Transportation Books

This is about as good as children's books get. Most (if not all) of the illustrations wouldn't look out of place framed and on the wall. The rhyme and meter are wonderful (lord knows I've read my son enough stories that can't seem to handle those smoothly). The School Library Journal review above that complains about the text is ridiculous -- the example quote isn't even accurate!

It's short enough to read to a toddler but interesting enough for an older child to read on his own. You can't go wrong with Taxi Dog!

I purchased this book for my 14 month old daughter on the recommendation from a friend. My daughter loves this book. She loves the story as well as the pictures. She loves Maxi the taxi dog so much, she gives him a kiss on every page.

I highly recommend this book!

Its simple...we LOVE this book. We got this when my daughter was about 1 and at 6 she still loves it. Now my 2 year old son enjoys reading it with us.
Its a great story about companionship. The rhymes roll off the tongue and the pitcures are rich with color and detail.
We have since shared this book with many of our friends and we have heard great things about it from them as well.
Howie NYC

If you know of an older toddler or preschooler who plans to visit New York or lives in New York, this book makes a wonderful gift.

Most children who visit/live in NYC will ride a taxi. So, the book's topic is very relevant to their own experience. Things about the city are subtly tied into the the wonderful rhymes of this book (e.g. dogs, Central Park, the Circus, Broadway) without being too "touristy."

This story is adorable and the illustrations are great. You will smile from the first page to the last. Definitely a great addition to your picture book library.

This book attempts to walk you through a restoration but fails due to the huge amount of information as would be really necessary to accomplish what needs to be done. I like it because generally, there is enough information to get you started and aware of possible issues you might encounter but not necessarily accurate due to the differences between model years. Regardless, it does touch on many aspects of restoration to give you a starting point for your own research.

Found this book added a lot of insight in my grandson's immense project and he has been using this book quite a lot.

This is a great book.Its not about restoring ANY car it IS about how to restore Mustangs.Plenty of photos(all black & white photos)of various Mustangs in varying degress of disassemble.There's enough information throughout each chapter to get the general idea on how to restore a Mustang.For the do it yourself mechanics,etc this book is a suitable guide.

I would suggest a decent workshop manual to go with this book.There are plenty of other Mustang reference books that show restored Mustangs and detailed photos that would help whilst restoring your Mustang.

This manual is useless for a 6 cyl mustang as far as any engine restoration. It is nearly useless for frame restoration especially and floor work.

I purchased this book along with two others; Chiltons service manual for early Mustangs and the parts interchange book. As a package they are three volumes one must have if doing a restoration project.

It contains many good tips and recommendations for making restoration more efficient and enjoyable.

The How to Hot Rod Volkswagen Engines was over my head.

This book gives you exactly what it claims. All the best ways to improve performance on your VW. There is quite a bit for the average bug guy but has great technical information for the top mechanics. I wish there had been a bit more on improving fuel injected engines though.

Has alot of good valuable information to add HP to your VW. And what combinations work well togather. How to get mor bang for your buck. Downfalls is it is a bit out dated and doesn't have a section on step by step how to put togather a hot rod motor.

O.K. The book is archaic, BUT anyone who is seriously interested in the history of VW performance and understanding basic air-cooled fundamentals must read this. There are some sections of no practical use today, but many principles are timeless. Anyone who wants to understand the theory and physics of the engine should read this book. The knowledge base gained from reading this book can help prevent you from making the same mistakes your father or grandfather made when modifying their Beetle!

Even though this book was written in the 70's and there are alot of performance upgrades now,compared to back then, it was still very informative to the basics of supin up your peashootin bug.

My 19 month old twins love this book. They don't quite understand the activities in it yet, such as finding all the monkeys and identifying the shapes, but they love to open and close the flaps on all the pages. It is densely animated, but it makes it more fun and challenging to find things in the pictures. We recently flew across country and this book helped tremendously in keeping them occupied. As they start to understand more about shapes and such I think they will like it even more. I am going to order more of these books!

My two and a half year old loves this. The tabs are big enough for him to open easy. Only problem is that some of the pictures are hard for him to understand when you open the flap. Its not something he can guess whats under the flap.

