Life at Oak Grove - Homeschool Blogger

Nativity PopUp Activity and Jesus Doll to win!

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 05:32:00 -0600

The lady at craftyclassroom.com has a cute little draw for the upcoming Christmas. She is giving away a Nativity popup set and a Talking Jesus doll. If you want to participate - go here at craftyclassroom.com!

You will also see some pictures of the prize. Look wonderful if you ask me! *grin*

Big Truth for Young Hearts

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 07:36:00 -0600

Big Truths for Young Hearts: Teaching and Learning the Greatness of God Written by Bruce A. Ware
Published at Crossway

About the book Equips parents to guide their young children through all major doctrines in an understandable, chapter-a-day format.

Sure, it’s easy to teach your children the essentials of Christian theology when you’re a theology professor. But what about the rest of us?

With Big Truths for Little Hearts, Bruce Ware, (you guessed it!) a theology professor, encourages and enables parents of children 6–14 years of age to teach through the whole of systematic theology at a level their children can understand. Parents can teach their children the great truths of the faith and shape their worldviews early, based on these truths.

The book covers ten topics of systematic theology, devoting several brief chapters to each subject, making it possible for parents to read one chapter per day with their children. With this non-intimidating format, parents will be emboldened to be their children’s primary faith trainers—and perhaps learn a few things themselves along the way.

Who is Bruce A. Ware? Bruce A. Ware is the president of the Evangelical theological Society in 2009 and professor of Christian Theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has written numerous journal entries, book chapters and book reviews, and has authored God’s Lesser Glory, God’s Greater Glory, and Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

My Thoughts Last month, I have won the prize for bloggers at Crossway which was 25$ on the online store. After much thinking, I choose a book and funny enough I had picked the next book that will be sent to bloggers. I was told about this and was able to select another book since I was going to receive Big Truth for Young Hearts shortly after.

When I first became a Christian – some 12 years ago – I started thinking about how I would teach my kids about God and Jesus Christ. I worried a bit about it simply because I wasn’t coming from a Christian family. I would have to learn from scratch almost. My husband on the other hand had been raised with some Christian values.

I didn’t have to worry because to explain the basis of Christianity it is quite simple. However, when you come to more theological aspects of things, anyone might wonder where to start. Well, I am happy to tell you that someone already thought about it and wrote a book for you. New on the market is Big Truths for Young Hearts written by Bruce A. Ware. The book is supposed to encourage and enable parents of children 6-14 years old to teach through the theology in an understandable, chapter-a-day format. However, I find that 6 years old might be a little too young… especially for children for which the attention span might be short. I can see myself doing a chapter-a-day with my 8th year old son who is able to concentrate on things that is read to him. However, my soon-to-be 6 year old son would have difficulties.

Nevertheless, I decided to dig into this interesting book to discover more about it. The chapters are divided in 9 sections; God’s Word and God’s Own Life as God, God as Three in One, Creator and Ruler of All, Our Human Nature and Our Sin, Who Jesus Is, The Work That Jesus Has Done, The Holy Spirit, Our Great Salvation and The Church of Jesus Christ. As you can see, it is not easy subjects to talk about with children. But questions might arise about some specific one like - What is the trinity? What is sin? What is baptism? And so on.

I find that the author explains in simple terms as well as with illustrations the concepts approached in this book. I see our family using this book as part of our homeschool year and I am planning to sit down with my oldest son during the nap time and go through this book slowly. I want to make sure that he will understand the theology presented in the book. Not only will he learn more about God but I suspect that I will too.

To top it off, at the end of each chapter, you will find some questions to help you discuss the chapter with your child. There is also a memory verse which you can decide to learn as a family together. What a great way to instill a good habit in our children and in ourselves. The Bible does mention about keeping God’s word in our heart.

On this Remembrance Day, I was doing my chapter of the book Power of a Praying Woman and wrote on facebook about Psalm 103 and the reasons to praise God. Funny enough while digging in Big Truths for Young Hearts that day, I come across the chapter God Provides All good Things in the World which also mentions Psalm 103. Is it a coincidence? I think not because in the struggles we are experiencing with our business we need to be reminded to praise Him in all circumstances – no matter what is going on. I definitively got a confirmation of my previous lesson when I read that chapter.

I strongly recommend Big Truths for Young Hearts for any families who want to give a solid base of theology to their children.

Big Truths for Young Hearts is available everywhere even at amazon.ca and indigo.ca.

This book was provided for review by Crossway.

Win the complete collection of Veggie Tales!

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:29:00 -0600

Unbelievable... I was sort surfing a bit and came upon this wonderful giveaway. The draw is the complete collection of Veggie Tales DVD. The best part is that the contest is open to Canadians as well! Horray!

So check out this special Christmas Giveaway at 5 minutes for mom!

You never know - you might win it!

FREE Fonts for Everyone!

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:16:00 -0600

Want some fun free fonts for your scrapbooking, print or website projects?

Find more than 9000 free fonts to download at http://www.freefontfun.com/ - all free!

Think about this... when you feel discouraged.

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:40:00 -0600

"You are as much serving God in looking after your own children, and training them up in God's fear, and minding the house, and making your household a church for God, as you would be if you had been called to lead an army to battle for the Lord of hosts." - Charles Spurgeon

What else can be said...? nothing. Thanks Mr. Spurgeon for the encouragement.

I'm planning to enjoy every minute of it while I can.

Awana Rocks!

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 06:14:00 -0600

This year, as part of our homeschool, we registered the kids for Awana. First time ever and they love it...

It is quite amazing how much they learn and how much I am learning too! So we practice verses all week and on Thursday nights the kids have to tell them to their leader.

We have one T&T, one Sparky and one Cubbie who are having fun going to their meetings.

My T&T is so eager that sometimes he does too much - so he has been told to slow down... Slow down we did. He has an advantage on the other kids because he is homeschool which means we incorporate the Awana lessons in our days. Obviously the kids who goes to school during the day do not have as much time to spend on their book/projects to do. So to make it harder I asked him to also do the silver and gold sections. In a recent project, he has to do a poster on creation.

My Sparky has a blast. I find that it is more difficult for him to do memorization. He was having trouble with the New Testament books the last two week. Fortunately, his Sparks book came with a CD (which Jasmine had broken and we got a new one!) and I had bought the extra CD with songs as well. So we popped these in the CD player and listened to them. He was able to say them no problem after that.

My Cubbie is having fun. I'm glad he was able to adjust himself easily for this. I had a bit of fear but he is so happy of his vest and getting new patches for it. It is so cute.

