This very clever story fills each page with the unexpected and makes full use of the idea of actually being able to pick out and own a dinosaur, without ever suggesting that owning a dinosaur would be unheard of where Alex lives. The authors and illustrators really let their imagination flow while molding a good and well rounded story. My three year-old usually wants to read it at least three times in a row every time we read it, and as a parent, I think she's making a good choice!

Diamant takes a bare-boned Biblical tale and gives it flesh, blood, color, and skin. It doesn't matter if it's accurate or not; accuracy would be impossible to prove anyway. And besides, she's not trying to fool anyone: she does call it a novel, which is by definition a work of fiction. The result is an interesting tale and an appreciation for and closeness with the female characters of the book. Often when reading the Bible, we're too lazy or busy to take the time to imagine what it meant to pack up and move with flocks of sheep and goats and food and belongings. I am thankful for Diamant's efforts in having elucidated aspects such as these for us.

From a literary point of view, however, I was disappointed. Contrary to other reviewers, I do not feel that Diamant is talented in "turning a phrase" or that she has "poetic language." In fact, I found her language frustrating at best, mixing modern expressions with forced Biblical language... which is only called "Biblical language" because we have become accustomed to old translations. I found her style dry and, ironically, not particularly feminine. I also tired of her repeated adjectives, such as "mortified," which was always too extreme a word for the situation.

Diamant's purpose is never entirely clear--I disagree that she is male-bashing, since Dinah has appreciation for several of her brothers and a strong admiration for Jacob in his younger days. It is only after the murders that she turns against him.

The plot is vague until about 2/3 of the way through, at which time it becomes simultaneously evident and predictable. Nonetheless, the details of female life during this time period and the relationships being established carry the reader through all this.

Sometimes the characters seem forced to be so different; Diamant's efforts become transparent especially when characterizing Jacob's wives. Other characterizations are simply hard to believe: are 13-year-old girls really capable of such profound romantic relationships and gratifying sexual experiences in their wedding beds?

Many of the actions seem unjustified or out of character. Diamant fails to sufficiently prepare her characters in certain situations. For example, why would a good and honorable man like Jacob, who took the time to walk equally with each wife and show tenderness in ways that shows he understands their different personalities, suddenly be so cruel with Dinah's fiancé? Does he agree with the action, or does he become suddenly spineless?

Furthermore, many doors are opened which are never closed or passed through. What do Joseph and Dinah experience that they swear to secrecy, and what effect does that have on the story? What attacks Jacob, and again, what affect does that have on the story? Why would the old midwife make the strong prophecy that Dinah would be at peace near a river, which could have been the beginning of a plot, only to be proven wrong as a sort of afterthought near the end of the book? Why would Diamant name Dinah's second husband "Benia," the same name as Joseph's youngest brother, and then have Joseph comment on the coincidence, without having any reason for it? Why does Dinah check in the pond to see her aging reflection, when she asked for a mirror during the birth of her son? Why can't she forgive Joseph, who is also treated horribly by their brothers and who had not agreed to the murders in Shechem?

Nevertheless, despite these criticisms, the novel works because in the end, a good story has been told, and it has the fine quality of tying up a lot of (but not all) loose ends in a clever way.

I'm sure I didn't appreciate her suggestion that Joseph was a homosexual anymore than anyone else did, or any other of her "Biblical inaccuracies," if we can call them that--because they destroy happy images we created for ourselves in Sunday School (among other reasons). But it is the author's creative license to do what she wants with her characters, and if anything else, it challenges us to defend our beliefs even more strongly or to read the Bible with a more critical eye, which are the kinds of things which lead to better understanding and truth. An artist who can have this sort of effect on her audience certainly can not be considered unsuccessful. Her art has accomplished its goal through its provocative read.

Some Barney videos are good, and I had even been thinking that they were getting more and more clever. But this latest one really stinks! There's no plot at all, and the way to celebrate Valentine's Day is with a party that might as well be in a gymnasium with pink decorations instead of the Queen of Heart's castle. Very little thought and effort went into this one. Most of the songs are repeats of old songs. I think the writers had a hard time stretching it out! Also, the new Barney voice is more difficult to hear and understand and doesn't sound as "fun."

Don't give up on Barney, but do pass up this video!

With a creative plot and fun pace, this video gives a warm, happy atmosphere of Christmas. It's set at Hannah's house, so it's nice to see these kids as "real" with a real American house and parents. Then the kids travel to see Santa at his house and fill his stocking--Santa is beautiful and ideal, as is his workshop. Two original songs are well written and fun to sing well after the video's over. Cameo appearances of other Barney cast members give a feeling of togetherness, peace, and goodwill when everyone comes caroling at Hannah's house.

This is a video we'd like to watch year-round.

I was disappointed with this book because I had thought it would be broader and relate to all kinds of businesses. But this book is very specific to the entrepreneur starting up his or her own business, only. Its examples are mostly of home-based businesses or small sole proprietorships. The writing is sometimes condescending and assumes you know nothing whatsoever about finances and investments (which may be good for some readers). It includes several chapters of additional information for start-up companies which take up a significant portion of the book and have little or nothing at all to do with writing a business plan. I feel like this book is mistitled and would be better named, "Mike's Guide to Founding and Funding your Own Business."

