Shepard, Aaron

Aiming at Amazon: The NEW Business of Self Publishing, or How to Publish Books for Less, Sell Without Hassle, and Double Your Profit (or More) With Print on Demand and Book Marketing on Amazon.com

Average customer rating:

Do the hundreds of so-called `self-publishers' have you confused?
If you are a small press, buy this book
A Clear Path
About all of POD, not just Amazon
Full of information.

Aiming at Amazon: The NEW Business of Self Publishing, or How to Publish Books for Less, Sell Without Hassle, and Double Your Profit (or More) With Print on Demand and Book Marketing on Amazon.com
Aaron Shepard
Manufacturer: Shepard Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Authorship | Publishing & Books | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Publishing & Books | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Reference Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Perfect Pages: Self Publishing with Microsoft Word, or How to Avoid High-Priced Page Layout Programs or Book Design Fees and Produce Fine Books in MS Word for Desktop Publishing and Print on Demand
Print-on-Demand Book Publishing: A New Approach To Printing And Marketing Books For Publishers And Self-Publishing Authors
Sell Your Book on Amazon: The Book Marketing COACH Reveals Top-Secret "How-to" Tips Guaranteed to Increase Sales for Print-on-Demand and Self-Publishing Writers
The Self-Publishing Manual: How to Write, Print, and Sell Your Own Book, 15th Edition
Plug Your Book: Online Book Marketing for Authors, Book Publicity through Social Networking

ASIN: 093849743X

Book Description

There has never been a self publishing manual like this.

Aiming at Amazon is NOT about getting your book into bookstores. Instead, it lays out an innovative approach focused almost entirely on sales at Amazon.com. It tells exactly how to make a nonfiction book sell well online, with tips never before offered in print.

This book is also NOT about working with a "self publishing company." It introduces the printer/distributor used by almost all those companies themselves -- the one they keep secret so they can be middlemen and charge you double.

Forget bookstores. And forget self publishing companies. Let Aiming at Amazon reveal to you the NEW business of self publishing.

Customer Reviews:

Do the hundreds of so-called `self-publishers' have you confused?.......2007-06-13

AIMING AT AMAZON will answer your questions with the unfrosted truth. Before you sign any anything, read this book. Unlike other publications on this topic, it's written in a clear concise manner that presents you the facts. Shepard unveils many fiercely guarded secrets of the publishing world, and gives you the resources you need to formulate your own publishing plan. The numerous websites that are referenced are worth the price of the book alone.

J. P. Landry, author of Hazard 666

If you are a small press, buy this book.......2007-06-09

If you are a small press or a PMA member, buy this book. It changed the way we think about cover design, POD, and Amazon.

I asked my (freelance) book designer to get a copy for the information and suggestions about covers designed for online display, especially on Amazon, and POD.

Do not be put off by the cover. This book is an incredible value, easily equivalent to a few hours with a good consultant or a couple of sessions at PMA University.

Highest recommendation.

A Clear Path .......2007-05-25

For those who have carried the dream of becoming a published writer, Aaron Shepards book "Aiming at Amazon", provides a clear map to actualize that dream. This path to publishing is inexpensive, even profitable; and puts you in the drivers seat! It is written in such a way that even the technologically challenged can understand. One feels as if they have found their personal mentor, and that their 'dream' is doable. I recommend it highly for anyone serious about writing. Aaron Shepards companion book "Perfect Pages" further gives clear concise instructions on how to use a Word Processor to typeset and layout your book yourself! I highly recommend them both.

About all of POD, not just Amazon.......2007-04-30

If you know how to write a book and lay out the pages, this manual helps with all the rest of the POD process, including marketing books on Amazon. From his own experience as a publisher and obviously an obsessive personality, Aaron has patiently reverse-engineered much of the systems involved. As a result, there's material here that isn't in the other books I've read on marketing through Amazon. The book is short, easy to read, well-paced. It's also valuable for what it leaves out--the elaborate distributor-bookstore-reviewer matrix the older self-publishing manuals cover. Aaron stays sharply focused on what a single person can do as a self-publisher for whom it's a spare time activity or a second job.

Full of information........2007-04-23

The author clearly knows what he is writing about and the examples he gives from personal experiences are extremely helpful. This book will be valuable to anyone who is publishing a book.

Stories on Stage: Children's Plays for Reader's Theater (or Readers Theatre), With 15 Play Scripts From 15 Authors, Including Roald Dahl's The Twits and Louis Sachar's Sideways Stories from Wayside School

Average customer rating:

Theatre Teachers: This Is What You Need
A Great Resource
Clear and Helpful

Stories on Stage: Children's Plays for Reader's Theater (or Readers Theatre), With 15 Play Scripts From 15 Authors, Including Roald Dahl's The Twits and Louis Sachar's Sideways Stories from Wayside School
Aaron Shepard
Manufacturer: Shepard Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

United States | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Children's | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Reading | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Readers | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

Reading Skills | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Art Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Children's Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

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Similar Items:

