3 comments about The Wishing Tree.

1. The boy Ming is disappointed in the wishing tree introduced to him by his grandmother when the tree fails to give him his wish that his aged grandmother survive her illness. But after a time when he does not go to it anymore, he comes near it again when a group of friends invite him to go with them. In talking with his friends and a nearby vendor, Ming realizes that the tree granted his grandmother's greatest wish for him--that he be happy. The simple tale is based on a real tree in a village in Hong Kong. The author Thong with bright pictures by McLennan describe how the Chinese write their wishes on pieces of paper, and toss these into the branches of the tree. Following the tale, the author gives directions on how young readers can follow this practice for themselves with their own wishing tree.



2. Young readers ages 4-10 will find Wishing Tree by Roseanne Thong to be a deftly woven and lovely picturebook story set in modern Hong Kong and telling of a young boy and his grandmother who visit a rural temple's Wishing Tree every lunar New Year. Connie McLennan's realistic drawings enhances a story which tells how a wishing tree helps a youngster solve common problems in life.



3. I absolutely love that this story is based upon a real Banyan "Wishing Tree" in a small village called Lam Tsuen in Hong Kong, and that there are other smaller ones among Hong Kong's countryside.
   
   As if the story wasn't beautiful enough, the author took a lot of time explaining about wishing trees and how they are either banyan or camphor trees because these kinds of trees because they have aerial roots that curve & twist into unsual shapes that seem to look magical! She then goes on to tell her reader tells us that people come all though out the year to toss their wishes onto the wishing trees branches, but the majority of the people come during their Lunar New Year. She also speaks of the Ng Bo Dip which means "5 Treasures Piles" in Cantonese that the wishes are written. The brightly colored red & gold papers are then tied to a Mandarin Orange and thrown high into the branches of the wishing tree. I bet it's a beautiful sight! The author also includes a directions on how to make your very own Ng Bo Dip and also includes a black & white copy for the reader to photocopy, color and cut out!
   
   A definate treasure to have in your home library!

2 comments about 50 Hikes in Massachusetts: A Year-Round Guide to Hikes and Walks from the Top of the Berkshires to the Tip of Cape Cod (50 Hikes in Massachusetts).

1. The three stars are in appreciation of the books identification of hikes I would never have found on my own. It also has useful maps for locating the hikes, and provided helpful information for the one hike I have taken with its help. This was the first hike listed in the book, to the top of Mt. Alander.
   
   The less than perfect score reflects serious deficiencies in the guide to this hike. First, poetic descriptions of landscape and wildlife obscured important directions. Second, there was no indication of the actual distance between the landmarks buried in the descriptions.
   
   The most serious deficiency has to do with directions to the summit. These were very brief and gave way to an extensive and ecstatic account of the views from the top. The trail to the top forks, and there was no indication in the guide of which fork to take. The right fork I took led away from the views so ecstatically described. The most serious problem was the absence of any indication of how to get down from the summit. Trying to retrace my steps, I came upon a sign pointing to landmarks in New York State. Fortunately I ran into two experienced hikers who pointed out the best line of descent and got us back on the trail to the parking area in Massachusetts.



2. I agree with the previous reviewers comments.
   
   The book provides great ideas for hikes, and has informative text on the geology of the area, and even points you toward scenic trailheads. But the directions are lousy and convoluted. I have gotten seriously lost trying to follow.
   
   I'd advise people to buy this book, but when the authors' directions get difficult, backtrace your way to your car rather than relying on them. Better to walk the same trail twice than to get totally lost!
   
   Good hikes in here, though.

No comments about New Proclamation: Year A, 2002 : Easter Through Pentecost (New Proclamation: Interpreting the Lessons of the Church Year).

No comments about Chinese New Year (On My Own Holidays).

5 comments about Christmas Parties . . . What Do I Do? (What Do I Do? series).

1. For anyone wanting to recapture the nostalgia and "family friendliness" of the Christmas season, Wilhelminia Ripple's Christmas Parties: What Do I Do? is a terrific place to start! This attractively presented compendium offers more than 125 creative ideas for games, crafts, and holiday snacks that will make every Christmas gathering fun and memorable. The themes offered for consideration including Christmas Trees, Stockings, and Candy Canes; Snow, Snowmen, and Snowflakes; Santa Claus and His Elves; Rudolph and His Reindeer; I Believe in Angels; and Christmas Here, There, and Everywhere. 36 easy craft projects are clearly laid out with step-by-step illustrations. Christmas Parties is enhanced with 40 simple and delicious recipes for Holiday treats and drinks; 36 "Santa-Approved" games; and more. There's even suggestions for celebrating the end of the Christmas season with "New Year's Tips and Fun Party Ideas" from here at home and around the world. Christmas Parties is a thoroughly "user friendly" instructional reference that will be appreciated by one and all, year after year, Christmas after Christmas.



