U is for the Under the Sea

When my five year-old son was about two he received a copy of the Usborne Lift and Look book, Under the Sea. He absolutely loved it and would have me read it over and over. On each page, you lift various flaps trying to find a small fish aptly called, “little fish.” He would lift the flaps and get quite excited and clap each time he found little fish. He had me read it and ‘read’ it himself over and over again until it fell apart. Thankfully, Usborne has a discount replacement system and I was able to get a new one that he continued reading. We are now enjoying sharing this book with his little brother who is 16 months old.

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Under the Sea is a fun book that is great for the toddler and preschool years, especially if you have a little one that loves fish and sea life. It encourages their observational skills, helps with fine motor (opening the flaps), and is enjoyable to read together. It is also a great book for young children to ‘read’ independently because they can enjoy looking at the pictures and finding little fish under the flaps even without being able to actually read the words.

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Have you read Under the Sea or any of the Usborne Lift the Flap books? Tell me what books come to mind when you think of the letter U.

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The Heart Changer (Review)

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In a house full of readers, it is always an exciting day when a book arrives in the mail. My eleven-year-old daughter was very pleased to find out that she had the privilege of reading and reviewing The Heart Changer by Jarm Del Boccio, Author before anyone else in the house.

We received the paperback version of this book; it has an engaging cover that draws the reader into the book. It was a relatively short book at only 111 pages including the epilogue. My daughter read it over the course of about a week and once she was finished I sat down one evening to begin reading it and read the entire book in one sitting.

I felt that this story helped bring a part of the Bible to life through the eyes of a young girl who plays a major role in the healing of Naaman but is not named with-in the Biblical text. This is the story of the servant girl, called Miriam in the book, who tells Naaman about the prophet Elisha and how he can help cure him of his leprosy through the power of God. The Biblical story focused on the power of God and the obedience of Naaman but this book tells the story from the perspective of the servant girl. I loved how it made me look at it in a whole new light and think about how important the obedience of this unnamed servant girl was to the way the story unfolded.

Another thing I really appreciated about this story is that at the end of the book the author explains which part of the book are Biblical and which parts she used her imagination to expand upon the story.

Reading Biblical events in this format makes it really easy to connect to the characters and get a better understanding of what happened and how it affected the people involved. I really enjoyed the opportunity to read this book and I’m so glad that my daughter was also able to read it and discuss it with me.

The author has also included a free downloadable study guide on her website that gives some great discussion questions. It also shares more information about the author and why she chose to write this book. The questions were written in such a way as to help the reader not only think about Miriam and her story, but also to delve deeper into what they learned and how it could affect their own lives.

There are also some great ideas for researching and understanding more about the setting for the story of Naaman. Understanding what it meant to have leprosy in those times and the story of why Israel was taken captive. Finally, the guide finishes with some devotional suggestions to help you take what you learned even further.

I felt like the The Heart Changer was a great book especially for young girls (8-12) and would also be a good book for a mother/daughter to read together or as a family read aloud. It had a compelling story that makes you really think further about a real event from the Bible and how the lessons learned apply to our lives today. Be sure to click on the graphic below and check out the other Crew Reviews.

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T is for the Tuttle Twins and Trixie Belden

I was having a hard time deciding between these two sets of books so I decided to share both of them with you today. While not as common as some of the books I have shared before, I think they would be great additions to your reading list and personal libraries. The Trixie Belden books are a series my mom introduced me to as a child and now, I am excited to be passing them along to my own daughter. The Tuttle Twins are a much newer series that I purchased for my son for Christmas last year.

T is for Tuttle

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The Trixie Belden series was one of my favorites as a child. It was a series by Julie Campbell and Kathryn Kenny about a fun young lady named Trixie Belden who was always solving mysteries. This series written from 1948 to 1986 was full of good wholesome stories that made reading a pleasure. If you have a child that likes a good detective story or dreams of solving mysteries this is a great fit. They are similar to the older Nancy Drew books and a perfect fit for the 8-12 year old crowd.

The Tuttle Twins is a newer series that teaches children the principles of freedom. It is a great way to teach your elementary age children about economics and limited government. These books teach about entrepreneurship, free trade, the Golden Rule, banking and even the dangers of socialism. These books teach complex concepts in ways that make them easier for students to understand and without the liberal bias that is often found in books about these principles.

Instead of being taught in a textbook, these books are written in a story format with beautiful illustrations by Elijah Stanfield. Each book contains a glossary and discussion questions at the end as well information about a book for adults on a similar principle. You can purchase them as a set from the Tuttle Twins website (they are having a 35% off sale right now) and get a free set of PDF workbooks to accompany them. You can also check them out on Amazon if you would rather purchase the books individually. These can be used as a read aloud, independent reading, or with the workbooks as a civics curriculum.