While the kids are going to AWANA, hubby, Jasmine and I are having a date night. Mostly we do groceries... LOL but it has to be done. The funny part is that Jasmine doesn't want mommy to push the cart is has to be daddy - ALL the time. *grin* Daddy's girl through and through.

God's Little Princess Devotional Bible

Tue, 9 Jun 2009 06:28:00 -0500

God’s Little Princess Devotional Bible

By Sheila Walsh
Published at Thomas Nelson

About the book
Every girl is a princess, the daughter of a King… the greatest King who created and rules over everything! Girls long to be loved and adored, and give their heart to their hero. God is that hero!

God is that Hero. This devotional Bible for young girls uses Scripture selection from the International Children’s Bible alongside articles that help girls blossom into the princesses they were always meant to be. Virtues to create true beauty, such as honor, charity, compassion, sharing, truth, fairness and more, are highlighted throughout the book in fun and engaging ways. This Bible will help little girls learn about their destiny as a daughter of God and a true princess!

Features included are: Beauty Secrets, Bible Princesses, My Hero (Scripture promises), Take a Bow (Easy plays that are Bible-focused), I Adore You (Put girls energy to use with songs, scripture and worship), Royal Truths, Down In My Heart (Scripture Memory), Princess Charming, Worthy of Love (Ideas to show how to love her royal subjects: family, siblings, friends and those in the community).

Who is Sheila Walsh?
Sheila Walsh is a Scottish princess who now lives in Dallas, Texas, with her husband, Prince Barry, and son, Prince Christian. Her loyal subjects are Belle, a fluffy white dog, and Hamtaro, a teddy bear hamster.

My Thoughts
Geared for girls who are 4 to 7 years old, this Devotional Bible is simply charming. The cover is designed in such a way that it would attract any little girls. The crown has stones imbedded in the book and the word Bible is all sparkly.

The drawings that you will find in this Bible are fun to look at and very feminine. I love the fact that various colors and designs are used from one page to another. This will help to keep the attention of the child because you never know what to expect.

I particularly love the fact that the author has thought of putting some plays to act out. (hey what can I say – I have a heart for Drama and acting!). But what is interesting is that after each role playing, there is a small section to review act. So mom you ask questions to your daughter and she has to answer them as best as she can. Mind you, my own daughter is a bit too young to enjoy the stories for now. After all she is only 17 months. So for now, I will keep this wonderful book aside for her to use in a couple of years. I would love to discover the princesses in the Bible with her and do the plays together. Maybe we will be able to convince her big brothers to act with us. *grin*

Throughout the book, little girls will read about bible story, have devotions, singing, experimenting with some lessons, and have fun learning about God and the characters in the Bible. It makes me almost wished that I had a bible like that when I was younger.

This wonderful jewel of a Bible for little girls is available everywhere as well as on the internet. Check out amazon.ca and indigo.ca.

Word of Promise Next Generation New Testament MP3 CDs.

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 06:25:00 -0500

Recently I had the opportunity of reviewing the Next Generation New Testament MP3 CDs. This is a dramatic version of the New Testament with a cast of young talent like Cody Linley, AnnaSophia Robb, Jordin Sparks, Cobin Bleu, Alyson Stoner, and Sean Astin. Also part of the cast are Max Lucado and his daughter Jenna who present the various books of the New Testament. Jenna is also a speaker of the Revolve Tour.

Today’s youth is wired like there is no tomorrow. The media is part of their culture. They live, eat, sleep with the internet being part of their life. YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, texting, you name it, they know about it. When I look at teenagers or young adults almost all of them have a MP3 player. At age 40, I still have to say I don’t own one myself. We do have one in our truck but I don’t carry it around. Anyhow, this new version of the New Testament is perfect for this generation of multi-tasking and very entertaining. The producers taught of using artists they would know from various hip shows that they watch. How genius is that?

To complete the production of this new version of the New Testament, you will have many Hollywood special effects like water splashing on a boat, fire crackling in the night, and many more. I must admit I was very impressed with what I heard so far. It is well done and it brings you directly in the stories in the New Testament. My kids are not quite at the age of listening for an extended time but they were listening during our 2 hours trip over the week-end. We are planning to use these wonderful resources during our trips to go to the trailer or during our yearly trip with the trailer.

This version of the New Testament brings a breath of fresh air while you listen to it. It is very dynamic and easy to understand even for our own children. And it presents the gospels and the letters of Paul in simple words. It actually uses the International Children’s Bible (ICB) as a base. We own the comic book version of the ICB and my oldest really enjoys it. We haven’t had the time to listen to the whole Next Generation New Testament because we don’t own a MP3 player in the house. However, both our vehicles have a MP3 player so we can listen to it while driving. I think it is a wonderful way to spend time with God don’t you think? The set includes 24 hours of audio drama going through the whole New Testament. There are 3 MP3 CDs and a bonus Behind-The-Scene DVD containing interview with the actors.

This version is also available in a CD format. The website of the Next Generation Bible (http://www.wordofpromisenextgeneration.com/html/index.html) contains many interesting information for your youth. Casts bios, freebies, 40-day listening plan and even a downloadable sample, there is lots of goodies for everyone! I think Thomas Nelson is offering a wonderful product for the youth and the young at heart. Hey! I am enjoying it and I am forty years old.

Check it out at your Christian bookstore! The set is available at Christianbook.com for 14.99$ US or at indigo.ca for 39.18$Cdn when you have the ireward card.

Learning to write properly with WriteShop Primary!

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 06:23:00 -0500

WriteShop is well known among high school homeschoolers with the WriteShop series. Well the exciting news is that they are coming out with a writing curriculum for K-3rd graders. Each day, you will have easy activities to do with your child! The strength of WriteShop is that it teaches the skills of the writing process.

This time you will find a multitude of activities and subjects to write with your kids as well as crafts and picture books. It is easy to adapt the WriteShop Primary to accommodate the beginners or more advanced writers in your family. You can even use it with pre-writers as you help them to start the thinking process of putting words on paper.

I had the opportunity of reviewing the WriteShop Primary Book A as well as the activity set worksheet pack both in the e-book edition. This product is recommended for students in Kindergarten or first grade but I adapted it for my 2nd grader during the review. I let him decide which subject he wanted to write and he thought it was fun to do.

This review introduced my child to the process of organizing your thoughts before writing something. He loved sitting down with me and writing about a topic he had previously picked. It made him think and look for the right words. I love hearing his laugh when he thought of something funny to write. So precious! The early lessons have the option of being done orally for the child and mom (or dad) would write what the child is dictating. I think this is very interesting because it forces us to slow down and speak to one another on a specific subject and to listen to what the child is saying. Then if the child can do copy work, he/she could easily copy the words the parent has written previously. My child was older so he was able to write directly in his book the sentences he wanted to include.

