Our faith, clearly explained, simple and unpretentious, as a father would explain it to his children. I remain especially moved by Luther's analyses oOur faith, clearly explained, simple and unpretentious, as a father would explain it to his children. I remain especially moved by Luther's analyses of the Creed and the Lord's Prayer. I am not wholly comfortable giving this book a rating, but I will say 5 stars, partly for its clarity in presenting theological ideas, and partly for how useful it has proved over the last several centuries. Dr. Martin Luther famously said, "You can burn all of my books except for two." This is one of the ones he would save....more
This short book was not at all what I expected. I thought I’d be reading a book that taught German, either with grammar rules, vocabulary, or helpful This short book was not at all what I expected. I thought I’d be reading a book that taught German, either with grammar rules, vocabulary, or helpful hints for English-speakers. Instead, this book is more of a guide to how to study German. For example, it gives advice on how to connect online with native speakers. This book includes some history and culture information about Germany, but there is no (or very little) specific language information to be had. It’s a little bit more “big-picture” than that. It’s simple and clear, and it’s well-researched. The tone is upbeat, and this author really has the knack for making something as difficult as learning German seem possible, even fun. On the whole, an excellent guide, and a good supplement to one’s foreign-language learning....more
What a fascinating book! An overview of the Cyrillic letters and their sounds, and all given in the context of a gallery of Russian art. What a creatiWhat a fascinating book! An overview of the Cyrillic letters and their sounds, and all given in the context of a gallery of Russian art. What a creative idea!
The writing is clear and easy to follow, and the book, being such a basic introduction to Cyrillic, doesn’t bog readers down in a lot of extra information. This book offers a great way to learn the letters, and the explanation in context of English sounds removes the need for guesswork. The artwork, all explained with informative captions, is the icing on the cake. The book’s layout is clean and uncluttered, and the pictures are clear and colorful. A lovely book, for many reasons. ...more
This excellent children’s book introduces the history of the Rosetta Stone and the way its discovery has shaped our understanding of ancient Egyptian This excellent children’s book introduces the history of the Rosetta Stone and the way its discovery has shaped our understanding of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. Although the subject matter is complicated, the author does a terrific job of explaining things clearly without ever condescending to his audience. An informative look at history and the methods by which the past is studied. Highly recommended for kids (or adults) who are at all interested in foreign languages, dead language, or ancient Egypt....more
I read the first story in German and found a couple of the German spellings (word forms?) to be different from what I expected. I figured thDNF at 20%
I read the first story in German and found a couple of the German spellings (word forms?) to be different from what I expected. I figured that either I had been spelling the words wrong previously, or else they had different forms in these contexts (case changes or something). But then, a section in English had a few orthographic anomalies, too, and even grammatical concerns. I don’t typically like to judge books too harshly for typos, since that’s less an authorial issue and more an editing concern, BUT typically, typos do not interfere with a reader’s understanding. Here, though—as with any language book—it is key. How am I to trust the German sections if I can’t even trust the English? How can I learn the language if it may be presented incorrectly? And how can I be sure what is intentional and what is a mistake? I went ahead and read the second story as well, two out of the ten included in this collection, but I don’t trust the quality of writing enough to continue. I don’t want to learn bad German, and if the English portions are any indication, the book’s language benefits are decidedly suspect. Too bad, too, because the book’s format is excellent. I liked the side-by-side English/German text, and I was especially glad that the comprehension quizzes also included the answers, something that is missing from many other foreign-language books.
Slightly less important than the language elements is the entertainment value of the stories, which were also not my cup of tea. The first story had characters who, while likeable enough, were difficult to root for. One in particular couldn’t let go of an old grudge, and the ending, while I think it’s meant to be funny, just made me feel empty and sad. The second story is about a religious family in which the parents worry when their children actually want to go to church. The parents solve the problem by proving that ALL religion is a brain disease. Honestly, I don’t know which group of people should be more insulted: religious people for being portrayed as mentally diseased, or NONreligious people who come off as intolerant, judgemental hypocrites. I think it’s supposed to be funny, but I just don’t get it. Not the book for me, and not even something I could recommend to another....more
Sure to delight some children and horrify others, this alphabet picture book stands apart from all other literary primers. For onWow, this is amazing!
Sure to delight some children and horrify others, this alphabet picture book stands apart from all other literary primers. For one thing, it is intended, I think, for slightly older children than would typically be reading an alphabet book. There is a bit of an unexpected approach near the end, and the author (as indicated by a note at the start of the story) clearly expects his readers to be familiar enough with the ABCs to pick up on the reason that the alphabet given in this story can't be trusted. (Gee, could it be dangerous to trust it?)
