Editorial Review

Popular TV courtroom personality Judge Judy Sheindlin has a dare forkids. When faced with tough tests of character in (and out of) school, childrenare challenged to make the right choices. By using examples of problems kidsface every day and providing four possible responses to each situation, JudgeJudy helps readers build up their moral strength. For example, if your bestfriend's goofy-looking cousin is visiting and wants you to go skating afterschool, what should you do? Read more

Reviews (2)

Great book - Sage advice for starting school!
The book is a great collection of "Cool rules" to follow to make life easier at school. Written for the new student it gives advice on how to avoid trouble in your new surroundings. Opinionated? - Absolutely.

worst book ever
Judge Judy's authoritarian, jewish mother-esque take on morality is as brazen and one sided as her television show.Spare us all Judge Judy and stick to yelling at white trash on daytime television. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    2. Children: Grades 2-3    3. Conduct of life    4. General    5. Juvenile Nonfiction    6. Juvenile literature    7. School & Education    8. Juvenile Nonfiction / School & Education   

Reviews (2)

On target!
The author is right on target to assume that kids are interested in making learning easier and more fun. This book includes many specific strategies for building confidence in reading, writing, spelling, math, etc. There is help in organizing time, setting goals, standing up for themselves, coping with testing, etc. This book has reproducible masters to help reinforce learning.
LD Students CAN Help Themselves in School
Kids with learning disabilities often feel like failures in school. Their past experiences tell them that they are helpless to find ways to compete and succeed in the classroom. This book gives many practical, helpful suggestions that can turn a student who feels like a loser into a winner! The best thing an LD student can do is become his or her own best advocate. The ideas in this book make that possible. It is easy to read (about a third grade reading level) and organized clearly. Some of the chapters are titled: You CAN Get Organized, You CAN Learn in Different Ways, You CAN Handle Testing, You CAN Get Along with Others, etc. This emphasis on "you CAN" is just what people with learning disabilities need! The authors also include lists of suggestions for becoming a better reader, speller, more organized, etc. If you know someone with a learning disability, do that person and yourself a favor and get this book. Read it together, if possible. Rhoda Cummings and Gary Fisher have written several books about what they call Learning Differences (LD), and this is one of the best! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Education    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    3. Education    4. Handbooks, manuals, etc    5. Handbooks, manuals, etc.    6. Juvenile Psychology    7. Juvenile literature    8. Learning disabilities    9. Learning disabled children    10. School & Education    11. Social Issues - Special Needs    12. Social Situations - Special Needs    13. Special Education - General    14. Study Aids - General    15. United States    16. Coping with personal problems    17. Teaching of children / adults with specific learning difficulties   

Editorial Review

It's never too early to build a child's vocabulary, and the updatedRead more

Reviews (5)

Learning
We have had this for awhile now and have recently been playing this...great learning and fun.Amazing just how much your little one will know using these cards. All the cards stay together so you don't have to worry getting any of them lost.
A Fun Way to Learn
We bought this set when my daughter was about 2 1/2, she loved Max the Monkey, and it was a really good way to teach her how to relate words with pictures. She amazed me with how much she already knew, then again some of the things that she didn't know amazed me too!My only complaint is that Max is not more durable, I mean come on, who makes a two year olds toy out of foam?? I would reccomend this product, I have already bought the 3-4 year old version of brainquest.

Holds his attention
I bought these for my 1 1/2 year old son who loves picture books. He was instantly taken with "Max Monkey" and happily pointed him out on all the pages. My son was not so happy with the fact that he couldn't take the "Max cards" apart. Looks like this is a common theme in the reviews.
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Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12    2. Children's Books/Baby-Preschool    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Games & Activities - Questions & Answers    5. Juvenile Nonfiction    6. School & Education    7. JUVENILE NONFICTION / Games & Activities / Questions & Answers    8. Juvenile Nonfiction / School & Education   

Reviews (2)

