F is for From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

This week my daughter chose the book. This is the book that I assigned her to read last week and when she was finished she immediately asked me if I would chose it as the ‘F’ book in the series. It is a longer chapter book and so I had allowed up to two weeks for her to finish it but she had it done in about four days.

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From The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler is a fun book about a girl and her brother who run away and live in an art museum for a little while. They have many adventures and meet a lady named Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. They also discover and solve a great mystery.

” I really liked it. I thought it was really neat how they slept in the museum and found Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. I liked the mystery part of it as well. I would recommend this book for students that are in the mysteries in about fourth or fifth grade. I think it would be good for both boys and girls.” Elizabeth, Age 11

I think this book speaks to the adventurous parts of our soul. So many times as children, we long for something exciting to help to break up the day-to-day routine. I know as a child I used to imagine myself having a grand adventure and solving a big mystery. Books like this allow us to live vicariously through the main characters and have adventures while never having to leave the comfort of our own homes.

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Have you read From The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler before? What is your favorite ‘F’ book? I would love for you to share in the comments and let us know.

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E is for Ellie’s People

Last April we had the privilege of traveling to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania to visit some friends and see the sites. While were there my daughter enjoyed learning more about the Amish culture. Since she was so interested in the culture, my mom found the book Ellie by Mary Christner Borntrager for her as a part of her Christmas gifts. Ellie is the first book in the Ellie’s People Series.

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Ellie is also one of my daughter’s nicknames, so it seemed like a great book for her. In our hurricane relief efforts, our family has had the opportunity to meet and work with many different groups of Amish and Mennonite who have traveled to our church to help with the relief work. This has fueled my daughter’s interest in these unique cultures.

The author was born and raised Amish and uses the books to share the stories of her childhood and youth among the Amish people. Each book focuses on the story and life of one particular person (the namesake of that book) but also shares about others in the community. While these books are fiction, they include a lot of real information about the Amish culture and Mary Christner Brontrager’s childhood. My daughter even mentioned that, “I like how it uses a few words of Pennsylvania Dutch and then includes an English translation for those words.” In Ellie we learn about Amish weddings, funerals, and other customs through the eyes and experiences of Ellie.

After reading Ellie, she asked us about getting more books in that series. I was able to get a good deal on a collection of them and she read them rapidly. Reading late into the night and each morning before she got up. I loved that she found books that she enjoyed that much and that were also helping her learn and appreciate more about another culture.

Have you read Ellie before? What is your favorite ‘E’ book? I would love for you to share in the comments and let us know.

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D is for Danny and Daisy Dolphin

This week I chose a picture book that is near and dear to our hearts. My children have all loved this book (and the others in the series) and the fact that it is set in our home state of North Carolina. Though not as well known as some of the other books I have shared, it is a wonderful addition to any children’s library.

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Danny and Daisy: A Tale of A Dolphin Duo is book #13 in Suzanne Tate’s nature series. The beautiful illustrations are done by James Melvin. We have collected most of the books in this series and a few of her history books as well. They are all wonderful but Danny and Daisy was so well loved that my children wore out our first copy and I had to purchase a second copy.

Danny is a wild dolphin who needs help because he is alone and hungry. Since he is unable to get enough to eat or find his pod, he is brought to a science center to recover. There he meets his friend Daisy dolphin who was brought there because she had problems with her eyes. Together they have a great time and recover while also meeting lots of ‘helpful humans’.

This series of picture books is great for learning about different animals, mostly sea and beach animals, and how we can be ‘helpful humans’ and take care of the environment. They are short picture books that are fun to read and can be enjoyed my children of any age but I have found that my children particularly enjoy them from around ages 3-8. They could also be a fun way to introduce a science study about marine life with older students.

Have you read Danny and Daisy before? What is your favorite ‘D’ book? I would love for you to share in the comments and let us know.

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C is for Chronicles of Narnia and Circumference (or Sir Cumference)

If my family could only keep one book aside from the Bible, it would be the Chronicles of Narnia. I know some of you are thinking that it is a whole series of books, which is correct, but we have a copy that has the entire series in one volume so I can count it as one book. Our entire family has enjoyed listening to them together and my oldest has read most of them several times.

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C.S. Lewis has a way with words and the Narnia series is no exception. They are a delightful and engaging story that mixes this world with other enchanting and exciting worlds. A world in which children can become kings and queens, in which good battles evil, and you never quite know what is going to happen next. Animals that talk, trees that come alive, and children that become heroes and heroines. As I raise my children to grow into strong young men and women who do hard things, this is a book that provides both enjoyment and a good example.