The objective at the end of Book A is to have your child to be able to learn how to plan, create, and publish simple stories with your help. Throughout the book, the child will learn to generate ideas, plan a story before writing it, gather information about a specific topic, use a story web to organize the information, identify the parts of a story (beginning, middle, and end), choose a title, think on how to improve the story, and publish the story. I think this series is amazing. I could easily adapt it to do the same thing in French. It’s easy to use and fun to do. Sitting together bring togetherness and laughter when your child tells you what he wants to write.

Yes I do recommend this writing curriculum for K-3rd graders. In addition to the Teacher’s guide, I also received the Activity Set Worksheet Pack that completes the program. This Activity Set is an integral part of the program and offers 20 reproducible activity pages to introduce and support the skills taught during the lessons. If you intend to get the writing program, do consider getting the Activity Set as well as they go hand-in-hand together.

The WriteShop Primary Book A is available at their website in two versions. The print version is 26.95$US (plus shipping) and the e-book version is 24.25$US (shipping included). As well the Activity Set is available in print for 4.95$US (plus shipping) or e-book for 4.50$US (shipping included).

The advantage of having an e-book version is that you can get the books right away without waiting or paying for shipping. You just have to print the document whenever you need it. And you have the option to print in a whole or just print a little bit at a time. I really like this option as I don’t have to wait for a package to arrive at my door! *grin* The good news is that WriteShop is planning to release Book B and Book C later this year (2009). Book B is planned to be released in June while Book C is schedule for August or September. I personally look forward to the day when these will be available. I think I have discovered a gem to introduce creative writing for my kids. It is possible for you to look at the scope and sequence of the WriteShop Primary Book A by going to http://www.writeshop.com/writeshop_primary_scope_sequence.htm . If you are wondering which book would be better for your student, you can visualize the placement chart at http://www.writeshop.com/writeshop_primary_placement.htm . Sample lessons are also available. For the WriteShop Primary Book A simply go to http://www.writeshop.com/images/WS-Primary-A-Lesson-5-Sample.pdf and for the Activity Set go to http://www.writeshop.com/activity_set_worksheet.htm . Look into it, you will be very surprised and pleased by what you will see.

How God Makes Babies

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 06:18:00 -0500

How God Makes Babies

Written By Jim Burns
Published at Bethany House

About the book
Laying the Foundations for Healthy SexualityAn Age-Appropriate Resource for Ages 6 to 9 Children's curiosity often prompts them to ask questions you, as a parent, don't feel ready or able to answer. But it doesn't have to be that way.

Dr. Jim Burns, family expert and award-winning author, offers a valuable resource for those uncomfortable--even dreaded--conversations. With biblical, age-appropriate information and illustrations, How God Makes Babies introduces children ages 6 to 9 to the basics of human sexuality. Answering the question of where babies come from, it also emphasizes how children are a part of God's wonderful plan for families. Though not always easy, opening this discussion early helps you lay a solid, godly foundation in your children's lives. By reading this book together, you are giving your children the tools they will need throughout their lives to make God-honoring decisions about their bodies, their self-image, and their relationships. Don't wait until it's too late. A life of purity can begin today.

Who is Jim Burns?
Jim Burns founded the ministry of HomeWord in 1985 with the goal of bringing help and hope to struggling families. As host of the national radio broadcast HomeWord with Jim Burns, Jim's passion is to build God-honoring families through communicating practical truths that will enable adults and young people alike to live out their Christian faith. In addition to the radio program, Jim speaks to thousands around the world each year through seminars and conferences. He is also senior director of the HomeWord Center for Youth and Family at Azusa Pacific University and an award-winning author, whose books include Creating an Intimate Marriage, Teaching Your Children Healthy Sexuality and Confident Parenting. He has been featured through numerous media outlets including CNN, ABC, Focus on the Family, and Library Journal. Jim and his wife, Cathy, have three grown daughters and live in Southern California. Visit http://www.homeword.com/.

My thoughts
I recently had the opportunity of reviewing the book How God Makes Babies from Jim Burns. I already own the series God’s Design for Sex published at NavPress. However, this new book seemed to be different since there was picture on the cover.

The book How God Makes Babies is full of beautiful pictures and packed with appropriate information for a child between the ages of 6 and 9. It explains in simple terms how babies are made with the help of God and guide the child through the growth of the baby in the womb of the mother.

If you expect a sibling for your child or if you know someone who is expecting, this book is a marvelous addition to your own library. Your child will be given the proper terms of the body parts and explained where the baby comes from. It will also give the child information on what to expect once the baby is born. I will always remember the reaction of my oldest, Alexandre, when we brought his brother, Dominic, home. He was next to him and observing him on the floor when suddenly he asked “Why can’t he stand up and run with me?” It was so precious… We had to explain to him that Dominic couldn’t walk yet and that some day he will have the strength to do so. And as time went by, Dominic did indeed follow his brother by cruising the furniture at 7 months and walking at 9 months (and he was the only one who did it at an early age!). Now, Alexandre has two other siblings who love to follow him around in the house, another brother and a little sister. Alexandre is a wonderful big brother to his siblings and I am forever grateful to God to have given me this young man…

Once again, the author introduces the notion of adoption in the book. And since our extended family has some members who were adopted, I think it is wonderful that the author had written and explained the adoption process. I would also have liked if there would have been some information about “special” children who has some sort of sickness or infirmity with an emphasis that they are special as well.

At the ages of 6-9 years old, it’s important to make sure that they have a solid foundation of what sex is. I strongly recommend this book to any parent who wants to establish such a foundation in their children’s lives.

How God Makes Babies is available everywhere even at amazon.ca and indigo.ca.

I want to thank Bethany House for the opportunity of reviewing this book. I have not received any compensation to do it.

God Made Your Body

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 06:16:00 -0500

God Made Your Body

Written by Jim Burn
Published at Bethany House

About the book Laying the Foundations for Healthy SexualityAn Age-Appropriate Resource for Ages 3 to 5 Children's curiosity often prompts them to ask questions you, as a parent, don't feel ready or able to answer. But it doesn't have to be that way.

Dr. Jim Burns, family expert and award-winning author, offers a valuable resource for those uncomfortable--even dreaded--conversations. With biblical, age-appropriate information and illustrations, God Made Your Body introduces children ages 3 to 5 to the basic idea that God created our bodies. Addressing topics such as how boys and girls are different, it also emphasizes how each child is unique and special to God. Though not always easy, opening this discussion early helps you lay a solid, godly foundation in your children's lives.

