Product Description
Eileen Peerless Power Skating Method offers proven techniques from a power skating expert that will help hockey skaters of all ages, abilities, and levels to improve power, speed, and overall performance on the ice.Relying on her nearly three decades of experience teaching hundreds of hockey players, Eileen Peerless shares practical skills that can be used in real game situations. Peerless divides her guidebook into three sections-balance, stride, and agility. She provides a solid foundation of step-by-step methods, team and individual drills, and clear illustrations that will help any hockey player develop into an excellent skater. Skaters will learn how to:• improve balance by developing better edge control and skate placement;• implement a strong, powerful stride that uses the body for strength;• master agility and increase speed by turning and stopping properly.Knowing where the body belongs in every skating maneuver is critical to improving skating technique, speed, and balance. Eileen Peerless Power Skating Method provides the kind of methods that, with practice and dedication, will lead both beginning and advanced hockey athletes to achieve unlimited success on the ice. ... Read more

Product Description
As a sport, an art, and a fitness activity, nothing quite beats figure skating for excitement, grace, beauty, or fun.Now former U.S. Champion figure skater John Misha Petkevich shows how you can find your full potential as a figure skater. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Excellent for beginners too
I started taking figure skating classes about a year ago. As an older student compared to the 9 year olds in my class, I found it very difficult to follow the class now that I'm on freestyle level. The kids in my class seems to be able to perform the moves without putting too much thought into it, but I found myself standing in the class and just watching them moving, and before I knew it, the class was over and I had spend the entire class just standing, freezing trying to understand the moves.

This book was so helpfull as it describes the moves in great detail. There are several diagrams so you know where your foot goes. Should I use the left, should I use the right foot? When you read the description of the moves you might not understand at first, but as you read and you practice the moves, it becomes an excellent tool. You can use the book together with some of the u-tube videos. You can watch the moves in the u-tube to have an idea, then you go to the book and break it down the moves. Then you are able to get it after practicing a lot! I recommend this book to anybody starting to learn a little bit more difficult moves and need some help.

Great for roller skaters too!
I'm ordering another copy, as somehow mine got lost in a move. Some of the names of things may differ between figure (ice) and artistic (roller) skating but the descriptions and photographs were very, very useful to me and waaaaaaaaaaah I'm very lost without my copy as there are very few artistic skating coaches in existence! So, yes! My toe stops are in a knot! This was a very useful book to me!

THE figure skating book
I have owned copies of this book for years and it has been my standby reference manual during training and recovery from injury. Inspirational and great step by step.

The travel of a book from USA to Spain
I received my book in the correct period of time, even before! And I live in Spain! The book is in perfect conditions.

mixed feelings
As a newbie skater, this book offers some good general info and advice as most instructional books do.
My main complaint is that the pictures are not descriptive enough to follow a sequence and, let's face it, it's tough to show movement in book form anyway.However, the other issue is that the text is hard to follow as well, if you are trying to learn about a new move.Naturally the text and the pictures make more sense when you already know the move and want to improve on it.
So, depending on your ice-skating skill level, your ability to decifer instructions and your imagination, you might say this book is skating on thin ice.
... Read more

Product Description
Figure skating, unique in its sublimely beautiful combination of technical precision, musicality, and interpretive elements, has undergone many dramatic developments since the only previous history of the sport was published in 1959. This exciting and information-packed new history by James R. Hines explains skating's many technical and artistic advances, its important figures, its intrigues and scandals, and the historical high points during its long evolution. Hines divides his history into three periods separated by the World Wars. In the first section, he follows functional and recreational ice skating through its evolution into national schools, culminating in the establishment of the International Skating Union and the ascendancy of an international style of skating.The second section explains the changes that occurred as the sport expanded into the form we recognize and enjoy today, and the final section shows how skating became increasingly athletic, imaginative, and intense following World War II, as the main focus turns to skaters themselves.The profiles include some 148 World and Olympic Champions as well as others who, in Dick Button's words, "left the sport better because they were in it." Beginning with mythological tales from twelfth- and thirteenth-century Scandinavians, Hines describes hundreds who have contributed to the sport. They include figure skating's patron saint Lydwina of Schiedam, whose late-fourteenth-century skating tumble has been documented in a woodcut; Ulrich Salchow and Axel Paulsen, who gave their names to distinctive jumps; Madge Syers, who entered and medaled at the previously all-male World Championships in 1902; and Sonja Henie, who took skating to the silver screen.The history ends with the 2002 skating season, when Maria Butyrskaya and Michelle Kwan commanded the most attention and an unfortunate judging decision rocked the pairs' competition, resulting in the adoption of a new judging system. Beyond the contributions of individual skaters, "Figure Skating" also traces the growth of competitions and show skating (professional and amateur), and discussions of relevant social, political, and ethical concerns that have affected the sport.Along with over seventy magnificent historical pictures spread throughout the book, a very special gallery features the picture of every world and Olympic champion. "Figure Skating" is an informative and inspiring resource, sure to be enjoyed by anyone who has ever skated recreationally or in competition as well as by the many fans who have this beautiful sport as spectators. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Nice book in good condition.
This book has all the information you could ever want about the history of figure skating.
Very nice book.

