Tag: New Leaf Publishing

44 Animals of the Bible: A Moms of Master Books Review

Grace-Filled Writer

Do you have any animal fanatics in your house? We have three and they can’t get enough of animal stories, toys, pretend play, and visits to zoos or aquariums. The opportunity to review a book about animals in the Bible came at just the right time.

44 Animals of the Bible from Master Books (a division of New Leaf Publishing) is a fabulous resource to add to both your Bible and science collection. Every time I turned the page I was delighted with the beautiful illustrations created by Lloyd R. Hight. Nancy Johnson writes in a way which is interesting for kids to read and just delightful to study. I like how much I’m learning but also that my daughters are able to read it on their own.

There are many, many ways in which this could be used in your home. My girls love to pull books like this off the shelves and read for fun. We have quite a collection of Master Books on a low shelf (just for this reason) which is where you will find this one!

During the summer I started doing a “circle” time of sorts and each week looked at a different animal. This book is exactly what I have been looking for to incorporate into this time! It is concise enough to read in one sitting, and biblically accountable so I don’t have to re-explain why we disagree with certain facts in typical animal books. With 44 animals and our less than regular schedule this could last us for two years and then start all over again!

We recently had a chance to visit the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. Without a doubt the beluga whales were our favorites. Grace especially loved these majestic creatures. While the beluga whale in particular is not mentioned, whales are. Don’t freak out, but you know how we were taught about “Jonah and the Whale” as kids, and then we were told this was wrong and the Bible says fish in the original language? Well guess what! The author assured me it very well indeed could have been a whale! Doesn’t this make you feel better? It certainly did me!

I love how the information goes way beyond just the facts, but includes the biblical references and further historical information many times as to why these animals were important in biblical times or what they represented. Because of the Scripture references on each page this could also be used as a really unique family devotional, especially if you want to change things up a little bit.

This is just one more book you can add to your collection which you can trust to be biblically accurate, engaging for your children, and continue to point them back to Scripture as a source. I am never ever disappointed with the publications of Master Books!

Disclaimer: I received 44 Animals of the Bible as part of the Moms of Master Books Team. I was not required to give a positive review. I was not compensated in any other way. 

Studies in World History: A Moms of Master Books Review

Grace-Filled Writer

One of the great blessings I receive from homeschooling my sweet girls is the opportunity to study history through a biblical worldview. Although I was incredibly blessed to have many vocal Christian teachers throughout my public school education, the text books we used were definitely not in support of Christianity. My father passed along his love of history to me and I’m thoroughly enjoying learning alongside my children.

I was really excited to have a chance to review Studies in World History Volume 1 from Master Books (an imprint of New Leaf Publishing) with the Moms of Masterbooks. While my girls are not yet in the target age (Junior High) this is a great resource personally for me as my girls are studying early exploration and ancient civilizations during the first part of the year. I also have plans to use this alongside Heart of Dakota’s Creation to Christ with my oldest when we get there later next year.

This volume focuses on Creation through the Age of Discovery. It does have a young-earth perspective which aligns with our family’s view about Scripture. I know we are in the minority and counter-culture, but we choose to believe the Bible is literal and historical, looking at all other information through this lens.

I really liked how the book is laid out and that the daily lessons are concise. The first page of each chapter gives and overview and learning objectives which I find helpful when teaching. I like knowing what purpose my kids should have in studying so I can make sure they actually meet those goals. The discussion questions and activities are very age-appropriate for middle school. Some of the activities include discussion questions, writing prompts, map activities, and more.

Dr. James Stobaugh writes in a fluid manner which will keep your students reading. As I mentioned before the lessons are short, no 4-5 page readings as with other history books I’ve seen! I appreciate that the author recognizes the need to keep daily readings manageable so as not to turn students off before they begin. This is something my girls always want to know, no matter the subject…”How many pages is it?”

Also available with this text book is a teacher’s guide filled with more activities, a schedule for the year, and weekly exams. Each exam offers a fill-in-the-blank test and/or an essay prompt. There is also an excellent answer key provided for the discussion questions as well as the test. While I do study with my girls I am so grateful for answer keys. Grading three different grade-levels can be rather time consuming when I have to figure out the answers myself.

