This book is a means to allow the child to be involved in the artistic process, to be not merely a passive consumer but to be part of the creative process, which goes along with the new trend in educationto learn to produce, which is an important part of the learning process. It also goes along with the newest trend in education, which promotes STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. The book teaches the old adage It is better to give than to receive. It is also about our misconceptions. I think its fun to read, even for the adult who would most often be reading the book to a child.

"Hello, my name's Ricky and I honestly thought I knew what I was doing. I thought life went from A to Z. And as it may, it turns out other things do to. Once upon a day I was an average young man with an average life. That is, until my friend Bobby found a lamp that he claimed to be a time machine. Time machine . . . if only. We didn't have the slightest idea what we were dealing with, nor could we have possibly known what was to come. The lamp sent us on an adventure of many adventures, and in turn we've become altered in ways we'll never be able to undo. It's too late for us, that's obvious. You, on the other hand, are the beneficiary. Lucky you. So, with all the formalities out of the way, I'll just say this: If you think your life can be a bitch . . . try and take my shoes for a stroll."

When the Czar proclaims that he will marry his daughter to the man who brings him a flying ship, the Fool of the World sets out to try his luck and meets some unusual companions on the way.

American artist Norman Rockwell's paintings of everyday events and small-town life illustrated magazines such as the Saturday Evening Post, Boys' Life, McCall's, and Look. This biography highlights Rockwell's childhood, education at the Chase School of Art, National Academy of Design, Art Students League and in France, Boy Scout illustrations, work for Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and paintings of soldier Willie Gillis and the Four Freedoms during World War II, as well as his artistic process and family life. Sidebars, a glossary, an index, and a phonetics section accompany easy-to-read text and full-color reproductions of Rockwell's artwork, including Tiny Tim and Bob Cratchit, Triple Self-Portrait, and The Gossips.

The Best Restaurants, Markets & Local Culinary Offerings The ultimate guides to the food scene in their respective states or regions, these books provide the inside scoop on the best places to find, enjoy, and celebrate local culinary offerings. Engagingly written by local authorities, they are a one-stop for residents and visitors alike to find producers and purveyors of tasty local specialties, as well as a rich array of other, indispensable food-related information including: • Favorite restaurants and landmark eateries • Farmers markets and farm stands • Specialty food shops, markets and products • Food festivals and culinary events • Places to pick your own produce • Recipes from top local chefs • The best cafes, taverns, wineries, and brewpubs

In the beginning, a scarecrow made his own history, like a symbol that everyone sees year-around (like Halloween) placed in the middle of surrounding pumpkins and flames all around but never hurting the scarecrow. At the end, two different species-a goblin and a troll-made their own history as well. Keeping the scarecrow strong and their willpower intact, so nobody can erase all three of their history, in which no one can change.

It rains! It rains all over town, pattering congenially on windowpanes and rooftops. From indoors, a child watches, listens, and feels a delicious coziness. It rains on the fields, the hills, the ponds. The streams and brooks, the rivers and seas, surge and swell exuberantly. Tomorrow there will be warm mud to play in, and puddles, and in the puddles "pieces of sky." It pours.This picture book by the winner of the 1969 Caldecott Medal is a lyrical celebration of rain's inspiring effect on Mother Nature--on human nature, too. Its few words and panoramic pictures are buoyant with growth and freshness.

I Will Survive is the story of Gloria Gaynor, America's "Queen of Disco." It is the story of riches and fame, despair, and finally salvation. Her meteoric rise to stardom in the mid-1970s was nothing short of phenomenal, and hits poured forth that pushed her to the top of the charts, including "Honey Bee," "I Got You Under My Skin," "Never Can Say Goodbye," and the song that has immortalized her, "I Will Survive," which became a #1 international gold seller. With that song, Gloria heralded the international rise of disco that became synonymous with a way of life in the fast lane - the sweaty bodies at Studio 54, the lines of cocaine, the indescribable feeling that you could always be at the top of your game and never come down. But down she came after her early stardom, and problems followed in the wake, including the death of her mother, whose love had anchored the young singer, as well as constant battles with weight, drugs, and alcohol. While her fans always imagined her to be rich, her personal finances collapsed due to poor management; and while many envied her, she felt completely empty inside. In the early 1980s, sustained by her marriage to music publisher Linwood Simon, Gloria took three years off and reflected upon her life. She visited churches and revisited her mother's old Bible. Discovering the world of gospel, she made a commitment to Christ that sustains her to this day.

'A novel that everyone should read before they face their own family Christmas.' The Times When the four Essinger children gather in Austin for Christmas, they all bring their news. Nathan wants to become a federal judge. Susie's husband has taken a job in England. Jean has asked her boyfriend and (once-married) boss to meet her family. Paul has broken up with Dana, mother of their son Cal. But their parents have plans, too, and Liesel, the materfamilias, has invited Dana and Cal to stay, hoping to bring them back together. As the week unfolds, each of the Essingers has to confront the tensions and conflicts between old families and new.