Smooth sailing
Long car rides can be boring for anyone.Our eleven year-old used to have a very hard time with them.That is, until we discovered Brain Quest.We quiz him and he quizzes us.Along the way, he seems to be learning quite a few things.And the time flies. It's great to be smart
The dumbing down of American kids is staunchly opposed by the BrainQuest series that stimulates kids in the back seat of the car or the airplane or anywhere they'd be otherwise bored to oblivion. The 1500 questions andanswers (kind of like Trivial Pursuit crossed with a deck of cards) areeasy to read, cross and wide range of subjects and challenge and stimulatereaders of all ages (even grownups will love them.) Best of all, theinherent assumption is that your brain never tires of challenge! Too oftenon a trip, kids lapse into the "covered wagon syndrome" wherethey kind of stare blankly off into space, waiting for the trip to end.Brainquest cards (they come in a gazillion levels and varieties for allages) really keep kids' brains attached to their bodies. My only criticismis that often the questions are too hard for kids to read and they hold itup for me to read in the rear view mirror (I drive a lot) and if it were inmirror writing, I could read it. Oh well. Small criticism I suppose. It's agreat series. Keep a couple stashed under the car seat or in the glovecompartment. The only thing even remotely as good as Brainquest isGeoSafari (which costs ten times as much and is the size of a laptopcomputer). Take time to try some of the Brainquest cards at home, thenenjoy them in the car or on the plane. They also make great presents forteachers. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Games & Activities - Questions & Answers    5. Juvenile Nonfiction    6. School & Education    7. JUVENILE NONFICTION / Games & Activities / Questions & Answers    8. Juvenile Nonfiction / School & Education   

Subjects:  1. Alphabet    2. Alphabet books    3. Books    4. Careers    5. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    6. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    7. Children: Grades 1-2    8. Children: Grades 2-3    9. Concepts - Alphabet    10. English language    11. General    12. Juvenile Nonfiction    13. Juvenile Vocational Guidance    14. Juvenile literature    15. Libraries    16. School & Education   

Reviews (8)

smart toddler
Great learning/fun tool.If your 3 or 3 1/2 year old is fairly vocal, maybe try the 4-5 year old one. A lot of questions in this group are simple and don't require too much thought.Would recommend this item. It is great fun for quiet learning time or in the car.

Nice, but not as good as Brain Quest for Twos
I bought this for my 28 month old.I wouldn't wait until she's three, she can already answer 3/4 of the questions.Plus, unlike the Brain Quest for Twos, each question card is followed by an answer card, so essentially only half the stack is useful.It also isn't as themed.It seems like the questions are random.She still enjoys it and is learning something, so I'd still buy it, but I probably won't continue with the series.

I would definitely buy!
I love Brain Quest and so does my three year old son.His grandma bought him them for Christmas, and he wants to read them all the time!He has two baby brothers, so it is a great thing for us to do together when they are sleeping. Also, it keeps him quiet so they can sleep. He can do most of them pretty well.I love the fact that it expands beyond the product. In the book, it is constantly making you think and broaden your mind.He now comes up with his own questions. He asked the other day, "Mommy what part of my bear is missing?" My only regret is there is not more questions for 3 year old.I am going to go out and buy the 4-5 year old pack, which may be a little more challenging, but I am sure he will enjoy! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Games & Activities - Questions & Answers    5. Juvenile Nonfiction    6. School & Education    7. JUVENILE NONFICTION / Games & Activities / Questions & Answers    8. Juvenile Nonfiction / School & Education   

Reviews (1)

Dakos will "getcha"
I gotcha
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Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Poetry / Plays    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    3. Children's poetry, American    4. Children: Grades 2-3    5. Elementary schools    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Juvenile poetry    8. Poetry    9. Poetry - General    10. Poetry - Humorous    11. School & Education    12. Schools    13. Juvenile Fiction / School & Education   

Reviews (4)

CSET lifesaver
This is a great book for people studying for the CSET (CA Subject Matter Examination for Teachers)....has a simple, illustrated explanation and refreshes your memory of topics you may not have looked at for years (um, middle school). My CSET prep class also recommended it.

I love this series
This series is great. I tutor kids from 4th-11th grades, and use "Everything ... American History" extensively with all my students. The material is concise, presented clearly, and all the important facts are there. In straightforward English! aaah. It is worth purchasing for the Bill of Rights section (in modern English) alone.

Good book but did history stop in 1949?
Both of my children have found this book (and others in the series) extremely helpful.The language is clear and concise.The illustrationsand timelines are most helpful.I like the short biographies in eachsection about not well known, yet important people.Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    2. Children: Grades 4-6    3. History - United States/General    4. Homework    5. Juvenile Education    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Juvenile literature    8. Reference - General    9. School & Education    10. Juvenile Nonfiction / Reference / General   

Reviews (1)

GREAT SERIES OF BOOKS!!
I have all the books from the Learning to Get Along series. They are wonderfully illustrated and written. These are great social story books to help kids. I use them for my son and for the kids I work with at school. My son (5) will just sit and read this books on his own. I absolutely recommend Cheri J Meiners books. (I even have a link on my website for her books)
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Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    3. Children: Grades 1-2    4. General    5. Individual differences    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Juvenile Social Problems (General)    8. Juvenile literature    9. School & Education    10. Social Issues - Values & Virtues    11. Toleration    12. Life Skills & Personal Awareness, General Studies   

Reviews (2)

Brain Quest
This product is great. We have used it on our kids academic bowl radio program.With such a wide variety of subjects, the program certainly prompts our students to THINK.It's great to have a useful entertainment product that does not require batteries.

