How Huge the Night

Genre- Teen Fiction
How Huge the Night by Heather and Lydia Munn
Published by- Kregel Publications
Copyrighted- 2011
Number of pages- 304 pages
Age Group- Teen
Description of book- paperback, list price $14.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-3310-8
Extra- "Historical Note" at the end by Heather Munn.
From the back of the book:
For fifteen-year-old Julien Losier, life will never be the same.  His family has relocated to southern France to outrun Hitler’s menace.  But Julien doesn’t want to run.  He doesn’t want to huddle around the radio at night, waiting to hear news through the buzzing static.  Julien doesn’t want to wait.
Angry, frustrated, and itching to do something, Julien finds a battle everywhere he turns.
Soon after his family opens their house to a Jewish boy needing refuge, Julien meets Nina, a young Austrian who has fled her home by her dying father’s command.  Nina’s situation is grave and Julien suddenly realizes the enormity of having someone’s life or death depend on…him.
Here is an expert to the book!

About the authors- Go here for an interview with the authors

Heather Munn has grown up in France with her missionary parents and now lives with her husband in Illinois in a Christian intentional community.  She went to Wheaton College where she has earned a BA in literature.  Heather was wanted to be a writer since she was five-years-old.





Lydia Munn and her husband have two children.  Lydia has been church planting and Bible teaching in France since 1983.  She has a BA in literature from Wheaton and has always enjoy reading books.




My thoughts-

Wow!  What a powerful book.  I couldn’t put it down.  I have studied World War II from textbooks when I was in high school, but all I can remember is facts about Germany, England and the invasion at Pearl Harbor.  Heather and Lydia Munn brought Southern France and Julien’s life as well as Nina’s to me so I was able to live vicariously through them.

It must have been very difficult to live in their time, being on the edge of adulthood, but not quite being there yet.  I remember being a teen and it was hard enough without a war, so I can’t imagine what it would be like with the threat of war and everybody choosing sides.    

God plays such an important role in a young adult’s life, especially during wartime.  I was glad to see the role that Julien’s grandfather played in introducing a just and forgiving God to Julien.  A young adult needs to know that God forgive us our sins and we need to make sure we forgive others, so we can help lead them to God.    

I would recommend this book to all teens as well as adults who wish to learn more about what life was like in southern France during World War II.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received How Huge the Night by Heather and Lydia Munn for free from the Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

How Huge the Night by Heather and Lydia Munn

Genre- Teen Fiction
How Huge the Night by Heather and Lydia Munn
Published by- Kregel Publications
Copyrighted- 2011
Number of pages- 304 pages
Age Group- Teen
Description of book- paperback, list price $14.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-3310-8
Extra- "Historical Note" at the end by Heather Munn.
From the back of the book:
For fifteen-year-old Julien Losier, life will never be the same.  His family has relocated to southern France to outrun Hitler’s menace.  But Julien doesn’t want to run.  He doesn’t want to huddle around the radio at night, waiting to hear news through the buzzing static.  Julien doesn’t want to wait.
Angry, frustrated, and itching to do something, Julien finds a battle everywhere he turns.
Soon after his family opens their house to a Jewish boy needing refuge, Julien meets Nina, a young Austrian who has fled her home by her dying father’s command.  Nina’s situation is grave and Julien suddenly realizes the enormity of having someone’s life or death depend on…him.
Here is an expert to the book!

About the authors- Go here for an interview with the authors

Heather Munn has grown up in France with her missionary parents and now lives with her husband in Illinois in a Christian intentional community.  She went to Wheaton College where she has earned a BA in literature.  Heather was wanted to be a writer since she was five-years-old.











Lydia Munn and her husband have two children.  Lydia has been church planting and Bible teaching in France since 1983.  She has a BA in literature from Wheaton and has always enjoy reading books.










My thoughts-

Wow!  What a powerful book.  I couldn’t put it down.  I have studied World War II from textbooks when I was in high school, but all I can remember is facts about Germany, England and the invasion at Pearl Harbor.  Heather and Lydia Munn brought Southern France and Julien’s life as well as Nina’s to me so I was able to live vicariously through them.

