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Chapters: Dudley Moore, Cab Kaye, Django Bates, Dick Morrissey, Ted Heath, Dave Holland, Hugh Hopper, John Dankworth, Dave Mckean, Roger Turner, Phil Seamen, Richard James Burgess, Ronnie Scott, Alan Barnes, Stanley Black, Mike Westbrook, Michael Garrick, John Surman, Dennis Berry, Chris Barber, Neil Yates, Tubby Hayes, Ric Sanders, Dan Forshaw, Clare Teal, Tony Crombie, Andy Sheppard, Pip Pyle, Graham Collier, Humphrey Carpenter, John Stevens, Bob Wallis, Matthew Bourne, Issie Barratt, Paul Rutherford, Ted Milton, B. J. Cole, Trevor Watts, Dave Buxton, Don Lang, Brian Priestley, Alan Skidmore, Harry South, Nikki Iles, Jason Rebello, Daryl Runswick, Ronny Jordan, Alec Dankworth, Bill le Sage, Bill Maccormick, Malcolm Cecil, Mike Cotton, Chris Laurence, Roland Shaw, Spike Heatley, Steve Argüelles, Allan Ganley, Spike Hughes, Paul Harrison, Jeff Clyne, Tobias Delius, Chris Biscoe, Pat Halcox, John Critchinson, Jimmy Skidmore, Lou Gare, Ronnie Verrell, Elliot Mason, Colin Smith, John Burch, Steve Lodder, Martin Drew, Paul Dunmall, Chris Pyne, Jim Richardson, Laurie Allan, John Picard, Gary Windo, Phil Bates, Paul Lytton, Gordon Beck, John Armatage, Maxine Daniels, Stephen Shaw, Denys Baptiste, Bob Kerr, Trevor Tomkins, John Crocker. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 329. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Nii-lante Augustus Kwamlah Quaye, better known as Cab Kaye (London, September 3, 1921 Amsterdam, March 13, 2000) was an English-Ghanaian-Dutch jazz musician, bandleader, entertainer, drummer, guitarist, pianist, songwriter and singer. His singing was influenced by Billy Holiday and he often accompanied himself on piano with a graceful, rhythmic style. He effortlessly combined blues, bebop, stride and scat with the music of his African and Ghanaian musical heritage. Cab Kaye, also know...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=17234333 ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Jeff "Stinky" Turner
Just like the Reject's music, this book is stripped-down reality.Jeff tells it like it is, or rather, like it was.I've been a fan of the Cockney Rejects ever since I heard songs like "East End," "Flares and Slippers," and "Police Car" on a tape a friend made for me.I had no idea just how young the singer was!

Its crazy just how fast things moved in those days.This is the real story behind the Cockney Rejects and the early days of Oi/ streetpunk.I grew up in America, in New Orleans... and the grit of the East End; the violence that always seemed to be on the verge of erupting, and oftentimes doing so... I don't know, though I've no reason to doubt it did as the music and lyrics of the Rejects could never have come out of a kinder world.

I was surprised to see Morrisey's introduction.I wasn't expecting that.

"Cockney Reject" is a good read about an interesting man in an interesting time fronting a memorable band who're well worth an ear.And its related in a voice that's more matter-of-fact than sentimental.There's nothing worse than a memoir where the author gets all sentimental about how great they're the high-and-mighty.

good book but the ending was no bueno
this book starts like you think the cr started but i think diarys finished with modern day romantism no good but read this book anyway blah ... Read more

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Why are we so reluctant to believe that women can mean to kill? Based on case studies from the US, UK and Australia, this book looks at the ways in which female killers are constructed in the media, in law and in feminist discourse almost invariably as victims rather than actors in the crimes they commit. Morrissey argues that by denying the possibility of female agency in crimes of torture, rape and murder, feminist theorists are, with the best of intentions, actually denying women the full freedom to be human. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Media Studies analysist look at women who murder
Morrissey is a media analyst and academic, so her analysis of several cases of murder by women clearly fits within that perspective.If you're interested in a discourse on how society constructs gender roles for men and women, now the media assists in perpetuating those constructions, then you may find the book useful.My main complaint is her use of supposedly psychodynamic theory to explain some of the killings and some of society's reactions.Not only is she not a trained psychologist but much of the theory she posited has long been held in disrepute by the field.That being said, the book ok reading. ... Read more