Readers on Stage: Resources for Reader's Theater (or Readers Theatre), With Tips, Play Scripts, and Worksheets, or How to Do Simple Children's Plays That Build Reading Fluency and Love of Literature
Folktales on Stage: Children's Plays for Reader's Theater (or Readers Theatre), With 16 Play Scripts From World Folk and Fairy Tales and Legends, Including Asian, African, Middle Eastern, European, and Native American
12 Fabulously Funny Fairy Tale Plays
Cinderella Outgrows the Glass Slipper and Other Zany Fractured Fairy Tale Plays
Readers Theater for Building Fluency: Strategies and Scripts for Making the Most of This Highly Effective, Motivating, and Research-Based Approach to Oral Reading

ASIN: 0938497227

Book Description

Stories on Stage is a collection of reader's theater scripts for young readers, adapted from stories by fifteen different authors, including Louis Sachar, Nancy Farmer, and Roald Dahl. Coming from such genres as humor, fantasy, and multicultural folktales, stories were selected for their dramatic quality, literary value, and appeal to young people. The scripts may be freely copied, shared, and performed for noncommercial purposes. With a focus on ages 8 to 15, the collection features a wide range of reading levels. The scripts in this collection are -- "Three Sideways Stories From Wayside School," by Louis Sachar -- "Mr. Twit's Revenge," by Roald Dahl -- "Millions of Cats," by Wanda Gag -- "Tapiwa's Uncle," by Nancy Farmer -- "How Tom Beat Captain Najork," by Russell Hoban -- "Harriet," by Florence Parry Heide -- "Mr. Bim's Bamboo," by Carol Farley -- "Talk," by Harold Courlander -- "The Jade Stone," by Caryn Yacowitz -- "The Bean Boy," by Monica Shannon -- "The Kid from the Commercial," by Stephen Manes -- "The Fools of Chelm," by Steve Sanfield -- "Mouse Woman and the Snails," by Christie Harris -- "Westwoods," by Eleanor Farjeon -- "The Legend of Lightning Larry," by Aaron Shepard.

Customer Reviews:

Theatre Teachers: This Is What You Need.......2006-11-10

This book is formatted so easily, it took me MUCH less time than I thought it would to prepare a unit on reader's theatre for my class. I used it for my high school theatre class so they wouldn't have to concentrate on large vocabularies, but rather to deliver the story in a simple, easy way. It was a HUGE success of a project and this book made it possible. It tells you how long each story is, what cast you'll need, and what reading level it is!! Yay!!!
The stories themselves are entertaining (even for high school!!!), compelling, and really fun to work with. I am SO grateful I ordered this!

A Great Resource.......2006-01-11

Aaron Shepard is a generous contributor to the field of Reader's Theatre. This book is no exception. It's well-laid out and chock-full of interesting scripts. I've recommended to several folks interested in RT.

Clear and Helpful.......2006-01-11

This book was written in clear language. It was helpful to me as a novice.

Perfect Pages: Self Publishing with Microsoft Word, or How to Avoid High-Priced Page Layout Programs or Book Design Fees and Produce Fine Books in MS Word for Desktop Publishing and Print on Demand

Average customer rating:

Susan Kalior
The perfect gift for a small press or self-publisher
Make Word much better
Good book and to the point
"Perfect Pages": a clear and accessible guide for book creation

Perfect Pages: Self Publishing with Microsoft Word, or How to Avoid High-Priced Page Layout Programs or Book Design Fees and Produce Fine Books in MS Word for Desktop Publishing and Print on Demand
Aaron Shepard
Manufacturer: Shepard Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Printing | Graphic Design | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Software | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Publishing & Books | Reference | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Art Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Computer Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Reference Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

General | Software Books | Custom Stores | Stores | Software
Similar Items:

Aiming at Amazon: The NEW Business of Self Publishing, or How to Publish Books for Less, Sell Without Hassle, and Double Your Profit (or More) With Print on Demand and Book Marketing on Amazon.com
Print-on-Demand Book Publishing: A New Approach To Printing And Marketing Books For Publishers And Self-Publishing Authors
The Self-Publishing Manual: How to Write, Print, and Sell Your Own Book, 15th Edition
Book Design and Production
Sell Your Book on Amazon: The Book Marketing COACH Reveals Top-Secret "How-to" Tips Guaranteed to Increase Sales for Print-on-Demand and Self-Publishing Writers

ASIN: 0938497332

Product Description

Often rejected out of hand as a typesetting tool, Microsoft Word has greater typographic capabilities than even most long-time users realize. With a little tweaking, Word can produce type that few readers could distinguish from the best of Quark or InDesign. In this book, Aaron Shepard gives a tour of the depths of the program, describing the settings, commands, and manual adjustments you need to create type that no book reviewer will scoff at. Skeptical? This book's own typesetting is the proof!

Customer Reviews:

Susan Kalior.......2007-05-25

Aaron Shepards, "Perfect Pages" is a treasure trove of 'how to's' for using MS Word to typeset and layout your manuscript for publishing. If you feared such a task would be too difficult, you will sigh with relief by following Aaron's simple instructions. Following these steps is like taking stairs to make the dream of being a published writer come true! I also highly recommend Aaron Shepards companion book, "Aiming at Amazon" to further actualize that dream. These books are the way to go.