 

The best news is…there are two more volumes in this excellent series! Volume 2 studies the New World to the Modern Age and Volume 3 focuses on the New Word to the Present. These are suggested to be used for 7th-9th grades, but I think they could easily be adapted for a younger student as well as older. I also see it as a great general resource to have in your library for research or further study on topics which interested your student.

You can see more about it in the video below!

Disclaimer: I received Studies in World History Volume 1 and the Teacher’s Guide  as part of the Moms of Master Books Team. I was not required to give a positive review. I was not compensated in any other way. 

The Flood of Noah: A Moms of Master Books Review

Grace-Filled Writer

I know I say this every month, but I’m so excited about this month’s book to review for the Moms of Master Books! I’m so fascinated by the many cultures which have flood stories. The Flood of Noah from Master Books, an imprint of New Leaf Publishing, is an interactive book that makes researching this topic incredibly interesting.

This book is beyond cool. Think of it like a pop up book for grown ups. The illustrations are amazing and the interaction is a fun way to explore the various flood legends from cultures around the world. As with everything from Master Books I love how everything points back to our true Creator. It is so important to learn the history of the world and learning doing so with resources which I can trust will not contradict the Word of God is a great blessing.

Rose has especially liked this book. I can’t give this girl enough stuff to satisfy her itch for knowledge. I can’t tell you how many sentences she begins with, “Mommy, why….?” Books like this encourage her own exploration and fill up her desire to learn more and more. She really likes how each page has something to do to help aid in the learning process.

This is one of my favorite parts. It is at the beginning of the book and includes a list of facts from the historical account of the flood in Genesis and how they correlate with different parts of the flood legends from around the world. There is a rotating circle with images of the flood for a fun visual.

This is a great shot to show the amazing and colorful illustrations. I really like how each pages is sectioned off so kids can read a small portion and not feel overwhelmed. My younger girls have really liked the pictures even though they haven’t been as interested in reading it. That will come!

Bodie Hodge and Laura Welch co-authored this amazingly fun book. It is clear they took careful consideration as they compiled this collection of stories. Another of my favorite features is the list of the names of Noah and his wife from the various legends. I found this to be so interesting, especially the cultures which seemed to borrow so clearly from Scripture. Since the division of languages at the tower of Babel misinformation about the flood appears to have run rampant. Even now there are those who produce their own legends claiming the flood was merely a local even rather than a world-wide catastrophe as Scripture indicates. Even the writer of the movie Noah admitted he took liberties to make the story more interesting from his perspective. As we live in a world full of lies and myths I’m so grateful for the truth of Scripture and resources like this one to help us continually filter out the false.

Check out this awesome book trailer! 

Disclaimer: I received The Flood of Noah  as part of the Moms of Master Books Team. I was not required to give a positive review. I was not compensated in any other way. 

It’s Not Greek to Me!: Moms of Master Books Review

Grace-Filled Writer
I have been so excited about reviewing this new DVD from Master Books! It’s Not Greek to Me by Todd Friel came in the mail when my girls were right in the middle of a horrible summer fever, so we didn’t get to start it right away, but even in her feverish state Rose perked up when she saw it. 

My eight-year-old Roe has been pestering me for a while to learn biblical Greek. I’m not at all opposed to this, but I didn’t want to get into a full curriculum at her age and really didn’t know where to begin. Her interest came when she realized this was one of the classes her grandfather teaches at seminary. In 2nd grade he taught her to write her name in Greek and she does this all the time! This is a great course for beginners. Todd Friel explains that this is perfect for the everyday layman in the church as well as those who will be going on to study biblical Greek in a scholastic setting. While this is geared towards a slightly older age bracket, my daughter has really enjoyed it so far. We’re just taking it slow and repeating lessons before moving on.

So here is Rose, completely natural, I promise! She is wholeheartedly focused and genuinely enjoys these lessons. Friel is quite humorous, but I wasn’t certain she would catch all he said. Her favorite line in the introductory lesson was when he was talking about the benefits of learning biblical Greek and stated, “You’ll learn English gooder!” She really got a kick out of that. You can see she is intent. She was so intent in fact she didn’t even realize I was taking pictures.

