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Monday, September 29, 2008
Diamond of Darkhold
In this conclusion to the "Ember" saga, Lina and Doon obtain a mysterious book that prompts their return to their old city of Ember. Once into the city, they stumble on some unexpected "hurdles" which include a family of roamers, which of course puts a damper on their plans. Doon gets taken prisoner, and learns about the "Diamond of Darkhold" the roamers have in there possession. Lina manages to escape with plans to bring back help. Both children face more challenges that require some quick thinking.
Having read and reviewed City of Ember, but not the sequels The People of Sparks or The Prophet of Yonwood, I can say put me at a slight disadvantage. There were a few plot lines I was confused by, but only a few. The author tried summarizing most of the main points of the series, so that a new reader could pick up Diamond of Darkhold and enjoy it as a stand-alone story. But, it would be better to read the prequels first. There is a strong focus on character development, and the story flows from several of the character's different points of view. There is some action with the adventure, and the author places an emphasis on teamwork, creative thinking, and the acceptance of each other. Tomorrow I will continue my review with some discussion questions.
Here are the other bloggers participating in this book tour:
01 Charger, the 160acrewoods, A Childhood of Dreams, A Christian Worldview of Fiction, All About Children's Books, And Another Book Read, Becky's Book Reviews, Book Review Maniac, Cafe of Dreams, Comox Valley Kids, Dolce Bellezza, Fireside Musings, Homeschool Buzz, Hyperbole, Looking Glass Reviews, Never Jam Today
Labels: Reviews
Monday, June 16, 2008
Our Summer Reading Program
Our family loves to read, but one thing that is lacking in our reading repertoire is a good dose of classic literature. I’m busy reviewing popular YA and children’s fiction and curriculum for our website, and my boys tend to gravitate to book series and fantasies So, to stretch our literary experience, I’ve put together a classy list of books for the boys (and me) to read over the summer. As no reading program is complete without an incentive, I am paying them a penny a page. They can’t collect any money until they have written a brief book report and have passed an informal oral quiz on the book’s content. And, they can collect an extra 75 cents if they list and define ten unfamiliar words from the book. I also set up a cute “book nook” area for them with a basket chock full of some of the books on their list. And, they were given a $10 gift card to Barnes and Noble to help them kick things off (which they spent within hours of receiving).
If they tackle a good portion of the reading list, they will have accumulated about $100 each, but most importantly, will have gained a priceless addition to their education.
See below for our 2008 Homeschoolbuzz.com summer reading list.
Book report guidelines
Title read:
Author:
Pages read:
Date completed:
Book report: Include basic plot summary, interesting characters, morals or things learned, and overall impressions of the book. Should be between 25-75 words.
Rate book: 0-5 stars (0=bad, 5=outstanding)
Also, list 10 words you read that were new to you, include the definition (brief) worth an extra 75 cents.
You should write daily in your journal, include progress or notes on your reading (or a word definition, or write about ideas, feelings, special events, etc.
Homeschoolbuzz.com Summer reading list for advanced 6th grade readers and up
*
Hamlet By Shakespeare*,
Romeo and Juliet
Count of Monte Cristo*
Poems
Tales of Mystery and Imagination
Across Five Aprils
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
The Story of King Arthur and His Knights
Treasure Island
The Hound of the Baskervilles
A Boy’s War
Calico Captive
Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl*
Number the Stars
Good-Bye, Mr. Chips,
The Hawk That Dare Not Hunt by Day
How Green Was My Valley*
In His Steps
The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, Part 1)
The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, Book 2)
The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings, Book 3)
Rascal
The Miracle Worker
The Moonstone*
An American Plague
Lincoln: A Photo-biography
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood
Onion John
The Last of the Mohicans*(or other selections)
Gulliver’s Travels* by Swift, Jonathon (314 pages)
And Then There Were None*
Watership Down*
Profiles in Courage*
Hunchback of Notre-Dame* by Hugo, Victor
Les Misérables*
Ivanhoe*
The Once and Future King*
To Kill a Mockingbird*
King Solomon's Mines*
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (The Wolves Chronicles)
Old Yeller
Gentle Ben
Labels: Books, homeschool, Reading, Reviews
Friday, April 18, 2008
New Reviewer!
Homeschoolbuzz.com is thrilled to welcome Michelle Kearns to our book review team. Michelle is an enthusiastic Christian Homeschooling mom to 4 children: Audrey, 8; Cecily, 6; Eich, 4; and Sophie, 3. And, one of her passions is books! She says:
"I read as many books as I can possibly manage from every genre; I even listen to audiobooks when I do housework! As a homeschooler, I make it a point to read every book my children read so I can discuss it with them, and since my two oldest are crazed bookworms, we go through a lot of books here."Here’s Michelle’s “debut” review, please take advantage of the comments section to welcome her aboard! Michelle joins our veteran reviewers Kathy Davis, Cynthia Clarke and Wayne S. Walker.
