Very good recommend to buy if u want to pass the asvap and the book is honestly one of the better study guides out there if you’re trying to get ready for the ASVAB, especially if it’s been a while since you’ve done any schoolwork. The book is straightforward, easy to follow, and does a good job breaking things down so you actually understand the material instead of just memorizing answers.

Great book. So many resources and practical problems to study from. Found a better book from this series that was more focused on AFQT subjects.

Ship date is January 6th 2026, I will be joining the Air Force. Some tips I would suggest: reading carefully what the book recommends on how to study, taking a practice test first if you’re testing within a month or two, and figuring out your struggle areas first, and you’ll do well. I went and studied from the front to the back and found I needed to go back to do more English after taking the ASVAB. I should have done more practice tests as well. Thankfully, I think this book comes with more than two practice tests, so you will get a better idea of what you need to focus on.

This book is really great material that can help anyone study for the ASVAB. Everything is broken down simply and clearly for better understanding and clarity. I would really recommend!!

Great study tool! The book was easy to follow and helped me feel more confident for the test. I liked how it broke things down in a simple way, definitely worth it if you’re preparing for the ASVAB.

I am a little older (37) joining the national guard and information retention is not what it used to be. Although, the some of the questions on the ASVAB are things we learned in school coming up, a refresher is really what I needed, as well as learning the other concepts such as electrical and mechanics. I studied with this book the night before I took the test and scored an 81 (I think the highest is a 99). If I had actually given myself time to study I could have gotten a better score.

Got for my daughter to help prepare. She has difficulty with complicated questions and has testing anxiety. This was easier for her to understand and get through. Very helpful.

Purchased for my son to study prior to taking the ASVAB. He used it quite a bit. He scored well on his test. It’s a big book so some study time is definitely needed if purchased. I would say it’s worth the price for the purpose.

I’m a professor of literature and language. From all that I have read, even on the dust jacket of this first book in Paolini’s series, nobody, including the author or the publsher, makes a secret of the fact that he was heavily influenced by Tolkien, Lucas, McCaffrey, and most likely other readers.In fact, good writers are always influenced to some degree by those whom they have read. That’s usually how they end up becoming GOOD WRITERS.Now, take a look at this very sentence in the prologue. This is the first introduction we have to the writing style of Paolini:”Wind howled through the night, carrying a scent that would change the world.”That is powerful. That has nothing to do with Tolkien or Lewis or anyone. That has to do with individual writing voice, and an extremely good one, at that.When you read this book, or re-read it – look at it with an eye of examining how the words are put together. It’s masterful. I’ve seen numerous examples, published and unpublished, of authors old and young(er) who were quite obviously influenced by any number of writers. Unfortunately, those writers, and I use the term as a point of reference only, did not choose to, OR HAVE THE ABILITY TO, string together words in such a way that was masterful. Or, for that matter, in any way approaching logic or sense or really, just sort of thrown in together in a way that made me quickly get to my used bookstore to trade in the item as fast as I could get rid of it. I’m talking about published writers who couldn’t string together simple sentences and throw in an adjective or two along the way, without getting twisted up and falling over their own ink. And I’ve seen experienced writers do that, too.Anybody can use their love of certain written works to come up with similar plot lines.Plagiarism, as I saw a couple of reviews in here glibly toss out (and I am certain that means that you, of course, never plagiarized any of your reports in high school or college, yes? of course it does 🙂 – is when someone steals another’s words and claims them as their own.Paolini doesn’t do that. The dust jacket, all press that I’ve read about him and his book, the publishers, his parents – everything I’ve read that promotes his book acknowledges in a broad metaphorical flag-waving right up front, Hey, Paolini was influenced BY – and gives a short list. That’s not plagiarism.Also, ideas are not copyrighted. Words are. Ideas are not. Gilgamesh had an epic journey of good and evil. It’s been going on for thousands of years in the written world. If we are going to start pointing fingers at who copied whom, or who had the original idea, I’m afraid you’re going to have to point a finger at Tolkien and Lewis and McCaffrey. No writer for centuries has been able to avoid being influenced, to some degree, by those who have gone before.It’s why writing is considered to be immortal, in a sense. Your words live on.And the words – oh my, Paolini’s words. Look at how they are put together. Look at the rich description. That’s not plagiarized. That IS original. Look at how he puts together ideas and plots and describes emotions, characters, colors, scents, the change of seasons, the change of terrain – that is all original. The WAY in which he put together his words, is original to him. It’s his personal writing voice. Everybody has a writing voice. Some voices ought to be quiet, frankly, because they are that bad. Some voices should be trumpeted.Paolini’s should be trumpeted.Gosh, you picked up a book that clearly, upfronts notes that Paolini was influenced by Tolkien, then you sit there and smugly type “Hey, ooobbbbbviously he was influenced by Tolkien” – well, gosh. You’re like, Einstein. Of course, that would mean you got the idea of being Einstein, from Einstein. :)Look at the words. Look at how they are put together. Look at how Paolini crafts – yes, he crafts, he’s an artist in the most precise sense – the words.Can you do that?Because I’m not seeing it in the evidence of some of your reviews. Or perhaps it was an off-day.Look – really look – at how the words are put together. It is art. It is truly art.

Great experience! The books arrived in excellent condition and matched the description perfectly. Shipping was smooth and faster than expected. Really happy with the purchase — thank you for helping me complete my collection!