Less interesting than it could have been
This was ... pretty good ... but kinda like the little girl with the little curl. Where it's good it's really interesting. Where it's bad it just ... dull.Some sections the author goes into a lot of detail about skaters and events.Other sections read rather like a biblical geneology. "Jane Jones won in 1936 and Sue Smith won in 1937 and Mary Martin won in 1938 and 1939." Tell us MORE about Jane and Sue and Mary. What were their performances like? Who was the competition?

Skaters who were neither world nor olympic champions, even if their stories are interesting and they've made a major impact (i.e., Paul Wylie) barely rate a mention.

Many of the photos are posed shots rather than action photos, making it hard to picture what the events might have been like.

I did find it very interesting to read about synchronized skating and adult skating. (Having a friend who is involved in both, but knowing little about it, it was very enlightening.)

Well-written history without being sappy
This book will go over the heads of most skating fans and the author admits it.He even says that most books about figure skating fall into the category of "juvenile literature" because that's who's interested in them.

That said, it's a wonderful history of the sport - back to caveman days! - and goes into the story of things many people don't know about now, like school figures, or bat an eye at, like non-white skaters.The photos at the back are fascinating to look at because of the changes in clothing styles and the sport's transition from winter-only to year-round in the 1960s.There is also a chapter on skating teams, including foursomes, a phenomenon almost unique to Canadian skaters, with a bizarre picture of two men and two women doing a simultaneous death spiral.It looked, um, kinda kinky.The section on adult skating - competitive or not - was fun to read as well.Its participants range from late teens to seniors.

Little is said about scandals other than the infamous Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan thing, but the AIDS epidemic's impact on male skaters, a huge percentage of whom are gay, is hinted at simply because of the large number of men who died too young in the 1980s and 1990s.There is also a section on the plane crash that killed the entire 1961 U.S. skating team, their coaches, and some of their relatives, and led to the cancellation of that year's world championships and destroyed America's lead in this sport for many years afterwards.

I found it was not a book that I could just sit down and read, other than the chapters in the front, but rather looked things up in the index and went from there.

Enjoy!

Long overdue...a perfect 6.0
This is a brilliant book -- and sorely needed one for afficionados of the sport.At last -- a serious, scholarly, up-to-date history of figure skating!The book traces the history of sport (the development of skates, positions, moves, etc.) from its earliest days in the Middle Ages when skating was a practical way of getting around in Nordic countries, through the first skating clubs in Elizabethan England and its rise in popularity in the 19th century, and, especially, 19th century America.The book is well documented, with footnotes and photos of all the important figures (there's even a picture of St. Lydwina -- the Roman Catholic patroness of skaters!)It gives a descriptive accounts of figure skating moves (jumps, spins, spirals, school figures, etc.) and how they developed along with their inventors; it also focuses on innovators of the sport who may not have won any championships and the development of the scoring system.It is all-embracing in its approach describing the sport as found in Europe, the Americas and the sport's recent surge in Asia.It also includes an appendix with tables of all winners (up to the year 2005) for World, European, Olympic and various oher championships.There are photographs of every world and Olympic champion -- a nice added extra, as it helps reveal how much the sport has changed through the past century.This book is for those who are serious about the sport, follow it closely and are interested in detailed accounts of figure skating as a competitive sport with a noble history, and as entertainment -- qualities unique to skating.It's a terrific book -- and it's about time! ... Read more

Product Description
As the ice skating competition approaches, Coach Barbie helps Jane learn that ice skating is more about doing one's best and having a good time than it is about perfection. ... Read more

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In all of her roles -- athlete, wife, mother, role model, and cancer survivor -- Olympic gold medalist Peggy Fleming has relied upon the discipline she cultivated as a young skater. Now in this intimate memoir, she eloquently reveals her fascinating life story and shares her secrets to serenity and success.