This alphabet is given in 13 rhyming couplets, which don't so much tell the story as offer commentary on it. The plot is surprisingly intricate, but it comes more through the illustrations than through the text. The plot is that two "brave" children set out on a boat ride. The brother is clearly the more dominant of the two, pulling his sister along behind him and acting as the leader of their party. In her one moment of autonomy, the sister falls for a villain's trick and gets herself captured; she then spends the rest of the book trapped with so many other victims until her "hero" brother finds the bad guys, follows them, fights with his sword, and rescues her. In general, I don't tend to get as invested in books when most characters are passive and only one active—there's just not a lot of interaction in general—but I do think this book did a decent job of showcasing the sister's personality even when she doesn't have much to do. She is still strong and (mostly) dignified, even when horrible things are done to her.
And speaking of horrible things, this book has them. And they all happen to innocent children the monsters have taken (and they mostly happen in the pictures, not the text). There is horror and anguish and (implied) eating of children. There is disturbing nightmarish imagery. There are fingers and chains and giant eyeballs. There is a (somewhat veiled) reference to hell. There is confinement and torment and despair. There is graphic bloody violence (to children). In a word, it's macabre.
And oh!—is it ever something! It's the kind of horrifying book that kid-me would have liked. Again, not 3-year-old, just-learning-the-alphabet me, but maybe 9-year-old, able-to-appreciate-irony me. Nine-year-old me was tired of sanitized stories where bad things never actually happened. Where it was hard to take the danger seriously because I knew the author would never actually let it manifest. Where no one ever suffered, and consequently, no one was ever strong. Kid-me, if I had read THIS book then, would have felt somehow that Gaiman and Grimly were different from other authors, that they perhaps trusted their readers—even their child readers—to read about unpleasantness and pain and horror, not to need things to be all sunshine and rainbows. And of course, once you've had the dark night of terror, what comes next? Why, the dawn, of course. How glorious.
This book is also quirky! For example, one character's favorite letters is thorn (hey! That's MY favorite letter!). I doubt the authors expect kids to know what the þ is, but there is also a bit of an explanation given, so no one should feel condescended to. In addition, although this is a children's book, there is plenty to appeal to adults as well. For example, (view spoiler)[it turns out that it's dangerous to trust the alphabet because W is given before V, not after. I think this is a nod to old alphabet books that switched the orders around frequently. I know Gaiman is British, but Grimly is American, and the most influential children's book of our colonial period was The New England Primer, which gave the alphabet at least 4 times, and in different ways each time. One of the alphabets in the book was told in rhyming couplets, and W preceded V (which was mostly not there at all!). So history-buff, language-nerd adult-me really loved seeing something that hearkened back to such a confusing educational tool. (hide spoiler)]
While this book undoubtedly has appeal for grownup readers, this ultimately IS a journey for (older) children. The authors trust their readers, and that is perhaps the book's greatest strength. Bad stuff happens, but there is courage, too, from both children. There is a lot of drama that builds throughout, up to a satisfying conclusion. There is humor, too, and a bit of a meta flavor, as the author even wrote himself in as a character. The pictures have much detail and nuance, and astute readers will find a great deal of enjoyment in illustrations. There is a warning at the beginning not to trust the alphabet as given here, so there is an element of mystery, for kids to find what's untrustworthy about it—to get the readers to be in on the joke. And the ending is absolutely perfect....more
This well-crafted book gently guides readers toward stronger writing skills by listing common examples of redundancies. Many of these were ones that IThis well-crafted book gently guides readers toward stronger writing skills by listing common examples of redundancies. Many of these were ones that I had often heard before, and for some of the ones I hadn’t, a quick Internet search showed that they are indeed in common use. Richard Kallan doesn’t demand that people stop using these phrases—indeed, in one section he points out that the use of multiple synonyms can even be desirable. They don’t alter the meaning, but they help convey the intense emotion involved in the statement. Moreover, this is more than just a dry grammar guide: humorous illustrations and snarky comments add a layer of fun to everything. Astute readers will notice that not all of his redundancies repeat the same idea. For example, as a flautist, I have played duets with other woodwind instruments. So if I were referring to two vocalists performing, I’d need to call them a “singing duet” for clarity. In other circles, say, an a cappella choir, such a description would be unnecessary. And I don’t know how he got the idea that “good Samaritan” is redundant. The person in the parable was from Samaria, and he did good deeds: two very different, though obviously not exclusive, concepts. But while a few of this book’s “redundancies” are questionable, it still made for a highly enjoyable read. Interesting, witty, and well worth reading....more
