Kakaku：1018 saved$10.18
Firefly Books
Usually ships in 24 hours 『
A practical handbook for maximizing the decorative effect of neutral colors.
This is an easy-to-use guide to working with neutrals in home decorating. Once limited to whites and beiges, today's neutrals come in an overwhelming range of whispery pinks and yellows, organic grays, greens and browns, and even blacks. Each of the 150+ color palettes and combinations includes notes on where the color is best used; for example, on furniture or as trim. Mood boards, scrapbooks and beautiful images provide added inspiration.
Topics include:
Why neutrals are popular
How neutrals work with other colors
How to use neutrals to create spaciousness
How to decide which color scheme to use
Understanding the effect of light on color
How to layer neutrals
Using neutrals and bright colors.
The "Color Directory" has more than 220 pages of palettes and their variations. As well, Alice Buckley tells the stories behind such schemes as northern lights, Parisian elegance, ice cream, white heat and desert beauty.
For home decorators and interior designers,Neutral Color Schemesis an essential handbook.
Kakaku：379 saved$3.79
The University of North Carolina Press
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Lovely, easy to use basic guide) 『I've been frustrated for a while now in trying to find a good tree identification guide. I'm a birder, I do know how to use field guides! --but all the tree guides I've tried had one photograph, or one line drawing, which might have been my leaf or it might not have been... and after staring at a few of these in confusion I'd just give up and decide to enjoy my walk.
This guide is different. First of all, there are both drawn leaf outlines and color photographs (lots of them, quite beautiful) as well as verbal descriptions. And the photographs almost all include MANY leaves of that tree, so you can see how much the leaves actually vary from each other. I thought this was a brilliant idea. Best of all, all of these trees were photographed in the fall, so the color really helps you out too!
This guide only covers some 150 species, but it does that very well. I might have preferred it to be about 1" narrower side to side, but with a bit of care it did fit into my coat pocket. Because of how colorful and easy to use it is, I imagine this guide would be an especially satisfying one to take along on walks with the kids.』
(Fall Color and Woodland Harvests Brings Autumn to Your Home) 『Fall Color and Woodland Harvests by Drs. C.R Bell and Anne Lindseyis a comprehensive reference book for the serious naturalist.
Stunning color photographs by some of the regions leading
nature photographers adds incredible richness and detail to
the book. Bell and Lindsey are particulary adept at presenting
technical information in an easy to read and veryunderstandable
narrative form.
The authors have spent years exploring the eastern forests and giving
seminars and talks on its flora. Dr. Bell is the Director
Emeritus of the North Carolina Botanical Garden.
Your autumn leaf watching trip will be more enjoyable and more
rewarding when you take along this excellent book.』 『For a lunch break visit to see an especially colorful maple in a nearby park or a month-long adventure from New England to the Smokies moving south with the color,Fall Color and Woodland Harvestsis a wonderful companion for those who appreciate autumn's vibrant spectacle. Rich with color photographs that capture the hues of the season, this volume offers a species-by-species guide to the leaves of 100 species of the eastern United States and the fruits and seeds (the woodland harvests) of an additional 47 species, paying particular attention to where the plants occur and their contribution to the fall color palate. The authors explain the biological processes that result in leaf-color change and offer helpful tips on when and where to go see the best color.』
Kakaku：901 saved$9.01
Berkley Trade
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Suck In Your Stomach; Put on Some Color) 『I laughed out loud because I had heard this advice all my life. Everyone would be better off if we followed the words of wisdom in this jewel of a book. The recipes are great, too!』
(Love it!) 『I've been getting Shellie's newsletter "All things Southern" for years. She has a wonderful sense of humor. This is the type of book you wouldn't be ashamed to buy for your momma or your grandmomma, and these days, that's saying something! I'm going to buy a few more copies for gifts.』
(A Great Gift for Your Southern Mama!) 『I am a huge fan of Shellie's (and have been since listening to the audio version of Lessons Learned on Bull Run Road) so I knew I would enjoy her latest book. Shellie could be my little sister. It's like we were raised by the same woman! Suck Your Stomach In helped this 48-year-old woman relive my own amazing childhood by triggering old, long-forgotten memories, and I cannot thank Shellie enough! I recently gave a copy to my dear Southern Mama as a birthday gift and she's loving it, too.
