Sunday, September 20, 2009

For You They Signed, by Marilyn Boyer


(This is a short review I wrote for a contest on Facebook. I won, and wanted to share this review with you!)

For You They Signed, by Marilyn Boyer -- Full of short biographical sketches of each signer of the Declaration of Independence, this book includes fantastic illustrations and thoughtful questions for discussion. Travel through the 13 states as you read about each signer, picking up tidbits of historical facts and plotting timelines along the way. Work on two signers each week and you'll complete this study within a school year. This book will be a wonderful addition to the library of anyone who is politically active, and it's a must have for those who are not-- your knowledge of our country's history will be enriched, allowing you to better understand what's going on in Washington, D.C., today.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Famous Figures of Ancient Times


Written and illustrated by internationally published airbrush artist, Cathy Diez-Luckie, this book is a must-have for anyone teaching children about ancient times. Filled with 19 people and one elephant, this book offers wonderful visuals to keep hands busy while discussing the lives of the ancient people.

Printed on sturdy card stock, and perforated for easy removal, children can choose from pre-colored illustrations or black-and-white line drawings (to add their own color scheme to the figure). The back of each piece is labeled for easy assembly, and instructions explaining how to prepare and assemble the figures are also included.

The front of the book includes short biographies of each figure to be assembled. A link to the series' web site offers a club to join (for free) with perks such as a newsletter (with more info about historical people), contests, links, and info on more books in the series. Upcoming titles will cover Medieval, Renaissance, United States, and Biblical figures, as well as dinosaurs and wild animals.

Planning a trip to a museum that covers ancient times? This book is a great accessory to reinforce what your children will see and hear! Teaching a Sunday school class? Get a copy of Famous Figures of the Bible when it's released!

Children learn by seeing, hearing and doing. With the help of Famous Figures of Ancient Times, your children (students) will remember what they learn! I highly recommend this book!

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Weekly Writer Club

I love to write. I can say so much more with my fingers than I can with my mouth. But I'm often so caught up with my own writing projects that I forget to encourage my children to write. That won't be a problem anymore!

The Weekly Writer Club is an online club for students in grades 2-8 which focuses on Language Arts through letter writing. Although the emphasis is on homeschooled students, the club can be used by students in any learning environment.

When I first visited the site, I started reading--and clicking through all the links I could find to learn more about the program. The main Club will be active during the school year. But, during the summer there is a Travel Club available which lets families get a feel for the overall program. A quick Google search found other online programs for Language Arts that cost hundreds of dollars a year. Not only were the other programs expensive compared to WWClub, they didn't offer the same amount of personal interaction.

What exactly is the Club? Here's how the owner words it:

"The Weekly Writer Club is an online Language Arts program that rewards students for exploring ideas through letter-writing and sharing what they learn with new friends in the Club. Throughout the year, students in every grade level will improve their writing, thinking, and leadership skills. It is a new Club that is fast becoming one of the most unique and valuable family experiences in homeschooling."

Who is the owner? Judy Steidl is a certified English teacher who started homeschooling in 1987. Her children are all grown now, yet she continues to support family-focused education. She's been quick to answer any questions I have about the Club, and she's quick to correct any problems members run into.

As stated on the site, the Club focuses on letter writing. Children are encouraged to interact on the Club pages to meet new friends and share ideas, but they are also encouraged to pull out paper and pencil and write a letter to a friend, a professional, a family member--even to Judy! And it's not just friendly letters, but persuasive letters, book recommendations, how-to letters, and more. This site truly is "technology and personal communication bundled together."

Added perks include a book club and contests. Children are encouraged to read, and share info about the books they read with their new friends at the Club. The contests are open to members and non-members alike, and they encourage interaction as well.

The site also features rewards and promotions: everything is by the kids, for the kids, under the guidance of adults. The more children write and interact, the "higher" in the Club they get. And parents never have to worry about the safety of their children while on the site, since there is no outside advertising--clicking around the site keeps them at the site. The only off-site links I could find were few and far between--maybe a handful at the most.

My two youngest children recently joined the Summer Travel Club. After giving them a tour and explaining how things work, my 8-year-old turned to me and said, "It's like Facebook for kids!"

Hands-on learning, adult and child interaction, safe environment... I highly recommend this site!

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

The Hurried Woman Syndrome

You’re too tired to exercise, which causes you to feel unattractive, which causes you to neglect your good eating habits, which makes you feel rundown and tired, which causes you to feel unattractive … Do you see a pattern like this forming in your life? If so, you probably suffer from Hurried Woman Syndrome according to Dr. Brent Bost. Reading this book is like chatting with him over coffee - it’s full of humor and common sense. I’m trying to convince my husband to move to Texas so that I can have Dr. Bost as my gynecologist!

During his years of practice, Dr. Bost has become very in-tune with women. He’s found that the three most common complaints are not pregnancy, bleeding and pain, as taught in medical school, but fatigue, weight gain and low sex drive. With that in mind, Dr. Bost has written this book, focusing on those three common complaints.


Fatigue


The first section of the book deals with “hurry” or stress and how it causes fatigue. Dr. Bost doesn’t brush over fatigue as being “all in your head” or only because you’re “out of shape.” He lists various medical tests that women should have done (to rule out physical factors of fatigue) and explains them in simple, easy to understand language.

Weight Gain


Dr. Bost offers an easy to understand method for weight loss and control. He stresses the fact that not everyone is the same, and that no one stays the same over time. What works for one woman doesn’t work for another, and it may not work for the first woman after a few years either.


Low Sex Drive


There’s not much to be said for this section, other than read it! You should have your husband read chapter 18, too! Each section of this book ends with frequently asked questions. Chances are good that you’ll find a question you’ve been thinking of asking your own doctor in this one.


Tying It All Together


This last section of the book shows how the other sections affect each other. Dr. Bost emphasizes the importance of having the right attitude and mindset. We should be in control of all areas of our lives, and not let life control us. If you need help around the house, Dr. Bost urges you to speak up. Your family members are not mind readers.


This book will give you plenty of ideas for de-stressing your life, controlling your weight, and improving your sex life. The book even includes a short quiz to see if you’re suffering from Hurried Woman Syndrome. Get a copy of this book, read it, and share it with a friend. They'll thank you for it!


Sunday, May 24, 2009

A New Venture

I would like to try to do some book reviews, so I've removed the idle chit-chat from this blog and will now post reviews here. I've done some reviewing of family materials in the past (for The Family Corner) so I'm not totally new to this. I like to base my reviews around the word "home."

H - Handling: was the book/site laid out in a reader-friendly way; did I find all the info I needed, or was I left scratching my head in frustration?

O - Orientation: was the book/site pleasing to look at; if there is a price involved, is it reasonable; overall, did I want to read further, or did the first page lose me?

M - Modern: does the book/site offer up-to-date info; is it designed for today's reader?

E - Educational: did I learn anything from this book/site; can I teach others (like my children) from the info; what was the take-away?

Until I get some new books to review, I'll post previous reviews here, and I'll do practice reviews of books on my shelves. I hope what I post will be helpful to each of you!