Taken from the Oct., 2009, issue of Biblical Homeschooling ( biblicalhomeschooling-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or http://groups.yahoo.com/group/biblicalhomeschooling/ )

     (Note on language levels: 1. Nothing objectionable; 2. Common euphemisms; 3. Some cursing or profanity; 4. A lot of cursing or profanity; 5. Obscenity or vulgarity.)

     Berger, Susan J.  Earthquake (Publisher: Guardian Angel Publishing Inc., 2009).  Have you ever experienced an earthquake?  If you haven't, how do you think that you would react to one?  In this non-fiction book, author Susan J. Berger explains what earthquakes are, what causes them, what happens when they occur, and what we can do to be prepared for them.  The scientifically accurate but highly readable text combined with the colorful illustrations by Eugene E. Ruble will help children understand earthquake terms and learn lots of interesting facts about the subject.  Did you know that there is a 9 in 10 chance of a medium sized earthquake happening on the New Madrid fault within the next 50 years?  On April 18, 2008, when we were living in Affton, MO, just outside of St. Louis, my wife and I were awakened 4:37 a. m. as a result of a jolt that seemed to shake the bed.  There are several things that can cause such a jolt--the blowing of an electrical transformer, an automobile crash nearby, or even a strong gust of wind, although my wife looked out the window and the trees were still.  However, as I went back to sleep, the possibility of an earthquake passed through my mind.  Sure enough, when the radio went off at 6:00, the very first news item was that a 5.2 magnitude earthquake centered at Bellmont, IL, had been felt throughout the Midwest shortly after 4:30.  Then, while sitting at my desk at 10:14 a. m., I felt another jolt that shook my chair.  I immediately checked the Internet and found that a 4.7 magnitude aftershock had been recorded at around a quarter after ten.  This is my personal experience with earthquakes.  There was no damage done, and the jolts, while noticeable, were relatively minor.  However, I'm sure that all of us have seen on television or read in the newspapers about other earthquakes that produced massive destruction and even killed many people.  Youngsters will find Earthquake to be a fascinating yet fun source of useful information.  Language level: 1.  Reading level: Grades 2-4 (ages 6-9).  Recommendation: EXCELLENT.

     Carter, Charlotte.  For the Least of These (published in 2008 by Guideposts, 16 E. 34^th St., New York City, NY  10016). Another in the “Mystery and the Minister’s Wife” series set in Copper Mill, TN, Kate Hanlon, the minister’s wife, is approached while working in her garden by a young teenage girl named Megan Maddock who is in desperate need of work, so Kate lets her help in the garden.  It turns out that Megan’s father is in prison for having killed someone and her mother has run off with her boyfriend Hank, leaving Megan and her two younger siblings alone, so Kate takes the children home with her.  However, vandals are causing havoc throughout the town.  Furthermore, it turns out that Hank is a jewel thief who is being pursued by his two partners after double crossing them.  Is that why he and Megan’s mother ran off?  Will Kate be able to learn what happened to their mother, perhaps find where their father is imprisoned, and deal with the officious children’s services representative who wants to put the children in foster care?  This is a really interesting and suspenseful book.  Language level: 1.  Reading level: adults and older teens.  Recommendation: EXCELLENT.

     Colman, Hila.  The Case of the Stolen Bagels (published in 1977 by Crown Publishers Inc., 1 Park Ave., New York City, NY  10016).  Paul, who appears from the illustrations to be around eight or perhaps nine, loves bagels but has developed a reputation for being a troublemaker.  His parents have warned him about his temper.  When Dick Matthews grabbed his sweater, he hit Dick with a stick.  Then when Dick ran into him and caused him to break the clay pot that he had made for the art show, Paul punched Dick in the stomach.  But worst of all, when the teacher brings in bagels to dry and paint for the art show, Paul thinks that it is a waste of good bagels and the next day some of them are stolen.  The evidence all points to him, especially since he lives right next door to the school.  He knows that he did not do it, but nobody believes him.  His father suggests that he try to find the real culprit.  Can he do it?  Usually when you see a book beginning “The Case of…,” it is a mystery.  While this book does have an element of mystery in it, it is really more a psychological study that involves a mystery.  However, it is a good book because Paul realizes some important lessons about how to treat and not to treat others which children can learn right along with him.  The book appears to be out of print.  Other books by Hilda Colman include Nobody Has to Be a Kid Forever, Ethan’s Favorite Teacher, and Diary of a Frantic Kid Sister.  Language level: 1.  Reading level: Ages 8-11.  GOOD.

     Coombs, Patricia.  Dorrie and the Screebit Ghost (published in 1979 by Lothrop, Lee and Shepherd Company, 105 Madison Ave., New York City, NY  10016, a division of William Morrow and Company Inc.).  Dorrie is a little witch who lives with her mother Big Witch, their Cook, and a black cat named Gink.  Big Witch leaves for a séance, and Dorrie conjures up a lively ghost named Screebit who interferes with the séance.  The ghost even steals Big Witch’s ring which is supposed to protect everyone from bad ghosts.  Will Dorrie be able to keep the mischievous ghost out of trouble and get the ring back, or will she get in trouble?  Beginning with Dorrie's Magic in 1962 and concluding with Dorrie and the Haunted Schoolhouse in 1992, Patricia Coombs, who was born in Los Angeles, CA, in 1926 and authored more than twenty children's books, including Lisa and the Grompet and The Magic Pot, produced a total of 19 books in the Dorrie the Little Witch series of children’s books.  Beginning in mid-2009, Booksurge, a print-on-demand (POD) division of Amazon.com LLC, will be reprinting a few titles in the Dorrie series. The first, Dorrie and the Wizard's Spell, is now available.  It should be obvious that those who do not care for books with witchcraft, ghosts, and séances will not like this book.  Personally, I was not too thrilled with the story myself, but I suppose if it is understood purely as fiction it is probably harmless.  Language level: 1.  Reading level: Intended for ages 5-8 but I would suggest more like 8-12.  Recommendation: FAIR.

