diff --git a/src/engine/GNCId.h b/src/engine/GNCId.h
index 6c137addfe..58d742fd75 100644
--- a/src/engine/GNCId.h
+++ b/src/engine/GNCId.h
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ typedef enum
   GNC_ID_TRANS,
   GNC_ID_SPLIT,
   GNC_ID_PRICE,
+  GNC_ID_BOOK,
+  GNC_ID_SESSION,
   GNC_ID_SCHEDXACTION,
   GNC_ID_FREQSPEC,
   LAST_GNC_ID = GNC_ID_FREQSPEC
diff --git a/src/engine/SchedXaction.c b/src/engine/SchedXaction.c
index 7ff5b7eb2b..ca440d7c49 100644
--- a/src/engine/SchedXaction.c
+++ b/src/engine/SchedXaction.c
@@ -28,8 +28,10 @@
 
 #include "FreqSpec.h"
 #include "GNCId.h"
+#include "Group.h"
 #include "SX-ttinfo.h"
 #include "SchedXactionP.h"
+#include "Transaction.h"
 #include "date.h"
 #include "gnc-book-p.h"
 #include "gnc-engine.h"
diff --git a/src/engine/gnc-book-p.h b/src/engine/gnc-book-p.h
index e28b3b5876..c00511a8a7 100644
--- a/src/engine/gnc-book-p.h
+++ b/src/engine/gnc-book-p.h
@@ -30,17 +30,16 @@
 #ifndef GNC_BOOK_P_H
 #define GNC_BOOK_P_H
 
-#include "BackendP.h"
+#include "Backend.h"
 #include "GNCIdP.h"
-#include "DateUtils.h"
-#include "TransLog.h"
 #include "gnc-book.h"
-#include "gnc-engine-util.h"
 #include "gnc-engine.h"
-#include "gnc-pricedb-p.h"
+#include "kvp_frame.h"
 
 struct gnc_book_struct
 {
+  kvp_frame *kvp_data;
+  
   /* The entity table associates the GUIDs of all the objects
    * created in the session with their respective objects
    * (pointer addresses) */
@@ -63,9 +62,10 @@ struct gnc_book_struct
   Backend *backend;
 };
 
-
 void gnc_book_set_group(GNCBook *book, AccountGroup *grp);
 void gnc_book_set_pricedb(GNCBook *book, GNCPriceDB *db);
+void gnc_book_set_schedxactions( GNCBook *book, GList *newList );
+void gnc_book_set_template_group( GNCBook *book, AccountGroup *templateGroup );
 
 void gnc_book_set_backend (GNCBook *book, Backend *be);
 
diff --git a/src/engine/gnc-book.c b/src/engine/gnc-book.c
index d651d9775d..ac7a71af89 100644
--- a/src/engine/gnc-book.c
+++ b/src/engine/gnc-book.c
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ gnc_book_init (GNCBook *book)
   if (!book) return;
 
   book->entity_table = xaccEntityTableNew ();
+  book->kvp_data = kvp_frame_new ();
   book->topgroup = xaccMallocAccountGroup(book);
   book->pricedb = gnc_pricedb_create();
 
@@ -100,6 +101,13 @@ gnc_book_new (void)
 
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
+kvp_frame *
+gnc_book_get_slots (GNCBook *book)
+{
+  if (!book) return NULL;
+  return book->kvp_data;
+}
+
 GNCEntityTable *
 gnc_book_get_entity_table (GNCBook *book)
 {
diff --git a/src/engine/gnc-book.h b/src/engine/gnc-book.h
index 189b57867b..0e6f5f383f 100644
--- a/src/engine/gnc-book.h
+++ b/src/engine/gnc-book.h
@@ -38,28 +38,28 @@
 
 #include "gnc-engine.h"
 #include "gnc-pricedb.h"
+#include "kvp_frame.h"
 
 /** PROTOTYPES ******************************************************/
 
 GNCBook * gnc_book_new (void);
 void      gnc_book_destroy (GNCBook *book);
 