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Like colliding space rocks and supernovas, science fiction is infinitely varied and exciting. Fans, scholars and authors celebrated SF's creative adaptability at the Science Fiction Research Association's 37th Annual Meeting in White Plains, New York, June 22-25, 2006.The conference theme was "When Genres Collide."Science fiction has often dovetailed with fantasy, mystery, and horror, and it is alive and well on television and in the movies.Even in hard SF, readers might encounter variations of "ghosts" and "gods" in the stories.With the ever-evolving cyberpunk movement, the rise of slipstream fiction and tales that hover somewhere between mainstream and the fantastic, the boundaries between science fiction and related genres seem to be increasingly blurred.The conference brought together noted speculative fiction writers and critics, among them Guest of Honor Norman Spinrad, Nancy Kress, Nalo Hopkinson, R. Garcia y Robertson, William Sleator, and Bruce Taylor.Their plenary session reflections on colliding genres and the current state of science fiction are featured in this volume, together with a generous selection of conference essays by noted science fiction scholars. ... Read more

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Essays and poems (mostly) on 9/11. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An intriging angle on government conspiracies
The Transparent Conspiracy is a collection of essays written between 2006 and 2010, mainly about the 911 and JFK assassination conspiracies and cover up, with a collection of poems on the same topic. Morrissey has chosen to tackle quite a complex subject - the sociological and psychological effects that public awareness of government conspiracies has on society. In my view he succeeds. His style is eminently readable and accessible - not terribly surprising for a linguist and teacher of English as a second language. Moreover there is a coherent logical thread linking the essays, as he lays out a chain of evidence to support his hypothesis.

A Significant Departure from Other Conspiracy Literature

The Transparent Conspiracy is a definite departure from other conspiracy literature. Morrissey has no interest in proving or disproving either the 911 or the JFK conspiracy - he feels this territory is well-covered by other authors. The topic of this book is mass psychology. Morrissey believes our government's propaganda arm (whatever they call it now) is fully aware that a well-managed conspiracy cover-up can have a very intimidating effect, which can be very effective in keeping the public docile and obedient. He argues for this view with evidence suggesting the "public relations" around 911 was far more sophisticated than the official management of the JFK assassination.

The Government Wants Us to Know

Specifically he argues there is major value (from the government point of view) in disclosing a limited amount of information of government culpability in atrocities such as 911. He calls it "Transparency Theory" - thus his title The Transparent Conspiracy. He says the CIA has long recognized that "telling part of the truth is the best way to lie." They even have a term for it: "white propaganda." Morrissey argues that for the government to brazenly commit criminal acts can be quite effective in demoralizing and alienating the tuned-in segment of the population that fully comprehends the corrupt nature of our government institutions.

He then lays out the hypothetical question: if the reality of the 911 conspiracy were widely accepted by the American public, would they be capable of doing anything about it? Morrissey believes that at this point in history they would be powerless (that they lack the power to bring the culprits to trial or even impeach them). Which he contends is a powerful basis for demoralization and alienation.

Contrasting 911 with the JFK Assassination

He then contrasts the 911 conspiracy cover-up with the cover-up of the JFK assassination, in which years of advanced planning went into creating a fictional identity (as an unstable Marxist) for a US intelligence agent named Lee Harvey Oswald - and in which scores of witnesses were murdered and evidence secretly destroyed and/or fabricated.

In the case of 911 there was very limited evidence of fabrication - a few fictitious cell phone calls from a high altitude, that in 2001 were technologically unfeasible, and some clumsily forged bin Laden videotapes. The government made no attempt to conceal that they were destroying evidence at Ground Zero - they simply loaded all the twisted steel onto trucks and shipped it out to Long Island to be melted down into something else. The 911 Commission was more of a whitewash than a true cover-up.

