* The Story of Christmas *

The Story of Christmas  by Gwen Ellis
Illustrated by Steve Smallman
Ages: 4-7
Put out by:   Thomas Nelson
Price:  $10.99

***Disclosure:  Mama Buzz and reviewers, received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes.

The Story of Christmas is a charming way to introduce young children to the Christmas story. In fact, we will be using it in our home this year, on Christmas Eve, since our two year old wouldn't be able to sit still for the entire full version of the Christmas Story.

With cartoon-like illustrations the book begins with the story of an angel's message to Zechariah and ends with Mary, Joseph, and Jesus leaving Egypt and moving to Nazareth. In between those book ends, lies the story of John's birth, Gabriel's visit to Mary, Gabriel's visit to Joseph, Jesus' birth, the shepherd's visit, The wisemen's visit, and Mary and Joseph fleeing to Egypt. Each section contains that story in it's entirety, yet told with a brevity that will capture a small child's attention.

For older children, there is an added feature at the end of the book. This contains the pictures from each section, put in the wrong order. The goal is for children to pick out the pictures in the right sequence and tell the story themselves.

There is also a DVD that comes with the book, in which there are six animated Bibles stories about the life of Jesus.  Although the animation is simplistic in today's world of big name movies that use computer animation, it's captivating. My daughter and day care kids are as glued to this DVD as they are to a Disney movie--maybe even more so as it's short enough in length to keep their attention the entire time.

$10.99 is a great value for this Christmas package and would make an excellent gift. A gift that can be used for years to come.

Mel's Thoughts:
I sat down to read through this book With Jaden last night, as it was almost time for bed.  Read and Share's The Story of Christmas is retold by Gwen Ellis.  It comes with a DVD that shares six stories from Jesus' life, including:
1. John the Baptist
2. Jesus is Born
3. Where is Jesus?
4. Jesus Tempted by Satan
5. Jesus' Life
6. Jesus Loves Children
This book is actually based on the International Children's Bible.

Each section in the book is 2 pages and covers a pivotal story in the Christmas story.  The chapters are as follows:
An Angel's Message
A Baby Named John
Mary's Big Surprise
Joseph Marries Mary
God's Baby Son
Some Sleepy Shepherds
What the Shepherds Saw
Gifts for Baby Jesus
Another Journey
Home at Last!

Each chapter weaves through the stories of Jesus' birth, starting at the angel's message to Zechariah, how John the Baptist was born, the story of how Mary and Joseph found out that Mary was with child, Jesus' birth, etc.  Each chapter is short and sweet, which makes it really nice for younger children, especially toddlers, who don't like to sit still for very long.  Each chapter also comes with a set passage of Scripture, all from Matthew and Luke, as well as a thinking question to discuss with your child.  At the end of the book is a section with just the pictures, so that your child can help to narrate the story back to you.  I really liked this part, since Jacob and I use narration a lot in school.  Jaden found the pictures of the animals, throughout the book, quite fascinating.  He loves to figure out what each animal is and then make the sounds that animal makes.  We had a lot of fun with the donkey.:) 

I am actually thinking of using this book to read to the boys and to help me give illustrations when we set up our Nativity set this year.  I really want them to understand why we celebrate Christmas and what each figure in that set means, and this book would make an awesome tool for that.  Priced at $7.99 on Thomas Nelson, it is definitely a great buy, especially with Christmas just around the corner. 

* Who Made the World? Review and Giveaway *

Who Made the World  by Kathleen Long Bostrom

Ages 3-6

Retail Value: $9.99

I was expecting a very typical Creation story when I opened up Who Made the World but I was wrong in my assumption. The book starts out with questions that little kids ask, such as,

"So who made the world?

God, I think it was you. 

Did you have a helper?

If so, tell me who!"

A little while later,

"What was the hardest, 

and what was most fun?

The plants or the stars

or the people - which one?

The book then seems to end on these questions, with

"One final question

I'm puzzling through:

If you made it all, 

well, then, God - who made you?"

At this point, the book gave me a pleasurable, unexpected twist that I wouldn't have planned on in a children's book - the second half of the book begins with:

"You've asked some great questions-

you sound very smart!

Now open your Bible.

See there, at that start,

are some of the answers

to questions you seek.

And now, turn the page - 

it is God's turn to speak!"

This sudden turn in direction thrilled me as as Mama! Why? Because it points the child right back to Scripture for their answers, something I am already teaching my two year old daughter on a very basic level. Using Scripture as the basis, the final half of the book is God "talking" and telling His point of view on Creation.

