FANNY AND SUE: A NOVEL

Average customer rating:

A Gentler Time and Place

What wonderful people

Great Read

Full of the kind of details that satisfy!

identical twins come of age in gentle, detailed, wise novel

FANNY AND SUE: A NOVEL
Karen Stolz
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0786886056

Book Description

hen Karen Stolz's World of Pies was published two years ago, readers and critics alike savored every delicious word. Now Stolz returns to themes of childhood and coming of age in a poignant novel about twin sisters. In beautifully rendered detail, Stolz reveals the pleasure of freshly laundered dresses and homemade fudge, the terror of childhood illness and quarrels, and the magical connection that only twins possess. Set against the backdrop of St. Louis during the Great Depression, twins Fanny and Sue tell their charming story in alternating voices. Infused with humor and warmth, Stolz's latest novel is certain to charm readers eager to experience life the way it used to be.

Customer Reviews:

A Gentler Time and Place.......2007-03-09

Meet Fanny and Sue, twins, born in the depression era. Despite hardships these two weather the storms of scarlett fever, polio, dire straights financially, all with the help of their loving family. Fanny is out going, vivacious, and dreams of stardom as she watches the "talkies" in the theater. Sue is more bookish, shy and dreams of teaching. The antics of these two make the reader laugh out loud, and the problems they encounter cause the reader to choke-up a bit at their fortitude and tenacity of heart. Lovely, warm, comforting, and real, this book is a precious gem to throughly enjoy!!!

What wonderful people.......2004-01-28

This is just a really sweet book about twin sisters & their family. I wish things were still the way they were in this book. I would love to have known more about Fanny & Sue's lives. Hopefully this author will keep more coming.

Great Read.......2003-11-29

leaves you wanting to know even more about these two great girls. If you like World of Pies you'll love this one. Different, but just as good.

Full of the kind of details that satisfy!.......2003-09-02

I can understand what the Publishers Weekly reviewer was talking about---if he or she is used to "modern" novels full of very sad happenings and completely nothing sentimental and many deep character insights, this would not be the book to read. However, if they were like many of the real people out there, they would probably love this book. It's full of details that really made the place and time (St. Louis in the 20s and 30s) come alive for me---things like what Fanny and Sue wore, what they ate, how their room was decorated, what it was like in the isolation factory, how they prepared for their first date and how their parents reacted, all that. I kept waiting for the ultra sad moment to arrive that often mars such a read for me, and was relieved it never came---their lives had their ups and downs like most of our lives, but they moved on. This book is crying out for a sequel---it ends just as the next phase of their life is starting. I loved World of Pies also, and am looking forward to more by this stand-out author.

identical twins come of age in gentle, detailed, wise novel.......2003-06-25

Talented author Karen Stolz has successfully repeated a formula which catapulted her debut novel, "World of Pies" to national prominence. Stolz knows how to develop characters and confidently permits her readers to embrace her insights as their own. She is absolutely unpretentious. "Fanny and Sue," a gentle, sweet and generous examination of identical twins coming of age during the Great Depression in St. Louis, reminds us of our capacity for family connection and allows a sheer wonder at the ties which bind.

These ties, which Fanny and Sue intuitively cherish, do not suffocate. Indeed, one of the triumphs of this novel is its relaxed, but informed, technique of encouraging each character to emerge as a distinct person. With voices that capture not only the innocence of relatively sheltered adolescent girls but of the time in our national past when common people extracted uncommon strength to face economic and medical traumas, "Fanny and Sue" is at once a social history and a delightful character study.

Headstrong, assertive and unafraid of take risks, Fanny drives the narrative. Her impatience results in a scar on her arm which not only serves to distinguish her physically from her sister, but emotionally as well. Reseved, introspective and intellectual, Sue grasps the complexity of her relationship with her dynamic and often overwhelming sister. At once independent and symbiotic, the bond between the two is elastic enough to encouage individual epiphanies but profound enough to permit the two to live within the other's skin. For instance, always uncertain as to her own appearance and lacking the effortless self-confidence of Fanny, Sue realizes that she was the "prettier one, not because my looks were improved" by Fanny's accident, but that her sister had been "altered" by her mild disfigurement.

