Are You Playing By House Rules? by Darren and Cara Grant (Review)

Are You Playing By House Rules?

by Darren and Cara Grant

(I received this book for review purposes.)

Genre- Christian / Fiction

Publisher- 21st Century Press

Copyrighted- 2013

Number of pages- 370

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- Paperback, $17.99, ISBN: 9780983835967

Are You Playing By House Rules?, by Darren and Cara Grant, is based on fiction but contains many issues that we face in our society.  Joe Smith is a new Christian.  His wife, Mary, is in a car accident and is in a coma.  He has to fight with the hospital to keep her on life support, especially when he learns she is carrying his baby.  Joe has help though from Robert Forbes, Mr. Elder and other strong Christians.  He even learns more about Christianity and our society.

As Mary stays in the coma, will Joe stay strong or will the pressure from the hospital staff be too much?

About the Authors:

Darren and Cara Grant have six children.  Darren is a teacher and presenter for Real Ark Ministries.  Cara has dedicated her life to raising the children.

My thoughts: Darren and Cara Grant’s, Are You Playing By House Rules?, was very interesting and had ideas I had never thought of before.

Robert Forbes was not the main character, but he was the most interesting character to me.  He was interesting because he didn’t give his children social security numbers or birth certificates and he had ideas about Christianity which haven’t been active in our society for many years.

I was impressed with Joe Smith’s level of faith.  He was a new Christian and he stayed faithful to God and the new things he was learning about God and the United States.

I found this book intriguing and I’m sure you will too.  Pick up a copy today.

Informational and Purchasing Links:

You can purchase this book on their website:  http://www.realarkministries.org.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received a free copy of Are You Playing by House Rules? by Darren and Cara Grant to review.  I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.  The opinions I have expressed are my own.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations.  I am part of The CWA Review Crew.  All links were current when posted.

Picture of the Week!- September 29, 2013

What could this be?  We have no idea.

See It and Say It Flip Flop Spanish by Señora Gose (Schoolhouse Crew Review)

We received See It and Say It Flip Flop Spanish, by Señora Gose, for review purposes.

Product Link: See It and Say It Flip Flop Spanish

Vendor Contact Information: Flip Flop Learning

Age Appeal: Ages three and up

Format: two-year curriculum with three different sets of flash cards (135 cards), four audio CDs, white board paddle and pen, and 150 page manual

Price: $99.95

See It and Say It Flip Flop Spanish uses picture flash cards, repetition, and sentence making to learn more than 250 words and make many different sentences.

The children will select the lesson flash cards, play the CD, and follow the instructions.  They will do one lesson a week.  Days one and two use the CD and the flash cards.  Day two is a repetition of day one.  On the third day the parent is the teacher and reads the transcript and works with the children. 

Go to the website to see samples of the lessons- See It and Say It Flip Flop Spanish

Our Experience:

C and I were very excited when we were chosen to review See It and Say It Flip Flop Spanish.  C really enjoys learning Spanish and I was intrigued by the use of flash cards and short lessons.

The first day we did the first lesson we got out the necessary cards and the CD.  I played the CD and C did what the CD asked of her.  She was very surprised when her lesson ended.  She wasn’t expecting it to be so short.  She wanted to practice more.  I thought it was great, because I teach using the Charlotte Mason Method, which means short lesson times.

We consistently did the lessons for the recommended three days a week.  B also worked on the lessons though not as consistently, because we only had one complete set of flashcards.  I think I will increase it to five days a week, because it would give C and B more practice.

I Liked:

• I liked the short lessons.
• I liked the photos on the front of flashcards and the pronunciation guide and English word on the back.
• Having the CD helped the children have more control over the lesson and a different teacher.  I was still there for each lesson, so I could make sure everything was done properly and I got to help with day three!
• Having everything  in a nice, easy-to-close box made storing easy.

I Disliked:

• It was hard having only one set of flashcards and two children, because B was usually the last one to touch the card and he was bummed.  It might just be easier to practice separately.

What B (boy, age nine, officially in fourth grade) Liked and Disliked:

I don’t particularly like Spanish, but I liked the program.  I liked touching the cards and saying the words, that was pretty fun.  It is a good product if you want to learn Spanish.  I recommend See It and Say It Flip Flop Spanish for all ages.

What C (girl, age seven, officially in second grade) Liked and Disliked:

I liked learning the Spanish words.  I can’t wait to do more. 

It would be good for kids of all ages and grownups.

