Reviews
Help-My Kid is Driving Me Crazy (The
17 ways Kids Manipulate Their Parents and What You Can Do About It) 
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Being I am a
parent of two boy’s (14 and 11 years old) all I can say after reading this book
is, ”Thank you Mr. Swanson!!!!!!!!!!” This has to be one of the best parenting books I have ever had to
privilege to read. I feel every parent needs this book and to study it as well. I am actually going to make a chart listing the 17 Tools of Power
(manipulation methods our kids us against us parents) and place it around the
house so I can refer to it when my kids are acting out. Yes, it really is that good.
I highly recommend this book! All parents have to read this awesome/informative/insightful book.
Paul
Witmer, after serving 8 ½ years in the USAF, found his passion by becoming a
certified/degreed Personal Fitness Trainer and an adoptive father of two
special need boy’s. Having discovered the gift that special needs
children offer their parents he has learned how to work with and understand
what and why his boy’s do what they do as well as how he can best assist them
in their development.
Title: The Power of Your Child’s Imagination
By: DR. Charlotte REZNICK
Upon receiving this
book my initial reaction was excitement and general interest. After spending less than a week pouring over the
pages I felt that the book was interestingly laid out in both format and with
the recommended directions. The ideas are
sound and if followed as recommended are assured to prove results. Some of the author’s references were
web-sites and easy to get to. There is
also a fantastic CD that is a companion to the book!
This book is
full of information!
The Military Father 
A
Hands-on Guide for Deployed Dads
By Armin A. Brott
The Military Father is a
well written, extremely informative and fun book to read. I served in the USAF for 8 ½ years yet was
never deployed. After reading this book
I know now exactly what to do, when to do it and how to do it.
This book is an absolute must read for anyone in the military or anyone involved with a military person.
I highly recommend this book.
Paul
Witmer, after serving 8 ½ years in the USAF, found his passion by becoming a
certified/degreed Personal Fitness Trainer and an adoptive father of two
special need boy’s. Having discovered the gift that special needs
children offer their parents he has learned how to work with and understand
what and why his boy’s do what they do as well as how he can best assist them
in their development.
Nuni of 
By PJ Nickels
A very cute
book addressing some very important messages such as slowing down, seeing the
beauty that is all around us, and the importance of having friends. I enjoyed the story and it’s multiple
messages. Something worth mentioning is
that all PJ Nickels books have workbooks/lesson guides and a CD consisting of
narrated versions of her books plus songs making these books perfect for
schools.
I recommend
this book.
Paul
Witmer, after serving 8 ½ years in the USAF, found his passion by becoming a
certified/degreed Personal Fitness Trainer and an adoptive father of two
special need boy’s. Having discovered the gift that special needs
children offer their parents he has learned how to work with and understand
what and why his boy’s do what they do as well as how he can best assist them
in their development.
Vultures in the Cemetery
By PJ Nickels
Another cute
story from PJ Nickels with a strong (and appropriate) message of honoring
others unique/special qualities. A great
topic to discuss and teach all children (and adults too). Here is what my 11 year old son had to say
about the book. “…I do not think I
should call anyone ugly. An adult may
need to explain to a little kid that this story is about people too, not just
vultures.”
My son and I
both highly recommend this book.
Devin
Witmer-Garris was adopted at the age of 8 from
Paul
Witmer, after serving 8 ½ years in the USAF, found his passion by becoming a
certified/degreed Personal Fitness Trainer and an adoptive father of two
special need boy’s. Having discovered the gift that special needs
children offer their parents he has learned how to work with and understand
what and why his boy’s do what they do as well as how he can best assist them
in their development.
Lewis the Lemur Adventures, the Belly
of the Beast
By PJ Nickels
A very cute
story and great way to teach children about endangered animals afar. As I was reading this book my son stood
beside me impatiently telling me to quickly turn to the next page so he could
find out what Lewis was getting into. I
had to take this as a sign he was into this book.
A good read
for the young ones. I and my son
recommend this book.