By reading this book together, you are giving your children the tools they will need throughout their lives to make God-honoring decisions about their bodies, their self-image, and their relationships. Don't wait until it's too late. A life of purity can begin today.

Who is Jim Burns? Jim Burns founded the ministry of HomeWord in 1985 with the goal of bringing help and hope to struggling families. As host of the national radio broadcast HomeWord with Jim Burns, Jim's passion is to build God-honoring families through communicating practical truths that will enable adults and young people alike to live out their Christian faith. In addition to the radio program, Jim speaks to thousands around the world each year through seminars and conferences. He is also senior director of the HomeWord Center for Youth and Family at Azusa Pacific University and an award-winning author, whose books include Creating an Intimate Marriage, Teaching Your Children Healthy Sexuality and Confident Parenting. He has been featured through numerous media outlets including CNN, ABC, Focus on the Family, and Library Journal. Jim and his wife, Cathy, have three grown daughters and live in Southern California. Visit http://www.homeword.com/.

My Thoughts I recently had the opportunity of reviewing the book God Made Your Body from Jim Burns. I already own the series God’s Design for Sex published at NavPress. This book seemed different because there were real people on the cover. I took the time to read the book entirely. This is quite different from the book I owe already for the same age. The content is similar in both books but it is presented differently.

In the book God Made Your Body, Jim Burns uses simple terms so the child is not overwhelmed with information. The author also made sure that the reader knows about the fact that people (kids) come in all sort of shapes and sizes as well as different colors. But God made them all. He also explains the differences between boys and girls by using the proper terminology. I think it’s great because I believe that every child should know the proper names for their body part.

The author also goes through the information on how babies are made without expanding too much on the subject. He then presents the baby’s growth at various times during the nine month of gestation. Not all child come from a natural birth in a family, sometimes adoption is needed. The author do explains this particular way of having children. I am grateful that Jim Burns did touch this subject since adoption is part of our extended family. However, in the same kind of idea, I think the author should also have included the fact that sometimes child are born “special” because of various reasons (trisomy, missing a leg or an arm,…).

I think this book is a must if you don’t own an age-appropriate resource about sex for your 3-5 years old child. It is a wonderful addition for your own library and will help you to lay down a healthy foundation for sexuality.

God Made Your Body is available everywhere even at amazon.ca or indigo.ca.
I want to thank Bethany House for the opportunity of reviewing this book. I have not received any compensation to do it.

Voices of the Faithful Book 2

Tue, 8 Sep 2009 06:35:00 -0500

Voices of the Faithful Book 2 – Inspiring Stories of Courage from Christians Serving Around the World.

By The International Mission Board

Published at Thomas Nelson

About the book A new year’s worth of inspiring stories from the front lines of faith. "A willingness to go is all they have in common," exclaim Beth Moore and Kim P. Davis, speaking of their friends on the front lines who are spreading the gospel around the world and with whom they collaborated to create this book. This second book of 366 daily devotionals features stories of God’s faithfulness, written by hundreds of missionaries worldwide. From stirring miracles to heroic adventures, this second volume highlights those who daily go to the outer limits of spiritual devotion.

A follow-up to the first book which has now sold over 300,000 copies.

My thoughts I have been wanting to get the first book of the Voices of the Faithful but never got around to it. So when I saw that the second book of Voices of the Faithful was available for review, I jumped on the opportunity. I was curious to read some of the devotions. I thought it would be devotions from Christians from the past. Boy! Was I wrong…

I discovered a wonderful little devotion book which contains devotions written by Christians currently serving around the world. This Voices of the Faithful Book 2 contains 366 devotions from missionaries stationed around the globe. When I realized that I immediately thought of our friends, Al & Joane Brown and their 7 kids who are missionaries in Thailand. They serve through Compasio.

Each month has a specific theme which is repeated in the devotions of the month. For example, the month of September is about Lessons from the Young – ie children. In a specific devotion, I read about a 6 year old reaching out to a 20 year old guy who has since came to the Lord. This devotion touched me particularly because it made me remember how my 2 year old reached out to a street person one night during a service at the church we are planting. God did indeed give me a lesson that night and I hope to never forget it.

Each page begins with a scripture and then you read a devotion written from someone in the field. The devotion concludes with a prayer specifically related to the reading. This way, you pray for the missionaries and their work and realize what God is doing around the World. I took the habit to read the page of the day daily since I got the book. And God speaks to me in various ways – from thinking to our friends in Thailand, our Compassion kids, how my own kids minister to the people coming to our church and so on. Yes God is in the move. Keep your eyes open. Read about what He does in other countries and realize that He is indeed real.

Voices of the Faithful Book 2 is available everywhere, even at amazon.ca and indigo.ca.

Fearless

Tue, 8 Sep 2009 06:31:00 -0500

Fearless – Imagine your life without fear

By Max Lucado
Published at Thomas Nelson

About the book Each sunrise seems to bring fresh reasons for fear.

They're talking layoffs at work, slowdowns in the economy, flare-ups in the Middle East, turnovers at headquarters, downturns in the housing market, upswings in global warming. The plague of our day, terrorism, begins with the word terror. Fear, it seems, has taken up a hundred-year lease on the building next door and set up shop. Oversized and rude, fear herds us into a prison of unlocked doors. Wouldn't it be great to walk out?

Imagine your life, wholly untouched by angst. What if faith, not fear, was your default reaction to threats? If you could hover a fear magnet over your heart and extract every last shaving of dread, insecurity, or doubt, what would remain? Envision a day, just one day, where you could trust more and fear less.

Can you imagine your life without fear?

http://www.thefearlesbook.com/

Who is Max Lucado? Max Lucado, Minister of Writing and Preaching for the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, is the husband of Denalyn and father of Jenna, Andrea, and Sara. On a good week he reads a good book, has a few dinners with his wife, and breaks 90 on the golf course. He usually settles for the first two.

www.MaxLucado.com/TownHall

My thoughts We are surrounded by events that might cause fear in our lives. But is it worth it. Fear can indeed severe our trust and faith if we are not careful. Do you have worries that take control on your life? Then the latest book from Max Lucado, Fearless – Imagine Your Life Without Fear, is for you.

This book approaches many fears that people could sense in their lives – fear of not mattering, fear of disappointing God, fear of running out, fear of not protecting my kids, fear of overwhelming challenges, fear of worst-case scenarios, fear of violence, fear of the coming winter, fear of life’s final moments, fear of what’s next, fear that God is not real, fear of global calamity, and fear of God getting out of my box. Really, by fearing so much I wonder how people live sometimes!