The long Program

In the 1968 Olympic Winter Games Peggy Fleming not only captured the United States? only gold medal, but a country?s collective heart as well. A young woman who embodied both stunning athleticism and magnificent grace, Peggy Fleming reluctantly became an instant celebrity. In the decades that followed, she also triumphed off the ice -- commentating for ABC Sports and nurturing a long-standing marriage while raising two delightful sons.

But Peggy?s toughest challenge came in 1998 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Here, Peggy candidly details her courageous physical and emotional battle. She also explains how she ultimately prevailed, and why she became an outspoken, highly visible promoter of breast cancer awareness. Most important, she relates how every person?s life has its own version of the long program, those precious years that take little girls and turn them into wives, mothers, grandmas, and survivors. A compelling memoir that deserves the highest marks, The Long Program is both a portrait of a remarkable woman and a collection of inspiring lessons on how each of us can be our best. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

Peggy Fleming "The Long Program"
Too bland.While Peggy Fleming's skating style will always be my favorite, reading this book felt like an entertainer who never really connected with the audience.

The book attempts to cover a smattering of events in the author's life but it was too superficial to hold my interest.Here's two examples:

-- Peggy alludes to her mother's domineering personality and provides the example of taking control her wedding, but doesn't get into any of the details or how this made her feel.
-- Peggy also mentions a favorite marinated pork recipe that she enjoys making for her family, and it would've seemed fitting that the recipe be included but it wasn't.

I'm not sure what the focus or the purpose of this book was/is.Is it Peggy's philosphy?An instruction book?Her life story?I think if the author just focused on one of these things, it would've been more successful in both quality and sales.

what a lady
Well this book reflects what we see about Ms. Fleming in her television commentary - she is a lady in the true sense of the word.But if you're looking for an inside look at the politics of figure skating, keep looking.This is Peggy's personal story - there no juicy gossip (which says a lot about her as a person but would have made the book more interesting) - what I love the most is that she includes a copy of her choreography diagram for her 1968 figure skating program - It's interesting to see how they "write" out a figure skating program

A bit impersonal
I love Peggy Fleming -- she was talented, unspoiled, and professional as an athlete.But folks who want to get to know Peggy in depth willl need more than this autobiography.Fleming writes in a very impersonal tone, as if she is telling the story of another skater.While it is chockful of details about skating programs and locations, it lacks any real insight into what it FELT LIKE to be a 1960s Olympic athlete and her views on the skating world today.Fleming barely mentions the pressures that skating must surely have placed on her formative years, family life, social and personal development, and self esteem.The impact of the family's Peggy-focus on her sibilings is only lightly mentioned in brief paragraph.Indeed, the most interesting struggle Fleming appears to have had was finding skating outfits that were both pretty and modest.There is also little indepth analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the skating world today.Her commentary about the Harding/Kerrigan incident could have easily been made by a nonprofessional spectator.Fleming comes across as a nice person who speaks well of others and the sport, but lacks (or chooses to surpress) any kind of a critical eye to the controversies that have surfaced in the skating world (e.g., excessive pressure to excel, anorexia/bulimia, inside politics, etc.).It is a "nice" book, but Ms. Fleming remains a very private person which is not what one expects when the personal account of someone's life story!

Fleming's lack of depth is disappointing
Fleming's autobiography, The Long Program, does a poor and inadequate job of telling a potentially profound story. Fleming's words and descriptions do not give justice to the depth of many of the stories told throughout the novel. Tragedies such as the unexpected death of her coach in a plane crash, and the deaths of her parents are stated in a sentence or two, never getting into the emotions that surely surrounded the experiences. Readers looking for a first-hand recount of Fleming's experience with competitive skating should also beware. She just barely skims the surface of the pressures and glory of being an Olympic medal winner and World Championship title holder. Humorous and detailed stories that often liven up autobiographies are also few and far between. Due to the shallowness and straightforwardness of this book, I would not recommend it for anything higher than purely recreational reading when a few hours can be spared.

