Tag: review

The War on Christmas: Review

Grace-Filled Writer

Christmas in our family is a huge holiday. We start decorating early in November and enjoy every single minute of holiday fun. This year is going to mean even more because I spent last Christmas in the hospital unexpectedly. I felt I missed so very much, but even in the hospital I was able to keep some of our traditions with my girls. I was especially aware of Christ Emmanuel last Christmas because of the unusual circumstances and I don’t want to forget that this Christmas.

The War on Christmas has been a great way for me to already begin focusing on the season and how to put more focus on Christ. This beautiful book intrigues the reader with the rather bold and honest title, not to mention the clever cover illustration. Upon opening the book the reader is treated to beautiful photography which captures the essence and feeling of the season. Even more interesting is how Bodie Hodge delves into the meanings behind our traditions, the reasons they have become so offensive to our society, and how as Christians we should react to these battles.

Because of the title I expected this to be a defensive, possibly in-your-face defiant response to those who wish to take Christ out of Christmas. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Bodie Hodge artfully expresses the biblical account and shows the reader which of our traditions are from Scripture and which ones aren’t in a very gracious way. I have thoroughly enjoyed once again being reminded of the details of the historical account.

Like all books from New Leaf Publishing the gospel is clearly presented and the importance of believing the biblical account of creation reiterated. I love that. I know I can recommend any title from this company even before I read it because I know their primary goal is to point others to Christ. True to form the last several chapters deal with the truth of Christ and why He came to earth in the first place. It also deals well with the touchy subject of Santa Clause which I appreciated. Practical ways to keep your family focused on Christ are presented as well as how to respond to the unbelieving world who seems to attack Christianity more harshly at Christmas than any other time of the year.

This is a great read and an excellent way to prepare for the Christmas season. 


Disclaimer: I was provided with both a digital and paperback copy of The War on Christmas as part of The War on Christmas Launch Team in exchange for my honest opinion. I did not receive any other compensation. I was no required to write a positive review. 

Gunpowder Tea: Booksneeze Review

Grace-Filled Writer

I’ve just finished the second book in a month just for me. It has been so long since I was able to read just for my own pleasure and the latest title from Booksneeze was a lot of fun.

Gunpowder Tea by Margaret Brownley is the third installment in The Brides of Last Chance series. I have not read the first two, but am now very interested as characters were referenced from the earlier novels. An unlikely friendship develops between Annie and Branch, undercover agents seeking to track down a criminal who has become quite a nuisance in the local area. Their undercover work sets them both on edge and sometimes at odds until their true purpose for being at Last Chance Ranch is finally revealed. An unspoken attraction develops and realizing they are actually on the same side of the law only serves to complicate matters.

This lighthearted mystery/romance was a relaxing and fun read. I often shy away from mysteries because of their tendency for intensity, but the comic relief provided from the colorful characters made this simply fun. I enjoyed the banter between characters as well as trying to solve the identity of the criminal before Annie and Branch. There were times I was confused as the author would switch back and forth between the characters assumed identities and their real names. There was also a bit more description of the physical attraction between the two than I usually like to read about. There was absolutely nothing inappropriate at all, but in my opinion the focus on this aspect didn’t particularly add to the story.

I loved the character perspective change throughout the book. This unique use of the 3rd person limited point of view has become quite popular in modern literature and I enjoy the character insights which it provides the reader.

This was a lot of fun to read and I stayed up very late several nights to read just one more chapter. A sure indication this is a good read!

Disclosure:  I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

God’s World News: Review

Grace-Filled Writer
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I remember reading a children’s news magazine when I was in grade-school. While I don’t remember the name of it, I remember really enjoying it! I loved learning about what was going on in the world, seeing news which impacted children in other lands, and keeping up on the latest science discoveries. I was looking around for something like this for my girls several months ago, but I was not happy with what I found. My main struggle was the world view from which they were written. When the opportunity came my way to check out a magazine with a biblical world-view I started getting excited!
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God’s World News publishes a variety of new magazines for all ages from preschool through high school. Each magazine is geared towards specific age levels so you know the content will be appropriate. I love how the age ranges are divided by ever two grade levels for the younger readers which ensures appropriate reading levels. A 1-year subscription for any level costs $28.00.