Get this book for your Mama, your sisters, and even your men who were raised by a Southern Mama. They'll love it!』
(If One Southern Mama is Good . . .) 『My favorite feature of this book, in addition to Tomlinson's superb portrayal of true Southern Girls and their Mamas, is all of her fans' input about the advice their own mamas gave them over the years. The words of wisdom are nuggets of prose. I'm so glad it's all written down in this handy reference guide, not only as a reminder of who we are and where we come from, but also as an informative compilation for the world at large.
This is one to read, and then read again. You'll have to tell your girlfriends to get their own copies.
Lucy Adams, author of If Mama Don't Laugh, It Ain't Funny』
(Good clean humor for Southern girls (and others)!) 『Oh my gosh! If you're a Southern girl, you're gonna love this book! On every single page, I read something that reminds me of my Southern Mama and Grandmother, or that reminds me of something my sister and I did growing up. Quite frequently, I find myself laughing out loud, so don't read it in the middle of strangers unless you're prepared to either explain why you're laughing or just put up with the curious glances you'll get. This is a great book to pick up if you only have a few minutes here and there. There are so many little anecdotes that you could start reading on any page and read for an hour or just a few minutes and still get as much out of it. When you pick it up again, you won't feel lost like you do with some books. This is what you need to read if you want to feel good or be reminded of good family memories. I can't wait to finish it so I can pass it on to my mother, sister and daughter. When I get it back, I plan to read it again! As a bonus, it's filled with good Southern recipes!!』 『The host ofAll Things Southernshares the sass and strength of Southern mamas in this spunky guide to life.
In this humorous handbook, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, host ofAll Things Southern, reveals the all-important lessons Southern Mamas teach their daughters. Readers will discover why blue eye shadow is trashy and learn to interpret regional dialect like the Southern Mama APB, a bulletin translated on Southern streets as:“Give your heart to Jesus, girl, because your butt is all mine!” Shellie carefully breaks down the teachings behind those famous manners and social graces through her firsthand observations and dry wit. Here’s everything you need to know from how to cope with the unexpected, compete in the Mr.Right Game Show, and raise children—to how to keep that marriage knot tied tight over time. Woven with quotes from real Southern Mamas and sprinkled with recipes and other Southern secrets, this book’s a bona-fide celebration of all things south of the Mason-Dixon Line.』
Kakaku：260 saved$2.60
Th1nk Books
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Great book) 『Im not much of a reader. I usually start a book and get 3-4 chapters in and the put it back on the shelf or it just lays around my room. I work in a christian bookstore and I also deal with an eating disorder. My boss gave me this book to read. I was apprehensive about reading it, but I at least started it to make her happy with no intentions on finishing it. A week later I had finished it. Melody Carlson really does capture the true feelings of someone with an eating disorder. I'd recommend this book to anyone that suffers or has a loving one or friend that suffers from an eating disorder.』
(faded denim) 『a great book series for teens my 15 year old really enjoyed reading her friends and asked me to buy it for her....』
(True Picture of the Disease) 『I'm an adult that has dealt with anorexia for most of my adult life. This book was right on with its depiction of the battle that goes on inside someone that is battling anorexia. I saw myself in Emily as she tried to start eating again. It isn't as easy as just taking a bite. There is so much more to it than that, and I think Melody Carlson captured that very well.
Once my daughters hit their teen years, I am going to have them read this book.』
(Too much focus on body image and GOD - no real story here) 『Too bad such an important topic is exploited for the purpose of getting girls think about their body image so much and come to the conclusion that the answer to all of their problems is to realize that they need to rely on GOD. This is the worst example of a book written specifically for girls that I have seen yet. The over all message is: Learn to over-examine your body, absorb the judgments of others, seek approval, pray to GOD to save your sanity, praying works and lets you live happily ever after. Forget about finding prince charming or "finding yourself" - just find the Lord.
