Make Money! Have a Lemonade Stand by Bridget Heos: Book Review

Make Money! Have a Lemonade Stand by Bridget Heos is another

in a group of books by Heos designed to teach children math, responsibility, and fair play. 

The big problem with a book like this is that it comes from a bygone age when you could let your child go out and do things like have a lemonade stand without fear of getting sued or having them kidnapped. 

This book was a fun read and is a sturdy volume that will last long in your collection, but ask yourself if you want your child having a lemonade stand. 

Who should read this book: Folks who live in a safe area.

Books Read: 89 of 5000

It is Done

This is my old Gus sleeping in the tomato plants. He looks so peaceful. I miss him so. 

3^rd January 2015

Dear Cassi,

Well, it happened, August the dogust, my old Gus, is no more. It had already been done when I got up and Pickle came and took me his collar so I could inform animal control that we no longer had a Doberman Pincher. Pony Girl came and took all the old dog food and dog medication. She got all the dog bowls and such and we were left with the feeling that we would never have another dog in this house.

Pickle cried, but I did my crying the night before, and so I poured the whisky. Forgiven by Wild Turkey was our drink of choice, and we had it with butter scotch cream soda. Pickle kept it going with every kind of alcohol we had in the house to numb the pain of putting the old dog down.

Me, I had a beer to chase the whisky, but spirits never did live in me. I have always gone to my grief alone and so doing so meant keeping my strength in company. I had dishes to do and food to cook with no time for my morning. I guess you know that feeling.

Stay strong, little sister,

Richard Leland Neal

Adverbs by Ann Heinrichs Book Review

Adverbs by Ann Heinrichs is a comical explanation of what an

adverb is and how to use one. In terms of what it is the book will engage your children with fun imagery.

This is a book populated with fun animals and monsters that will show your child a good time. Unfortunately, adverbs are hard to define and this book didn't leave me with a firm understanding after one read. Part of the problem is that adverbs can be word or phrases and that wasn't covered all that well. 

All in all, I still wish I had this book as a kid and out of all of the books by Heinrichs I think this is the one any parent should own. 

Who should read this book: Everyone

Books read: 88 of 5000

Last Night On Earth

2^nd January 2015

Dear Cassi,

       

I bopped off to the store this morning in the hunt for American made frying pans. The Chinese pans tend to bend under fire and I really haven’t tried pans from any other country. Pickle had two pans that started to peal leaving black flakes in his food.

       

I found my American pans and got two for him to replace those that I had deemed unsafe. When Pickle asked how much he owed me I said, “I’ll trade you the pans for more bones for Gus.”

       

Seeing as the dog had only one more day in this world Pickle agreed and we went off to have ribs. We went to a restaurant that I had introduced him to in historic up town and both had a full rack of baby back ribs.

       

Stuffed to near bursting we came home, and I fed the old dog who wagged his stump of a tail. I went to sleep knowing that my old dog’s last night on earth would be a happy one and then I cried. I cried for Gus and my old lab Pork Chop, and my little tuxedo cat Hyde. I cried for my calico Cheshire and my Russian Blue Swift. I cried one tear for each pet I’ve lost in the last ten years. Then I told myself I had no right to cry.

       

Exhausted, I fell to sleep and woke not long before now. I’m off to work before I give my old Gus is last load on bones and tuck him in one last time.

Moments are priceless, little sister,

Richard Leland Neal

Teach Anybody - Socrates

Remorse - George Abe

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears by Varna Aardema Book Review

'Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears' by Varna Aardema very

much looks like folklore from Africa with the lion being the king of the jungle. The artwork is bright and the story is funny yet cautionary.

This is a story about not jumping to conclusions and not doing what others do. In all this is a good story for children. However, it deals with death and a mother morning, and so it may not be for everyone.

Who should read this book? Children that can deal with death and didn't cry when they saw Bambi. 

Books read: 87 of 5000      

With Trust and Respect

16^th October 2016

My dear friends at the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services,

Today I interviewed with a company called “(Censored) Security Services” and I feel their business practices are questionable. For one thing, they stated that they would employ me as an independent contractor. It is my understanding that a California state Guard Card does not give me the ability to work in this capacity and that I would need further permits to do so.

Further, they stated that I would not be expected to hold any special insurance as an independent contractor, which I find to be questionable at best. They also stated that I would be expected to use my powers to arrest for misdemeanors such as trespassing and vandalism, and that I would be expected to handcuff non violent perpetrators.   

It is my understanding that the state of California does not recommend the use of Private Person’s Arrest without the assistance of a Police Officer. The use of handcuffs should be reserved for the Police unless a subject becomes violent and there is no other way to subdue them safely.

I wish to know if these activities and standards are lawful in the state of California and how I should properly report them if they are not.

With trust and respect,

Richard Leland Neal

What's So Bad About Being an Only Child? by Cari Best

"What's So Bad About Being an Only Child?" by Cari Best is a

book about a little girl who is the focus of her family because she is an only child. She never gets brothers or sisters to fill the void in her life but finds another way.