Insightful But Not Fascinating
When I first started reading this novel. I wasn't keen about reading it because The book seemed to be like A How to Skate book. Who is her favorite skaters and me this and me that. Until I read the chapter about Being Mom and the chapter about her fighting breast cancer. Those chapters were truly inspirational. Then I felt I knew the Real Peggy Fleming. So I'm giving it three stars. ... Read more

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Product Description
The village lake is frozen and crowded with skaters. Tim longs to skate,but try as he might, he only trips and falls. One night Tim wakes fromhis dreams, walks to the lake, and pulls on his skates amid mounds offluffy snow. Suddenly, the mounds move. They become soft, shy, snowybears! Skating bears. When the smallest one holds out his paw,Tim hugshim tight and learns to skate under a magical moon.

Charmingly illustrated and sumptuously embossed, this big, beautiful giftbook provides the perfect story for snuggly fireside sharing on a snowywinter’s eve. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent holiday gift.
Skating with the Bears is a wintertime treat. The illustrations are embossed and some are fuzzy and others sparkle so they literally leap from the page. The story of a young boy learning to skate is classic and filled with imagination and whimsy. Great for lap read with a toddler where they can touch the pages as you read. Excellent holiday gift. ... Read more

Product Description
Being coached by Eve Perry is the best thing that has ever happened to Lauren, even if the schedule makes her life hectic. And a few low grades at school aren't a big deal - right? WRONG! And to make matters worse, her best friend, Rebecca, is mad at her. Lauren realizes that she had better get her life in balance - and fast! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

It's about more than skating
My nine year old daughter loves this series of books. The stories address some of the issues and pressures as well as the joys of skating, including not always having enough funding for lessons or the most expensive dress, trying to keep up with schoolwork and even coping with sometimes fierce competition and petty jealousies. Its about the wonderful bonds of friendship that are made between coach and student as well as between the young skaters themselves. The stories also stress that hard work and commitment will lead to success - very encouraging and positive!

A fun book for the young skating fan and Michelle Kwan fan.
This the second in a series of books about young skater Lauren Wing [Michelle Kwan's middle name is Wing], a fictional character that seemspartially inspired by Ms. Kwan's story. The story is quite good. It isquite insightful into the life of a young skater. The cover's descriptionthat it is for ages 8-10 seems right [although I bet fans of all ages wouldenjoy the story]. It features in the middle of the book a wonderful picturepostcard of Michelle Kwan skating to her A Day In The Life program from the'99-'00 season. The book also features Ms. Kwan's answers to questionsabout her and her skating. Overall, highly recommended! ... Read more

Product Description
As Sectionals approach, Coach Perry hires a new choreographer for Lauren and Courtney. But the girls soon realize that Jon's strict style and choices for routines are just not right for them. For the first time ever, Lauren finds an ally in the ever-competitive Courtney--and together they find the confidence to stand up for themselves and confront their coach. ... Read more

Product Description
Coach Perry is taking on a new skating student and now Lauren will be sharing ice time with Courtney Reeves. Courtney is the same age as Lauren, but the two skaters could not be more different. At first, Lauren feels sorry for Courtney because she is so far from home and has to live with her aunt while she trains with Coach Perry. But Courtney is so unfriendly - a true Ice Princess! As Courtney and Lauren prepare for their first skating exhibition, Lauren starts to feel anxious. Now that Lauren has won a championship, can she live up to having a winning edge? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A review written by a figure sk8ter
I am a figure sk8ter and this book really wants to make you become a figure sk8ter but if you dont want to become a figure sk8ter, read it anyway! It makes you love figure sk8ting like i do. I am having a competition soon so i am trying to read alot of figure sk8ting books so i am more confident. This is my first ice competition so i am really nervous.

Totally Cool
This book is a skating book about Lauren and her friends.
It's deffinatly a must have for skating fans!!! ... Read more

Product Description
Describes figure skating, the skills needed for it, and ways to compete. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great for pre teen girls
This book is part of a great sports series for pre teen girls. The writer Heather is very cute! ... Read more

Product Description
The discovery of errant living notes escaped from an extradimensional symphony leads Spellsinger Jon-Tom and his otter sidekick, Mudge, on a perilous quest to rescue some spoiled princesses, battle a guerrilla gorilla, and match wits with an evil alien band. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Back to the well once ... twice too often
The Spellsinger series started out very strong. While the first two volumes (covering a single story) fell squarely into the trek-across-dangerous-weird-terrain category, the Wizard's World was fun, entertaining, and very believable. It was also surprisingly dark for a furry world, and touched on issues like racism and poverty. All said, it was a masterpiece. Day of the Dissonance was similar.