The perfect gift for a small press or self-publisher.......2007-03-28

I picked this up along with the author's "Aiming At Amazon" since the small press I work with is POD and works with Word and Lightning Source (as does Shepherd) so I figured this would be an excellent educational tool for the basics of layout.

This really is an excellent introduction to the basics laying out a book in Microsoft Word (2003 and older--the 2007 update hasn't appeared yet, but it's on my want list!). Everything from properly sizing pages to tweaking text to make it look nicer is covered. The author's writing style is clear without being loaded with jargon, and he manages to describe visuals without pictures quite effectively.

There are a few things missing that I would have like to have seen covered. For example, he doesn't explain how to deal with the invisible, nonembeddable fonts that can make Lightning Source send your manuscript back to you for reformatting, nor does he explain the various formatting marks that you may have to go through if something doesn't turn out right. Additionally, his main focus seems to be the bare-bones approach to layout, rather than covering the little details that can make POD look just as good, if not better, than traditionally printed books.

However, I have found this to be an absolutely invaluable guide to basic layout. Shepherd is an expert at POD, and this is a definite plus for any POD publisher or self-publisher's bookshelf.

Make Word much better.......2007-02-10

This little book shows you how to use a word processor to produce results that are so much better than what the usual defaults produce. The book is oriented toward Microsoft Word, but I have used the ideas both in Word and OpenOffice to produce documents that look so much better on paper. Get this book and learn how really use a word processor.

Good book and to the point.......2007-01-10

This book had exactly what I was looking for. I was writing a new set of manuals using Microsoft Word and needed to set up a new template that had all the styles and page formatting options I wanted. The book goes directly to the point and explains exaclty the options that you need to use and set for getting the character spacing or avoid typographical mistakes. I loved the fact that included information about both Windows and Mac OS versions, since I use both of them. More drawings and diagrams and perhaps a few more examples would have been nice, but all the information I needed was there. If I think about it, all those things would have made the book bigger and bulkier. I did not really skipped any sections because I thought had useless information. I read it from front to back. Note that the information provided in this book is useful for apprentice, intermediate and expert users. Some things that the author explains were common sense to me, but I did not feel they were condescending or boring. In many cases, they reinforced what I already new. Note also that this is not a user manual for Microsoft Word, nor is it the primer for book design or typesetting. It is a book that does what is says in the title. Overall, I am very happy with this book and I think that it is a great value for the price.

"Perfect Pages": a clear and accessible guide for book creation.......2006-03-09

I enjoyed Aaron Shepard's "Perfect Pages", a clear and accessible guide for book creation using Microsoft Word instead of expensive publishing software. Shepard shows that Word actually has some advantages for publishers, tells how to make Word do what's needed, while avoiding some of Word's hazards. Thus the book delivers worthwhile Word tips for novices and experts alike---and there are more web resources at the end of the book---but it's more than that, because a book is more than a manuscript: it has to look good and read easily. "Perfect Pages" covers the details (fonts, typography, trim sizes, formatting, covers, generating PDF files, common errors . . .), showing how to make manuscripts into attractive and readable books. The book provides the ideal bridge between a Word software manual and a publishing manual (such as Morris Rosenthal's) that teaches business and strategic decisions. "Perfect Pages" is a gracefully written book that wastes few words, and minces none.
The book will be helpful to authors, in-house publishers, students preparing theses, and others.

The Business of Writing for Children: An Award-Winning Author's Tips on Writing Children's Books and Publishing Them, or How to Write, Publish, and Promote a Book for Kids

Average customer rating:

Upbeat and To the Point
Business of Writing for Children
Goes to the point
A Must For The Kid Writer's Bookshelf
No Waste of Time

The Business of Writing for Children: An Award-Winning Author's Tips on Writing Children's Books and Publishing Them, or How to Write, Publish, and Promote a Book for Kids
Aaron Shepard
Manufacturer: Shepard Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Entrepreneurship | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Publishing & Books | Reference | Subjects | Books

Children's Literature | Writing | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Writing | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Business Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Reference Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Childrens Writers & Illustrators Market 2007 (Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market)
Writing Children's Books for Dummies
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Children's Books, Second Edition
Writer's Guide to Crafting Stories for Children (Write for Kids Library)
2006 Childrens Writers & Illustrators Market (Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market)

ASIN: 0938497111

Book Description

Writing books for children is both art and business. If you dream of becoming a children's author -- or even if you're well on your way -- this handbook can help you in writing sellable stories, getting them published, and promoting your books. Topics include common myths about children's writing, children's book categories, elements of successful stories, manuscript format, submission strategies, contract negotiation, the publishing process, career building, and children's writer resources. Also included are specialized subjects such as querying for multiple manuscripts and promoting a first book. Read The Business of Writing for Children to learn the secrets you might spend years discovering for yourself.