Some chapters talked to me more than other ones in this book. You can easily see it from the notes I took in the margins and the underlining you will find on the pages. But I was able to take something out from each chapter no matter what. Even when we think God is not there – He is. He cares for us and He is ever present in good times and bad times. Fear the Lord not what is surrounding you.

Max brings hypothetic situations and writes about the fear related to them. He brings up scriptures in each chapter to make us realize that fear should not stop us in any shape or form. Yes we will experience hard times and scary times but then it’s time to fully trust our Father in Heaven who cares deeply for us. When we persevere then we grow in our relationship with Him.

In these days, a lot is going on from recession, markets going down, loosing a job, terrorism, pandemic that is threatening us… But we need to keep our eyes on the One who knows everything. He knows which means we should trust Him and pursue without fear what He wants us to do – whatever that is.

I remember when in 2001 the planes hit the World Trade Centre. My son, Alexandre, was 2 ½ months old. You know what someone told me? Maybe it wasn’t the right time for having children. I disagreed with this. An event like this sometimes flip people so much that they make drastic decision because of fear. From what I know of history – every once in a while a drastic event comes and shake the world… think about the Black Plague or the wars especially the 2nd World War with the concentration camps and so on. Ouch!

We can learn from past events and persevere. The Bible does tell us that a reward is there for those of you who will persevere. Will you trust God or die in fear?

Check out what a little boy of 7 years old, whose missionary family was posted in Africa, has written while his house was burning to the ground… http://www.pioneerbible.org/cms/tiki-view_blog_post.php/?blogld=2&postId=9 . Honestly if a little boy can see God in a tragic event, we can surely do the same don’t you think? We should learn from the kids when they exemplify a strong faith and trust in the Lord.

Finally, the reader will find a wonderful discussion guide at the end of the book. This book can be used in a book club setting or as a small group study.

Want to see what the book is all about? Check out the youtube video about it…

Today, September 8th 2009, is the official release date for Fearless. So hurry up and go grab your copy at the bookstore!

Fearless is available for purchase in every bookstore even on amazon.ca and indigo.ca.

The Tallest of smalls

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:28:00 -0500

The Tallest of smalls

Written by Max Lucado
Published at Thomas Nelson

About the book An encouraging message for children: When you feel like you’re the smallest of smalls, Jesus’ love can make you feel like the tallest of talls. A delightful rhyming story about the Too-Smalls who live in the Stiltsville. Every evening a six, the Too-Smalls meet in the square where they hope they’ll be picked to receive stilts to strut about above the stilt-less masses below. They come to see if they matter—if they’re awesome, if they’re pretty, if they’re clever, or funny. Ollie, the smallest of too-smalls, pleas to be picked. He wants to be like the high-ups of Stiltsville who are proud of their stilts, the ultimate status. But once he gets stilts, oh how it hurts when he stumbles and tumbles and loses his stilts. That is . . . until he meets Jesus who chose low over high telling him, "Keep your feet on the ground. You matter already.” This book for kids coordinates with Max's trade book, Fearless, releasing in September 2009.

My Thoughts and My oldest Son Thoughts WoW! I received this book yesterday and already the kids had their first reading from it. My oldest son, who is 8 years old, sat down with the book first thing this morning and read through it. He enjoyed it very much. Why? I asked him. Here’s his answer: “I like that Jesus is in the book. Also, Ollie realized that he is loved by Jesus for who he is and not for what others think of him. He doesn’t need the stilts to become the Tallest of talls!”. Then after breakfast, I read it to my 5 year old while our almost 4 and 2 years olds listened. The book is a hit in our household. The younger ones loves the colorful images.

When I first saw the book, I thought it was pretty thin. The box from which it arrived was pretty big – let me tell you that! Anyhow, I started flipping through it last night and really enjoyed the images myself. Colorful, bright and very attractive. I had a good feeling about this book. So I wasn’t surprised when the kids enjoyed it so much this morning.

Besides the lesson in it is so real. It is always good to be reminded of the importance of what God thinks of us and not others – no matter the age you are… *grin* This book is also perfect as a gift for a dedication, a birthday or even Christmas. Check out what Max has to say about The Tallest of smalls.

The Tallest of smalls is available everywhere even at amazon.ca and indigo.ca.

This book was provided for review by Thomas Nelson Publisher.

Triviathon Game

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 06:23:00 -0600

Triviathon

By the creators of the #1 SuperBowl Commercial of 2009 “Free Doritos!” Website: http://www.triviathon.com/

About the Game The trivia game where you can compete and win without ever knowing the answer to a question! Triviathon will have players singing, dancing, arm wrestling, cheering, cheating, and more as they compete in a game that puts each player's unique cognitive, physical, and social skills to the test, all while trying to win a race moving at speeds of 0, 1, 2, or 3 spaces based on trivia questions they don't even have to know the answers to - Just answer A,B,C, or D!

Who are the creators of the #1 SuperBowl Commercial of 2009 “Free Doritos!”? Joe and Dave Herbert - The Herbert Brothers made headlines in 2009 when their Super Bowl commercial for Doritos took the #1 spot on the USA Today Ad Meter - just two weeks before the public launch of Triviathon at the Toy Fair in New York City. It was the first time Budweiser did not take the top spot in 10 years, and the feat earned the Herbert Brothers $1,000,0000. Watch the FREE DORITOS! Super Bowl Ad

Our Thoughts Usually, this section is called My Thoughts but since I’ve played the game with my husband I decided to renamed this Our Thoughts for my Triviathon review. First, let me tell you that I have never heard of Triviathon until I joined the group about Cranium on Facebook. Someone has posted that even though they loved Cranium they thought that Triviathon was the best game ever. My curiosity was picked.

What was Triviathon? I had never heard of it and mind you never saw the box anywhere. Honestly, I don’t hang out in stores often and this specific game had not come in any advertisement in my city so far. Could it be because I live in Canada? Maybe. So I decided to contact VP of Sales at Jeezle Pete’s to see if I could review the game. They agreed to do so and also tell me that the game was not specific to Canada at this point. They are so popular that they have been approached by a manufacturer for distribution in my country. L

ast night, I was able to convince my husband to play a game with me. He is not into trivia much because he finds it hard to remember tons of information about specific things. He is definitively NOT a trivia game kind of person (except for the Disney ones…). So Trivia Pursuit is not played often in this household… So when I asked him to play with me so I can review Triviathon, there was a tiny bit of hesitation then he said sure . So we set up the game, made some popcorn, choose our characters and started the game. We had fun. We laughed. I even had to go outside to well “Triviathon is the best game ever!” – yes I did, laughing and all… Fortunately it’s November and not a lot of people are outside in their backyard! ROTFL I wish that one of us would have had to call a friend for help but we didn’t end up on that spot. Maybe next time.