』
(Kudos to Carlson for a job well done) 『FADED DENIM is book number 9 in the TRUE COLORS SERIES by Melody Carlson, and it is definitely high on the best list. Carlson tackles some tough subjects here: namely, eating disorders, and she does it in a very thought-provoking and moving way.
Emily has put on some weight in the last year, and in the meantime her friend Leah has lost some, and is headed on her way to be America's next Top Model. Seriously. And Emily is getting really jealous. Emily's dad keeps commenting on her weight problem, and as she watches Leah slip into a world of glamour and beauty, Emily wants it for herself. First she tries some simple dieting and exercise. But the weight isn't coming off fast enough. Soon Emily turns to much more drastic measures to put off the weight, taking her down a path that could ruin her life, and possibly end it.
FADED DENIM picks up all the pieces and creates a very moving story. There are some beautiful moments near the end that will make the reader really stop and think. And the best part is, Emily's path toward an eating disorder feels completely real. Carlson has captured what it really feels like to struggle with an eating disorder, and she doesn't resolve things easily with ribbon and string. It's a hard journey that will definitely leave a mark on the reader. Highly recommended.』 『Emily faces an uphill battle against unrealistic body image and eating disorders. A serious issue affecting girls everywhere presented in fiction form. Includes discussion questions.』
Kakaku：260 saved$2.60
NavPress Publishing Group
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (GREAT BOOK!) 『This book is great from beginning to end. If I hadn't been so busy while reading this book, I would have read it all in one setting. It keeps you wondering and keeps you wanting to keep turning the page! Highly recommended!』
(Burnt Orange) 『Living a life as a preacher's kid is pretty much like living a sheltered and religious life for Amber Conrad. But her life twists and turns as she starts ditching Simi, her best friend, and starts hanging out with Claire, the most popular girl in school. It starts with one little party then it turns into lies, and fake IDs to get into clubs and drinking. This perfection of Christianity is not-so-perfect with her out-of-control drinking habits. Even though she's straying away her faithful life with God, in the end, it all comes to bite her back and make her regret these things more than she ever wanted to.
My favorite part in this book is when Claire and Simi gets into a wreck on the road while Amber was driving up to where she was going to meet Claire. Yea, I know, I'm twisted. It was my favorite part because the car accident helped Amber realize what can happen to her with her alcoholic obsession. Who should read this book? I think teens who have or had drinking problems should read this book because teens who have or had drinking problems can relate to her and it will totally change any person's mind about under the influence of drinking. 』
(Burnt Orange Is Awesome) 『 Ok, Burnt Orange is a really good book. It is about a teenage girl named Amber; her dad is a pastor at a church. She is very religious and so are her friends, Simi and Lisa. Well, she meets a girl named Claire, who is really rich and has really nice clothes and all that good stuff. Claire and Amber hang out at a party, and she has a drink and loosened up a little, so she had another. The next day she had a hang over. She met a guy named Slater. Amber gets a job. She starts ditching Simi to go with Claire. So Amber becomes an alcoholic but Claire already was in the first place. Slater, Amber, and Clair go to Lola's which is a bar, Amber gets really drunk, gets sick, and they all have to leave. She gets up in the middle of the night and looks at herself in the mirror and realizes she needs to quit. I don't want to tell the whole story so you will have to read on to find out what happens next.』
(Burnt Orange) 『"Hello, my name is Amber Conrad," I say in my most serious voice, "and I'm an alcoholic." is the first and last sentence of the teen novel Burnt Orange by Melody Carson. Amber Conrad, a senior in high school, has always led a very religious and sheltered life due to the fact that she is a preachers daughter. She is the perfect model of perfection to many people from her church. But what do they really know? She has never been to a true "high school party" in her life, until her senior year. Where she just has a few drinks to fit in. After that one party Claire Phillips, a popular girl in school, begins to try to be Amber's friend. A lot of people don't like Claire because they think she is an alcoholic, her step dad is rich, and she gets what she wants. As they get closer and closer and go to more parties, Amber's drinking habits begin to spin out of control. Amber gets a fake ID, goes to wild parties, and doesn't act like herself at all. At the same time she strays from her faithful life that has always been dedicated to God. Simi, Amber's best friend since day one, begins to realize that Amber is changing and begins to get worried about her. Amber