We had some other students join our class as well. The dollies were actually already seated here, but Rose asked if they could stay while she watched when she realize I was starting to pick them up. These sweet little girls were also very studious although they didn’t want to take any notes.

Rose uses the note pages from the separately available Intro to Biblical Greek Parent Lesson Planner. This is excellent and well worth the price. Included is not only plans for how often to work through the DVDs, but also note pages and practice sheets to ensure retention. I strongly recommend purchasing this guide along with the DVD in order to get the maximum usefulness and benefit.

I honestly wasn’t sure how well this would go over with Rose. She was so very excited to have the chance to learn Greek, but as I stated before, this is geared for students a little older. However, Friel’s manner is very engaging and he is as clear at teaching as he is entertaining. She begs me to do more lessons, but I’m trying not to go too quickly with her. I’m surprised just how much she is really enjoying this. I appreciate that Friel expresses this is a beginners course, something to precede full-on Greek training. I have no idea if she’ll want to go further with this language, but it is an excellent place to start and to see if it is something that interested your student.

I also think this is excellent for anyone who simply wants to know more about the Greek language for your own personal study. After seeing the first few lessons with Rose I’m planning on joining her in these lessons. I said before that my dad teaches Greek. I remember having the same desire to learn as Rose when I was younger, but just felt too overwhelmed with all. I believe we will both enjoy our toe-dip into this ancient biblical language.




Disclaimer: I received It’s Not Greek to Me as well as the Parent Lesson Planner as part of the Moms of Master Books Team. I was not required to give a positive review. I was not compensated in any other way. 

Illustrated Family Bible Stories: Review

Grace-Filled Writer
I get to review the best of the best resources as part of the Moms of Master Books review team! The resources from this company are eye-pleasing and engaging for my daughters as well as myself, but most importantly they are solidly grounded in biblical truth. We got so excited when our newest Master Book publication arrives in the mail!
This month we got to review a new family Bible from Master Books, a division of New Leaf Publishing Group, Illustrated Family Bible Stories! Being in a pastor’s family we have an abundant supply of Bibles from traditional translations to picture Bibles we have it all! One thing we have been lacking is a family Bible which is a bit more grown up for my girls as they are moving beyond the more simplistic Bibles. This is a really cool Bible, according to my oldest daughter who is eight. She cannot get enough learning to satisfy her so this particular book is very interesting. The magnificent illustrations captured her interest and the fact that each retelling has additional historical, cultural, geographical, and scientific information.
From the time my oldest daughter an infant we have had a regular evening Bible time. We started reading toddler Bibles and singing songs and have gradually moved forward to more complex and deep readings. I really like this for transitioning to an older model for my girls. My youngest is 4 and a half so while she very much enjoys the younger versions, she is old enough not to be bored with more complex versions of the stories she’s learned since infancy. 
My husband and I take turns reading our various Bibles in the evenings and this one has become a quick favorite! Do you want to know what one of their favorite parts is? The built in purple bookmark. I didn’t think much of it, but all three insist we make sure to put it in the right place. I evidently forgot this the other night and didn’t put it on the right story and boy were they indignant! I’ve been very impressed with how detailed these retellings of familiar things are. The beautiful illustrations captivate my daughters, but the story keeps them in tune with God’s truth. Last night the girls sat at our feet while my husband read from the book and they didn’t even ask to see the picture when he forgot to show them!
This has long been one of my favorite times of the day and not just because bedtime is around the corner. My girls tend to ask pretty deep questions at this time of the day. Lots of those, “Why did God…” moments come up and this particular story Bible encourages that sort of thing. We have always encouraged our girls to ask questions and they never hesitate. It is pretty cool that this Bible has answered some of their questions before they even asked, like how they made bricks for the Tower of Babel. 
We absolutely love this new addition to our library. I’d like to purchase three more copies of this so I can save it for my daughters when they are grown and have their own children. 
Take a look at this video to see more of what this Bible has to offer!
Now take a minute to see what my Moms of Master Books mommy friends are saying about it by clicking the link below!
Disclaimer: I received Illustrated Family Bible Stories from New Leaf Publishing in exchange for an honest review.  I was not required to give a positive review. I was not compensated in any other way. 