Moment of the Magician and Paths of the Perambulator were closer to being standard light fantasy. Both seemed built around a handful of set-pieces and jokes instead of a plotline, but since the set-pieces were cool and the jokes were funny this was OK.

Since that time the series has fallen more towards repetition, gag endings to serious problems, and the formerly solid barrier between the Wizard's World and Earth being about as solid as a sponge. The last three books in the series get a Piers Anthonyish vibe, with the introduction of unappealing one-note characters, situations set up just for the sake of a single pun, and -- worst of all -- total lack of exploitation of the possibilities of the world.

Time of the Transference was still readable, even if the characters themselves kept complaining about the lack of originality in the plot. Son of Spellsinger was unrelievedly horrible, with an unappealing substitute lead, a pointless quest, a bad supporting cast and a shaggy-dog-story ending.

Then we come to Chorus Skating. Thankfully, we're back to the duo of Jon-Tom and Mudge, with Buncan and his cohort shipped off to boarding school. Unfortunately, their adventure will consist into bumbling from situation to situation, exploring the usual mundane "fantastic lands," and finally confronting a villain who comes out of nowhere and is only a personified dumb joke.

I lost my entire library a couple of years ago. I've gone to great lengths to replace the first six books in the series (I didn't like Time, but it did give the series closure). There's no way I'm replacing the last two. I'd rather personally believe that Foster recognized that the series was going downhill during the writing of #6 and chose to end it on a satisfying note ... the last two books are just going through the motions, and badly at that.

all good things come to an end [no spoilers]
"Chorus Skating" is the eighth and final volume in the Spellsinger adventure about Jon-Tom and colleague Mudge.

Back cover of book:

We're talking 'bout - bad, BAD, BAD BAD VIBRATIONS!

Spellsinger Jon-Tom is not in search of the Lost Chord; he's found it; living notes adrift from some extradimensional chorus line, fugitive from an otherworldly unfinished symphony.And the errant air wants Jon-Tom to follow it - right off a clef, into deadly peril.

For a minor key adventure turns major as Jon-Tom, his otter pal Mudge, and the schizo scherzo rescue a gaggle of spoiled princesses, battle the compulsions of a bizarre bazaar, wage war on a guerrilla gorilla, are sucked into a mocking maelstrom - and are trapped by an evil alien band who plan the ultimate musical rip-off, plunging the universe into the sounds of silence.Now, unless Jon-Tom's magic can conquer the airwaves, the hills will be alive with the sounds of an evil wizard who writes the songs that make the whole world?

Scream!

End back cover of book.

Sadly when Jon-Tom has begun to truly master his magical music, the series ends.I thoroughly enjoyed the novels for their creativity and humor.As far as final volumes go, the book finishes strong and is better than I remember.The return of Jon-Tom and Mudge is a huge relief and doesn't fail to entertain.Unfortunately, the back cover gives away too many of the obstacles encountered during the story.

As a fan of the classical, rock, and heavy metal music genres, I find the magic Jon-Tom creates with his duar exciting since I believe a well-constructed song can affect people with its intensity and power in a primal aspect.

Thank you.

A delightful encore excursion into the Spellsinger world
I'm not exactly certain why this book is so reviled by even the most ardent fans of the Spellsinger series, because it really is, for all extents and purposes, an absolutely stunning adventure, wrought with concise care.It plunges our beloved heroes, Jon-Tom and Mudge, into a topsy-turvy adventure on par with any book in the original sextet.Wonderful, silly, and an all-around good read.

Chorus Skating
This book is the second book in the Son of Spellsinger series by Alan Dean Foster.It is the first book of his that I had ever read but it has made me a fan of his books for life.The book has distinct undertones of socialcommentary; but its most distinctive feature is its ability to make thereader laugh.For any Fantasy fans who are ready for just plain oldfashioned fun, this book is a delightful read. ... Read more

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Let Little Critter® take your child on a reading adventure!

Customer Reviews (1)

Winter Skating Fun with Little Critter
"Skating Day" is a Level-1 Little Critter "First Reader" book in which Little Critter and his friends enjoy a skating trip. The story is simple --- a sentence or two a page, but the illustrations go well with the text and are the same sweet Little Critter illustrations you know and love.