Grandually accepting the fact that they will perceive the world differently, both Fanny and Sue convert divergence into an asset. Fanny's love of performance and dreams of Hollywood may contrast from Sue's thirst for knowledge and her recognition of her passion for teaching, but both respect and encourage the development of ambition. Their unsure, tentative but delighted forays into sexual expression remind us of a time when modesty and curiosity were genuinely expereinced by teen-aged girls on the cusp of adulthood.

Ms. Stolz has so fully integrated the nuances of Depression living that readers may forget how hard she has labored to created authentic ambiance. Film titles, product tag-lines, meals designed for four stretched to feed eight, soda-jerking, husbands and wives selling wedding bands and marathon roller skating contests -- all these details give "Fanny and Sue" a true down-home feel.

This short, quiet and gentle novel serves to remind us that an author's love of her characters and respect for the beautifully complicated texture of everyday life are essential components of engaging modern literature.

Book Description

Peek-a-boo, I see you! A parrot! A rabbit! A frog! A bear! Caldecott medalist Simms Taback's bright, bold animals and simple, repetitive text make this the perfect board book for every young child who loves to play peek-a-boo.

Customer Reviews:

Great book for younger children.......2007-07-03

Parenting magazine gave this book a great review so I purchased it for my child. He was able to grow into it and at 2 he still laughs and has a fun time with it.
It's engaging, colorful and a great learning tool.
Have given this as a birthday gift.

Average customer rating:

Not as good as the first, but still worth the read.
Identity Crisis!
Hysterical laugh out loud Christian fiction with a touch of farce
Hooray for book two!
loved it!

Boo Who (The Boo Series #2)
Rene Gutteridge
Manufacturer: WaterBrook Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Comic | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1578569850
Release Date: 2004-09-21

Book Description

“Knock knock.”
“Who’s there?”

Nobody in Skary seems to know for sure…

It appears that everyone in Skary, Indiana, is having an identity crisis of epic proportions–including the town itself. Once known as the haunt of the world’s most popular horror writer, Wolfe “Boo” Boone, Skary started losing tourist business after Boo abruptly abandoned his career. Now the little town with the big marketing hook is up a creek–and on the brink of bankruptcy.

Meanwhile, the former best-selling author is hawking [or selling] cars and wondering, like the rest of the world, if he’ll ever write again. Yet even as Boo’s literary career gracelessly plummets, his fiancée, wholesome Ainsley Parker, is shooting to stardom as the media’s darling new domestic diva.

Weave in a dreaming bride with a bargain dress and a few too many pounds on her hips, an unconventional therapist who has Skary in his thrall, a depressed cat, a dogged busybody, and a horde of strange, ghostly figures traipsing in and out of the woods, and it’s easy to see why Skary is the quirkiest–and most charming–town around.

Customer Reviews:

Not as good as the first, but still worth the read........2007-04-06

I didn't feel this book was as funny as the first; in fact it was slow getting into the story and Ainsley's character really got on my nerves because she became a crazed Martha-Stewart-clone. However, it was still a good read, and I think all Rene Gutteridge fans will enjoy it.

Identity Crisis!.......2006-10-30

Everyone, including the town itself, is having an identity crisis. The second in the Boo series, deals with the fallout from the first one. Still a fun light read, filled with odd characters and situations. This one stretches the credulity level more than the first, though. The characters are 2-dimensional and don't seem to develop through the story. In fact the main woman character, Ainsley, seems to have become even less developed. I was hoping for more in the second of the series.

The book is still a fun journey, if you're looking for an escape. If you are looking for something with a lot of depth to it, you may want to bypass this one.