has never missed church and all of a sudden she is hardly ever there, so Simi knows something is up. She tells Amber to stop, and Amber insists that a few drinks every now and then don't hurt, and she assures her that she knows what she is doing. She also says she is hanging out with Claire because she thinks Claire needs help and needs God. Is Claire really the only person who needs God, or does Amber need him too? Finally after a lot of hangovers, rough nights, and driving drunk, Amber begins to realize she does have a drinking problem. She cuts back, and tries to get Claire to also. It doesn't work. One night after Amber goes on a date with a popular guy, Slater, from school. She gets more wasted than ever before. After spending the night with her new best friend, the toilet, she realized that she needs God more than ever. She sees that she should not being drinking and neither should Claire. She also sees everything they both risk by driving drunk. Does Amber find her way back to God? Do they stop drinking? Does everything work out to be the best? Simi is working hard to see that all of these things happen. This book is written in language for teens to understand, and is the way many people in high school live, but ends in a way that no one would ever guess. After reading Burnt Orange no teen will look at underage drinking as they did before. 』
(Color Me Wasted) 『Summary: A girl Amber Conrad is changing in her friends eyes. She is hanging out with a popular girl, Claire, which went to a party and brought Amber with her. Amber's father is a pastor at a church. Claire invites Amber to more and more parties. Amber's best friend, Simi, is always making a point about Amber's drinking. Amber then starts to realize that she does have a drinking problem. Then Claire's friend, Slater, really like Amber and asks her to the prom. They go on their first date and they go to a club. Amber gets trashed. Claire has a really bad drinking problem. At the end, there is a really bad accident that leads to a death.
I liked that Amber was making friends and having fun. I didn't like that she was partying all the time though. I also didn't like that there was a death because of drinking.
I think girls would really enjoy this book because these things can actually occur. 』 『Before she knows it, Amber Conrad's little white lies about her drinking habits add up to major self-deception, and she finds herself in a heap of trouble.』
Kakaku：1190 saved$11.90
Collins Design
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Colour as a sensibility.) 『This is one of the best books available to anyone interested in learning about the use and application of colour in design. Unlike many other books that deal with colour in a very theoretical sense, An Eye For Color takes a more practical approach - and in my opinion a more effective approach - towards understanding colour. It is essentially a book consisting of a large variety of artwork demonstrating colour application in multiple disciplines (examples include graphic, interior, products, fashion design, etc.). The selling point for me was the RGB and CMYK colour codes that accompanied each example. This allows me to view the colours used in an artwork side-by-side to further understand their interplay.
This book ultimately encourages one to experiment with colours, so opposed to trying to understand a set of theories, An Eye For Color works to enhance your sensitivity towards colour by giving examples of their application.』
(AN EYE FOR COLOR is a gem) 『The author has taken an extremely complex task and broken it down to its most basic steps.
As a designer and a teacher I believe this book is an essential tool in every designer's hand. An eye for color will empower professionals and amateurs to take fear out of color.
The science of color is presented as a wonderful statement of harmony so the user can enjoy the creative process. Treasures like this are hard to find.
The book's layout is also brilliant. Bravo!』
(Color by example) 『This book has no rules, theories, or much text at all for that matter -- just page after page of works of art and design, along with a color palette of two or more of the important colors in each of the works (given in RGB and CMYK). If you are trying to do a project where you can control your colors precisely (such as web design), you can simply choose a subset of the colors in one of the examples. In projects where you have less precise control (interior design for example) you can still get a lot of ideas by studying the examples in this book. If you have little experience with color selection and are looking for a fast path to finding a sophisticated color scheme for a design or to developing your color sense in general, this book is worth its weight in gold. This opinion comes from a person with no formal training and very little experience in visual design, but I suspect that, with more experience comes an even deeper appreciation for the subtleties of the examples in this book.』 『
Developed by the Design Leader for Global Retail Hair at Procter&Gamble,An Eye for Colorteaches readers how to develop their color sense.
