Posted in Favorite Books for the Kids
Once again, as a member of the Homeschool Crew, we have been able to use a nifty program! Istarted using it with my daughter. She is a late bloomer reader. She doesn't have disabilities, she just has very little interest. We have been working through other programs, which I will not mention. So she did start this program with basic letter sounds knowledge.
However, it has been great for her to have this reinforcement. One of the pluses with the program is that the books are on the computer. She absolutley loves the computer, so anything that she can do on the computer, is already a bonus!
Another neat thing that theyh ave recently added to the program is that you can click on the color coded words, and the word will be read out loud for the child. Now there have been a few glitches, however, they are working those out as we speak.
They do have an option to print out each book, if you would rather read them on paper. However, I really did not like that option. The books are just so much better on the computer, in my opinion. However, if you are a paper person, you do have that option. Now, what I did do, is I went to the 20th book, and printed out the last page. On that last page there is a grid. And in each box of the grid, it has all the words the child has learned in each of the books. ( one book, for each box of the grid). So I printed it out, put her name and date on the top, and then as she read each book, she put a ticker on her "Reading Chart". She has loved that!! I would highly recommened that to anyone using this program!
Now lets get down to brass tacks. What are the costs? You have 2 options. You can by the books, in sets. There are 5 sets of 4 books. Each book set costs $9.99. However, you can purchase all 20 books, for $44.99, which gives you a savings of $4.96. If you are interested in these books, I would recommend purchasing the entire set.
You may be asking yourself, what makes these books different than other beginning reader books. For our family, it was the interactive feature of the program. The stories were cute and my daughter enjoyed them. If you have a brand new reader, I would recommend this handy little resource.
Please visit them at www.rimetoread.com and check it out for yourselves!
Happy Reading!
Posted in Favorite Books for the Kids
Enchanting! That is how I would describe this sweet story written by Gena Suarez of The Old Schoolhouse magazine. I have just finished reading this charming story, And Then Mama Said...It Takes Time to Learn How to Read with my non reader. I won't give her age, but this is indeed something she has been working hard at accomplishing.
We both enjoyed the story. She enjoyed the pictures and the story. I enjoyed the fact that it was a sweet homeschool family, recognizing that God has gifted each us differently.
You see, my daughter that I read the story to, is my youngest. My eldest has learning disabilites. And this story touched my heart on so many levels. This will be a story that I will read to him as well.
This story is going to be a family classic for sure. At the bargain price of $9.95, you just can't go wrong. Then add to that you will also have access to an activity book to go with it. In the activity book, you will find coloring pages, mazes, science sheets and much more!
Also, if you would like Gena Suarez to sign the book, you can note that in the comment section of your order, and she will. How great is that!
Run on over to the Schoolhouse Store and check out this family treat!
Happy Reading!!!
Posted in Favorite Books for the Kids
As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew we had the privilege of reviewing 3 books from Salem Ridge Press. Prior to this, I had not heard of this company. So I was eagerly anticipating the arrival of these books.
In the years past, I have gone to Gutenburg to access old books for my children to read, or for us to read aloud as a family. The reason for this, is I have much more confidence of finding books that will fit our moral standards,by looking at old literature. The down side of this is that the end result is a stack of pages printed off the computer, in a notebook, and not a nice book to add to my book shelf and hold in my hands. I love the feel of the real thing.
What Salem Ridge Press has done for you is search out the very best children's book of the 1800's and the early 1900's. Their goal is to "republish books that are wholesome, exciting, and well written." After going through the books, we were given, which were:
Glaucia the Greek Slave, by Emma Leslie
Mary Jane Her Book, by Clara Ingram Judson
The White Seneca, by William W. Canfield
And browsing their website , I have found they have been successful at just that. A bonus, is that on their website they have sample chapters of each of their titles. This allows you to get a peek inside the book, to see if it would be a good fit for you and your family.
I would like to tell you a little bit about this company and it's founder. Because, after learning about this company, I have confidence in what they put forth.
Let me introduce you to Daniel Mills, founder of Salem Ridge Press. Daniel is a homeschool graduate who loves the Lord and desires to serve Him and other people, especially other homeschooling families, through his business. When Daniel graduated from high school in 2003, he pursued training in Disaster Reliefe and Search and Rescue. However, in November of 2005 he started Salem Ridge Press. When Daniel was a teen, he read old books. Two in particular, At Seneca Castle, by William Canfield and Our Fellows, by Harry Castlemon, planted the seed of desire to see them republished.
The philosophy of SRP is found in the bible "Whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, thinkon these things." Philippians 4:8. This is a verse we study often in our home. Daniel understands the influence good literature ( or bad for that matter) has on a soul. Not every title is explicity Christian, however each book has strong moral values, and encourages positve character.
The other thing, that brought me peace of mind as I was learning about this company, was the commitmentthey show in the title selections. Daniel jokes, that his number one rule is "No Kissing". He also states, that while most titles have no problem meeting their criteria, in a few instances, the have edited out passages to maintain the purity of their readers, As well as certain comments that may be derogatory that they deemed unneccessary and offensive.
That is encouraging to know there is company out there that has the best interests of my children at heart.
I would like to thank Daniel and his parents Chuck and Cathy Mills. Thank you Mr. and Mrs Mills, for raising a fine young man who desires to live forthe Lord, and Daniel thank you for bringing glory and honor to the Lord, in the work that you do!
Please take a moment to vist Salem Ridge Press. You will glad that you did.
Oh yes, I almost forgot, they havea contest going right now. Make a wish list on their website, and you could win 5 free titles of your choice! If I were you, I would rush right over and make that wish list!!!
Happy Reading!