Labels: homeschool, Reviews
Saturday, October 27, 2007
The latest attack on Faith, now a major motion picture
A while back, Kathy wrote a review of a popular children's book. We make it a point to let you know what issues of possible concern are in the books your children might read. This is one of the few we wholeheartedly advise against.
His Dark Materials is not simply a work of fiction-it's a mockery of Judeo-Christian beliefs. It's troubling to think the world has embraced this book through various awards and glowing reviews, and even an adaptation of The Golden Compass to the big screen; New Line Cinema plans a projected release date Holiday Season, 2007. Read more...
Labels: homeschool, Reviews
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Our Homeschool Reviews Now a Blog
Kathy, Wayne and Cynthia have been contributing reviews to Homeschoolbuzz for a long time. We have nearly 300 homeschool reviews of books websites and media on the blog. Until now, we have been creating static web pages for these reviews. I finally got around to adding comments, trackback and a Homeschool Reviews RSS feed to the pages, making them more blog-like. Search is coming soon. Check it out...
Labels: Blogs, homeschool, Reviews
Monday, October 15, 2007
Novelist creates positive images of homeschoolers
Kate Tsubata reviews some books by Rene Gutteridge for the Washington Times. We haven't read these books... yet.
Home-schoolers have become part of the public consciousness as academic champions and sports and cultural achievers.
In fictional works, a home-schooled character may pop up occasionally, usually characterized as superbrainy, socially isolated and an object of derision. I was pleasantly surprised recently to encounter a novel with a family of home-schooled adults as the pivotal figures. Read more...
Labels: homeschool, Reviews
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Monday, July 30, 2007
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Friday, July 20, 2007
First review: Harry Potter
We are not fans of Harry Potter. (UPDATE: Kathy is now a fan!) The story doesn't interest my boys although they are avid readers. I don't believe as some do that the books are evil nor that they are actually biblical allegories as many believe.
However, this first published review of the latest Harry Potter book in the NY Times, is very interesting. Also interesting: they were able to buy the book a day ahead of the big release. Read more...
Labels: Reviews
Monday, July 16, 2007
Review: Bible for Children, Book One
Another review from Kathy.
Classic Academic Press, (best known for their Latin for Children Primer series) publishes this fantastic Bible text for elementary grade students. Bible for Children, Book One uses selected Old Testament books to show God’s faithfulness to His promises and His people. Those looking for a thorough, engaging, and child/teacher friendly Bible curriculum should be very pleased. Read more...
Labels: Reviews
Review: Williwaw!
A new review by Kathy.
When September and Ivan Crane’s father leaves for a 2 week commercial fishing job, he reluctantly allows the kids (ages 13 and 12) to stay alone in their remote Alaskan cabin. After arranging for a friend to check up on them, he gives two firm rules: don’t hot-wire the video game into their radio’s power source, and don’t use the boat to go to town. They quickly break both rules Read more...
Labels: Reviews
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Review: One-Eyed Jack
The latest review by Kathy.
In this story set in late 19th century Montana, we meet a young boy named Nate who longs to keep the sick little dog he found near his ranch. The only problem is Nate�s Pa wants nothing to do with dogs. Read more...
Labels: Reviews
Review: Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
The latest review from Wayne S. Walker.
This book suffers from the misconception that it promotes a "happy go lucky, whistling in the dark, rosy tinted glasses" view of life. That is not true. Set in Maine, probably just before the turn of the twentieth century, it chronicles a young woman's coming of age and ultimate triumph in spite of many trials. Read more...
Labels: Reviews
Saturday, June 30, 2007
An Evening with Charlie Zahm (DVD)
Reviewed by Kathy Davis
I had the recent pleasure of viewing the Franklin Springs Media production "An Evening with Charlie Zahm", a 90 minute live concert performance featuring the Folk musician Charlie Zham and his band. Read more...
Labels: Reviews
Homeschooling with TLC in the Elementary Grades
Reviewed by Kathy Davis
Here is an excellent book for those needing some practical advice on choosing curriculum and enhancing lesson plans. Tamara Chilver will cheer you with her enthusiasm and inspire you with her useful teaching suggestions. Read more...
Labels: Reviews
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
More reviews
I don't often enough mention the great book reviews Kathy, Cynthia and others contribute to this website. They can help you decide which books are appropriate for your children and occasionally, for yourself. We have new reviews each week so check back often.
The latest reviews are: The Higher Power of Lucky (2007 Newbery winner) and Kino No Tabi: The Beautiful World (book one).
Labels: Reviews
