3 comments about RopeSport: The Ultimate Jump Rope Workout.

1. I started a jump rope workout and wanted to take it to the next level. I spotted this book and thought it would be just what I needed. While it is an informative and thorough book about the sport of jump roping, it's difficult to visualize the many jumps they describe without actually seeing someone do them. Soon after receiving the book, I purchased the DVD and found it much easier to learn the jumps. I could clearly see the correct placement of their feet, arms and hands in motion and, at the same time, try to imitate their rhythm. Jumping rope is all about timing. If you don't think you need visual instruction, then this book is fine. If, like me, you prefer a live demonstration, skip the book and buy the DVD instead.



2. I truly believe this type workout is the best for probably 85%+ of people. And this book presents it all perfectly. I was fitness instructor back in the Army. Too bad we didn't add this into our routines. I have severe arthritis; recently a hip replacement; and a groin implant. I'm 58; can't jog anymore. But, this is far superior to jogging. Or even doing windsprints. All things considered, this is really the only type of workout anybody needs. My cholesterol was high; now it's normal. And my blood pressure is textbook perfect. Even better than when I was young. Signed: Meshugena Mike



3. Okay, to be honest I have not read this book. But since they don't sell their crappy rope on Amazon I want to be sure to warn potential buyers here. I bought RopeSport's so-called "Premium" 4-in-1 JumpRope directly from their website on 4/8/2008 for $18.95 + $4.95 shipping. I'm in the Middle East, so it was being shipped to an APO address. I received it on 4/26! I ordered a different jumprope from Amazon and it was here in 6 days. Build quality very poor - so-called ball-bearing swivels in handles are plastic balls with rough edges - one of them would not even turn when I tried to spin the rope, resulting in tangled rope in less than a minute of spinning. I'm now trying to get my money back, but have little hope of succeeding. Inquiries about when it was shipping took 3 days to be answered. They did throw in a free DVD, but I'm returning it, too. Very disappointing purchase - would NOT purchase from ROPESPORT again.

3 comments about Jump Rope Rhymes (With a Special 8-Foot No-Twist No-Tangle Rope!).

1. I got this for my 6 year old and my 10 year old helps him with the words and they jump together and sing along to the songs. Its great fun and they have thoroughly enjoyed it, with NO fighting! This has been a lifesaver. I would HIGHLY recommend it.



2. I thought that this would be bigger since I always remember doing "jump rope rhymes" with other people, but the rope is only big enough for one and the book is rather small and uninteresting. My girls ditched the book and use the rope to pull each other around the basement on roller skates . . . go figure!



3. The book was great for remembering the old jumprope rhymes I used to jump to however the rope is too small for more then one person. We always jumped in groups when I was young and I bought the book for my girl scout troop to use. Thankfully we have the long, plastic piece ropes for the girls to use!

2 comments about Red Hot Peppers: The Skookum Book of Jump Rope Games, Rhymes, and Fancy Footwork.

1. Red Hot Peppers is an excellent resource for Elementary Physical Education specialists who want to integrate reading into their gyms. I use it as a resource for rhymes to teach children a variety of rhymes for their use. Jump rope rhymes are a great way to integrate reading and poetry into the "physical" realm. For the kinesthetic student, many times the jumping rhythm will support the rhythm in reading class. Also, my third graders take it one step further and write their own jump rope rhymes (again poetry). Your classroom teachers appreciate the support and the kids love the challenge.



2. This is a neat book that not only has jump roping rhymes, it's history and also different ways to jump rope! What a cool book!

3 comments about Twenty-Four Robbers.

1. Children learn to read by recognizing (memorizing) increasingly large numbers of words on sight (developing a reading vocabulary). A book like this is one that progresses in a cadence (is singable) and thus, easy to memorize. A great book for new readers, because as they memorize while looking at the book, they begin to recognize and add new words to their reading vocabularies. They don't even realize they are doing it. How do I know this? Well, I am in my mid twenties, and I can remember almost all of this book, though I haven't seen it for about 20 years. I remember reading it over and over. It was one of the first books that I learned to read. Just the other day, I woke up reciting the opening line from the book, and decided to try to find it. I would highly recommend this book for parents trying to interest their kids in reading. It is one that you won't get tired of, even though you might read it about a thousand times!!



