Graphic Novels For The Win

Let's talk about books for a few minutes!  It is one of my favorite subjects, after all.  I can remember the excitement of each of my children reading their first word, and once they could read entire books- well, that was pure joy for me!

The power of the written word is unending.  It spurs imagination, expands vocabulary, takes you to places you will never visit, and teaches you things you can not even fathom. There is very little that compares, and I am so very thankful I have a household of book lovers!

One of the advantages of homeschooling is we are able to do literary rich learning.  Not only do our textbooks teach us, but we are often able to tie the books we are reading to our current lessons as well.  Since history is a favorite subject around here, books that have historical stories, whether fact or fiction, are a favorite.

This is why when I saw the titles A Family Secret and The Search, offered by Timberdoodle Co.,I knew I needed them in our home!  Both books, written by Eric Heuvel, are about 60 pages long and packed with excitement and suspense.  These historical fiction books for young readers (5th grade and up) are graphic novels written about World War II.   In The Family Secret, a young boy finds his grandmother's scrapbook, and learns what it was like to live in Amsterdam during the German occupation.  The Search tells the story of a young girl, Esther, who was separated from her family during the war.  As an adult, and with her grandson's help, she seeks to learn what became of her parents.  The books are tied together with a surprising twist.

Both books are captivating, and while I bought them to further enhance the learning of my 7th grade son in his studies of WWII, I found his older brother, age 18, reading them, as well as his history- loving older sister.  A book that spans the ages is indeed a keeper. 

We love that these books are told from a personal perspective.  Giving thoughts and feelings to the characters who "experience" the war brings the stories to life, and I believe help younger children better understand how wars affect people, bringing much empathy and understanding to a generation who has not experienced such hardship as of yet.  While we have used these books to support our history lessons, they would be a good addition to anyone who enjoys history and the graphic novel style.  I admit it is one that is harder for me to enjoy, but that is not the case for my kids!  They have all thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend them.

Because of the sensitive subject matter and drama that is portrayed, I suggest a parent read these books first to determine if they are appropriate for your child.  There is one use of strong language in The Search.

Both The Family Secret and The Search are part of the Timberdoodle 6th grade Curriculum kit.  A downloadable study guide is also available.

Let's Talk About... Literature

NOW we are getting somewhere!  In this Let's Talk About ...Series we have talked about some pretty serious subjects (complete list can be found at the bottom of this post) but today we are getting to the fun stuff!  BOOKS!  I know I heard several of you squeal, you can't hide it.  Plus, I have been in some of your homes and I know you have a book problem!

But the written word just calls many of our names.  It can teach you facts, stretch your imagination, take you to far away places and entertain you for hours.  Literature is a beautiful thing.  While the mechanics of reading and writing can take up a lot of time in our day, don't forget to take even more time to have your child read, or better yet, curl up with a good book along side of them.  You can help build a love for learning and create a special time for you and your kiddos.

There are a lot of great literature programs out there and I will mention just a few, but honestly, the BEST thing you can do for your child's literature program is just give them a pile of books and have them read.  Yes, at a younger age you do need to make sure their reading comprehension is spot on, but after that, in my opinion, devouring books of all kinds is the best!

I would challenge you to choose wisely and be familiar with the books they are reading.  I have been known to let my kiddos loose in a library and had to take back a book I found inappropriate!  And those were from the kids section!  Kid you not.  Not all books are created equal, don't assume they are.

And on that note, just because someone else deems them a classic does not mean they are worthwhile.  There are a lot of books out there that are required reading in the public schools that are a complete waste of time.  Seriously!  Just because we read them in high school does not mean our kids have to.  There are too many amazing books out there to waste our time on junk just because everyone else is reading it!

So a few programs I recommend?

BOB books- These silly little books are not only a great way to learn to read, but also make for fun reading for your kids at an early age.  There are so many fun books out there for very young readers, but these are cheap and easy to find!