Most readers have heard by now that Fifteen-year-old Christopher Paolini began writing Eragon in a notebook while sitting on the couch. His youth can be seen in his writing, his plot is at times clichéd and often formulaic. However, having said that, I enjoyed the novel. The setting Paolini creates is comprehensive, with detailed back-story, geography and laws that rule his imaginary world. (Yes, some of these laws are borrowed from other authors.) The characters of this world, in comparison to the movie are much fuller and more developed. Paolini has stated that he carefully plotted the story and I did find it formulaic but also classic.Like any author he has read and was clearly influenced by other fantasy and science fiction authors. Others have criticized Paolini for incorporating ideas from other authors into his work. I would agree that he obviously does this and, from a more mature author, I would expect more subtlety. He is open about many of the authors that have influenced him and lists some on his website.Eragon is not fantasy in the class of The Lord of the Rings or The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe but I asked myself, would I have enjoyed this book if I had known nothing about the author? My answer is yes. For me his youth only adds to the enjoyment I receive from his work. To have created a fine story while only a teenager makes me wonder what he will achieve in twenty years.As I suggested earlier, I did not find the movie enjoyable but Eragon, the book, is an excellent first novel by a fine new author. I look forward to Eldest and all his future stories.Recommendation: Read the book but skip the movie.Kyle Pratt

I thought this was terrific! I can’t believe that the author began riding it when he was so young. It’s a cracking good story.

Tracking down this series for my christmas for my dad. This arrived in good time and seems good quality, cds look like they’ll need a bit of a clean up but just a quick wipe-down. Arrived earlier than I thought they would.

Great resource for the new test! I grabbed this to help tutor students who began taking the old test, but are now a bit nervous about the new one. It helps to see lots of examples and be able to talk about them with this book in front of us.

Seems to be very helpful. It’s much bigger than I expected

My son used this book to prep for the ACT and it helped him SO much. He spent 40min a day for two weeks going through this and he felt like it prepared him a lot. He was able to brush up on things he had forgotten (especially in Math, he said) and was better able to anticipate what the real test would be like. It also taught him several strategies to help him manage his time during the test. He just took the real ACT this week and left feeling really confident, and said he for sure would not have done as well if he hadn’t prepared with this book. Now we just have to wait “2-8 weeks” to find out how he did!

This book has been helpful, the advertised 8 tests is misleading. There are four practice tests in the book and the same four tests are available online, there ARE NOT 8 different practice tests. All in all, my sons scores are improving with each practice test, with the help of the suggestions in the book.

As advertised. The book arrived in pristine condition.Actually, this book is way thicker than it appeared to be in the advertisement. I just hope my daughter can get through it in time.

The audacity of this book is pretty astounding. First, it is only 4 tests, when previous versions of this same book have included 6, with even more online. Second, one of those 4 tests is the exact same as the test that is available for FREE on the ACT website as both a digital and PDF practice test. So this book is really only 3 “new” tests. Third, they aren’t actually new Enhanced ACTs, they are rearranged versions of previously released tests. Yes, they do have updated curves, but they are not new questions. Forth, the advertised 4 online practice tests are actually the SAME tests as in the book! And for all of this, the ACT has the audacity to charge full price for a “new” book? I knew big changes were coming when ACT, Inc. got bought by private equity and officially became a for profit company, but I did not see it being this bad. I sincerely hope the ACT follows the lead of the College Board and makes more practice material available for free on their website.

I am an award winning test prep tutor with over ten years of experience. I have used a lot of books over the years. I had a favorite for the previous exam format. This book is an amazing resource for preparing for the newly redesigned exam. My students are enjoying the layout of the strategies and rules. My only suggestion would be to add a quick set of answers for every exam like the first exam in the book. The others only have the long explanations.

As a long time test tutor (20+ years) I did read the other reviews by tutors and acknowledge their concerns. I will say, however, that I have a plethora of practice tests from over the last 10 years and there are many repeated questions or questions that are almost identical with a few minor changes. So the main thing that one should be looking for in this book is the new format that students will be using. It is substantially different from the former test and it is absolutely something students need to get use to. Because I happen to focus primarily or strategy and technique and much less on content when I use this particular resource, it is sufficient for my needs at this time. Hopefully as we go forward we will get some newer content but for the first book by this company with the new tests in it, I think this book does the job.