It must have been very difficult to live in their time, being on the edge of adulthood, but not quite being there yet.  I remember being a teen and it was hard enough without a war, so I can’t imagine what it would be like with the threat of war and everybody choosing sides.    

God plays such an important role in a young adult’s life, especially during wartime.  I was glad to see the role that Julien’s grandfather played in introducing a just and forgiving God to Julien.  A young adult needs to know that God forgive us our sins and we need to make sure we forgive others, so we can help lead them to God.    

I would recommend this book to all teens as well as adults who wish to learn more about what life was like in southern France during World War II.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received How Huge the Night by Heather and Lydia Munn for free from the Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

The Defender’s Guide for Life’s Toughest Questions by Ray Comfort

Genre- Religion/Christian Life/Spiritual Growth/Christian Theology/Apologetics

The Defender’s Guide for Life’s Toughest Questions by Ray Comfort

Published by- Master Books

Copyrighted- 2011

Number of pages- 176

Age Group- Adult/Senior High School

Description of book- paperback, list price $12.99, ISBN-13: 978-0-89051-604-1

Divided into five different sections: Humanity, the Bible, Science, Philosophy, and Religion.  Ray Comfort answers questions from atheists base on Biblical truths.

This book has been written to help equip Christians who may not have an answer when confronted by those who question their faith.

In this book you will learn the answers to questions/statements such as:

• “Evolution proves there is no need for God’s existence.”
• “I’ve tried to praying, and it doesn’t work!”
• “Do you ever doubt the existence of God?  And if so, why?”
• “Do you really believe the Holocaust was God’s punishment of the Jews?”

About the author- Ray Comfort has written more than 70 books and is a co-host with Kirk Cameron.  His blog, Atheist Central, is where he answers questions from atheists.

My thoughts- I was very interested to see what Ray Comfort had to say in this book.  I have seen him on his show with Kirk Cameron and I was not impressed.  I couldn’t wait to read this book to see if my opinion of him could be changed.

Unfortunately, I was unable to enjoy this book.  I thought the questions were very good, but I felt that Ray Comfort failed to completely answer many of the questions.  Most of the time it seemed as if he completely avoided the question.

Once in chapter three he said he was impressed by Charles Darwin and later in the chapter he said Charles Darwin was a raving man.  It was only when I looked back at the two different passages that I discovered that the first time he was being sarcastic.  I would think it may be difficult for some people to realize the sarcasm unless they were really studying this book. 

I would not recommend this book.  If you want to be able to defend Christianity, it would be best to just study the Bible, so you would know exactly what to say.  There is also no harm in telling the person that you need to find the answer and you would get back to them.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received The Defender’s Guide for Life’s Toughest Questions by Ray Comfort for free from Master Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Revenge of the Red Knight- Imagination Station

Revenge of the Red Knight by Marianne Hering and Paul McCusker, Book 4 in the Imagination Station Series

Genre: Juvenile Fiction/Readers/Chapter Books

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers

Website to Visit: The Imagination Station

Age Appeal: 7 and up

Important Information: Paperback book, ISBN 978-1-58997-630-6, Copyright 2011, 107 pages,

Price: $4.99

In this fourth book, eight-year-old cousins, Beth and Patrick, are in 15th century England at Lord Darkthorn’s.  Patrick and James are taken to the stocks by Lord Darkthorn’s steward, Hugh.  Meanwhile Beth learns who has been taking the artifacts from the three previous adventures.  Beth and Patrick finally meet Albert and Sir Andrew jousts with Hugh, for the freedom of the kids.

Will Patrick and Beth make it back to Whit’s End?

Authors:

Marianne Hering has written more than 12 children’s book and is the former editor of Focus on the Family magazine. She lives in Colorado with her husband and children.

 

 

 

Paul McCusker is Creative Director for Focus on the Family and has written many times for Adventures in Odyssey. He lives in Colorado with his wife and children.

 

 

 

Our Experience:

B and C were very excited to get Revenge of the Red Knight book.  We used it for our nighttime story and for our daily reading as well.  The kids couldn’t wait to read more.