Customer Reviews:

Upbeat and To the Point.......2007-03-09

This book about publishing children's stories is very comprehensive, up
beat, concisoe, and offers the reader a good grasp of the publishing industry. Recommend it to all who want to learn about the publishing industry. Great Read!!

Business of Writing for Children.......2007-01-04

Easy read. Good, quick information. A little lacking on specifics, but a good place to start.

Goes to the point.......2006-11-27

I like to read "How to" books that are concise and go to the point without making me waste time reading unnecessary fringe. Mr. Shepard, I love this book full of tips. I recently wrote a short story for children in Spanish. Now I notice my many "errors" that I plan to correct. :O) As English is my second language, the chapter on rhythm and beats is a bit difficult for me to absorb. But I will. And will use Shepard's ideas for my writing. Somebody else can do the translation if it goes to English. Thanks Mr. Shepard!

A Must For The Kid Writer's Bookshelf.......2006-11-17

Packed with practical tips, this concise guide - covering everything from query to contract and beyond - belongs in every children's author's library. A handy reference for beginners and pros alike.

No Waste of Time.......2006-03-07

I have recently read several books on this subject, and this one has been the most helpful and enjoyable thus far. It follows a logical, sequential order. *The Business of Writing for Children* answered every question I have posed and a few I hadn't yet formulated. It is concise and so left Mr. Shepard time for an occassional show of his sense of humor; without compromising more of mine than I would have liked to allow. Sense of humor or time, you wonder. The answer is both.

Folktales on Stage: Children's Plays for Reader's Theater (or Readers Theatre), With 16 Play Scripts From World Folk and Fairy Tales and Legends, Including Asian, African, Middle Eastern, European, and Native American

Average customer rating:

Excellent RT resource for Teachers
Folktales on Stage A Must Have Teachers Resource!
Perfect for the classroom!
Great for students with special needs
half.pint@cox.net

Folktales on Stage: Children's Plays for Reader's Theater (or Readers Theatre), With 16 Play Scripts From World Folk and Fairy Tales and Legends, Including Asian, African, Middle Eastern, European, and Native American
Aaron Shepard
Manufacturer: Shepard Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Children's | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Reading | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Readers | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

Reading Skills | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Art Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Children's Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Reference Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Qualifying Textbooks - Spring 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Stories on Stage: Children's Plays for Reader's Theater (or Readers Theatre), With 15 Play Scripts From 15 Authors, Including Roald Dahl's The Twits and Louis Sachar's Sideways Stories from Wayside School
Readers on Stage: Resources for Reader's Theater (or Readers Theatre), With Tips, Play Scripts, and Worksheets, or How to Do Simple Children's Plays That Build Reading Fluency and Love of Literature
12 Fabulously Funny Fairy Tale Plays
Cinderella Outgrows the Glass Slipper and Other Zany Fractured Fairy Tale Plays
Theatre for Young Audiences: 20 Great Plays for Children

ASIN: 0938497200

Book Description

Folktales on Stage is a collection of reader's theater scripts for young readers, adapted by award-winning children's author Aaron Shepard from his own folktale retellings. A wide variety of countries and cultures is represented, including Native America, Africa, the Middle East, Russia, Southeast Asia, and China. The scripts may be freely copied, shared, and performed for educational, noncommercial purposes. While aiming mostly at ages 8 to 15, the collection features a full range of reading levels. Aaron Shepard is the author of numerous picture books as well as dozens of stories in Cricket and Australia's School Magazine. He is also the author of Stories on Stage (H. W. Wilson), long considered by many the premier collection of reader's theater scripts. Aaron spent five years as a professional actor in reader's theater, performing in schools and conducting workshops for teachers and students. He now hosts Aaron Shepard's RT Page, the Web's most popular reader's theater destination, with visits by thousands of teachers and librarians each week. The scripts in this collection are: The Adventures of Mouse Deer (Indonesia) The Calabash Kids (Tanzania) The Hidden One (Native America) The Boy Who Wanted the Willies (Europe) The Princess Mouse (Finland) The Legend of Slappy Hooper (U.S.) The Gifts of Wali Dad (India, Pakistan) The Baker's Dozen (U.S.) Master Maid (Norway) The Magic Brocade (China) Forty Fortunes (Iran) Master Man (Nigeria) Savitri (India) The Enchanted Storks (Iraq) The Crystal Heart (Vietnam) The Sea King's Daughter (Russia)

Customer Reviews:

Excellent RT resource for Teachers.......2005-10-09

Do you want an engaging activity to use with elementary students that fosters reading, performing and listening skills? Aaron Shephard's book is a wonderful resource for K-8 teachers to use in the classroom. This book has a variety of texts adapted for Reader's Theater from all parts of the world. It has been a great addition to our reading lessons!

Folktales on Stage A Must Have Teachers Resource!.......2005-10-05

As a teacher of the gifted I find reader's theatre a creative avenue for teaching literacy and creative dramatics. Aaron Shepard does a great job providing interesting, well organized scripts with a rich selection of myths, folktales, and legends. I greatly appreciate this valuable resource!

