This is the very first week of the Summer Reading Splash!  I hope you're excited about participating and are looking forward to reading lots of  great books this summer.  I would like to  introduce you to a few wonderful books each week.  Not only will I be showing you pictures of these books and telling you about them, but you will also get a chance to WIN THEM!  All you have to do is answer our weekly topic question, in order to be entered for a chance to win. 

This week's question is an easy one-
Finish the following sentence:
I like to read because..........
(I will post some of the most clever answers next week so everyone can see them.)
Please e-mail your answer to me by clicking HERE.  Please put "Splash" in the subject line. If you don't have an e-mail address, please have your mom or dad e-mail me.  Because I have 2 book selections to give away this week, please share in your e-mail which one you are interested in winning (the one for younger students or the one for older students).  Contests will run through Friday at MIDNIGHT (EST) each week.  Winners will be announced on Saturday.

For younger readers (and this is also great for your parents to read to you), we have a great new book from Sleeping Bear Press called Say Daddy! 

Book summary: Mother shares a book about love while Brother shares a book about friendship. Next Aunt Grace shares a book about adventure. Everyone in this family is eager to share books and have the newest member's affection and attention. But all kidding aside, this family knows the bond that is created when reading aloud with someone you love.

When Daddy closed the last page, he smiled at me for hours and said, 'Say Daddy! Say Daddy!' He hoped that would be my first word!

But wait. Did we hear correctly? 'Book,' I said. 'Book!'

Here is a review of this book:  
I love everything by Sleeping Bear Press.  This book is no exception.  Not only is it a Sleeping Bear Press publication, but it’s a book about….books!  I love books, so this one is especially fantastic.  Say Daddy! is a cute story about a baby bear;  from the time he is  born, all of his family take turns reading books to him, and encouraging him to say their names.  At the end of the story, they are all surprised when baby’s first word is “book”.  The story is sweet, the illustrations are exceptional, and the ending is a surprise. 

Say Daddy! is a hardback  book with dust jacket.  The back cover of the dust jacket says “Reading aloud to a child can be the most special time of the day!”  It includes a list of benefits of reading aloud, as well as some read-aloud tips. 

I must say that my 2-year-old, who has never sat through the reading of an entire book, has picked this book as his favorite.  Even though the book is rather large in size, he carries it around.  He brings it to me several times a day and says “book”; and he will gladly sit still and listen to the entire story.  He loves to repeat the names of the family members and say “book” at the end.  He is the real “reviewer” here because this book has stolen his heart and developed a love of reading in him that we have never seen before.  That’s exciting to me!

At a price of $15.95, I’d definitely recommend this book.  This is one you’ll read over and over again, and be proud to display on your bookshelf. 

-Product Review by Heidi Strawser, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, LLC, April, 2008

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Travel back to the days of noble knights and powerful warlords... daring
quests and deadly dragons... the days of honor and valor and chivalry.

For our older students, we have an ENTIRE SET of the Terrestria Chronicles by Ed Dunlop.  These books are appropriate for ages 10 and up and would be great for individual reading or as part of your family devotion time.  Not only will you be receiving a whole set of these  books (books 1-7), but the author will be sending these to you directly, so the books will be AUTOGRAPHED!

Series summary: Fast-paced action… powerful imagery… heart-pounding adventure… These life-changing books are captivating and once you start reading, you’ll find them hard to put down. This adventure   series has a particularly strong appeal to today’s young people: it’s a series with knights and castles,   dragons and princesses. . . but these are books in which every page points to truths of the Christian walk. Biblical doctrines and character principles are taught  in such a compelling,  fascinating way that they will stay with the reader for a lifetime.

The Terrestria Chronicles allegory series honors Jesus Christ as King, challenges young readers to love and serve Him, and teaches them to guard their hearts for Him. The focus of the series is always on the King.

Click here to see a review of these books.

*Remember, in order to win, you must e-mail me with the answer to this week's topic question.  All e-mails must be received by MIDNIGHT (EST) on Friday, the 23rd.