"Skating Day" brings readers the joy of skating and playing out in the snow. It comes with bonus activities at the back of the book, such as "Logical Reasoning" and a matching game. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

As the title says, "complete."
The Complete Book of Roller Skating was published in 1979, before the fallof disco skating and the rise of inline skating. Still, this book is anexcellent resource for anyone interested in quad roller skating. It coversskating's history in detail, with lots of great photographs, and devoteschapters to artistic, hockey, speed, disco, and outdoor skating.

Unlikemost other skating reference books, this one talks about the competitiveskating world (at least, as it was in 1979), not just about recreationalskating. We see (in words and photos) skaters training for competition atNationals and Worlds, performing such difficult moves as "theimpossible sit spin," a pairs spin that requires amazing strength fromboth skaters.

The book also includes two chapters of skating lessons,from basic forward skating through spins and the salchow jump.

Whilerecent skating developments can't be found here, and the book is long outof print, it is well worth purchasing if you can find a copy. ... Read more

Product Description

The budding Elvis Stojko or Josee Choinard in your family will love this guide with diagrams and instruction on jumps, steps and other recommendations.

Figure Skating School is for people of all ages and abilities. Whatever your level of fitness and sporting ability, you can make great progress with this practical guide. A systematic course of instruction, it guides you from basic steps--skating forwards and backwards -- through the most advanced techniques such as double flip and triple Salchow.

Written by two professional instructors, the clear text is complemented by over 30 full-color figure illustrations. Diagrams showing correct positioning of the feet accompany each illustration, making sure you don't put the wrong foot forward.

Also includes:

• History of Figure Skating
• Guidance on clothing and equipment
• General principles of good skating
• Sections on pairs skating and ice dance

Stunning photographs of today's skating stars complete a figure skating treat for anyone interested in the sport.

Customer Reviews (10)

good book
My book was in a good condition. And is just exactly what i was looking for. thanx!

from one of the best
i think the book is great and i have been awarded several medals and trophies in skating. it has a good technique for beginingto professional. the best of the best!!!!!!

I wish there is a two-and-a-half star rating
Like my title says, I wish there is a two and a half star rating. I have read better skating books than this one, such as " Figure Skating For Dummies" and "The Essential Figure Skater". This book is too vague in some parts of the book and too much information in the other parts. Not a very good guide to figure skating. The beautiful pictures of famous figure skaters are the best parts of this book.

To much covered not enough info!
This book is only 128pgs and covered to much with to little info. With everything covered this book needed to be at least 300pgs. Over all worth reading.

Excellent book for illustrating skating moves!
This book provides step by step illustrations of a range of skating moves from beginners to advance. The placement of the foot patterns is easy to see with arrows to show direction. As a level one freestyle figure skater, I find that the book is missing directions on beginning movements, warmups, and preparation for jumps and spins.Advanced skaters find this book extremely helpful in learning to perform double and triple rotations in jumps and various spins. Written instructions are provided to assist skaters at all levels. ... Read more

Product Description

The kids in the After-School Sports Club are going on a field trip to the local rink. Everyone is excited to learn how to skate -- except Alyssa, who is not sure she is ready to give it a try. Can the rest of the kids show her how much fun skating can be? ... Read more

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Product Description
The beloved Noel Streatfeild classic back in print!

It's a stroke of great luck when Harriet Johnson’s doctor prescribes skating after an illness that has left her feeling frail and listless. For on her very first day at the rink, Harriet meets orphaned Lalla Moore, who is being brought up by her wealthy aunt Claudia to be a skating champion. Although they have little in common, the girls form a fast friendship. Harriet is energized by talented, funny Lalla, and Lalla in turn blossoms under the affection of openhearted Harriet. The girls skate together more and more. But just as Lalla’s interest in skating starts to fade, Harriet’s natural talent begins to emerge. Suddenly Lalla and Harriet seem headed in two very different directions. Can their friendship survive?


From the Trade Paperback edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

least favorite by this author
Great book from a great series by a great author.She writes in a clear style that draws you in with intriguing story lines and appealing characters.

Wonderful
Along with "Dancing Shoes" and "Ballet Shoes", this is one of my three favorite "Shoes" books.

I loved the little girls.Lalla, the highly privileged daughter of two figure skating champions, whose aunt is so determined that Lalla, too, will be a champion that she sent the poor girl to daily lessons at the age of three, is valued only for her skating ability.She is not allowed to have a personality outside skating.Through her friendship with Harriet, she begins to learn about the world outside of competition.Harriet, for her part, has been largely overshadowed by her family, and skating gives her a chance to develop a passion and a talent of her own.