Devin
Witmer-Garris was adopted at the age of 8 from
Paul Witmer, after serving 8 ½ years in the USAF, found his passion by becoming a certified/degreed Personal Fitness Trainer and an adoptive father of two special need boy’s. Having discovered the gift that special needs children offer their parents he has learned how to work with and understand what and why his boy’s do what they do as well as how he can best assist them in their development.
The Turn-the-Wheel Boxed Set
Series:
Animal Ambulance, Tractor, Fire Engine and Fishing Boat.
By Kathryn Smith (Animal Ambulance
and Tractor)
By Gaby Goldsack (Fire Engine and
Fishing Boat)
The book set
of Turn-the-Wheel books are beyond cute, they are also entertaining! I got a kick out of the steering wheel which
causes the pictures above it to change matching up with the story. The books pages are super thick making them
very durable. The stories are cute and
the illustrations are extremely colorfully.
I think any
young reader would enjoy this series. I
highly recommend this boxed set.
How Artists See Jr. (Babies, Horses, Trains and Dogs)
By Collen Carroll
Once again
Abbeville Publishing has an author producing a work that is simply
awesome! I only wish books like this
existed when I was a young boy. The art
in all four of these books are amazing. The crazy thick pages (and I am talking thick!) will hold up for years
of viewing pleasure by little hands that are not always so easy on things.
I do highly recommend these books.
Paul
Witmer, after serving 8 ½ years in the USAF, found his passion by becoming a
certified/degreed Personal Fitness Trainer and an adoptive father of two
special need boy’s. Having discovered the gift that special needs
children offer their parents he has learned how to work with and understand
what and why his boy’s do what they do as well as how he can best assist them
in their development.
Everett, The Incredibly Helpful
Helper
By Sue-Anne Morrow
Yet again
Abbeville Publishing has found an author that successfully expresses the
importance of children having responsibilities as well as the frustrations
parents experience while children learn these skills. Being a father of two special needs children
I enjoyed reading this book being I could identify with the parents and
understand the main characters,
I feel this
book is a great vehicle for parents to teach their young children that they
have important roles in the family and that their help is both needed and
appreciated.
I recommend this book.
Paul Witmer, after serving 8 ½ years in the USAF, found his passion by becoming a certified/degreed Personal Fitness Trainer and an adoptive father of two special need boy’s. Having discovered the gift that special needs children offer their parents he has learned how to work with and understand what and why his boy’s do what they do as well as how he can best assist them in their development.
Sensitive Sam
By Marla Roth-Fisch
Reading Sensitive
Sam made me think back to when my partner and I adopted our second son,
Devin. Devin has ADHD, learning delays,
Extreme Anxiety, SID’s, and Behavioral issues. Being Devin see four therapist a week, one of which is an Occupational
Therapist or O.T., I have become familiar with the incredible work O.T’s
do. I feel this book would be great for
any family who has a child dealing with Sensory Integration issues. This book does a great job at showing parents
what to do if their child has issues with SID and it also explains what SID is
on a level that a child can understand and feel good about themselves. This book is a must read!
I highly
recommend this book.
Paul Witmer, after serving 8 ½ years in the USAF, found his passion by becoming a certified/degreed Personal Fitness Trainer and an adoptive father of two special need boy’s. Having discovered the gift that special needs children offer their parents he has learned how to work with and understand what and why his boy’s do what they do as well as how he can best assist them in their development.
Audience: adults and children 
Sam’s not having a good day. Sam can’t tolerate strong odors, loud noises, or combing his hair. The toilet flushes too loud, and his eyes smell horrible and are icky. At school, he has trouble sitting still, can’t stand to touch the modeling clay, and comes in from recess with a boot missing. He’s worried his teacher will think he’s just behaving badly, but he really has a difficult time just being Sam. When his teacher calls his parents, he fears they’re going to be mad at him too.
Fortunately, Sam has an attentive teacher who has his best interests in mind. When she suggests Sam might have sensory processing disorder (SPD), Sam’s parents heed her advice and take him to see an occupational therapist.
