Blue

Customer Reviews:

Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2007-08-23

Ann Fay Honeycutt is only thirteen, but she's already the man of the house. This is thanks to her daddy leaving to fight in the war against Hitler and leaving his blue overalls for Ann Fay to fill.

Trying to keep the wisteria she loves from choking the vegetable garden she's been charged to tend is nearly a full-time job, and that's without counting the extra work of taking care of her baby brother and twin sisters.

Ann Fay thinks these will be her greatest challenges while her daddy is off at war. But then a polio epidemic hits their hometown of Hickory, North Carolina, and Ann Fay learns what real challenge is.

This is a remarkable story of courage and of a spirit that cannot be broken. The flowing language this author uses is just gorgeous, and the voice of Ann Fay is as unique as they come. I stayed up late to read the next chapter and then the next -- one of the highest compliments I can give a book.

Reviewed by: Julie M. Prince

Prize-winner!.......2007-01-17

I don't know if this book has won any of the children's literature prizes.But it should!
The tough,funny,true-to-the-South characters, make this a heart tangling story of a young girl's toughness in the face of her father's absence in World War II, the terrifying polio epidemic that sweeps over her home town and her first heart-to-heart sense of what segregation has done to girls just like her, except that they are black.
The story is beautifully written giving a sense of the red clay, the wisteria and the natural environment. Research notes look extensive, but this story reads to the heart.

Am I blue over you?.......2006-07-26

Ah, historical fiction. Though it was the bane of my youth, in my old age I'm finding the subject infinitely more interesting that I ever did as an actual kid. I was always the child who'd rather eyeball the latest Anne McCaffery rather than choke down an Elizabeth George Speare. Now I almost look forward to delights like "Blue". Especially when they have covers as engaging as this one. Evoking more than a few "To Kill a Mockingbird" feelings through its cover art, Joyce Moyer Hostetter brings us a tale of racism, polio, and war. It's also a story of love, sheer will, and small acts of heroism. And though I'd some problems with Hostetter's methods, this is one of the best-researched thoroughly engaging tales of 1944-45 you'll find this year.

Ann Fay Honeycutt's father's going to war. It's 1944 and American troops are constantly shipping out. Before he leaves, Ann Fay's daddy hands her a pair of overalls and informs his eldest daughter that she's going to have to be the man of the house while he's gone. Ann Fay feels up to the job, taking care of her siblings and tending the family's garden in her dad's absence. Unfortunately, there's a polio epidemic in this part of North Carolina and before anyone knows it the dread disease grabs ahold of Ann Fay's little brother Bobby. Now Ann Fay has to deal with a horribly depressed mother and twin little sisters all in the midst of remaining under a quarantine. When Ann Fay herself comes down with polio, however, she makes the acquaintance of a colored girl and begins to accept what has happened to her with a kind of grace.

Now I have a low down-home-folksy-goodness-mixed-with-hopeful-wisdom tolerance. It's why I'll never be able to join in with my children's librarian brethren in loving books like, "Ida B" by Katherine Hannigan or anything by Joan Bauer. And for a minute there, "Blue", had me seriously worried. There are occasional moments that gave me real pause. Imogene, the African-American girl Ann Fay befriends, has a section on "God's bottle collection" that teeters on the edge of preciousness. And I never could quite get used to Hostetter's choice of having Ann Fay's narration written in a kind of southern dialogue. Sometimes she'll be talking in the past tense but put a word in the present (ex: "... ever since his daddy's heart give out a few years ago"). But by and large the book's emotional impact is true and packs a wallop. I won't give anything away plotwise, but there's a moment on Ann Fay's porch when she's watching a fly land and take off that positively wrings the stuffing out of you. For a moment I wondered if this book would be classified by some kids as "depressing". But for all the sad moments in the tale there are just as many cheery or upbeat ones. Of course, this isn't a happy-go-lucky tale of how great it was to be alive in 1944. There were problems and "Blue" takes them all into account. As for North Carolina 1940s colloquialism, it's hard to find phrases any more authentic than, "Your momma always said I spit you right out of my mouth".

And boy, oh boy, you have NEVER seen polio better represented than it is here. I've always had a vague sense of what the disease did to you. I knew you could lose the use of your legs, just as FDR did. What I never considered was how painful that process could be. It's just awful. And Hostetter's well-researched encapsulation of the treatments for it are enough to make your blood run cold. Having recently read Gary Paulsen's fictional biography, "The Legend of Bass Reeves", which didn't have any bibliographic information whatsoever, you can imagine my delight when I came to the end of "Blue" and found all kinds of fascinating facts. There's an Author's Note that separates the truth in this story from the fiction. There's a list of books about polio, books about FDR, books about WWII, videos on the subjects, and novels for kids that's so in-depth and pleasant, I've little doubt that teachers everywhere will be creating luscious lesson plans out of Hostetter's hard work.

