Today Is National Read A Book Day

Here is your friendly reminder.  You still have time!

Islands and Enemies from Tyndale Book Review

Disclosure:  I received this complimentary product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

We were blessed to receive Islands and Enemies from Tyndale for review.  This is Book #28 in The Imagination Station series from Adventures in Odyssey.

Our hardback book

 

Our book is ~ 150 pages with 17 chapters.  It is recommended for ages 7 and up and is on a Grade Level of 2.7 difficulty.  It makes for a fabulous read aloud as well!

E devoured this book in one sitting!  She loved the story and adventure.

I'm currently reading it aloud to the younger boys and they are really enjoying it!  I really like that when we are finished, they can go back and read it on their own.

There are various black and white illustrations sprinkled throughout the story and the kids really enjoy them.

What's this story about?  Cousins Patrick and Beth step into the Imagination Station and we all know what happens with that!  They journey back in time to 1521 and board the Victoria on its journey to sail around the world.  The youngsters meet Captain Ferdinand Magellan.  Things go awry when they are accused of being witches and they find themselves having to prove their innocence.  I always love the historical elements as I really enjoy historical fiction works.

 

If you are looking for a fun book for your kids or extra summer reading, the Imagination Station series from Focus on the Family is a great one to obtain.

Want to know more?  Be sure to click on the banner below to visit the Homeschool Review Crew blog to read even more reviews of Islands and Enemies.

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BUCK Making Cents from Buck Academy Review

Disclosure:  I received this complimentary product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

 

We were blessed to receive BUCK Making Cents from Buck Academy!  This book is geared for children ages 5-10 and is a great tool for parents to use with their children to help them understand the value of money.  This book is written by Dustin Goss and illustrated by Febyolla Goss.

 

Our new hardback book with a soft touch!

I want to note that the paper in this book is very durable as it is thick and sturdy.  I appreciate this so much as it will be longer lasting.

I have been using it with F and G and we love it!

In our book BUCK, a friendly dollar, helps break down money to the basics.  The goal of this book is not only to help children understand the concept of money but to get them to think about saving and investing too.

Our Table of Contents

 

Chapter 1 focuses on making cents of Buck.  Children are introduced to Buck and his most valued friends, the coins!  This is such a fun chapter.  I love that the coins in the book are foiled for a real look and feel.  G especially loves touching them.

Buck and the coins.  I'm hoping you can see how the coins are foiled.

And above you can see all about meeting Quarter.

It was fun that it mentioned the Liberty quarters because we have a book for collecting them.  And while we don't have all (yet), we have quite a few.  It was fun to look at them as we read our book.

Chapter 2 focuses on the value of Buck and each coin.  And more specifically how many of each coin makes a buck (4 quarters, 10 dimes, etc.).

Above you can see the example for pennies.  It shows that there are 100 pennies in a buck.

Chapter 3 focuses on memory.  It asks several questions about Buck and each of his coin friends.

Here are the questions about comparing a nickel and a dime.  Which is larger in value and which is larger in size?

The answer key is found on the bottom of the page upside down.

The end of the book contains coin and dollar fun facts.  It's interesting things you didn't know about money.  I personally love this trivia section.  The boys learned that the penny has the only president facing to the right and so much more!  Buck Making Cents is a fun way to teach young children about American currency.  The boys and I really enjoy having it and we would definitely recommend it too 😉.

Do you want to know more?  Be sure to click on the banner below to visit the Homeschool Review Crew blog to read more reviews of Buck Academy.

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Pursued to Eternity by John Riley Review

Disclosure:  I received this complimentary product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

I have been beyond blessed to receive Pursued to Eternity by John Riley.  This short, fictional story takes you on a fast-paced adventure that begins in ancient times through the present and ultimately ends with our eternal future.  It's the story of God's pursuit of man.

My new paperback!

 

I was hooked from the very beginning of the introduction - dinosaurs, the Exodus, oil, apologetics - what was I about to read?