Perfect for the classroom!.......2005-06-06

The grade and school where I teach stresses folktales, legends and myths. I also wanted to try to get this in a "Reader's Theater" format. This book does just that! Bravo!

Great for students with special needs.......2005-06-05

As a teacher of children with learning disabilities, I rarely find an activity that relates to the standards, a child's IEP, and is one that students rave about. This is entertaining as well as educational.

half.pint@cox.net.......2005-05-05

I love all of Aaron's books. As a future teacher who believes today's students don't know enough of the world's folktales, I know I will be using this book in my future classroom. I especially like the story of "The Sea King's Daughter." It is a wonderful story and Aaron Shepherd has done a wonderful job of adapting it and the other stories in this collection for readers' theater. I can't wait to see what he will do next.

Readers on Stage: Resources for Reader's Theater (or Readers Theatre), With Tips, Play Scripts, and Worksheets, or How to Do Simple Children's Plays That Build Reading Fluency and Love of Literature

Average customer rating:

Readers on Stage
A fantastic, motivating way to get kids to read and perform!
Reluctant readers
Readers on Stage
Very user friendly!

Readers on Stage: Resources for Reader's Theater (or Readers Theatre), With Tips, Play Scripts, and Worksheets, or How to Do Simple Children's Plays That Build Reading Fluency and Love of Literature
Aaron Shepard
Manufacturer: Shepard Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Reading | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Readers | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

Reading Skills | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

Children's | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Art Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Children's Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Reference Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Stories on Stage: Children's Plays for Reader's Theater (or Readers Theatre), With 15 Play Scripts From 15 Authors, Including Roald Dahl's The Twits and Louis Sachar's Sideways Stories from Wayside School
Folktales on Stage: Children's Plays for Reader's Theater (or Readers Theatre), With 16 Play Scripts From World Folk and Fairy Tales and Legends, Including Asian, African, Middle Eastern, European, and Native American
12 Fabulously Funny Fairy Tale Plays
Readers Theater for Building Fluency: Strategies and Scripts for Making the Most of This Highly Effective, Motivating, and Research-Based Approach to Oral Reading
Cinderella Outgrows the Glass Slipper and Other Zany Fractured Fairy Tale Plays

ASIN: 0938497219

Book Description

Want to try reader's theater but don't know where to start? Or have you tried it but want to find ways to bring it more to life? Or are you just looking for a fun, easy way to lure young people into reading fluency, cooperative effort, effective communication, and love of literature? Readers on Stage is a collection of resources for scripting, directing, and teaching reader's theater, primarily to ages 8 and up. Part 1 offers three sample scripts to learn from and enjoy. Part 2 highlights each major aspect of reader's theater -- scripting, staging, and dramatic reading -- offering tips and tricks you're not likely to find elsewhere. For instance, you'll learn how young readers can easily create their own scripts! Part 3 provides all the plans, notes, handouts, and worksheets from actual reader's theater workshops, ready for copying. Use them to start with reader's theater tomorrow in a classroom or library, or to lead your own workshop for adults. Finally, Part 4 gives listings of additional resources. Whether you're working with young readers, training teachers, or directing a professional company, you'll want this unique, detailed guide. -- Aaron Shepard is the award-winning author of numerous picture books and magazine stories, as well as two acclaimed reader's theater script collections. He spent five years as a professional actor in reader's theater, performing in schools and conducting workshops for teachers, librarians, and students. He now hosts Aaron Shepard's RT Page, the Web's most popular reader's theater destination, with visits by thousands of teachers and librarians each week.

Customer Reviews:

Readers on Stage.......2005-08-22

I have been assigned at my school to teach Readers Theater as an enrichment class. I teach 6th grade Social Studies at Gilmer Jr High in Gilmer, Texas. Aaron Shepard's web site has been extremely helpful in getting me started so I purchased his Readers on Stage to get some background. I have only started the class and have really enjoyed the book and all the helpful hints. The material is presented in such a way to make, what could have been a miserable six weeks, to be something I am looking forward to sharing.

A fantastic, motivating way to get kids to read and perform!.......2005-08-03

As an elementary school teacher and reading specialist, I've been thrilled by how much my students have enjoyed the chance to read and perform reader's theater. I would recommend Aaron Shepard's books to anyone interested in creative ways to teach literacy skills. The stories are fun, there are plenty of parts so that you can involve lots of kids, and they're also good for discussing story elements--especially character and plot. Once you've used one, you'll want them all!

Reluctant readers.......2005-06-04

My 4th grade students beg me to let them do these and they love to share them with other classes. It has greatly helped increase their fluency.

Readers on Stage.......2005-04-22

I applaud Aaron Shepard on his gift to educators. This book is very good and user-friendly. Congratulations!

Very user friendly!.......2005-04-15

Using the Reader's Theatre format is becoming more and more popular in Language Arts, Communication Arts, History, and Drama classes in public schools. Teachers, you do not need to take a summer workshop to use Readers Theatre. This book takes you by the hand and effortlessly guides you through the process.
Your students will love this participation activity!