Hysterical laugh out loud Christian fiction with a touch of farce.......2006-06-21

Boo Who by Rene Gutteridge is the second book in the Boo series based in Skary, Indiana. Wolfe Boone has given up his lucrative writing career to sell used cars, and his fiancée Ainsley is embarking upon a new career herself. In the meantime, the town is trying to recover financially and emotionally from the loss of its tourism and find its new heart. This book is such a hoot (sorry couldn't help myself, once you read the book, you'll understand)! I was trying to explain the plot to my husband last night, and he found himself laughing out loud at the antics of the citizens of Skary. . There are so many subplots in this book, it's impossible to list them all, but Gutteridge handles them with flair. She does a terrific job of poking fun at the residents of a small town while still treating them with respect and love. She also does a wonderful job of bringing the Lord and how He works into the story without proselytizing. Nearly everyone in the book goes through a crisis of figuring out who they are and where they fit into God's plan with the message being that we all fit, no matter who we are. Skary finds its new heart and the reader sees that all things are made new

Hooray for book two!.......2006-04-09

This is the second book in the "Boo" series. After reading this book, you begin to feel like Skary is a real place and that the characters are people you know. You don't have to read the first book to understand the plot but it helps with character development. An awesome read--fun, charming, and sweet. Gets into your heart, for sure. :)

loved it!.......2005-11-23

LOVED IT!!!!Laughed and laughed! This is agreat one. I can't wait tor ead Boo HISS!!!!

I'm Little and Shy. Who Am I? (A Peek-a-Boo Dragon Book)

Average customer rating:

I'm Little and Shy. Who Am I? (A Peek-a-Boo Dragon Book)
Simon Lewin
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

Board Books | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0375811672
Release Date: 2001-02-27

Book Description

Crack, crack . . . peek-a-boo! Who is peeking out of this little egg? Kids will have to turn the page to find out! Could it be cute little Cassie playing peek-a-boo with you?

We Sing! We Fly! Who's Inside? (A Peek-a-Boo Dragon Book)

Average customer rating:

We Sing! We Fly! Who's Inside? (A Peek-a-Boo Dragon Book)
Simon Lewin
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

Board Books | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0375811680
Release Date: 2001-02-27

Book Description

Peek-a-boo! I see you! Who's that peeking out from every page? Rhyming clues will help kids play this giggly guessing game. Could two of their favorite friends be hiding inside?

Bumpy and Boo Visits the Eye Doctor: Guess Who Needs Glasses?

Average customer rating:

Great little book!

Bumpy and Boo Visits the Eye Doctor: Guess Who Needs Glasses?
Sheri Manson
Manufacturer: Merry Lane Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Twins | Issues | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Doctor Who | Media | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0974430730

Book Description

Bumpy and Boo are identical twins. They like dressing the same and mixing up the grownups. But one day they take a field trip to the eye doctor, and learns that one of them needs glasses. How can that be? How can one twin need glasses and the other not? Will they still be identical twins?

Customer Reviews:

Great little book!.......2007-07-22

I have identical twin boys, one of whom wears glasses, and this was a great story for them. Something they could read themselves and a story they could really relate to!

It is VERY important to make sure your children have their eyes tested regularly. most insurances will cover an eye exam with an ophthalmologist (eye doc) or pediatric ophthalmologist. The eye exam by your family doc/pediatrician is not as thorough. If I hadn't taken my son to be checked he may have gone blind.

Average customer rating:

Very cute!
The best toddler Halloween book I've seen...it's great.
A great Halloween intro book for my toddler
This is my 2 year old daughter's favorite Halloween book.
Getting another copy-our son's favorite book.

Boo Who? A Spooky Book

Manufacturer: Cartwheel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 059005905X

Customer Reviews:

Very cute!.......2002-10-27

This book is adorable. It was just right for my sister's 3 and 5 year olds. It was nice to give them a Halloween gift that's not candy! Cute ending.

The best toddler Halloween book I've seen...it's great........2000-03-27

The title of this book is so clever because children have to guess what or who will be under each flap when they open it. And it's always a Halloween character. My 3 and 5 year olds both love the book, especially the end. Very cool.

A great Halloween intro book for my toddler.......2000-02-07

My 3 1/2 year old son adored this book. Since I had to read it to him over and over, I'm glad it's one I liked to.

This is my 2 year old daughter's favorite Halloween book........1999-11-24

My 2 year old, Charlotte, demanded this book repeatedly this past Halloween. It was the one she WANTED read over and over. She loved the ending, and I liked the fact that the mirror at the end was good quality, so she could actually see herself (not just a blur).

Getting another copy-our son's favorite book........1999-02-28

When our son was 16 months old it was Halloween. This book got him saying, "witch", "boo", "ghost", etc. It has been a lot of fun to read with him.