Thanks to this book, my son is the at the top of his class when it comes to reading. He blew the teacher away at his reading assessment. She said that once he blew through a late-2nd-grade book, and only slightly struggled through a 3rd grade book she simply stopped the test and assigned him to the advanced reading for 1st grade. I am one proud mommy! But please don’t think I am boasting about my kid. He’ smart, but he’s not a prodigy. I am raving about this book!!! It’s absolutely incredible.For those who think it’s tedious or too technical, that may be. But even though many lessons, especially the early ones, are super easy, and the steps feel like overkill, it’s about HOW the brain processes and builds on information. You are building a foundation for how the brain processes reading, and it happens without you even noticing. I’m not just amazed with what my son can read, but HOW he reads. He knows how to work out a new word and he almost always gets it right. This book hasn’t just taught him to read, but how to think about words. It’s something I never thought about, and I am so grateful. These are skills that will carry on throughout his educational career and help him not just succeed, but excel. He enjoys reading because he knows how to do it and doesn’t rely on words he has memorized. I know I’m not explaining this well. Perhaps someone can comment and help elaborate.TL;DR Your kid will learn to LOVE reading because the mystery is solved. Get this book. Power through it. You won’t regret it. I recommend starting as soon as your kid turns 4.UPDATE: I just had a parent teacher conference with my son’s First Grade teacher, and she was telling us how well he’s doing not just with reading, but sounding out words, putting word parts together, and reading comprehension. I know that she and my son’s Kindergarten teacher taught him a lot, but I also KNOW that he got the solid foundation for those skills from this book. I want to jump in and tell every teacher about it! But sadly they never seem to care much. I think they think I’m over-exaggerating and believe that they are the ones that taught my son to read so well. Well my 4 1/2 year old is now going through it and he’s already reading at an end-of-Kindergarten level (and we’re on lesson 32). I’m also starting with my 3 1/2 year old and she’s sounding things out on her own after only 6 lessons. These are three kids with very different personalities and very different learning styles. I strongly believe that this book can work for anyone. I do change up some of the wording a bit to suit each kid’s different style, but that comes easily now that I know the book so well. I hope that this review helps others to make the choice to buy and USE this book. :)UPDATE #2:I just want to add one more little tidbit. My middle child is left handed and he is showing a strong tendency to write in mirror writing (backwards lettering and from right to left). This book has been helpful in teaching him to write correctly. When he writes on his own accord I don’t correct him as I have no problem with him learning mirror writing as well, but when it comes to “school time” he has to do it the conventional way, which I tell him he needs to learn for Kindergarten. He would probably get this from any reading course, but I like how this book has the child follow the sounds/words with their finger and trace them too before writing. They really do cover everything and I can see how this book would be helpful for any child having difficulty, no matter how unique it may be. 🙂 With the way it is laid out you are able to emphasize what you need to customize lessons if needed.UPDATE #3As if my review wasn’t already too long! But my kids are now in 1st, 2nd and 4th grade and I just have to say that HOW this book teaches your child to read truly sticks with them. They are still all excellent readers for their grade level. Now that my oldest is in 4th (he’s the first kid I wrote about at the beginning of this review) the other kids are starting to catch up. He’s reading at an end-of-fourth-grade reading level.My favorite aspect of this book is how they treat letters as blending sounds from the very beginning as greatly helped. In school they learn first the sounds, then they learn to blend. By the time they get to blending the kid thinks they have it all figured out and then they have to learn all over again! Blending should always be a part of letter learning. In this book, they are not “letters,” they are always “sounds”. Such a small differences that is invaluable! To this day whenever my kids are stuck we go back to the sounds and they can figure it out. Even when they start talking about the letters I say, “No, what is the SOUND?” It always helps the word “click”. In this way they can sound out almost any word aside from all the lovely rule-breaking words we have in our language!

This review will be continuously updated as we progress through the 100 lessons. I will make a new update every 20 lessons.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Son’s Age: 5 1/2Ability to read at start: Knew ABCs and most of the phonics. Had never read words on his own.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~As the parent (or instructor), please take time to truly read the introductory pages. They go over why this method works and how long it took them to achieve success with all the children they tested this book’s method on. It took years of revisions of the method until they reached the one used in this book. It gives very specific instructions on how to teach, the tone to use, how to correct mistakes, pronunciation, etc. Success hinges on the parent’s ability to teach correctly. If we don’t put in the effort, it will fail. PERIOD.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(2/16/18)Lessons 1-20: Let me start by being perfectly honest with you. The first 5 lessons were tortuous for both me and my 5 year old son. He does not like to sit still, he does not like to repeat things over and over again, and it was extremely confusing for both him and myself as we began this book. I was still getting used to the teaching aspect, and he was getting used to the sitting still and repeating sounds over and over and over again. I nearly gave up after the first 5 days. You may want to as well. PERSEVERE!We pushed on, and I adjusted my attitude from one of impatience to one of encouragement. I put excitement in my voice. I offered incentive (more on that later) for completing a week’s worth of lessons. We kept at it.Around Lesson 8, something changed in my son. He caught on. A switch flipped in his little mind and he began putting the pieces together about slowly sounding out the letters without pausing…and noticing how he was suddenly READING A WORD! He was stunned. I was stunned. The method works, everyone. It is monotonous and repetitive, but it works. Sounding out the words without pauses between each letter is brilliant. The dot method used in this book is brilliant. He uses his fingers to move to each new dot and sound and it keeps his mind on track.This book has no frills. It looks boring and nothing like we’d think to buy for a small child. There are no colors or brilliant pictures. But it keeps their minds focused on the words and letters.This book is very quick. You can knock out lessons in 10-15 minutes once you’ve gotten the hang of them. We do them in carline as we wait to pick up his older sister from school.We’re on Lesson 20, currently. My son has gone from not being able to read ANY words, to reading MANY words (2-4 letters) with ease.I’ve added on BOB Books after each lesson, and they are the perfect addition to these lessons. He has BLAZED through 2 boxes of BOB Books, and has begun picking them up and reading them on his own. I AM STUNNED.IT WORKS. Don’t give up in the beginning because it is hard and frustrating, but I PROMISE, if you’re doing your job and find a way to keep your child engaged (ENCOURAGE ENCOURAGE ENCOURAGE!)…they’ll soon be so proud of what they can do! Updates on further lessons and progress to come!——————————–UPDATE 3/11/18We are now up to Lesson 47. There have been many days where my son is doing so well and enjoying his progress so much that we do an additional lesson that day. I must say that this is truly shaping up to be the best book I could have ever bought for my son. I am stunned at the progress he is making!He knows the sounds well and can say them quickly without thinking. He is remembering old words and is able to quickly sound out new words due to his knowledge of the letter sounds. The orography used in the book is ingenious for helping little ones remember the different sounds some letters make.The lessons are all basically the same, but as the child progresses, they start to teach newer techniques such as “READING THE FAST WAY”. Admittedly, we stumbled at first. It’s a tricky thing to teach a young child to sound it out IN THEIR HEADS, and when the know the word, just say it fast. It took one or two days of frustration before he caught on….and now it’s no problem! If you think about it, that’s reading. We say the words in our head. This book just adds the step of having them say it out loud, too!Something I had thought about is addressed in the book as well. Some words are always said differently than how we sound them out. Words such as ‘SAID’ ‘TO’ ‘OF’. The book teaches the child to sound it out first (as they always should)…but to then explain that it’s a funny word that is spoken differently. There’s honestly no other way to teach this to a child other than some words in the English language are just weird, lol!I’m impressed and very encouraged at my 5 year old’s progress. New update around lesson 70!