The book presents a unique, easy-to-follow system that the author developed to create effective color patterns, which differentiates it from the standard index-style books on the market that provide color combinations without placing those combinations in context.
An Eye for Colorshows how to build your own color index by "dissecting" a gorgeous selection of works used by master painters, graphic designers, fashion and furniture designers and craftsmen—all selected for their exceptional use of color. In addition, the book's compact design and irresistibly chunky format will make it useful and attractive to designers, artists, students, professionals, or anyone trying to find attractive color combinations.
An Eye for Coloris organized into chapters by color. In every spread, the author first presents the work of a designer or painter. Second, she breaks down the color palette of the work, providing color squares on the page in both RGB and CMYK configurations. Text accompanying each chosen image contains information on the artist's inspiration for his use of color and interprets it. The text also describes the technical, emotional and artistic qualities of the work. The third step is for the reader to replicate the color swatches with Pantone chips or a Photoshop print out and place them onto a rolodex card which would then become the basis for their own inspiration file. Perforated sheets at the beginning of each chapter will enable readers to immediately start building their rolodexes based on the examples shown in the book.
Kakaku：260 saved$2.60
Th1nk Books
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Painfully real) 『How can you understand the searing desire to open a vein unless you are one of the many who use SI as a coping method? For those uninitiated who wish to see into the mind of a cutter, Melody Carlson has crafted an amazing glance into one branch of SI.
Ruth Anne is a brilliant student, with a close group of friends, and a family that looks normal on the outside; however, once through the doors of her parent's ranch-style house it is revealed that her father is verbally abusive, her mother is more ghost than person, and Ruth and her brother Caleb are struggling to cope with the chaos their life has become.
As a former member of the SI community, I really enjoyed how clearly this book portrayed the emotions and thoughts that can go through a cutter's mind before, during, and after breaking skin. My single complaint with the book was the rather sudden appearance of God in the storyline; while I was aware of the fact that the book was classified as religious, I was still slightly disappointed by Carlson's need to get the message of God out as the only way to truly quit cutting.
However, I still believe that this book can be a wonderful resource for creating a bridge of understanding between a teenage cutter and their parents, and for giving all involved a sense of hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.』
(a bit of the cliche recovery BUT) 『this book is still good. i felt there were times that EVERYTHING was working so well for her, but then there would be realistic moments, so that was okay. Would have liked a little more of a look into the attributes of older cutters, and with maybe a more vague ending, because it's an addiction, a rehab cannot cure, but suppress.
However, with all that little nit-picky stuff, it is a book about cutting that is witten by someone I can actually belive interviewed cutters. So hats off, especially that it's a got a little notion of Christianity, haven't run across a book like this elsewhere, so that's why I continued to give this a five star rating.』
(Painful healing) 『I am so glad Carlson started writing teen literature. She has done miracles through her work. Thanks to her, we are seeing a refreshing vein in young adult Christian literature. There is now an alternative to the bland novels that Christian authors have written in the past for teens. Either we have the Lurlene McDaniel books where everybody dies, the perky Christy Miller series, or the historical fiction like Anne of Green Gables or Christy by Katherine Marshall which has little relevance for today's teen. I know that all of these have their audience, but what was missing was Christian fiction for today's teen. What teens seem to want these days is books about REAL problems they are facing daily in their schools: drugs, sexual pressure, and self-injury.
Carlson's books fill a much needed gap. I think her books could be enjoyed by Christians or non-Christians because it is real teens with real problems told in a non-judgmental way. Each character does use their faith to help them cope with a traumatic incident, but it is not done in a preachy way.
Blade Silver is part of the TrueColors series, with each book in a different color cover. The lead characters have all been girls, so far, and each book has been excellent. The voices of her characters are realistic and the voice is true to life.