Illustrated by Elena Kuchank, The Care Bears artist, the artwork in the book is simplistic and endearing to little eyes. It is sure to become a bedtime classic in our home, as my daughter is attracted to both the rhythm of the words and the illustrations.

Tyndale House has provided a copy for Mama Buzz to give away to one of our readers. Simple leave us a comment with your email address to enter.

Additional entries

1. Tweet this giveaway

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3. Become a follower of Mama Buzz

4. Follow us on Twitter

Giveaway ends on December 5.

*Disclosure: This book was provided as a complimentary copy for review and giveaway purposes, by Tyndale House.

Review and Giveaway! Rattlesnake Rules by Conrad J. Storad

Melissa J's Thoughts:

"A nake! A nake!"

These are my daughter's excited words when we opened our package with Rattlesnake Rules
in it. The cover immediately captured her attention. Her 2 year old attention stayed, even after we opened the book. She turned the pages eagerly and kept pointing things out to me.

Conrad J. Storad is no stranger to writing educational book for children that are also fun. With books like, Desert Night Shift(A Pack Rat Story), Life in the Slow Lane: A Desert Tortoise Tale, Lizards for Lunch: A Roadrunner's Tale, and Don't Ever Cross That Road! An Armadillo Story, he has one of a kind books for children which both entertain and teach. 

I'm not quite sure how he did it, but Conrad brought rattlesnakes into a personableness that made me think that maybe they aren't all that bad. . . until of course, he added the necessary rules of warning into his story line!  Still, it's balanced so well, that instead of kids becoming absolutely terrified of rattlesnakes, they will develop a healthy respect for them. 

One of the things I really appreciated about this book, is the fact that there is more than a story contained within it. Conrad inserts sections into the back that any Mama who reads to her children in the hopes of teaching them, will love. He looks at rattlesnake myths (you can not tell how old a rattlesnake is based on the number of rattles) and provides a rattlesnake based vocabulary for children to work on. 

Taking this even further, Conrad then provides curriculum ideas that parents can implement into their children's schooling and/or homework. 

With a retail value of $16.95, this book is worth every penny invested. It's a 3-in-1 deal -- story, science lesson, and curriculum guide. As a homeschooling Mama, I look forward to adding Conrad's books to our homeschooling library as our science years progress. 

NOTE: This book is on sale for $12.88 right now with Five Star Publications, due to their 24th anniversary special.

Mel's Thoughts:

We sat down today to read a book together called Rattlesnake Rules by Conrad J. Storad.  As I started to open it, Jaden was pointing at the cover, saying, "Naaa, Naaa...."  He said another word, not completely yet, but it's closer!:) 

Anway, Rattlesnake Rules is a children's book that uses rhyme and a creative tactic to teach your children about rattlesnakes and their characteristics, as well, as the dangers.  The pages are full of colorful illustrations, drawn by Nathaniel P. Jensen, that grabbed at my children's attention.   I honestly cringe anytime I see a snake; I'm talking cringe, duck, and run here.  I can't stand snakes....they give me the willies.  Ever since I almost grabbed a snake while gathering eggs as a teenager, I just have a healthy fear of snakes.  But, the snakes in this book were actually kinda cute, from a  mama's perspective.  Conrad uses fiction to implement the non-fiction parts of the book into the story.  A storyline with a family of snakes delves into their world and how they live and why they shake their rattle, how they eat, etc.  They have certain rules they live by.  He then delves into the rules for humans when we are out walking.  These rules help to determine when it's time to turn around and how we can be safe.   

At the end of the book are a few educational sections that could easily be used to supplement a science course on snakes.  There are Rattlesnake Fast Facts, Rattlesnake Fun Facts (for instance, did you know that, "Arizona has 13 species of rattlesnakes"?), Rattlesnake Mysteries, Rattlesnake Myths vs. Facts, Words to Learn, and a Rattlesnake Rules Curriculum Guide.  As a homeschooling mom, I was very impressed with the Curriculum Guide because it offers different activities to go along with the book and to further education about rattlesnakes.  It has discussion ideas and hands-on activities that your young students can do, including making their own rattle.  The activities are designed to help your children learn different aspects of a snake's life, such as molting, or shedding of their skin, for instance.  There are also research topics to explore even more.  It's very interesting.

Rattlesnake Rules normally sells for $16.95, but is on sale for $12.88 right now with Five Star Publications, due to their 24th anniversary special.  It is a hard back book that comes with a colorful dustjacket.  I would highly recommend it as a supplement to any reptile study.  I know my kids would too.:) 

(Disclosure: We were provided with this free book by Five Star Publications and Conrad J. Storad, in association with MamaBuzz.)