The ATI TEAS Secrets Study Guide is an exceptional resource for anyone preparing for the TEAS 7 exam. This comprehensive prep book has everything you need to succeed, from six full-length practice tests with over 1,000 questions to step-by-step video tutorials that break down even the most complex topics. From the moment I started using this study guide, I felt more confident and prepared for my upcoming exam.One of the most impressive aspects of this guide is its thorough coverage of all the key subjects tested on the TEAS exam. Each section is meticulously organized and presented in a clear and concise manner, making it easy to understand and retain the information. The in-depth explanations and detailed answer keys for each practice question ensure that you fully grasp the concepts and know exactly where you need to improve.The practice tests are invaluable. They mirror the actual TEAS exam in format and difficulty, providing a realistic testing experience. The sheer number of practice questions allows for extensive practice and review, which is crucial for building the confidence and stamina needed for exam day. Additionally, the detailed score reports help identify strengths and weaknesses, enabling focused and efficient study sessions.The step-by-step video tutorials are another standout feature of this study guide. These videos provide visual and auditory learners with an alternative way to grasp the material, making complex topics more accessible and easier to understand. The instructors are engaging and knowledgeable, breaking down difficult concepts into manageable parts and offering practical tips and strategies for mastering the exam.The study guide is designed with the student in mind, offering a structured and supportive approach to test preparation. The inclusion of both detailed written explanations and visual aids caters to a variety of learning styles, ensuring that every student can benefit from this resource. The user-friendly layout and comprehensive content make studying less daunting and more effective.For anyone serious about acing the TEAS 7 exam, the ATI TEAS Secrets Study Guide is a must-have. It combines detailed content, realistic practice tests, and engaging tutorials to provide a top-notch study experience.

As someone preparing for the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) 7th Edition, I understand the importance of having a reliable study guide to ace this challenging exam. Fortunately, I stumbled upon the Mometrix Test Preparation’s ATI TEAS Secrets Study Guide, and let me tell you, it’s been a game-changer in my preparation journey.What sets this study guide apart is its thoroughness and attention to detail. It covers all the essential topics across the Reading, Math, Science, and English Language Usage sections, ensuring that no stone is left unturned. From key ideas and details in reading to numbers and algebra in math, human anatomy and physiology in science, and conventions of standard English in language usage – every aspect of the exam is meticulously addressed.One of the standout features of this guide is the inclusion of six full-length practice tests with detailed answer explanations. These practice tests not only simulate the actual exam experience but also help in identifying strengths and areas needing improvement. The explanations provided for each answer are clear and concise, making it easy to understand the underlying principles and reasoning.Furthermore, the addition of over 180 step-by-step video tutorials is a godsend for visual learners like myself. These tutorials cover difficult concepts in a way that is easy to grasp, ensuring that I am fully prepared to tackle any question that comes my way on exam day. Additionally, the math practice question video solutions for two practice tests are immensely helpful in reinforcing mathematical concepts and problem-solving strategies.I appreciate that the guide also addresses strategies for new question types that appear in the 7th edition of the TEAS exam. This demonstrates the guide’s commitment to staying up-to-date with the latest test outlines and ensuring that test-takers are well-prepared for any curveballs thrown their way.In conclusion, the Mometrix ATI TEAS Secrets Study Guide is a must-have for anyone serious about passing the TEAS exam with flying colors. Its comprehensive content, practice tests, video tutorials, and clear explanations make it an invaluable tool in achieving success. I highly recommend investing in this guide to maximize your chances of acing the TEAS and reaching your education and career goals.

Bought this book to study for my ATI TEAS test and I can honestly say it’s been a great study guide to my test. If you need to prepare for this test make sure to grab your Momentrix Test Preparation guide for the ATI teas 7 it has six full length practice test along with over 1000+ questions and step by step video tutorials. Thank me later

My daughter likes this book, it’s good

My daughter loves this book, which helped her prepare SAT a lot!

