Thursday, May 26, 2011

Living in Love - A Review

Living in Love, by James and Betty Robison.
The Co-hosts of TV's LIFE Today share keys to an exciting and fulfilling marriage

James and Betty have been married for nearly 50 years and say "we are more in love now than ever before".  What did I like about this book?  Their honesty.  They don't just talk in general terms.  They speak from their hearts about experiences in their own marriages.  They talk about where they have been and how they have got to where they are.




I particularly liked the section on dealing with the baggage that we bring into our marriages, how it effects our marriage and ways to help let it go.  I also enjoyed the section about building up our spouses, to never betray your spouses trust.  If you seek counseling, make sure you are there to get better, not to gossip and tear-down your mate.

Also, remember that no one is perfect.  Sure your mate has faults.  But so do you.  So remember to be forgiving and supportive.


I enjoyed reading this book and gained some insight and encouragement that will be useful in the years to come.



I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Considering God's Creation - A Review




Product:  Considering God's Creation

Price:  $29.95 (Workbook, Teacher's Manual, & CD)

Age Range:  2nd - 7th grade (with adaptations)

To Order:  Buy Now

Company:  Eagle's Wings

Other Products:  Several subjects are available
The state capital game looks very interesting.  I just may have to get that one.

Brief Intro: (from the website)

A creative in-depth encounter with natural science from a biblical perspective.
Adaptable for Second to Seventh Grade. A gigantic 272-page book plus Teacher's Manual with free audio CD!






In-Depth Look:
We have had a lot of trouble finding a science curriculum that we enjoy.   So we have used living books and unit studies, for the most part.  When this book came up for review, I jumped on board.

You will receive a very detailed teacher's manual, a workbook full of reproducible printables, and a CD of songs/poems to go along with several of the lessons.

Eagle's Wings is a Christian program.  It includes a short Bible lesson corresponding to each lesson and an occasional Evolution Stumper.  So depending on your Worldview, this may or may not be a good fit for your family. 

The book has a nice variety of topics, starting with Creation.  From the solar system to genetics.  From food chains to clouds.  Since we only had a limited amount of time to try out the book, I chose the topics I thought would be of interest to the girls.  We studied clouds, whales, amphibians, and more.  Their favorite one was about whales.


In any given lesson, you will find vocabulary words, a brief lesson, a tie-in to a Bible lesson, some really neat worksheets.  The lessons are not very long, but the hands-on activities are a nice touch.  And the teacher's manual includes ideas for deeper study and more projects.  If you used the book and all the given resources, it would be more than enough for a very nice unit study on a wide variety of topics.

I would have liked for the lessons to have a little more detail, to be a little more in-depth.  But as I mentioned, that is where the additional resources come in.  And it would be difficult to cover so many topics in one book if they had provided a lot more depth.

The worksheets were my favorite part.  They are really nice.  Many of them have a lapbook feel to them.  The workbook is reproducible.  So you just make as many copies as you need for your family.


An added bonus is the CD containing songs written for and relating to several of the lessons.  Music does wonders for helping learn and remember facts.  Science is no exception.  You can listen to some sound clips on the right-hand side of this  page.

If you have more questions, you might find them on the FAQ page.

Read other reviews here once available.

Disclaimer: I received these books free of charge to review, as part of the TOS Homeschool Crew. The above is just my opinion. Please remember that opinions may, and do, vary.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Word Qwerty - A Review

Wordy QwertyProduct:  Word Qwerty

Price:  $25 for a 5 year subscription for 1 student, $40 for 2 students

Age Range:  2nd - 3rd grade




To Purchase:  Store

Company:  Talking Fingers, Inc.

Other Products:  Read, Write, & Type
                          Jingle Spells 

Brief Intro:  (from the website)

Wordy Qwerty – Foundations for Reading and Writing Fluency, takes 7-9 year olds through the next steps of reading and writing fluency, and picks up where our award-winning software, the Read, Write & Type Learning System leaves off.
After successfully completing Read, Write & Type!, most 6-7 year olds are able to write any word they can say. But they may not spell them all correctly, because they need to know a bit more about spelling conventions and about how words are constructed in English. This is where Wordy Qwerty comes in. In 20 consecutive lessons, woven together with fun-to-play games and delightful songs that will stay in their heads (and an audio CD they can play in the car or on their audio CD player).