Makes learning fun
As with all the Brain Quest books, this book makes learning fun for our boys.Our 2nd grader is in a magnet school and just loves the 5th and 6th grade BQs.
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Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Games & Activities - Questions & Answers    5. Juvenile Nonfiction    6. School & Education    7. JUVENILE NONFICTION / Games & Activities / Questions & Answers    8. Juvenile Nonfiction / School & Education   

Subjects:  1. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    2. Juvenile Nonfiction    3. School & Education    4. Science & Nature - General    5. Science (General) (Young Adult)    6. Secondary    7. Study Aids - Test Preparation    8. Study Guides    9. Tests    10. Study Aids / Tests   

Reviews (3)

An eye opening look at life in rural China.
I enjoyed this book, though it is painful to read about the poverty and hunger Ma Yan and her family experienced.As mom to a daughter from China, I can't help but wonder if my daughter's life would have been similar, had she not been adopted.
The Diary of Ma Yan
I came to find out about this book by listening to an NPR interview of the French journalist who originally was given the diaries by Ma Yan's Mother. His interview was so moving that I ordered the book from Amazon. Ma Yan was writing about her life in a village where no foreigners had been in more then 60 years. I have since given this book as a gift to several girls and boys of Ma Yan's age (12-13-14) so that they can read first hand what it's like for kids their age in a remote part of our World.
Incredible and Unforgettable!
The DIARY OF MA YAN is an incredible story of how one girl's determination, diligence, and hope impacted not only her life...but the lives of those around her.
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Subjects:  1. 1987-    2. Biography & Autobiography - General    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Biography    4. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    5. Children: Grades 4-6    6. China    7. Diaries    8. Girls    9. Juvenile Nonfiction    10. Juvenile literature    11. Ma, Yan,    12. People & Places - Asia    13. School & Education    14. Social Issues - Homelessness & Poverty    15. Social Situations - Homelessness & Poverty    16. Juvenile Nonfiction / People & Places / Asia   

Reviews (2)

Some are fun..but..
I was very excited about this book, but dissapointingly, it seems the kids aren't too interested in trying these out, at least the younger ones. Perhaps older children would be more interested (ages 7 and up)

Comments from Author, MaryAnn F. Kohl:
I don't know when I've been so excited about a book of hands-on art ideas for kids!! Favorite picture book illustrators are featured in this book for kids age 4-12...with art ideas to match the illustrators' styles and award-winning titles. Each page has a child-drawn portrait of the illustrator, synopses of the book, quote by the illustrator, easy to follow steps and materials, a great variations. Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Creative activities and seatwork    3. Education    4. Education / Teaching    5. Elementary    6. Study and teaching (Elementary)    7. Teaching Methods & Materials - Arts & Humanities    8. Juvenile Nonfiction / School & Education   

Reviews (13)

A "Must- Have" Book For Everyone!
As more and more people are taking an active part in the educating of children and adults, this book is a must-have for any educator--parents, tutors, teachers, business trainers--anyone who wants to educate people correctly. With the recent lowering of scholastic aptitude tests, 40+% drop-out rate in high schools, increasing crime and illiteracy, this is the only book that is the solution to these problems in our society. I've used this book as a mother and educator for over 2 decades and see these children, now young adults, living the lives they choose to live because they are literate and can learn, being able to apply anything they study, immediately, to their lives. Learning does not have to be complicated. On the contrary, this book breaks learning down to the simplicities of how to learn, by giving one: (1) the ability to recognize what a barrier to study is, and (2) immediately useable tools to remove the barriers. This is a "must-have" book for everyone!

My kid Loves this book!
My kid loves this book and is a better student becuase of it! I recommend it to anyone that wants to study more effectivly or wants their kids to do better in their education.

Leaning How to Learn - L Ron Hubbard
My child has had major difficulties learnig. He has been labled ADD and ADHD and hyperactive!!! This book has helped me help him and now he is really settled down and LEARNS!!! Hubbard has hit the nail on the head. This should be a course in every school. I have a new son. Very powerful and recommended for everyone. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Education    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    3. Children: Grades 1-2    4. Juvenile Nonfiction    5. School & Education    6. Study Aids - General   

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Games & Activities - Questions & Answers    5. Games & Activities - Travel Games    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. School & Education    8. JUVENILE NONFICTION / Games & Activities / Questions & Answers    9. Juvenile Nonfiction / School & Education   

Subjects:  1. Children: Grades 2-3    2. Juvenile Nonfiction    3. Literary Criticism & Collections    4. School & Education   

Reviews (3)

not the best
I've seen better books that offer help in this area, but for the price I paid, it was still worth it.My kids can use it to gain some insight.It is very easy reading, too.