Our daughter is a freshman who can’t wait to get ahead and this is giving her great practice and an idea of what the test will be like

Great resource for SAT preparation

Exactly as described, satisfied with this purchase.

Good

Very good improvement and simple

Very useful – has sample tests and answers

Excellent book for teens to retirees who love the outdoors! It is the first book in a series of books that are clean and exciting. Read the whole series. Possibly more appropriate for men and boys, but my wife also thoroughly enjoyed them all.

It’s an inspiring book that makes me want to live as passionately as Brian. Easy vocabulary, good story, happy ending!

Reading this as an adult was full of nostalgia and love for reading. One of the first books I vividly remember reading.

I ordered this book after seeing a meme that asked viewers to choose between certain survival gear if stranded on an island. Many people referred to this book. The book is targeted to young teenage boys and would make a lot of sense to someone with Boy Scout and camping experience. I think the main character’s ability to survive was attributable an unrealistic number of events/outcomes that worked in his favor and the factors that would have made his experience more difficult were never part of the story.

Hatchet is one of the best books for young readers – and their parents! Our family read the book out loud when our kids were about 6 & 8. Our boys really loved the survival stories of Brian who was stranded in the Canadian woods. Great adventure story!

Great book for children on survival.

Strongly encourage all readers to pick this one up.True authentic story of survival, will and determination.Just a timeless classic for young adults/juveniles and even adults like myself.I have read this book many times and it never disappoints.Gary Paulsen is a fantastic author.

Review # 1239 with 1238 posted 15 days ago about “Hatchet,” a book written 20 years ago by Gary Paulsen–The point is: What new thing can I say about such a book? The answer is probably nothing with the point being that Amazon allows each of its customers an individual voice, despite how many there might be.As a children’s librarian (including those middle school children), I know that “Hatchet” is a great recommended read for reluctant readers for whatever reasons. Why haven’t I read this book, I continued to ask myself. So–this summer I asked my great-niece and -nephew, 12 and 10, if we could all read and discuss this book? All agreed, no one finished. Here’s how the first couple of chapters go: Brian, aged 13, is flying to a remote area in Northern Canada to stay with his dad. Because the area is so remote, a private plane must be hired. That means one pilot, one passenger in a tiny two-seater. Then, as it so happens from time to time in the real world–out of nowhere, the pilot has a heart attack and dies. In a rush of panic, Brian takes over and flies the plane until fuel runs out. Then he must land. Therein lies the difficulty. With so many lakes and rivers in the Canadian wilderness, where he is, at that point and moment in space and time, reveals an unsatisfactory water bed, but he must land anyway. Water is like concrete to a flying object on impact. Brian hits his head and wrenches his whole body in the crash, but he makes it out and swims to shore in icy water.Now that’s an exciting beginning. Who wouldn’t want to read further, but I didn’t. Finally, when I discovered that none of us had finished the book, I picked it up again and continued reading. At exactly that point begins one incredible episode after the other in Brian’s personal and up close experience with a life threatening adventure. A city boy, Brian knows nothing about survival skills or even simple camping. What resources he calls on are two: television programs and a teacher’s mantra that each of us is the person to most rely on.As an aside, Paulsen spent a few nights camping in his backyard, using stones and sticks to start a fire. Finally, his wife asked what in the world was he doing? (I think this is just a neat story to relate about the background for his book and not really true.) He replied, “Trying to start a fire.” “Well, why don’t you just use matches?” she asked. “I don’t have any,” he responded.And neither did Brian, so the description of his efforts to start a fire ring true–because they are. In his two month sojourn (not intentional, mind you), Brian meets a bear, fool birds, chokeberries, a crazed elk, rabbits, a tornado, and a continuing incredible (but believable) array of obstacles and milestones and little victories.Brian fully expected to be rescued within 24 hours until he remembered how off-course he probably flew the plane himself. Hours turned into days, days into weeks, and …. I wish I could comment on the ending because I have some things to say, but in whatever subtle way I said it, I would reveal spoilers. Allow me this: I had been right there with Brian the whole way. The ending stunned me. I mean it–I was stunned!Because of the ending I began researching what else Paulsen had written, and discovered more Brian books. I cannot say anything about them either, but I’ve ordered them for my school library.Now I know why I can recommend this book to reluctant readers–and of course, anyone who loves a good story!! Hatchet? Didn’t I mention it? It’s really not the hatchet that saves Brian for so long–it is Brian himself wielding the hatchet. This book is definitely a great read!

The content was as expected.

This is a smaller sized study guide.

Great book helped me get a 1500 on the SAT and a 1400 on the PSAT. All the material in there was very helpful and also provided a lot of guidance to the digital SAT.

This book is an excellent resource for anyone preparing for the SAT. The explanations throughout each section are extremely clear and easy to understand, making even the more challenging concepts feel approachable. The strategies are practical, straightforward, and designed in a way that students can apply them immediately. I also appreciated how the practice questions closely mirror the style and difficulty of the actual SAT, which makes studying feel much more realistic and effective.One of the highlights for me was the inclusion of full-length practice tests. They provide a true test-day experience and help build confidence, stamina, and familiarity with the exam format. The book also breaks every topic down step-by-step, so nothing feels overwhelming. Whether you need to strengthen your math skills, improve reading comprehension, or learn test-taking techniques, this guide offers thorough support in all areas.Overall, it’s a well-organized, comprehensive, and up-to-date study tool. I would highly recommend it to any student looking for a complete resource to help them feel fully prepared for the SAT.