In addition to the fun and enjoyment of reading, they provide a powerful allegory to the life of Jesus Christ. I think Sarah Clarkson said it well on her blog, “I loved Aslan. And even as a little girl, I knew it was God I was learning to love through him.” Even as an adult, I think that the story helped me to grow in my own faith in Jesus Christ. We know the story is fictional but its portrayal of the character, relationship, and sacrifice of Christ helps our finite minds to really grasp something so infinite.

I promise I won’t do two every week but with Pi Day coming up next week I couldn’t help but mention the Sir Cumference series. These books are such a fun way to learn math concepts. This nine book series is written as picture books about Sir Cumference, his wife Lady Di of Ameter, and their son Radius. They tell fun stories of knights, dragons, and castles while teaching geometry concepts. While even my four year old enjoys hearing the stories, the math concepts do well for students in upper elementary and middle grades.

So many good books to choose from but these are two series that we have really enjoyed. I would love for you to share your favorite C book in the comments. Don’t forget to check out the other bloggers who are joining us on their journey through the alphabet and stop back next week for the letter D.

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Smartick (check out our full review here) is offering a 25% off discount if you use this referral link! Elizabeth is still loving this program.

B is for Boxcar Children and Ben Carson

I remember devouring the Boxcar children books when I was a child and I have been pleased to watch my older children, especially my son enjoy them as well. This is one of those special series that spans the generations. and excites the imagination. Tales of orphaned siblings whom created a life for themselves living in an abandoned boxcar excites the imagination. They were enjoying life and having adventures but also overcoming adversity. They eventually find their grandfather and go to live with him. However, they continue to have adventures in various places and solve mysteries that always seem to find them.

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There are over 100 books in this series but I primarily recommend the first nineteen books as they were written by the original author. After the author, Gertrude Chandler Warren, died in 1979 the publishers had the other books written. There were some other cute stories but in my opinion, they were never as good as the original books.

These beginner chapter books are great family read alouds or can generally be read independently by about second grade. The exciting adventures of the Alden siblings can encourage imaginative play and adventure. I loved watching my children go outside and pretend to have similar adventures and solve mysteries after their imaginations were sparked by the books.

Another great book for the older set is Ben Carson: A Chance at Life. This book,published by YWAM, is a good fit for upper elementary or middle grades students. This biography tells of the life of famous brain surgeon Ben Carson. I love having my children read books about heroes and role models as they develop their understanding of the world. Ben Carson is an excellent role model and this biography is both enjoyable to read and informative.

I could probably choose a dozen more books with the letter B but those are two that we really enjoyed. I would love for you to share your favorite B book in the comments. Don’t forget to check out the other bloggers who are joining us on their journey through the alphabet and stop back next week for the letter C.

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The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls (Book Review)

Does your child love adventure? Do you want to instill a love and understanding of the events in the Bible? The The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls by WorthyKids, an imprint of Hachette Book Group may be just the series you are looking for. It combines lots of adventure with wonderful true Bible stories in a way that is fun and easy to follow.

My daughter was assigned to read The Great Escape (Book #3) during her school reading time over the course of a week. However, on that Monday evening she came to me and said that she hoped it was okay that she had read the entire book that day. When I asked her what she thought she said, ” I loved them. I really liked that the main characters were kids. I also like how they include the Bible while still making it an adventure.” She was thrilled that I also had Journey to Jericho (Book #4) for her to read and was excited to know that there are several others in the series.

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I had the opportunity to read through The Great Escape (Book #3) and found it to be simple, easy to follow and a great introduction to the first chapters in Exodus which tell of the plagues of Egypt and the Egyptians escape including the parting of the Red Sea. As an adult it only took about 30 minutes or so to read but I would expect it to take young readers longer than that. The chapters were short enough to not feel overwhelming to most young readers.

I felt like they did a good job of staying true to the Bible though there are obviously fictionalized components. The book begins in modern times with two siblings staying at their uncle’s house. Since this is not their first adventure they know when they find an old scroll that it is going to take them on a time traveling adventure. They end up traveling to the time of the Exodus, meeting a fictional Princess and getting a firsthand view of the plagues in Egypt before leaving with the Israelites.

I really liked that at the end of the book there is a section which explains where in the Bible you can read the story and a little about the fictionalization of the story (in this instance the Princess was not based on a specific real person).

As you can probably guess Journey to Jericho (Book #4) is about the story of the walls of Jericho. Once again, the main characters are two siblings Peter and Mary along with their dog Hank. The story is set up in a very similar way with the siblings going on an adventure to solve the mystery of another scroll.