This is a fun book with a muted color scheme that will lend it self well to bed time. It should be noted that your child may want a pet after reading this book.

Who should read this book? People who don't mind owning pets. 

Books read: 86 of 5000

The Sick Old Dog

First of the New Year 2015

Dear Cassi,

 I came home to dog mess on my floor and woke up to a dog covered in his own bowel movements. Pickles, I think I’ll start calling him Pickle, was beside himself on handling this happening. Fellow has no idea what a mop looks like or how to mop up a mess. This meant that he waited for me to rouse to clean up a slick of dog fudge in front of the hall washroom.

In the last few days old Gus has on earth he shouldn’t spend them covered in his own excrement. Then, Pickle should be better at looking after his dog. What a way to start a year, hmm, mucking up dog’s mess and dealing with a child in a man’s body.

In any case, I mopped the brown off the floor and cleaned with ammonia to get the stink out then washed up my old Gus as best I could. He was so light I could stick him under one arm and move him and in so bad shape that he sat where I put him for the rest of the day.

I’m going to miss that old dog when he’s gone.

Love those you have, little sister,

Richard Leland Neal

Interjections by Ann Heinrichs

"Interjections" by Ann Heinrichs is a book that defines interjections

as a part of English speech. This is an informative book that entertains you with images. I have to say that if I had this book when I was a kid I would have loved the monsters inside of it. Now as a grown man I still love them.

This is a great example of how learning can be made fun.

Who should read this book? Kids who love monsters. 

Books read: 85 of 5000

The Rooster Crows a Book of American Rhymes by Maud and Miska Petersham

'The Rooster Crows a Book of American Rhymes' by Maud and

Miska Petersham are rhymes and limericks from North America and mostly the United States. It's interesting that Maud and Miska are noted as authors when they did not write any part of this book.

In any case, if you were hoping for a lesson in history your hope will be lost as this book is just a collection with no background or context. I honestly was left wanting more from this book than what I got. Then again, I'm not a child, and a child may be satisfied with the text. 

Who should read this book? The easily amused. 

Book read: 84 of 5000

Make Money! Do Yard Work by Bridget Heos

'Make Money! Do Yard Work' by Bridget Heos is the story about a boy who wants to buy an MP3 player, but he doesn't have the

money so he gets a job planting flowers for his neighbors. It's told in the second person inserting your child into the role of the MP3 seeker and encourages them to work for their money. 

The big danger of this book is it will get your child interested in the idea of going to people on your block asking if they can work for them. If you grew up on my block you'd be uncomfortable with this idea. 

Who should read this book? People who live in nice places. 

Books read: 83 of 5000

Believe These Skills

25^th October 2016

Dear (Censored) Institute,

I take interest in your position for a Behavior Therapist as I have a BA in Psychology from (University) and four years of experience working with the homeless of Hollywood. I worked with eighteen to twenty four year olds, many of them drug addicts and violent cases, in a safety and security setting. I was even injured once when a client became violent and broke a clock over my face. I would have to think that children can’t be much more dangerous. 

I developed a reputation for being patient and understanding. It was important to take every case as an individual problem had by a distinct person. There were no once size fits all cures, and the clients I worked with needed to know that I really cared about them.

I believe these skills will translate to your needs,

Richard Leland Neal

Bigfoot (X Science: An Imagination Library Series) by Jacqueline Laks Gorman

'Bigfoot (X Science: An Imagination Library Series)' by Jacqueline

Laks Gorman is a book about the legendary Bigfoot and the evidence that support the existence of the beast. 

Being a children's book there isn't much here, but I, having a love for this kind of thing, did some fact checking. A few things that have been debunked even by monster enthusiasts make it into this book. This is a book that should be taken with a grain of salt. It could be the books age or it could be poor researching. 

Who should read this book? Monster geeks who check facts. 

Books read: 82 of 5000

Depression Got the Better of Me

4^th October 2016

Dear Cassi,

I’m feeling low. To be clear my depression has gotten the better of me, and I have suffered for it financially. I have less than a month left on my Unemployment, but I need to reopen the claim. My comics, both ‘Jonny American’ and ‘Random Street Theater’ are far behind in posting, and my life is torn and broken.

I keep saying to myself that today will be the day I turn things around, but even when I get a good start I fizzle out. As if depression were some old cloak that took on the stains and stench of life and is too thick and cumbersome to walk with I cast if off and find the cold biting then take it up again.

Here, in the morning chill, I sit looking over the chores and tasks that lay before me like obstacles in some great course or leering faces promising pain and toil. Even as I write this I find myself full of digressions. I should keep at it until I’ve finished, but I stop and doddle.

I think that is my life, a doddling, a pile of things I should have done. In this room, in this house, in this world, just piles of things left undone and waiting for some unknown event to rouse me like some daemon from a long forgotten crypt.