In-Depth Look:

My daughter is 9 and in 3rd grade.  She can use some help with spelling skills.  She reads very well.  But with unfamiliar words, she still spells using phonics.  You know . . . spelling it just like it sounds.  Sometimes this works.  Sometimes it doesn't.

I was glad for the opportunity to review a fun online program that helps teach spelling rules for the younger set.  WordQwerty is that program.  It consists of 20 lessons.  These 20 lessons cover the following spelling rules.

 

 

 

 

 

 


This game is geared for 7-9 year olds.  Those who are reading well, but could still use some help with their spelling.  All those tricky things like which words start with C and which ones start with K.  Or which words end with -TCH and which just end with -CH.

I found it to be very user-friendly, walking you through the 20 lessons one-by-one.  A child can easily sit down and use the program independently.   It is colorful and engaging.  The spelling rule songs are catchy.

It seems like a fun program to use that can really help cement the most common and useful spelling rules.

What did my daughter think?  She felt it was too young for her and that she already knew most of what it was teaching her.  But although she complained just a teeny bit when it was time to practice, I caught her many times singing along to the catchy spelling songs.  Sometimes I even caught her dancing around and singing them.  So in my opinion, it had her attention.  I think it has been a help to her.

Have your child try out the free demo.

Read more reviews here.

Disclaimer: I received this online program free of charge to review, as part of the TOS Homeschool Crew. The above is just my opinion. Please remember that opinions may, and do, vary.









Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Mad Dog Math - A Review

Product:  Mad Dog Math - at Home - Downloadable software

Price:  $19.99 for 1 year license
           $29.99 for 2 year license
           $39.99 for perpetual license

To Purchase:  Order Page

Age Range:  Elementary

Contact Information:  Mad Dog Math

Other Products:
Instructional Systems
Software
Flash Cards
Certificates and Accessories 



Brief Intro: From the Website
For teachers or home school parents, Mad Dog Math - at Home is a student-tested, Windows PC application that provides either an at-home or classroom practice experience that is just like the Mad Dog Math drills. Children LOVE it and can't wait to get their practice minutes in. Try our free trial and we think you'll want your very own copy. This download has ALL the Mad Dog Math levels at one low price. Don't miss it for either your classroom or home computer.



In-Depth Look:

You can find a free trial of the program at this link.  It is a great idea to try out a program before purchasing it, whenever possible.

The first step is to download the program.  I found the directions to be a tad-bit confusing.  I was successful in loading it on my laptop, but not on my desktop.  So instead of spending anymore time trying to figure it out on the desktop, I had the girls continue to use it on the laptop.

The second step is to have your child login on the drill game.  If they aren't logged in, they won't get credit for their drill work and it won't count towards the stickers that they are trying to earn.  My younger was playing the drills without logging in, therefore earning no credit for it.  It would be helpful for the program to load directly to a LOGIN SCREEN; instead, it allows a child to begin playing right away without being logged in.

The child is responsible for continuously clicking to the correct next stage.  Such as going from the ADDITION OF FACT FAMILY 1 TO 4 to the next category of SUBTRACTION OF FACT FAMILY 1 TO 4.  Or of progressing from 2 MINUTES time allowed to 1 MINUTE to 30 SECONDS.    These progressions from one step to the next eventually lead to earning CLUB STICKERS.  I would prefer for the program to handle this for the student, automatically taking them to the next level after completion of the previous level.  Or at least giving an option of "Are you ready for the next level now?"  I found the current setup to be confusing and it took a while for my children to get a feel for it.

This is how it is explained in the directions:
"When you do go on to the next drill, Ruff will show you which family is next.  When he does, click on the math operation tab he tells you, and select the FACT FAMILY he tells you is next."