Questions God Asks: Book Review

Grace-Filled Writer
I have come to really love reading the gospels. My favorite parts are when Jesus is asked a question. More often than not He responds with a question rather than directly answering. Why did He do that? Further exploration of Scripture reveals God has been asking men and women questions from the beginning of creation. Israel Wayne delves into these questions in his book Questions God Asks from New Leaf Press. 
As with all books from New Leaf Publishing Group I eagerly jumped right into reading. I genuinely enjoy learning and growing in my faith through solid biblical teaching. While there is no substitute for the Word of God I feel so blessed to live in a time when there is no shortage of clear evangelical instruction from those who believe Scripture is the literal and inerrant Word of God. I am, however, cautious to research both the author and publishing company before I read because I know there are those who do not take God’s Word as it should be. 
Israel Wayne fervently and consistently defends the Christian faith and a biblical worldview. His straight-forward writing style invites everyone, no matter where they are in their walk, to consider the questions God poses to specific individuals, then walking the reader through Scripture to see why the answers are so important. He also explores why God would ask questions in the first place. 
One aspect of this book which I feel lends itself to being a tool for evangelism is the brevity of each chapter. Words are not wasted and the simple clarity of each section makes this an ideal read for those seeking to understand who God is according to the Scriptures. As I continued reading individuals came to mind in nearly every chapter with whom I wanted to share the book. 
Although every chapter is excellent, my favorite was the first, a question posed to Job. Where Were You? was a chapter with which I related closely. Several years ago we felt the pain and loss of our first child to miscarriage. It was an incredibly difficult time and as my husband and I found comfort in the Book of Job. Job 38:4 in particular was a verse which God brought to me during this time. “Where were you when I lid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.” At first read this may seem a rather harsh statement for our loving God to make to a man who has lost nearly everything of value in his life, yet this question led Job, and me thousands of years later, to feel deeper peace and comfort. 
I loved Wayne’s chapter on this verse as he related a conversation he had with an unbelieving seatmate on a flight. He showed how this same question God posed to Job could also be used to defend the Christian faith. What a blessing to see God teaching us apologetics through His own questions to humanity! 
I also really liked chapter seventeen, Do You Have a Right to be Angry?, a question God posed to Jonah as he whined and complained at the grace and deliverance given to Nineveh. This chapter deals with the sovereignty of God, something we all struggle with from time to time. Whether we are angry at what we perceive to be God’s response to a situation or about life circumstances it is a questions we should allow God to ask us the same and listen to His promptings. I often need reminded of the sovereignty of God as I view the world around me. 
I highly recommend this book and feel better equipped to share my faith after reading it. For more on what is included in the book take a look at the preview below!
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For more reviews click the link below!
Disclaimer: I received Questions God Asks from New Leaf Publishing in exchange for an honest review.  I was not required to give a positive review. I was not compensated in any other way. 

Awesome Science DVD’s: Review

Grace-Filled Writer

I was soooooo very excited for the opportunity to review some of the Awesome Science videos! I’ve been eyeing these for a while, but my girls were not quite old enough to really understand them yet. My oldest, now 8, has really loved learning more of science and how it relates to the Bible, like how mountain ranges formed during the global flood and what started the ice age. We’ve also been learning about ancient cultures and religions and we have talked more about why some people do not believe God created the earth. We have always been very open in our explanations and I can do this more confidently with resources from Master Books.

The two newest titles in the Awesome Science series are Explore Rocky Mountain National Park and Explore Glacier National Park. All of the DVDs in this series aim to show how observational science and historical biblical accounts can coexist. It is important to know that no matter what evolutionary science may claim, the Bible does not contradict science. Quite the contrary, if one starts with a biblical worldview scientific evidence in fact supports the historical accounts.

So much information available regarding the geological formation of the earth either completely ignores Scripture or goes even further to say anyone who believes the biblical account of Creation is ignorant at best. I love having solid information at my fingertips to share with my girls.

