Indoor Garden Musings: Purposeful Design by Jay Schabacker (Schoolhouse Review Crew review)

We received this for review purposes!

Product Links: Purposeful Design: Understanding the Creation

Vendor Information Link: Purposeful Design

Age Appeal: all ages

Format: hardback book

Price: $18.95

Jay Schabacker who was once part of the Apollo Moon Program is the author of this book. He has developed this seven chapter book to teach the reader about the seven days of creation.

Each chapter includes the specific Bible verses for that day of creation, information about things pertinent to each chapter like tides, camels, instincts of different animals, and more.

There is a bibliography and recommend reading section at the end of the book.

Our Experience:

I was excited to see a book that was written describing the seven days of creation from a scientific point of view. I knew that B and C would like it, especially B, since they like science.

We were excited when it came in the mail and we started reading it right away. It was fun reading a specific day, then completing the free corresponding worksheets from the Young Explorer’s Club. I liked how the answers were on the website, but each child could easily find them in the book.

This book had so much information. It especially had a lot about the sun, moon, and stars. I felt that was too much and there was not enough dedicated to the other days. It showed what Jay Schabacker’s favorite subject was, the solar system.

This was an excellent book and can be used in many different situations and for different ages. I plan on using this every couple of years in our school, so that B and C really enjoy creation.

Mama’s Thoughts:

I thought Purposeful Design was a perfect book for any homeschooling family. The seven days of creation were well described and it covered the science behind those days very well. I think that since there was so much information given about the solar system, there could have been more said about the animals, humans, and vegetation.
This book has almost 100 pages! That makes it a perfect book for science when it is combine with the workbook. It is also good for Bible study, because many of the questions in the workbook involve Bible verses and praying as well.
Many of these pictures are phenomenal, like the ones in space. I do wish that some of them had not been chosen, because they were very fuzzy. It took away from the high quality of the book.
I liked how he had the correct Bible verses in the beginning of the chapter, then continued with the scientific proof to back it up. I learned a lot about the sun, moon, and stars that I did not know and I was able to see some interesting sea creatures.

B’s Thoughts (boy, age 10, officially in fifth grade):

I liked Purposeful Design. I wished that it talked more about the birds and fish. It would have been nice to have the same number of pages for each subject. For example, “Chapter 4- The Fourth Day: Creation of the Sun, Moon, and Stars” was 20 pages long, but “Chapter 5- The Fifth Day: Creation of the Birds and Fish” was only five pages long. It would of also been nice to talk about more types of animals. It only talked about camels and cattle.

I did like all the information I learned. I learned some interesting facts I did not know before.

Overall I would highly recommend this book.

C’s Thoughts (girl, age 8, officially in third grade):

I liked the illustrations. They were nice.

It is good for people of all ages.

Dad’s Thoughts:

Purposeful Design - Understanding the Creation by Jay Schabacker discusses each day of the creation and then he provides evidence for it. He used colorful and detailed pictures to get his message across. This is a book that can used for classroom education or an at home leisurely read. Overall I liked it and it stays true to God's word from the Bible.

Mama highly recommends this!