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I received Early Edition, the 1st-2nd grade level, to review. My girls range from PreK-3rd grade so this was a nice middle-of-the-road choice for them. The magazines are filled with beautiful photos and illustrations. The content is interesting and my girls have enjoyed reading the issues they received. They also received a full-sized wall-map so students can locations the articles are referencing.

One article in particular which I really liked was about the T. Rex. There are such a variety of views on when dinosaurs lived even within Christian circles. I’m always cautious when reading information about dinosaurs because of this. What I loved about this article was it provided observational scientific facts. I appreciate the magazine’s statement of faith includes the affirmation that God created man in His image and did not contradict this in their coverage of a new dinosaur which was found.

I also appreciated the extra articles and curriculum available online with your subscription. Old issues may be viewed and extra activities are there for students to learn from. There are more quizzes as well as ideas for curriculum implementation available. One lesson which was particularly timely for us was about new treatments for cancer. Our neighbor’s son was diagnosed with kidney cancer this past summer and has spent quite a bit of time with my girls. They are very much aware of his treatments and how difficult they can be. Learning about new treatments was good. Having age-appropriate discussion questions was extremely valuable. I sometimes don’t know how to address the issue of cancer because it is so close to them now. I very much appreciated how it was handled in the online article which gave further study to an article about helping cancer patients keep their hair.

There is also a newly launched site (http://kids.wng.org/) which gives even more information for kids to explore! This is a safe site which is user friendly for kids and gives them access to even more articles and activities.

So far both girls have loved the activities within the magazine the best. They hurry to find these pages first and anxiously work to figure them out! Rose has enjoyed having some new reading material for our afternoon quiet time.

Beth was thrilled to find an article about horses! The reading level seemed appropriate for both girls. It was simple enough for them to read and yet not overly simple. The articles were written creatively from biblical standpoints and did not bore them.

I highly recommend this magazine for Christians who are looking for a children’s news magazine. Interesting, informative, biblical world-view, curriculum ideas…God’s World News has taken care of it all!
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Mrs. Kate Carpenter’s Hug-a-Bug-a-Boo DVD: Review and Giveaway!

Grace-Filled Writer

Mrs. Kate Carpenter has been a friend of our Family for a long time. Not only is she a dear friend, she is also an amazing song-write and singer! Her fun folk tunes engage audiences of all ages. We had the chance to have her in concert at our church a few weeks ago and the girls were so excited to see Mrs. Kate in person! If you didn’t read it yet, check out the field-trip post!

Hug-a-Bug-a-Boo is Mrs. Kate’s newest DVD release. We own several of her DVD’s as well as her first DVD. I’m glad it’s not a VHS because we would have worn it out by now! Mrs. Kate uses song to teach kids about manners, positive behavior, nature, and more. She even has a potty-training song included which leaves all of us laughing. Mrs. Kate and her guitar will have you humming and dancing as you follow along with the motions to the catchy tunes.

My girls love these songs. Some they knew already and others were new. One of my new favorite songs was Habit the Rabbit. Habit teaches kids all sorts of important manners such as not interrupting (except for emergencies!) and texting while interacting with others.

My girls favorite new song from the DVD Colibri  which is Spanish for hummingbird. We have thoroughly enjoyed the hummingbirds around our feeder this past summer and this fun little song has left us anxious to see them again next year!

I love that Mrs. Kate’s faith comes through in all her music. Even if the songs do not come directly from Scripture her heart for Jesus shines through with every note. She often has the opportunity to present anti-drug and anti-bullying programs in schools, both public and private as well as community groups and libraries.

And now for the awesome giveaway! 

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Beloved: Booksneeze Book Review!

Grace-Filled Writer

It has been a really, really long time since I have read a book purely for my own pleasure. Yes, I did receive this through Booksneeze to review, but it was a joy to read and fun to have something just for me for a change.

I’ve been a fan of Robin Lee Hatcher for a while. Her other books have captured my interest because of their historical background. I love historical fiction, but am very picky about my pleasure reading material. Robin Lee Hatcher has the unique ability to be historically accurate without sounding as if she is writing a history text as she weaves captivating tales of love and faith for her readers. I know whenever I pick up one of her books I won’t be disappointed!