Overall, we really enjoyed these books. My daughter did not seem to mind that we started with books 3 and 4 as they can certainly stand alone. However, if I were purchasing the books I would probably start with book one and read them in order. Reading in order would have given you a little more information on the scrolls and the power surrounding them. I am also just a little peculiar about preferring to read series in order. There are five books in the series and my daughter has already ordered book one to add to her collection using some birthday money that she had set aside.

Worthy Kids recommends this book for first through third grades. I think the story is great for an even wider range, maybe kindergarten through fifth grades read aloud. The independent reading level is probably closer to second or third grade, though a strong first grader may be able to read it. It was easy reading for my fifth grade daughter but she enjoyed the story. I highly encourage you to check out The Great Escape (Book #3) and Journey to Jericho (Book #4) for adventure filled journey through stories from the Bible. Don’t forget to click below to check out what the other Review Crew members thought about these books. Tell me in the comments what Bible story you think the author should turn into the next book in the series.

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A is for Anne of Green Gables

I had almost forgotten how much I enjoyed Anne of Green Gables (and the rest of that series) until I had the chance to re-read it with my daughter last month. I assigned it to her because I knew she would enjoy it and I thought it might be good encouragement for her to venture into longer chapter books.

When I first gave a copy to my daughter she was a little concerned about the length of the book (her copy was almost 400 pages), but I gave her an entire month to finish it and promised the opportunity to watch the movie together when she was done. She did a great job reading it and we enjoyed discussing some of the events and characters in the book. I had hoped to complete a re-read of the book while she was reading it but life had other plans. I still intend to finish it but I did not make her wait for me to finish it for us to start watching the movie. The movie is about three hours long so we watched half one day and are planning on finishing it up soon.

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Anne of Green Gables is an excellent book for reading aloud or having your child read independently. It would also make a great family audio book. This wonderful tale of a feisty and spirited orphan brings out many different emotions from sadness to laughter throughout the book. There is no one quite like Anne (spelled with an E) and she has a profound effect on all of those around her. As a mother of two adorable red heads her dislike of her red hair makes me laugh, but I think it makes her so very relatable. Most of us had something about ourselves that we wished we could change. I think that her use of imagination helps remind readers about the importance of imagination in our lives. This is a classic that I think all children should read or listen to at some point in their childhood.

Did you read Anne of Green Gables as a child? Have your read it aloud to your children or had them read it independently? What are your thoughts on this book? Check back next week for a great book series with the letter B.

PS When I checked on Amazon they have Anne of Green Gables on audio for less than $1 right now. Please note that prices on Amazon are subject to change so always check before purchasing.

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What God is Teaching Me About Hospitality and a Book Review

I love showing hospitality to people. I think it is a combination of gifting from the Lord and training from my wonderful southern family. Being hospitable was all I’ve ever known from holiday family gatherings, church socials, parties, and social visits. I spent my childhood watching my grandparents and parents feed people and invite them into our lives. When I went away to college my dorm room became a place where I could show hospitality, from late night conversations, chocolate to heal the emotional hurts, and band aids and Tylenol for the physical pains it was a place where people gathered.

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However, somewhere around the time that I became a working mother with two small children I became so overwhelmed that simply stopped being hospitable. It was not an intentional decision, my plate was full and I didn’t think I could add anything else to it. I was juggling work, children, and church and did not see time for including hospitality into my life. I always felt like the house needed to be cleaner, I needed more time, and I was too exhausted to be social after a long day.

Fast forward a few years, I now have 4 children and I work from home. It would still be really easy for me to feel like I didn’t have time to show hospitality. However,the reality is that not only is it a gift from God, it is a command from God that we show hospitality. This does not mean that we are all required by God to thrown big elaborate dinner parties, but in our own ways we are all commanded to be hospitable.

About two years or so ago, God started really showing me that I needed to be using my gift for hospitality more and that I did not need to wait for everything to be perfect or to host elaborate gatherings (though I do love a good dinner party) in order to demonstrate hospitality. God put several books into my life to reinforce His desire for me to be hospitable. The Life Giving Home and The Life Giving Table by Sally Clarkson, A Life that Says Welcome by Karen Ehman (full review), and most recently Just Open the Door by Jen Schmidt.

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In addition to books, God gave our family an opportunity to show hospitality to hundreds of relief workers in the after math of Hurricane Florence. I certainly would not wish the disaster on anyone and the days and weeks afterwards were challenging. However, it has provided us with the opportunity to show hospitality, outside of our home. First on a daily basis, and now several times a week we have the opportunity to cook meals and provide for the needs of workers who have come into town to help with the disaster recovery. The details of that opportunity really deserve their own blog post and I will be writing more about it soon, but God really used it to show me that there are many ways of being hospitable.