Sam’s is surprised to meet kids just like him and then he did a lot of activities, including running around when he needed movement. Sam and his parents went home with a program designed just for him, and all of them felt better after learning the true nature of Sam’s behavior.
Marla Roth-Fisch writes from the perspective of a
person with a great deal of knowledge about SPD and the parent of a child with
sensory processing disorder. Her book is designed to provide entertainment and
information. She includes a page with a glossary of terms and a number of
helpful websites for delving deeper into the subject.
Roth-Fisch does a good job writing in a way that will help children understand what SPD is and help parents see that their child’s behavior has a source. It’s not just the bad behavior of a disgruntled child. The happy ending leaves the reader with a feeling of hope that SPD has often taken away.
Though this book is written in a format easily
understood by children, it will also provide comfort and resources for parents,
grandparents, and educators.
I give four out of five stars for good content,
presentation, and information.
Leigh Neely,
who was adopted at the age of eight, is the happily married mother of three and
grandmother of three. A writer and editor for more than 20 years, her work has
been published in a variety of newspapers, magazines, nonfiction book
collaborations.
Let’s Make Faces
By Gerard Emerson Langeler
Great way to
teach children what different facial expressions mean! The ability to read body language is a
learned skill that requires practice. Having two boys with special needs I am always on the lookout for ways
to teach them how to “read” people just by looking at them. This book is perfect for teaching facial body
language reading.
I highly
recommend this book for families with children needing practice reading and
understanding facial body language.
Paul Witmer, after serving 8 ½ years in the USAF, found his passion by becoming a certified/degreed Personal Fitness Trainer and an adoptive father of two special need boy’s. Having discovered the gift that special needs children offer their parents he has learned how to work with and understand what and why his boy’s do what they do as well as how he can best assist them in their development.
Postcards from the Bump:
A
Chick's Guide to Getting to Know the Baby in Your Belly
By Ame Mahler Beanland and Emily
Miles Terry
Based upon
the caption “A Chicks guide to getting to Know the Baby in your belly”, I knew
that I was totally unqualified for the job of reading/reviewing this book so I
called in one of my favorite back up readers, my mom. Dianne Witmer’s qualifications are that she has three grown boys and has
said more than once that all she ever wanted to do was be a mother. Now she also has three grand children and is very
involved in each of their lives. Here is
what Dianne thought:
“I enjoyed reading this
book. A very cute way of writing about a
new child and a rather interesting approach the authors took to discuss and
inform about new bornes. I feel this
would be a good book for young mothers as well as for older moms (keeping them
up to date). Clever, refreshing, and
informative.
I highly recommend this book.
Audience: expectant parents, grandparents
I haven’t been pregnant for quite a while (OK, not in this millennium), but I absolutely loved this book. It is a delightful way to learn about your baby and yourself during that special time that is pregnancy.
Not only do the authors provide facts and information from studies and a host of parents who have been there before, they give readers a positive way to make the journey. Every aspect of pregnancy is explored and studied under a microscope. Using the exercises and suggestions in this book will give the expectant mom a chance to really enjoying the process of bringing life into this world.
Sprinkled throughout all this information are quotes, observations, and advice from well-known people and those who been in your flat-but-attractive pregnancy shoes. They’re funny, inspirational, and soothing. One of my favorites is, “Having a baby doesn’t turn your life upside down so much as it turns your heart inside out,” from the writers, Ame and Emily.
Whether you’re comparing your cravings to Nicole Kidman (radishes) or Julia Roberts (ice cream) or struggling with the hormonal changes that take over your life, you’ll find a little treasure in this book. You’ll also find a place to write some postcards to the bump in your belly that both of you will be able to share through the years.
I give this one five out of five bookmarks for good
content, presentation, and information.
Leigh Neely,
who was adopted at the age of eight, is the happily married mother of three and
grandmother of three. A writer and editor for more than 20 years, her work has
been published in a variety of newspapers, magazines, nonfiction book
collaborations.
