace and "Joey Pants" discuss their childhoods together sometime. They have much in common. They have much in common. They are larger than life characters, who love a good scrap and rarely censor themselves, except perhaps to usually hide the softer hearts of their nature.

Some of the information in this book may now be out of fashion and sometimes wrong, it is a great pleasure to read "Scouting for Boys". The ideals defended by B.P.: courage, generosity and compassion are as much a necessity today as they were a hundred years ago, when that book was first published.

The idea of an active, "hands on" education still find its echo in today's most recent education innovations.

Of course, the key message lies in the the initials of the author: Be Prepared!

Excellent book detailing the original , if somewhat dated thoughts , of the founder of the Scout Movement- Sir Robert Baden Powell. A must have read for all interetesed in the movement and it's principles

At the very beginning of the twentieth century, retired General Robert Baden-Powell, the hero of the siege of Mafeking, coalesced his ideas for an organization to train young British boys in scouting for the British Empire. Not a very organized thinker, Baden-Powell borrowed heavily from all sorts of unrelated resources - newspaper articles, military dispatches, fiction, and much more - and produced this, his first book on scouting. Originally published as six separate books, this book brings all of them together, complete with original illustrations.

Now, as might be expected from its roots, this book reflects a lot of the biases and ways of thinking from Edwardian England. But, leaving that aside, this is a fun and interesting book that shows clearly the forms that have stayed with the Boy Scouts movement to this very day. The introduction was written by Elleke Boehmer, a professor of Colonial and Postcolonial literature, and is a fairly predictable deconstruction/analysis of B-P and his movement.

Now, as a newcomer to Scouting (my son is a Tenderfoot) did I find anything useful in this book? I sure did. Robert Baden-Powell was very knowledgeable about the subject, and this book sure shows it. (I never thought of tying my shoes like that!) Of course some of the information is out of date, especially the first-aid information, so it isn't really usable by the boys "as is." But, this is a nice resource, one that shows you where Scouting started.

Oh, and I must say that I actually enjoyed the somewhat jumbled organization of this book. It isn't as scholarly and antiseptic as modern Boy Scout books, and the stories and tales laced throughout make the reading much more fun. Plus, I did find the focus on some subjects, such as logic and deductive reasoning, to be quite interesting. I loved this book, and highly recommend it to you!

I was an Eagle Scout as a boy, and now I'm the founding Scoutmaster of my sons' troop. As such, I was anxious to get a copy of this hard cover version. Baden-Powell's work is a classic and well worth the read. The problem with this edition is the Introduction by Elleke Boehmer. Without it, the book is a 5-star. Ms. Boehmer appears a non-believer. Reading her is like taking a pessimistic art critic along side while viewing an art gallery. Far more benefit (for all concerned) would occur without her input. For each positive she states about BP, she mentions a negative. She also spends just over two pages discussing homosexual tendencies (pp xxxii-xxxiii) within BP's works, something which is out of place in this work. I started to list several quotes, but I think one sums it up best of all from the back cover: "She has never been a scout, but she did once shake hands with Lady Baden-Powell at a jubilee celebration in South Africa." I guess that must make her an expert.

This original text of BP's "Scouting for Boys" is an excellent read. You can skip the introduction, however. The intro is a steaming pile of horse excrement written by someone seething with contempt for BP and the Boy Scout movement. Why it was included with the book is beyond me unless it's to provide bum fodder whilst camping. Remember, a scout is thrifty!

If it's laughter you're after, Leaven is your man! Flawlessly executed. Hey [Amazon.com], Can I give more stars??

Apart from the in-your-face writing style, this little book is all about who Joy Boy encounters in New York - his roommates, the girls his libido latches on to, the booze he imbibes, the cuisine he obsesses with, the drugs he narrowly misses, the mayhem he causes & the misadventures he gallops into.

Did I like ON THE ORIGINS OF JOY BOY'S CHASM? Not exactly. It is witty, & I found myself chuckling here & there. It is rather like an endlessly looping rerun of some snortingly amusing New York sitcom. It is also a catalog of brand names - I can't remember a novel with so many.

If you're young, you talk a-mile-a-minute & like your characters to do the same; if you yearn for the zany - then this one's for you! Enjoy!

In Joy Boy's Chasm we find that the disenchanted editor has met with dot-com hysteria as surfers, lonely messengers and free-wheeling, soul-searching crackers somehow all come together to occupy the same space in a wildly believable New York fashion, weaving nothing less than an hilarious, over-the-top, comic tale whose roots we find in the following: Breaking up is hard to do but harder, still, perhaps, is growing up.

The episodic novel takes place in Manhattan late in the fall of 1998, as the author states in his energy-driven prologue in where he also states that the reader would do better to throw the book on the ground, stomp on it, soak it in charcoal lighter fluid and set it on fire than they would to continue reading. A perfectly crafted take-away -- you have no choice but to continue on once you read this.