Sonlight- One of the reasons we still use Sonlight after 20 plus years is because it is literary rich!  I mean, seriously, how many other programs out there read over 30 books in a school year?  My two college grads will tell you they did so well in writing, vocabulary, and even history in college because of Sonlight books.  They still have been known to grab one of our current readers off our shelf to re- read.

ABeka- We used ABeka readers early on in our schooling with much success.  The kids loved the "readers" and if you are more old school, you will like the looks of this as well.  It is definitely a less expensive option than Sonlight.

Hewitt Homeschooling- The Lightning Literature literature program stands out for several reasons.  First, it has multiple themes to choose from, not just your standard "these are the classics" track.  Secondly, the accompanying workbooks really dig deep into what is being read.

Progeny Press- We have had the privilege of using several of these literary guides and had a lot of fun with them.  If you like having questions for your child to answer about what they are reading, as well as writing prompts, projects, and more, you will enjoy these.  You can get them digitally and in hard copy.

Great middle school book if you have not read it !

The Library!- Of course, we have to remember the best place to find GREAT books for FREE is at the library!  Grab a librarian and ask what they recommend or just wander the rows, but either way allow your child to read and read some more!  There is NO better way to learn, and the possibilities are endless!

Blessings,


Let's Talk about...Science
Let's Talk About...Math
Let's Talk About...History
Let's Talk About...Grammar and Spelling
Let's Talk About Foreign Languages

34 Weeks of Clean 2019! Week 9- Books

Before we move on this week, a note from me to you-

We are now 9 weeks into this project (that's two whole months) and I know the tendency is to slow down or drop out.  Don't do it!  Just like those New Year's resolutions we try to make, the excitement and newness wears off and the fun is gone.  Don't give up!  Ladies, we can do this!  I know it is not easy, but I promise it is so worth it.  At the end of this journey you will have a cleaner, more organized home, hopefully a lighter load both physically and mentally, and a HUGE sense of accomplishment.  I know because I have done it, several times. And so have others that will attest to the same things.  Keep up the good fight to take our homes back - one room at a time.

Deep-clean, de-clutter and reorganize- let's go!



Hi, my name is Michele and I have a book problem.  I love to read and I love books.  OK, that is not really the problem.  The problem is that I like to buy books, keep books, and oh, buy more books. 16 moves later, and we still have a book problem.  (Yes, we are a little slow.)

It may have been a packer telling me that all of our weight was in our books, but we have slowly made some changes.  (Luckily for him I did not take it personally.)  But my husband took it seriously and we have since scaled down several times. It was hard and my oldest even blogged about it.

However, since then, someone (probably me, but let's also blame the kids) has bought a few more books.  Plus (read- this is my excuse) I review a lot of books so they sneak their way into my house. 

But here is the deal.  Books take up space. Books not being read collect dust.  Books cost money.

Libraries are full of beautiful books.  I can read them without owning them.  I can also store more on other devices, taking up less space.

So this week's assignment-

Organize your books throughout the house, get rid of those you do not love and decide which ones you MUST keep, and clean off those bookshelves. In every room they reside in your house!

Tips-

• Take all of the books off the bookshelf.  Sometimes once you actually lay your hands on them, you will decide you really don't need that particular one.  This also helps you get a realistic view of how many books you really own.

• If you are a little OCD like me, you can categorize your books! ;)  If I am looking for a certain book I can usually locate it pretty quickly.

• Only keep what you LOVE!  If you just enjoyed it, pass it on and let someone else have a turn enjoying it.  Hospitals, nursing homes, and health clinics welcome donations.  Even some hotels will accept book donations to have for their guests.

I know this seems like a small pile to move out, but remember we do this yearly.  And now we are in the habit of reading a book and moving it out quickly!

• Use a hair dryer to dust off the pages of books that have been sitting for a while.  Even our allergist warned us that books are a collector of all things dusty.  Old books can even be set outside on a warm, sunny day to air out.