Noah Justice is the articulate and energetic hosts for each episode. Most videos for kids have adults presenting information, which is fine, but Noah’s excitement is contagious and we love it! I very much appreciate the respectful way which he presents both sides of the debate, showing how much of the evolutionary belief is found to be lacking. Consistent references to Scripture and empirical scientific evidence help us to further understand explanations which make more sense than those who seek to find a way for creation apart for God.

Rose is eight and loves this series. She’s already asked to get more of the videos soon! Beth is six and while she enjoyed them, she does better if we just watch a short section. Grace is four and honestly lasted about as long as the opening music! These are excellent videos, but very much geared towards older elementary children. They very much enjoyed the bloopers of Noah, especially falling down the sand dunes! They love to laugh and really enjoyed this part.

My favorite part was that the gospel was clearly presented at the end of each video. You see, all this information is good and important, but if we are still without a relationship with Jesus, none of it really matters anyway. That is the beauty of these videos. They are not intended to be a source of ammunition we intend to volley at the opposite side. They instead seek to points us to the Creator of the universe, arming us with truth to stand against the falsehoods thrown at us daily.


Check out what my fellow Moms of Master Books had to say about these videos! 

Disclaimer: I received the Explore Rocky Mountain National Park and Explore Glacier National Park DVDs as part of the Moms of Master Books Team. I was not required to give a positive review. I was not compensated in any other way. 

Water & Weather from Master Books: Moms of Master Books Review!

Grace-Filled Writer

I’m so excited each month to review a new title from Master Books. We are so blessed to have such wonderful science and history resources available to readily! This month’s title was exciting for everyone, especially my science loving eight-year-old!

The newest title in the Investigate the Possibilities series from Master Books (An imprint of New Leaf Publishing) is Water & Weather by Tom DeRosa and Carolyn Reeves. This light-weight paperback title is jam packed with intriguing information and wonderful questions to inspire curiosity and promote investigation. I love when science is presented this way. Although this is part of a wonderful line of science curriculum, it feels less like a text book and more like a science lab as you turn each page.

Weather has been a hot topic around our house lately anyway because of our rare snow events this winter! We’ve had two good snowfalls which aloud for several days of sledding here in the South. This has prompted lots of “What makes it snow?” types of questions. My four-year-old suggested Jesus takes pieces of dirt, paints them white, and throws them down…at least she has the right idea of whom controls the weather even if her facts are a little skewed!

Each of the 20 units may be done in order or used in any particular order which is really nice. My daughter really enjoyed just reading and looking through the book for fun. I picked out a couple of experiments which had to do with clouds and rain since that was something she had been discussing with her Daddy earlier in the day. She was very excited to point out and show me the types of clouds she had observed on the way home from her homeschool science class that morning.

Each of the units has several Investigations for the students to complete to better understand the information in the text. These investigations are introduced after a brief introduction and some explanation. After the investigations is more scientific information to help explain their findings. I love how genuinely scientific this is written, but in a kids way. I remember my own science texts being rather dull and boring. This book has a much more engaging feel.

Rose loved creating clouds with shaving cream. She did an excellent job of recreating the cloud types

It didn’t take long for Rose’s little sisters to want to get in on the action! They typically don’t get excited about science until they see Big Sister having a blast with experiments and investigations! This was a great opportunity for Rose to do some teaching and show she really understood what she had learned. We pulled out our Wonders of Creation Weather Book to learn a little more. 

Our final investigation helped show the girls how clouds are formed. We put a little warm water into a clear bottle on the bottom and held an ice cube on top. It didn’t take long for “clouds” to begin building in the bottle. This showed in a very tangible way how air temperature and moisture interact together.

My favorite part about this book and all the books from Master Books is they always point my girls back to the Creator. I can give my girls anything published from this company without any hesitation. Rose always asks, “Are these books by Christians?” because I have explained to her how not all scientists believe in God or that God created the world. Her eyes always light up when I say, “Yes!” because she knows she can trust the information.

Master Books has once again hit the mark with this fabulous book which inspires hands-on learning, includes factual science, and keeps Christ as Creator the focus.

Disclaimer: I received Water & Weather as part of the Moms of Master Books Team. I was not required to give a positive review. I was not compensated in any other way. 