I would defiantly recommend all students that are about to take the SAT to invest in this book, I wish something like this was around when I was in High School!Not just the prepping for the SAT test, that’s a given but now that it is digital…it is shorter period, plus the system will adjust to how well scored in first section then applies it to second section, now that is worth it.Lastly, this book has every prep test there is so no more or less nervousness on test day, it’s also has a timer, highlighter, a calculator, and more. So, no more hauling sharpened pencils with good erasers, scrap paper, or calculators….it is all built into the app.So yes I’d highly recommend this book and thank you Optimal Prep Publishing for writig it.

SAT Test prep- this book guides you through the digital SAT, which is different than the older paper SAT. Differences include digital is a bit shorter and in the different modules, if you do less well in module 1, you will get a different module 2 with a cap on your score. Very individualized, which is impressive. The test includes reading, writing and math both with and without an included calculator. There are tips about how to manage time on the test. Then there are 15 practice tests, The answer keys are after each test with a short annotation explaining the answer. This book finished with a “what to do next” segment, how to know what to study and how to prepare for the real test. This book is full of valuable information with up to date tools.

I don’t know about you….. But I have test anxiety galore. Number one to be on a computer to take a test is so much more reasonable than to take a test with a pencil and a paper. It’s about time we stepped into the new age. It is so much more organized to make it easier for you to accomplish successfully, your SAT test. I say, if you have to take your sats, this is your new Bible. You have numerous chances and different tests to practice. Practice makes perfect! Come on, you can do this.Try this new book on your computer to pass successfully.Your SAT test. This is all you will need to accomplish your SAT. I challenge you, prove me wrong……….

I believe this book to be a scam, or at best written by a neanderthal. And I’m trying to be nice and honest for anyone interested in this book.The questions presented in this prep book will not support you in any way. The passages in the Reading and Writing section are at maximum TWO sentences, and are not cited from real texts. Look at the first paragraph of this review. That’s basically this book’s idea of a ‘passage’. The Math section only covers basic Algebra 1 and Geometry problems. This book is missing the Trigonometry, Advanced Math, and Statistics sections. With no exaggeration, that’s about 70% of the Digital SAT not on this book.If you planned on buying this, don’t. If you already bought it, return it. If you bought it and can’t return it, I guess you can put it to good use. There are some good questions as a warm-up for the elementary kids. Or use it as a fire-starter.

This is an easy read and science based. They give you the cognitive research behind what they are saying. It is a must read for anyone who teaches or mentors.

