This work, written by an ex-Ambassador to Japan, is a first-hand account and observation of the various aspects of Japanese society ? political, historical, social and economic. It introduces themes such as Japanese religions and the political system, as well as describing and explaining many of the country's rich traditions. The author's personal experiences of Japan are interspersed with historical tales and factual details, providing an insight into Japanese behavior, thinking and way of life. This book will be immensely useful to those who wish to gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of the Japanese mind. It is the result of a four-year stay in Japan by the author, a Singaporean ex-Ambassador and politician.

A new, interactive approach to storytime, The Whole Book Approach was developed in conjunction with the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art and expert author Megan Dowd Lambert's graduate work in children's literature at Simmons College, offering a practical guide for reshaping storytime and getting kids to think with their eyes. Traditional storytime often offers a passive experience for kids, but the Whole Book approach asks the youngest of readers to ponder all aspects of a picture book and to use their critical thinking skills. Using classic examples, Megan asks kids to think about why the trim size of Ludwig Bemelman's Madeline is so generous, or why the typeset in David Wiesner's Caldecott winner,The Three Pigs, appears to twist around the page, or why books like Chris Van Allsburg's The Polar Express and Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar are printed landscape instead of portrait. The dynamic discussions that result from this shared reading style range from the profound to the hilarious and will inspire adults to make children's responses to text, art, and design an essential part of storytime.

The New York Times bestselling inspirational story of impoverished children who transformed themselves into world-class swimmers. In 1937, a schoolteacher on the island of Maui challenged a group of poverty-stricken sugar plantation kids to swim upstream against the current of their circumstance. The goal? To become Olympians. They faced seemingly insurmountable obstacles. The children were Japanese-American and were malnourished and barefoot. They had no pool; they trained in the filthy irrigation ditches that snaked down from the mountains into the sugarcane fields. Their future was in those same fields, working alongside their parents in virtual slavery, known not by their names but by numbered tags that hung around their necks. Their teacher, Soichi Sakamoto, was an ordinary man whose swimming ability didn't extend much beyond treading water. In spite of everything, including the virulent anti-Japanese sentiment of the late 1930s, in their first year the children outraced Olympic athletes twice their size; in their second year, they were national and international champs, shattering American and world records and making headlines from L.A. to Nazi Germany. In their third year, they'd be declared the greatest swimmers in the world. But they'd also face their greatest obstacle: the dawning of a world war and the cancellation of the Games. Still, on the battlefield, they'd become the 20th century's most celebrated heroes, and in 1948, they'd have one last chance for Olympic glory. They were the Three-Year Swim Club. This is their story.

Flicker is a lightning bug, the youngest and smallest of the warrior sect of lightning bugs called, 'Lanterns,' who use their inner light called 'Glimmer,' to forge organic armor and weaponry against the dark forces. When the Roach Lord and his army attack, Flicker's light pouch is punctured in battle. In peril, he is rushed to Sanctuary Pond where a zen frog trained in the ways of healing saves Flicker, and goes on to teach Flicker about holding his light, and the true origins of the Roach Lord and the lightning bugs. To face the Roach Lord and the darkness outside of him, Flicker will have to look to the light inside of him, and in doing so, he may find his light is much larger and more intertwined in the world than he could ever have imagined. Stay Connected www.ublightbooks.com

Restaurant-quality ramen, made homemade easy. Getting good ramen doesn’t have to mean going out. Ramen at Home makes it easy to create savory, sumptuous, and authentic ramen bowls right in your very own kitchen. Featuring tons of simple and tasty recipes, this book is a must have for anyone interested in the art of making ramen. From stocking ramen essentials to properly topping a piping hot bowl of noodles, Ramen at Home offers you detailed guides―so new and experienced chefs alike can learn the secrets of preparing restaurant-quality ramen. Helpful sidebars show you how to pick the perfect ramen, while also providing interesting insights into Japanese culture and cuisine. Ramen at Home includes: THE COMPLETE BEGINNER’S GUIDE―Learn absolutely everything you need to know to serve up your own delicious bowls of ramen at home. STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS―Detailed instructions for each recipe make it easy for even novice noodle chefs to assemble perfect ramen―every single time. OVER 100 RECIPES―Discover amazing recipes for broths, noodles, toppings, bowls, and sides that feature both authentic Japanese flavors and innovative new tastes. Become a ramen master without ever leaving home.