In case you didn't know...
If you're reading this, it's no news to you that test-taking is a skill apart from learning. The better one knows the subject, the more likely that person will score well. But a second--and important--factor is how well one knows how to prepare for and take a test. This brief book provides a nitty-gritty compendium of such vital skills. How to do your best on tests
I thought this book was very good.Since i have read this book i've improved in my test taking skills and i also plan to do better on them in the future.I think this book can help people of all ages-young and old-read this book and you'll never fail a test agian. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Study Guides    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    3. Children: Grades 3-4    4. Educational tests and measurements    5. Examinations    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Juvenile literature    8. Reference - General    9. School & Education    10. Study Aids - Test Preparation    11. Study guides    12. Test-taking skills    13. Juvenile Nonfiction / School & Education   

Reviews (9)

Kids (and adults) love this!
My 6th grade students loved this book and I must admit, I loved it, too!Fabulous!!

Highly recommended
My first-grader begged us for this book after having read it repeatedly at school. It's still one of her very favorites. The poems are silly and witty and fun to read aloud, and the illustrations are funny as well. Books like this really help young children develop a love for words and for reading.

Great rhyming book for kids
This is a great rhyming book for students.It seems really relateable for children because of the content that it is written about.I was able to relate to it by remembering my school days and I found the poems to be somewhat funny. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    2. Children's poetry, American    3. Children: Grades 1-2    4. Juvenile poetry    5. Poetry    6. Poetry - Humorous    7. School & Education    8. Schools    9. Juvenile Fiction / Westerns   

Reviews (4)

Great book for youth in Middle School
I purchased this book for my grandson who is now midway through fifth grade. He is struggling with many challenges that face youth just starting middle school including bullies, peer pressure to try new things and his first real crush. The straight forward but light way that Arlene Erlbach presents the topics were just what he needed. He has read the book through and still goes back to review some sections. I would recommend this book for all youth just starting the middle school years.

This is whywe homeschool
I've put 5 kids through public school, and even those kids, now parents themselves, think this book is a bit over the top.I'd ask my 11 year old, but there's no way he'll be seeing it any time soon.This book is most appropriate for older kids, 9th grade and above.It's troubling that 12 year olds are quoted about issues such as "making out" and oral sex.It does contain some good advice about things like dealing with peers, dealing with sexual harrassment, handling the different school setting, and other things, but it isn't appropriate for middle schoolers, regardless of the title.

This is a great book!
This book is the perfect guide for any kid who's entering the challenging years of junior high. The author handles difficult topics in a humorous and informative way. Plus, there's lots of advice from other kids who have already been there. So along with the pens, notebooks and lunch, slip a copy of this survival guide into your middle-grader's backpack. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    2. Children: Grades 4-6    3. Juvenile Education    4. Juvenile General And Reference Works    5. Juvenile Nonfiction    6. Juvenile literature    7. Life skills guides    8. Middle school students    9. Preteens    10. Reference - General    11. School & Education    12. Social Issues - General    13. Social Issues - New Experience    14. Teenagers    15. Juvenile Nonfiction / Social Situations / Adolescence   

Reviews (2)

EXCELLENT RECOMMENDED READING
This wonderful book of elementary school life poems was a recommended summer reading for my 5th grader.I thank the one who recommended it. She loves it.I recommend it for all ages...I love it too and I'm a fewdecades past the 5th grade. Get this one for your child and he/she willthank you with their pleasure of the book and their reading to you.

If You're Not Here,Please Raise Your Hand
This book, so acurately subtitled "Poems About School," is a hit with students and teachers alike. Ms Dakos takes everyday elementary school situations and problems,and -- through her poetry-- manages to pinpoint the goings on in everyclassroom in America using humor and sensitivity.The student with the messiest desk,the boy who cries at the drop of ahat,the new kid who hates math, the child who comes to class with morealibis than homework assignments,the children who just can't follow therules, are all members of the class in Ms Dakos' first book,"IfYou're Not Here,Please Raise Your Hand-- Poems About School." Thisis truly a "class" anthology! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Poetry / Plays    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    3. Children's poetry, American    4. Children: Grades 4-6    5. Elementary schools    6. Juvenile poetry    7. Poetry    8. Poetry - Humorous    9. School & Education    10. Schools    11. Juvenile Fiction / School & Education