In this story we follow two brothers, Connor Bridges (a biology teacher and Christian), and his younger brother Dr. Alan Bridges (a geologist and professed atheist).

 

While there are 17 chapters and 151 pages, I found this book to be a fairly quick read because it was so interesting and engaging.  I love that it has a solid message of God pursuing man.  I also really appreciate all the bible evidence and proof about Creation.  I'm the only one who's read it so far but I'm going to have the older kids read it next because I think there's a lot of value in it!  I am such a fan of books that make you think and this is definitely one that does, it might even change how you think about the world.

John Riley has a Master of Science degree and has worked thirty-five years as an engineer.  During retirement, he and his wife, Nancy, have taught physics, robotics, SAT prep classes and an Apologetics: Creation vs. Evolution course on SchoolhouseTeachers.com.  It's a 14 week, video-based course geared for 7-12th grade that demonstrates the evidence and proof for Creationism and lets students decide for themselves what they think.

Check out the short video below from Covenant Books on Pursued to Eternity by John Riley!

And be sure to click on the banner below to visit the Homeschool Review Crew blog to read even more reviews of Pursued to Eternity.

Wimmelbooks from Timberdoodle Review

I have a sweet set of books to share with you today from Timberdoodle, Wimmelbooks Set of 3.  These oversized board books are geared for children ages 2-5 and have 16 pages each.  G has really been enjoying them, he loves books!  We are using them as a component of his preschool curriculum this year.

Our Set!

Our set of 3 includes:  My Big Wimmelbook At the Construction Site, My Big Wimmelbook Cars and Things That Go, and My Big Wimmelbook On the Farm.

Characters in At the Construction Site 

At the beginning of each of our books, various characters are introduced to the reader.  As your child flips through the books, they will look for those same characters throughout Wimmelworld.  They are encouraged to not only find them but to tell their stories in all the following scenes and pages.  I love how each of the characters have a different storyline that unravels as you move throughout the books.

 Above you can see one of the pages from At the Construction Site

And now you can see a few of the characters circled.

Finding the characters is only one aspect of these stories though.  I have always loved search and find type books and puzzles so this is a fantastic element to have.  But, having your kids tell you stories about the characters and seeing their brain working (and their wheels spinning) is one of the true gems of this series in my opinion.

G looking through his Cars and Things That Go Wimmelbook.

Above he is pointing out an "extra" dog.

Finding Dr. Shannon (the veterinarian) in On the Farm.

What's great about these books is that they use very few words and yet, they allow your child to tell a number of stories.  Children are encouraged to discover, learn and even increase their vocabulary as they see things both familiar and unfamiliar throughout each book.  I love asking G what he thinks about the characters and pages of Wimmelworld.  It's fun to hear his thoughts and the stories he creates!  And another great feature, the story can change!  It reminds me of game boards that change every time you play them, these stories can be unique and different every time you read them together.  G is loving them and we highly recommend them!

This set of Wimmelbooks is part of Timberdoodle's Preschool Curriculum Kit.  I am going to continue to use them with G as part of his PreK curriculum this year to increase and build his vocabulary.  Oh the stories he will tell!

Disclosure:  Huge shout out to Timberdoodle for selecting me as a Timberdoodle Blogger.  Timberdoodle sent my family the Wimmelbooks Set of 3 in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are my own.

The Boxcar Children Early Ready Set from Albert Whitman & Company Review

{Disclaimer:  I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review.  I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.}

You have probably heard of The Boxcar Children.  My younger kids are really enjoying The Boxcar Children Early Reader Set from Albert Whitman & Company. 

 Our New Set

This set includes the first four books of Gertrude Chandler Warner's classic series (The Boxcar Children, Surprise Island, The Yellow House Mystery and Mystery Ranch) but is adapted for beginning readers (ages 5-8, grades K-2)!  This series is a great transition or bridge from picture books to chapter books and can be purchased in paperback or hardback form.