Dad’s Call:

My first impression of See It and Say It Flip Flop Spanish was a positive one based on the packaging and arrangement of its contents. Even after reading the lesson plan layout, the flash cards and listening to the CD's I was still impressed.  It's a high quality program with just enough quantity per lesson to challenge but not overwhelm B & C.  The games are fun and the kids really seem to be picking up Spanish quickly and easily.

I agree with Mama that having 1 set of flash cards presents problems when you have 2 or more students but I also agree with her that letting B & C do each lesson separately is a good solution.  I did like length and number of times you do each of the lessons.  See It and Say It Flip Flop Spanish is a well designed product to add to your homeschooling curriculum.

Mama highly recommends See It and Say It Flip Flop Spanish by Señora Gose! 

Read Aloud Challenge- September 24, 2013

Now that school is in full swing we are reading aloud a lot more.

I am having C read to me every day for twenty minutes.  She is currently reading Princess Posey and the Tiny Treasure, by Stephanie Greene, and illustrated by, Stephanie Roth Sisson.  It is about a young girl, Posey, who gets a tiny stuffed pig who clips on her finger.  She takes it to school, where her teacher has to take it away, because of the consequences rule.  There are other books in the series.  I am excited to find this series, because it is the first set of chapter books that C can easily read.

C has also been listening to CDs in her room.  She has been listening to On the Banks of Plum Creek.  I don’t think B is listening to anything in his room right now.  The three of us are listening to Anne of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery.  I wanted a good book to listen to while we eat instead of always watching television.  If anyone has any ideas of good books with boys as the main characters, I would enjoy the suggestions.

For science we are reading Galen and the Gateway to Medicine, by Jeanne Bendick.  He was a medical researcher who was born in 129 A.D.  His works and writings were the standard of authority for the next 1300 years.

For fun we are reading Diary of a Real Payne Book 1: True Story, by Annie Tipton.  This book has the children begging for more.  The review will be coming between October 18-25, so tune in then.

We have been reading aloud more since we started school.  I hope you have been enjoying reading to each other.  Have a wonderful week.

Picture of the Week!- Week of September 23, 2013

Seed Sowers: Gospel-Planting Adventures by Gwen Toliver (Schoolhouse Crew Review)

We received Seed Sowers: Gospel-Planting Adventures, by Gwen Toliver, for review purposes.

Product Link: http://www.graceandtruthbooks.com/product/seed-sowers-gospel-planting-adventures

Vendor Contact Information: Seed Sowers

Age Appeal: Sixth Grade Reading Level (It can be read to the entire family, with discretion)

Format: 165 page paperback book (ISBN: 978-1-4497-7130-0)

Price: $13.95

Seed Sowers: Gospel-Planting Adventures, by Gwen Toliver, takes place in many parts of the world, like Papua New Guinea and Mexico, and tells of modern-day missionaries.  Rose Dobson, Bob Longacre, Harriet Fields, and Lynn Landweer are just a few of the missionaries whose stories are told in this book.  You will read about adventures with a wildcat, a broken communications radio, a broken plane.  Some of the stories have happy endings, some do not.

The missionaries were doing the work of the Lord and now many of the indigenous people have a Bible translated into their own heart language.

Our Experience:

Although this book is geared for sixth graders, it works well as a read-aloud for younger children.  I really enjoyed reading it.  I read it to B and C after I had read it to myself.  After I read own of the stories to them, I decided that I needed to preview each story again before I read it to them.  I wanted to make sure that each story didn’t frighten them.

They enjoyed the stories, but they weren’t begging me to read more.  I think they realized that being a missionary can be dangerous.  We have read other missionary stories before and I don’t think they realized how much danger there can be.

I Liked:

• I liked the end of the book that showed me when Gwen Toliver conducted the interviews and the section that explained how there is still a need for translators.  I didn’t realize there was still a need for translators.
• I enjoyed learning about missionaries I had never heard of before, like Vi Reimer Stewart.
• I enjoyed learning more about the Toliver family and how they are involved with Bible translation through Wycliffe Associates in Texas.

I Disliked:

• I liked everything about this book!

What B (boy, age nine, officially in fourth grade) Liked and Disliked:

I liked the story about Dorothy Schaler and the wildcat.  It was a very good book.  I would definitely recommend it for kids my age and older.

What C (girl, age seven, officially in second grade) Liked and Disliked:

I liked the stories we read, but some of them were scary.  The story that was the scariest was the one with Dorothy Schaler and the wildcat.  The stories were nice.  Being a missionary can be very dangerous.

It would be good for kids my age and older.