• Dust the bookshelf, top to bottom and even the outside.  Think spring cleaning here, not just your weekly fly-by dusting!

• Replace the books you decide to keep and enjoy the empty space.  You do have some empty space, don't you?  If not, start at the top and do it again! ;)

Got another bookshelf?  Or two? Or more?  Find the next one and start the process over again! Psst- homeschoolers- hold off on THOSE books! ;)  But, yes, even go through the books in your children's rooms.  Here is a peek at a few of our favorites.

If you head to more than several rooms with this project, be careful not to get distracted like my helper did.  Stick to books only this week.  Promise?!

Let me just say, I KNOW this is a hard project for many of you.  Most women I know love books.  I am one of those guilty ones.  Really, I am.  But too many books can take up precious space in our homes.  If each book you own thrills your heart then by all means keep them.  But I challenge you to look at each book in your hand and ask yourself-

• do I love this book?

• will I read this over and over again?

• does this book add value to my life?

If the answer is no, pass it on.  Let's don't allow books to give us value, to make us feel more scholarly or learned somehow, or to just take up space and collect dust! 

And just so you know I am not heartless- or bookless, I want to show you our bookcases.  This first one is a bookcase I keep in our loft with all of the "little kid" books from my kids' childhood.  We bring them out when little people visit and someday I hope to snuggle up with grandchildren and read them.  The bottom two shelves house science and history based books we use for school or that the boys just love.

In our new home we have been blessed with a room we call the library.  It houses 26 years of beautiful memories of my husband's military career as well as most of our books.  Thanks to my oldest daughter, they are arranged on the shelves in categories, as well as spruced up a bit with accessories.  I have always dreamed of a house with walls of bookcases, but have decided that I am happy being surrounded with just the ones I love.

For years I have enjoyed collecting old books where ever we have lived.  They are now housed in this sweet bookcase we had built into an otherwise useless space and it makes me happy.

These are the girls' book cases.  For those who know us, bet you can guess whose is whose!
 

Ok, get to work...I am off to read a book. ;)

Don't forget to add your pictures to our Family, Faith and Fridays Facebook page!  We love seeing others' progress!

Blessings!

Intro Week
Week 1- Holiday Decorations
Week 2-The Pantry
Week 3-Kitchen Cabinets and Drawers   
Week 4- Fridge, Freezer and Floors
Week 5- Recipes 
Week 6- The Stove and Loose Ends 
Week 7- The Dining Room 
Week 8- The Living Room

What's on My Nightstand in May

Welcome to May, a few days late!  Ya'll where is the time going?  Things are crazy here (you can read about that on Friday) and time needs to slow down please!

Last month's reading about got the best of me.  I did manage to finish two books, but I am still reading Why Can't I Get My Kids to Behave?  I am determined though, because I love being able to recommend resources to new, struggling mommas out there.

Crenshaw- Good book, but I still liked Rain Reign better.  This one is not as emotional though and it is tucked into our travel bag for Colby to read during our move and transition time.  It is a fairly easy middle grade read and deals a lot with how kids handle stress by way of imaginary friends.

The Whole Town's Talking - I will tell you right off this is a rather odd book, but I really liked it.  It tells of many generations of families beginning with a man and woman who settle and start a town.  Each section goes through a generation basically and I loved seeing history evolve through their stories, from buying store buildings out of a catalog to the invention of the plane to wars.  It is sweet and sentimental, but does have a silly twist at the end that lends itself to new age stuff.  If you can just enjoy the humor and move on, you will enjoy it.

So what's next?

Here ya go-

I know, I know, there is only one.  I am trying to think ahead with this month of retirement and moving and not bite off more than I can chew.  I am not sure about this one yet, but I have and love Jennifer's Quilt series books so we will see about Enchantress by Numbers.