Beloved from Zondervan is the final novel in a trilogy about the life journey of siblings on an orphan train. Dianna Brennan is the female protagonist whose is immediately thrown into turmoil in just the first few pages. I was hooked from the first paragraph and caught myself reading way past my usual bedtime. I couldn’t wait to see what happened in her life!

One unique aspect of this novel was that each chapter ended with a flashback which gave a glimpse into the characters’ back-stories prior to the opening of the novel. This unique way of story-telling was interesting and helpful for explaining the various moods and actions of Dianna and her once thought-to-be-dead husband, Tyson. I love also how the plot ebbed and flowed with emotion. It was not all high intensity action and I found myself laughing at many moments.

I haven’t yet read the first two books in the series, but I’m anxious to do so. I cannot wait to hear the journeys of Dianna’s older brother and sister.

Disclosure:  I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

World of Astronomy from Master Books: Review

Grace-Filled Writer

The newest book in the Exploring series from Master Books (a division of New Leaf Publishing) is available! This is my first chance to see a book from this series as a Moms of Master Books reviewer and it is excellent. It is geared towards older students than my girls who are elementary age, however I think it would be a perfect fit for upper elementary and middle school students.

The World of Astronomy is written in an easy to read style and I have enjoyed learning more about Astronomy from a biblical perspective. I’ve been slowly collecting materials and curriculum which will inform me as I have very, very curious little girls. I much prefer having an answer or at the very least knowing a reliable source of where to find the answers to their often deep questions. Just as with all other books published from Master Books I trust the content to be not only in line with Scripture, but also very scientific.

My favorite section was on the telescope. The chapter gave an excellent history of the first telescope and how it has changed over the years. It kept my attention and did not feel as if I were reading a dry text book that I remember from my days in grade-school. I’m not certain if that is somewhat due to maturity, but I do know I have enjoyed what I have read. My only disappointment was that the text only includes black and white pictures. This is not a major issue, but it wasn’t what I was expecting.

I am excited to explore more about astronomy with my girls this year. We purchased a telescope which we are still learning how to use. Now that the sun is going down sooner and the time-change is approaching we will have many more opportunities to learn about our universe and The Word of Astronomy will be a great asset on our journey!

Disclaimer: I received The World of Astronomy 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. 

George Washington: True Patriot from YWAM Publishing: Review

Grace-Filled Writer
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I have known about Youth With A Mission since I was in college. I attended a Christian college with a strong missions department and many of those within the major had worked with YWAM prior to their admission. What I didn’t realize was their ministry reached beyond mission trips. I have sense thoroughly enjoyed browsing through their many books for children and adults on their website. 

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We got the chance to review George Washington: True Patriot ($8.99) and the accompanying Unit Study Curriculum Guide ($9.99) by Janet and Geoff Benge from YWAM Publishing. Rose very much enjoyed this study! She really likes history and she started the book before our trip to Williamsburg in September which was perfect timing. I love all the opportunities we have while homeschooling is wonderful. We really have time to explore what aspects of history interest my girls the most. This and the other biographies in the series are ideal for read-aloud material for elementary students and 
Many biographies for this age focus on the highlights or the things for which they are famous. I liked that this biography takes the reader back to the beginning, yet does not feel like heavy reading. Fact are given in an interesting way and kept Rose wanting to read more! 
The accompanying study guide gives chapter questions and opportunity for further investigation into the life of George Washington. I appreciated that the answers were included. Although I do read what my girls are reading I have three I’m keeping up with each day. It is nice to have some help along the way as we study together! 
I also liked the accompanying student pages which gave Rose something to complete as she read. I usually have my own page of information she completes for her literature studies, but it was refreshing to have one already made. These pdf files are easy to print or read off a digital device with a larger screen.

There are so many options for learning included in the study guide which will fit your learner no matter their ability level or learning style. The directions for the teacher are extremely clear and helpful. Many other unit studies I have looked at are geared towards the student, but can leave me as the teacher a little confused and lost. There is definitely not a problem with that here! Directions are concise and clear.