We have 2 copies of this book to give away. Simply leave a comment - with your email - and you will be entered into our giveaway drawing. Giveaway ends on November 7th, with the winner announced on November 9th.

Sleepy Sun By Mari Hanson

(Disclosure: We were provided with this free product by Mari Hanson.)

Mel's Thoughts:

We recently had the opportunity to review Mari Hanson's book, Sleepy Sun. 

Mari was gracious to let us in on this opportunity.

I read this book to my boys last night....it's a very short, sweet, simple story.  Basically, Mari has taken the sun and made it into the main character of the story.  The story winds through all the things that the sun might see in a days' time, from the desert to the mountains to your own backyard, showing how many places the sun has visited or shined upon for that day.  The story tries to carry the imagination to places, both far and near.

At the end of the story, the sun is very sleepy, which helps the story wind down, as a bedtime story really should do.  The language of the book gives it an imaginative, child-like feel, and the illustrations are just beautiful.  Kathleen M. Hanson is the illustrator, and the pictures have almost an Impressionistic feel to them.  They are very colorful and imaginative, making them very pleasing to my own and my children's eyes. 

Whether you read the story to your children at bedtime, or you simply look through the pictures in the book together(which sometimes works better for me with Jaden, seeing as he's a very busy toddler), this is such an adorable story to have on the shelf.  It's thin and easy to handle when you have multiple children hanging on you to listen to the story.:)   It is priced at $14.99 on Amazon.  You can also read more about it on Mari Hanson's site.

Melissa J's Thoughts:

As soon as we took Mari Hanson's best seller, Sleepy Sun, out of the package, my 23 month old daughter was putting it in my face saying, "ead Mama. ead!"  She was immediately attracted to the bright pictures and just as quickly became engrossed in the rhythmic feel of the reading. 

The pictures are bright and captivating. The colors are brilliant and vivid, which is part of what makes this book so intriguing for all ages. 

I thought the concept of the book was charming. It was about a day in the life of the sun. . . . where the sun shone, who the sun warmed, and why the sun is ready for bed. It's a perfect, end-of-the-day story and has quickly become a bedtime classic in our house!

My only down note on the books, is the price. While the book is delightful and captivating, I'm not sure I would spend that much on the book for younger children, simply because they have the potential to destroy books quickly. $14.99 means nothing to toddler hands.  

That being said, the book is appealing, not only to toddlers, but also to older children (my daycare kids enjoyed it as well) and for that age group, it is worth the price. 

Thank you Mari, for the chance to review your book!

 

Reviewers, please post up your reviews here, by using Mr. Linky.  Please post only your original review post link.  Thank you!

Mel participated in this review with the TOS Homeschool Crew.

Guardian Angel Publishing publishes books for children ages 0-12.  They publish e-books, print books, books on CD, and soon they will have books on DVD, so that children can actually watch the books on their television.  The company calls its authors and artists its guardian angels.  They have books about subjects ranging from health and hygiene to animals and pets to faith.  They also carry chapter books for "tweens."  Their books are not just reading material, though; they have morals and values instilled in each story.  There are several different titles available, and we were recently able to review four of those.

Andy & Spirit Go to the Fair

In this book, Andy is a young boy in a wheelchair who is about to compete in a horsemanship competition after many months of practice and hard work.  He is very excited and nervous all at the same time.  The book really shows the human side of Andy and how fear could have stopped him, but instead of letting it take over, he pressed on and defeated those fears.  Not only that, but he now had a best friend, Spirit, his horse.  It shows how, even though someone may be slightly different, they are the same as anyone else with dreams and feelings....and they can still accomplish their dreams; it might just take a lot of hard work and patience/passion on their part.  It also shows the importance of teamwork.  The book had really colorful illustrations, full page pictures that went along with the story.  At the end of the story, there is also information on wild mustangs and how they are managed.  There are websites listed, so that you can get in contact with several different organizations.  There is also information on 4-H, since Andy was in the 4-H program.  This book would probably make a great reader for a child between second to third grades.  It is priced, starting at $5.00 for the e-book; $10.95 + $6.95 for the print book, or $9.95 + $5.95 for the e-book CD or the DVD book video.

At the end of each book is information on the author and artist, as well, so that you can see the people behind the books. 

Maybe We Are Flamingos

This book is for a younger age and would make a great reader for first or second grade.  The story is about two baby flamingos who are really worried because they look different from the rest of the group.  Instead of being pink, they are gray.  They are so concerned about this, until one day, their mother explains to them how some day they will get their pink feathers.  It teaches children that it's ok to be different....  This book leaves room for the imagination to soar, and it has full-page illustrations that are colorful and fun to look at while reading.  This book is also priced at $5.00 for the e-book, $10.95 + $6.95 for the print book, and $9.95 + $5.95 for the e-book CD or the DVD book video.