We had a blast and my husband REALLY enjoyed it. He comments are “For once I enjoy a trivia game because I really don’t need to know the answer. The best part is that I am learning at the same time when I learned the results of my choice.” *grin* I’m so glad that he love this game. I give the two-thumbs up to Triviathon just because of that!

To play it is quite easy. Once you have set up the board and choose your special character, you have to start the game. Even the instructions coming with the game are hilarious. The creators are very creative. Your job as a player is to answer the questions (or pick the options that will permit you to advance fast on the board) so that you can win. You can either pick the number of spaces to advance or pick the color on which you want to go. Then you have a series of options A-B-C-D and there is questions on them, you pick one of the options and you will learn how many spaces to advance or which color to go to.

Here’s an example.

To what colored space do you want to move?
A. The color of the dress Peebles Flintstone usually wore.
B. The color celebrated by Protestants in Northern Ireland on July 12th.
C. The color of the lowest valued balls in a game of snooker.
D. The color of the star that appears on the Vietnam flag.

When you have picked your choice, you learn to which color you go. It’s that easy. And it is fun… To add to the pleasure of playing this game, your character has a special task to do during the game. My husband had taken the blue character which was the bully and anytime during the game he could challenge the other players to an arm wrestling match. Did you think I had a chance? None whatsoever, so I lost my turn and he add an extra space to his next move.

Oh and another bonus for you – you can create new characters definition on their website. You can even try to game yourself on the website before buying it. Try it out! You will be amazed by how easy it is to play this game. The game has already multiple awards under its belt since the release in February 2009 - Game of the Year! From Creative Child Magazine, PTPA Winner, iParenting Winner, TNPC Seal of Approval, Nappa Honors from National Parenting Publications, 100 Best Children’s Products! By Dr. Toy, Top 100 Games! by Games Magazine. And I have the feeling that it’s not over - more awards will be coming for this game.

My only concern would be the fact that there is no cover on the box of questions to protect the cards if you bring the game somewhere else. It would be something to consider. My suggestions to the creators are these:

1) Created more questions and offer them as add-on boxes
2) Develop a Canadian version of the game in a near future. *grin*

Triviathon will become a favorite in our family since it is so easy to play. We could play with teams with our children if we want to. Anyone from 8 to 128 years old can play. Preferable to play with a partner or more friends but if you are really bored you could play alone! I would assume that Triviathon is available everywhere in the US. As for Canada, I know that it should be coming soon in a store near you. In the meantime, you can always order it from the Triviathon website!

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness - The Wingfeather Sage Book One

Sun, 9 Aug 2009 06:20:00 -0500

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness – The Wingfeather Saga Book One Adventure. Peril. Lost Jewels. And the Fearsome Toothy Cows of Skree.

By Andrew Peterson
Published at Waterbrook

About the book Once, in a cottage above the cliffs on the Dark Sea of Darkness, there lived three children and their trusty dog Nugget. Janner Igiby, his brother Tink, their crippled sister Leeli are gifted children as all children are, loved well by a noble mother and ex-pirate grandfather. But they will need all their gifts and all that love to survive the evil pursuit of the venomous Fangs of Dang who have crossed the dark sea to rule the land with malice and pursue the Igibys who hold the secret to the lost legend and jewels of good King Wingfeather of the Shining Isle of Anniera. Andrew Peterson spins a quirky and riveting tale of the Igibys’ extraordinary journey from Glipwood’s Dragon Day Festival and a secret hidden in the Books and Crannies Bookstore, past the terrifying Black Carriage, clutches of the horned hounds and loathsome toothy cows surrounding AnkleJelly Manor, through the Glipwood Forest and mysterious treehouse of Peet the Sock Man (known for a little softshoe and wearing tattered socks on his hands and arms), to the very edge of the Ice Prairies. Full of characters rich in heart, smarts, and courage, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness presents a world of wonder and a tale children of all ages will cherish, families can read aloud, and readers’ groups are sure to discuss for its layers of meaning about life’s true treasure and tangle of the beautiful and horrible, temporal and eternal, and good and bad.

Who is Andrew Peterson? Andrew Peterson is the author of On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness and The Ballad of Matthew’s Begats. He’s also the critically-acclaimed singer-songwriter and recording artist of ten albums, including Resurrection Letters II. He and his wife, Jamie, live with their two sons and one daughter in The Warren near Nashville, Tennessee. Visit Andrew’s websites: http://www.andrew-peterson.com/ and http://www.rabbitroom.com/.

My thoughts I received the opportunity of reviewing this book when I got the invitation from Waterbrook to review Book Two of the Wingfeaters Saga. When I answered the invitation, I asked if it would be possible to get book one as well since I never read it. I told them I would review book one as well. Well when I received my book two (which by the way will be reviewed at the blog tour on Aug 17 – 21st, 2009), I had the surprise to see that the publisher included book one as well. Oh joy! I couldn’t wait to start my reading. I just love it when I read a book and it captures my imagination.

This book is a jewel in itself… It drawn me to the characters – the good and the bad ones – and it made me want to know more of what will happen. Toothy Cows, Fang of Dang and Horned Hounds seem to be hideous creatures. Actually, in the book we already have a representation of the Toothy Cows… I wouldn’t want to be face to face with one of those believe me. The Fangs represent evil in the land of Skree. There is also a quest of jewels coming from Anniera. Where are the jewels? The Igiby children are thrown in a series of adventures that will keep you on edge. Their grand-father is a pirate – oh I see my boys liking this book already since they are so much into piracy things…!

You experience the Dragons Day with the visit of the Sea Dragons. You will explore the Anklejelly Manor, get lost in a bookstore, visit the tree house of Peet the Sock Man, and cook a maggotloaf with Nia – the mother of the Igiby children. Andrew Peterson is full of creativity and helps the reader to visualize the various characters and places written about in the book. This is a strength I consider important when you write a juvenile fiction because the kids need to “see” what they read. What is also interesting in the book is that every once in a while there are footnotes at the bottom of the pages giving various information about history or some reference books…

I was especially curious about the Creaturepedia written by Penbrick. Inside the book, you also have an example of a page from the Creaturepedia – meet the Toothy Cow. Ouch! And honestly it made me dream of having such a book in my hands to explore the world, creatures and characters of the Wingfeather Saga. That would be an interesting idea I think. But I would wait until the whole saga is written before publishing such a book. The way it is written makes me think of the first book of the Chronicles of Narnia – The Magician’s Nephew. You get transported in a world where anything could happen and any creatures can live.

