Boys Books

Benjamin, a boy-like dog, celebrates his ninth birthday with a party for his friends. He receives many presents and loves tearing the wrappings from the packages and discovering the wonderful gifts inside. Once the party is over, Benjamin remembers how happy he felt opening the presents, and feels sad because he won't experience this joy again for another year. He therefore decides to rewrap one of his presents each evening and open it the next morning. When he runs out of presents, he decides to wrap other items in his home, and this is where the book gets really interesting. The narrative vanishes, and the reader, through a series of detailed illustrations, sees how Benjamin's appreciation of ordinary household items is renewed when he is deprived of their use during the short time they are wrapped. For example, he can't cook when his stove is wrapped, reads by candle light when the lamp is wrapped, and sits on the floor when his favorite armchair is wrapped. Then the reader sees Benjamin's joy as each item is unwrapped. This activity continues until the following year, when Benjamin's friends arrive for his tenth birthday party and discover that he has wrapped his entire home! The story ends with Benjamin feeling that he will never want another birthday present again, because everything around him is a gift and will always be. With a positive message and detailed illustrations, this book is real gem.

This book is special to me because my son's name in Benjamin. But that isn't what makes it a well written book. I like the imagination and problem solving Benjamin has. He knows how to fix a problem and does it in creative ways. The best part, however, is at the end. The ending leads us to a life lesson - that we should appreciaite everything and everyone around us and to let them know it.

Despite the bias that might come with having Judi Barrett as a childhood art teacher, I can say honestly, that this is my favorite book. Even as an adult, I often refer this book to all my friends. The simplicity of how to regain that feeling of anticipation, surprise, happiness and every joyous feeling associated with birthdays, is refreshing to the adult mind. This book gave me the innitiative to leave money in my pockets, and hide letters in old books, for it rediscovers the idea of rediscovery.

My seven-year-old daughter enjoys this book as much as I did, and my mother before me! Betsy and her friends have a kind of ageless fun and action, even as their surroundings change from ours.

I love the Betsy books. She has lots of friends. Betsy and the Boys is great! It is a very fast and easy book. Haywood did a very good job. I love to read them over again. It is a wonderful book.

I read all of her Betsy books and reread some of them for old time sake and I still got that sweet feeling of satisfaction at the end of each book

I have just finished your book on life in north west london during the war, well belmont circle actually.

I am from washington near newcastle myself but my wife's family lived in Tenby ave. no 32 from about 1968.

my wifes mum was brought up in weston drive and formby ave. from 1939. I will pass on your book to her and see if she recalls some of the events and places you mention.

I enjoyed the book although it was slow to start. it certainy caught the mood of the times and my wife's grandma will have known those times very well.

we lived in york ave. behind tesco's which I presume was the Essoldo you mention in the book. We were married in St anelm's too but I do not remember it being cold and drafty, maybe barn shaped inside though.

we lived in Portland, Oregon a while and from that experience I would say the house's over here were indeed little but I do not remember those in Tenby being that small but I agree on a US scale they certainly are.

My wifes great uncle at 84 is still around and he worked on the railways but he went off on war service first in europe but got away at Brest and then in africa and up italy and then Normandy.
Luckily never shot at nor fired a shot himself. He did once billet for a while with Dennis Healey, in Normandy, the former labour minister of the 1960's but he has no other claims to fame.

I hope your next book is going well and I did enjoy this one.

"Brilliant! I was enthralled. I even missed my aerobics class, a ritual, because I couldn't put it down."

I thoroughly enjoyed it from page 1 to page 300. In 1939, I was just 5 and my twin brother and sister celebrated their first anniversary the day Chamberlain told us on the wireless, September Sunday morning, that we were at war with
Germany. My Mum was busily preparing for a family b.day party and she started to cry, it was the first time I had ever seen my Mum cry, but she remembered the First World War.

The details in the book brought back SO MANY memories that I guess I had not thought about for many moons. I too learned to define the airplanes, the Spitfires, the Hurricanes and the awful German black criss-cross on their planes, also had a collection of metal gathered after a bomb dropped. I too
hated the gas masks we carried everywhere and were sent home to collect if we forgot.

I seem to recall there was an alarm warning after the regular air raid wail.
We were told to lie flat on the sidewalk, if walking, or go into the nearest shop/house (everyone took strangers in) in case the German pilot machine-gunned you, less easily seen horizontal! Sometimes the Germans managed to fly in low under the barrage balloons that filled the sky, just above the rooftops and you could see their goggles.

We used to have foreign troops two or three to Sunday dinner most weekends,Mum cooked and they brought their ration food coupons with them. First time we had ever met an Australian, or an American. All these years later if I'm clicking on the TV and come across an air-raid siren, it sends shivers down my spine for second or two.