Actually, there is one more- Life in Community by Dustin Willis, but my daughter who is currently on the road has it in her possession.  Well, it is her book, after all.  But she highly recommends it so I am adding it to my pitiful stack.  She picked it up at the Together for the Gospel Ministry Conference and says we should all read it.

There ya have it!  I will need to pick up a book or two for June while we sit in an AirBNB waiting to find a house in Arizona, so if you have a book you love, share with us please!

Blessings,

What's On My Nightstand in April

Welcome to April!  Where has the time gone?

The three books a month thing is working pretty well for me, so for now I am going to stick to that plan.  Before I show you the three new books I have to read in April, let me make a few comments about the ones I chose for last month.

Rain Reign by Ann Miller- This is a good middle school book, but let me warn you ahead of time it is pretty sad in places.  As a matter of fact, it just really hurt my feelings in more than several places.  The main character is greatly misunderstood because of her high functioning autism, and is eventually deserted by her dad.  I do want Colby to read this one, but pretty sure emotionally he is not ready to handle it yet.

Taming the Lecture Bug by Joey and Carla Link-  Another great book by the Links!  It made me think a lot about some ways I handle parenting with our youngest and how to make a few changes we needed to make.  I recommend this one for sure!

Minimalism for Families by Zoe Kim-  I know you probably think I am crazy with the minimalism thing, but I am here to tell you that once you have walked through 34 Weeks of Clean a few times, you look at your stuff differently!  In a good way!  And while I have not gone crazy and thrown everything away, (which is NOT what minimalism is about) I have started to look at my possessions with a much more discerning eye.  Let's just say we have taken a few more trips to the Good Will and a few consignment shops in the past few weeks.

So this month?  Here you go-

Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate-  Continuing on with my middle school reads I found this book while ordering Rain Reign.  If it is another one that makes me cry, I am taking a break from middle school books!  Actually, Riley has a long list of books she wants me to read so I will brave that next month.

The Whole Town's Talking by Fannie Flag- See?  I can read adult fiction as well!  I read Fried Green Tomatoes YEARS ago and remember liking it, so when I saw this at the grocery store (I know, I know, pitiful place to find a book!) I grabbed it.  I am looking forward to some light hearted material that hopefully does NOT make me cry.

And lastly, because I am gluten for punishment, I am reading another parenting book- Why Can't I Get My Kids to Behave by Joey and Carla Link.   I really enjoyed the last book I read by the Links so I am actually looking forward to this one.  It is no secret that we are raising a strong willed child after three laid back, easy children, so I am always up to learning a few new tricks.

So here we go- let's get reading, friends!  I would love to hear what you are currently reading.

Blessings,

Going on an Adventure With Carole

My boys love History, Geography and adventure!  There are days they exhaust me with their constant need to tell me everything they know about those subjects, honestly.  But let's face it- there is much worse knowledge to have and when they can get it by reading amazing books from Carole P. Roman, this mom is happy!  We have been blessed to review Carole's books before but for this review we were blessed with the books If You Were Me and Lived In...Peru, If You Were Me and Lived In... Brazil and If You Were Me and Lived In...Scotland from the Carole P. Roman Books and Collections.


 

Carole recommends her culturally based book for ages 4-9ish, but I would most definitely extend that age range.  My son is 10 and at a higher reading level and loves these books and their format.  While the reading level and stories may be at that 4-9 age range, the information is most definitely not and can be enjoyed by a much wider target audience.

Traditions, vocabulary, geography, and more are presented in each book and at the end of the story you will find a pronunciation guide that gives not only the pronunciation, but also definition of unfamiliar or location-specific words.  Your child will learn the words for "mom"and "dad" in each country, visit famous places, see what foods are popular, and even see what kind of celebrations take place there.