Well-laid out and highly informative, this book traces the history of our alphabet, one letter at a time. This is an incredibly complicated history, bWell-laid out and highly informative, this book traces the history of our alphabet, one letter at a time. This is an incredibly complicated history, but Don Robb has done the impossible and presented it in a clear, concise format. There is a map showing the geographical relationship between the different cultures who shaped the forms of each letter, and this helps clarify their interaction, and the way information traveled. Throughout the book are charts chronicling the various stages of each letter's evolution (from Sinaitic to Phoenician, Early Greek, Classical Greek, and finally Roman). These charts are consistent in style throughout the book. Moreover, the sections are supplemented with extra bits of information that help expand the reader's understanding of this history. Consequently, children are able to interact with this book however they want, whether it's just reading bits of trivia, or looking at various shapes in the charts, or reading this cover to cover. Fascinating stuff!...more
Overall, this is an excellent introduction to English runes. The author clearly describes what runes are, what they meant, who carved them, how scholaOverall, this is an excellent introduction to English runes. The author clearly describes what runes are, what they meant, who carved them, how scholars interpret them, etc. He lists the runes of various groups across different time periods and regions, and he matches each one to the letter used in transliterating. He tone is easy, and his writing is clear even for people who have not previously studied runes or Old English. His work is clearly divided into chapters by topic, so there is a chapter on cryptic runes, and a chapter on ecclesiastical rune-stones, and so on. His maps showing the locations of different findings, as well as the section of photographs, lend even more background to a well-organized volume. As the title suggests, he focuses specifically on English runes, but he also isn't afraid to describe other runic traditions when doing so will help paint a more complete picture. He gives plenty of context for his conclusions. So all of that is good.
In general, information is only as good as its source, and since so much runic interpretation depends on the biases of the scholar, it is necessary to examine that scholar in depth. R. I. Page evidently agrees with this, since he is self-aware enough at the beginning to state that he tends toward the skeptical side of runic interpretation. He does not claim to be always right, or even always completely objective, and he is very open about the difficulties of some interpretations, right from the beginning. This type of honesty comes as sort of a breath of fresh air, and it helps me at least to know where he's coming from in all this. Moreover, throughout the book, he'll make sure to mention differing opinions. He'll describe an inscription, mention that so-and-so scholar thinks XYZ, while such-and-such believes it means ABC, and that he thinks the first one is right. So that is also good.
However—could you tell a "however" was coming?—I am seriously wondering if he started to get tired while writing this. About halfway through, the tone changes a little bit, and his remarks get a little more snide. At one point, he references another professional's opinion of a word's meaning, adding that people who would believe her would tend to believe anything. At first, I thought it might be a form of sexism, that he was disparaging the scholarly efforts of his female peers, but he seems equally dismissive of some of the men in the field. He'll quote some opinions, say that they're completely wrong, and then never speak of them again. On the one hand, I understand that this is meant to be a general overview, and that he can't take the time to outline his reasoning on every point. On the other hand, it felt a little abrupt. He made one very troubling comment about religion that didn't belong in a history book. His opinions about all things runic come so strongly to the center that it's hard to get a sense of the whole picture. It's hard to understand what alternatives exist beyond simply agreeing with him in all things.
And just when I thought I'd had enough, he landed his final insult—on himself. For being so old-fashioned and out-of-date that it was up to his readers (the next generation of scholars) to do even greater things than he. So yes, he was a bit harsh and cold, but he was just as likely to turn that on himself as on others.
Does anyone escape from these judgments and insults? Yes. The readers. Page is insanely protective of those who read his books. Remember how I said that it was okay not to have a background in this? That if you were picking the book up cold, he'd still explain things okay? I stand by that. Furthermore, to people like myself who have dabbled in Old English, the runes seen here are very intimidating. Even transliterated, they don't make sense. Page is absolutely reassuring. He'll say things like "If this section seems confusing to students of Old English, it's because these runes are much older than the manuscripts, and they're in the Northumbrian dialect." That's a paraphrase, since I don't have the book in front of me at the moment, but you get the idea. He anticipated confusion, anxiety, and feelings of being overwhelmed, and he put those all to rest. At times, reading this book felt like someone next to me, holding my hand and saying "Of course it looks tough, but it's not so difficult. Start here, and read this section, and you'll understand." And then he made a completely inappropriate comment about Christianity, and I was unsure, all over again, what to think about this enigmatic author....more
I was a little disappointed in the story. I didn’t connect to the characters, and I found the plot just a bit lacking. On the othGreatly enjoyed this!