Average customer rating:

My son's favorite!
I say woohoo!!!!

Who Said Boo?
Anne Miranda
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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To Market, To Market

ASIN: 078680811X

Book Description

BOO! BOO! BOO! Who said boo? Was it a monster? Was it a gnome? Was it a ghost that was haunting my home? One dark and gloomy Halloween, a brave little girl is spooked right in her very own home. With her loyal and feisty pooch by her side, she sets out to catch who . . . or what . . . is trying to trick her. Young trick-or-treaters will delight in spotting clues as to who the culprits might be when they open oversized pull-out pages and flaps. Ross Collins's dynamic artwork is the perfect match for award-winning author Anne Miranda's hilarious Halloween story.

Customer Reviews:

My son's favorite!.......2004-11-15

My 4 year old absolutely loves this book! He actually received this book for his birthday by someone and I was initially unsure that he would like it, boy was I wrong! It is his favorite, we ended up having to tell him that we wouldn't read it all year long because he wanted it read every night! (Which would be weird around Christmastime since its a Halloween book!)The story is cute and the illustrations are great. The fold out pages add to it as well. I'm surprised there aren't more reviews for this great preschool age book!

I say woohoo!!!!.......2003-10-16

I was in the B&N poking around for my 3 yr. old daughter and the cover caught my eye. I instantly fell in love with the illustrations. Ross Collins is a genious.

Book Description

Someone said boo!
But who?
Lift the flaps
of this silly mystery
to find out
who's the spookiest
character of all!

Customer Reviews:

Our favorite!.......2007-09-02

My son is 16 months old, and this book has gotten grins and giggles from him since he was just six months old. Of course, we give each "creature" behind the flaps a different voice, so I'm sure that helps. But it's the exclamation on the last page that sends him giggling. All I have to do is say, "who said boo?" and he'll come running from where ever he's gotten off to. Now that he "helps" with the flaps, our copy is looking a bit mangled, so I'll be buying another. And one for a gift, too!

Son is crazy for this book a year later!.......2006-09-27

Last year, I bought this reluctantly thinking my son would tear the flaps off. But I needed a little trick or treat gift for an 18 mo that couldn't have candy. A year later and thousands(yes literally)of readings later it is still intact. My son still cracks up at this book and its a must have for any road trips.

My 10 month old LOVES this book.......2005-10-12

My 10 month old daughter and I were going on our first airplane trip and I wanted to keep her occupied on the flight. I bought a whole bunch of new toys and a few books, this being one of them. The entire time, she wanted me to read this book to her over and over. Whenever I was finished reading it and would close the book, she would cry. i must of read it to her 20 times.

The Cat Who Wasn't There (G.K. Hall Large Print Boo)

Average customer rating:

I love these books!
The Cat
Last of the best ones
Haggis and Neeps All Around
Pay no mind to reviewer MISTRESS OF FURRY....

The Cat Who Wasn't There (G.K. Hall Large Print Boo)
Lilian Jackson Braun
Manufacturer: G K Hall & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Literature & Fiction | Large Print | Formats | Books

Mystery & Thrillers | Large Print | Formats | Books
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ASIN: 0816156948

Download Description

"Qwill's on his way to Scotland--and on his way to solving another purr-plexing mystery. But this time Koko's nowhere the scene of the crime. He and Yum Yum are back in Pickax being coddled by a catsitter...but Koko won't sit still once Qwill's traveling party returns--minus one member. He's behaving oddly, and Qwill knows what that means: Koko may have been miles away from the murder scene, but he's just a whisker away from cracking the case! "

Customer Reviews:

I love these books!.......2007-01-09

All of "the cat who..." novels are great! For some reason, I find reading them comforting and calming... They're a good read and I find the characters interesting. I so look forward to reading them after a long, stressful day.

The Cat.......2006-07-05

It was a charming story but hardly great literature. Enjoyable. I read it because of the Scotland info as I am leaving in a few weeks for my first trip to Scotland and thought it would be a fun story to read beforehand. I was not disappointed. I'm also a cat lover so always enjoy the cats in these stories.