Have you read any of the Trixie Belden or Tuttle Twins books? Tell me what books come to mind when you think of the letter T

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S is for the Secret Garden

C.S. Lewis once said, “A children’s story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children’s story in the slightest.” The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett is a delightful classic novel that stands up to CS Lewis’s test. It is a pleasant family read aloud (though it has some sad parts) or a great independent read for later elementary school and middle school. If you have a high school student who has not yet read it, I’d even recommend it for them. We personally have the paperback 100th anniversary edition by Harper Collins and my daughter really liked some of the bonus features, but our favorite way to enjoy the story was the radio theater version by Focus on the Family.

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“I like The Secret Garden because of the adventure Mary has and I also like how it tells the story of Mary and Colin and how Mary finds Colin by the crying she hears. I also like the bit of Yorkshire they use in it and how Mary teaches herself how to do things. i.e how to jump rope.” Elizabeth Age 11

The Secret Garden is the story of a young orphan girl named Mary Lennox who goes to live with her uncle in his large home, Misselthwaite Manor, and finds it to be full of secrets. At night, she hears the sound of someone crying. She loves the massive gardens around the estate and eventually discovers a young boy (her cousin) and a secret garden. She helps him to over come some emotional and physical obstacles and changes the their lives and the lives of those around them.

We are going to read this one (or listen as the case may be) again together as a family this summer and use this free book club guide from Sarah Mackenzie over at Read Aloud Revival to discuss the book.

Have you read The Secret Garden? Tell me what books come to mind when you think of the letter S.

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R is for Red Rock and Read Aloud Family

R is for Red Rock Mysteries! This fun series is written by Jerry B Jenkins and Chris Fabry. We were first introduced to the series through the online audio dramas but my son is collecting all of the paperback books and highly recommends them.

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The Red Rock Mysteries star a brother and a sister whose father died and later their mother remarried and they moved out to the desert of Colorado where they ride ATVs, have adventures and solve mysteries. Their mother is new to the Christian faith and they struggle with figuring out what they believe and learning to trust in God. It is a fun series that shares important lessons without feeling like a sermon. I would recommend these for ages 8-14. This series could also be used as a family read aloud, but know that there are a few scary parts as the teens run from bad guys and solve mysteries that might bother younger children.

For moms, I highly recommend the Read Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie. This book was such an inspiration to encourage me to get back into the habit of reading aloud with my children, including audio books into our days, and just encouraging a love for books in our home. The book is part inspirational and part practical suggestions to help you actually put into practice those ideals that you long to see in your home. You can find out more about the Read Aloud Family over at my Read-Aloud Family Book Study posts.

Have you read any of the Red Rock books or Read Aloud Family? Tell me what books come to mind when you think of the letter R.

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Q is for Queen Esther

Q is for Queen Esther! It is not often that I write a post about a book I have not actually read. In fact, I think this may be the very first time. I was having a bit of a difficult time coming up with a book to share for the letter Q and I remembered this great series that we had reviewed last summer, Barbour Publishing Kingdom Files Biography Series . We reviewed the two books about Mary and Jonah but they have a book about Esther that looks great. I love the story of Queen Esther and how by stepping out in faith she allowed God to use her to save her people.

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This series of books, written by Matt Koceich, teaches children about Biblical people and each book is set up to contain three parts: Fact File, Action File and Power File. These parts take them through learning the basic facts about the person and timeline, telling the story of that person, and then walks them through how that all applies in their life today.

These are great for independent reading for roughly ages 8-12 and for family read alouds or devotional times. There are currently six books in this series which each focusing on a different person from the Bible.

Have you read any of the Kingdom Files books? Tell me what books come to mind when you think of the letter Q.

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P is for Penderwicks!

P is for The Penderwicks! This funny and charming story about four sisters and their father is fun for the whole family. This is the first in a series of five books that chronicle the adventures of these sisters and their friend Jeffery (whom they meet in this first book). The sisters, Rosalind, Jane, Sky, and Batty show a love for each other and while they do not always agree, they are great role models for positive sibling relationships.

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While there is a bit of a romantic crush discussed in the book, it is a mostly clean and wholesome book that had us both laughing and crying. The girls make mistakes, but learn from them and have some really grand adventures on their summer vacation with their father. Their mother died shortly after Batty was born and so the girls have learned to really stick together. They play soccer, watch pet rabbits, get chased by a bull and a host of other silly adventures.

My 11-year-old daughter said, “I like the Penderwicks because they go on adventures, whether they go somewhere or stay home. I also like their dog, Hound.” You might think that because it is just a group of sisters it would be a book for girls, but my 13-year-old son also enjoys listening to all of their adventures.

In addition to The Penderwicks, I have listed below a list of other favorite P books that we have enjoyed or that my readers recommended over on my Facebook page! Have you read any of the The Penderwicks books? Tell me what books come to mind when you think of the letter P.

Letter P Books

Peter Pan

Mr. Popper’s Penguins

Paddington (You can also check on this Unit Study.)

