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

The Gift of December- A Family, Faith and Fridays Series

Have you noticed?  December is almost here.  Can you even believe it?

For most, it means a flurry of activities.  School plays and recitals, last minute present buying, parties to attend and houses to decorate.

For us, it is all that and more.  If you have been around here a while, you know that we have almost come to the end of my husbands one year deployment.  Actually, we have gone well over 365 days, but who is counting?  On top of that we are moving and I have started a new job as Product Manager the TOS Homeschool Review Crew.  Yes, to say that December will be a busy month is an understatement.  Good, but busy.

But I did not want to leave this space sadly quiet while I was busy, so I have asked for a little help from some friends.  Some amazing gals have agreed to guest blog for me during December all about Christmas.  Wait 'til you read their posts! They have lots of fun in store for you- I cannot wait to share the posts with you starting December 2nd.

Don't worry, I will be popping in and out, I can't be THAT quiet, and I have a fun giveaway perfect for a stocking stuffer,  Plus, I have a lot of fun planned already for 2016!

I pray you have a beautifully. blessed Holiday Season and I pray you remember why it is we celebrate!  May the Lord bless you and your family this Christmas!

Blessings,

CREW Review- A Cry From Egypt

Hal and Melanie Young, authors of the book and website Raising Real Men, are also the workhorses behind Great Waters Press, a publishing company dedicated to focusing on "Making Biblical Family Life Practical."  They have done this well in the past and have recently introduced a new fictional book to their lineup- A Cry From Egypt, by Hope Auer.
This is Hope!  She has been writing since she was a young child and has now begun a new Biblical, Historic fiction series called The Promised Land.  A Cry From Egypt, started when she was just 13 and as a homeschool assignment, is the first book to be published in that series. 

I love when young people follow a dream, and that is what Hope has done.  Homeschooled, and encouraged by her mom and dad, she put her love for words down on paper, caught the attention of Hal and Melanie Young, and got her book published.  No small feat for any young person.

This is Hope's book!  Geared for ages 8 and up, A Cry From Egypt follows a young slave in Egypt named Jarah.  The story is set during the return of Moses to plead with Pharaoh to set God's people free.  The plot takes many twists and turns throughout the story and kept us on the edge of our seat.  There is adventure, romance and lots of biblical information sprinkled throughout.  Like did you know that each of the 10 plagues were directly related to an Egyptian belief or superstition?

 

One of the things I enjoyed most about this book as a parent was that Hope did an excellent job of focusing on her story, while staying true to the Biblical account of the plagues in Egypt.  She allowed the Bible to speak for itself with the details she presented, neither adding nor subtracting from it.  Moses and Aaron were mentioned, but were carefully treated as minor characters, not presenting the need to make up additional information for them that the Bible does not supply.  Instead, one could enjoy the fictional characters Hope created and the adventures that they encountered.

 

My two cautions or concerns.  There are several scenes that I felt were a little brutal for younger children.  When people were beaten, I cringed.  For that reason, we did not use this book as a read out loud for my family as I had originally intended.  Instead my 14 year old daughter read it alone, and now my 10 year old son and I will read it together.  My second concern was the presentation of the relationship between the mother and father in the story.  It was tense at best, the father being a believer and the mother not.  It is a necessary part of Hope's story, but I was uncomfortable several times in the story with the disrespectful way the mother spoke to the father.  Again, while it is important to the story, we teach our children in this house about women Biblically submitting to their husbands and the importance of respect in the family.  The obvious contempt and disagreements between husband and wife bothered me, and will definitely be a point I bring up when reading and discussing it with my son.

 

That being said- did we like the book?  Yes!  It was maybe a little young for the 14 year old, but it was an encouragement to her to see a fellow homeschooler publish a book, something she would really like to do in the future.  I am excited about reading with my son next! I recommend it for those of you that enjoy bringing history to life with reading books.  I applaud Hope for her efforts and commend her on a job well done.  I encourage you to check out her website as well, A Cry From Egypt, as she is currently writing a series on how to write and publish a book.  I love how she is taking her God given talent and using it to help and teach others, and I am thrilled that Hal and Melanie Young saw something special in her and gave her a chance!

  You can buy A Cry From Egypt for $12.50 from Raising Young Men.     To read what fellow CREW mates had to say about this about and several other's published by the Youngs click on the banner below.     Disclaimer- I received a copy of A Cry From Egypt in exchange for my honest review.  Opinions expressed are my own and were not influenced by the publisher in any way.