Noam Chomsky's Puzzling Position on Conspiracies

Morrissey's essays also covers, at length, his correspondence with American's pre-eminent dissident Noam Chomsky, regarding the JFK assassination conspiracy and cover-up. Morrissey, who has always been one of Chomsky's greatest admirers, describes his initial dismay at his hero's categorical rejection of the mountains of irrefutable evidence that the JFK assassination conspiracy originated at the highest levels of government. He was even more troubled, after their lengthy correspondence (published as Looking for the Enemy in 2008), at Chomsky's inability to rationally justify his position. He initially tended to side with media critics who believe Chomsky plays some deliberate "left gatekeeping" function (having to do with right wing foundation funding). He now believes Chomsky more likely has other reasons - relating more to what is increasingly self-evident in the 911 Truth movement - that the endless investigation of government conspiracies playing little pragmatic role in the massive institutional change (such as the end of capitalism) which is the only hope for real and permanent change in the US.

Morrissey also writes about his lengthy correspondence with Vincent Salandria (published in 2007 as Correspondence with Vincent Salandria) Salandria, a "left leaning" Philadelphia lawyer, was the first to publicly challenge the Warren Commission (in 1965). Morrissey is also careful to credit Salandria's ideas about the propaganda uses of a well-managed cover-up for helping to develop his own thinking.

The poems make a moving addendum to the essays. They convey quite poignantly Morrissey's personal struggle with the despair and heartache of learning a government you believed to be fair and democratic is actually deeply corrupt.

By Dr Stuart Jeanne Bramhall, author of THE MOST REVOLUTIONARY ACT: MEMOIR OF AN AMERICAN REFUGEE ... Read more

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In the wake of a series of murders among the homeless, a college student and faculty member are also killed, and Inspector Morrissey believes that the cases are related. Reprint. K. PW. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Another excellent adventure of Chief Morrissey
The whole series is a lot of fun to read--the characters are not perfect lending a sense of reality to the stories.You find yourself wishing Chief Morrissey would do the right thing by his family; wanting him to get a break from his job so that he can set things right.He is a hero, but not a perfect one, as are his colleagues and family.Kay Mitchell also writes under Sarah Lacey--a light-hearted funny set of mysteries that are also worth the read!!! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

Face to Face With the Man Who Sold the World
I first saw the name of Tony Visconti on a David Bowie album, as a producer, and of all the records he has produced, the Bowie records are the most well known. Though he passed on producing the single, Space Oddity, and didn't produce Bowie's breakthrough album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, he produced many of David's best albums, from the beginning of his career to more recent ones like Heathen. The Man Who Sold the World, Low, Heroes, Diamond Dogs, Scary Monsters, Young Americans and Lodger were all produced by Visconti. Eleven of David Bowie's albums were produced by Visconti, along with lots of other projects over the years. Visconti played various instruments and did string arrangements, all part of his job as record producer. He was friends with Bowie from the beginning, and even played bass in an early Bowie band that might have been the first glam rock band, The Hype. Visconti was just a fledgling producer, young and hungry, and he couldn't convince the suits at his label that Bowie was destined for stardom. Once he became Ziggy Stardust, rock star, he turned to his old pal Tony time and again.

One of Visconti's other projects that would one day bear fruit was Marc Bolan and his band T. Rex, which began as just Marc on acoustic guitar and Steve Peregrine Took on bongo drums. Soon Bolan would go electric, and not long after, just two weeks shy of his 30th birthday, he would die in a car accident on September 16th, 1977. Visconti worked with the creative but egotistical Bolan on most of his best albums, such as My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair... But Now They're Content to Wear Stars on Their Brows, The Slider, Electric Warrior, Tanx, and Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow (Bolan was tremendously jealous of Bowie, but was this last title a kind of tribute to Ziggy?).

