Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad books are simply classic creations. There are plays on words, there are clever conundrums, and there is plenty of humor. My (almost) five-year-old enjoys reading all the books in the series. The series includes these books: Frog and Toad Are Friends, Frog and Toad Together (award a Caldecott Honor), Frog and Toad
My son (almost 5) is well into early chapter books now. With my baby girl’s arrival and my subsequent absence from the blogosphere (as compared to my posting habits before her birth), I haven’t posted on his reading as frequently as it deserves. I feel like his reading skills improve from week to week! Back
This post contains thematic spoilers. I have put off writing my thoughts on the prequel to the Boxcar Children series for more than two weeks now. It’s not that I didn’t like it. On the contrary, I really enjoyed seeing the children interact with their parents, relish their life on a small farm, and find
For the young adult reader, Charles C. Mann’s Before Columbus: The Americas of 1491 (Atheneum, 2009) provides the same information about pre-Columbian, Native American Indians as does the adult book 1491 (Vintage, 2006). The difference between the two books is that the young adult book leaves out the extensive quotes from archeologists, anthropologists, and others.
Because I’m beginning to teach a year of light American history for my son, I have decided to read some books on various subjects in American history myself. Where else to begin but with a review of life in the Americas before Christopher Columbus and his fellow explorers brought Europeans en masse in the late
Yesterday, I reread The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks (first published 1981). I was so disappointed! I loved it as a child. I remember learning about Iroquois Indians and longhouses and being fascinated. I loved the magical adventure when a toy comes to life. For those that have not yet read the
Supposedly, Jules Verne is, in France, considered a “travel and adventure” writer, and is considered one of the great French authors, along with Zola, Hugo, and Dumas. Although I don’t consider him one of the greatest authors I’ve read, I have no doubt that Jules Verne is a great author, and well deserving of his
Miss Buncle is an aging old maid in a boring town in the suburbia of London, 1930s. When she finds herself in need of funds, she decides to earn some money by writing a novel. Miss Buncle’s book causes waves in the careful social fabric of the small town because she has written about the
Our study of the continent of Africa for our homeschool focused on learning the basic geography of the continent as well as general habitats (i.e., dry desert, Savannahs, and rain forests) and the animals in each habitat. My son (age 4) is well into early readers these days (more about his favorite fiction in the
The almost-magical The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (originally published serially in 1910) captures the transformation of a lonely girl into an outgoing and confident one through the power of magic and friendship. With a focus on the healing power of nature, it is also perfect for spring. It is a book that is
Sink Reflections by Marla Cilley (Bantam Dell, 2002) is a self-help manual for women in need of ideas how to get organized in cleaning their homes and de-cluttering. It is written by The FlyLady, a popular blogger since 1999, who has a lot of follower she calls “FlyBabies.” While the book itself made for slightly
My son and I saw the musical of The Wizard of Oz two years ago (when he was two years old), and he greatly enjoyed it. Somehow, he loved the movie too, even with the scary monkeys. Over the past two years, I’ve occasionally spied him acting out the story line (four friends go on
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