Galapagos Islands: A Different View ~ Review

Grace-Filled Writer
Have you ever read a book transport you? One which made you long to travel? Lots of fiction books give me this feeling, but rarely has a nonfiction title delighted me through pictures the way Galapagos Islands: A Different View has. Master Books, a division of New Leaf Publishing, has once again captured my imagination with a new view of reality.

This compilation by leading creationists is beyond breathtaking. Honestly, I couldn’t read the book the first time through. The photographs drew me immediately. They show the beauty of these islands which have captivated historians, explorers, scientists, and the every day individual for generations. I know in reality I’ll never travel to this exotic local. Seeing it from the perspective of those who know the Creator of the beauty they behold makes this book especially meaningful.

So after I got my fill of the stunning photography I could enjoy the text, which was equally compelling. I absolutely love how the book is grounded with Scripture. This stays very much in keeping with the founding principal of all creationists: Start with Scripture. I know I can trust every publication from Master Books to be completely in line with the Word of God, but each time I read one of their books I appreciate it even more.

The crux of this particular book is viewing the splendor of the Galapagos Islands in a different way than the world typically sees it. It is difficult to think of the Galapagos Islands without leading to evolutionary lines of thinking because they are so tied to Darwin and his theories. I very much appreciated as I read the clear way both observable scientific evidence and Scripture are not in opposition with each other. They instead very much compliment one another. The secular world wants us to deny Scripture because they claim it cannot be reconciled with their version of scientific interpretation. This merely is an issue of where an individuals presuppositions lie.

I’m grateful again for a resource I can delve into and enjoy just as much as my sweet girls! I feel incredibly blessed to have these resources at my finger tips as I teach and answer their questions. 
Disclaimer: I received Galapagos Islands: A Different View as part of the Moms of Master Books. My opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive view of this book.

Six Days by Ken Ham: Review

Grace-Filled Writer
Have you ever wondered why it matters if you believe God created the earth? Creation scientists argue it matters because it undermines biblical authority. When the authority of God’s Word is put into question from the very beginning of Genesis, questions arise about its validity throughout. Ken Ham‘s life mission is to show how science confirms rather than contradicts Scripture. His newest book, Six Days (from Master Books, a division of New Leaf Publishing), delves into the damage done by compromise.
I’ve been studying and reading for the last two years about the origins of life and how we can reconcile the fossil record with the words given to us by divine inspiration in Genesis. I’ve attempted to learn as much as I could about as many views as possible from biblical creationists to atheistic evolutionists. I haven’t been trying to decide where my belief lies, but rather understand why each holds their different beliefs. Six Days is a great book to begin with to understand the perspective of creationists. 
I appreciated first that Ken Ham clarifies he and the Answers in Genesis ministries do not claim this is a salvation issue. Unfortunately many say this is true and it simply is not. What he does say is believing one must ignore Genesis in order to reconcile current scientific thought is dangerous because it can undermine belief in the gospel. Ham explains that since no one was around to observe biological evolution when referring to molecules evolving into new creatures, it is necessary to have faith in order to believe it.

In Six Days Ken Ham lays out the basic arguments for why believing the earth is young is a reasonable. This book also explains how the fossil record can be interpreted begins with your starting belief. Those who start without a belief in God will look for ways to explain our origins without Him. Interpretation of the fossil evidence will therefore be shaded by those lenses.

Six Days also explains how those within the church community who have relegated Genesis to mythology are undermining the authority of God’s Word and ultimately leading younger generations to doubt the credibility of Christ. I believe all young people who have grown up in the church go through a questioning period when they must define what they believe for themselves. This is not a bad thing, but when many have been taught the Bible cannot be trusted in one aspect is it any wonder they turn away from God and doubt He is who He says He is?

Ultimately Ken Ham is correct in that a belief in a young earth or old earth, evolution or divine creation does not determine your salvation. The intense and often hostile dialogue occurring currently between creationists and evolutionists leaves me wondering how to engage in a respectful dialogue where I can articulate why I can believe what I believe without being barraged with insults and treated as if I am uneducated. This book has gone a long way in helping me know how to do this.