The cover of On The Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness is quite interesting as well. I find it a good representation of an old leather book which was written a long time ago to tell the magnificent story of… wait I won’t say more because I might slip the punch of the story. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this saga be put on the big screen – either with real actors or 3-D cartoons. The book is packed with adventure and it’s only the first book of a series. I can’t wait to read Book Two and tell you what I think about it. I am expecting more adventures and hope to discover new creatures along the way. I homeschool my kids and I am planning to read the saga to them this year.

Oh! And The Wingfeather Saga now have a website… Check it out! You will find more creatures drawn from the Creaturepedia. And the books are also available on an ebook format or audio CD if you are interested.

On The Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness is available everywhere even on amazon.ca and indigo.ca.

North! Or Be Eaten - The Wingfeather Saga Book Two

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 06:17:00 -0500

North! Or Be Eaten – The Wingfeather Saga Book Two Wild escapes. A desperate journey. And the ghastly Fangs of Dang.

Written by Andrew Peterson
Published at Waterbrook

About the book Readers thrilled to the phantasmagorical adventures in On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, Book One of the Wingfeather Saga. Now in Book Two, Janner, Tink, and Leeli Igiby, mom Nia, ex-pirate grandfather Podo, Peet the Sock Man, and trusty dog Nugget flee north to rebel headquarters.

Their escape brings readers to the very brink of Fingap Falls, over the Stony Mountains, and across the Ice Prairies, while villains galore try to stop the Igibys permanently. Fearsome toothy cows and horned hounds return, along with new dangers: a mad man running a fork factory, a den of rockroaches, and majestic talking sea dragons.

Andrew Peterson’s lovable characters create what FantasyBookCritic.com says made Book One “one of the best fantasy novels in a very long time,” and Book Two contains even more thrills, exploring “themes universal in nature, ranging from the classic good versus evil, to the importance of family, and burdens of responsibility.”

My Thoughts Once again I got transported to Aerwiar with the company of the Igibys. Each child has learned of their heritage and is trying to come to term with it. It’s quite a responsibility to learn that you are a Throne Warden, the High King and the Song Maiden….

You will travel with the Igibys and run for your life from the Fangs. Each page will bring it’s load of adventure and events to keep your breath away. But have no fear, The Maker is with them and even though they get separated at one point, they will find their way to be together again – but for how long?

You will attend wild escapes, cross the Miller’s Bridge, discover where Peet the Sock man is, meet the Stranders, form allies, get caught and send to the Fork Factory, escape from the hands of The Overseer (which has never been done before), run for your life over and over again, encounter various animals all wonderful and bizarre at the same time, make allies and meet the ones who would betray you, get introduced to the Stonekeeper, follow a maze of underground tunnels, cross the Stony Mountains and arrive safely to the Ice Prairies, visit the cave of a Bomnubble at your risk and peril, discover the past of the grand-father, discover that another breed of Fangs exist, and even encounter and talk to sea dragons.

You will find so much in this novel that when you are done, you will need to catch your breath. North! Or Be Eaten picks up where the previous book left us hanging. But again, this book finishes and you want to know more – like what will they find when they arrive to their destination? Could it be that Esben is not dead? If so where is he? What was so important in the castle for him to stay behind when the Fangs attacked so many years ago? What other creatures the Igibys – or should I say the Wingfeathers will find? What adventures awaits them? Could the charm of the Stonekeeper can be broken somehow? What will happen to the family? Will the Fangs ever leave?

Oh! How much I wish that Andrew Peterson would release his next book soon… but I understand that it is good to keep the readers wanting for more. So please, Mr. Peterson, write book three of the Wingeather Saga real fast… I want to read more about this wonderful family and their adventures! Can you tell I had a wonderful time with these characters?

After reading book two of the saga, it only confirms my idea of reading this to my kids. I am sure that they will enjoy it as much as I did. The best part is that the chapters are just the perfect number of pages for reading before bedtime. And once again, the book cover looks like an old book and will catch your imagination. You will find the beloved footnotes at the bottom of some pages as well as wonderful pictures from the creatures encountered throughout the book. A map will help your to follow the travels of the Igibys as well as an appendices will give you more information or details on certain things.

North! Or Be Eaten is available everywhere even at amazon.ca and indigo.ca.

But before reading North! Or Be Eaten be sure you have read the first book of the saga - On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness.

The Busy People's Fast and Frugal Cookbook

Tue, 6 Oct 2009 06:15:00 -0500

The Busy People’s Fast and Frugal Cookbook

By Dawn Hall
Published at Thomas Nelson

About the Book Perfect recipes for any cook with little time and even less money. Today's bad economy is forcing people out of restaurants and into the kitchen.

You want to give your family nutritious, home-cooked meals, but who has time to cook? You do, if you cook the Busy People’s™ way. What is a Busy People’s™ recipe? It’s one that can be cooked in 30 minutes or less. A dream-come-true for busy cooks everywhere.

Dawn Hall shows home cooks how to prepare simple and fast food that's as healthy as it is easy on the budget. The Busy People's Fast and Frugal Cookbook is just the thing for today's economy minded meal makers.

Who is Dawn Hall? Dawn Hall self-published her first cookbook when she needed to raise money to pay for her late husband’s cancer treatment. Since then she has more than 1 million copies of her cookbooks in print. Her books contain simple, great-tasting dishes for busy people who like to eat real, everyday food. Her books also help to motivate and inspire healthy eating and healthy lifestyles. Check out her website at http://dawnhallcookbooks.com/ .

My thoughts I love cookbooks… And my husband thinks that I have too many of them on my shelf. Is there really such a thing as having too many cookbooks? So when I go the opportunity of getting a new cookbook in exchange of a review, I jumped on the opportunity! *grin*

I am trying to lose weight since the beginning of the year. And to do so I decided to go back to Weight Watchers which I was a lifetime member since my university years. If I was able to do it back then, I could do it again. So I went back to a new plan about counting points in a day (compared of counting the bread, veggies, and so on from back when I used to go…). So to be able to calculate the points, three important pieces of information is needed… I need the Calories per serving, the Total fat and the Fiber. What a joy to see that all that information and much more in included for each recipes.

The cookbook is easy to use and well planned. A chapter contains all the recipes for a specific meal or part of a meal. For example, there is a whole chapter on Soups and Chowders. Each section within a chapter corresponds to the time that it takes to cook the recipe so you would find 10 minutes or less recipes as well as 30 minutes or less. And the pictures that you will find throughout the cookbook are so well done that it makes you want to cook the recipe. Yum! The smoked sausage and Cheddar Egg Bake sounds wonderful for a cold winter morning… However, not all the recipes have their picture included. I particularly like it when I can see a picture of a recipe.