And Hostetter isn't just talented at factual information. She knows how to write a good scene and pull together a host of thematic ideas. In many ways this book is about how unpleasant it is to have to make the cross from childhood into adulthood. Between her mother's incapacitating depression, her brother's illness, having to look after her sisters, her father overseas fighting a war, and the quarantine placed on her by her neighbors, Ann Fay has to be the resident adult. It sounds fun when your dad, leaving, hands you a pair of overalls and tells you to be the man of the house. It's not so fun having to do adult chores and having adult worries when you're only thirteen. This thought really coalesces when Ann Fay is facing a patch of particularly gruesome wisteria head on. Until now wisteria has always been her friend. She has a little hideaway in the midst of its roots she calls Wisteria Mansion. Now it's threatening her victory garden and she has to fight it as hard as her father did. "Wisteria used to make me feel nothing but happy. But suddenly I saw why it put my daddy in such a blue mood. I hadn't wanted to see it his way. I wanted to think of it only as the beautiful wall to my mansion. I wanted to hang on to sunny days with sweet purple petals raining down on me and Peggy Sue". This, better than anything, is the tragedy of what happens to Ann Fay. She hits adulthood head-on and can't afford to look back.

To be blunt, I think Hostetter was doing just fine without bringing the issue of racism into the forefront of her story on page 121. When Imogene suddenly pops into the tale, her presence is fine, but it felt like the story was suddenly switching gears. Now the growing up too fast tale was turning into a tale of Southern racism... sorta. I mean, let's examine the facts here. Ann Fay is a lower income resident of North Carolina in 1944 and she has absolutely no opinions on the African-Americans she's seen all her life? Her parents have never expressed any opinions one way or another? It took a bit of stretching of my credulity to get around that particular thought. Not that Hostetter doesn't cover her bases well. Ann Fay's father isn't exactly receptive to the idea of his daughter hanging out with a colored girl when they're both well again. I'm not saying she doesn't do a fine job with that particular storyline. It just seems extraneous. Like a sudden feeling of "Oh! I should be talking about racism too!", kinda deal. It was a tale that didn't fit in with Ann Fay's previous struggles.

Well, there's strength and weakness to "Blue", but I'm just pointing out the small things that bugged me because the good things were so strong. Hostetter's got a mess of talent at her disposal, and I certainly hope that alongside her previous book, "Best Friends Forever", she continues to write up a storm. This is one of the finer titles of the year, no question. Well-researched, well-written, and certainly bound to be well-loved. Problematic in the best possible ways.

Two Kinds of Cruel.......2006-07-15

Young readers should find this novel illuminating on two levels, the medical and the social. Hostetter's story of a child's survival of epidemic polio offers a wrenching appraisal of parallel cruelties--crippled children at an orthopedic center where segregation relegates blacks to a tent city on the lawn.

I lived through this epidemic & also survived polio........2006-06-18

The book is true to the Hickory Polio Camp & the accompanying times. It is a excellent portrayal of the great epidemic of 1944. It does not mention my most vivid memory. When visiting my brother, we went through a long corridor to his ward. There were iron lungs lined up as far as the eye could see, and as I recall, there was a nurse beside every iron lung. I also remember Dr. Dorothy Horstmann very well & feel she should be remembered on the same level as Jonas Salk & Sabin. This is an accurate historical novel that should be read by everyone young & old. Thank you Mrs. Hostetter for this wonderful story about The Miracle of Hickory.

Average customer rating:

Blackwell's Island
Serena Graff
Manufacturer: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0385746709
Release Date: 2005-04-12

Book Description

New York City, 1914. Eleven-year-old Alex and his sister, Anna, are trying to make the most of life without their mother, who has recently disappeared. They’re doing a pretty good job of it until Alex finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time and is sent to the juvenile work camp on Blackwell’s Island, a place full of lunatics, incurables, and—even though Alex doesn’t believe in them—ghosts.

On Blackwell’s Alex becomes fast friends with Francis, a skinny kid who seems to know everything, and Will, a Blackwell’s veteran who has already developed the thick skin necessary for survival. Together, they face their biggest fears and plot their escape. But can Alex stand up to Coldbuddy, the man responsible for all the evil on Blackwell’s, and still leave the island with his life?

Blackwell’s Island is a scary, edge-of-your-seat tale—definitely not a place to go after dark.