I was a little disappointed in the story. I didn’t connect to the characters, and I found the plot just a bit lacking. On the other hand, this is a pretty straightforward fairy tale, and that’s probably just the nature of the genre. My German skills are not terribly strong, either, so I’m sure I missed some of the subtler points as I was reading. I did appreciate the humor, and in one place, I even laughed out loud. So content-wise, just as interesting as some of the selections in the other Hagboldt graded reader, and amusing overall.
Language-wise, this was an excellent reader for someone trying to learn German. It started with simple vocabulary and built from there, and the glossary at the end was quite useful. The other German reader starts with tiny unrelated vignettes, so I was a bit surprised here to see that the first booklet was all the same story. It challenged me a bit more because if there was something I didn’t understand, that could affect my understanding of the rest of the story as well. I enjoyed the journey, and I also appreciated the care it must have taken to craft such a long tale in such simple words. The writers of this book care—about the story, the folklore around it, the German language, and especially their readers—and that, more than anything, makes for a charming reading experience....more
2.5 stars A nice idea, but the execution isn’t as good as it should be. Don’t get me wrong—I like the idea of using songs to help learn a language. I h2.5 stars A nice idea, but the execution isn’t as good as it should be. Don’t get me wrong—I like the idea of using songs to help learn a language. I have used them myself on other occasions; they are wonderful as a language tool. Songs tend to use a slightly richer vocabulary than is found in ordinary conversation, and the music slows down the words, making it easier for children to hear the individual phonemes. I have especially enjoyed the light songs can shed on grammatical structure; the music makes it easy to recall the specific words, giving children a nice template for creating similar sentences.
These songs don’t do that so much. For one thing, they really aren’t traditional French songs for the most part; they’re traditional English songs that have been translated into French. Sometimes it’s awkward and stilted, and this means that the words aren’t always as fluid and natural as they should be. Second, it means that there is no translation given, just the English words, and since they worked so hard to recreate the same rhyme and meter in French, the songs’ meanings have changed a great deal. So it isn’t learning a song in a foreign language as much as it is simply repeating syllables whose real meaning has been lost. Third, the singers on the CD aren’t quite all together. They’re singing in a chorus in slightly different time (which is cute and all), but this makes it very difficult to understand the sounds.
The most useful parts of this book are the spoken bits, where the children in the story use simple words to introduce their family, their pets, and their home. But the music is more a distraction than a resource. All in all, it’s a nice diversion, but it’s unlikely to provide the linguistic aid that parents might expect....more
2.5 stars, rounded up. A nice idea, but the execution was disappointing. I like the idea of learning a language through song: lyrics are easy to pick 2.5 stars, rounded up. A nice idea, but the execution was disappointing. I like the idea of learning a language through song: lyrics are easy to pick up, and complicated ideas like syntax and grammar are made all the more natural through this type of learning. However, this book doesn’t really do that. It doesn’t have traditional German songs, for one thing; it has traditional English songs that have been translated into German. It also doesn’t give the English meaning for the German words; it simply gives the original English words. As you can probably imagine, since the songs all have the same rhyme and meter patterns as their English counterparts, the translation isn’t exact, and without knowing what any of these words actually means, it’s going to be impossible for children coming to German for the first time to understand much at all of this. It’s going to be more like singing nonsense syllables than singing something with meaning. It’s also a waste of a rich musical heritage, as there are a great many traditional German-language songs for children that might have been fun. Perhaps my biggest disappointment was that the book’s back cover specifically mentions “The More We Get Together”, which is, of course, the anglophone’s counterpart to the traditional song “Ach du lieber Augustin.” I don’t know all of the words in German—only a little bit. My mother used to sing it to me when I was a kid in a mix of German and English, “Ach du lieber Augustin, everything’s gone.” I have, of course, looked up the German lyrics as a grownup, but I was looking forward to a book + CD combo. Instead, I got the completely unrelated English version, translated into the language of the original song, but with none of the same content.
Still, there is some good here. I like the coloring book pages, which will give the kids something to do while they listen to the German language, and which will also let them spend time looking at a page with German words. I liked that the songs aren’t the whole story; there are simple sentences in German, too, which provide a great opportunity for learning words, phrases, and basic grammar. Certainly not bad, but it could have been so much more....more
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