2. If you can find the hardcove of this, buy it for your toddler/crawler. The pictures are great, colorful, full of detail. The expressions on the faces will delight parentes as they read this over and over to their child.
   
   I recommend the hardcover, because both my 1-5 year olds banged this around for nearly 7 years; the softcovers won't hold up to that kind of use. But, if that's all you can find, get it anyway. Both you and your children will love it.



3. This book was a favorite of mine growing up and now my three boys love it. It is great for early readers as well as pre-readers who are learning their alphabet. A thoroughly enjoyable book!

4 comments about Miss Mary Mack and Other Children's Street Rhymes.

1. This books certainly brings back memories of games played on the playground at recess. Although some of the words are different than I learned them, as expected for such widely used rhymes, I recognized quite a few. One disappointment was that there is no indication of the music to go with each rhyme. The authors did not provide an indication of the notes to sing or even that it sounds like a common song. Also, there are some lyrics that are inappropriate for young children and others that are very sexist or condescending. This book is not for everyone and I would certainly not hand it to a young reader without editing it or carefully supervising the language used by the children.



2. I bought this book because I have so many memories of playing many of these games when I was a little girl, and I wanted to share that experience with my child.

   I was a little disappointed because many of the words are quite different from how I learned them. But it is probably unreasonable for me to expect anything different.

   If you can get past the fact that these games aren't 100 percent identical to how you played them as a child, you'll find this to be a really helpful guide.




3. I bought this book because I have so many memories of playing many of these games when I was a little girl, and I wanted to share that experience with my child.

   I was a little disappointed because many of the words are quite different from how I learned them. But it is probably unreasonable for me to expect anything different.

   If you can get past the fact that these games aren't 100 percent identical to how you played them as a child, you'll find this to be a really helpful guide.




4. I bought this for my granddaughters. They are also in the Brownies. They have a great time with their friends and Scout sisters for play time. Helps to teach them memory skills . Happy that I purchased it.

5 comments about Jump Rope Training.

1. Buddy Lee gives great motivation to use a jump rope to get in shape: agility, quickness and balance, verified by olympic athletes and others using the program. The book was easy to follow and has great pictures and descriptions. The workout plans are well thought-out. I learned the basic techniques well enough in a few days to get a great work-out with very little frustration.



2. Ever read someone's CV or résumé? That's how Buddy Lee's book starts out, unfortunately. He describes, in moderate detail, the different high-level atheletes who have used his system in their training regimen as a way of demonstrating the benefit and versatility of the jump rope for aerobic and anaerobic training. While Lee himself is unquestionably an accomplished athlete and one of the world's best rope jumpers, this presentation of testamonials sometimes borders on self-aggrandizement and self-promotion (of his line of high-speed ropes, which I do recommend, by the way).

   Be this as it may, the book is a wonderful introduction to various jump rope techniques for the purpose of improving general fitness and athletic performance. The first half of the book works on mastering basic and advanced jump-rope techniques. The details of your practices at this stage are left largely up to you, although Lee provides some recommendations. In the main section of the book, Lee describes in detail various conditioning program aimed at increasing endurance and performance, and specifically one's Quickness (reaction time), Speed, Agility and Explosiveness (strength/power). The book concludes with a brief presentation of sport-specific recommendations.

   In summary, Buddy Lee's book is an excellent presentation of various jump rope techniques for athletes and novices alike. Jumping rope remains a time-proven method for increasing performance and endurance in all sports, not to mention general cardiovascular health. Anyone who dismisses the jump rope as an unnecessary or 'inferior' method of training is truly doing himself a disservice. So buy a high-quality jump rope (<$35) and, in the words of Buddy Lee, "Get a jump on your training!"