Summary of the key concepts in the book:Conventional Wisdom: Make learning easyBest practice: Design learning with desirable difficultiesDiscussion: “Learning is deeper and more durable when it is effortful.” “Difficulties that elicit more effort and that slow down learning… will more than compensate for their inconvenience by making the learning stronger, more precise, and more enduring. Short-term impediments that make for stronger learning have come to be called desirable difficulties.” “Don’t assume you are doing something wrong if the learning feels hard.” “Not all difficulties in learning are desirable ones. Anxiety while taking a test seems to represent an undesirable difficulty.” Slow down to find meaning. Always read prior to the lecture. “Training has to be engaging in order to hold employees’ attention.”Conventional Wisdom: Concentrate on one topic at a time (aka. massed practice)Best practice: Interleave different but related topicsDiscussion: “Learning from interleaved practice feels slower than learning from massed practice.” While interleaving can impede performance during initial learning (tests taken immediately after exposure), interleaving has been show to boost “final test performance by a remarkable 215 percent.” In addition, “commonalities… learned through massed practice proved less useful than the differences … learned through interleaving.” “In interleaving, you don’t move from a complete practice set of one topic to go to another. You switch before each practice is complete… You need to shuffle your flashcards.”Conventional Wisdom: Reread material multiple times and in close successionBest practice: Space repetitionDiscussion: “Repetition by itself does not lead to good long-term memory… It makes sense to reread a text once if there’s been a meaningful lapse [at least a day in between] since the first reading.” “The increased effort required to retrieve the learning after a little forgetting has the effect of retriggering consolidation, further strengthening memory.” “Design quizzing and exercises to reach back to concepts and learning covered earlier in the term, so that retrieval practices continues and the learning is cumulative.” Spiral upward at increasing levels of difficulty with each re-exposure.Conventional Wisdom: Reread to lock-in knowledgeBest practice: Focus on effortful recall of facts or concepts or events from memory (aka. Retrieval practice)Discussion: “Retrieving knowledge and skill from memory should become your primary study strategy in place of rereading.” There are many methods of retrieval practice. Elaboration, expressing new material in your own words and connecting it with what you already know to find new layers of meaning, for instance by writing daily summaries, is the most effective. Moreover, “cultivating the habit of reflecting on ones’ experiences, of making them into a story, strengthens learning.” Essays and short answer tests are the next most effective durable learning strategies because they involve “Generation… an attempt to answer a question… before being shown the answer”, followed by practice with flash cards, reflection, and, least effective though still useful, multiple choice or true/false questions. To foster this, convert main points into questions to answer during subsequent studying rather than (or in addition to) highlighting and underling,Conventional Wisdom: Conduct pop-quizzes and high-stakes post-testing with a goal toward errorless resultsBest practice: Conduct frequent, predictable, low-stakes testing (including pre-testing)Discussion: “Trying to solve a problem before being taught the solution leads to better learning, even when errors are made in the attempt.” In fact, “making mistakes and correcting them builds the bridges to advanced learning.” In addition, frequent quizzing – especially when quizzes are announced in advance – actually reduces learner anxiety. With respect to anxiety, the peak-end rule applies; people judge experiences based on how they were at the peak and at the end. Appreciate that “errors are a natural part of learning.” “Make quizzing and practice exercises count toward the course grade, even if for very low stakes.” Set “clear learning objectives prior to each class.”Conventional Wisdom: Match instructional style to each learner’s preferenceBest practice: Match instructional style to the nature of the contentDiscussion: While people do have preferred learning styles (ex: visual, auditory, kinesthetic, tactile), empirical research does not support the notion that learning in your preferred style leads to superior outcomes. “When instructional style matches the nature of the content, all learners learn better, regardless of their differing preferences for how the material is taught.”Conventional Wisdom: MemorizeBest practice: Extract underlying principles (aka “rule learning” and “structure building”)Discussion: “It is better to solve a problem than to memorize a solution.” “Mnemonic devise are sometimes discounted as tricks of memory, not tools that fundamentally add to learning, and in a sense this is correct. The value of mnemonics to raise intellectual abilities comes after mastery of new material.”Conventional Wisdom: Learn abstract conceptsBest practice: Learn using methods and examples that are concrete and personalDiscussion: “The kind of retrieval practice that proves most effective is one that reflects what you’ll be doing with the knowledge later. It’s not just what you know, but how you practice what you know that determines how well the learning serves you later.” Simulations and role-playing are excellent techniques. “Difficulties that don’t strengthen the skills you will need, or the kinds of challenges you are likely to encounter in the real-world application of your learning, are not desirable.” “Practice like you play, because you will play like you practice.” “Sustained deliberate practice… [is] goal-directed, often solitary, and consists of repeated striving to reach beyond your current level of performance.”Conventional Wisdom: Read without pausingBest practice: Spend 40% of time reading and 60% of time “looking up from the material and silently reciting” what it contains.Conventional Wisdom: Provide immediate feedbackBest practice: Delay feedbackDiscussion: “Delaying the feedback briefly produces better long-term learning than immediate feedback.” That said, receiving immediate corrective feedback is better than receiving no feedback at all.Conventional Wisdom: Review all concepts equallyBest practice: Disproportionately focus on the least familiar material (aka dynamic testing)Discussion: To increase frequency of practice on less familiar material without completely ignoring the most familiar material, use the Leitner box method. “Think of it as a series of four file-card boxes. In the first are the study materials… that must be practices frequently because you often make mistakes in them. In the second box are the cards you’re pretty good at, and that box gets practiced less often than the first, perhaps by half. The cards in the third box are practiced less often than those in the second box, and so on.”Conventional Wisdom: Accept that IQ is fixedBest practice: Focus on mindsetDiscussion: “Average IQs have risen over the past century with changes in living conditions… IQ is a product of genes and environment” including increased stimulation, nurturing, nutrition “One difference that matters a lot is how you see yourself and your abilities. As the maxim goes, ‘Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.’” Adopt a growth mindset rather than a fixed mindset; “consider your expertise to be in a continuing state of development.” “Success is less dependent on IQ than on grit, curiosity, and persistence.” Knowledge is a foundational element of creativity, critical thinking, and application. “The upper limits of your performance on any cognitive or manual skill may be set by factors beyond your control, such as you intelligence and the natural limits of your ability, but most of us can learn to perform nearer to our full potential in most areas by discovering our weaknesses and working to bring them up.” “Achieving expertise in any field if particular to that field… The central idea here is that expert performance is a product of the quantity of and the quality of practice, not of genetic predisposition, and that becoming expert is not beyond the reach of normally gifted people who have the motivation, time, and discipline to pursue it.”Conventional Wisdom: Trust your own sense of masteryBest practice: Calibrate your judgmentDiscussion: “Calibration is the act of aligning your judgments of what you know and don’t know with objective feedback so as to avoid being carried off by the illusions of mastery that catch many learning by surprise at test time.”Note: This book practices what it preaches with lots and lots of repetition. The authors are up-front about that but it does get well… repetitive.