It's a sweet story.I loved it when I was little.

Also known as "White Boots"
The original title of this book is "White Boots" and it's about two little girls, Lalla and Harriet. Lalla has been trained all her life to be a skating champion, and has been told so many times that it's her destiny, she can't imagine being anything else. Harriet took up skating toimprove her legs after a long illness, but discovers how much she trulyloves the sport, and that she has a talent for it. Harriet is allowed toshare Lalla's classes, and to be her companion, because Lalla's pushy AuntClaudia thinks it will help Lalla to become a champion. Through the girls'friendship, Lalla's perspective of the world changes, & she finds thatthere is more to life than skating. There is quite a surprising andsatisfying ending to the story. I've read this book many times, and I loveit. Noel Streatfield writes in an intelligent and engrossing manner, andher books are a pleasure to read for both young people and adults.

An excellent book!
Noel Streatfield is an enchanting author, and I love all of her books, but this one is my absolute favorite, probably because I love skating.Her books are excellently written, and if you are looking for copies, I orderall of mine off of Amazon UK.She is a British author, so a lot of herbooks are still in print in England, which is where I bought this one witha different title, it was called White Boots there.Well, this is a veryvery good book and I highly reccomend it.

These books are great!Everyone should read them!
I've recently finished three of the "Shoes Books" ,two of which I ordered from this site, and I hope I can read them all!They are all great, and I like how they all sort of go together, melt into each other. ... Read more

Product Description
For little girls and boys with a dream and a new pair of skates, for millions who can't be pried away from the television when Brian Boitano performs, for anyone who wonders just how it's done, the United States Figure Skating Association presents the first full-color, official guide to figure skating -- the second most popular sport in America after pro football. Prepared with the full cooperation of the sport's national governing body -- the USFSA -- along with its experts, coaches, and archives, The Official Book of Figure Skating is the one publication every skating fan must have.

This authoritative volume celebrates all aspects of figure skating -- the speed and power, the grace and glamour, how it's done as well as who does it -- so that everyone from casual fan to beginner to budding champion can appreciate its range and beauty. Sections on history, personalities, and costumes tell the fascinating story of how skating, originating with the simple need to cross frozen water, has been transformed into a unique blend of sport, art, and entertainment. The book also reveals the experts' secrets behind choreography and conditioning, and presents dozens of skating moves described by USFSA coaches and illustrated in revealing detail. Chapters on judging and competition explain the intricacies of skating success, and some of the sport's finest athletes share memories of their greatest moments on ice. Finally, a glossary and full lists of skating champions and USFSA affiliated clubs make this book an invaluable reference for both skaters and fans.

With its authoritative and comprehensive treatment, The Official Book of Figure Skating is the final word for followers of this dazzling sport. But it is also an exceptionally beautiful volume, one with an unsurpassed visual archive. Nearly 250 photographs and images, many never before seen, have been drawn from the collection of the World Figure Skating Museum and ABC Sports. Including the most recent stars in full-color action, rare photos of the men and women who built the sport, and original commissioned drawings of figure skating's most important moves -- from the Salchow to the double Lutz -- this beautiful and definitive book is as full of artistry and excitement as figure skating itself.Amazon.com Review
The cover photo of a swanlike Michelle Kwan sets the tone forthe sweeping, beautifully illustrated volume behind it. It is asattractive as it is skillful, as balanced as it is smart, as seeminglyeffortless as it is hard-working. There's a helluva lot happeningbeneath its cool, glittery surface.

The Official Book doesduty on several fronts. It offers an authoritative illustrated historyof the sport; short biographies of the most influential and importantskaters; lists of U.S., Olympic, and world champions in allcategories; and an extensive directory of figure-skating clubs aroundthe country. Chapters glide easily from the evolution of the skateitself to a primer--with helpful line drawings--on how to use thoseskates, from simple forward "stoking" to the complex jumps and spinsthat enthrall audiences everywhere. There's a hilarious tour ofskating's changing and fickle fashions and sections that explain howskaters create routines and exactly what they are required to put intothem, the rigors of actual competition (and how best to watch it), andeven one on how the often mysterious judges arrive at their oftenmysterious scores.