The Time to Read program is designed to help children have literacy success regardless of their age or grade level.  This program has three specific levels of reading readiness:  Beginning to Read, Reading with Help and Reading Independently.  This series is in the Level 2, Reading with Help category so these books contain short sentences, simple dialogue, and illustration support for the engaging stories within.

E with our books.

E is 8 and I would say a very advanced, independent reader.  That didn't stop her from picking up these books and reading them.  She read them in one sitting and really enjoyed them.  We have read the original The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner (we also have the film) so she recognized the first story right away.  She was delighted to read the "extra" adventures.  She told me that she didn't realize there were more stories and she found them quite enjoyable.  She also liked the new characters - Cousin Joe, Bill and Aunt Jane.

D Reading

Similarly to E, I found D picking up these books for a quick read as well.  She too read them in one sitting and enjoyed them!  However, her favorite remains the original story; whereas E really enjoyed the extra ones.

 F reading with me.

This set is perfect for F (age 6, grade K).  He is really excelling with his reading progress and this level is on target for him to read with my help.  He needs my help quite a bit but I love how reading more just continues to give him greater confidence in his ability.  Not only do these books challenge him (in a great way), he too really enjoys the stories.

 A peek inside The Boxcar Children

 A peek inside Surprise Island

These books are a great length for this level - not super short and not super long.  They are full of wonderful, whimsy, and colorful illustrations.  I love that the illustrations always support the story context.  I noticed that F really likes to study the illustrations before we dive into the story.  I appreciate his quest for context clues.  All four books have a little mystery and exploration about them:  Will the boxcar be their new home?  What will they find when they spend time on their very own island?  Will an old letter help them solve a mystery in the woods?  What will the children discover at Aunt Jane's ranch?  These are a great addition to our homeschool and reading library and we definitely recommend them.

A peek inside The Yellow House Mystery

A peek inside Mystery Ranch

Be sure to click on the banner below to visit the Homeschool Review Crew blog to read even more reviews of Albert Whitman & Company's The Boxcar Children Early Reader Set.

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Penguin & Moose Book Review

{We were so blessed to be a part of the book launch team for Penguin & Moose by Hannah C. Hall!  We received this book in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are our own!}

You will definitely want to read this whimsical story to your little ones!

A closer view.  This story was written by Hannah C. Hall and Illustrated by Anna Chernyshova.

The premise is simple.  Penguin has a big problem - he wants to fly but he doesn't know how.  Luckily, he has a great friend, Moose, who helps him try to figure his problem out.  

Inside our book

Another peak inside...

Things do not go as planned.  A disappointed Penguin discovers that he has something far greater than the ability to fly - a fantastic friend!  Children really grasp this simple yet powerful story.  I love the whimsical illustrations by Anna Chernyshova that fit perfectly with the story.  This is a really fun read.

Check out the sweet book trailer below and let me know what you think.

Mattie Richardson's Horses in History Series by Author Mattie Richardson/Appaloosy Books Review

With four girls you bet we have some horse lovers in our home!  A is especially drawn to them and she loves history so she was super excited to read the 4 books in the Mattie Richardson's Horses in History Series from Author Mattie Richardson/Appaloosy Books.

Notice the horse canvas in the background!

Our Books - they are autographed copies as Mattie signed them (thanks Mattie!).

A reading on the go...

This series includes Appaloosy, Dusty's Trail, Golden Sunrise and Day and Night.  We were also blessed to receive a PDF Enrichment Guide for the Day and Night book.  This book series is geared for ages 8-14; however, children with an interest in history or horses younger or older may really enjoy these books as well.  These books vary in length from just over 60 pages (Dusty's Trail) to over 140 pages (Day and Night).  They can be read as a stand-alone book as each focuses on a different historical period.  All four of these stories are told from the perspective of the horses, which is so fun.  There are a few hand drawn illustrations sprinkled in throughout this series but it doesn't have a lot of pictures.  Let's Dive in!