My children used the program with little complaint.  I am sure it helped with their speed, as they raced against the "time allowed" time and time again, for the past several weeks.   So it is a helpful and inexpensive means of math facts drill.

Unfortunately, it wasn't a good fit for our family.  My daughters didn't enjoy the program.  They also didn't feel the club stickers were a very worthwhile reward for completing the time challenges.

Feel free to read other reviews.  Some crew members enjoyed the program and plan to purchase it.


Disclaimer: I received this software free of charge to review, as part of the TOS Homeschool Crew. The above is just my opinion. Please remember that opinions may, and do, vary.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Lightkeeper's Ball - A Review



I picked this book because I love historical fiction.  But to tell you the truth, when I saw it was a romance, I had my doubts of liking it.  So many are just plain cheesy.  No surprise, no twist.  You know how it will play out by the first chapter.

This one was a pleasant surprise.  It was a romance, but it was also a mystery.  And the mystery kept you guessing till the very last chapter.

 I enjoyed it and I recommend it.







It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!


Today's Wild Card author is:


and the book:

Thomas Nelson; 1 edition (April 19, 2011)
***Special thanks to Audra Jennings, Senior Media Specialist, The B&B Media Group for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



Colleen Coble’s thirty-five novels and novellas have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Romance Writers of America prestigious RITA, the Holt Medallion, the ACFW Book of the Year, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers’ Choice, the Booksellers Best, and the 2009 Best Books of Indiana-Fiction award. She writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail and love begin with a happy ending.


Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:


Olivia seems to have it all, but her heart yearns for more.

Olivia Stewart's family is one of the Four Hundred—the highest echelon of society in 1910. When her sister dies under mysterious circumstances, Olivia leaves their New York City home for Mercy Falls, California, to determine what befell Eleanor. She suspects Harrison Bennett, the man Eleanor planned to marry. But the more Olivia gets to know him, the more she doubts his guilt—and the more she is drawn to him herself.

When several attempts are made on her life, Olivia turns to Harrison for help. He takes her on a ride in his aeroplane, but then crashes, and they’re forced to spend two days alone together. With her reputation hanging by a thread, Harrison offers to marry her to make the situation right. As a charity ball to rebuild the Mercy Falls lighthouse draws near, she realizes she wants more than a sham engagement—she wants Harrison in her life forever. But her enemy plans to shatter the happiness she is ready to grasp. If Olivia dares to drop her masquerade, she just might see the path to true happiness.



Product Details:

List Price: $14.99
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson; 1 edition (April 19, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 159554268X
ISBN-13: 978-1595542687

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

The New York brownstone was just half a block down from the Astor mansion on Fifth Avenue, the most prestigious address in the country. The carriage, monogrammed with the Stewart emblem, rattled through the iron gates and came to a halt in front of the ornate doors. Assisted by the doorman, Olivia Stewart descended and rushed for the steps of her home. She was late for tea, and her mother would be furious. Mrs. Astor herself had agreed to join them today.

Olivia handed her hat to the maid, who opened the door. “They’re in the drawing room, Miss Olivia,” Goldia whispered. “Your mama is ready to pace the floor.”

Olivia patted at her hair, straightened her shoulders, and pinned a smile in place as she forced her stride to a ladylike stroll to join the other women. Two women turned to face her as she entered: her mother and Mrs. Astor. They wore identical expressions of disapproval.

“Olivia, there you are,” her mother said. “Sit down before your tea gets cold.”

Olivia pulled off her gloves as she settled into the Queen Anne chair beside Mrs. Astor. “I apologize for my tardiness,” she said. “A lorry filled with tomatoes overturned in the street, and my driver couldn’t get around it.”

Mrs. Astor’s face cleared. “Of course, my dear.” She sipped her tea from the delicate blue-and-white china. “Your dear mother and I were just discussing your prospects. It’s time you married.”