As a reference book, it's useful andconclusive. As a history, it's enjoyably informative. And--mostalluringly--as a celebration, it is every bit as exquisite as thesport it celebrates. --Jeff Silverman ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

A Comprehensive, Solid Guide To One Of The Most Popular Sports In The World Today
Some people complain that a certain book they purchased on figure skating is not "official." Well, this is about as official as you can get. Written by the United States Figure Skating Association (USFSA), this book is jam-packed with everything any die-hard skating fan or any amateur skating fan could ever want to know. The Official Book Of Figure Skating scores major points with a cooler-than-ice intro by Peggy Fleming herself, then escalades into covering every topic including the very evoulution/history of figure skating into the costumes that the top figure skaters wear today. This book is for three specific people: 1. A die-hard skating fan who loves looking at glossy pictures of her favorite stars and also loves to gush and dream about meeting them 2. The serious athlete who buys the book for help and instruction with his/her's jumps and spins, physical fitness/training advice, and help with what moves he/she needs to perform in their short and long programs 3.The average person on the block who just buys the book partly because he/she is bored and partly because he/she views it as another book on the shelf to brag about and feels that he/she could benefit with SOME knowledge of figure skating. Chapter 1 is basically a comprehensive and thorough description of the history of figure skating and how it began, while Chapter 2 describes the individual personalities that made figure skating so popular and who were so instrumental in building the foundation of what it is today.
Also, weaven throughout the book are one-page profiles of some of the most prolific skaters old and new, such as Tara Lipinski and Scott Hamilton. Chapter 3 gives an outline of the skate boot itself and differentiates between "good" skates and "bad" skates. Chapter 4 tells the reader how to skate and gives slow motion sketches and instructions on every figure skating move from jumps to spins and tells you how to perfrom them. Chapter 5 is dedicated to the proper fitness and training regimen for skaters, while Chapter 6 is probably the tween skating fan's most studied chapter: Fashion in Skating. It describes in chronological order the changes in fashion from the 1900's, World War-eras, 50's,60's, 70's, and so on.
It shows the progression and the different style and changes in costumes in the decade-eras by description and pictures. Chapters 7 and 8 are basically a guide to creating the perfect routine and what moves you are required to perform in that routine while also detailing what forms of competition you can expect to see in each field. It describes the programs that are commonly seen in each category, such as ice dancing, mens, womens, and pairs, while flashing back to some legendary programs in the past, such as Kristi Yamaguchi's and Brian Orser's. Chapter 9 gives a decription of every skater's personal enemy and the system that can either make them or break them: judging.However, since this book was published in 1998, before the 2002 judging scandal, the 6.0 system has been abolished and I would recommend not reading through this chapter if you are a real skater but only reading it through for reminiscing's sake.
The last items to note are the record book and the list of USFSA figure skating clubs in the U.S. The record book is just the final statement to the reader that this book covers everything figure skating from A to Z and leaves absolutely NOTHING out by giving records of all the U.S., World, and Olympic Champions in all four categories of skating from the very beginning of each category while the list of skating clubs can be helpful if you or someone you know wants to find a USFSA club in your area to join. In conclusion, if you want to know anything about figure skating, look no further than right here. Sure, the other books with glossy photos of all the major skaters are nice and easy-on-the-eyes, but this book has the cold, hard facts on figure skating. Just as schools teach ancient to modern history in class, this book teaches the same ancient to modern history about figure skating; and I can assure you, if there was ever a "school" of figure skating, this would be the textbook.
Yup, this is truly the "Official" Book Of Figure Skating!

Great Book...but i little disapointing
I love this book...but even the important skaters only got a one page biography written about them. I think that is quite a shame, all else is great though...

Amazing Book
This is quite an amazing book! Anybody can read it! I found it in the adult section at a library but it also is a great book for young figure skaters. The best part about it is that it shows you how to do all the jumps and unique stretches. I guarantee you'll love this book within a week of reading it!

Amazing Book
This is quite an amazing book! Anybody can read it! I found it in the adult section at a library but it also is a great book for young figure skaters. The best part about it is that it shows you how to do all the jumps and unique stretches. I guarantee you'll love this book within a week of reading it!

Best Book About Figure Skating Available Today!
I'm a figure skating fan and I thoroughly love this book. Written by the U.S. Figure Skating Association, this book includes a history of figure skating, biographical sketches of famous figure skaters, how to skate, fitness, information about competition and judging, and much, much more. This book also has many beautiful, full-color photographs of figure skaters and also has instructions and clear pictures on how to perform various skating moves. This is a wonderful book and I highly recommend it to all figure skaters, fans, coaches, and anyone who just wants to learn more about this wonderful sport. ... Read more