B and C love reading Christian books. The book was exciting with two young children venturing through time and space.

What I Liked:

• B and C were very eager to have it read to them.
• It was easy enough B could have read it to himself or to his sister.
• The importance of honor, justice, prayer, and fair jousting. 

What I Disliked:

• Not enough of a historical background.

What B (boy, age seven, second grade in the fall) Liked and Disliked:

I loved Revenge of the Red Knight.  Why?  Sir Andrew is a good knight.  He is the same knight who saved Beth and Patrick in Peril in the Palace.   There was a tournament against Hugh and Roderick, because Hugh wanted to lock people in Lord Darkthorn’s tower, which he could not do.

I think this book is good for kids my age to read to themselves or to have someone read to them.

What C (girl, age five, kindergarten in the fall) Liked and Disliked:

It was good, good, good.  It was fun to learn about knights.  Sir Andrew had the ring for the Imagination Station.  At the beginning of the book the kids were in a cave full of bats instead of going to Whit’s End.

It is good for kids my age. 

Would I Recommend: I would highly recommend Revenge of the Red Knight. It should be in every library.

Disclaimer: I received this book free from Tyndale House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Peril in the Palace- Imagination Station Series

Peril in the Palace by Marianne Hering and Paul McCusker, Book 3 in the Imagination Station Series

Genre: Juvenile Fiction/Readers/Chapter Books

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers

Website to Visit: The Imagination Station 

Age Appeal: 7 and up

Important Information: Paperback book, ISBN 978-1-58997-629-0, Copyright 2011, 119 pages,

Price: $4.99

Eight-year-old cousins, Patrick and Beth, are off on their next adventure.  The Imagination Station takes them to 1271 China where they are kidnapped by Mongol warriors, become friends with Marco Polo and meet Kublai Khan at the Shangdu Palace.

Will Patrick and Beth make it safely back to Whit’s End with the Golden Tablet?

Authors:

Marianne Hering has written more than 12 children’s book and is the former editor of Focus on the Family magazine.  She lives in Colorado with her husband and children.

 

Paul McCusker is Creative Director for Focus on the Family and has written many times for Adventures in Odyssey.  He lives in Colorado with his wife and children.

 

 

Our Experience:

B and C were very excited to get this book.  We had to sit down and begin reading this book when it arrived in the mail.  We also used it for our nighttime story. 

They love reading Christian books.  The book was exciting with two young children venturing through time and space.

What I Liked:

• The Christian focus.
• That the kids visit real places and people.
• This is a book B could read silently to himself or out-loud to C.
• How Beth proves with magnets that the yellow lamas are not using magic.

What I Disliked:

• There could be more about Jesus and Christianity.

What B (boy, age seven, second grade in the fall) Liked and Disliked:

I liked Peril in the Palace.  I liked that they traveled to China in 1271.  In the book, Beth and Patrick got to visit the Shangdu palace.  The palace was made out of real gold.  I didn’t like that rocs (a type of eagle) carried them to the nest and that Beth got scraped on the leg. 

I think this book is great for kids my age to read to themselves or to have parents read to them. 

What C (girl, age five, kindergarten in the fall) Liked and Disliked: 

Patrick and Beth had to travel in the Imagination Station to China. The yellow lamas used magnets to hold things up in the air, like a pitcher. They did that to show magic, but Kublai Khan didn’t know that. Beth and Patrick scared the yellow lamas with a wind-up toy chicken. Marco Polo who had been with them left them at Shangdu Palace.

I liked this book.  Other kids my age should like it too.

Would I Recommend: I would highly recommend Peril at the Palace.  It should be in every library.

Disclaimer: I received this book free from Tyndale House Publishers.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Read for The Heart by Sarah Clarkson

 

Product: Read for the Heart by Sarah Clarkson

Vendor Contact Information:

Apologia Press

Apologia Educational Ministries

1106 Meridian Plaza Suite 220

Anderson, IN 46016 US

Phone: 1-888-524-4724

Age Appeal: Adult

Format: paperback book, copyright 2009, 384 pages, ISBN 978-1-935012-97-2

Price: $17.00

Are you sometimes at a loss at what books you should be choosing for your children?  Read for the Heart contains chapters about picture books, golden age classics, fairy tales, history, biography, poetry and more.  And the first four chapters contain discussions on how to begin reading and how to use the book.  There is a section at the end of the book that lists Caldecott Medalists, Newberry Medalists, plus others.