In Blade Silver, Ruth has started cutting herself as a way to cope with the pain she is feeling. Her father verbally abuses her and her brother constantly. Her mother, also a victim, tried to kill herself and now lives in an almost catatonic state. Basically her mom sits in a bathrobe in her bedroom and sleeps all day, leaving Ruth and her brother to do all the chores and take the brunt of her husband's wrath. The reader follows Ruth as she starts to become more and more controlled by the urge to cut herself, at first only once a day and then finally three times a day. Ruth shows how a cutter thinks, wearing long sleeves to hide the slash marks, working in a detailed way to cut, stop the flow of blood, and clean up. I really like the descriptions Carlson gives of the pain Ruth is feeling inside:
"Like a drug, that warm feeling rises up in me, a sense that I have control again, that everything's going to be just fine. Then I watch the red ribbon of blood for just a split second before I press the toilet paper onto it. I breath deeply, and for the moment I am fine. Perfectly fine."
Ruth finally seeks help from a school counselor and ends up in a group home for girls like her. One of the counselors there ends up being a Christians, but these scenes are done in such a natural, non-preachy way that I don't think they would make anyone feel uncomfortable.
I encourage all young adult librarians to familiarize yourself with this series because they fly off the shelf at my library, and they booktalk great. I have also read Deep Blue: Color Me Lonely about a girl who is lonely when her best friend abandons her for a more popular crowd and Bright Purple: Color Me Confused, which deals with a character who learns her best friend is a lesbian. By the way, I wasn't sure if Carlson could pull off such a controversial topic without getting preachy, but she did. Thumbs up to Carlson!』
(Most Awesome Book Ever) 『To hide my lies and my problems is one thing to make sure that they never get out is a completely different thing. No one must ever find out the humiliating secrets that I have kept so long. The longer I hide them the worse they seem to get.
In this book Blade Silver by Melody Carlson, Ruth has a lot of family problems and her mom is very "sick". Her dad is abusive and Caleb, her younger bother is talking back a lot to their dad. Ruth has a very terrible secret that no one knows about. For the last year and a half she has been hiding this awful thing from everyone that she loves. Abby her best friend finally finds out what the secret is and Abby is in shock, disappointment and in disbelief that Ruth has never told her the secret.
I believe the beat part is when Ruth is starting to realize that a lot of people actually do care about her and want to help her out. After she realizes that then she starts to accept the help she is getting, then she starts to respect herself a lot more. The entire theme or the main idea of this book is that you need to love yourself and after you do that then a lot more people will start to take you more seriously. This book really does teach you that you need to love yourself.
This book was the best book that I have ever read. I would recommend this book to mostly girls because it is a little girly, but a lot of people can relate to this book. I just think that this book is all around the best book that I have ever read. I gave this book four stars because it was so hard to put it down. I just wanted to see what was going to happen next. 』
(Razor Sharp Pain) 『To say that Ruth doesn't have issues in an understatement. Her family is having problems. Her brother keeps running away from home. Her mother is depressed all the time. Her father is verbally abusive towards everyone in the family. Ruth is tired of putting up with all this, but feels that nothing she does can change it. The only thing that makes her feel better is when she cuts herself. The pain that comes from seeing her blood flow gives her a sense of calmness. But even Ruth knows that this wrong, but she can't seem to stop. She tries to hide it from others but someone wearing long sleeves in summer looks suspicious. It finally takes Ruth's admittance that cutting is an addiction that needs to be stopped for her to realize that she can do something to break the cycle that she's been living in.