Oh dear. She’d hoped to engage in light conversation that had nothing to do with the fact that she was twenty-five and still unmarried. Her unmarried state distressed her if she let it, but every man her father brought to her wanted only her status. She doubted any of them had ever looked into her soul. “I’m honored you would care about my marital status, Mrs. Astor,” Olivia said.

“Mrs. Astor wants to hold a ball in your honor, Olivia,” her mother gushed. “She has a distant cousin coming to town whom she wants you to meet.”

Mrs. Astor nodded. “I believe you and Matthew would suit. He owns property just down the street.”

Olivia didn’t mistake the reference to the man’s money. Wealth would be sure to impact her mother. She opened her mouth to ask if the man was her age, then closed it at the warning glint in her mother’s eyes.

“He’s been widowed for fifteen years and is long overdue for a suitable wife,” Mrs. Astor said.

Olivia barely suppressed a sigh. So he was another of the decrepit gentlemen who showed up from time to time. “You’re very kind,” she said.

“He’s most suitable,” her mother said. “Most suitable.”

Olivia caught the implication. They spent the next half an hour discussing the date and the location. She tried to enter into the conversation with interest, but all she could do was imagine some gray-whiskered blue blood dancing her around the ballroom. She stifled a sigh of relief when Mrs. Astor took her leave and called for her carriage.

“I’ll be happy when you’re settled, Olivia,” her mother said when they returned to the drawing room. “Mrs. Astor is most kind.”

“She is indeed.” Olivia pleated her skirt with her fingers. “Do you ever wish you could go somewhere incognito, Mother? Where no one has expectations of you because you are a Stewart?”

Her mother put down her saucer with a clatter. “Whatever are you babbling about, my dear?”

“Haven’t you noticed that people look at us differently because we’re Stewarts? How is a man ever to love me for myself when all he sees is what my name can gain him? Men never see inside to the real me. They notice only that I’m a Stewart.”

“Have you been reading those novels again?” Her mother sniffed and narrowed her gaze on Olivia. “Marriage is about making suitable connections. You owe it to your future children to consider the life you give them. Love comes from respect. I would find it quite difficult to respect someone who didn’t have the gumption to make his way in the world. Besides, we need you to marry well. You’re twenty-five years old and I’ve indulged your romantic notions long enough. Heaven knows your sister’s marriage isn’t what I had in mind, essential though it may be. Someone has to keep the family name in good standing.”

Olivia knew what her duty demanded, but she didn’t have to like it. “Do all the suitable men have to be in their dotage?”

Her mother’s eyes sparked fire but before she spoke, Goldia appeared in the doorway. “Mr. Bennett is here, Mrs. Stewart.”

Olivia straightened in her chair. “Show him in. He’ll have news of Eleanor.”

Bennett appeared in the doorway moments later. He shouldn’t have been imposing. He stood only five-foot-three in his shoes, which were always freshly polished. He was slim, nearly gaunt, with a patrician nose and obsidian eyes. He’d always reminded Olivia of a snake about to strike. His expression never betrayed any emotion, and today was no exception. She’d never understood why her father entertained an acquaintance with the man let alone desired their families to be joined.

“Mr. Bennett.” She rose and extended her hand and tried not to flinch as he brushed his lips across it.

“Miss Olivia,” he said, releasing her hand. He moved to her mother’s chair and bowed over her extended hand.

Olivia sank back into her chair. “What do you hear of my sister? I have received no answer to any of my letters.”

He took a seat, steepled his fingers, and leaned forward. “That’s the reason for our meeting today. I fear I have bad news to impart.”

Her pulse thumped erratically against her ribcage. She wetted her lips and drew in a deep breath. “What news of Eleanor?” How bad could it be? Eleanor had gone to marry Harrison, a man she hardly knew. But she was in love with the idea of the Wild West, and therefore more than happy to marry the son of her father’s business partner.

He never blinked. “I shall just have to blurt it out then. I’m sorry to inform you that Eleanor is dead.”

Her mother moaned. Olivia stared at him. “I don’t believe it,” she said.

“I know, it’s a shock.”