While Bolan and Bowie were perhaps his best known clients, he produced an amazing variety of albums for other artists, such as Gentle Giant, Iggy Pop, Adam Ant, Badfinger, Morrissey, Linda McCartney, The Strawbs, Thin Lizzy, Osibisa, Mary Hopkin (who he was married to, and had 2 kids with), Rick Wakeman, and Sparks. His autobiography covers an amazing career, and also details Visconti's other interests, such as martial arts, Buddhism, The Alexander Technique, and reincarnation. As the book focused mostly on music, and music that I have loved and listened to for years, wondering how exactly it was produced, I found it to be hard to put down. For me, it was the ultimate page turner. I blazed through it in just a few days. When I was done, I felt like Tony Visconti was an old friend of mine, and I wished I could just call him up and talk to him. I found his website and joined his MySpace page.

Tony Visconti has been married four times and admits that music was his one true love, and that he bears most of the blame for the breakup of his relationships. He was married to Mary Hopkin, who was perhaps best known for her hit song, Those Were the Days. He loved her voice and recorded lots of material of her singing, but she hated touring, and no labels wanted to release her records if she wasn't going to tour in support of them. He had 2 kids with Hopkin, and he also had 2 kids with another wife, May Pang. May Pang was best known for being John Lennon's girlfriend during a turbulent period when he was separated from Yoko Ono, and Pang describes this in her book John Lennon: The Lost Weekend that she wrote along with Henry Edwards.

Tony's book begins with Tony as a boy in Brooklyn with a keen interest in music who worked in the Catskills and knew show biz people like Milton Berle, but when he heard The Beatles he knew that he wanted to go to London and learn the strange alchemy they used to get their sounds. Opportunity met preparation when he bumped into record producer Denny Cordell who was in New York to record with US jazz musicians for a track for singer Georgie Fame. Cordell didn't have any arrangements, thinking the jazz players could just wing it, but the eager young Visconti knew that wasn't the way it was done, and was able to sketch out some quick arrangements for the session. This led to his being asked to work in London in 1967, and soon he was assisting Cordell with groups like The Move, Manfred Mann, Joe Cocker, and Procol Harum. He was in the right place at the right time, and became one of the main movers and shakers during this fertile period.

While recording in Berlin with David Bowie he stopped by the Berlin Wall to kiss his girlfriend. David Bowie was watching from his window and was inspired to write the following lyrics:

I can remember
Standing
By the wall
And the guns
Shot above our heads
And we kissed
As though nothing could fall

1968: My People Were Fair And Had Sky In Their Hair...But Now They're Content To Wear Stars On Their Brows [Vinyl] - Tyrannosaurus Rex
1970: The Man Who Sold the World - David Bowie
1971: Acquiring the Taste - Gentle Giant
1972: The Slider - T. Rex
1977: The Idiot - Iggy Pop
1977: Low - David Bowie
1977: Heroes - David Bowie
1985: Vive le Rock - Adam Ant
2006: Ringleader of the Tormentors - Morrissey

Read all about it in tony visconti, the autobiography. Tony Visconti sums it all up with these three quotes from some of the artists he has worked with:

'Life's a gas.' Marc Bolan
'Life's a pigsty.' Morrissey
'We could be heroes.' David Bowie

I'm an audio geek and I love this book
I'll keep it brief, but yes, I love this book. Although it has rebuffed my offers for marriage, I will keep reading.

This book is recommended to any audio engineer or person who enjoys "behind the curtain" views of the process and personalities of the naissance of creative recording.

Bricks & Mortar
Ironically, the first discovery I made opening this book was learning Tony was from NY and not London.As a long time Bowie fan, I have only the hype music rag spins on Bowie's story, aside from a few other personal introspections that have been penned, yet nothing comes close to getting this intimate to the music and who better to tap than an engineer/producer POV.As a sound recordist with great appreciation for many forms of music, this book speaks to me and wish there were more like it, but then not everyone is T.Visconti. Other noteable producers who have left legendary music markers include G. Martin & P. Specter.

