Carnival Of Homeschooling: At The Post
It is buzzing all over the blogworld… the annual homeschool blog awards are going on right now At The Post. You’ve seen me mention it a few times because there is something just exciting about having your blog enjoyed so much people vote you "The Best…. Blog". Of course there are a great many blogs out there. Perhaps not in the awards at all, and still those in the awards that may not be at the top but still just as good. Read more...
Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story about Brain Science
Phineas Gage, a 19th century railroad construction foreman, survived an accident that blew a 13-pound 3 foot 7inch iron rod through his cheek and out the top of his skull. He should have been dead, but rather he was able to walk, talk, and account his accident to others. His recovery was not unremarkable though, after battling infection and suffering from delirious spells, his convalescence would last several months. Yes, he survived a catastrophic injury, but Phineas would never be the same. Read more...
Raising Real Men: Surviving, Teaching, and Appreciating Boys
As a mom to three active boys, I'm always eager to read what others have to say about raising boys to be men. What better people to take advice from than Hal and Melanie Young, parents to 6 boys (and 2 girls). In their book, Raising Real men, they discuss the intricacies of bringing up boys within a biblical worldview. They address numerous issues, such as boys needing heroes to look up to, leadership, competitiveness, stewardship, manners, and much more. Read more...
Blizzard!
Having grown up in Upstate New York and now living in Western New York, I have grown accustomed to snow. Winters last sometimes 6 months here, and you learn to deal with it. But only a handful of times do I remember experiencing a true blizzard, the kind that closes shopping malls, grocery stores, and schools. In his riveting book, Blizzard, Jim Murphy tells of the infamous blizzard of 1888, where not only towns came to a standstill, but also 600+ people lost their lives. Read more...
When You Reach Me
Twelve-year-old Miranda is living in New York City with her mom, who has just learned she will be a contestant on the 20,000 Pyramid game show (book is set in the 70's). Excitement abounds and Miranda helps her mom prepare for the show with timed quizzes. Miranda is a latch key kid, and when she starts receiving some unusual notes from an unknown person she is intrigued, and a little spooked. Read more...
Frankie: The Walk 'n Roll Dog
In this touching story we meet Frankie, an adorable dachshund who suffered rear leg paralysis after a spinal cord injury. You might think her quality of life would be compromised with such a handicap, but shortly after her injury she became fitted with a harness with wheels, and regains her mobility. Her uplifting and true story is told by her human mom Barb, but it is Frankie's voice. Read more...
Pajama School: Stories From the Life of a Homeschool Graduate
As a homeschooling mom to three boys, Pajama School brought me both sighs of relief and smiles. The author's recollection of her homeschooling days gave me much needed encouragement. After all, don't we sometimes wonder if we are doing the right thing, educating our children at home? What about socialization, team sports, band, the "prom" and high school requirements? Are they missing out? Of course my answer to those questions is a big no, but every once in a while I wonder…. Read more...
Camp Club Girls and the Mystery at Discovery Lake
In The Mystery at Discovery lake, summer camp cabin-mates turned friends Elizabeth, Alexis, Sydney, Mackenzie and Kate team up to investigate first some strange howlings, and then some strange diggings at the adjacent golf course. One of the girls brought with her some neat gadgets such as a robot spy-cam, which proves useful to the novice detectives. When they are not sleuthing around, they are doing regular camp activities such as crafts, horseback riding, and learning Bible memory verses. Read more...
The Make Today Matter Makeover
I wish I were thinner. I need to get back to working out. I have a list of books I'd like to read. I want to break a bad habit. I must get more organized. Sound familiar? All of us have things in our life that we'd like to change. But where do we begin? How do we get from here to there? One resource that may help is the Make Today Matter Makeover: The 26 Best Ways to Recapture Daily Magic, Kick-start High-Energy Living, and Get the Most out of Life. Read more...
On the Edge with Coolhead Luke
Do you enjoy poetry? Then you should like this book. Mother and son team, in which author Jennifer White produced the poems and artist Colin White provided the illustrations, came out with Coolhead Luke and Other Stories in 2007. Cynthia Clarke said this about it on Home School Buzz. “In the introduction the author, Jennifer White, explains that her son’s pictures ‘had a story to tell’ so she found the words and the book was born. Read more...
Catherine, Called Birdy
Privies and Muck, rats and pigs, fleas, embroidery, and eel pie. Oh the life of a 14-year old maiden in medieval times. In this amusing and eye opening journal, Catherine (called Birdy), tells of her life in the middle ages. Written with an honest and sometimes sassy tone, readers will be enlightened to innumerable facts about this time period. Birdy longs to be doing anything other than sewing. And, when she is not writing or sewing she's chasing away would be suitors. Read more...
Marie and Her Friend the Sea Turtle
In this unique and colorful picture book the story of a young girl who finds a sea turtle is told in 3 languages: English, Spanish, and French. Living next to the ocean, Marie walks along the seashore to collect shells. Thinking she found a giant shell she is surprised to discover it is actually a sea turtle. The gentle creature needs her help to get back to the ocean, but he is too big for her to move. What is she to do? Her parents eye the turtle imagining he would make a good stew. Read more...
No Bones About it! The Sum of Our Parts Series Book One
In this educational picture book, kids will have fun while they learn about their skeletal system. Written in rhyming verse with additional "factoids", readers will be given a good introduction to the bones in their body. This is a great way to get across need to know information. I bet as you read along you will easily grasp the material. Illustrations abound, and include examples of the bones being taught. Here's an excerpt: "And, now, count your ribs-a ticklish lot. Read more...
A Dog of Flanders
A few years ago, on a video that we watched there was an advertisement for an animated version of A Dog of Flanders that looked good. I went back to the video store and found a copy of A Dog of Flanders, but when we got it home it was a live action version. We watched it anyway and enjoyed it. De la Ramee, an English woman of French extraction, wrote many romance novels that were popular in her day and several captivating stories for youngsters. Read more...
How Should We Then Live?: The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture
This book had long been recommended to me, so when Mark (now graduated from high school) studied world history in tenth grade, we combined it with a study of Western culture and philosophy using Schaeffer’s material. I just recently got around to reading it myself, and it is one of the most enlightening books that I have ever studied. Read more...
Here Lies Arthur
This fresh retelling of Arthur is narrated by Gwynna, a girl who's taken under Myrddin (Merlin) the Bard's care after her village is burned down. The author spins a whole new take on the legendary Arthur. For starters, Myrddin is no more a wizard then you or I. He is a conjurer of tricks and slight of hand, with an uncanny ability to weave embellished stories. The magic is easily explained to be nothing more than illusions and telling people what they want to believe is true. Read more...