I agree with the book's main character, John, whom I think I almost know after being with him for the past few days that the doodle bugs were the most frightening.

I'm a big fan of WW II! And this book told great stories of the airmen that fought the war up in the skies!

The Bomber Boys (True Stories of B-17 Airmen) by Travis L. Ayers is a highly readable collection of vividly rendered stories. Each of Ayers' subjects was thoroughly researched; much of the information is actual, first-hand accounting of the events described. You don't have to be a World War II enthusiast to enjoy this book, or to be moved by it. The young crewmen who manned the B-17's were American kids from every concievable background; their survival depended on their unity, as well as a great deal of blind luck. Even taken as fiction, these are wonderful stories. But they are not fiction. They are absolutely, 100% true, amazing, and fascinating.

THIS BOOK WAS GREAT. IT GIVES YOU SOME REALLY WONDERFUL FIRST HAND ACCOUNTS OF ESCAPE FROM BEHIND ENEMY LINES,WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO CRASH LAND, AND JUST LIVING THROUGH A MISSION. THIS BOOK IS AN EASY READ AND YOU CAN PROBABLY FINISH IT IN A DAY OR SO. DEFINETLY BUY THIS ONE THOUGH.

After starting with my daughter on "The Care & Keeping of You" (by the American Girl Co.), I really wanted to find a book for my son. He is almost 11, and things are starting to happen. This was the first book that tactfully goes thru all the changes & challenges that face pre-teen and teenage boys. I was very suprised at all the areas that are covered - even more than my husband or I would've thought of talking with him about. If you are going to start with this book with a pre-teen, I would just caution to either wait a little, or read thru the book yourself first. I felt it was more geared toward either a more mature pre-teen boy or the actual teenagers. I purchased the "Bloom" book for my 9-year old daughter at the same time. The American Girl book is just the right stage for her. I will be waiting a while before we start on the "Bloom" book for the same "maturity level" reasons.

You will have absolutely NO REGRETS buying this book.

It is an awesome book written creatively in a way that's entertaining for a teenage guy to read (I'm 15). It covers topics from what changes our body is (has; will be) going through, girls, sexual purity, school, music, tv, the internet, money, and much more! With so many topics, nothing is left out for a teen to know (and of course, we can always head to the Bible if there is something not mentioned in the book).

I've learned something new every chapter about the Lord, and how he wants me to act (and I've read the Bible through and through), and I'm sure I will constantly refer back to it when I need help. It's an amazing book.

Boom: A Guy's Guide to Growing Up is not only a great read, but looks beautiful on the inside, and by simply flipping through a page or two, you can see colorful pages with fun graphics that relate to the topic. But the only problem I had with the book was how abruptly it ended...but really...that only motivates me to search more for a closer relationship with him.

This would make a WONDERFUL birthday present for any age of teen or graduation gift for a teen going into high school. (My recommended age, because this is the time period when I read it, and I'm not sure if I'd have been mature enough to really dive into a stronger faith (and fully understand everything) with the Lord a year or so ago...but then again...all people are different, and, as I've said, this is a GREAT book for any teenager.)

Oh, and if you happen to be a youth pastor...This would be an excellent guide on how to instruct teens. It goes over many topics that matter to teens, and, all that aside, it's a fun read.

I just ordered my son a second copy of this book. He read the first one so many times he literally wore out the binding. This book covers topics that are sometimes difficult for parents to talk about with their sons; it's very straightforward and clear, yet always from a Christian perspective. This book is not just for teen boys, but for their parents as well; it opens the doors of communication on these difficult topics and gives parents a helping hand in talking to their boys about growing up Christian in a secular world. We read this book with our son so we can discuss his questions, but it is so well-written and appropriately presented that a parent can be confident that their son is getting solid, spiritually-based information.

The Bora Boys And The Last Big Door is fantastic children's picturebook by Michael J. Feeney about two young boys who meet the ghost of an old sailor in the attic. When the ghost learns that one of the boys was adopted from Cambodia, he takes them both on a special naptime trip to see the Cambodia of old, during Khmer New Year, a time of great celebration, oxcart races, and festive foods. The come home from the dream remembering their adventure, and knowing a little more about a land so far away. The colorful illustrations by John Devaney add a dreamlike quality to this warm and delightful story about connecting to one's roots and experiencing new things.

This book has changed the life of my family - what a delight to have a children's book that so opens our minds - We can't wait for the next one from Mr. Feeney!! Please, please, continue working with Mr. Devaney as your illustrator!! Outstanding artwork - where have you both been!! My five year old loves it - Although the suggested ages are 9-12...this children's book is enjoyed, I would say, by ages 5-12.

This book is awesome. The first book relating to adoption of a boy from Cambodia. Hurray! Plus, it is not mushy-really an adventure book.