My son loves trucks and cars so this book is great. He loves the page were you have to find all the monkeys that are hidden.

My 3 year old just got this for Christmas. It's the second of these series that we've owned. He will sit for 1/2 an hour and go through all the flaps. It does take awhile if you're going to do it with them. But if your child is one who will do it on their own after you've done it with them a couple times then this is perfect for you. I think it's cute.

My daughter is 4 and she has had Little People books since she was a baby. She still absolutely loves them, they never get old! They have held up really well. I keep buying every new one I see and she has loved all of them. She is geting the Let's Go on a Class Trip for Xmas and I can't wait until the Worlds of Adventure comes out. There are a lot of flaps but they are fun, and she can match the characters to her Little People toys. I highly recommend any of the Little People lift the flap books.

I own several excellent books on compass use and "orienteering."
The Army version "Map Reading and Land Navigation" is the simplest and most straightforward explanation of how to get around with just a compass and a map. If I were teaching teenagers (Scouts, etc.) how to use these tools this would be my choice of text.

Soldiers need to know how to read maps accurately, how to navigate, and how to understand all manner of maps, compasses, celestial navigation and more. So does the outdoorsman. For the military and the outdoors wilderness trekker, U.S. Army Map Reading And Land Navigation Handbook provides basic instruction on grids, scale and distance, reading overlays and using navigation equipment. A 'must' for any who might need basic survival skills.

Study orienteering with the handbook used by the U.S. Army. This guide is perfect for any outdoorsman or for teaching Boy Scouts how to use a compass.

Found this book confusing. Maps are illegible which makes the text irrelevant. It covers way too much detail all at once instead of progressing through steps. Covers alot of info and data useful only for those in the military. May work in conjunction with a lecture course, but by itself I would be surprised if anyone learned only from this book. I am new to this so maybe it's just not for beginners.

This book gave great insight into how the racers at the top level of the sport prepare. It gives great advice and tools for anyone from a local trackday rider who wants to continue doing trackdays all the way up to someone who wishes to reach the highest levels of club racing and beyond.

The author is a bit to general in describing the techniques and skills used in MotoGP and the quotes from the riders themselves offer little in site into the actual techniques used for racing. Trailbraking for example is only basically defined and not detailed in any manner at all. For example they say you should brake in a progressive manor, which his good advice. But they don't really go into why you should brake in a progressive manor or provide any in site into the technical advantages other than "it helps stability". I would have liked a more technical approach and less general advice.

I did think that the chapter on lines was very good however and explained the difference in lines and types of passing in the sport.
Still this a good read for any club racer and even a better read for someone whom wants to start club racing or just wanting to improve at track days. Hell, it might even be a good read for just the MotoGp fan to better help them understand the moves and racing action on TV.

Even if you don't ride, this is a very good read. No fancy jargon to confuse the uninitiated and lots of great tips, advice and stories to be useful.

In my opinion, the best book on the market for sportbike riders and racetrack techniques. Beautifully done, brilliantly written. Andy has more good information here for the advanced rider than any other book on the shelves. This and Nick Ienatsch's "Sportbike Riding Techniques" should be mandatory reading for anyone wishing to expand their riding skills, especially sportbike riders considering going to trackdays, track schools (such as CLASS, STAR, etc.) or actively roadracing.