My most enjoyable and positive comment, other than the uncompromisingly witty repertoire that fills the pages and the carefully created (albeit madcap) plot, is that it is great to have an author who can take a risk with a unique perspective on the post-college, pre-marriage life by not littering the pages with the drugs, booze and sexcapades that one inevitably finds in most mainstream media treating the subject. Characters who unwittingly widen the rift between the now and where they are trying to get to by the all-too-common, tired and cliche literary method of filling their idle time with stimulants and depressants are a dime a dozen. Leaven's characters, while hardly free from the gravitational pull of the consumer-creating machine of our time (and how apropos to find the setting late-1998 Manhattan, where this machine was never before in such full force), are truly in search of a better life, a better way, a better time, though some of the characters do not completetely refrain from the previously-mentioned void-filling methods.

The author, after recommending that the reader burn the book and go save a squirrel instead, promises total enlightenment to the reader who dares to continue on. Perhaps it was the nostialgic rush that came over me in the closing words that, dare I say perfectly?, encapsulated not only the narrative but also the tumult inherent in this period of our lives for most of us, but the author's prescient prediction did ring partly true in that I did feel that I understood this period of my life a bit better than before reading the novel (and also that I could laugh more about it). And for this, but more so for the complete and captivating entertainment that he delivers, Leaven has my vote. A fresh, new voice and a pleasure to read.

This is the most wildly entertaining novel that I can ever remember reading -- no exaggeration.

If you're between 18 and 40, this book will have you laughing out loud. I particularly enjoyed the way the plot was woven in such a way to bring together characters who were so different and to place these characters in such foreign environments compared to what they are accustomed to.

The author did a great job with language and descriptive elements to make totally unbelievable situations believable -- and, in doing so, hilarious.

I give this book five starts and I highly recommend it -- this author, who I never heard of before buying this book, is simply hilarious.

I will try to describe the experience as minimally as possible: A witty, fast-paced and wildly inventive romp that will grab you by the neck and shake you up, down and all around until you break down and weep in the face of it's relentless, utter merriment. Somebody pass me a Martini, I can't believe what just happened.

I read this book each year in my unit on explorers. My 5th grade students love it and can really relate to the main character, Pedro. My only complaint is that it is short and the kids always want more.

I read this book out loud to my children. We all enjoyed this story written from the perspective of a cabin boy.

I am a 10 year old and I like this book because it teaches me about Pedro's journey with Christopher Columbus. Pedro tells us what he did while sailing with Christopher Columbus. Take for example the time he tricked someone else into swabbing the deck while he sat back and watched. Also, the prayers written in the book gave me a mind movie. I can imagine myself there with Pedro on the wooden bed on the ship with my hands together, saying a prayer. I would recommend this book to other 10 year olds. They'll find it interesting.

A enjoyable book for my 9 year old. A story that captures and keeps the attention thoughout the book.

Pedro's Journal, written by Pam Conrad, is about a boy who loved the sea. He went out to sea with Christopher Columbus to find the new land. The captain thought he would be useful because he can read and write. He goes back and forth from ship to ship each day. The weather is terrible. The storms are on and off. Finally they get there. They find that the Indians are very useful. So they bring some Indians aboard. It took them longer to get back to Spain. Finally they get back to Spain. The last place Pedro is seen is when he is walking up toward his mother's house. I would recommend this
book to a friend.

Henry Shute was a very popular humorist a hundred years ago; some say he rivaled Mark Twain. These supposed diary entries of a young boy recall a more innocent day, when kids could roam all over town without fear, while reminding us that the playfulness, even impishness, of the young still prevails. When our son was 12 or 13, we used to get many giggles and guffaws in reading these tales to each other. Very enjoyable.

I wish I could find "Letters to Beany, or the Love Letters of Plupy Shute" in print, but this is a fine book by the same author. (Actually, I did find a collector's copy of the other book -- for $125.00!)

I have a 1903 edition (7th printing) that my mother (born 1911) read as a girl and passed on to me. I read it as a boy (1950's) and again recently (2004). It is an easy & enjoyable read for any age reader. It is a time-machine that will transport you to to the 1860's through the eyes of a young boy. You get his candid view of life, neighbors, family, events. Get it for yourself, your kids or a good friend. This is reading recreation and an escape from the 20th-21st centuries.

This is a wonderful book for anyone at any age. I have read it four or fives times since may father gave me his copy in 1957. His grandfather gave it to him in 1931, so the book has become somewhat of an heirloom. It is the view of a childhood that is quite a contrast to the video gaming, televison oriented life in which children grow up today. It may even make you wish you grew up with Henry Shute.

My grandmother had this book and it was the first book I had ever read in one sitting (at the age of ten!) My mother, sister and I would laugh about the misadventures of the characters as if they were our own friends.Now that both my grandmother and my mother are gone, my copy of the book sits in the bookcase with scrapbooks and picture albums. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

I was given a copy of this book when I was 11. I somehow lost my copy over the years. On my 60th. birthday, my sister gave me a copy that had a 1909 publishing date. After I broke out in tears, I vowed I wouldn't lose track of this one.