My daughter really liked "When Sophie gets angry really, really angry". The storyline was a little wierd but the colors and illustrations were bold and she wanted me to read it over, and over, and over,... I also recommend Jan Brett's books. Her illustrations are beautiful and she provides little windows on each page previewing what's coming on the next page. Sarah Kate always loved to tell me what was going to be next. Now she is 8 and an avid reader. I'll look to see if I can find the "sophie" book. I may have others. Nik

There are a number of websites that have audio files you can click on and hear the name pronounced and there are many books that include the phonetics either using symbols or sound-alike words. But (and there's always a but). The science of naming things is the study of Taxonomy and taxonomists don't pay much attention to the scientist over in the horticulture or zoological world. This is why names are constantly being disputed and changed. Gardeners, Horticulturists and many other very knowledgable folk tend not to pronounce things correctly - so even if you do, they will correct you to their way of saying things even if it flies in the face of "the Rules". Yes, there are rules. If the word is longer than three syllables then the third from the last syllable gets the emphasis. If the root of the word is latin you pronounce certain vowels one way, but another way if the root is Greek. Though we often call the scientific names "latin" there sure a lot of Greek words being used. Since this whole system of names was developed by Carolus Linnaeus way back in the olden days when monks in monastaries were the only people that could read or write and they mostly spoke latin - we are supposed to be pronouncing things the way the ancient church said them. But we don't. We are supposed to change the spelling on modern words that get used as a name so that they will be spelled in such a way so as to be pronounced the ancient church way - but we don't. Please, somebody show me anything 'johnson' in the ancient Italian church, but 'johnsonii' shows up often. To me there is nothing wrong with saying it your own special way - there is something wrong with adopting the attitude that you are right, and others are wrong. There are also rules that we call 'manners' which state that we shouldn't look down on other people, but people do that also. I try to include every possible pronunciation when I use a scientific name. You will also notice that I don't call it 'botanical latin' (kinda grates on my nerves) the system is used to classify all forms of life on this planet = animals, plants and bacteria. It is not only about plants. just my two cents. I've stood all day in the sun....

Woodnymph, I also enjoyed it more than Angela's Ashes. That one, as I recall it now, at several years' distance, was truly grim, but there was a redeeming humor in "Glass Castle" that was missing in "Ashes." The fact that the parents were living according to their own ideals also made what their children had to bear seem (to me, at least) not quite so awful. I couldn't help smiling when I found that, even at the end of the book, they were still insisting on living their lives that way, and their daughter had come to terms with it. Sad, but it somehow left me feeling uplifted. I hope I haven't misremembered anything about it and made a stupid comment; it's been a few years since I had it from the library. Yes, it would make a very interesting movie! But perhaps not enough violent action and sex to sell well? (I am being cynical!)

I agree with Jan-the quality of the adaptation is critical. As is, or course, the original book-they are filming Little Children, but the book was so awful I can't imagine wasting time watching it all over again! Little Women with Winona Ryder was well-done In Her Shoes was charming, though I found the book a little cloying Pride and Prejudice has been done twice recently-the 6 hour BBC version is the best, the newer 2 hour theatrical version is good as well. On the other hand, Gwyneth Paltrow's Emma took too many liberites.