Dad’s Call:

Gwen Toliver’s collection of stories in her book, Seed Sowers: Gospel-Planting Adventures, provides insight into many lives of Christian missionaries who have traveled around the world and into the deepest jungles to share God’s word with people who are hearing it for the very first time.  There are struggles, hardships, deceptions, disease, and in some cases, death, yet these people who have been called to be messengers carry on with the work.

Not all the stories in Seed Sowers: Gospel-Planting Adventures ends positively, but they show us that even though the messenger has changed, God’s task has not.  It is His will that remains important.  Gwen did a wonderful job pulling these stories together and is well worth your time.  I recommend the book for families.  Even though there are adult issues discussed in the book we must also discuss these with our children in a way that will prepare them for the challenges of the world and not just shield them from every bad thing that happens.  As the saying goes, “You can be like and ostrich and bury your head in the sand but then, you leave your rear end exposed.”

Mama recommends Seed Sowers: Gospel-Planting Adventures, by Gwen Toliver.

 

Read Aloud Challenge for the Week of September 15, 2013

We are getting started back into school now, so I am reading more books to the children.

For science we are reading Galen and the Gateway to Medicine, by Jeanne Bendick.  B, C, and I are enjoying it.

For history we are reading George Washington: True Patriot, by Janet and Geoff Benge.  The review is coming soon, so we will be able to give you our opinions.

C is really getting into reading and this week she is reading Princess Posey and the Tiny Treasure, by Stephanie Greene, to me.  We are enjoying it.

 

Have a great week of reading aloud.

Picture of the Week!- Week of September 15, 2013

Some of our carrots!  They were delicious.

The Cognitive Thinking Style Workbook from PeopleKeys (Schoolhouse Crew Review)

We received The Cognitive Thinking Style Workbook from PeopleKeys for review purposes.

             

Product link: The Cognitive Thinking Style Workbook

Vendor Contact Information: PeopleKeys

Age Appeal: 13-adult

Format: 17 page workbook

Price: $13

Do you know what your style of cognitive thinking is?  I didn’t until I filled out this workbook.  Filling out this workbook will help you determine whether you are a Literal Thinker, Intuitive Thinker, Theoretical Thinker, or Experiential Thinker and how to make your thinking style work best for you.  It will also help you determine what characteristics you may like to develop from the other cognitive styles.

Our Experience:

B and C are younger than the company’s recommended age to do this workbook, but I think that B could do part of this and learn how he thinks.  That being said, I worked on the workbook and Dad took a look at it.  I worked on it on several different occasions, because I wanted the information to soak into my head.  I wanted to make sure I gave each style of thinking the best answers possible. 

I wasn’t sure what style of thinker I was, but I did have a thought and I was right.  I was primarily a Literal Thinker with a score of 27, the Intuitive Thinker had a score of 20, the Theoretical Thinker had 19, and a score of 14 for the Experiential Thinker.  I knew I could never be a Experiential Thinker, because they are curious and can think in original ways.  I do think that since I have had children that I have become more of an Intuitive Thinker and less of a Literal Thinker.  One of my sisters read the descriptions and she agreed that I was a Literal Thinker.

Based on my experience of filling out the workbook and what my styles have been like in middle school, high school, and college; I would recommend that students should do this workbook every couple of years, because you change over time.

I Liked:

• I liked that the format was straight forward and the statements in the profile section were easy to decide which were most like me and which were not.
• I really enjoyed the section called, “How You May Improve Learning,” because it showed me what I can do to learn and work more efficiently.  Some ideas for me would be frequent feedback and quiet work area.  There were also a lot of great ideas for students and how to work best when taking tests and communicating with their teachers.
• Another section of the workbook that I thought was very helpful was the “Cognitive Thinking Style Wrap Up.”  I liked it because it asked me to think of my strengths and weaknesses from my cognitive style and what characteristics I would like to develop from the other cognitive styles.

I Disliked:

• I liked everything about this workbook.

What B (boy, age nine, officially in fourth grade) Liked and Disliked:

B was too young for The Cognitive Thinking Style Workbook.

What C (girl, age seven, officially in second grade) Liked and Disliked: 

C was too young for The Cognitive Thinking Style Workbook.

Dad’s Call: 

Dad is now available for reviews!

I liked this workbook as it helps you to focus on what your thinking strengths are. When you seek to understand yourself, your thoughts and your actions, you discover how you can relate to others better by understanding your thought processes and how they interact with others.

It’s been said that you should spend 85% of your time in your best strengths, 10% in areas that you’re good at, and 5% in areas where you are weak. The Cognitive Thinking Style Workbook will help to clarify your strengths.

Mama recommends The Cognitive Style Workbook for all students from middle school to college.