No Bones About It

Did you know that the smallest bone in our bodies is in our middle ears?  Yep, this is just one of the fun facts that was presented in this book.  Along with fun facts on almost every page, there is rhyme that is designed to help children learn the names of the different bones in the body.  At the end of the book is a diagram with the different bones, so that children can study it and learn where they are located.  Then comes a little quiz so they can put all of that learning to the test.  The illustrations were great in this book, with pictures of skeletons and bones throughout, but they were imaginative and fun....perfect for my son Jacob, who loves stuff like this.  This book would probably make a great supplement to a study of the human body in science....it might even benefit older children who are studying human anatomy in biology and struggling to learn all the different names in our bone structure.  The book is priced, starting at $5.00 for the e-book, $10.95 + $6.95 for the print book, and $9.95 + $5.95 for the e-book CD.

Stubby's Destiny

This book was a really cute story with adorable illustrations.  It's a story about a donkey, who pretty much feels like he is destined for nothing great in his life, except to pack around people's goods.  No matter how hard he tries to be fit for royalty, he just feels as if he can't do enough and becomes very sad.  Then one day Stubby is taken by two men, and he ends up being given the highest honor of all, to carry Jesus (the King of all) on his back, and he knows that he has finally found true meaning.  This story would also make a great reader for younger ages, and it teaches value in each and every person, no matter how they are made, no matter how they may feel.  They are meant to accomplish a purpose with their lives.  This book starts out in pricing at $5.00 for the e-book, $10.95 + $6.95 for the print book, and $9.95 + $5.95 for the e-book CD or the DVD video book.  

You can see video trailers for some of the books on the Guardian Angel site.  You can read more reviews on the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog.

(Disclosure: I was provided with these free e-books by Guardian Angel Publishing, in association with the TOS Homeschool Crew.)

* The Jesus Book *

* Review done by Melissa J

The Jesus Book by Stephen Elkins
Illustrated by Claudine Gevry
Price $16.99

The Jesus Book by Stephen Elkins, put out by Thomas Nelson Publishers is a delightful and colorful way to introduce children to Jesus. The pages are shiny and colorful. The stories short and to the point, keeping a child's interest, while at the same time, filling them with information about the subject matter. As my husband commented when he overheard me reading the first story, "Wow, short story that packs a punch and doesn't leave anything out!"

The book cover is padded a bit and is every bit as colorful and attractive as each illustrated page. To catch a glimpse of these pages, check out the flip book that Thomas Nelson has made available.

Sections of the book include:

~ Who Jesus Is. Some of the stories in this section include, but are not limited too:

• "The prophets said Jesus was the Promised One", "Peter said Jesus was the Christ", John the disciple said Jesus is the Word", and "Jesus said He is . . . "
  

~ What Jesus Did. Some of the stories include:

• "He Healed Many", He raised the Dead", "He forgave sin", and "He went to the Cross".
  

~ What Jesus Taught. Some of the stories include:

• "He taught using Parables", He Taught the Golden Rule", "He taught us He Loves Us."
  

~ When it Happened. In this section, a timeline is provided, giving children a visual tool for understanding in what order Biblical events took place.

~ Where it Happened. This section includes simple but accurate maps for children to look at and reference the Biblical stories.

~ Why it Happened. I really appreciated it when I got to this section. It begins with, "Why did Mary Name her Baby Jesus?" and ends with, "Why did Jesus Die on the Cross?"

~ How it Happened. This too is a section, that without, the book would have been incomplete, How grateful I am, as a mom, that the author put this section into the book, trying the previous sections together into life application with stories such as, "How do we Receive Eternal Life" and "How Does Jesus want us to Live?"


The book itself, is high enough quality for me to have spent the money on, to add to my daughter's library. However it has an added feature that is the icing on the cake - - a CD with 30 children's songs. Each song is set in a musical arrangement that a child will enjoy and my daughter has loved listening to it, even at 21 months of age.


The Jesus Book is available at Amazon.com. You can also check out other reviews at the Thomas Nelson Review page.

* Products for Three's and Four's *

Rattle Snake Rules

Sleepy Sun

The Jesus Book

Kumon, First Steps Series

Hands on Learning Flash Cards, Colors and Shapes

Crayola Beginnings Tadoodles

Read and Share Bible, DVD

Ebeanstalk Sort n Learn Pelican

Think and Blink Shapes Flashcards