There must have been some mistake. She searched his face for some clue that this was a jest. “What happened?”

He didn’t hold her gaze. “She drowned.”

“How?”

“No one knows. I’m sorry.”

Her mother stood and swayed. “What are you saying?” Her voice rose in a shriek. “Eleanor can’t be dead! Are you quite mad?”

He stood and took her arm. “I suggest you lie down, Mrs. Stewart. You’re quite pale.”

Her mother put her hands to her cheeks. “Tell me it isn’t true,” she begged. Then she keeled over in a dead faint.

#
Harrison Bennett tugged on his tie, glanced at his shoes to make sure no speck of dirt marred their perfection, then disembarked from his motorcar in front of the mansion. The cab had rolled up Nob Hill much too quickly for him to gather his courage to face the party. Electric lights pushed back the darkness from the curving brick driveway to the porch with its impressive white pillars. Doormen flanked the double doors at the entry. Through the large windows, he saw the ballroom. Ladies in luxurious gowns and gentlemen in tuxedos danced under glittering chandeliers, and their laughter tinkled on the wind.

His valet, Eugene, exited behind him. “I’ll wait in the kitchen, sir.”

Harrison adjusted his hat and strode with all the confidence he could muster to the front door. “Mr. Harrison Bennett,” he said to the doorman.

The man scanned the paper in his hand. “Welcome, Mr. Bennett. Mr. Rothschild is in the ballroom.”

Harrison thanked him and stepped into the opulent hall papered in gold foil. He went in the direction of the voices with a sense of purpose. This night could change his future. He glanced around the enormous ballroom, and he recognized no one among the glittering gowns and expensive suits. In subtle ways, these nobs would try to keep him in his place. It would take all his gumption not to let them. It was a miracle he’d received an invitation. Only the very wealthy or titled were invited to the Rothschilds’ annual ball in San Francisco. Harrison was determined to do whatever was necessary to secure the contract inside his coat pocket.

A young woman in an evening gown fluttered her lashes at him over the top of her fan. When she lowered it, she approached with a coaxing smile on her lips. “Mr. Bennett, I’d hoped to see you here tonight.”

He struggled to remember her name. Miss Kessler. She’d made her interest in him known at Eleanor’s funeral. Hardly a suitable time. He took her gloved hand and bowed over it. “Miss Kessler. I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”

“I came when I heard you were on the guest list.”

He ignored her brazen remark. “It’s good to see you again. I have some business to attend to. Perhaps later?”

Her eyes darkened and she withdrew her hand. “I shall watch for you,” she said.

And he’d do the same, with the intent to avoid her. “If you’ll excuse me.” He didn’t wait for an answer but strolled through the crowd. He finally spied his host standing in front of a marble fireplace. A flame danced in the eight-foot hearth. Harrison stepped through the crowd to join the four men clustered around the wealthy Rothschild.

The man closest to Harrison was in his fifties and had a curling mustache. “They’ll never get that amendment ratified,” he said. “An income tax! It’s quite ridiculous to expect us to pay something so outrageous.”

A younger man in a gray suit shook his head. “If it means better roads, I’ll gladly write them a check. The potholes outside of town ruined my front axels.”

“We can take care of our own roads,” Rothschild said. “I have no need of the government in my affairs. At least until we’re all using flying machines.” He snickered, then glanced at Harrison. “You look familiar, young man. Have we met?”

Flying machines. Maybe this meeting was something God had arranged. Harrison thrust out his hand. “Harrison Bennett.”

“Claude’s son?”’

Was that distaste in the twist of Rothschild’s mouth? Harrison put confidence into his grip. “Yes, sir.”

“How is your father?”

“Quite well. He’s back in New York by now.”

“I heard about your fiancée’s death. I’m sorry for your loss.”

Harrison managed not to wince. “Thank you.” He pushed away his memories of that terrible day, the day he’d seen Eleanor Stewart for what she really was.

“Your father was most insistent I meet you. He seems to think you have a business proposition I might be interested in.”