The author has also taken the time to list the supplies needed, the grocery list, as well as helpful hints for each recipes. I also find that some recipes contain ingredients that will be hard to find in Canada. But I’m close enough to the border that I could go do some grocery shopping once in a while in the US. Unfortunately, if I feel like doing one particular recipe – like the Italian Seasoned Scones – I will have to wait until our next trip in the state of New York to get what I can’t find here. So patience is needed for me… Do you want to see what the cookbook look like? Simply go to this page at the Thomas Nelson website.

Busy’s People Fast & Frugal cookbook is available everywhere, even at amazon.ca and indigo.ca.

HAPPY COOKING!

Energy - Its Forms, Changes & Functions

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 06:12:00 -0500

Energy – Its forms, changes & functions

By Tom DeRosa and Carolyn Reeves
Published at Master Books

This book is part of the Investigate the Possibilities series and is geared toward students from grade 3 to 6. Its content is about elementary physics more specifically about energy.

In this book you will find that learning is extremely fun when you can perform the experiences yourself and see from your own eyes what will be the result. Once again, I found that the authors have done a tremendous job in putting this book together. Again you will find marvelous images accompanying a lesson and some interesting investigations to discover the world of energy. The quality of the books in this series is simply amazing! I am truly impressed with the scientific information contained in these books.

In the book on Energy, each lesson is divided in sections going from thinking about a specific subject to experimenting on it. Each time the student will have to ponder on some specific investigative problems and found out the answers. The experiments look very fun to do and can be done easily with the things you have at home – no need to purchase special products to investigate the various topics on energy. The student will also have to read more information on the subject of the lesson as well as make connections with our everyday life i.e. how does the lesson apply in real life? While doing the lesson, the student has also the possibility of digging deeper within the guidelines provided by the authors. Finally, the lesson finishes with a series of questions to make sure the student has understood what he has read. Throughout the book, the students will also learn more about some scientists who studied the wonderful world of energy.

Also available are the Teacher’s Guide and the Student Journal. The Teacher’s Guide will give the objectives of the lesson, more information concerning the lesson as well as the answers to the questions related to the lesson. Personally, I find the teacher book very helpful especially when it is a subject like energy… It gives me guidelines and helps me not to get too stressed when doing the lesson with my son. As for the Student Journal, it will permit the student to write down any observations and answers from the questions as well as experiences found in the book. There is even a special place to write down what the student has found in the dig deeper section of the book. There is plenty of space to write down the answers when you are using the Student Journal.

Energy – Its Forms, Changes, & Functions is available everywhere even on amazon.ca and indigo.ca.

Science Trek 4, 5, 6

Sat, 26 Sep 2009 06:04:00 -0500

Science Trek 4, 5, 6

From the Nectar Foundations

What is the NECTAR Foundation? The NECTAR Foundation is incorporated under the Ontario Corporations Act with Letters Patent issued to NECTAR in 1990 by the Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Affairs of Ontario. The New Era Classroom, Technology and Research (NECTAR) Foundation, is dedicated to the development of innovative educational programs featuring the integration of interactive technologies and the individualized student programs. The NECTAR Foundation, with its partners, develops and markets innovative, state-of-the art curriculum-based multimedia software. Its products are marketed and used around the world. A number of its software programs have been licensed for use by large educational jurisdictions such as the province of Ontario, SchoolNet India, South Africa and large counties in the United States NECTAR develops curriculum-based educational software programs for kindergarten to grade 12. It focuses on Mathematics, Language Arts and Literacy, and Science curriculum. Visit their website at http://www.nectar.ca/

My Thoughts on the Science Trek 4, 5, 6 This specific science software is geared for student in grade 4, 5 or 6. It is available in French and English. Here at home we tested the French version of the software. My son Alexandre is starting grade 3 but he wanted to look at this one as well so we sat down together and went through it to get an idea of the product. I really like what I have seen and explore. You would find videos so the student can see how something works. However, there isn’t sound on the video. But honestly that’s okay. You will find a lot of interaction in this software as well as moving images to keep the interest of the student.

For example, while the student learns about the heart, he will have some various images to show his the outside and inside of the heart as well as one specific animation that will show him how the blood circulate in the heart. I thought it was pretty interesting and a good introduction to how the human body works. One thing I need to specify before I go further in my review of Science Trek. There is a lot of reading to be done to learn about the various subjects of science. So I would strongly suggest that your student be fluent in his reading before introducing him to Science Trek. There is also some guidance provided throughout the software to gives the student guidelines to follow.

In Science Trek you will explore various subjects - Living Things; Matter; Energy, and Earth and Space.It contains 15 units divided as follow; Living Things:- Habitats and Communities - Human Body - Diversity of Living Things Matter: - Properties and Changes of Materials - Structures and Mechanisms - Flight and the Properties of Air Energy: - Sound and Light - Electricity- Conservation of Energy - Pulleys and Gears - Motion - Forces and Simple Machines Earth and Space: - Weather - Space- Rocks, Minerals and Erosion With the interactive activities, you can also print support materials like activities and practice some journal writing. You will get introduced to various scientist as well as scientific illustrations.

I find that the software is really well done and grab the interest of the student while learning some science facts. You can also generate some word search to have the student look for the new words he has just learned. Another interesting feature is the ability to click on a bold word to get the definition of the word. This opens up a new window and the student can read the definition. You have the possibility to listen the proper pronunciation of a word by clicking on a small button at the top of the definition. However, there isn’t a button to close this pop-up window so you need to click in the previous screen to go back. You will also find some facts buttons everywhere in the software. These buttons will gives you a bit more information about a specific subject. Interesting facts about what you learn helps to keep the information in your head I find. At the end of each section, your student will have a mini-test to assure that he comprehend the information he has just read. And believe me when I say that the student should investigate all images and buttons included in the section he reads before taking the mini-test.

Each sections are packed with tons of information. The only information that disturbs me a little bit was the fact that the information included in the software seems to be based on evolution. As a Christian and homeschool parent, I find it important that my children be exposed to the creation first and then eventually, when they are in age to understand that there is a difference, to evolution. I know that my oldest knows the differences between the two so I have no problem for him to explore the information about life on Earth in the software. But I also know that some parents won’t be too happy about this and I think it is important for them to know about this. I think it would be nice eventually if Nectar would produce a Christian version of their software about science. Having said that, I still think that Science Trek is an interesting software to own in your homeschool. It would permit the student to explore by himself and learn at the same time. Science Trek is available directly from Learn with Trek website.

Here’s the direct link to this software.