My favorite part of the guide was the student explorations. There are so many creative options here there will definitely be something to grab you child’s imagination. There are detailed descriptions of each. There were some I hadn’t ever thought about doing for a unit study like giving my daughter the chance to make a movie about George Washington’s Life. She is working on a cross-stitched picture which was another idea given since girls were expected to practice their sewing. I’m going to keep this list handy for future unit and literature studies. I’m sure I can adapt them to just about anything we do with how versatile they really are.

This high-quality series is one we will be coming back to for more biographical studies. I know I can count on them to be interesting, accurate, and I am provided with more options than I could imagine to engage my girls as they learn through the study guide.

You can read more reviews of this and the biography about Jim Elliot which my Crewmates reviewed below!
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Don’t Miss the Boat! from New Leaf Publishing: Review

Grace-Filled Writer

I’ve recently seen some interesting news about the finding of a wooden structure buried deep in the snow of Turkey which some think may be the remains of Noah’s Ark. While it is intriguing, the problem I find with situations like this is many place their hope in finding proof this is true. Our culture would prefer to trust fallible human experts rather than believe in and trust the account of Scripture because it would mean they have to say, “Yes, I believe in God.”

Don’t Miss the Boat: Facts to Keep Your Faith Afloat by Paul Taylor is an excellent read because it is unlike any other book concerning the flood I have read. Most books I have read about the flood cover one of three things:

1. This exposition of the scriptural account.
2. The history
3. The science

Paul Taylor’s book covers all of these areas and has a surprise at the end for fiction lovers! He has taken the facts added a dose of creative license and has come up with short stories written in the 1st person narrative from several different individuals involved in the biblical account. There really is something for everyone.

The already mentioned sections are neatly arranged in the table of contents. This is helpful for readers who are more interested in science and not as much in the history. Perhaps you are a fiction buff, you can skip right to those areas before reading anything else. Although I recommend reading the entire book, the reader can easily begin in any section and not feel lost.

The exposition of Scripture is the very first part of the book which is important to me. Paul Taylor doesn’t leave anyone guessing where he stands with regard to the truth of God’s Word. I like to know up front where an author stands. It doesn’t mean I’ll stop reading the book, but it gives me a perspective with which to read.

The best part about the book from my perspective is the chapter entitled The Gospel According to Noah. Taylor clearly lays out the parallels between Noah and the gospel. It is something I never really connected together before. There isn’t anything Taylor writes which cannot be found in Scripture, but his observations are a unique and fresh perspective.

For more about this book, take a look at the trailer below!
Also check out more reviews on the NLPG Blog below!
Disclaimer: I received Don’t Miss the Boat 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. 