We were so excited to add these to our growing collection-

If You Were Me and Lived In...Peru- 

My son, Colby, chose Peru because of its location in South America.  Because he was born in Guatemala, he loves learning about nearby countries and seeing people who look similar to him.  Although all of the pictures are drawings, they are colorful and the skintones of the local people are realistic.  In this 25 page book we learned that the capital of Peru is Lima, that the currency is called Nuevos Soles, and a little about the ancient city Machu Picchu. Colby's favorite part of the book was about the celebration Carnival in which people celebrate in the streets with squirt guns, water balloons, and even buckets of water to pour on people.  Go figure!

If You Were Me and Lived In... Brazil-

We chose Brazil for the same reason, it's located in South America.  I will tell you though, because the people in Brazil speak Portuguese, the vocabulary in this 26 page book was harder for us to pronounce! Thank goodness for the pronunciation guide, although I am pretty sure we are still messing up a few words.  In this book we learned that a country can actually decide to move its capital city, as Brazil has done, as well as about the Amazon Rain Forest and the Brazilian Grand Prix.  We decided we would like to try their dessert, called Brigaderos, since it involves butter, milk, sugar and cocoa powder!

If You Were Me and Lived in...Scotland-

This one we asked for in honor of Colby's two older sisters who traveled to Scotland this past summer.  It was so fun to read about places they had been able to visit and things they had taken pictures of for us such as the capital of Edinburgh and the famous dish Haggis, made of meat and spices cooked in a sheep's stomach.  And yes, my daughters actually ate some!

And did you know that the unicorn is the official animal of Scotland?  Who knew?

Whether you enjoy exploring the world from the safety of your own home, or just love finding books you can read together as a family, I have no doubt you will love adding  Carole P. Roman Books and Collections to your home.  There are many to choose from- have fun!

   

What's on My Nightstand for March

Welcome back to month two of my new series!  Wow, let me tell you, when you post what you are going to read to the world, you are more apt to read it.

Accountability is key, folks!

So yes, I read last month's books!  And yes, I enjoyed them.

If you or your child haven't read Counting by 7's, I suggest you do.  After all of the comments I got, it seems that I was one of the last of you to read it!  Anyway, it is a good read.  Just be forewarned that death of parents is a topic and therefore should be handled wisely with sensitive kiddos.  I do want my son to read it, but am choosing to save it for a few years for him.

Minimalism is a good read as well.  I do NOT agree with everything the authors have to say, but there is some good food for thought in the book.  Pick and choose what you take to heart.

And of course, A Shepherd Looks to Psalm 23 is a great read!  I knew it would be just based on those who recommended it.  You will not look at Psalm 23 the same way after reading it, I assure you!

So what's on the nightstand for this month?

Rain Reign by Ann Miller - I took the recommendation of one of our friends and ordered the book-Well, I ordered another kid's book as well, but I am saving that for April.

Minimalism for Families by Zoe Kim- Before you think I have lost my mind, I bought this at the same time I bought the Minimalist book.  Again, a reminder that minimalism is NOT about throwing everything you have away and living with nothing.  It is about living with only the things you love and bring you joy.

Taming the Lecture Bug by Joey and Carla Link- This is a book the The Homeschool Review Crew is currently reviewing and it has me intrigued, so I am adding it to my reading list.

That's it for now.  I know it is a small list compared to many of you, but I am finding three seems to be the perfect number for me.

What are you reading this month?

Blessings,

Introducing What's On My Nightstand

This post has been in my drafts for quite a while now.  It started with a conversation with a friend about what books I was currently reading and was egged on by a daughter's participation in a reading challenge last year.

The post was delayed because well, we all know how personal books are and how all-judgmentally (yes, I made that word up) people get about things like books, music and movies.  And no, I will not be sharing the last two subjects with you because boy have I gotten burned in the past!

But I have decided to go out on a limb with my reading list and see what happens.  So here are the rules of engagement (because you know I love rules and lists, and because I want to head you off quickly if you don't like my reading list!)