Have fun with the voices and read it to your little one. I thought my 3 yo would get bored with it being a lot of words and more for older kids. He LOVED it and made it through the whole thing. (Secretly, I loved it too.)

It's been a long time since a book grabbed hold of me and I read it in two sittings! I purchased the book for my 13 year old nephew, thinking he would like an adventure story of a boy about his age. Little did I know that I would thoroughly enjoy it myself. The story, imagery, and use of Spanish phrases throughout was enchanting. The author is to be congratulated for writing such a fine book.

I had a lot of fun reading this story. Everyday I wanted to find out what was going to happen to the boy next. He had a scary time trying to live by himself in the woods. I really liked the part about the homeless pirates and the coyote puppy. My mom read it really fast too so I know it isn't boring. I just wish it was longer. I really didn't want the story to stop.

I learned quite a great deal about the ecology of the Rio Grande River and had a lot of fun doing this. Bosque boy is endearing and a great teaching tool. As an adult I appreciated the unusual turns of the story and the surprise end. I think this book is perfect for teens who have a sense of adventure and enjoy interactions with wildlife.
S. I. Rivas

I didn't know what to expect, but I love to read about 1] the Navy; 2] gay men--so this was right up my alley. I didn't really expect it to have so much sex in it, but it is clean and leaves a lot to the imagination. I always wondered what Kenny's partners looked like, he seemed to like blondes, but I think he had a variety. Did a guy really get THAT much gay sex during WWII in the 1940's??? He never once talked about getting a venereal disease--maybe he left those parts out. He never really mentioned whether HE got married or not. Sometimes one wondered about him. Anyway, it was a fun book, the kind I hated to have end.

I was expecting funny: stories of innocents abroad usually are. All that testosterone afloat, I was expecting sexy (and it delivers in that area, certainly). What really startled me was how moving "Boy at Sea" ultimately turns out to be, and how much wisdom the author shows in dealing with young Kenny's innocence in a world at war.
Kenny's experiences (and he has a lot of them, with all sorts of men and women) ring true. A long ago war, it is true, but Kenny's tale still has resonance. As the author says in an afterword, the waves of liberation created then still spill upon our shores today. And his story certainly sheds light on the complexities of relationships, even the most intimate and loving, of men in wartime.

I was expecting funny: stories of innocents abroad usually are. All that testosterone afloat, I was expecting sexy (and it delivers in that area, certainly). What really startled me was how moving "Boy at Sea" ultimately turns out to be, and how much wisdom the author shows in dealing with young Kenny's innocence in a world at war.
Kenny's experiences (and he has a lot of them, with all sorts of men and women) ring true. A long ago war, it is true, but Kenny's tale still has resonance. As the author says in an afterword, the waves of liberation created then still spill upon our shores today. And his story certainly sheds light on the complexities of relationships, even the most intimate and loving, of men in wartime.

You ought to buy the book for this story, "Skin Deep", alone. All the stories are great, but this one is a classic!

This book was really excellent. I picked it up because I'm a fan of Schimel's other work, and I found it to be lighthearted, fun, and FUNNY. All the stories kept me entertained, especially Schimel's own "Tom, Dick or Harry." I want to give this as a gift to lots of my friends because I think they'd also enjoy it. If you're looking for amusement and a bit of wry humor, this book is for you!

I laughed (a lot), I sighed (a lot) and after I finished this hilarious book of war stories from the dating game, I just wanted to dive right back into the dating pool. Anybody who thinks that dating stories can't be funny and sexy at the same time should check this book out and see how it's done.

We bought this book because we thought it was a great teaching tool to introduce the subject of disabilities into our child's learning. Because the author kept the storyline simple and the illustrations perfectly fit the story, young children can comprehend this book with ease. Even though the book is simple, Beau's cute story and the wonderful illustrations not only kept our child's interest, but also raised her curiosity. We know because she asks a ton of questions. Because of this book, our child now has a positive understanding about people with disabilities. This type of book should be in every child's collection.

This book is great. It's well written and beautifully illustrated. Many of my friends have this book and their kids love it. It's simple enough and the illustration are so vibrant it keeps a small child's attention and the read itself is simple enough that a young child learning to read will be able to get through it with little difficulty and feel great about it.

The book is unique in it's subject matter. I've seen very few books out there that deal with children with mild disabilities and how live with them.

Your kids will love this book.

I wrote this book as a tribute to my beautiful son. Beau. He was born very early with mild cerebral palsy on his right side. He wears a brace to help with balance and strength. Many times children will ask Beau about his "boot" and if his leg hurts wearing it, which it does not. :) So, I thought writing a simple rhyming story about all the things Beau does for fun in and out of his boot would be a fun way to explain acceptance and understanding to any child.