This is my first Barney experience, and although my daughter is thrilled with "Bargush" and asks to see the video about 100 times a day, my husband and I are easily annoyed by it. We're able to accept the fact that she learns sharing from it and loves the dancing (and at 20 months, she's dancing along with them as well as she can), but I was disappointed with what seemed like the results of some lazy pre-filming research and/or planning. The producers had an excellent opportunity to show some true cultural hughlights of each country, but I wonder if they'd ever even been to France and were just basing their French scene on what they imagined France might be like. (I've never been to Canada or Mexico, so I can't say for sure how well those countries were represented.) Also, the French friend "Maurice" has a Spanish accent, and at the end of the film, I checked the credits, and he has a Hispanic name. Does this mean that any old accent will do? Also all the adults have to leave the children because they are so important, they have to be somewhere else. Stella does it twice in the same episode, saying, "Oh my! Look at the time! I'm supposed to be in France (or Africa) in five minutes!" The Mexican woman, in the middle of a fiesta, suddenly sees a clock and shouts, "Oh no! Look at the time! I must be going!" but she doesn't explain why. Does she turn into a pinata at midnight? Monty the Mountie says he has to go back to work. Maurice says, "I must go now." Would it really have been so difficult for the producers to make the *children* the important ones who have to run? After all, they're the ones on the mission to find Stella to return her suitcase--they could easily be the ones to bid the goodbyes, explaining they had to find Stella. Or does there have to be a parting excuse at all? I'm concerned about the message being related to children: that adults lead such important, busy lives, that they have limited time with children, and then "must" leave them in a hurry.

My daughter can continue to watch Barney for another year perhaps, but when I feel like she has the comprehension level to detect the subtleties I mentioned above, I'll put the video aside for the next baby.

After the first fairly gripping story, the fiction quickly falls into some Alice Mundane prose and it seems like it's going to be that way for the long haul. The author seems to have forgotten the necessity of plot in several stories, and the reader is left dragging along to the end only because of confidence in an otherwise accomplished writer. "Cortes Island" has some worthwhile character development, but "Jakarta" and "Save the Reaper" feel like directionless wandering, as if Munro is playing the grandson's alien chase game with her story development: see a possibility, grab onto it there for a while and see where it goes and then grab onto another. While this technique can certainly be successful and give the image of "living" or "evolution" fiction, it doesn't always work, and these three stories prove it.

Furthermore, the "shocking" action of her characters is not believable enough because, despite all the drawn-out development, the reader still can't see the justification in the character's minds. Sure, everyone does the unexpected sometimes, but if all Munro's characters do that, we lose the idea of the story. Pauline, for example, in "The Children Stay," seems to feel too much devotion and affection for her children to be able to just forget them completely for a wild night of sex that leaves her sore, even though they interrupt her life. Most women find that children interfere with the professional, artistic, social (etc) lives they had before becoming mothers, so what sets Pauline apart to actually be able to leave the girls forever for a romance that turns out to be a fling anyway? Munro didn't prepare us enough for her decision, and the story is weakened.

The real genius of her work starts to emerge again, though, with "Rich as Stink." A mature little girl and her childish mother create an interesting role reversal which must meet its limits finally in a powerful way, when nature takes charge. This story feels glued together with real intrigue, although the purpose and development of the minor characters could have been improved.

"Before the Change" is reminiscent of Munro's previous work, with a letter-writing young woman revealing her story to her (ex) lover. Here we see Munro's capability with powerful character development and loose links which neatly connect in the end.

Certainly the finest story in the collection is the last-- "My Mother's Dream" was so intricately handled it is worth an award by itself. Munro provides, finally, a more appropriate number of characters for a short story and is able to present and enrich them throughout the work effectively. She brings us into the world of the family here, pulling us in with suspense and connection, making us truly care about the people and hope for them and with them and get completely involved. Finally, as is true of the entire collection as well, Munro does not disappoint us in the end.

Just when you were about to say, "She's losing her knack for the great short story form," she whacks you with three whoppers and whispers, "My dear, I am never too old to tell a great tale."

I was expecting Dr. Seuss and got something I won't even read to my daughter. The illustrations are a "modernized" Dr. Seuss in pastels and rounded forms. The most disappointing thing of all is the text -- the rhymes are forced, sometimes cliched, definitely unoriginal -- "Shhh!/I'm Horton, and here on this bright, sunny morn,/I'm guarding an egg till what's in it gets born./Inside is a Zubble-wump--Mr. or Ms./But I don't really know what a Zubble-wump is!..." Gikow had a great opportunity to give details about all the different kinds of animals born from eggs in the story, but passes that up in favor of keeping a bouncing (overtypical) rhythm -- for example, the platypus: "It could be some animal far from the farm / Who needs its friend Horton to keep it from harm (why?) /Whose mother would kick up a terrible fuss / If something disturbed her sweet Gertie or Gus (awfully forced). / Could it be related to the / platypus?" What does this tell us (except for very vague references to the close maternal relationship of the mammal to its young) about the platypus? Children can learn nothing from this book except bad illustrations and unoriginal rhyme/rhythm form. Its only redeeming quality is the "lift-and-peek" function, which is fun for babies and toddlers. But there are many other better lift and peek books out there. I regret having bought this book, and when my daughter wants to read it, I always make up a different story to go with the pictures.