Wright on Time: Book 1: Arizona

Mel's Thoughts:

The boys and I have been reading a new chapter book before bed at night; it's part of the Wright on Time series, Book 1: Arizona by Lisa Cottrell-Bentley.  It's an adventure story; only, it's not your typical adventure story.  It's the story of a homeschooling family's adventure in Arizona.  The Wright family lives in an RV, travelling to all sorts of new places to explore and learn and just be together.  This particular story is set in the state of Arizona.


As the story unfolds, the family is going on a cave exploration for a day.  They have found a cave that is family-friendly, and they are going to see what they can find, what they can dig up.  They end up finding a room filled with bats, and they find some pretty cool rock/mineral specimens, like garnet and wulfenite.  Nadia and Aidan explore the differences between stalactites and stalagmites ("Stale egg mites," in Aidan's words).  At the end of the day, the owners of the cave unknowingly lock them in the cave....will they be stuck there all night, in the dark, without anyone to hear them hollering?  Hmmmm.....I guess you'll just have to read the book.:)


The more we read the story, the more I realized how much educational material was contained in this one book.  It is essentially concerning caves.  There is a lot of great science material covered throughout, so it would make a great supplement to a study of caves.  Not only that, but just the way the family lives and interacts is a wonderful example for children; it's not one of those adventure stories that's packed with all sorts of stuff you wouldn't want your child reading.  It's a book that I would totally feel comfortable letting Jacob read and have no worries about.  I love the fact that it's about a homeschooling family; as a homeschooling Mama, I just want to promote, promote, promote this series.:)  The only thing I found a tad bit repetitious was Aidan's use of the word, "Freaky."  I think I'm the only one that noticed, though, because Jacob seemed pretty absorbed in the story. 


Find out more about this series by browsing through the Wright on Time website.  You can buy Wright on Time: Book 1: Arizona for $12.99 in the Wright on Time Store or from Amazon.  You can also watch the following video to find out more about this book:



Melissa J's Thoughts

The Wright on Time series is a series that writers like me think, "Now, why didn't I think of that?!"  I mean, what a concept - an entire series based on each state in the US! Not only is a series like this, a writer's dream, it's an awesome collection to build up for children. 

Homeschooling families need to start getting this series! It teaches some history, alot of geographical facts, has vocabulary words in the back, and would be great books for book reports!  These books are going to be an invaluable resource as time goes on for many families. 

I enjoyed, even as an adult, reading Book 1: Arizona. I had no idea that you could mine in caves for gems and for the first time in my life I will now remember the difference between Stalagmites and Stalactites (G for ground, C for ceiling.) In fact, book 1 made me excited about Book 2 and it also made me wish I could homeschool our children in an RV and travel the States!

The only thing that made me have a question, is the bat cave? I wonder how true to life this is, because I thought bat poop/urine gave off toxic fumes and if a cave was full of thousands of bats, going in that cave (much less sitting on the floor of it) could be dangerous. That is the only thing in the book that didn't seem completely accurate. 


The Wright on Time series is more than a book I'm reviewing for Mama Buzz. I have already determined that it will be a part of my homeschool curriculum. I can't travel the states in real life, but I'll enjoy my travels with my children as we go through this series in the years to come.  

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.

TOS Crew- Sarah Books: Sarah's Wish

Mel participated in this review with the TOS Homeschool Crew.

Sarah Books is a series created by a grandfather of nine children, all of who are homeschooled.  Jim Baumgardner created this series specifically for his grandchildren, so that they could learn about our history and what we've been through.  He wanted them to have books that were full of moral values and empty of any profanity or other behaviors.  Recently, Jacob was reading a book, which I will leave unnamed here, and he came in and
told me that it had a bad word.  Sure enough, I got to looking, and a children's book was using profanity.  I just about died.....here I was letting him read a simple children's story, and it had that in it.  So, I was really glad when this book showed up in our mailbox, especially after reading why Mr. Baumgardner wrote this series.

Sarah's Wish is the first book in the series.  There are two other books, Sarah's Promise and Sarah's Escape.  The book starts out with a note to readers, concerning a glossary of words used in the nineteenth century.  This glossary helps young and old alike understand some of the words that were used back then, so that we can better understand the story.  Words like Apothecary, High-falutin', Underground Railroad, etc. appear in this glossary. 

The story starts out in a very dramatic and even traumatic way.  When I first read the beginning chapter to Jacob, I was thinking maybe I should have previewed it, because right away Sarah's mother is killed in a buggy accident.  The stories are geared more toward older children or young adults.  Sarah is left an orphan, but she is lovingly taken in by a family, until in steps Granny.  The story is full of   characters, and you can just see and hear them as you're reading: Mary, Granny, Brother Franklin, Running Fox, Doctor Baum, Graybeard, Charlie, etc.  As the story weaves on, the reader comes to realize that Sarah and her mother were part of the Underground Railroad, helping slaves regain their freedom.  It is full of action and suspense, as Sarah truly longs to keep this work going, even in the absence of her mother.  This would be a great book to use when you are studying this subject in history; it's a book that could honestly be read again and again.  I plan on coming back to it when we reach that point in our studies.