Harrison smiled and began to tell the men of the new diamond mines that Bennett and Bennett had found in Africa. A mere week after Mr. Stewart’s passing, Mr. Bennett had renamed the venture to include Harrison. An hour later, he had appointments set up with three of the men as possible investors. His father would be pleased.

Harrison smiled and retraced his steps to toward the front door but was waylaid by four women in brightly colored silk. They swooped around him, and Miss Kessler took him by the hand and led him to a quiet corner.

“Let’s not talk about anything boring like work,” she said, her blue eyes sparkling. “Tell me what you love to do most.”

He glanced at the other women clustered around. “I’m building an aeroplane. I’d like to have it in the air by the time Earth passes through the tail of Halley’s Comet.”

She gasped. “Do you have a death wish, Mr. Bennett? You would be breathing the poisonous fumes directly. No one even knows if the Earth will survive this.”

He’d heard this before. “The scientists I’ve discussed this with believe we shall be just fine,” Harrison said.

“I assume you’ve purchased comet pills?” the blonde closest to him said.

“I have no fear.”

The brunette in red silk smiled. “If man were meant to fly, God would have given him wings. Or so I’ve heard the minister say.”

He finally placed the brunette. Her uncle was Rothschild. No wonder she had such contempt for Harrison’s tone. All the nobs cared for were trains and ships. “It’s just a matter of perfecting the machine,” Harrison said. “Someday aeroplanes will be the main mode of transcontinental transportation.”

The brunette laughed. “Transcontinental? My uncle would call it balderdash.”

He glanced at his pocket watch without replying. “I fear I must leave you lovely ladies. Thank you for the conversation.”

He found Eugene in the kitchen and beckoned to his valet.

Eugene put down his coffee cup and followed. “You didn’t stay long, sir,” he said. “Is everything all right?”

Harrison stalked out the door and toward the car. “Are there no visionaries left in the country?”

Eugene followed a step behind. “You spoke of your flying machine?”

“The world is changing, Eugene, right under their noses—and they don’t see it.”

Eugene opened the door for Harrison. “You will show them the future, sir.”

He set his jaw. “I shall indeed.”

“I have a small savings set aside, Mr. Bennett. I’d like to invest in your company. With your permission, of course.”

Eugene’s trust bolstered Harrison’s determination. “I’d be honored to partner with you, Eugene. We are going to change the world.”

Monday, May 9, 2011

MonkiSee DVD and Book - A Review

Product:  MonkiSee Baby's First Words DVD and Know Your Monkey Book



Price:   DVD ($19.95)  Book ($9.95)

Company:  Intellectual Baby, LLC



To Purchase:  MonkiSee.com


Age Range:  3 months - 3 years old

Other Products:  Books, Flash Cards, DVDs, Flash Cards



Brief Intro: (from the website)

DVD - An entertaining way of teaching babies body parts and other familiar first words, including words from head to toes and in between!  Ages 3 months - 3 years old.  Regular Price $24.95

Book - Join Howie and Skip in the book Know Your Monkey as they learn to identify their body parts while learning to read. $9.95





In-Depth Look:

This program is recommended for children ages 3 months - 3 years.  So I was happy to sign my 2 year old and try it out.  We received MonkiSee DVD Volume 1 - Baby's First Words and the book Know Your Monkey - A See and Say Story.  The mascots of both are two little monkeys named Skip and Howie.  My 2 year old loves monkeys, as I would guess most preschoolers do.  So this was a good sign.

The recommended viewing is daily, 5 days a week for a month or so.  For a total viewing of at least 20 times.  The movie is about 30 minutes long.  There is also a slide show of the 40 words to use as a quick review.  My daughter seemed to get a lot out of the slide show, which alternates quickly between the words and the pictures.  It provided a quick review that she would interact with . . . such as pointing to her shoulder when it would review shoulder.

The movie is filmed in Belize and includes several animals from the Belize Zoo.  A delightful little video that takes turns showing each of the 40 words and then pictures to go along with it.  Cute kids and cute animals and a catchy theme song. 