Middle School Confidential Series
Be Confident in Who You Are (book 1)
Real Friends vs the Other Kind (book
2)
By Annie Fox
Just looking
at the covers of these two books caught my immediate attention and sparked my
interest. Opening book 1 “Be Confident
in Who You Are” not only entertained me but provide me with a lot of useful
information. After reading both books I
became so excited because I could not wait to have both my boys read these so
we could discuss them in dept. Both my
boys are in middle school and I will have them study these books inside and
out, yea these books ARE that good!
I feel the
author did an outstanding job sounding like a teenager while thoroughly
covering two very appropriate topics: Yourself and Friendships. Also
the books consisted of helpful tips, how to dos, and plenty of resources such
as books, websites, and phone numbers. These books are like mini resource centers. All I have to say is,” Mrs. Fox PLEASE keep
these books coming!!!!”
These books are a must have/must buy for all parents with young teenagers.
Dinosaurs Series, Books 1 and 2
(Series of 6)
The Journey: Plateosaurus (book 1)
A Jurassic Mystery: Archaeopteryx (book 2)
By Matteo Bacchin and Marco Signore
Dinosaurs
are a topic of interest to many people (I am not one of those people) and
children. My 11 year old, Devin, happens
to be one who is in love with this topic and about went nuts when he saw these
two books on my desk. Devin finished
reading both books within an hour (yes he can read that fast!) and express how
cool he thought they were. After
reading both books I had to agree with Devin that these two books were indeed
really cool. My favorite part of both
books are the cartoon segments and the fantastic drawings (the essays were a
bit dry but extremely informative).
A Village to Raise highly recommends these books.
Beauty Secret
By Debra Gano
Being a man I thought my favorite female reviewer (Dianne Witmer) would be a
better fit in reviewing this book. Dianne has this to say about Beauty Secret:
“What a well written story! The message I heard while reading this
beautiful story was to never forget to be true to yourself. Girls from all ages can use this reminder of
stopping to look and listen for the “God” given beauty all around us and within
each of us.”
A Village to Raise highly recommends this book.
Audience: girls, parents of girls
This award-winning book is designed to boost the self-esteem of young girls, a problem that has grown to epic proportions in today’s society.
Author Debra Gano has created a lovely story of Beauty who glowed with a natural beauty and kind nature from the time she was born. Beauty fills her life with love, learning, and a giving nature. Her relationship with her best friend Crystal is close, funny, and touching. She even has a positive and loving relationship with her little brother Zachery.
Beauty’s wonderful world becomes clouded, however, when she’s asked to enter a beauty contest. She becomes focused on what the world sees and begins to believe her faults outweigh her good attributes. When Beauty has a dream where a beautiful angel exhorts her to remember, she begins to rethink her new path to looking perfect.
As a model and actress, Debra Gano knows the risks of teaching young girls that beauty is more important than anything. She has taken on self-esteem issues as a personal issue and has plans to create a series of Heartlight Girls books. The message is clear and simple: true beauty is the light from within that makes you the unique girl you are.
I give Beauty’s Secret four out of five stars.
Leigh Neely,
who was adopted at the age of eight, is the happily married mother of three and
grandmother of three. A writer and editor for more than 20 years, her work has
been published in a variety of newspapers, magazines, nonfiction book
collaborations.
Rebel Stone and the
Ghost Whisperers
By: Walter Rouzer
When I first received this book I thought to myself how awesome it was to read a ghost story and how cool it was for it to be directed towards teens. After fighting with my pre-teen as to who was going to read it first (I won by the way) I found myself pulled into the fun story line after just a few pages. The book is full of likeable characters experiencing a crazy adventure. I found myself hating the fact that the book ended being I wanted to hang out with Rebel and his friends just a bit longer. I guess I will just have to wait for the sequel.
A fun and enjoyable read.
A Village to Raise highly recommends this book for pre-teens and teens.