Keep after things, little sister,

Richard Leland Neal

Telling Tails: Fun with Homonyms by Laura Hambleton and Sedat Turhan

'Telling Tails: Fun with Homonyms' by Laura Hambleton and 

Sedat Turhan is a book about homonyms that shows words in the wrong context and how not to use them. This is an interesting choice for an author and it forces the parent to read the book with their child a point out the problems with each page. The correct ways of using the words is in back. 

Now the pictures are fun in this book, and I think children will like reading it, but they will be learning the wrong way of doing things. 

Who should read this book? Supervised Children

Books read: 81 of 5000

The Little Dipper (The Constellation Collection) by Joseph Stanley

'The Little Dipper (The Constellation Collection)' by Joseph Stanley is a look at the history and importance of the

constellation The Little Dipper and its surrounding bear. This is a great way to introduce your kid to something we all love: the stars. 

If these had been around when my mother was alive she sure would have checked every one of them out of the library to read to her children. 

These make great bed time stories because the show your child the night sky which will make them sleepy. 

Who should read this book: Everyone

Books read: 80 of 5000

Monkey Business: Fun with Idioms by Laura Hambleton and Sedat Turhan

'Monkey Business: Fun with Idioms' by Laura Hambleton and Sedat Turhan is a book that shows you a bunch of idioms and like

many books of its nature where the answers are in the back after you read the idioms. 

This is an educational book with no story that would be best used to inform people who speak another language about the odd points of English. 

Who should read this book? Folks having trouble with idioms. 

Books read: 79 of 5000

Moo, the Cow Cat

5^th December 2011

Dear Cassi,

I do not recall if I have spoken to you of my favorite part of my trips to Yorba Linda. On this occasion I had been invited to a holiday dinner and having not seen the eaters for more than a month I grew lonesome for the company of their family cats. This home keeps a number of cats of which four are my normal companions. Their three dogs are likewise happy to afford my company. 

       

In this lot there is an animal called a Twist by cat fanciers, and she is black and white, large in body, social to the visiting folk, and vial to her fellow felines. Adorned with a cow bell round her neck and having a large belly that hangs down she does her name proud. They call her Moo the Cow Cat.

       

On arriving I took the mini-cow into my arms as I always do, but her claws sank deeper than normal into my skin. I reached round her to loosen her grip, and for the first time in my recollection she hissed at me.

       

I detached the ornery feline and put her down to have her drop down on her back and put a leg up to expos her belly. Apology accepted I gave her tummy a rub.       

Cats can be funny things, and I think this one took a moment to remember who I was, or perhaps she was just startled. I believe few are willing to lift the large cat. She is hard on clothing with her claws and being black and white she gets fur on everything.

       

I can forgive all of Moo’s short comings, because she knows how to apologize. Who could stay mad at a cat to begin with?

Stay safe, Cassi.

Richard Leland Neal

The Loch Ness Monster by Jacqueline Laks Gorman Book Review

The Loch Ness Monster by Jacqueline Laks Gorman is an examination of the legend of good old Nessy and the evidence there of. This is definitely not an in depth look at the monster or the

possibility of it's existence, but rather this book is a summery of some of the work done to look for the beast.  

Now, if your kid is a junior monster hunter then this book may keep their interest. I will, however, need to point out that there is a lot of information that could have been in this book that is missing.   This could be because of copyright or just book length but if you're looking at this as anything it's just a place to start.  Monster hunters will find this only deepens the hunger for more information. 

Who should read this book? Junior Monster Hunters 

Books read: 78 of 5000

When You were a Tadpole - Langdon Smith

Combing Through Old TV - Bill Maher

Loss of Your Company

18^th January 2018

Dear (Book Geek),

My condolences on the loss of your company as it would appear it has gone under. This isn’t the first book publisher I’ve seen that fell to the bad economy, but with the world turning more and more to used books and books about politics coming more and more into the public eye you can hardly be surprised.

However, with nothing left to lose or gain I do have two questions to ask. The first is ‘may I publish the correspondence between myself and your company’, and the second being ‘what was the real truth behind what happened to my work’?

I publish almost every letter I write or receive of a page length or longer on my blog, and so I think it would be helpful to other writers to publish at least one of the letters you sent me. I will remove your name and the name of your company, not that it would make a difference, and I will never speak of who wrote them. I simply believe that the advice I was given may be of help to others.

As for my second question, there is no secret to the fact that I was feuding with another author and that it was him and his friends who gave my book bad reviews. You asked for harsh criticism, and I gave it to you, but everything I wrote was honest. This fellow took it personally and got his friends to gang up on me. Then you took both of our books down.

I know this to be a major outlier, because there were books that sat for more than a year with no reviews and still were left on the site, but the two of us got the ax without a definitive number of reviews. I also noted that I could still access my book on your page but that, unlike other books that had been taken down, moderation had been removed.

If I offended you I’m sorry, if I caused you trouble you have my apologies, but it still looks as if there is more to the story, and I would like to know. It may even do you well to tell.

Best,

Richard Leland Neal 

Justice be Done - John Quincy Adams