Death on Lindisfarne (The Aidan Mysteries, Book 2) By Fay Sampson (Review)

Death on Lindisfarne (The Aidan Mysteries, Book 2)

By Fay Sampson

(received in exchange for an honest review)

 

Genre- Fiction / Christian

Published by- Lion Hudson

Copyrighted- 2013

Number of pages- 256

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $14.99, ISBN 978-1-78264-025-7

Aiden and his eight-year-old daughter, Melangell are going to a retreat on Lindisfarne, also known as Holy Island.  They meet the other guests and Lucy, the young minister who is running the retreat.  She plans on teaching them about the Northumbrian saints.  Amid the conflict of a murder and an unwelcome guest of Lucy’s, they are able to learn about the saints and have a good time.

About the Author-

Fay Sampson has written many books, with a focus on fantasy and Celtic history.  She is a winner of the Barco de Vapor award and has been shortlisted 3 times for the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize.

My thoughts-

I enjoyed Death on Lindisfarne much more than I did The Hunted Hare, because although it was sad, it wasn’t as sad.  There was more hope and other activities happening in the book.

Some of my favorite parts were the author’s note, list of historical characters and who they were, a section on further reading, and a map of Lindisfarne which was complete with names and a tide chart.

I really enjoyed getting to know Aidan and his daughter, Melangell, better.  Melangell is only eight-years-old, but she is very mature and is a joy to read about.  Aidan is very luck to have a child who is so mature as it becomes more dangerous on Lindisfarne.

I would recommend Death on Lindisfarne.  It will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Death on Lindisfarne by Fay Sampson for free from the Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Wounded Women of the Bible by Dena Dyer and Tina Samples (Review)

Wounded Women of the Bible: Finding Hope When Life Hurts

By Dena Dyers and Tina Samples

(received in exchange for an honest review)

 

Genre- Bible / Nonfiction / Christian Living / Women

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- 2013

Number of pages- 248

Age Group- Adult (Women)

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $12.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4214-8

Have you been wounded in the past and still carry that hurt?  Wounded Women of the Bible, by Dena Dyer and Tina Samples, includes different women of the Bible that you may be able to relate to, so you can begin to heal.  Some of the women include Ruth, Hagar, and Jochebed and some wounds include abuse, betrayal, and barrenness.  Dyer and Samples tell their own story and that of others.

There is a study guide at the end of the book which would be best used in a group for better healing.

About the Authors-

Dena Dyer currently lives in Texas with her husband and children.  She is a writes and speaks to the women and music’s ministries, where she participates.  She has written other books and many different articles.

Tina Samples currently lives in Colorado with her husband where she is a speaker, writer, and worship leader.  Their children are grown.  She has written a book and various articles. 

My thoughts-

I had a very educational experience while reading Wounded Women of the Bible, by Dena Dyer and Tina Samples.  I had heard of many of the women, like Ruth and Hagar, but there were others I had not heard of such as Ichabod.  I had never thought of them as wounded women before.  After reading this book, I can see how they were wounded and how God worked in their lives.

I enjoyed the stories of the women from the Bible, but I also enjoyed Dyer and Samples’ stories and those of other women.  I could find many different kinds of women to relate to, so I could improve my life.

I thought the study guide was great, but I did not like it being at the end of the book.  I like chapter questions at the end of each chapter.

I would recommend Wounded Women of the Bible to every woman, but especially those who have been wounded.  It is a good way to begin to heal. 

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Wounded Women of the Bible: Finding Hope When Life Hurts by Dena Dyer and Tina Samples for free from the Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

The Logic of English Essentials (Schoolhouse Crew Review)

We received The Logic of English Essentials from PEDIALEARNING INCORPORATED for review purposes.

                           

Product link: Essentials

Vendor Contact Information: Logic of English

Age Appeal: six-years-old and older (adults included)

Format: Teacher’s manual, student workbook, Basic Phonogram Flash Cards, 2 decks of Phonogram Game Cards, Spelling Rule Flash Cards, Phonogram & Spelling Game Book

Price: Hardcover Teacher’s manual-$95, a student workbook (cursive)-$25, Basic Phonogram Flash Cards-$18, The Phonogram and Spelling Game Book- $25, and two phonogram game card sets- $10 each.

The National Reading Panel has identified five parts of reading instruction: Phonemic Awareness, Systematic Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary Development, and Reading Comprehension.  The Logic of English Essentials program includes these aspects with spelling, grammar, and writing to gain the full experience.

There are games and activities included for those who need more practice.