A MUST for any fan of Marc Bolan and/or David Bowie!
From documentaries and interviews, I have always felt that Tony Visconti is a very down-to-earth person and, as such, looked forward to a memoir that dished but showed restraint, objectivity and wasn't tabloid-esque.He came through on all counts with flying colours. His anecdotal tales are both amusing and insightful. His story and success will probably never be repeated. In that I mean, a producer starting today when the music industry is so about disposable talent without the willingness to nurture *real* talent, his is a wonderful tale of being in the right place at the right time and all the consequent talents coming to him when they were complete unknowns.

Thank you Tony for shedding so much light on two of my favourite musicians and sharing your story with us!

Magnificent read - If you love music, this must be on your shelf!
Without sounding like an all-out fan (I most assuredly am!), Bowie, Bolan and The Brooklyn Boy mounts an incredible story beginning with Tony's days as a young boy in Brooklyn, to playing in the Catskills, to meeting the NYC music community, to his loves, to landing in London and meeting T. Rex, David Bowie, Joe Cocker, The Moody Blues, The Alarm, Mc Cartney, having children, getting married, building studios, the fun of it all, coming back to America and realizing great success on his home turf. A MUST HAVE for any music fan! ... Read more

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It's time to dance your cares away as Archaia and The Jim Henson Company invite you to return once again to Fraggle Rock! Join Gobo, Mokey, Wembley, Boober, and Red for a brand-new series of hilarious and heartfelt adventures written and drawn by some of the most imaginative creators in comics. Whether you're a fan of the original series or new to the world of the Fraggles, this is one title you don't want to miss. Just watch out for Gorgs! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great writing for Fraggle Rock series!
The authors did great work writing for an existing group of comic book characters. They made Fraggle Rock seem fresh and alive. The amount of stories and size of book is desirable. ... Read more

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Count the stars up in the sky.
The Man-in-the-Moon is flying by . . .

Customer Reviews (2)

Beautiful Illustrations And A Fun Fantasy

This is a beautiful picture book, the illustrations are so rich, my kids and I love them.

The story is about a brother and sister who fly to the moon in the Crimson Comet a rocket ship the brother has made.It's a fun story.

It reminds me of Jimmy Zangwow's Out of This World Moon Pie Adventure by Tony DiTerlizzi.If you like this you might like that as well.

The Crimson Comet
Morrissey has a wonderful style.He goes back to the tin metal and a chipped paint look of WW1.It's a unique style and we often use it in our paintings.Hope he has other book up and coming in 2007. :D ... Read more

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Providing necessary details on how to avoid common plumbing code violations, this indispensable and easy-to-use flip guide emphasizes the safety principles that underlie both the new International Plumbing Code and the standard International Code and Building Organization system. Completely updated to reflect current requirements, the handy guide is a valuable resource for all professional builders, inspectors, and homeowners. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A useful purchase
We are building a new house and I am puting in the plumbing system. I do not want to redo the work when it is inspected, therefore obtaining this book was a necessity.

Easy to understand
Easy to use, very practical stuff. Gets right to the heart of the matter. I am a professional and use the Code Check books often.

A Must Have
Excellent knowledge base for the DIY and pro.This series of books will show you everything you need to know to do it right the first time and pass those crucial inspections.

Buyer Beware
When it was difficult to get to the library to view the Uniform Plumbing Code, I used this at home to study for an exam. I was rudely surprised when I got to the libary, compared the references to the code, and found that this guide was riddled with errors.It serves a purpose as it alerts the user to possible code issues, but you must check all references.The codes are expensive but not as expensive as counting on this guide might be.

What a plumbing instructor thinks.
Code check has helped me immensely. I teach residential plumbing for a 150+ employee 1500+ homes a year Northern California company and have found that the info in C.C. is formatted in such a way that my apprentice plumbers can easily find info they need. They seldom need clarification. All codes cited are referenced with the UPC and IRC section numbers for easy look up.(IRC not used here in NorCal but nice for those who need it) Diagrams are simple and clear. C.C. is laminated and tough. Built for in the field use.I love this book. Holding back the fifth star due to spanish version unavailability. ... Read more