Every racer, would-be racer and track-day attendee should read and assimilate this book. It is among the best books on racing technique every published, and will provide excellent advice, as well, to road riders who want to improve their daily riding. It will also help the reader understand what he or she is seeing at the races.
The devil, Andy Ibbott proves beyond doubt, is in the details. Rising above being `quick' to being a winner is a long, painstaking (often painful) process, and this book proves it. Racing success comes from meticulous attention to the inner workings of riding well, along with total physical, emotional and financial commitment. It takes years. There are no `instant winners.'
Illustrated with scores of clear diagrams and magnificent photos from Gold and Goose, this is one of the best primers for aspiring racers and those already competing in a difficult and dangerous sport. The photos alone, culled from thousands taken by Gold and Goose of the great racers of the last (approximately) decade show, in detail, what the bike and rider are doing and illustrate the text powerfully--a picture really is worth a thousand words.
In 14 lavishly illustrated chapters, Ibbott covers preparation (emphasizing fitness), how to handle the bike--acceleration, braking, cornering and steering, sliding, racing lines, qualifying, starting, passing other riders, racing psychology, crashing--managing the ambient climate (hot, cold, wet), conserving personal and machine energy and getting on top of the box. Keith Code's appendix on suspension is excellent. Ibbott quotes many of today's champions with explanations of what they do, how they do it and why it works. He puts us right in front of the greats, who answer many of the critical questions we would ask if we had the chance to sit down with them.
There is one area of significant omission from the book, and it's a biggie. It will, beyond every imaginable personal effort, seriously affect a racer's success or failure. It is beyond the cognitive control of the individual rider and will have a lot to do with his or her potential as a racer.
The first is genetic: the physiology of the individual, his or her vision, morphology, reaction times, propriocetive skills and associated characteristics.
The second, closely aligned with the first, is used by military aviation authorities worldwide to screen potential pilots from those unsuited to the task: reflexes, hand-eye coordination, etc., manifest in a racer, for example, in his or her degree of `feel' for what the machine is doing, its deviation from track (e.g. sliding). Anyone interested in taking up racing should be tested for these physiological aspects. It is difficult or impossible for anyone who is not naturally (i.e. genetically) gifted to overcome basic physiological deficits.
The third is psychological: only the tough-minded and strong-willed can win. Adolf Galland, a great WWII fighter pilot, said: "Only the spirit of attack, born in a brave heart, will bring success to any fighter aircraft, no matter how highly developed it may be." It's the same with race bikes.

What a an enlightening read. Brilliant imagery and a wealth of knowledge. This is not one to be missed.

As a recent visitor to China where I took several trains I look for books about this fascinating country. This book is really a mix of the political history of Tibet and China and the building of the train line. The author gets into the background through the lives of some Tibetan people, by far the best way to help understand the impact on ordinary people. But he doesn't get lost in the details. The other half of the book, the actual building is also interesting, both the political pressure of an impossible building schedule and problems with unproven construction solutions especially of building on permafrost. A quick, easy and interesting read.

Kirby did an excellent job writing about a super race car driver and a super nice person. I was both saddened and happy that Rick retired when he did. I think he could have reached the magic number 5.

One Percenter - The Legend Of The Outlaw Biker
By Dave Nichols

I have just finished reading the book One Percenter - the Legend of the Outlaw Biker - by Dave Nichols
I will start off by saying it is not what I expected but that is "My Bad" because I did not pay attention to the Legend part of the title.
Having ridden for over 56 years, been the president of a large motorcycle club and even a one percenter for a period of time there is not much I haven't been involved in concerning motorcycles. That is why I can say the following.
The author did a real good job of informing the reader of the history that lead up to the Biker Lifestyle as we know it today.
I DID ENJOY THE BOOK! It is informative and factual.
If you are a long time rider you will enjoy rememberances referred to in the book.
If you are a new motorcyclist or just interested in motorcycling the book is something you should Definitely Read.
The more you know about the lifestyle will help you fit in and enjoy it.

This is a great book that explains the history of the 1%ers, and give a great insight on the culture.

This book was a very in general book, no real insight

into what makes a brotherhood of one percenters tic. more

like a history lesson about motorcycling in general.