You can read excerpts of each book on the Sarah Books website.  My book actually came autographed with a bookmark, and yours can too, if you order from the website.  It just adds that personal touch.  Sarah's Wish is only $9.99, no shipping and handling.  It also comes with a free audiobook download in the back of the book, which makes it great for young readers, since they can read and follow along at the same time; or you can even put that on a cd and have it for in the car, on the run.  If you'd like to receive Sarah's Web Newsletter, you can email sarahbooks@cox.net with "Send Newsletter" in the subject line.  Don't miss out on this adventurous series of books for your children.

To read more reviews, head on over to the TOS Crew Blog.

(Disclosure: I was provided with this free book by Sarah Books, in association with the TOS Homeschool Crew.)

Draw and Write Through History: Creation through Jonah

Mel's Thoughts:
We had the opportunity to review part of the Draw and Write Through History series, Creation through Jonah.  This series was written by a fellow homeschooling mama, who has a passion for children and history. 

This first book in the series covers several topics, including Creation, Noah's Ark/Ice Age, The Tower of Babel, Egypt: The Pyramid Age, China, Joseph/Moses, Trojan Horse/David, and Jonah.  For each section, there is a cover page that gives the approximate dates or time frame for each event, which makes it really neat to compare when things happened in relation to each other.  The illustrations are colorful and really fit the whole theme of the book. 

The book uses art, writing, and history to teach the child about these events.  For example, in the section about Creation, the child will learn how to draw plants and trees, dinosaurs, and people.  There are step-by-step instructions, so that the child can see his drawing come to life as he follows each step.  At the end of each section is a full copywork page with cursive writing.  This helps the child not only learn about the topic, but it gives him practice in penmanship skills.  I'm looking forward to using these copywork pages with Jacob as we go along.  

Jacob actually did a drawing of the Phoenician merchant ship....he is fascinated by ancient history right now, and this went along really well with what we have been studying in history for a while now.  He was really happy to see instructions on how to draw the Trojan Horse, since he loves that story so much....but he hasn't done that one yet.  You can actually see a sample art lesson from that section here. 

This book is priced at $12.00, which I really feel (for us anyway) is a fair price.  With 63 pages total, it could be used to supplement a history or an art or even a writing curriculum; I wouldn't recommend using it as a stand-alone curriculum, since it only covers certain topics throughout ancient history, and it doesn't give a lot of details, but it would make an excellent supplement, in my opinion.  It is designed for children 8 and older. 

(Disclosure: We were provided with this free product by the author of Draw and Write.)

Melissa J

I was just telling my husband, the more I spend time teaching the daycare kids their shapes and colors, the more I am convinced that a hands on, experiential approach to learning is the best way for kids to receive and retain information. For that very reason, I am thrilled with the Draw and Write Through History Series.  

The Draw and Write Through History; Creation through Jonah starts at Day Three of Creation and teaches what was created on Day 3, by having a drawing lesson on plants. What child will ever forget what was created on Day 3 when they learn to draw the very thing that was created? The same lesson also include a lesson on drawing trees. 

As the book proceeds, drawing lessons include how to draw people, the ark, a silkworm moth, Moses, frogs, and even a Trojan Horse. 


This book contains one more element in addition to teaching facts and drawing. . . it also combines an element of cursive writing. Students take their learning even further, practicing their cursive writing by copying the history lesson that is presented.   


The Draw and Write History Series is really, a three-for-one package and homeschooling parents - - and perhaps even non-homeschooling parents--will find it a valuable resource for teaching their children history.

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.)

You Can Write a Story! A Story-Writing Recipe for Kids

We've been going to the library a lot lately; we usually go on the way to Tae Kwon Do. Anyway, I've been adding in a little bit of journal/story writing to Jacob's writing assignments, and he loves it! I found a book at the library that we are using right now, and I love it! It's called You can Write a Story! A Story-Writing Recipe for Kids by Lisa Bullard.
The book is divided up into 13 chapters with a story at the end. It breaks up the ingredients of a story into bite-size pieces for a child to comprehend how to write. It also gives practice activities with most of the chapters, so that as you go along through the book, you are creating a story. Yesterday, Jacob learned how to brainstorm and gather just a few ingredients for his story, including his favorite animal, a place he would travel, and a favorite activity. Now he'll use those later on as components of his story. He also learned about "Special Flavorings," which are types of stories. He could make his story realistic fiction or fantasy, etc. Next, he will be working on characters for his story, which might include cats and dogs, since they were his favorite animals.
The book is set up in such a way as to attract young minds, and the illustrations are wonderful. It's very colorful and attractive. It's spiral bound, so the pages lay completely flat on his desk; he's not having to fight with them to keep them open as he tries to write. Toward the end of the book, he will even be taught how to revise his story and how to get an editor for it. It even explains to him the different things he can do to share his story. At the end of the book is a glossary for those new terms and suggestions for further reading.

I am seriously considering purchasing this book because I'm not sure that we'll be able to keep it long enough from the library. I'm so impressed with all of the details in this book and how it works with Jacob to teach him how to write more creatively. You can check it out on Amazon.

* Products for 3rd - 4th Grade *

Rattle Snake Rules

Draw and Write through History

Sarah Books: Sarah's Wish
 
Bubber

Grapevine Studies

Maverick Books, Hank the Cowdog

Quarter Mile Math

Web Design for Kids

Amazing Bible Timeline