Marvels of Creation- Breathtaking Birds by Buddy & Kay Davis

Product: Marvels of Creation – Breathtaking Birds by Buddy and Kay Davis

Vendor Contact Information:

www.newleafpublishinggroup.com

New Leaf Publishing Group

Po Box 726

Green Forest, AR 72638

Phone- 1-800-999-3777

Contact Information- Please click here to contact them

Age Appeal:  Elementary School

Format: hardback book, ISBN-13: 978-0-89051-457-3, ISBN-10: 0-89051-457-3

Price: $12.99

With wonderful photos and descriptions of birds around the world.  This book is a wonderful beginning to learn about the specific parts of the bird, evolution versus creation and different birds.

Our Experience:  B and C were really excited to receive this book.  As soon as this book came in the mail we had to open the package, go outside and begin reading.  I decided that we would read about some of the birds first and then we would go to the Introduction and the section on intelligent design.  B and C had a lot of fun taking turns picking which bird we would learn about.  They couldn’t get enough of learning about each kind of bird.  Later on we sat down and read the other sections.  B and C did not find the introduction with technicalities of evolution versus creationism very interesting, but they knew it was very important.  We all enjoyed reading the section about how God designed the bird species. 

What I Liked:

• Birds were listed in alphabetical order.
• The introduction was very important because it shows us how evolution doesn’t work and how many scientists are turning from it.
• The photos of each bird were very good.
• The sidebar about each individual bird with included a “special design feature,” “Did you know?” and scientific names.

What I Disliked:

• Nothing!  This book was wonderful.

What B (boy, age seven) Liked and Disliked: I liked this book .  I like learning about birds and how God created them.  My favorite bird is the cardinal.  My favorite bird in this book was the cassowary.  I like the casque (horny growth like a helmet), because it looks cool.  If you want to learn more buy this book!  I think this book is very good for kids my age.  

What C (girl, age five) Liked and Disliked:  I liked everything about this book.    My favorite bird in this book was the bald eagle.  The bald eagle is mostly black and it has a yellow beak and talons with a white head.  I liked the Introduction and the section on intelligent design.  This book is good for kids my age!    

I would highly recommend this book!  It should be in every library.

Disclaimer: I received this product for free for review purposes through New Leaf Publishing. All links were current when posted.

Circle C Beginnings- Andi’s Fair Surprise

Product: Andi’s Fair Surprise by Susan K. Marlow and illustrated by Leslie Gammelgaard, copyright 2011

Vendor Contact Information:

www.andiandtaffy.com for activity and coloring pages and more information about the other books, purchase personalized books through paypal

www.kregel.com

Kregel Publications

733 Wealthy Street, SE

Grand Rapids, MI 49503-5553

Phone- 1-800-733-2607

E-mail- customerservice@kregel.com

Age Appeal: 6-8

Format: paperback book, ISBN 978-0-8254-4184-4

Price: $4.99

1874 California, is where Andi Carter lives on the Circle C Ranch with her family.  It is time for the state fair, but she can’t take her pony, Taffy.  Will the fair be fun?  How can it be if she can’t win a ribbon like the rest of her family?   Read the book to find out about the train ride to Sacramento and Andi’s fun at the fair.

Please go here for a link to chapter one and on the cover of the book to see the activity pages!

The author, Susan K. Marlow, enjoys teaching writing workshops.  She lives in Washington state.

The illustrator Leslie Gammelgaard also lives in Washington state and is artistically inspired by her granddaughter.

 

Our Experience:

B was excited to to read this book.  He had read the first chapter and he couldn’t wait to finish the book.  After B finished the book, I read the book to both of them as a bedtime story.  Both B and C enjoyed the story.

I then printed out the activity sheets and we spent a couple of days working on the activities and coloring the pictures.  B and C enjoyed learning more about the parts of a train engine and different exhibits at the fair. 

What I Liked:

• The book has large print with pictures, so it is fun for beginning readers to read.
• The activity books that go with the books.
• This book is about character building.

What I Disliked:

• The negative attitude towards sheep as Andi’s family had cattle.

What B (boy, age seven, officially in first grade) Liked and Disliked: I liked Andi’s Fair Surprise.  There were activity pages available from the internet that contained information about steam engines.  In the book, Andi wants to take Taffy to the fair and Chad, her big brother says she can’t.  At the fair she does the ring toss, hoping to win a hat with a red feather.  I think this book is very good for kids my age, because Andi gets a surprise.

What C (girl, age five, working on kindergarten) Liked and Disliked: I loved Andi’s Fair Surprise!  It was fun to listen to Momma read it.  I liked that Andi almost got the black sheep and went on a train ride.  They got to sleep in a hotel.  The activity sheets and coloring pages were fu-un.  I had fun giving the character ribbons, from the activity pages, to my family.  This is a good book for parents to read to kids my age.  

Other Products Available: Other books in the Circle C Beginnings series and also Circle C Adventure series, and more

I would recommend Andi’s Fair Surprise. For more reviews go to The Homeschool Crew review page.

Disclaimer: I received Andi’s Fair Surprise for free for review purposes through The Homeschool Crew. All links were current when posted.

The book "Mommy Wars" by Leslie Morgan Steiner

As a stay-at-home mother I just had to read Mommy Wars, by Leslie Morgan Steiner. I wanted to get see what other mothers say about working or staying at home. I thought she chose twentysix very intersting women. These women have done many different things, like working from home, working outside the home and not working at all. I would have liked to see more stories written by mothers who did not work at all.

My children are recently three and five. I have started the blogs I have, because I would like to earn enough money so that their father does not have to work so much and he can pursue his own dreams. I guess I am now one of the work-at-home mother's even though I am only earning a couple of dollars a day. If there is anyone who knows of some good ideas where I can earn more money with my blogs it would be greatly appreciated. I grew up being able to eat all three meals with my father and I would like my children to have the same chance.

If you would like to read "Mommy Wars" go to your local library. This book was copyrighted in 2006 and published by Random House. It has 331 pages, but is a quick read. There are not as many wars in this book as you would think, the title is deceptive. Enjoy.