Whether you're a tatted-up hippy killer or a suburban weekend doofus, you will enjoy Dave Nichols' history of life under the one percenter patch.
Dave actually takes us back, way back, to a time before motorcycles even, (is there really such a time?) to find the seeds of Our Thing sprouting all through history. All along there have been guys that found themselves outside normal society and the law, gnarly bros like Huns, Mongols, Vikings, mercenary knights, cowboys, gunslingers and pirates who lived a hard life, lived by their own rules, carved out with sweat, gristle and violence.
Then, of course, you get the whole history of bikerdom from the wild ride of the guys that came back from World War II itching for action--booze and broads--to the truth behind the Hollister "riot" and the explosion of the outlaw biker lifestyle around the globe, with an inside peek inside some of the baddest clubs around, and the lowdown on rules and codes behind their rise to worldwide stature. With all the snitch books currently festering on the shelves out there, it's refreshing to read something that tells it like it really is. The book is illustrated throughout with the outstanding biker lifestyle photography of lensman Kim Peterson of In The Wind magazine. They say reading is good for you. There is so much cool bathroom reading here that your butt will get encrusted with dried dingleberries that your ol' lady will have to remove with a kitchen spatula and a Dremel tool.

I started to read this book then put it down. Having read most books based around and written by noted authors about the 1% lifestyle, and from both sides of the fence (one of the best being "Freedom, Credos from the Road" - Sonny Barger) and goings on within it for the past 60 years maybe I have been 1%ed out as far as books are concerned.

No way, you really do need to read this book and then take a view on how the next 60 years will turn out. if you also read "Freedom" from an outsiders point of view and then taking both books into consideration you should form a view. The ending came as a bit of a shock really, making the reader sit up and take notice of what is around him/her and what may lay ahead in the future. Altogether a great read and well recommended. Thanks Dave and see you on the right side I hope!!

This is an interesting book I'd found at the library, and ordered it on Amazon as soon as I could. It tells four different stories per page, and you have to figure out which story goes where, and when each one starts and ends, and how they're all connected somehow. I really like this one more than the children do. It's too illogical for most of them.

I find that I can follow the connection between the stories better with each reading. It is one of my 10 favorite children's books of all time.

Black and White is a children's picture book, but I have shared it not only with little ones but also with groups of high school juniors and a group of adults who also enjoyed the fun in this book. The "warning" on the title page tells you thatthis could be one story or four stories. Each page offers four quadrants with a story in each, and it is up to the readers to put the pieces together. It is a great book to read with others and have a ball as you play with the author through a lot of fun!

Simply geniusly told, it's amazing how someone can come up with such a story-riddle. Is it four stories or is it one story? Certain to spark discussions as one hint after the other reveals a little more. A book unlike any other. Smart and fun entertainment. Beautifully illustrated. David Macaulay at his best.

I bought this book because of the author's reputation and was not disappointed. Several story lines appear to occur simultaneously and enjoyably. I plan to use this book with small groups of students and ask each student to narrate a different story line. This is a fairly complex picture book that I'm sure all will enjoy.

David Macaulay is known for his architectural books: Pyramid, Castle, and City: a Story of Roman Planning and Construction and their accompanying videos. However, this Caldecott winner is a demonstration of that soaring Macaulay imagination!

Macaulay posts this warning right on the title page: "This book appears to contain a number of stories that do not necessarily occur at the same time. Then again, it may contain only one story. In any event, careful inspection of both words and pictures is recommended."

I'll say this at the beginning: As a children's librarian, I would never read or show this to a class. There is no way to explain this complicated, interconnected book of four stories that run into and out of each other.

Here is how they look. There are four stories on the two adjoining pages with two stories per page. Each story has predominant colors of blue, green, brown, and black and white. Colors and patterns spill and slip from one story to the next, but the thrust of the story is done in black and white. It must be noted that Macaulay is NOT saying that everything is black and white. Oh no! If anything he is saying that everything is NOT black and white, but he uses black and white, both words and pictures, to say it.

What I just wrote in that last sentence gives a sense of the story. It is brilliantly creative! I had a special story time with some gifted students last year, second graders. They had so much fun with this book. I had to get them started on "reading" the pictures (this is a picture book with narrative on each story block), but once they caught on, they rip-roared with the story!!

Remember the admonition to stay in the lines and not think outside the box. David Macaulay failed that class because he both colors outside the lines--literally--and his characters get outside their cartoon boxes and into each other's boxes. The story is one big paean to imagination, creativity, whimsy, flight of fancy, freedom to explore, and freedom to see the Big Picture.

Wow, this is one great book. Every child should own it! I certainly do!