3. Buddy's Jump Rope Training system is the most complete form of exercise available for improving anaerobic capacity, speed, quickness, agility, explosiveness, total-body coordination, and kinesthetic awareness. Buddy is a former U.S. Olympian wrestler, U.S. Marine, Jump Rope Conditioning Consultant to over 25 U.S. Olympic Teams, and current CEO of Jump Rope Technology. He is the "World Jump Rope Wizard." Utilizing his own experience, and drawing upon sound exercise science principles, Buddy has formulated a training system that targets almost any exercise related goal that you may have. His book is clear, concise, and comprehensive in nature. Buddy takes you through 4 phases of jump rope training, and then focuses on sport-specific programs. Find out why rope jumping is a hidden gem in the arena of sports performance!!!



4. Buddy Lee's Jump Rope Training is a very enriching work dispelling the misconceptions of rope jumping and revealing its incredible secrets.The quality of the work results in its combination of solid scientific and physical education explanations,clear technical details,prominent figures' testimonials,and Lee's own testimonial.In the preface Lee presents the interesting and touching story of his life as well as his successful olympic athlete path in order to disclose to the reader the important role jump rope can play in the existence of many.The book provides explanations and programs for people of all fitness levels and ages,transforming jump rope into an easy and motivating exercise for everyone.Although someone may think a book on such topic could be boring and superficial,Lee creates a work interesting to read and very insightful.A great experience!



5. What can you expect from a book? Ok its difficult sometimes to envisage what is meant sometimes, but perseverance is the only thing that separates the has, from the has nots of this world. If you want to develop good hand and foot speed and leave the opposition thinking "when did that takedown happen" then you need to jump rope every day, and this book is where it can start from. A+ excellent...

5 comments about The Lady with the Alligator Purse.

1. I remember this song when I jumped rope, and now it has a new meaning for me. This book is one of my daughters' favorite books. The sing-song format and pictures help them remember the words, and they like to 'read' it to each other and anyone who will listen. They think it is silly and fun, but I think it is empowering because they can do it themselves and pure magic!



2. Having taught children of all ages for over thirty years I knew this was a favorite among children and bought it for my granddaughter when she was two. She is now almost eight and we still love to do this rhyme together. The rhyme makes it easy for children to learn and a favorite memory is of her when she couldn't say her L's clapping her hands reciting Miss "Woocy" had a baby .......
   I heartily recommend this book.



3. I love singing this to my two daughters. I sing the first part and then they both chime in with ..."alligator purse". We have a ball!



4. If it were only up to me, I'd give this book 3 stars. My 14 month old daughter loves this book though, so it gets an extra star for that. I like that this is a fun little song, though a slightly different version than I used to sing on the playground in the '70s. I also like that the cat and dog are on all of the pages (except one) so you can play the "where's the ___?" game.
   
   The thing that really bothers me about this book is that the illustrations seem very disjointed. I can get over rugs, slippers, pictures on the wall, etc., moving around from page to page, but it seems really odd that Tiny Tim transforms from a baby in the earlier pages of the book to a "big boy" with hair on the last 3 pages of the book. Then there is the weird page in between the baby and big boy pictures where the pillows on the bed and Tiny Tim are gone and the bedroom window is suddenly behind the bed. Tiny Tim is also in "big boy" form on the front cover along with the little girl, both of them with red hair instead of blond hair. My 14-month-old is too young to notice or care how disjointed the illustrations are, but it annoys me every time I read this book.



5. This is the second copy of this book I've purchased for my kids. The first one was read so much it finally fell apart! It's one of our all-time favorites.

5 comments about A, My Name Is Alice (Picture Puffin Books).

1. This is a great ABC book. It is different from the usual format so it really gets kid's imaginations going. As a teacher I love to have a book that expands vocabulary. This book is good as a model for a class book. I also use it as a part of a first grade maps unit. We find all of these interesting places!



2. I am a Pre-Kindergarten Readiness teacher in my school district for 5 year olds. This book was listed in my Fountas & Pinnell kindergarten phonics text to assist students in learning to read their names in print. I used this story to highlight my students names as we placed them on the word wall in my classroom. I found the text enjoyable and a great learning tool.