The Biophilia Hypothesis (A Shearwater Book)

Average customer rating:

Wonderful reading
Difficult but important
This book is more postmodernism jibberish
Sorry, but the authors got it all backwards

The Biophilia Hypothesis (A Shearwater Book)

Manufacturer: Island Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Ethics & Morality | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Environmental Science | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Outdoors & Nature Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Biophilia
Building for Life: Designing and Understanding the Human-Nature Connection
Children and Nature: Psychological, Sociocultural, and Evolutionary Investigations
Kinship to Mastery: Biophilia In Human Evolution And Development
The Human Relationship with Nature: Development and Culture

ASIN: 1559631473

Amazon.com

Why is it that most of us find baby animals irresistibly cute? Why do so many people fear even the sight of snakes? What prompts us to feed birds, to allow cats to roam around the house at will, to admire the lines of dogs and horses? Stephen Kellert and Edward Wilson, the prolific Harvard biologist, gather essays by various hands on these and other questions, and the result is a fascinating glimpse into our relations with other animals. Humans, Wilson writes, have an innate (or at least extremely ancient) connection to the natural world, and our continued divorce from it has led to the loss of not only "a vast intellectual legacy born of intimacy" with nature but also our very sanity. There is much to ponder in this timely book.

Book Description

"Biophilia" is the term coined by Edward O. Wilson to describe what he believes is our innate affinity for the natural world. In his landmark book Biophilia, he examined how our tendency to focus on life and lifelike processes might be a biologically based need, integral to our development as individuals and as a species. That idea has caught the imagination of diverse thinkers.

The Biophilia Hypothesis brings together the views of some of the most creative scientists of our time, each attempting to amplify and refine the concept of biophilia. The variety of perspectives - psychological, biological, cultural, symbolic, and aesthetic - frame the theoretical issues by presenting empirical evidence that supports or refutes the hypothesis. Numerous examples illustrate the idea that biophilia and its converse, biophobia, have a genetic component: <ul>

fear, and even full-blown phobias of snakes and spiders are quick to develop with very little negative reinforcement, while more threatening modern artifacts - knives, guns, automobiles - rarely elicit such a response

people find trees that are climbable and have a broad, umbrella-like canopy more attractive than trees without these characteristics

people would rather look at water, green vegetation, or flowers than built structures of glass and concrete </ul> The biophilia hypothesis, if substantiated, provides a powerful argument for the conservation of biological diversity. More important, it implies serious consequences for our well-being as society becomes further estranged from the natural world. Relentless environmental destruction could have a significant impact on our quality of life, not just materially but psychologically and even spiritually.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful reading.......2001-10-03

This was recommended by a scientist-science teacher-friend and I was simply blown away by the implications. If this theory is correct, then it explains the human descent into madness brought on by increased development without thought.

Difficult but important.......1999-07-05

Human beings are deeply psychologically attached to nature and the sooner we realize that, the better off we'll be. Why are houseplants so popular? Why do so many children's books feature animals as main characters? Why do more Americans visit zoos than sporting events? Why are so many of us worried about rainforests we'll never see firsthand? Unlike the previous two reviewers, I hold that our ties with nature are deep and ancient. We can bury them under concrete but WE CAN'T CUT THEM. As a last word: most of the really happy people I know have a deep relationship with nature or something from nature, such as a pet.

This book is more postmodernism jibberish.......1999-05-29

In Fashionable Nonsense: Postmodern Intellectual's Abuse of Science, postmodernists are taken to task for distorting physics and math through poetic license that says nothing and means nothing. Edward O. Wilson likewise has criticized postmodernists for their attacks on science and Western knowledge, and now we have the evolutionists stooping to the same distortions of logic and clear thinking in pursuit of personal agendas to resurrect a new religion of nature. In the book The Biophilia Hypothesis (henceforth BioHyp) we can clearly delineate between the evolutionary observations of our past and what it should mean to us today. This book merges evolutionary knowledge of our environment for survival, with an ethic of deep ecology that is as befuddling and lacking in coherence as anything I have previously seen written by those who claim to be on the side of neo-Darwinist empiricism. But we should all recognize that it is easy, even for true empiricists, to slip into quasi-religious cults even while appearing to embrace the principles of science. Since this book does not have any coherence, aside from making some rather bland connection between how humans interact with nature which I accept but fail to see as profound, I will take a few of the most egregiously inept statements in the book to pull the rug out from under their proposed paradigm.

This book tries to equate affiliation with nature with the essence of a good life that has meaning. Granted, many aspects of human nature go into the make-up of our beings, including: the need to create, observe nature, have sex, accumulate and show off our amassed wealth, dominance over others, athleticism, gathering and enjoying food, AND competition with other human groups including warfare and genocide. Yes, along with a love of nature humans also have a blood lust that these authors all know exists but fail to address in this book. Another quasi-religious group of scientists could easily conjure up a new natural paradigm based on warfare (perhaps like the Spartans) and be equally content with a new culture based on love of animals but hatred of other humans (perhaps the genophilia hypothesis?).