This was one of the most difficult and painful teen fiction books I have ever read. It was so real, like I was reading an actual account of a teenage cutter. I wish that no one ever has to go through what Ruth did, but I know that there are so many kids who share the same experience. I could not stand Ruth's dad. I believe that verbal abuse is just as bad if not more so than physical abuse as inner scars are slower to heal. There is an explanation as to why he acted that way but I was glad that the story did not portray him unrealistically changing at the end of the book. It was horrifying to read about how Ruth would get a "high" from hurting herself in such a matter. Even worse because she would feel sometimes that she deserved it. I think that it was very sad that her extended family did not do anything to protect the kids from their abusive father. Ruth's recovery did not seem fake, in fact it only made it more realistic because it took her so long to accept help. Melody Carlson is gifted at bringing touchy subjects like this to life. The subjects in this series are difficult and not ones many Christians like to face. In fact, there are some who think that teens only face these kinds of issues because of a lack of faith. Thus, many teens especially those who are Christians find that they have no one to go to about their problems. This series shows readers what really happens out there, allowing for questions and advice about where to turn for help. I believe this is the first Christian book to mention cutting. There needs to be more books that talk about this subject as there are many people out there who need help.』 『Cutting herself doesn't make Ruth's problems disappear, but at least it helps her cope. She needs to find some way to heal her scars--the ones she hides and the ones she can't--before something terrible happens.』
Kakaku：595 saved$5.95
Kumon Publishing North America
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Great book! Encouraging way to develop motor skills) 『This series is a great incremental approach to working on coloring/motor skills. Although this is recommended for 2 and up, I would say it is better suited to older 2 year olds (2.5 and up) rather than all 2 year olds...primarily because most young 2 year olds aren't as suited to listening to creative instruction (like "color here" etc).
My son does love the book, though, and I love the incremental approach which builds confidence and skills at the same time!』
(simple fun for preschooler) 『These Kumon books are great, preschool geared fun. My son loves to do them and it's a treat so I only let him do one or two at a time. They have simple, fun ideas for them to color.』
(Great) 『This is excellent for teaching fine motor skills to little ones. I am a teacher and I use it with my own three year old.』
(Good for disabled children) 『My 40 month old son was born with birth defects on his hands. The few fingers he has are very short and his muscles are a little weak. This book offers him a challenging and fun way to work on his fine motor skills. This workbook is well made with thick paper and a lot of colors. You cut off about 2/3 of the page and give it to your child and encourage him to color in the dot with a matching color on some of the pages. This is encouraging to small children so they don't have to fill in an entire page themselves. The last page is a write on wipe off page! The only drawback is that $5.95 for a small workbook is rather pricey to me.』
(A very child friendly introduction to coloring) 『I recently discovered the Kumon books and I am super pleased with them.I will be reviewing all those I have so it will help other parents get a better idea of what's inside. The LET'S COLOR book is very nice and is part of the Kumon First Steps series for ages 2 and up. I must say that this book isn't for the very young only. My son is 8, and is a very normal child in every way, yet like some children, has not been very quick to develop fine motor skills for writing, holding a pencil, cutting, etc. He has enjoyed all his Kumon books very much, and they are not babyish. LET'S COLOR is a very nice book for children who would be overwhelmed by a whole uncolored page being placed in front of them to "finish". I like that most of each page in LET'S COLOR is colored already and is very colorful; only a white circle, square, triangle (nice for teaching shapes along the way) is left blank for the child to color in. My son is very pleased with just a small bit of coloring to finish the picture. He especially loves when his colored pencil ( I recommend Prismacolors over crayons) matches almost exactly with the color of the object and when finished, you can't easily see where he did the coloring. Later pages have you color 2 or 3 parts of the picture, such as blue, green, and yellow circles on the beach ball, or 3 different colored balloons, or the yolk of the egg. Then the last few pages are having the child color the 2 flowers, the mane of the lion, the icing and candles on a birthday cake, or different parts of a clown. Even these pages with more white areas to color, are not overwhelming to a child, as the full picture is only about 8 inches square. My son enjoyed the first "scribble" pages, where you drew hair on a boy, spaghetti on a plate, sprinkles on the ice cream, water squrting out of the garden hose onto the children, etc. He has enjoyed coloring in this book as we have our read aloud time in the evening. Kumon uses high quality heavy paper, and the coloring pages are printed on one side only. I highly recommend it to any parent of young children, and would make a nice little gift with a new box of colored pencils or crayons. These are attractive when finished to give to grandma and grandpa to hang on their refrigerator. I really think you and your child will have fun with this book.』 『Coloring exercises for young children are often too complicated. This book begins with a simple skill having a child scribble on a picture randomly. As children progress through the book, they slowly learn to color within designated lines. Using crayons is an important precursor to learning to write with a pencil. Ages 2 and up.』