The Hole in the Sky
By: Barbara A. Mahler
When I first received this book in the mail I could not help but notice the extra little touches the book had such as two nicely colored page ribbons and a beautiful cover. I really enjoyed that The Hole in the Sky is in hardback, I much prefer books this way. The story was captivating from the very beginning. I enjoyed the characters and the story line was not only fun but had the every important message that love does change everything. I think this book would make a fantastic gift for any young person into fantasy fiction. I really enjoyed this book and would buy the two upcoming editions just to see what Kaela (the main character) and Shawn (her cousin) get into.
A Village to Raise highly recommends this book.
Book: The Practice Room
By: Susan Zeidler
The Practice Room is a cute story of self discovery and the importance/power of music. The story is easy to read and perfect for young readers. Enjoy this well told story.
Freeing Your Child From Negative
Thinking
By Tamar E. Chansky, PhD
At AVTR we
believe that if a book is to be reviewed it needs to be read thoroughly. For this book I will have to make an
exception because it is just that good. I have only been able to get to page 87 because I have highlighted, dog
eared and folded pages so I will know where valuable information lives. Being
I have two special need children I have had the opportunity, over the past 6
years, to work with some very insightful Speech, Occupational, and Behavioral
Therapists. I have learned some really
handy skills yet I have not come across one book that has been able to sum it
all up until I read Freeing Your Child From Negative Thinking. All I want to say is that this book should be
owned by anyone who works with children and or is busy raising children. I will give an updated review once I finish
reading this book, just to pass on anything more that I learn.
I highly
recommend this book!
Paul Witmer, after serving 8 ½ years in the USAF, found his passion by becoming a certified/degreed Personal Fitness Trainer and an adoptive father of two special need boy’s. Having discovered the gift that special needs children offer their parents he has learned how to work with and understand what and why his boy’s do what they do as well as how he can best assist them in their development.
The Predator Next Door
By Darlene Ellison
Wow! The Predator Next Door deals with a heavy
topic, Pediphialls. The book is well
written and the story captured my interest while disturbing me greatly. Knowing that this book is about real people I was deeply moved by the
events told my Miss Ellison. I really
appreciated the pointers and the review of important points at the end of the
chapters addressing how to protect your children and self improvement/recovery.
I have to
think that this book would be helpful for any family or individual who has been
deeply hurt by another (and I am not just talking about families affected by
pediphials but also those who have been emotionally abused).
I highly
recommend this book.
Someone I Love is Sick
Helping Very Young Children Cope with Cancer
in the Family
By Kathleen McCue
This book does everything
that it set out to do, inform and educate the young child about cancer. I feel this book would assist any young child
understand the cancer treatment process. In addition to the quality content the book is also colorful (which
should keep the child interested) and extremely durable (a must have of young
hands). I must also mention that 100% of
the proceeds from this book is reinvested back into the nonprofit organization The Gathering Place (a caring community
for those touched by cancer).
I highly recommend this
book for any family with very young children that are dealing with cancer.
The Highly Intuitive Child
By Catherine Crawford
When I
received this book for review I thought “Cool I can use this…” being one of my
adopted sons is extremely sensitive as well as ADHD. I was pleased with the information provided
in this book. The Highly Intuitive Child
is an easy read yet I caution those conservative parents out there to keep an
open mind when reading this book. I say
this only because Miss Crawford addresses an issue that can make some folks
rather nervous, intuition. Catherine Crawford does a great job
explaining her material and even providing examples. My only complaint (more like a wish) is that
she would have listed her 10 skills to teach intuitive children sooner in the
book and in a bullet point manner so we (us parents) could make copies and use
as a quick reference sheet allowing us to scan it when we need the information
(like during one of those moments when you are caught off guard).
If you have
a sensitive child and are looking for information on how to help them cope
(which in turn will also make your life easier) this book is for you.
Paul Witmer, after serving 8 ½ years in the USAF, found his passion by becoming a certified/degreed Personal Fitness Trainer and an adoptive father of two special need boy’s. Having discovered the gift that special needs children offer their parents he has learned how to work with and understand what and why his boy’s do what they do as well as how he can best assist them in their development.