Last of the best ones.......2006-04-04

If you read more than a few Cat Who's you will find them becoming comfortable, like another "Lake Woebegon." There's not much suspense, mystery, thrill, or romance left by now, but increasing numbers of "tall tales" of Moose County (now collected in a new book) and amusing characters who all seem to have "hearts of gold" whatever their pseudo-rough veneer (except of course for the murderer, almost incidentally). While Qwill, our cozy billionaire journalist and lead character, carefully never says ill of another, there's just enough acerbic comment on somebody's part to keep these stories from terminal cuteness. Besides cat-lovers (especially SIAMESE cat-lovers), these stories will please admirers of the Far North, Arts and Crafts, and things Scottish. Indeed, The Cat Who Wasn't There takes place most entirely in Scotland, which is why it's one of the better ones, since it forces Qwill into new surroundings. The Cat Who Moved a Mountain is one of my favorites for the same reason, besides providing an intriguing other rural alternative to Moose County.

Although there is a comfortable and appealing continuity of characters and back stories from book to book, they might become soporific if you read them one right after another. They are bonbons for the mind, best not overdosed. The series is one you can let kids of any age discover and enjoy, too. The whole family can read them, and perhaps the allusions to historical people, music, styles, and places may excite some additional interest among your young ones!

Haggis and Neeps All Around.......2005-07-18

Some regular readers of this series find the Moose County setting to be somewhat dull while others love the eccentric people and odd places that make up Moose County. I tend to fall into the second category but this book contains both home and away settings so everybody should be pleased.

Jim Qwilleran has just rushed home from his summer retreat in the Potato Mountains because a prowler has accosted his lady friend Polly Duncan. He has hardly settled back into life in Pickax City when Polly informs him that a group of Moose County residents are planning a trip to Scotland. Since Polly is going and since, as he informs everyone he sees, his mother was a Mackintosh, Qwilleran decides to sign up for the trip himself.

Once the group arrives in Scotland everything is a blur as Irma Hasselrich takes them through the Highlands and Western Isles at a breakneck speed. That is until one of their number has an apparent heart attack and dies. To make things even worse, their bus driver mysteriously disappears with some of their luggage. This odd coincidence and the fact that the deceased had been closely associated with the bus driver sets Qwilleran's mustache to tingling. Even more odd, when the ace reporter calls home to check on the cats he finds out that Koko had let out a blood curdling yowl at the exact moment that the member of the touring party had died.

When they arrive back in Moose County Qwilleran starts to sniff around and begins to formulate a theory. Unfortunately, the cats do not agree with his theory and both of them start to leave all of the clues that they can think of. Koko even makes a series of mad dashes that end with him plowing into Qwilleran like a mad bull in an apparent attempt to push the amateur sleuth in another direction. In the end of course, Qwilleran and his feline friends solve the mystery but not before Yum Yum ends up in a very dangerous situation.

This is one of the more engaging books in this series and the mystery plays a larger part in this plot that it does in some of the other books. The descriptions of Scotland are marvelous and the sometimes rather odd Scottish diet is well described. The reader is also introduced to some more residents of Moose County like the Chisholm sisters who have a huge collection of teddy bears and also the new director of the Community Theater, Dwight Somers. I suppose that Mrs. Braun had to introduce some new residents of Moose County since she keeps killing off the old ones. The Community Theater by the way is producing "Macbeth", which is in part responsible for the group's trip to Scotland.

I just love Moose County and I also love Scotland so there isn't much about this book that I didn't like, although I was mighty worried about Yum Yum for a little while. Along with the new characters, several old friends make appearances and this book is just really an enjoyable read.

Pay no mind to reviewer MISTRESS OF FURRY...........2004-01-25

she obviously has not read the "Cat Who..." series...I have read 18 of the series and have thoroughly enjoyed everyone single one of them. Koko & Yum Yum are an intricate part of each story and while the series is not completely about cats, they do play a major role in the life of the story! Anyone who is a cat lover can relate and appreciate their antics in this wonderful series! I would HIGHLY recommend to Mistress of Furry to start from the beginning because, as you can see from the other reviews, she stands alone in her opinion!

Average customer rating:

THE BEAST WHO COULDN'T SAY BOO
Honey Bear Books
Manufacturer: Modern Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0766603792

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