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A compelling story of two remarkable women connected across the decades by the men who love them. . . and the magic of a place called Zanana.KATE, a strong-willed heiress determined to defy Edwardian convention, but she must pay the ultimate price to keep the home she loves so much. . .ODETTE, an independent and idealistic young journalist caught in a fierce battle to save Zanana from ruthless developers. . .Years apart yet inextricably linked by Zanana, the magnificent mansion they both love, these two striking women prove they are not afraid to fight for what they believe in.From turn-of-the-century India to contemporary Sydney, The Last Rose of Summer is an epic story of love, possession and intrigue. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The kast Rose of Summer
Dear Friens,
The abovementioned book was received by me this morning, it is in excellent condition and I am looking forward to reading it.Thank you for your very good service ... Read more

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Designed for quick, on-site use, this newly updated reference lists the current code requirements for heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems, and is cross-referenced to the current Uniform Mechanical Code and the International Residential Code. Outlining the principles behind the codes, the book ensures that all jobs meet the most stringent safety standards while reducing code violation callbacks. Endorsed by the International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO), this guide is spiral-bound with laminated pages for durability and ease of use. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Code Check HVAC
I have several of the Code Check Flip Books. All are excellent and this one proves to be the same - note they can never be all-inclusive but they pack so much into a small and well organised/illustratedunique form. You probably won't notice the odd items not included unless you actually have the code and want to know something that no Code Enforcement Officer will ever care about.

Book was tampered with
I dont know if the seller does any QA/QC on the books that they sell but the booked i recieved was tampered w/. THe book was "resplined" and altered to cover up the obvious that a few chapters were taken out of the book. Seller did send a replacement, but the damage was already done. Dont know if ill do business w/ these guys again.Just a quick note when shipping books they should be shipped in a more than just a envelope. My book came in bent.

Worth having
Good reference. Although local code may have more requirements, this little reference provides a lot of important information and I found it very helpful.

Great reference book
Easy to use, very practical stuff. Gets right to the heart of the matter. I am a professional and use the Code Check books often.

"WARNING, BEWARE"
I bought three books at the same time, recieved two within seven days of the order. The third has yet to come. Contacted the vendor and he stated that it must be lost in the mail and offered to re-ship or re-fund, I wanted to re-ship because I needed this book for my work. Waited a couple of weeks and sent an e-mail asking when the book had been re-shipped, got and e-mail back but didn't state the date it was shipped but said if I didn't recieve it in three days they would give me a refund. Well have not gotten the book after 40 days. Not sure if I will get a refund like they state but if you are looking for a quick and no hasel transaction don't look here. ... Read more

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THE NATIONAL BESTSELLER WITH MORE THAN 100,000 COPIES SOLD IN TRADE PAPERBACKOn a small coral cay on the Great Barrier Reef two communities come together in an uneasy alliance: a tourist resort and a scientific research station.At first glance, the island is a sexy resort, a naturalist's dream, a diver's delight. But the island holds secrets and dangers as Jennifer Towse soon discovers. When world-famous Isobel Belitas arrives, Jennifer learns to see the world – above and below the sea – very differently. Isobel also teaches her to come to terms with her obsessive mother, as well as her disintegrating marriage. But no one, not even investigative journalist Tony Adams, could have prepared Jennifer for the stunning revelations of what is really happening on this island paradise… ... Read more

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One day, an earthquake rattles the town of Old Bridgeport. In The Magic Door Toy Shop, an old rusted door swings open. Surprised to see an unfamiliar room on the other side, Sarah, Michael, and Joey step through. As the door in the toy shop slams shut, the three children find themselves in Great Kettles, a mysterious land in another dimension.

Great Kettles is a magical place, filled with storybook characters such as the cow that jumped over the moon, the Sandman, and even Father Time himself. Yet all is not peaceful in this amazing world. Mogg the giant is stomping around, looking for something -- something important. But the trouble really begins when Mogg finds what he's looking for and does something that could destroy both Great Kettles and Old Bridgeport. It is up to the children, with the help of some new and some old friends, to stop the giant and find a way back home.

The Moon Robber is the first book in The Magic Door Series.