Our Experience:

B and C have never had a strong spelling program.  I thought this program would be good for teaching phonograms and spelling rules, so they would have the knowledge to be strong spellers when they are older.  I also thought it would help C to become a stronger reader.

C was the one who primarily worked on the program.  B would play some of the phonogram games with us.  He would also go over the Phonogram Flash Cards and Spelling Rule Flash Cards with us.  I would quiz him to make sure he knew how to spell the spelling words.

C and I started using the program the way it was suggested for six and seven-year-olds.  The total time for each day was 30-60 minutes and we would do it five days a week.  We used that schedule for the first couple of weeks.  I found though that it was too long for her and she wasn’t remembering what she was learning, so we made our own schedule.  We would work for 20-30 minutes a day for five days a week.  We were able to practice the phonograms, play games, learn the spelling lists, and more.  I was very pleased with the progress C made.  I plan on continuing to use the program during the school year.

I Liked:

• I liked all of the phonogram games and spelling games.  I found that the phonogram games worked better than the phonogram flash cards for C.  She had problems with all the different sounds the vowels made and the games helped her memorize the sounds.  Our favorite game was “Dragon.”  It was played like “Old Maid.”
• The workbook and the teacher’s manual worked together very well and I never had any problem knowing what I needed to tell C and she could get to work right away filling it out.
• C was always willing to work on her lessons.  I had a fun time watching her face as she grasped a new concept.
• I liked the inclusion of grammar.  It is so important to learn grammar and this was a good program to teach all the important parts of speech.
• I thought it was great that this program can be used for ESL students, adults, and struggling spellers and readers.  Everybody can learn.
• The section on composition was especially important to me, because it really helped C to combine everything she was learning.

I Disliked:

• It took us a lot longer to do a lesson with the suggested schedule.  We made our own schedule and it worked very well.

What B (boy, age nine, officially in fourth grade) Liked and Disliked:

• The length of the lessons were good.
• The games and activities were fun.

What C (girl, age seven, officially in second grade) Liked and Disliked: 

I liked the phonogram games like “Rotten Egg” and “Dragon.”  I liked the phonogram lessons, where I learned the phonogram sounds.  The sounds they make were interesting.  My favorite spelling rule was, “Q always needs a U; therefore, U is not a vowel here.”

It was good for kids my age and younger and older.

Dad’s Call: 

Dad was unavailable for this review.

Mamma recommends The Logic of English Essentials Program.

Picture of the Week!- Week of September 1, 2013

What kinds of garden plants are these?

Shadow Stalker by Barbara Ann Derksen

Shadow Stalker (A Finder’s Keepers Mystery)

by Barbara Ann Derksen

(I received this book for review purposes.)

 

Genre- Christian Fiction / Mystery

Publisher- Self-published

Copyrighted- 2013

Number of pages- 332

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- Kindle, $4.99, ISBN: B00CO7NRPW

In Shadow Stalker, by Barbara Ann Derksen, Christine Finder is being stalked by the person who killed her parents when she was little, in her dreams.  Their killer has never been found and has recently killed at the ranch where she was raised.  Christine Finder isn’t her real name and she never wants to be found, but she does want to find four-year-old Nathan Brent, who has gone missing.  Will she be able to find him?  Will her parents’ killer find her or will she be able to stay safe?

About the Author:

Barbara Ann Derksen currently lives in Canada with her husband, Henry.  They have four children and nine grandchildren.  She enjoys writing mysteries and she has just finished the Wilson Strait Mystery Series.  Her books are available from Amazon and Smashwords.

My thoughts: Shadow Stalker, by Barbara Ann Derksen, began with mystery and intrigue.  It continued to the end of the book.  There was not a chapter that did not have something exciting happening.  The action kept me wanting to read more and more.  I couldn’t put it down.  When I reached the end, I was wishing there was more to read.  Derksen definitely ended the book with a cliff-hanger. 

Other than all the action there were two other parts I really liked about the book.  The first part was the inner dialogue of Christine and Jeremy.  It was great knowing what they were thinking.  I also liked how Jeremy, his father, and Jeremiah were so strong in their faith and Christine was not.  It leaves it open for her to become a Christian by seeing strong Christian men.  It is too bad there wasn’t a strong Christian woman that she spent time with.

I do recommend Shadow Stalker.

Informational and Purchasing Links:

Learn more about Barbara at: http://www.barbaraannderksen.com/about/ or follow her on Twitter.

Shadow Stalker is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received a free copy of Shadow Stalker by Barbara Ann Derksen to review.  I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.  The opinions I have expressed are my own.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations.  I am part of The CWA Review Crew.  All links were current when posted.