Appaloosy

Illustration from the book

Here's what A said about Appaloosy.  Appaloosy is told from the perspective of Storm, a beautiful Appaloosa stallion, belonging to the Nez Perce Indian Tribe.  He dreams of being a free horse but they give him to a young warrior named White Feather, who is somehow different from the rest of the people (he is kind to Storm).  Storm is sold several times, stolen, and often escapes.  Eventually he finds himself with a young girl named Faith, who is kind and loving and Storm cares for her very much.  Soon he is faced with a choice to go back to Faith or become a free horse as he as always dreamed to be.

Golden Sunrise

Illustration from the book

Here's what A said about Golden Sunrise.  Golden Sunrise is told from the perspective of Cheyenne, who is a golden mare who lives with her owner, Jared.  She and Jared are best friends.  One day Jared is convinced to volunteer as a soldier in the Texas fight for independence.  He and his best friend, Reuben, saddle up and head to San Antonio, Texas where they are stationed to defend the now famous Alamo.  They make more friends but the advancing Mexican army is determined to snuff them out.  This is a really good story but it does have a very sad ending.

Dusty's Trail

Illustration from the book

Here's what A said about Dusty's Trail.  Dusty's Trail is told from the perspective of Dusty who lives on a farm with his owner, Levi.  One night, Levi and Dusty sneak away to help deliver the mail by horse, otherwise known as Pony Mail (Yes, the Pony Express!).  At first, Dusty isn't interested in delivering the mail but soon he finds courage he never knew he had in order to save Levi.

Day and Night

Illustration from the book

Here's what A said about Day and Night.  Day and Night is told from the perspective of Tucker and Shiloh who are young horse brothers that are separated at the beginning of the book.  Each chapter alternates perspectives back and forth between them.  They are very different from each other even though they are brothers.  They find themselves in the middle of the American Civil War.  Tucker ends up with the US Army and Shiloh ends up with a young confederate girl who disguises herself as a soldier.  The brothers find themselves on opposite sides of the war.  You find yourself wondering - Will they make it out of the war?  Will they see each other again?

And here's what B said about Day and Night.  Day and Night is from two young horses' perspective, they are brothers called Shiloh and Tucker.  The chapters rotate from each horse so that you can understand what each one is experiencing.  They get separated and have to cope with their new lives.  Tucker, a deep brown stallion, gets sold in the US Army and works with a young soldier named Ben.  Shiloh, a speckled gray stallion, gets stolen by a young girl named Sarah, who is fiercely devoted to the Confederate Army.  Each one faces the hardships of fighting in the Civil War but both of them think that their cause is greater.  They remember their old lives and think of each other often wondering if they will ever meet again.

Our Enrichment Guide

As I mentioned earlier, we were blessed to receive a PDF Enrichment Guide for the Day and Night book.  This Enrichment Guide is pretty fantastic.  It is divided into 8 parts and is such an amazing resource.  It includes reading comprehension questions, vocabulary, history information, living history, horses in history, geography, biographies, creating your own stories, further reading ideas and more!  I really like the crafts, games, and activities within the living history portion.  We have not completed this guide but the girls and I are definitely going to start exploring it soon now that they have both read Day and Night.

Author Mattie Richardson

Mattie Richardson has published five books and specializes in historical fiction and is most well-known for her horses telling the stories!  I love that she became an author at just 13.  B is thinking she might want to be an author and she is currently 13 so that's super fun to think about.  When she is not writing, Mattie enjoys playing the fiddle and guitar, riding and training horses, studying American history and spending time with her family.

A and B are both avid readers so now that A has finished this entire series, B is now reading it.  She is already onto her second book.  I'm looking forward to hearing her thoughts about the entire series as well.  These books are really fun, especially for those that love horses and history.  They are really enjoyable reads.

Be sure to click on the banner below to visit the Homeschool Review Crew blog to read more reviews of Mattie Richardson's Horses in History Series and see what others have to say.

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