• These are MY books.  And therefore MY choices.  Please try hard not to judge.
• I have not read these books prior to listing them, so therefore I cannot personally recommend them.  Yet.
• I try hard to have several different categories going at once, hence the crazy breadth of subjects.
• I will link books when I can, but these are NOT affiliates.  I am NOT making money off you buying them.  I am just trying to make your life easier.  You are welcome!
• If I get partly through a book and decide I do not care for it, I promise to let you know in the next installment of What's on My Nightstand.  Just consider me your personal filter.
• I like a lot of different kinds of books- clean mysteries, sweet romances occasionally, theology, child rearing, historical fiction, biographies and even middle school books just to name a few.  After all, I do still have kids in my house and seek to find fun reads for them as well.

 

So for February, let's start off slow and easy! It's a short month,  you know!

Counting by 7s, by Holly Goldberg Sloan
This I found during our annual after-Christmas book shopping my mom treats our family to each year.  The cover caught my eye; note to aspiring writers that covers count!  I started it a few days ago and am enjoying it.  It is about a gifted child that is searching for her place in the world despite some harsh realities.

Minimalism: Live a Meaningful Life by  Joshua Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus
For those of you that know me well or follow 34 Weeks of Clean, this should not be a shock to you.  I am NOT a minimalist, though I have a daughter who aspires to be, but I do like simplicity and organization and am always looking for ways to clear out the clutter in our lives.

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller
A dear friend of mine used this book as a basis to teach a Bible study lesson and I was intrigued.  It brought such a new layer of thought to how I looked at the familiar Psalm and so I want to delve deeper and read the whole book.  Another sweet friend loaned it to me, and I am betting she is wondering when I am ever going to get it back to her!!

Could I read more?  Probably.  But I am starting here.  Next month I will do a quick share on what I thought and show you my next stack.

Feel free to let me know what YOU are reading, and any books in particular you think I should not pass up!  I always welcome recommendations!  You should see the stack my 20 year old has for me!

Blessings and Happy Reading!

34 Weeks of Clean Rinse and Repeat- Week 9- Books

 Before we move on, a note from me to you-

We are now 9 weeks onto this project (that's two whole months) and I know the tendency is to slow down or drop out.  Don't do it!  Just like those New Year's resolutions we try to make, the excitement and newness wears off and the fun is gone.  Don't give up!  Ladies, we can do this!  I know it is not easy, but I promise it is so worth it.  At the end of this journey you will have a cleaner, more organized home, hopefully a lighter load both physically and mentally, and a HUGE sense of accomplishment.  I know because I have done it. And so have others that will attest to the same things.  Keep up the good fight to take our homes back - one room at a time.  Deep-clean, de-clutter and reorganize- let's go!

Hi, my name is Michele and I have a book problem.  I love to read and I love books.  OK, that is not really the problem.  The problem is that I like to buy books, keep books, and oh, buy more books. After 14 moves we realized we had a book problem.  (Yes, we are a little slow.) 

It may have been the packer telling me that all of our weight was in the books.  Luckily for him I did not take it personally. But my husband took it seriously and we have since scaled down. It was hard and my oldest even blogged about it.

However, since then, someone (probably me) has bought a few more books.  Plus (read- this is my excuse) I review a lot of books so they sneak their way into my house.  Add that to the fact that one of the last times we moved we had to scale back and move out two bookcases.  Less space, fewer books.  I know, I know - boo hiss.

But here is the deal.  Books take up space. Books not being read collect dust.  Books cost money.

Libraries are full of beautiful books.  I can read them without owning them.  I can also store more on other devices, taking up less space.

So this week's goal - Organize your books throughout the house, get rid of those you do not love and decide which ones you MUST keep, and clean off those bookshelves. In every room they reside in your house!

Tips-

• Take all of the books off the bookshelf.  Sometimes once you actually lay your hands on them, you will decide you really don't need that particular one.  This also helps you get a realistic view of how many books you really own.

• If you are a little OCD like me, you can categorize your books! ;)  If I am looking for a certain book I can usually locate it pretty quickly. 