+/* The gnc_book_get_slots() method will return the kvp data 
+ * for the book */
+kvp_frame * gnc_book_get_slots (GNCBook *book);
+
+/* Return the various top-level data structure pointers stored 
+ * in the book.  */
 AccountGroup *gnc_book_get_group (GNCBook *book);
-void gnc_book_set_group(GNCBook *book, AccountGroup *group);
 GNCPriceDB   *gnc_book_get_pricedb (GNCBook *book);
-
-guint gnc_book_count_transactions(GNCBook *book);
-
 gnc_commodity_table* gnc_book_get_commodity_table(GNCBook *book);
 
 /**
  * Returns the list of scheduled transactions.
  **/
 GList * gnc_book_get_schedxactions( GNCBook *book );
-void gnc_book_set_schedxactions( GNCBook *book, GList *newList );
-
 AccountGroup *gnc_book_get_template_group( GNCBook *book );
-void gnc_book_set_template_group( GNCBook *book, AccountGroup *templateGroup );
 
 /*
  * The gnc_book_not_saved() subroutine will return TRUE
@@ -71,4 +71,8 @@ gboolean gnc_book_not_saved(GNCBook *book);
  * in the two given books is equal. */
 gboolean gnc_book_equal (GNCBook *book_1, GNCBook *book_2);
 
+/* XXX FIXME count_transactions is a utility function, needs 
+ * to be moved to some utility/support file.  */
+guint gnc_book_count_transactions(GNCBook *book);
+
 #endif /* GNC_BOOK_H */
diff --git a/src/engine/gw-engine-spec.scm b/src/engine/gw-engine-spec.scm
index 8cd15cccd2..a40de27091 100644
--- a/src/engine/gw-engine-spec.scm
+++ b/src/engine/gw-engine-spec.scm
@@ -315,6 +315,7 @@
       "#include <Backend.h>\n"
       "#include <Group.h>\n"
       "#include <gnc-book.h>\n"
+      "#include <gnc-book-p.h>\n"
       "#include <gnc-session.h>\n"
       "#include <gnc-engine-util.h>\n"
       "#include <date.h>\n"
@@ -1565,6 +1566,7 @@ when no longer needed.")
    '((<gnc:Book*> book))
    "Get the book's account group.")
 
+  ;; XXX FIXME this is a private function, should not be exported publically.
   (gw:wrap-function
    mod
    'gnc:book-set-group
diff --git a/src/engine/test-core/test-engine-stuff.c b/src/engine/test-core/test-engine-stuff.c
index 9b18b218d8..89b6d12360 100644
--- a/src/engine/test-core/test-engine-stuff.c
+++ b/src/engine/test-core/test-engine-stuff.c
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
 #include "date.h"
 #include "Group.h"
+#include "gnc-book-p.h"
 #include "gnc-engine.h"
 #include "gnc-engine-util.h"
 #include "test-engine-stuff.h"
@@ -1442,6 +1443,9 @@ get_random_book (void)
 
   book = gnc_book_new ();
 
+  /* XXX fixme -- gnc_book_set_group is a private engine function, 
+   * it should not be invoked in ordinary test cases.  Its should 
+   * be more like make_random_pricedb below... */
   gnc_book_set_group (book, get_random_group (book));
 
   make_random_pricedb (book, gnc_book_get_pricedb (book));
@@ -1459,6 +1463,9 @@ get_random_session (void)
 
   book = gnc_session_get_book (session);
 
+  /* XXX fixme -- gnc_book_set_group is a private engine function, 
+   * it should not be invoked in ordinary test cases.  Its should 
+   * be more like make_random_pricedb below... */
   gnc_book_set_group (book, get_random_group (book));
 
   make_random_pricedb (book, gnc_book_get_pricedb (book));
diff --git a/src/engine/test/test-group-vs-book.c b/src/engine/test/test-group-vs-book.c
index 98b165bab6..b47de8b4c3 100644
--- a/src/engine/test/test-group-vs-book.c
+++ b/src/engine/test/test-group-vs-book.c
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include "GNCIdP.h"
 #include "TransLog.h"
 #include "gnc-book.h"
+#include "gnc-book-p.h"
 #include "gnc-engine.h"
 #include "gnc-module.h"
 #include "test-engine-stuff.h"
@@ -67,6 +68,9 @@ run_test (void)
     exit(get_rv());
   }
 
+  /* ????????  this test seems to be testing routines that
+   * are private to the engine, not sure why.  book_set_group
+   * should not be called publically. */
   gnc_book_set_group (book, group1);
   if (!group_has_book (group1, book))
   {