A Touching Tale For All Generations
594884
Award-winning author, Janet Mary Sinke has given us another wonderful gift in her latest book, My Grandpa's Coaching Third--the fifth book in the Grandma Janet Mary series.

At age 50, Janet was diagnosed with Parkinson's. The disease has progressed steadily. Though her voice is weak, she continues to speak at school events sharing her simple message with children: Make your memories today for in the end, it's all we really have. She is forced to use a walker which she dislikes. And, when a fan asks for her autograph, she's no longer able to sign her name, but she still manages to scrawl out a few dedicated words. In spite of her struggle, she considers Parkinson's a blessing as it has taken her to places she never imagined.

My Grandpa's Coaching Third is a poignant tale that captures the magic and unconditional love celebrated between three generations.

Janet skillfully uses the game of baseball as a touching allegory for how we should live our lives.

Play ball! Run Hard! Cheer loud in life! Be sure your voice is heard. Then as you run your bases and you're heading home from third, look back with no regrets and say, "I sure had lots of fun!" For that s where true victory lies when all is said and done.

This lovely story is a modern classic enhanced with beautiful illustrations by gifted artist Craig Pennington.
2484607
This book is about the multi-generational familial experiences of the author. It is beautiful, endearing, and hopeful. It is a great read for children ages 5-9. This book award is well-deserved.
432711
Sterling North takes us on a nostalgic trip back to his childhood and provides an enchanting story of a pre-adolescent boy and his year-long adventure raising an orphaned racoon.  Set against the backdrop of the first World War, we get a glimpse of childhood almost a hundred years ago, when the automobile was still a new fangled contraption, and the wilderness was much closer.  While many aspects of this story would be highly unlikely in today's world, they seem perfectly natural here, and we follow along as Sterling fends for himself and learns some valuable lessons about life.  Filled with charming humor and a cast of memorable characters, both human and animal, this is a story that you will fondly remember for a long time.
4633909
MAlaika is not just the story of a man and a lion, if that were not enough, but it is a story set in a unique atmosphere, with all the emotion and sensitivity of frindships that bring a man to the realization that he must face his own past and the decisions that led him to Africa. A touching story that causes one to think about the unintended consequences of seemingly innocent actions.
Van Heerling is able to capture the feelings and emotions of his characters and the location with such reality that the reader feels the African dawn, smells the fresh cup of coffe in his hand and the warmth of the rising sun on his face. Van Heerling has created a classic story for all ages.
2045289
This is a poignant story well written. It shows two different generations can have so much in common. Taking the time to really know another has its benefits.
2551533
I had no idea until I re-read this book what a huge influence it had on me, as a child, and later, as a twenty-year-old finding my identity. When the author rails against the power that money/greed/luck have over the American imagination and way of life, she could be talking about today.  And that's not the only place where this lovely story hits the nail on the head, then as now, as a plea for common sense and kindness in child-rearing, as well as in our every day dealings with one another. At the same time, this book has become (a hundred years later) a spectacular period piece. It could be read by an adult to a child in that vein, too, with commentary, as a charming, cheerful history lesson. It's sixty years since my first reading, and this book is just as engrossing and uplifting as I remembered it to be.
1477934
This is wonderful book for all ages.  Its gives the young an insight into the unfortunate horrors of the adult world while at the same time giving adults a view of the prejudice free world of young children and the wonders of innocence.  The love and friendship of our two young heroes while immensely inspiring is at the same time crushingly sad given their ironic relationship the harsh reality of war and social engineering  The penultimate chapter should rightly leave all thinking readers in tears.  In spite of all this the book stands as a poignant and insightful insight into beauty of youth unhindered by the prejudices of a misguided world.  It is a 'must read' book for all the family.
2680796
A wonderful read.  It is a must read for elderly parents and their adult children.  The story, while simply told, is complex.  As I read, I often remembered the stories of my parents and I wondered how my children and I will relate during my last years of life.  It is a realistic portrayal of life, yet inspirational.  It a truth that old people still have dreams and wish to live with dignity.  I simply could not stop reading the story.  Yet, when the story ended, I felt complete.
1044675
he Road is a classic not to be missed. It tells not only the cautionary tale of what a post-nuclear war world would be like, but also the tale of the incredible love between a father and son. A father whose instinct is to do everything in his power to protect his son yet at the same time knowing that in the end his death and the death of his son is certain. Anyone with children will love this book in spite of the horror of what such a life would be like. It so accurately describes the love between father and son that - that in itself makes this book worth reading. If you have children, the end of this book will make you sob and immediately make you want to go hug your children, especially if they are very young like the boy in this book. Don't be misled by the poor reviews herein. The book is truly amazing.
1671067
a wonderful story told by an innocent child.
it is a must read for all generations
2124918
A touching story that will alternately make you smile and cry.  If the opening scene of Pixar's Up made your eyes prickle, then this will evoke a similar feeling.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to all who enjoy a heartwarming tale of love, aging, and friendship.  They don't make men like Ove anymore.
4463255
I enjoyed this interwoven tale about three generations of one family. The oldest generation, Violet, was taken from Kentucky to NYC as a child with her barely capable mother. Violet's mother ended up giving her to a child welfare group that put children on trains bound for the west so they could have a better life. Violet's daughter, Iris, grew up as a model suburban wife and mother in the midwestern suburbs with no idea of her mother's past. Violet's granddaughter, Sam, discovers her grandmother's history as she is going through a box of family relics. It is interesting to see how the concerns of the members of this family go from survival to more philosophical problems of balancing child care and work
4532148
A truly touching tale, without the sentimentality I've seen some authors try to jam down our throats in recent books. The novel is accessibly written with prose just as forceful and colorful as the verbose Faulkner/McCarthy while being both more cinematic and more lyrical. It's somewhat reminiscent of Papa Hemingway with the moral complexities, but it's also about family and honor and commitment, in a lawless Texas of the 1870s.

The two main characters are a 70+ year old news reader and a frightened, but courageous, well-drawn 10-year-old girl who spent the last 4 years as part of the Kiowa tribe of the plains that captured her after killing her Alsatian German-speaking parents and sister. The trip to return the girl to her family in San Antonio, Texas, is about 2 weeks: a vivid adventure, at times humorous, at others haunting and compelling, and always a pleasure as we get to see a special bond form between this old man whose family has all moved away from him and this young girl who has now been taken from two families in her brief 10 years.
4907963
This was a lovely story. A perfect depiction of a multicultural and multigenerational family. I especially like that serveral generations are represented in the story depicting our modern families, neighbors, and friends. The author does a great job of piquing your curiosity in the story and in a wonderfully illustrated book that kids of all ages will enjoy.
1058984
This book is like an old family friend.  I read it to my children and to my grandchildren.  Each generation has taken it to heart.
4103921
A tale everyone can relate to with some fun oddities thrown in.  I especially loved the friendships as portrayed between the differing generations.
1195207
Although I tend to be quite lazy when it comes to reviewing ebooks, I just have to give this one a shout out. I have a hard time reviewing books because I really don't want to give away the story, so I'll do the best I can. This is a great story, yes it is sad, but it is also very touching and beautiful and it is great for kids and adults too. This is a story about multi-generational family love. Grace is a little girl who loses someone she loves and how she deals with it. I don't think children truly understand death, it's a very hard subject to approach. If I had a child I would read it to him/her and let them ask any questions, and give them honest answers.