3. The format of this book is consistent for each letter of the alphabet. The letter being featured on the page is large and in color. The text length and layout is also consistent page to page. Also, the repeated structure for each letter helps the reader anticipate the same rhythm for each page.
   This is an entertaining book but not one that would be appropriate for a very young child. It would be more appropriate for children that are five years or older. On each page, there is a lot of activity. Not only are there two characters, a place, item being sold, and two animals, the illustrations also convey confusion or chaos. For example, the W page says, "W my name is Winifred and my husband's name is William. We come from Wales and we sell whistles. Winifred is a WOLF. William is a WEASEL." The illustration shows the wolf and weasel blowing whistles as seven other animals fly through the air and cover their ears. There is also a clock shattering and two signs with fine print. With so much commotion on each page, it would be difficult for a child to focus on the intended words that showcase the letter for that page.
   Another reason this book would not be a good choice for a very young child is that Bayer frequently uses animals, names, and places that might be unfamiliar to the child. For instance, "C my name is Clara and my husband's name is Claude. We come from Calcutta and we sell cakes. Clara is a COW. Claude is a CONDOR." On this page, the author could have chosen more well-known names (Catherine or Carl), place (Cleveland or California), and animals (cat or cougar). However, the author does include notes at the back of the book about some of the less familiar creatures.
   All of the reasons that this would not be a good book for a child just learning the alphabet are the reasons as to why it would be extremely fun and entertaining for any child or adult past that developmental stage. The unusual words can provide an instant vocabulary lesson. The illustrations help support the text by clarifying any words that would be unknown to the reader.



4. The book arrived in perfect condition and we were all excited to see this "old friend".



5. I purchased this book for my new granddaughter when I found it on this site. This is the same book that I must have read hundreds of times to my daughter, her mother! It's a fun book, the illustrations wonderful, and made both my daughter and I a bit "misty" to see it again!!

5 comments about Anna Banana: 101 Jump Rope Rhymes.

1. My daughter enjoyed this book.I do wish it had some color in its illustrations.Fast shipping!!!!!!!



2. The book came as described in excellent shape and arrived quickly.
   I hate the book though. The rhymes are not very good. Just a few variations of words but nothing to really jump rump for a long period of time to. I was hoping for some of the playground rhymes I can't remember from childhood. It seemed like somebody just wrote down some words that sorta rhymed but had no reason.



3. The advertising copy suggests that this is a set of jump rope rhymes set at a pace that is appropriate for jumproping. But they aren't rhymes, they are songs, and they don't all have a strong beat, so they aren't ideal for jumproping to. It is a plenty-fun set of songs for kids, but the advertising is misleading.



4. Maybe I'm too persnickety, but I was so dissappointed by the content of the songs. I'd hoped for some cute childhood rhymes, but instead found a bunch of rubbish, to put it nicely.



5. ANYONE who EVER jumped rope at recess will love this book! It has ALL the oldies we grew up with, plus new chants for the upcoming generation. These types of books are hard to come by, but are a treasure to have on hand when we do.

5 comments about Chinese Jump Rope (Klutz).

1. This is a great gift for young girls. Not a game that is well known today but was popular when I was young. My neighbor's little girl has had a blast playing this and has shared it with her friends at school.



2. Loved this as a child. My 7 yr. old came home from school with some yarn. They were learning cat's cradle at school. Looked high and low for a Chinese Jump Rope. Finally found this one along with a great book with some other ideas that I had not seen before. Love the Chinese Jump Rope.



3. These books by Klutz are the best ever! I got this for an 8-year girl and she loved it. I want to play with her; it will surely bring back memories of childhood.



4. My 6-yr old daughter started playing at school - the games have changed since I played as a kid - and she was excited to have one of her own. She really enjoys following the directions to new games that are shown in the book.



5. I bought this for my nieces, ages 9 and 6. The book was very easy to understand, and the 9 year old had them both playing in minutes! There are several versions of the game, and they were playing them all! Highly recommend this book!