ROOSEVELT THE STORY OF A FRIENDSHIP 1880-1919

Average customer rating:

ROOSEVELT THE STORY OF A FRIENDSHIP 1880-1919
Owen Wister
Manufacturer: Macmillan Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OL4272

Average customer rating:

Roosevelt, The Story Of A Friendship
Owen Wister
Manufacturer: The Macmillan Company, 1930
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IEEZYK

Average customer rating:

Roosevelt, the story of a friendship, 1880-1919
Owen Wister
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00005WPMU

Average customer rating:

Roosevelt: The Story Of A Friendship
Owen Wister
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Political | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Presidents & Heads of State | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Book Description

1930. Wister, an American writer whose stories helped to establish the cowboy as an archetypical, individualist hero, recounts his friendship and excursions with our nation's Rough Rider President; starting at his Harvard Years and ending with his Presidency. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.

Closest Companion: The Unknown Story of the Intimate Friendship between Franklin Roosevelt and Margaret Suckley

Average customer rating:

Closest Companion: The Unknown Story of the Intimate Friendship between Franklin Roosevelt and Margaret Suckley
Geoffrey C. Ward
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IN0BPS

Average customer rating:

Roosevelt: The Story of a Friendship, 1880-1919
Owen Wister
Manufacturer: MACMILLAN COMPANY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OLBHRK

Average customer rating:

ROOSEVELT:THE STORY OF A FRIENDSHIP 1880-1919
Omen Wister
Manufacturer: The Macmillan Co. NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000IX7NFE

Theodore Roosevelt : the story of a friendship, 1880-1919 / by Owen Wister

Average customer rating:

Theodore Roosevelt : the story of a friendship, 1880-1919 / by Owen Wister
Owen (1860-1938) Wister
Manufacturer: London : Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000R2FNMG

Book Description

Business people around the world raved about The Disney Way and Fortune proclaimed it, "so useful you may whistle while you work." Now, authors Bill Capodagli and Lynn Jackson are back to deliver a comprehensive, step-by-step implementation plan based on Walt Disney's principles outlined in the best-selling The Disney Way.

The Disney Way Fieldbook provides action plans for instilling Disney's vision into any company, complete with diagnostic exercises, practice sessions, proven advice, and insightful questionnaires. Packed with universally applicable tools and techniques, the book also features inspiring quotes from Walt Disney himself and little known facts about his extraordinary empire.

Customer Reviews:

The Disney Way Fieldbook.......2006-11-03

the first thought is ....WHAt is DREAM, BELIEVE, DARE, DO ?????????

Where is the mouse??? Then before long it pulls you in and you are hooked!

As a role playing book team approach, i think for private business the concepts are perfect for team building . need to look real close at a missing link that is EQ (Emotional Intelligence).

This part will go along with the 7 habits of highly effective People and should be showcased as well.

It is not a ONE item of management fits all here, rather a blend of different skill set that can be brought to the table for employers and employees to learn from and grow together while achieving a better understanding of how we can better work, live, and succeed together.

Excellent Companion Title.......2006-06-26

The Fieldbook is an excellent companion book to The Disney Way, and gives tons of helpful hints and exercises for implementing new Disney Way methods of organizing or structuring your business culture, so to speak. As a trainer, I found it extremely helpful, and highly recommend it.

Practical magic.......2000-12-12

This engaging and enlightening book is as much fun to read as it is profitable to use. Structured like a theater script and written with a dramatic verve, it casts teamwork as human drama, and taps and energizes team members' innate will to succeed not just as individuals but as members of a group. This book, and its companion volume "The Disney Way," really stand out from the business book pack in their passion, good humor, and advice on creating the practical magic that makes a team even greater than the sum of its parts. Authors Capodagli and Jackson are really onto something with their "Dream, Believe, Dare, Do" guiding principles, and their business-wise and human-wise insights make their work essential reading for leaders of all types.

Finally a book that's specific!.......2000-11-04

As a consultant myself that works with cross-functional teams, it is great to finally come across a book with proven activities that really work! This is a great tool to add to your repertoire. Individual activities are spelled out in terms of the benefits they provide, the materials required and specific guidelines on how to conduct them. This is a great contrast to the plethora of books on the market that promise great activities but provide nothing of value.

Extremely useful.......2000-09-20

An extremely useful collection of tools. I'll use this book in my teaching and training and recommend it to others.

Dare to Believe (Life Messages of Great Christians)

Average customer rating:

a believer
A 20th Century Apostle

Dare to Believe (Life Messages of Great Christians)
Smith Wigglesworth , and Judith Couchman
Manufacturer: Vine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Devotionals | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0830734090

Book Description

God loves taking ordinary people and turning them into extraordinary examples of faith and power. Such was the case with Smith Wigglesworth. At the turn of the century, God captured his soul and filled him with the Holy Spirit. This event propelled the uneducated plumber into a worldwide ministry of evangelism and healing that played a key role in the modern charismatic movement. In all his sermons, Wigglesworth balanced his advice to "only believe and to "have faith" with reminders to hear and follow God by reading the Bible and listening for his voice. Dare To Believe is a compelling collection of excerpts from the best of Wigglesworth's teachings, which continue to stir up passion for God in the hearts of countless believers.

