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by Brandon Mull
Reading level: Ages 12+
Reviewed by Benny Davis
Siblings Kendra and Seth are sent to stay with their grandparents while their mother and father cruise the Caribbean. Disappointed not to be vacationing with them, the kids anticipate the 2 weeks will be drudgery. Contrary to their beliefs, when they arrive at their grandparents estate, they are surprised to find a tree house, swimming pool, and a gigantic playroom full of books and toys. What they don’t know is how many secrets await them. Read more...
Posted at February 04 2012 08:07:12 |
by Darin Beigie
Reading level: Ages 12 - 15
Reviewed by Kathy Davis
There are some kids who have an insatiable appetite and intense passion for mathematics. You may recognize the signs: cruising through math homework, A+ average, may watch extra math lectures, answers your questions with statistical probabilities, and looks for logic and reasoning themes in both games and reading material.
If you see this love for math in your middle schooler, you’re likely on the look-out for puzzle books or supplements to keep your budding Archimedes challenged and happy. Read more...
Posted at January 21 2012 07:37:43 |
by Simon Singh
Reading level: Teen to adult
Reviewed by Garrison Davis
The Code Book is a nonfiction book on the history of code-makers and code-breakers. It starts out with the trial of Mary queen of Scotts--whether she lives or dies is determined entirely by queen Elizabeth’s code-masters. If they crack Mary’s code and see the messages she had been smuggling out of jail are plans for a rebellion, she’s as good as dead. The book recounts the captivating, historically accurate tale of the evolution of code. Read more...
Posted at January 14 2012 06:57:54 |
by Kathy Kuhl
Reading level: Parents
Reviewed by Kathy Davis
I have a struggling learner, and we had a tough 4th grade school year.
Math was a chore. Writing was like medieval torture, and the basic rules of grammar might have well been a foreign language. It seemed as though everything I tried to teach my son ran out of him like water through a sieve. We needed help. When I heard Kathy Kuhl was speaking at our local homeschooling convention this past June, I knew I had to go and hear her talk. Read more...
Posted at October 31 2011 17:41:13 |
by Travis Perry
Reading level: All ages
Reviewed by Kathy Davis
I fell in love with the guitar when I was 12 years old and my romance flourished for over three decades. I still have the Martin Sigma Anniversary acoustic my parents bought me when I turned 16. I admit the first year of learning to play was touch and go - sore fingers, muffled sounds, buzzing strings. It seemed I would never produce anything that resembled music. Never one to give up easily, I persisted and eventually things clicked. Read more...
Posted at October 12 2011 17:50:07 |
by Kenn Nesbitt
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Reviewed by Kathy Davis
As soon as I read the title of this book I knew it would be just right for my 10-year-old reluctant reader. I toss him at least 3 different books a week – he'll read a chapter (if even that) and quickly loses interest. A typical boy, he likes video games, playing outdoors, staring out the window, eating candy, and scheming secret plots to take over the household. Household today. Country tomorrow, and I'm sure world domination is in his long-term plans. Read more...
Posted at August 07 2011 11:26:57 |
by K. Tichenell
Reading level: 16 to adult
Reviewed by Kathy Davis
Now that two of my boys are in high school, my ears are frequently tuned towards SAT information. When to take it? How many times? How critical is scoring well to future college placement? And finally, how should my sons best prepare?
If you want to know the basics of the test, visit here.
Should a high SAT score be your goal? Of course you want your student to do well, but the SAT is only one piece of the puzzle. Read more...
Posted at August 04 2011 19:21:51 |
by Zondervan publishing
Reading level: All ages
Reviewed by Kathy Davis
Zondervan recently sent me three of their new bibles - The Liberty, The Clutch, and The Bloom. Looking at them brought back memories of when I bought my first bible 30 years ago. I went to the only Christian bookstore in town in search of the perfect one. Even back then I was overwhelmed by the choices. Read more...
Posted at July 09 2011 08:20:29 |
by Nile Duppstadt II
Reading level: Ages 3 - 12+
Reviewed by Kathy Davis
The Critical Thinking Company has a vast selection of materials to both teach and allow application of reasoning and thinking skills. As I've mentioned before, I've used an array of their products over my past 10 years of homeschooling. I recently sampled their Crypto Mind Benders: Famous Quotations, a tool that specifically requires the use of deductive and mathematical reasoning skills. Read more...
Posted at June 18 2011 05:42:10 |
by Bindi Irwin
Reading level: Ages 7 - 10
Reviewed by Kathy Davis
Bindi Irwin, daughter of the late Steve Irwin (AKA The Crocodile Hunter), has followed in her father's footsteps with her desire to help endangered wildlife. She's been a busy young lady – staring in a TV show, designing her own fashion wear, traveling the world, and now she's the heroine of her own adventure book series. Read more...
Posted at May 14 2011 18:41:25 |
by William O'Meara and Daniel Flage
Reading level: Grades 7-12+
Reviewed by Kathy Davis
I am a huge fan of The Critical Thinking Company's products. Over the past 11 years of homeschooling I have used their Science Books 1 and 2, Editor in Chief, Building Thinking Skills, Mathematical Reasoning, and Mindbenders. When I heard about this new critical thinking course, I was anxious to review it. If you need convincing about why you should teach (or you yourself learn) critical thinking skills, click here. Read more...
Posted at May 07 2011 07:00:43 |
by Susan Kilbride
Reading level: Ages 4 - 13
Reviewed by Kathy Davis
This collection of fun science lessons and activities are designed to offer hands on experiments that will satisfy the curious nature of children, while making it easier for parents to teach science. Kids love to pour, measure, taste, alter, and explore their environment. If you can direct their experimentation to teach a concept, then you are more likely to help them remember the material. Read more...
Posted at April 30 2011 06:08:07 |
by J.R.R. Tolkien
Reading level: Ages 10 and up
Reviewed by Benny Davis
One Ring to rule them all. One Ring to find them.
One Ring to bring them all, and in the darkness, bind them.
This is the inscription on the One Ring. Locked inside of the ring, is the evil spirit of the Dark Lord Sauron. Wearing the ring will turn you invisible, but at the cost of being known to the enemy. They will see you, and know exactly where you are. But you have to be close to them.
This book takes place after The Hobbit. Read more...
Posted at April 16 2011 11:25:17 |
by Gordon Korman
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Reviewed by Kathy Davis
After being accused of stashing a gun in his school locker, thirteen-year-old Luke gets sent to a behavior rehabilitation program called "Charting a New Course". No computers, no conveniences, no detention center – just the open sea, a ship, a respectable captain, and a crew of other teens and tweeners who all have behavioral issues. After a week at sea the crew have quickly adapted to their schedules and job responsibilities. Things wouldn't be half bad, except for the surly first mate Mr. Read more...
Posted at January 29 2011 13:49:28 |
by Suzanne Collins
Reading level: Young Adult
Reviewed by Kathy Davis
In a Dystopian future, the world has survived a mass uprising and now is split into 13 districts, ruled by dictator President Snow. To keep the districts in line and remind them that defying the capital is futile, each district must send a male and female representative (ages 12 and up) to compete in the annual "hunger games", a survivor like competition where the contestants must kill their opponents to win, and there can only be one winner. Read more...
Posted at January 08 2011 13:37:35 |
