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.  

* Curse of the Spider King *

The Curse of the Spider King: Book 1 in the Berinfell Prophecies

By: Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper


Ages: 12 - 17


Put out by: Thomas Nelson

Price: $14.99


Disclosure: Thomas Nelson provided complimentary copies to Mama Buzz reviewers for the purposes of this blog tour.

Mel's Thoughts:
Curse of the Spider King, written by Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper, is Book 1 in The Berinfell Prophecies.  When I first started reading this book, I thought that this was just going to be another magical story, and I thought that parts of it were going to be boring.  I was so wrong.  As I continued reading, I realized that this was quite the adventure story, reminding me, only at times during the stories of Berinfell, of The Lord of the Rings.  The story weaved in and out of 7 different kids' lives, as well as having sections that told about the night that the city of Berinfell fell.  It was an action-packed story that truly kept my attention with its vivid detail and descriptions of what was going on.  One of my favorite parts of the book was the car chase between Kat and her housekeeper and the mysterious man, who kept showing up in a long trench coat.  Only this was no detective; this man had been watching all seven of the kids.....and he wasn't the only one.  He was a Drefid, and he was out to kill Kat, for the sake of the Spider King, who wanted them dead before they could help to restore the Elvin kingdom.  This scene in the book had such action in it that I felt like I was watching a movie. 

The story alternates between the seven kids' lives and how each one is given a book, The History of Berinfell.  The seven kids are Tommy Bowman, Autumn and Johnny Briarman, Jett Green, James "Jimmy" Lewis Gresham, Kat Simonson, and Kiri Lee Yuen.  These kids had no idea who they really were, royalty.  As each one was given the mysterious book, they would begin to read it, and the words on the pages would literally come to life before their very eyes, showing them the story of Berinfell.  The night that Berinfell was destroyed, seven royal children were taken and later exiled to live in the human world.  Now, eight hundred years later, they are discovering new things about themselves; but they don't have time to take it all in; they have to fight in a war they could have never imagined.

This book is definitely a book that Jacob would enjoy, but I may wait a while before I let him read it.  I might would read it to him at this age, although I don't think he'd have much of a problem reading it or understanding it himself.  Some of the fighting scenes were just a bit graphic, nothing too harsh, though.  It is the type of story that he would love, though.  At $10.19 on Amazon, it's definitely worth that, in my opinion.  I honestly think it would make a great Christmas present for a slightly older child, maybe middle grades.  It's a hardback book, 372 pages filled with action-packed stories that will surely keep his attention.  The beginning of a book has a Principal Cast list that lists each character from the book and describes who they were.  It's a little overwhelming at first, but as you read through the book, you can go back to it and truly understand who you are reading about.  There is also a Principal Locations list.  I give this book two thumbs up.


Melissa J's Thoughts

 The day this book becomes a movie and hits the movie theater, I am so there!  I know that sounds pretty adolescent, but that's what I was thinking about 1/4 of the way into the book. This is one awesome series, and even if I don't have to review the rest, I will be buying them for my own library!  

In some ways, it feels like the same type of story that so many other books are made out of. Children who transverse across worlds (think Chronicles of Narnia) and colorful scenes that involve elves and evil beings (think Lord of the Rings) are not a unique literary theme by any means. However, Wayne and Christopher have such an amazing talent with written words and intricate story lines, it seems new in Curse of the Spider King. 

At first, I couldn't quite track with the book. There are, at first read, several characters in both the here-and-now world, as well as the world of Allyra, but thanks to the character list, I was able to keep track of who was who. Truth be told, I like books that are a bit more advanced than just cursory reading.  Curse of the Spider King delivers that to me.  

Seven, thirteen year olds, all of which have nothing in common, are tied together by one single thread. That thread puts their lives in peril, as well as the ones they care for. Also at stake, is the entire existence of Allyra and the elves. In a destiny that not only affects them, but also many others and each teenager must make the choice as to what role they will play in a drama that involves two worlds and countless lives. 

The Berinfell Prophecies may just become the next Lord of the Rings series and I am thrilled to begin adding it to my library. 

PS--check out The Underground at the Berinfall website and join the adventure! 


 

* The Dopple Ganger Chronicles, Books 1 and 2 - Review and Giveaway *

This Giveaway has now ended. Congrats to tmc480 for winning it!

 

Book 1 The First Escape

  Book 2   The Secret of the Indigo Moon     

The Doppler Ganger Chronicles by G.P. Taylor

Ages: 7-13

Retail value (per book): $19.99

 (From the Tyndale Site)  G. P. Taylor:  A motorcyclist and former rock band roadie turned Anglican minister, Graham Peter (G. P.) Taylor has been hailed as "hotter than Potter" and "the new C. S. Lewis" in the United Kingdom. His first novel, Shadowmancer, reached #1 on the New York Times Best Sellers List in 2004 and has been translated into 48 languages. His other novels include Wormwood (another New York Times best seller which was nominated for a Quill Book Award), The Shadowmancer Returns: The Curse of Salamander Street, Tersias the Oracle, and Mariah Mundi. Taylor currently resides in North Yorkshire with his wife and three children.

G.P's books, The Dopple Ganger Chronicles have parents raving - - and I'm pretty impressed myself, which is why I requested some review copies for Mama Buzz. This is a brilliant idea!  G.P. has combined the new rage of manga, with regular styled writing, to bring a series to the younger adolescent age group that will captivate and have them storming bookstores for the newest release. 

The books follow the adventures of twins Sadie and Saskia Dopple and their friend Erik Morrissey Ganger, all residents of a school for wayward children. Book 1 saw Sadie and Saskia being separated as a very mysterious and rich woman adoped Saskia. Once adopted, Saskia founds she was in danger. Back at the school Erik and Sadie began the dangerous filled escapade to rescue Saskia.

Book 2 opens with Erik immediately in a sticky situation in a hidden tunnel that he didn't mean to find. As the pages progress, an old enemy from Book 1 reappears and all three children find themselves in danger - and adventure - once again.

Not only is this an exciting series for kids to read, the style it is presented in, makes it the most unique book I have ever seen. Punctuated with manga-based comic strips and art work, the writing of the book is broken up so that even a young person who struggles to read will stay engrossed in the book. After The First Escape came out, parents began writing about how their children who struggle to read, were glued to the books. Kids who live with ADHD, dyslexia, and learning disabilities, have all taken to this series and parents are expressing gratefulness for that fact. 

The only way to explain how the book is set up to allow readers to see for themselves. Chapter 1 of The First Escape is available in PDF format, as is Chapter 1 from The Secret of the Indigo Moon.

 I have a copy of both Book 1 and Book 2 to give away. They will be given together. To enter, leave a comment with your email address. 


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Disclosure: both of these books are complimentary copies for review and giveaway purposes.

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.)

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 5th - 6th Grade *

The Blue Umbrella

Sarah Books: Sarah's Wish

Quarter Mile Math

Web Design for Kids

Word of Promise, Next Generation

Amazing Bible Timeline