Sometimes my 2 year old daughter wants to watch it and other times she does not.  That is fine because there will be plenty of times that she is willing to watch it.  She likes it best when I watch it with her.  She will watch and listen intently and sings right along with the theme song.  It is a very cute song that she quickly caught on to. 

You may choose to use the book with the movie or on its own.  It is super cute and again has the cute little howler monkey mascots.  The pages alternate between simple phrases on one double-page spread, then Howie and Skip demonstrating those words on the next double-page spread.

For example:

Monkey mouths  is written on one side
open and close is written on the other side  

Then on the next double-page

Monkeys have their mouths open with word "OPEN" over them on one side.
Monkeys have their mouths closed with word "CLOSE" over them on other side.



I like that it alternates between pictures and words.  This allows me to trace the words with my finger as I read.  My daughter can focus on the words without the pictures to distract.  Then the pictures on the next page help to clarify and reinforce the phrase on the previous page.  And the pictures make it more enjoyable for the little ones.

Here is the word list for the story book:
a
and
arms
close
fingers
goodbye
hands
head
high
monkey
nose
open
pose
raise
silly
strike
their
toes
up
wave


I like the book and the DVD.  My daughter does as well. As you can see in the photos, she enjoys the book very much.

I highly recommend that you read the story of Krista Guerrero, a homeschooling mom of six, and how this series came to be.  Her enthusiasm is contagious and the history of the program will give you some insight into how it works and how to implement.  


Read more reviews here.  


Disclaimer: I received this book free of charge to review, as part of the TOS Homeschool Crew. The above is just my opinion. Please remember that opinions may, and do, vary.

Friday, May 6, 2011

TOS Special

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Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Yesterday's Classics - A Review

Product:  225 Books in Kindle Format

Price:  $149.95
SPECIAL DEAL: $99.95

Company:  Yesterday's Classics

To Purchase:  Kindle Format



Age Range:  School-Age (book descriptions include suggested age range)

Other Products:  All books are also available in printed format and EPUB format




Brief Intro: (from website)
Yesterday's Classics is your headquarters for the best classic literature for children. We republish classic books for children from the golden age of children's literature, the era from 1880 to 1920. Many of the titles we offer have been out of print for decades and so have been hard to find. Now your children can enjoy these books that delighted generations of children at the beginning of the twentieth century.
All our titles are offered in high-quality paperback editions, with text cast in modern easy-to-read type for today's readers. The illustrations from the original volumes have been included except in those few cases where the quality of the original images was too low to make their reproduction feasible. Except where noted, color illustrations in the original volumes are rendered in black and white in these editions.




In-Depth Look:

How would you like 225 classics for only 44 cents a piece?  That's right!  Only 44 cents a piece!  That is exactly what you get with Yesterday's Classics ebook bundle.

Yes, they do sell the printed version.  And most are less than $12, which is already a good deal.  But the best deal is with the ebooks.  They are available in the Kindle format, which only works on the Kindle.  And the EPUB format for everything else.  And all for $99.95, with the special link above.

Sure you would like 225 books.  But do you have a place to put them?  Another bookshelf needing filled?  Well if not, the ebooks are just right for you.  They take up no space, require no new shelving unit.  Just turn on your reading device of choice, and there they are.  Perfect!

It is difficult to find children books worth reading.  I find it hard to locate living books for history and science that my children will enjoy.  Well, my search has just got a whole lot easier.  These books are classics.  Grand treasures from years gone by.  I am loving these delightful reads.  Our homeschool will be richer because of them.


The variety ranges from classic novels, such as Pinocchio - our current read-aloud, to some great nature books, such as the Among the Meadow People series.

If you have a way to view ebooks and you have a soft-spot in your heart for living books, then I highly recommend the stories from Yesterday's Classic.

To read more reviews, click here. (once available)

Disclaimer: I received this ebook bundle free of charge to review, as part of the TOS Homeschool Crew. The above is just my opinion. Please remember that opinions may, and do, vary.