While we still have several months of relief efforts ahead of us, that ministry is winding down and I had been wondering what God might have in store for our family. Both my husband and I have a desire and a gifting for hospitality but we both sometimes get overwhelmed in the day to day of life and forget to be intentional about hospitality. I found the book Just Open the Door by Jen Schmidt and was given a copy for Christmas. This book was such a blessing for me in helping to confirm so of the things I was feeling and to offer up ideas and insight into ways that we could be more hospitable as a family.

One of the things that I loved most about this book is that she talks about hospitality from the view point of a family. It is very important to us that our children be a part of our hospitality efforts. We know that if we want them to grow up to demonstrate hospitality they need to have seen it modeled and participated in it while they are still under our roof. From the time they are old enough to color pictures and put silverware on the table our children begin to help us serve others. I loved how Jen shared not only how her children helped them to show hospitality but also the effects that it had on them as they got older.

She goes into multiple types of hospitality in various chapters in the book. Everything from pot lucks and dinner parties to inviting her son’s college friends into their home on the weekends. She even goes into topics such as hospitality through adoption and hospitality in hard times such as illness or death. She talks about how they showed hospitality on a nearly nonexistent budget when times were tight. It was such a great reminder that hospitality isn’t just having people over for dinner (though that is a wonderful way to show you care).

At the end of each chapter is a section called Elevate the Ordinary. These little gems are simple suggestions to take things a step further. Ideas like saving money by purchasing your paper products at after holiday sales, using a simple mason jar and fresh cut flowers to decorate for free, creating family traditions, and ways to make your home one where the kids want to hang out.

Whether you are just get started in the world of hospitality, or if like me, you just needed some fresh ideas and encouragement to jump back into that ministry, this is a wonderful book. This book can help you make your life and family culture one of hospitality.

What are your favorite ways to show hospitality? What areas are you struggling in or would you like to see tips on?

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Blogging Through The Alphabet with Books!!

I am so excited to tell you about this new series that I’m taking part in with a group of other wonderful bloggers. We will all be blogging through the alphabet with a new post each week! You will have a chance to read about many different topics for each letter, but to help keep me focused I chose a theme. If you follow me on Facebook you may have seen the poll that I did a couple weeks ago to let you help me choose the theme. Books had more votes than nature study and so I am excited to share a new children’s book with you each week.

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I have loved books since I was a small child and they make up a huge part of our lives now. My husband runs a used books store, we all love to read, we listen to audio books as a family, and there are bookshelves in every bedroom and most of the common rooms in the house. I have made many mistakes as a parent but one thing that I’m glad I got right was passing on a love of books to my children. I hope this journey can help children fall in love with reading.

Some of these books will be picture books and books for young children, but I am also looking forward to sharing some great chapter books for middle grades students. You will probably see some older classics that you already know but hopefully also some new books and ideas to help you find new books for your students. I may even throw in a few books for the moms throughout the alphabet.

I would love for you to share some of your favorite books with me in the comments. Click below to find out more about the other bloggers that are joining us on this journey through the alphabet and make sure to join me right here on the blog next week as we start with the letter A!

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His Mercy Endureth Forever: A Picture Book Review

A few months ago I had the privilege of reviewing T is for Tree and so I was excited when RFPA contacted me to ask if I might also be willing to review a copy of His Mercy Endureth Forever: Psalm 136 which is a beautiful picture book based on the Psalm and illustrated by Kathleen DeJong.

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I had not told the children that the book was coming so they would be surprised when the package arrived. They love opening mail and finding out it was a new book was very exciting. My four year old couldn’t wait to see the pictures and have me read the book, so we read it aloud that very night.

The first thing I noticed was that the outside of this hardcover book was simple but beautiful. It is a depiction of the night sky. The title is written in a mix of print and cursive. It is beautifully done, but may be a bit difficult to read for a new reader with the change in font and style.

On the inside, the words are quoted from the King James version of Psalms 136. This is a beautiful section of scripture that is great to speak into the hearts and minds of our children. The illustrations are lovely. There is writing on every other page with a full color illustration on the opposite page. The pages with the words also have small monochromatic illustrations.

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Since there are a few words in that chapter that might be difficult for young children they have included a one page glossary in the back of the book. This page helps define words like endureth, mercy, and smote. They recommend the book for ages 6-9 which I think is a good range for independent reading but I think it is also a great book for reading aloud to younger children. The repetition in the Psalm makes it very appealing to preschoolers.

All in all, I thought this was a great way to share scripture with my children. The beautiful pictures helped to engage them with the words and I expect that this is a book we will return to time after time. I really appreciated that the scripture was exact and not paraphrased. If you are looking for a beautiful way to enjoy scriptures with your children, I encourage you to check out His Mercy Endureth Forever.

Disclaimer
I received a FREE copy of this product in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations.

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