Fundanoodle: Review

Grace-Filled Writer
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When beginning homeschooling for kindergarten one of the first things everyone looks for is a handwriting curriculum. There are so many to choose from! With so many choices it can be hard to know what is best. There are many, really good ones, but I’m really excited to share something brand new to me and what I think I’ll continue to use with Grace through Kindergarten. 
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Fundanoodle is a really neat company I was not familiar with before this review. Their learning activities are very hands-on and all about experiencing while learning. When you have time, take a minute to read about their company and philosophy. You’ll see why I’m really behind this company. We reviewed the I Can Build Upper Case Letter! activity kit ($29.99) for ages 4-5 (Pre-K-Kindergarten). What a blessing it has been for Grace!
This is such an amazing value! The kit includes a magnetic dry-erase board, a set of magnetic curves and lines for buildling letters, a dry-erase marker, activity cards for gross motor skills, and a wooden dice. There are other handwriting systems which incorporate building the letters with a set of basic curves and lines, but not for this price with everything included. The magnets are very high quality and sturdy. Directions for building the letters are also included. 
Upon opening the box I hadn’t even taken everything out before Grace was trying it out! She knew it was for making letters and without any guidance she built D and was so very proud of herself. I know it wasn’t exactly how it was intended to be built, but she was discovering on her own and loving it. I knew she was hooked and this was going to be fun!
Although many schools are doing away with recess researchers agree physical activity throughout the day is vital to stimulating the brain and provide more focus. Fundanoodle provides a very easy way to incorporate gross motor skills with this program with the gross motor cards. These were soooo fun. I honestly didn’t know how they would go over. They seemed so simple, but this was one of her favorite things! She simply rolled the dice to choose which card we would do, flip it over, then follow the directions, which was always moving the same way as a specific animal. 
Don’t these shots just say it all? Grace loved roaring like  lion and hopping like a kangaroo. Just as expected, her focus and attention was increased when we got down to the core of the program. 
First Grace built the letter we were working on. I chose to have her do the same letter every day for a week because of her age. I’ll explain why below. I would hand her the pieces needed for the letter and let her do the best she could…which was pretty good as you can see! For some letters I had to help her align them a bit, but she got the idea from the start and this was something I really liked. Having her tangibly form letters with these basic shapes seemed to cement them in her mind. 
I really like that the straight-lined letters are taught first. Some handwriting programs teach the curved letters first. Some teach them in ABC order. Others teach consonants and then vowels. To me, this makes the most sense. 
You can see there are several rows for the students to practice on. Because of her age (not quite 4) I felt it would be best for Grace to work on one line each day. The first three rows are in boxes which really helped her form her letters better. Again, I’ve seen other curriculum use this method, but not with as much clarity as is used in this book. I also like that the last two lines are traditional practice paper for her to use. This was much harder for her, but she gave it her best and really did quite well. This is the first time she’s really used handwriting paper even though she’s been writing letters for a while. 
Another really fun aspect is each letter has its own special sticker for her to place on each page when she is done. She loved these I like the reward. It was something to work towards which was very simple. 
This program is good…so, so good. I hadn’t disliked any of the other handwriting curricula I’ve used with my girls, but I hadn’t yet found one I loved. Now I have! 
Read about this and the many other wonderful products from Fundanoodle from my Crewmates!
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The Mary Frances Cookbook from Applewood Books: Review and Giveaway!

Grace-Filled Writer

I like to say I’m an accidental Charlotte Mason educator. I can’t claim to have chosen this type of learning because I was two years into our curriculum before I’d ever heard of Charlotte Mason, let alone realized our curriculum was modeled after her style! The heart of Charlotte Mason is good habits, first-hand experience, and living books. A living book is defined as a book which is written as an exciting narrative which draws the reader in. It may be on any subject and engages the reader and entices them to learn more. I can attest that this style of learning fits our family well. I believe in it and my girls love the books we have used so far.

The Mary Frances Cook Book by Jane Eayre Fryer is a wonderful example of a living book originally published in 1912. While a cook book may not be something you automatically think of engaging your children, I can assure you this is something altogether different! This is a storybook about a young girl whose mother is not feeling well, so she decides to help her out in the kitchen. Much to her surprise all of the pots, pans, and utensils in the kitchen come to life and help her learn all she needs to know. Through the course of the 26 chapters, each a little story of its own, Mary Frances learns to make 40 recipes! Each of the recipes is included in the book along with detailed instructions on how to prepare them in a kid-friendly words.

I’ve been reading this to the girls during lunch. I’ve been letting them help me prepare meals for a while and lunch is one of the easiest. They were really excited when I told them I’d read to them during their meal which surprised me since they knew they’d need to be quiet during the meal.

They have enjoyed every chapter and I can never get away with reading just one! Since it was published in 1912 some of the wording and phrases feel old fashioned, but not as much as I expected at first. I do tend to reword as I read at times for simplicity, but I rarely had to do this. We are still reading the book, but it won’t be long before we finish at the rate we are moving.

These are some pictures of the girls helping me make lemonade recently. They love to help in the kitchen and can’t wait to try out some of Mary Frances’ recipes. We will have to make some modifications simply because of the modern conveniences we use now, like using an electric toaster rather than a wire one held over a fire. These simple substitutions have provided lots of opportunity to talk about how things are different now than they used to be. 
Now for the giveaway!!!!! I just love this company! One of my blessed readers will receive one of the four books I reviewed this week from Applewood Books. (Click here to see the choices!)  Make sure you take advantage of all the ways to enter below. 

a Rafflecopter giveawayDisclaimer: I received The Mary Frances Cook Book from Applewood Books in return for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. This is my own opinion.