Customer Reviews:

a believer.......2000-05-04

This is just another of his wonderful works on faith and belief. Any time my faith is low, all I have to do is get it out and read a few pages.

A 20th Century Apostle.......2000-01-17

What can I say about Smith Wigglesworth? This rare specimen of a man decided to believe God rather than the traditions of men and was sent throughout the world to give the Good News of Jesus Christ to countless multitudes. This book has a great format. Each day's devotional starts out with the main thought of the day, then a big section of God's Word, and finally a powerfully accurate exegesis on the Scriptures by Wigglesworth. This book also includes several testimonies and accounts of how God used Wigglesworth to heal the sick, raise the dead (at least 14 people during his life's ministry, some say more) and convert untold thousands. This is definitely worth the money, friends. May God bless you with a deeper desire to walk closer with Him as you read it!

Dare to Believe: An Inspirational Journal

Average customer rating:

Dare to Believe: An Inspirational Journal

Manufacturer: Peter Pauper Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Inspirational | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Journals | Accessories | Formats | Books

General | Journals | Book Accessories | Our Favorites | Gift Ideas

General | Journals | Our Favorites | Gift Ideas
ASIN: 0880882654

Average customer rating:

Dare to believe in yourself
Beautiful
Dare to Believe

Dare to Believe (Petites)
Beth Mende Conny
Manufacturer: Peter Pauper Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Inspirational & Religious | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Believe in Yourself (Petites)

ASIN: 0880883286

Book Description

Inspirational words designed to spur us on to attain our most dearly held goals, to turn our dreams into realities. Sparking art by Donna Ingemanson. Attached 24K gold-plated charm may be used as a bookmark or on a bracelet or necklace.

Customer Reviews:

Dare to believe in yourself.......2003-11-09

This is a great little book to give as a present to your friends and loved ones. There are 65 different uplifting quotes in this book from people of many walks of life. We all face obstacles but the most important thing is to believe in yourself...this book helps me to do it!

Beautiful.......2002-09-22

This book is filled with words of inspiration, when I open a random page it's funny how it speaks to me. I think it's just so uplifting :)

Dare to Believe.......2001-03-07

What a great "little" book. The short quotes are words of inspiration that can be shared others throughout the day.

Customer Reviews:

I am certain that it will inspire many.......2003-04-09

Here is a story of one manýs battle with Parkinsonýs Disease, and his victory over that pain. In this goal, Mark Sharp has been an inspiration as an author. He relays the immense struggles and life changes that took place for him and his family, and in the end we feel joy at his prognosis.

Here too, is a story of a Christian sharing his view of the gospel. If you are looking for guidance in this area, this is the book for you. I am certain that it will inspire many. However, if you are not interested in Markýs view of the power of God and the Christian viewpoint, I suggest that this is not a book for you. It could be argued that the book is pure propaganda, but since it portrays the events of this manýs life, it is also a miraculous story.

The book is short but concise and to the point. The story is well written and the points of argument are well documented and introduced. While I do not agree with most of the content, the purpose of the author is fulfilled and I applaud him.

The basic idea of the book is comparing life with a game. There are rules to follow if you want to win and Mark spells out many of them and leads the reader to discover the rest on their own journey, and find their own coach waiting for them on the field. While my own coaches told me that winning is not important - it is how you play the game that counts, Markýs coach told him that winning is the most important, and that is the fun of the game. Different philosophies and different outlooks on life, lead to different appreciations for this title. Take it as you will. Either way, the joyous result of victory over a disease is a reason worth reading this one.

Average customer rating:
Dare to Believe
J. Daniel Baumann
Manufacturer: Regal Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0830705163

Average customer rating:
Dare to Believe
Edward Powell
Manufacturer: Pleasant Word-A Division of WinePress Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Christian Living | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Devotionals | Worship & Devotion | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Devotionals | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1414103255

Book Description

DARE TO BELIEVE are devotions with strong practical applications relating to how we can apply what we believe to our daily life. They present Truth that penetrates and principles that probe your life-style. Encouragement and inspiration to the weary and faint-hearted. Stimulating thoughts that summon you to a new level of commitment. A challenge to walk daily under His Lordship and Sovereignty. Points you to Jesus Christ as the Source of your strength. An ideal gift for a friend or someone for whom you are praying. Devotions that constantly encourage you to DARE TO BELIEVE.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books