Wednesday, June 06, 2007
 

In defense of homeschooling


For years, I’ve been a spelling enthusiast. Even as far back as elementary school, spelling is something that, for whatever reason, always came easy to me. So when I found out about the Scripps National Spelling Bee, it brought back a lot of memories. As a former two-time champion speller among Christian high schoolers in Georgia, I know a little about the pressure those kids faced last week — though I must confess my utter cluelessness about the words the finalists were asked to spell.
When it was announced that the winner was 13-year-old Evan O’Dorney, a homeschooler from California, I was curious to see how his accomplishment would be received. Read more...

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Mrs. Claus Explains it All

In case you were wondering what happens to all those letters that kids mail every Christmas addressed to Santa: North Pole, Mrs. Claus as second in command sorts and helps Santa answer them. And now she's published, "Mrs. Claus Explains it All", using this bright and lively large hard-cover picture book to answer some of the most common questions they receive every year. Read more...

Humpty Dumpty Jr: Hardboiled Detective (The Case of the Fiendish Flapjack Flop)

In this egg-citing new series Humpty Dumpty Jr. is a wise cracking trench coat sporting detective. He's the egg to call when you need help cause he always "cracks" the case. His office walls in New Yolk City are framed with notes of thanks and awards for his previously solved cases. We got the three little pigs thanking him for saving their bacon, and a Royal Proclamation from Dorothy granting him Emerald Knight of Oz status. Read more...

Rime to Read (website) http://www.rimetoread.com/

Rime to Read is a virtual reading program for beginner readings. It consists of 20 books that use "rime" (words that rhyme and look alike, such as sit, hit, lit). Only single syllable short vowels are introduced, along with 46 popular sight words. The books can be read on-line, or printed out, or both. It is a very convenient method for those who have young learners that are just starting on their reading pathways. Read more...

The Unexpected When You’re Expecting (A Parody)

When I was making my way through my own pregnancies, I was never far from the essential “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” manual to guide me from stage to stage. So when I was presented with an opportunity to review this parody I thought it might be fun. Read more...

Molly's Pilgrim

Molly, a Jewish girl, and her family have moved to America from Russia. Her mother says that the reason was to escape religious persecution and find freedom. First they lived in a tenement house in New York and Papa worked in a factory. Then they came to Winter Hill where Papa works in Mr. Brodsky's store and they live in the apartment above. However, the children in Molly's third-grade class make fun of her accent and clothes. Molly even thinks about going back to Russia. Read more...