To read a sample chapter just click on the picture.

Sarah Clarkson is a freelance writer and blogger who is working on a children’s novel.  She travels with Whole Heart Ministries.  When reading this book you will know her love for books and reading.

Our Experience: I really enjoy reading books and I want to be able to pass on the love of literature to my children, so I was really excited to receive this book.  As soon as I got it in the mail I sat down to read it and study it.  

I have read too many books to remember since first I began reading and this book is excellent for helping to guide me in picking books both for me to read to my children and for them to read to themselves.

My favorite chapter in this book was, “Music, Art and Nature.”  This chapter had a lot of useful books/CD’s for us to use during school.  I was really excited that our local library system had the items so we were able to check them out.

This is a book I am going to keep on hand for many years to come.  I am going to make sure my children read it when they are older. 

Other Products Available:  books about homeschooling

I would highly recommend Read for the Heart. For more reviews please go to The Homeschool Crew review page.

Disclaimer: I received this product for free for review purposes through The Homeschool Crew. All links were current when posted.

Considering God’s Creation (Eagle’s Wings)

 

Product: Considering God’s Creation  by Eagles Wings Educational Materials

Vendor Contact Information:

www.eagleswingsed.com

Eagles Wings Educational Materials

PO Box 502

Duncan, OK 73534

phone- (580) 252-1555

e-mail- Info@EaglesWingsEd.com

Age Appeal: Adaptable for 2nd to 7th grade

Format & Price: $29.95 for the Teacher’s Manual, Student Workbook & CD (with songs to use with lessons) 

Considering God’s Creation is adaptable to many different grade levels and uses notebooking pages to explore natural science from a Biblical point of view.  There is little for the teacher or student to prepare for.  There are different lessons for the universe, Earth, weather, mammals, physiology and more.  Each lesson contains vocabulary words, introduction, song/poem, activity, Bible reading, notebook, evolution stumpers, review and digging deeper.  Here is a link to Sample pages of the notebook.  If you have more questions here is a link to Frequently Asked Questions.

Our Experience: I was really excited to receive this, because I had been wanting a science program that taught about Biblical creation.  I was very impressed when my package came in the mail.  I looked at the teacher’s manual and it included everything I would need to say to the children and since each lesson was divided into sections it made it easy adapt to their grade levels by leaving out the digging deeper section.  B and C were very interested in starting the program so we started right away doing lesson one.  Making the notebook pages were a lot of fun.  The kids enjoyed cutting, coloring, gluing and then reading what we have learned about in the lesson.  We have been working on one lesson per day and we are now getting ready to study about the weather.  We just finished learning about the solar system and the Earth.

 

What I Liked: 

• The kids ask at least three separate times every day to do Considering God’s Creation.
• The teacher’s manual is very complete.
• The integration of Bible verses with explanations.
• The notebook pages were very complete and the kids had fun showing their dad what they did.

What I Disliked:

• Absolutely Nothing!

What B (boy, age seven, officially in first grade) Liked and Disliked: I love Considering God’s Creation!!!!  My favorite so far has been making the notebook pages for “The Rock Cycle,” because I liked making three small booklets.  There is also a bigger booklet with a pop-up rainbow on another page.  I think considering Considering God’s Creation is great for kids my age.

What C (girl, age five, working on kindergarten) Liked and Disliked: I liked it.  It was fun, because we got to make a pop-up rainbow!!!!  I liked learning and singing the songs.  So far they have all been my favorites!  Considering God’s Creation is good for kids my age! 

Other Products Available: Alphabet Island Phonics, Kinder-Math, Capital Game and more

I would highly recommend Considering God’s Creation. For more reviews of Considering God’s Creation go to The Homeschool Crew review page.

Disclaimer: I received this product for free for review purposes through The Homeschool Crew. All links were current when posted.