"The biophilia hypothesis necessarily involves a number of challenging, indeed daunting, assertions. Among these is the suggestion that the human inclination to affiliate with life and lifelike process is: 1) Inherent (that is, biologically based); 2) Part of our species' evolutionary heritage; 3) Associated with human competitive advantage and genetic fitness; 4) Likely to increase the possibility for achieving individual meaning and personal fulfillment; and 5) The self-interested basis for a human ethic of care and conservation of nature, most especially the diversity of life." [20]

Assertions 1,2 and 3 I have no problem with, they are simple evolutionary statements. However I take strong issue with 4 and 5. Lets rephrase 4: "[T]he inclination to affiliate with life . . . is [l]ikely to increase the possibility for achieving individual meaning and personal fulfillment." Let us merely rephrase it to read, "The inclination for humans to commit genocide is likely to increase the possibility for achieving individual meaning and personal fulfillment." I contend that genocide and group cohesiveness are in fact far more powerful emotions than our need of love for nature. And yet we have been able to subdue this emotion quite nicely by introducing incentives in cultures to forego blood-letting for other more valuable past times. Likewise, BioHyp may improve our urban environment by paying more attention to planting trees and providing for some bird sanctuaries, but I would contend that the average urban dweller is far more impacted by daily road rage than they are sensitive to the number of animals and fauna they observe on their journey to work. That is, hostility to other humans who may have offended me carry a much greater burden on my temperament than seeing a squirrel climb up the tree as I walk to my garage.

Assertion 5 above, in order to be true, must show that an extreme caring and conservation for nature, one that must reduce the average material wealth of humans while also reducing the number of humans, is of real benefit to humans: that is, it is a good in itself, to all humans! Does this hold for those who will not be born? For those who will die on the way to the emergency room because we have reverted back to bicycles or horse and buggies? Don't get me wrong. I am not an egalitarian that thinks "banning guns to save just one child is reason enough to give up our constitutional rights." Its just that no group or philosophy can make the above statement to simplistically and universally alter our national or humans agenda. They are calling for a ecological Jihad that is not warranted. Our culture cannot be cut from whole cloth based on such simplistic assertions. They are made up of a myriad of compromises and constraints that do not fall easily into any one fundamental of human nature as espoused in BioHyp.

Sorry, but the authors got it all backwards.......1998-10-09

The great biologist Edward O. Wilson noted that human beings seem to have some constants in what they like in the natural world. Everybody likes the landscape they grew up in, but there appears to be a surprising consensus, at least among men, in favor of landscape with these features: grassy parklands with intermittent trees, water, high points providing vistas across a complex landscape, and the ability to see but not be seen. Researchers believe that this represents an inborn affinity toward the superb hunting grounds in which humans evolved in East Africa. From this work, Wilson announced the existence of biophilia, the innate human love of nature, and asserted that this means we should Save the Rainforests (home to most of the species of Wilson's beloved ants).

As much as I admire Wilson, I have to point out that his political argument is absolutely not supported by this research, which demonstrates not that humans like all forms of nature but that they have strong opinions about which landscapes they prefer. Reread the description of the consensus pleasurable landscape: does it remind you of anything that modern humans all around the world spend billions upon? Yup, what we males really have an innate affinity for are golf courses. In fact, we probably have an innate aversion toward rainforests, with their snakes, bugs, and lack of sunlight. Humans have largely avoided rainforests throughout our history, and today rainforests are much more popular on the Upper West Side of Manhattan than in the Amazon.

Amazon.com

"Once there was a man who was strong," begins this energetic, comic-strip style adaptation of a Nigerian tall tale. Bragging to his wife one day, Shadusa says "Just look at these muscles! I must be the strongest man in the world. From now on, just call me... Master Man!" His wife Shettu warns him against his foolish boasting: "No matter how strong you are, there will always be someone stronger. And watch out, or someday you may meet him." When he learns that a man from another village calls himself Master Man, too, Shadusa soon rues the day he talked so big. Imagine his surprise when he discovers that the other Master Man eats entire elephants at one sitting, after killing them with his bare hands! Trying to escape from him, Shadusa runs smack into yet another Master Man, who is soon locked in deadly combat with the elephant-eating one until "each gave a mighty leap, and together they rose into the air. Higher and higher they went, till they passed through a cloud and out of sight." To this day, the two giants still battle in the sky, making the noise that some people call thunder.

This traditional Nigerian story is one of many about fighting he-men, starring the stock character Mijin-Maza or Namji-Mijin-Maza, otherwise known as "A Man Among Men," "Manly Man," or "Superman." Caldecott Medal recipient David Wisniewski's playful cut-paper collages, set in comic-strip frames complete with speaking bubbles for dialogue, feature the colorful patterns and textures of Nigerian clothing and landscapes. With this unusual picture book, professional storyteller Aaron Shepherd spins a boisterous, action-packed read-aloud. The author's note in the back explains the story's origins with the Hausa, the largest ethnic group of northern Nigeria. (Ages 4 to 8) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

Shadusa was STRONG. When he gathered firewood, he hauled twice as much as anyone else. When he hunted, he carried home two antelopes at once.

