One of the great benefits of teaching my children at home is that I get an education as well. I'm learning so much more about history and science that I just didn't get in school - either because the curriculum didn't include the information, or because I didn't understand it. I've always enjoyed history, but... Continue Reading →
Hill of Fire
In Hill of Fire by Thomas P. Lewis, we read about a volcano that suddenly formed out of a farmer's field. That's the story in one sentence - Lewis builds up beautifully to the moment, describing the farmer's mundane life of living in a small Mexican village, eating breakfast, and working in the fields, complaining... Continue Reading →
Daniel’s Duck
My children have read Daniel's Duck by Clyde Robert Bulla over and over again. They enjoy the story, and I enjoy the lesson it teaches. Daniel admires a famous carver's wood carvings, and decides to work on his own wood carving for the county fair. He works hard on it all winter, and proudly enters... Continue Reading →
Greg’s Microscope
Greg's Microscope by Milicent E. Selsam should carry a warning: "Causes intense desire for microscopes in children." This easy-to-read book explores the world found under a microscope slide from the perspective of a young boy. He looks at salt, sugar and a myriad of other things in his house through his new microscope. His interest... Continue Reading →
Wagon Wheels
I almost cried when my seven-year-old read Wagon Wheels by Barbara Brenner out loud to me. I had to sit down and reread the story myself, to make sure he had read it correctly. Wagon Wheels is the story of the Muldie family moving West from Kentucky to Kansas after the Civil War. The mother... Continue Reading →
Egermeier’s Bible Story Book
I've said before everyone needs to be familiar with the Bible because so much of Western literature alludes to it. A great place to start is The Jesus Storybook Bible, which I've already reviewed. The strength of The Jesus Storybook Bible is also it's weakness. It gives a wonderful overview of the Bible, so that... Continue Reading →
Magic Tree House
We discovered the Magic Tree House books by Mary Pope Osborne when my oldest was in kindergarten. I have to admit, I was unsure how I would like them when we first checked them out of the library. But after reading the first book, Dinosaurs Before Dark, aloud to my children, I decided I had... Continue Reading →
That’s Not My…
My toddlers and preschoolers loved any one of the Usborne books that started with That's Not My... . We still have That's Not My Train and That's Not My Bunny, even though my kids have outgrown them. They are fun books to have when my friend's toddlers and preschoolers visit. These sturdy books have wonderful... Continue Reading →
The Jesus Storybook Bible
I firmly believe that every child should know the Bible. The stories in the Bible form the foundation of much of Western thought and literature - plus there are just some great stories in the Bible. Recently, a friend recommended The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones. My children are a little old for this... Continue Reading →
Walk the World’s Rim
My younger two children and I just finished reading Walk the World's Rim by Betty Baker this morning. This is my second time through the book, their first. We really enjoy this book, which is a fictional account of a real-life event. A Spanish expedition sailed from Cuba to explore Florida in 1527. Of the... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 