2. A sparklingl book and many ideas to use for Chritams affairs. The games and crafts are tremendous. This book is great for anyone hosting a Christams Event for any ages. The chapter of The What, Why and How of Christmas Parties is a great beginning for any type of party and gives you a starting point. Suggestion: Purchase a complete set.



3. This book has Christmas Spirit on every page, with holiday games,crafts, and goodies from all around the world. It really brings out the child inside us all. With an added bonus of 13 pages for New Years Eve. I am a Parent and Day Care Provider, to me this book is as much a part of Christmas as the Tree.



4. So you're planning a Christmas party, one where there will be fun and games, and lots and lots of kids. But where do you start? Well, first of all, purchase CHRISTMAS PARTIES...WHAT DO I DO? Wilhelminia Ripple has created the perfect book for anyone planning a Christmas party. Filled with over 125 wonderful ideas for crafts, games, and holiday snacks. Wilhelminia teaches you everything you need to know to throw the most fantastic Christmas party of the season, complete with instructions on how to create Elf Handprints, how to build an Edible Snowman, make a Human Christmas Tree, and much, much more. Whether you've thrown Christmas parties before or not, CHRISTMAS PARTIES...WHAT DO I DO? is the one thing you'll need to make your Christmas party better than anyone else's. A wonderful book that absolutely must be a part of your book collection.
   
   Erika Sorocco
   Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper



5. I bought this book hoping that it would have some fresh ideas for my kids' class parties instead of the same old games and crafts we've been doing it seems year after year. I was worried that even if it had new ideas they might be too invovled/time-consuming for the hour and a half we typically have for the whole party. I was pleasantly surprised that this book had so many ideas to choose from that were original and fit into our limited time frame. I highly recommend this book.

3 comments about A Pilgrim's Guide to Rome: 2000: Holy Year of Jubilee.

1. A fine pocket volume, this book is a must for the spiritual pilgrim. McGurn writes a scholarly and historic tome which covers every aspect of Rome for the Millennium traveller. It has beautiful line illustrations by Curtis Tappenden, which complement the text.



2. A very informative and portable book to help maximize your travels to Rome in the year 2000. Highlights on the significance of the Jubilee 2000 and significant sights in the city. Includes religious, geographical and cultural information that a traveler will find helpful.



3. As a specialist in Vatican/Holy See International and Diplomatic Affairs,former cultural attache for the Consul for Vatican-American Cultural, Educational and Intellectual Affairs and a staff volunteer with the U.S. Bishop's Secretariat for the Jubilee I found McGurn's Pilgrim's Guide to be an excellent near perfect pocket guide for pilgrims, both Catholic and non-Catholic traveling to Rome. I used the book in June of 1999 for a pre-Jubilee factfinding trip. It provides details on those topics of great interest to those on pilgrimage to Rome, e.g. history of the Holy See's celebration of the Jubilee, information on the shrines integral to the Jubilee experience and important Holy Year 2000 dates and correlating Holy See events. I used the book continuously and carried it with me throughout my trip. On the other hand, as a pocket guide I would have preferred a more reality based and accurate map. The book's map is not precise and the traveler is required to buy an additional map to carry along with the book--on pilgrimage one wants to carry as little as possible and only the essentials. Another reality of the book one must accept is the general nature of the book's "pilgrim to Rome" related information. Its early publication required the book to have an early information cut-off date. This precluded the book from including more current information. In addition, I did not find any reference in the book to any of the offices in Rome dealing with Jubilee/pilgrim events, services or information or a reference citing where to go if one had non-Holy See Jubilee Rome specific questions--especially English speaking pilgrims. There are at least three different offices in downtown Rome working with the Holy See to coordinate Jubilee events in Rome proper. None of these were mentioned. Being a resourceful person I found these on my own. Nor was there any mention of the various Jubilee websites which are available and can be accessed while one is on pilgrim in Rome. These can be a helpful complement to the book. Apostolic nunciatures and various Bishops' Conferences all have established Jubilee networks and contacts-- noting the Jubilee-Rome contacts of the international Bishops' Conferences, if applicable, would have also been helpful. All in all, however, I was extremely glad I had this guidebook on hand. The empty pages in the back of the book proved to be a perfect place to enter important and current Jubilee information. This space proved invaluable--keeping one from having to pull-out an additional pad of paper. Despite a few shortfalls, this is a very, resourceful and perfectly sized guide--not too thick or cumbersome to handle while in transit on foot in busy Rome. There is no doubt this book is an excellent handy guide which for many will be one of their preferred guides for their pilgrimage to Rome during the Holy Year 2000.

No comments about Miffy's Happy New Year!.

No comments about Max celebra el Año Nuevo chino (Max Celebrates Chinese New Year) (Read-It! Readers En Espanol).

5 comments about D Is For Dragon Dance.