One day he said to his wife, Shettu, "Just look at these muscles. I must be the STRONGEST man in the world. From now on, just call me Master Man...

"Quit your foolish boasting," Shettu replied. "No matter how strong you are, there will always be someone stronger. And someday you may meet him!"

In this traditional Hausa tale of superheroes, Shadusa must learn a lesson harder than his own muscles. Is he the ultimate Master Man?

Customer Reviews:

A Masterful, Well Told Tale.......2001-04-25

Foolish Shadusa thinks he's the strongest man in the world and orders his wife to call him "master man". But his wise wife warns him: "Quit your foolish boasting. No matter how strong your are, there will always be someone stronger. And watch out, or someday you may meet him." But Shadusa doesn't listen and when he hears that another man in a nearby village also calls himself "master man", he sets off to confront this imposter and ends up learning his lesson the hard way..... Aaron Shepard and award winning illustrator, David Wisniewski have authored an inspired and creative version of this old Nigerian folktale. The story, told in comic book format, complete with dialogue bubbles, is full of expressive, action packed scenes and colorful, detailed collage artwork that becomes busier and bolder until it almost spills off the pages. The book includes an author's note at the end and youngsters will enjoy learning about the origins and history of this folktale. Perfect for children 4-8, Master Man is a terrific read-aloud story the whole family can share and will make a wonderful addition to all home libraries.

This is a great book!.......2001-01-27

This book was really funny! The illustrations were really creative. The words are put right on the illustrations like a comic book so you feel really involved. I like tall tales, and this one is exceptional. The characters are very entertaining and they reminded me of people I know. Everyone should read Master Man -- even grownups!

Average customer rating:

Princess
Discover this hidden treasure! (Best for ages 4-10)

Savitri: A Tale of Ancient India
Aaron Shepard
Manufacturer: Albert Whitman & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0807572519

Customer Reviews:

Princess.......2003-12-10

I loved this book because it was anti-thetical to western notions of women as the one's that need to be saved(Think Disney). The woman engages in a journey to find love rather than experience an instantaneous 'aha-I see you and I love you" scenario. My 4-year-old daughter loves the pictures and the heroic story too!

Discover this hidden treasure! (Best for ages 4-10).......1999-07-09

At the risk of sounding politically correct, I must say it's rare to find a children's story in which the lead woman isn't either wicked beyond all reason or totally incompetent; look to Disney for proof.

Then there's Savitri. Although she comes from money, she judges others by their character rather than social status (something notably rare in India today). This quality is illustrated when she selects a mate. The author interprets this folktale by showing respect for India's cultural tradition of arranged marriage while also supporting a woman's right to choose. These two apparently opposing methods of mate-selection are "married" as Savitri herself has her father arrange to meet the man she has selected -- how delightful!

When faced with the life of her husband in jeopardy, Savitri reveals amazing personal character. She faces India's grim reaper with tremendous courage, unwavering determination and sincere devotion. And in doing so, she thinks first of others (her step-father's happiness) before thinking of herself.

Overall, the story is told in a clear manner, with interesting names (parents may need to assist with pronunciation) and beats Dr. Suess hands-down. The pictures are exquisitely done.

Savitri is a wonderful treat for any boy or girl (age 4 to 10) although, I must confess, I enjoyed it too (and I'm a bit older).

The author has other books based on stories from other cultures. Search for 'a tale of ancient india' on AltaVista's Advanced Search for links to a full text of the book as well as the author's website.

Customer Reviews:

a heart touching story.......2000-09-13

Being a beautiful daughter of a wealthy mandarin, My Nuong had always been staying in her great house with the servants and surrounded herself with richness. But, she was very unhappy for she often felt lonely and had no friend to share her feeling with. One day, she heard a lovely piece of music which come from a bamboo flute of a fisherman name Truong Chi from the nearby sea. The music was so mesmerizing that it has capture her heart immidiately. She never felt anything like this and she has began thinking of it as "true love". Although she had never know of the fisherman's face, she has made a promise of giving him her hand in marriage. For some reason, the fisherman did not come to the sea to play the music anymore and this affect My Nuong deeply. She is very upseting and start to misses the music which make her now very ill. Her father try to find doctors who could cure her of this illness but none succeed. When My Nuong told him about the man and the music she had fall in love with, he sent for Truong Chi. But fate had been cruel to them for at the moment she look at him, she was disgust with his ugliness that she hated him. Truong Chi, with the first time saw My Nuong, had fall in love with her too. But My Nuong cast him away and being too heart-broken, Truong Chi died of a silent death. His heart had magically become crystal and unknowingly, My Nuong had carved it into a beautiful cup to use when drinking tea. But somehow, My Nuong heard the same music of Truong chi from the crystal cup and she had cry in regrets and sorrow for the unfortunate fisherman. Her tears roll down into the cup and had broking the seal which set Truong Chi's soul free. Such a loving story and a must-read one that no one could forget but thinking of it always. Love come from heart not appearances just as this story tells us.

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