The many fans of Dean Morrissey's Ship of Dreams, The Great Kettles: A Tale of Time, and other picture-book fantasies will be delighted to see this new title from the author/artist. It's the first book in the new Magic Door series, for which Morrissey teams up with well-known children's author Stephen Krensky. Although the story does not glow with originality or flow seamlessly to its conclusion, readers will enjoy the idea of the moon being a spaceship that needs constant maintenance, and chuckle over such amusing details as a flying quilted tugboat. The illustrations are the obvious draw here. Morrissey's vivid oil paintings (each shamelessly signed) seem to be the hook on which the entire book hangs. (Ages 7 to 11) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great imagination.
We just love the illustrations in Dean Morrissey's works.The story is entertaining and lit up even more by his great pictures.I read this to my boys and we all enjoyed it :)

The Moon Robber
THE MOON ROBBER
By Dean Morrissey and Stephen Krensky


The Moon Robber is a fantasy mystery type book.In the book three kids go into a magic door, which led to great kettles, they met a person named The Onion Lady.She showed them the moon except its mechanical.Later a giant steals the moon because he was afraid of the dark.He thought the moon put off light all the time.But the giant didn't know that other people needed it.He said he would give it back if they fixed his lantern.They did and he gave the moon back.

The main characters are Joey, a six year old boy, Sarah, a ten year old girl, Michael, a ten year old boy and Sam, a toy shop owner, also father times apprentice.I would tell about their personalities but I couldn't find any for them.Each one plays a big part in the story.

The problem in the story is a giant steals the moon.Another one is they have to get the moon back to their world before nighttime.That is basically the problems.

The solution to the problems with the giant was the kids and Sam fixes the giants' lantern, so the giant gives the moon back.They get the moon back on time but I don't know how.It never tells how, That's the solution.

This is a pretty good book.I would recommend it to some people but not all people.I would rate it as three and one/half star book.

Magical fun
Sarah and Michael, both 10, were standing at the window of the Magic Door Toyshop with Joey, 6, when owner Sam set a toy on his workbench and implied that it was magic. The shop had a door with an arched top, and a great latch and bolt. They had never seen it open. Suddenly, as Sam spoke, the gumball machine on the bench started to shake and a strange rumble passed through the shop. Nothing like this had ever happened before in Old Bridgeport. Then, right before them, the magic door swung open.

The door led to a dusty shop, although there was no other shop next door and no door on the Sam's outside wall. There was a clock tower. They found themselves in Kettles, and Videlia Potts introduced herself as the shop owner. With eyes bright as stars, she explained that the magic door connected Kettles to the Outland. Just then, an earthquake seemed to shake the shop. It was Mogg, the local giant.

The children met the cow who jumped over the moon, and saw the actual moon, not to mention the man in it. In the next six chapters, the children had several adventures before returning to Sam's shop, where the clock was only 20 minutes later than when they had left.

This is a great book, albeit short (64 pages) and the illustrations are wonderful. It is most suitable for children in first or second grade. Alyssa A. Lappen

Delightful
The first book of the Magic Door series is a fun ride, a story about three children getting sucked into another world.

Ten year olds Michael and Sarah (with six year old Joey) are in the town of Bridgeport when an earthquake strikes - and opens a discreet-looking old door that leads to a bizarre-looking room. In an instant, they are transported to the alternate world of Great Kettles (yes, that is the real name).

It is, not surprisingly, a place filled with magic and mystery. The inhabitants include storybook characters like the Sandman, Father Time, and others like them that are seen only in storybooks and fairy tales. But, there is something extremely bad brewing: a giant is looking for something important and powerful, which is capable of destroying Great Kettles - and the town in our world also!

This story has similarities to others (like Alan Garner's "Elidor") but is presented in a fresh and enjoyable manner. Readers who initially think "oh ack, it has little-kid storybook characters in it!" might like the portrayal of them - not to mention the fact that the illustrations are just beautiful.

It's a light, pleasant fantasy with above-par illustrations and a nice storyline that will keep the reader interested. It's not very long, though, and I wonder if it is targeting an audience slightly below the 9-12 crowd.

Looking forward to Book 2. ... Read more