Okay, well maybe I am overstating that a little. But the main “thesis” of Peter Brown’s book – aside from being a summary of what cognitive science data shows about how we learn – is basically that many of the things we often assume about learning are wrong. Here are some of them: we learn best by reading and rereading a passage until we really understand it. WRONG! We learn best when we isolate a skill and practice it over and over again. WRONG! We all have learning styles that are the way we learn best. WRONG! IQ (or something like it) imposes relatively firm limits on how much information we can absorb. WRONG!In this pretty easy-reading book, Peter Brown summarizes some of the latest findings in cognitive science, and many of these findings contradict what is often assumed about learning. First, many k-12 and college students are taught to (and do) use the ‘reread and highlight’ method to try and absorb content. Well, while this works to an extent, it leads more to an illusion of mastery than mastery. What works better? Read the content and quiz yourself; information retrieval is the key. Retrieving helps to build stronger connections in the brain that will lock information into memory. What’s more – and this is another chapter – the harder the retrieval, the stronger your retention of what is retrieved. (So, writing a short essay recalling the concepts works better than true/false and multiple choice recall.)Another myth? While we all certainly have learning preferences (I like to receive my information in written form), that doesn’t mean we learn best when receiving information in that form (I can do as well when I receive information audibly as when it is written, even though I prefer the latter). Brown reviews literature that shows that, at least as of now, there is no evidence that shows that how one receives information substantially affects how well we learn the material (after all, hearing or reading a phone number is immaterial to what i am remembering: not the sound or sight of the number, but the number itself). But what they do find is that whether one is an “example learner” or a “rule learner” does have an impact in how well one learns. That is, those who see and practice a math problem and are able to see what the rules are behind the example and commit the rule, rather than the example, to memory will tend to learn better. Also, another factor that affects how well we learn is our mindset, whether we learn for mastery or learn for performance. Those who learn for performance – so that they can show how good they are – tend to tackle learning new things (things that might make them look bad) with trepidation, but those who learn for mastery aspire to acquire new skills openly, without regard to whether they will fail before mastering.These are just some of the lessons from this book. Whether you are a student, teacher, professor, coach, trainer, or any other professional whose job entails teaching others, this is a good book to have. (I’m a professor in a College of Education, and I definitely plan on allowing what I’ve gleaned from this book to inform my practice.) It is quite informative not only by way of learning theory, but backs up the theory with both empirics and suggestions for practice. Good one.

Classic read. So many different topics to discuss with my kids.

Still one of the only books to bring me to tears! Wonderful story of love, friendship, and coming of age.

This book.I remember reading it in 7th grade or so. Its one that you never forget. I was so moved by it that I had to share it with my kiddo. Fantastic story.

Definitely a great classic, I was assigned to read this book in the sixth grade. And it is still a favorite. I actually bought this for my son he was mad to have to read a “ primitive” book ????. But since I made him start it was nice to go by his room a few days later and see him laying in his bed reading instead of the phone or video game system. And now he is telling me the story as he reads, “they’re going to get that raccoon.” I wonder if he will cry when he get to the climatic point of the story…

Muy buen material

I personally have never read this book. Not sure how that happened, but I’ll chalk it up to fate intervening. However, my oldest son has recently read it and written up his first book report, which he would like to share on here for other kids considering picking this up.Be forewarned that there are spoilers throughout this review, because my son was writing a book report, so if you’d rather not know what happens in this novel, please do not read any further.In “Where The Red Fern Grows” by Wilson Rawls, a boy named Billy saves up $50.00 for two years to buy two hunting dogs. In this story, Billy is determined to train his dogs, Little Ann and Old Dan, to be the best. Nothing would stop Billy from achieving his goal.He started his journey in the middle of the night, alone and walked 30 miles to pick up the dogs. After a year of training Old Dan and Little Ann, he started hunting every night and then he took the coon skins to his grandfather’s store to sell. Once he spent 2 days chopping down a tree his dogs had treed a coon in. He would not leave the tree until he got the coon.Two mean boys challenged Billy to hunt down a ghost coon. After a long chase, the dogs treed it, but Billy did not want to kill it. There was a bad fight with the mean boys’ blue tick hound and Billy’s dogs., One of the brothers took Billy’s axe and fell on it and bleed to death. The other brother ran away in shock. Billy was sad about the bad accident.Billy’s grandfather entered his dogs in a big hunting contest where they spent a few days competing against other dogs. In the final day, there was a blizzard while they were hunting and the dogs nearly froze to death circling a tree they had chased the coon in to. Just like Billy, the dogs would not give up. Billy went home with 2 trophies and $300.00 prize money. Billy continued to hunt. One night the dogs came up against a mountain lion, who attacked them and Billy. Billy’s dogs saved his life but were severely injured. Billy’s father helped get the dogs home and Billy’s mother helped stitch up Old Dan. Old Dan died soon, and Little Ann found his grave and died there. In the spring, rare red ferns grew at the grave site..Billy grieved and asked God why the dogs had to die. He did not want any other dogs but Old Dan and Little Ann. Billy’s parents tried to make him feel better. His parents had always dreamed about moving to the city so the children could attend school. His father showed Billy the box of money he had been saving from all the coon skins he sold and the contest money. Thanks to Billy’s great love for his dogs and his success and determination, the family was able to move to the city.In this book, I learned to never give up no matter how hard it gets in life. I also learned to set a goal and try to achieve that goal.

I loved this book and I will continue to love this book with all my heart. This book is indeed a timeless classic. The writing is not at all complex and it flows very fluently, unlike Old Yeller which is written in a weird way of wording that does fit the way words were spoken back then. The story is plotted very well. I felt very connected to the characters during the entire book, and, at the beginning, I really wanted Billy to get the dogs because I really know how bad he wanted them. I like how the author describes the boy’s wanting of dogs as if it is an ever growing disease or injury for the boy. This book is just simply so good. Despite the ending, that made me cry ugly tears, I give it 5 stars! I wish I could give it 6 stars actually! And, honestly, I liked it much better than Old Yeller, which surprised me.

Never saw the movie and just reading this as a 39 yr old. This book is marvelous. Absolutely fantastic. I loved it so much. Try it!