1. 
   It's a given that we can learn a great deal from other cultures, other customs, and there's not a better time to start than when we're young. "D Is For Dragon Dance" is both entertaining and educational as it tells about the Chinese New Year with all its color and unique traditions (my favorite is how youngsters greet the New Year by honoring their parents!)
   
   An alphabet book, it begins with "A is for Acrobats," takes us through to K and L for Kites and Lanterns, then concludes with "Z is for Zodiac," explaining that the Chinese calendar is a 12 year cycle with each year represented by a different animal.
   
   Yongsheng Xuan has created boldly colored full page illustrations in watercolor, acrylic and latex. They're all eye-poppers.
   
   Also included is an author's note with tips to ensure good fortune in the New Year (clean the house before the New Year starts and light firecrackers to scare off evil spirits, etc.) Plus, there's a recipe for dumplings called "New Year's Dumpling Delight."
   
   "D is for Dragon Dance" is a sure kid pleaser bound to elicit lots of interesting dinner table conversations.
   
   - Gail Cooke



2. D is for Dragon Dance is an absolutley beautiful book that has information on the Chinese New Year done so in an A to Z fashion.
   
   Each page is a work of art because if you look at it you will notice that underneath each drawing is Chinese Characters, some represent a single word and others a saying. The characters where done in 4 different calligraphy styles 3 from the dynasty they where from and 1 in the cursive or grass style. On the last page of the book in the author's note, under the artist note you will see the word Dragon and how it looks in each of the 4 styles. With the characters underneath each painting, it give each page a textured look that makes fools your eyes and makes your hands go to feel each page, only to be disappointed that it feels paper smooth and not textured as you see. I love the way the artist draws, his children are beautiful!
   
   Here is the break down of what each letter stands for.
   A - Acrobats
   B - Balls (shows a acrobat in a 2 person Fu dog / lion dancers balanced on a ball)
   C - Calligraphy
   D - Dragon Dance
   E _ Evil Spirits
   F - Firecrackers
   G - Grandma & Grandpa
   H - Haircut ( the author probablty didn't have the space to mention it, but one should only get their hair cut before the New Year and not during the New Year Celebrations because you'll be cutting off all of your good luck)
   I - Incense
   J - Jade
   K - Kites
   L - Lanterns
   M - Moon
   N - Noodles
   O - Oranges
   P - Peking Duck
   Q - Quiz
   R - Red Envelopes
   S - Steamed Dumplings ( Yum!!)
   T - Tradition
   U - Unity
   V - Veneration
   W - Wish
   X - Xylograph
   Y - Yo - Yos
   Z - Zodiac ( 12 year cycle) This one starts in the year 1981 the year od the rooster and ends in 2016 in the year of the monkey.
   
   On the last page is both the author's and artists notes on the book as well as a receipe for New Year's Dumplings Delight and Soy-Garlic Dipping Sauce, which I can't wait to try.



3. D Is For Dragon Dance is an alphabet picturebook about the theme of Chinese New Year's festivities, from the importance of connecting with family ("G is for Grandma and Grandpa") to New Year's customs ("O is for Oranges" - they are given as a sign of good fortune) to protections against evil spirits ("X is for Xylograph", a wood carving on the door meant to keep evil spirits out). Full-color illustrations by Yongsheng Xuan blend a feel for traditional Chinese art with vibrancy and energy bursting off of the page. A fun way for young readers to learn about Chinese culture and their ABC's at the same time.



4. From Acrobats to Zodiac, this is a book that uses the alphabet to introduce many different aspects of Chinese New Year to preK-K-aged kids (though my 8-year-old liked this one, too). Instructional for adults is the last page which contains notes from the author, such as "tips to ensure good fortune in the New Year," information about the Chinese characters that appear in the book, and a recipe for dumplings. A fun read!



5. My daughter just received this book as a gift for her 3rd birthday. She loves the book. My husband and I also enjoy the book.
   
   A good book to add to your 'international' book collection.

4 comments about This Next New Year.

1. I read this beautifully illustrated book to my class of 25 preschoolers on Chinese New Year's day. They loved it! They could so identify with the young boy and his quest for good luck. One student exclaimed at the end of the book..."that's it, I'm going right home to clean my closet!" I overheard several children saying that their palms were itching. I have a very diverse group of children this year, from many countries, so this book really spoke to them.I highly reccommend it!



2. A great and interesting book for children age 3-7. Kids love it. Teaches children about different traditions, good habbits. Especially good for introducing your little ones to Asian culture.



3. I sent this to my grandson who is now living in Hong Kong and he loves it so much he sleeps with it. He is almost 3 and insists on having this read to him every night. I think it makes him feel more at home in this new place by incorporating the Chinese traditions that he experienced for the first time this year. Although I haven't read it, I can only comment on it from a child's point of view, and that should be a good barometer for other children.



4. My 4-yr-old son has three shelves of children's books in his closet, and out of all them this is my favorite. The beautiful flow of the text makes it a joy to read every time!