Prince and the Pauper

Poky Little Puppy

Princess and the Pea

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O is for Otis!

Otis is a charming and entertaining tractor. Yes, I said tractor. This adorable book series, written and illustrated by Loren Long, is based on the adventures of an old farm tractor and his farm friends. I don’t know that I ever thought my children could learn so many life lessons from an old tractor but this series is full of great lessons woven into engaging stories.

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In the title book of this series, Otis, the kind old tractor enjoys his life working on the farm and sleeping in the barn near his friend the calf. Then one day Otis is retired when a new tractor is purchased to do the farm work. This is a sad day for Otis and his friend, but in the end when his friend is in trouble it is Otis who saves the day.

My four year old loved that books so much that I had to read it over and over. Once he found out there were more books in the series he asked for them all. We have been collecting them at various holidays or when I have been able to find them at yard sales or used book sales.

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In addition to Otis, we have Otis and the Kittens, Otis and the Tornado, and Otis Gives Thanks. Otis Gives Thanks is a shorter book because it is a board book and great for toddlers. My son loves all of these books and has me read them to him often. I love the moral lessons that they fit seamlessly into the stories. They teach children to value friendship, be kind, be helpful, and work together.

These adorable picture and board books make a great read aloud to toddlers and preschool age children. They would also be fun reading for young elementary aged children. They are the kind of books that I plan to keep even after my children are older, so that I can read them to my future grandchildren.

Tell me what books come to mind when you think of the letter O. Have you read any of the Otis books?

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N is for A Nest for Celeste

A couple of years ago I saw, A Nest for Celeste recommended for our study of history. It sounded really interesting, so I purchased it to use with my children. When it came in I sat down to look through it a bit before I gave it to my son to read and ended up reading the entire book. It was a fun and engaging book that combines art, history, science, and fiction.

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Written and illustrated by Henry Cole, this book tells a bit about the life of James Audubon through the eyes of his young apprentice Joseph and Joseph’s friend Celeste the mouse. If you are looking for a biography of James Audubon this is not the book for you, however, if you are looking for a book that can introduce James Audubon while getting kids excited about birds and nature this may be a great choice. The illustrations are done in beautiful detailed black and white pencil sketches.

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The story tells of Joseph’s adventures as he travels with James Audubon and helps him to collect and draw specimens for his research. There is some sadness in the book as animals are killed in order to be saved for drawing but it is well written and appropriate for most children. Many of the events in the book are based on real events recorded in James Audubon’s journals. Joseph was also a real person and apprentice; though Celeste, of course, is fictional.

This book is a great independent read for upper elementary school students and possibly even middle school. It is also a good family read aloud for younger children. And don’t tell my children because I have not bought it yet, but as I was putting this post together I found this sequel, Another Quest For Celeste. I will be adding it to my wish list!

In addition to A Nest for Celeste, I want to recommend that you check out the scripture based picture book Nothing that I reviewed a couple weeks ago. It is a beautiful book that is perfect for preschool and early elementary students.

Tell me what books come to mind when you think of the letter N. Have you read A Nest for Celeste or Nothing?

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God is Better Than Trucks (Picture Book Review)

God is Better than Trucks sounded like the perfect book title for my son. This alphabetical picture book is written by Sarah Reju and published by Christian Focus. The overarching message of this book is, “Trucks are powerful, big and fun! BUT GOD IS BETTER THAN TRUCKS!”

Opening his package!

A new book!

This hard-cover picture book includes fun and colorful illustrations on each page. It is an alphabetical book that features a different mode of transportation for each letter. Each letter also included a Bible verse that correlates to that page. The text of the book shares what is wonderful about each mode of transportation but then reiterates that God is better than each of those things.

For example, for the letter ‘U’ they showed an underwater submarine. The text for that page was, ” THE UNDERWATER SUBMARINE explores a mile DEEP, but God made the whole ocean. God is better than UNDERWATER SUBMARINES!” Then they shared ” The sea is his, for he made it…” Psalm 95:5 as the verse for that page.

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I read this book several times with my five-year-old son, who really enjoyed the pictures. By the end of the book he could say the last line of each letter, ” God is better than …” One of the pages featured and ice cream truck handing out ice cream at the beach. He said that was his favorite page because he loves ice cream.

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This book is great for young children ages birth to six or seven. The younger children will enjoy looking at the pictures and listening to it being read aloud. Many children on the older end of that range are fascinated by various cars, trucks, and trains and may enjoy reading about the different types. In addition to using it as a read aloud book, you could pick a page to focus on each week and memorize the scripture and maybe find out more about that type of transportation.

In addition to God is Better than Trucks, the Review Crew had the opportunity to review a variety of different books from Christian Focus. These included another picture book, God is Better than Princesses. Some families also reviewed a biography of Elizabeth Prentiss and Big Bible Science. which are for older children. Be sure to check out their website and use the link below to check out reviews from the other Crew members!

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