• Only keep what you LOVE!  If you just enjoyed it, pass it on and let someone else have a turn enjoying it.  Hospitals, nursing homes, and health clinics welcome donations.  Even some hotels will accept book donations to have for their guests.

• Use a hair dryer to dust off the pages of books that have been sitting for a while.  Even our allergists warned us that books are a collector of all things dusty.  Old books can even be set outside on a warm, sunny day to air out.

• Dust the bookshelf, top to bottom and even the outside.  Think spring cleaning here, not just your weekly fly-by dusting!

• Replace the books you decide to keep and enjoy the empty space.  You do have some empty space, don't you?  If not, start at the top and do it again! ;)

Before.



After. See, the pile is shorter!

• Got another bookshelf?  Or two? Or more?  Find the next one and start the process over again! Psst- homeschoolers- hold off on THOSE books! ;)  But, yes, even go through the books in your children's rooms.

If you head to more than several rooms with this project, be careful not to get distracted.  Stick to books only this week.  Promise?!

Let me just say, I KNOW this is a hard project for many of you.   Most women I know love books.  I am one of those guilty ones.   Really, I am.  But too many books can take up precious space in our homes.  If each book you own thrills your heart then by all means keep them.  But I challenge you to hold each book in your hand and ask yourself-

• does this bring me true joy?

• will I read this over and over again?

• does this book add value to my life?

If the answer is no, pass it on.  Let's don't allow books to give us value, to make us feel more scholarly or learned somehow, or to just take up space and collect dust!  

And just so you know I am not heartless, I want to show you our two packed bookcases.  The first one is a bookcase I keep in our storage space with all of the "little kid" books from my kids' childhood.  We bring them out when little people visit and someday I hope to snuggle up with grandchildren and read them.  The second has many of my husband's books on leadership and Lord willing will go into a home library in our someday permanent house.

Ok, get to work...I am off to read a book. ;)

Don't forget to add your pictures to our Facebook page!  We love seeing others' progress! Plus our friends at 621 Gifts and Redeemed are graciously providing some fun gifts for one lucky participant who shares a picture of their progress each week.  In addition, I have a box of some of our favorite cleaning projects for you, as well as a few treats just because!

Blessings!

Would a Worm Go on a Walk?- Children's Book Review and Giveaway

It is not very often these days that I get to read a book geared towards younger readers.  After all, my baby just turned 9 last week.  Yes, in a blink of an eye they grow up and those sweet rhyming books that steal your heart get replaced by chapter book that are not nearly as much fun in my opinion.

That's why I jumped at the chance to get my hands on the new book, Would a Worm go on a Walk? by Hannah C. Hall, illustrated by Bill Bolton.  Talk about cute!

Would a Worm go on a Walk? is a sweet 32 page, hardback book that explores 9 different animals and asks if they would do a particular human activity, such as a worm going on a walk.  It is asked if turtles, penguins, lions, and more would do something, and then it is explained why they would NOT do that thing.  Through simple humor, kids hear that each living thing is created in a unique way by a God who loves them.

In the traditional rhyming manner found in many children's books these days, you will find humor and silliness, but also a profound Biblical truth-

They look just as he wanted,

and they act just like they should.

He made them and he loves them,

and he calls them very good.

In the end the author ends with "God's masterpiece is YOU!"

I love this sweet book.  I happen to think beautiful things happen to a child's mind when you read out loud to them.  How much better when you can read to them about the love that God has for not only the creatures He created but also for THEM!?  The rhyming phrases make it enjoyable to read and capture a child's attention.  In addition, the illustrations are bright and cheerful, making this a beautiful book that you will cherish for years to come!

I am excited to be able to add this to our growing collection for our someday grandchildren!

And yes, even the 9 year old liked it!  

If you want to have the opportunity to in a copy of Would a Worm go on a Walk? just leave me a comment here on the blog and a random winner will be chosen next Friday!

Blessings,