     Fritz, Jean.  The Cabin Faced West (published in 1958 by Coward-McCann; republished in 1987 by Puffin Books, a division of Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers, 345 Hudson St., New York City, NY  10014).  It is 1784, and ten-year-old Ann Hamilton has moved from Gettysburg, PA, to Hamilton Hill in Washington County, which is on the other side of the mountains in the wilderness of western Pennsylvania, with her parents, older brothers Daniel and David, baby brother, and Uncle John and Aunt Mary.  Life out west is anything but adventurous.  She is very lonely and bored, missing the ease and comfort of her days in Gettysburg and wishing that she could be back there playing with her cousin Margaret.  The only neighbors, the McPhales, have one son, and Andy McPhale seems very uncivilized for an eleven-year-old boy.  A young man about Daniel's age named Arthur Scott does drop by while looking for land to settle and tells wondrous stories of his time at Valley Forge with General George Washington during the War, but his land is on the far side of the county and he will not be close.  Ann's biggest comfort is tending her vegetable garden, but then a huge storm comes along and destroys it.  However, one day a famous stranger rides onto Hamilton Hill and changes her life forever.  Based on a true story told by the author's great-great-grandmother, this book is wonderful historical fiction for youngsters.  Jean Fritz, a fine children's author, wrote, "I don't know if Ann really kept a diary or not.  Most of what happened to her in this book is just a story, but some of it is true."  Young people will get a good look at the hardships of everyday life that the settlers in our nation's early history faced but at the same time be given some insight into the greatness of what they accomplished.  The book was reissued in 2001.  Language level: 1.  Reading level: Ages 8-12.  Recommendation: EXCELLENT.

     Gelman, Rita Golden, and Richter, Joan.  Professor Coconut and the Thief (published in 1977 by Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York City, NY.  An eight-year-old boy named Peter goes with his mother, an anthropologist, on a dig with a group of anthropologists in Africa, where he makes friends with a native boy named Sipo and Sipo’s pet monkey Kima.  The head of the dig is Professor Albert, who is very absent minded, and when Sipo suggested that there is coconut milk in his head rather than brains, they start calling him Professor Coconut.  One day the cook’s hat disappears.  The next day Peter’s knife disappears.  Then several things of Professor Coconut’s disappears—his magnifying glass, a pair of his underwear, a belt, his watch, and a tie.  Peter and Sipo try to set several traps on different nights to catch the thief, but something unexpected always happens.  Will they ever find out who it is and get their things back?  Mystery stories are good for children to help develop critical thinking skills.  The only questionable item in this book is a reference to the anthropologists’ digging “for bones of animals and people who lived millions of years ago.”  According to Rita Golden Gelman’s website, all or most of her books are out of print, but doing a book search is suggested.  Language level: 1.  Reading level: Grades 2-5.  GOOD.

     Glick, Shifra.  Shikufitzky 5 (Publisher: Feldheim Publishers, 2009).  This is the fifth and last in a series of "graphic" or comic strip type storybooks about the Shikufitzky family--Father, Mother, Yiska, Temima, Kehos, and baby Klonimus--and their relatives and friends.  Author and illustrator Shifra Glick portrays the action in full color panels with dialogue in balloons.  There are many stories, some long and some short, but each new story begins with a change of color on the border.  They are intended as humorous and insightful encounters with life that teach us a lot about ourselves in a novel and amusing way.  I would imagine that Jewish families will especially appreciate them, but the observations are of such a universal nature that anyone can enjoy the books.  At the end of Shikufitzky 5, the Shikufitzky family is moving, and Glick plans a new but related series, "Shikufitzky Street."  Language level: 1.  Reading Level: Ages 8-11.  Recommendation: EXCELLENT.

     Hand, Renee.  The Crypto-Capers in the Case of the Missing Sock (Publisher: North Star Press of Saint Cloud Inc., 2008).  If you had your choice, would you prefer a dirty, smelly old sock that purportedly belonged to Elvis Presley's grandmother or a pair of diamond-studded, gold and onyx designer sunglasses?  Maxwell Sherlock Holmes, age fourteen, and his sister Mia, age twelve, live in London, England.  Their mother and father are ace detectives with Scotland Yard, and the brother and sister seem to have inherited their parents' abilities to solve crimes.  Therefore, with their Granny, Nellie Holmes, and Max's fourteen-year-old friend Morris Weedlesom, a computer whiz, they have formed the Crypto-Capers and unravel mysteries by solving cryptograms that criminals leave behind.  In this first volume of Renee Hand's series, wealthy cereal company owner Charles Delacomb of Naples, FL, had bought a new pair of expensive sunglasses as a birthday present for his wife and hidden them inside one of a pair of socks which was once owned by Elvis Presley's grandmother.  He had purchased the socks at an auction the year before and kept them in his library in a locked cabinet.  However, both the one sock and the sunglasses were stolen, and the thief left a cryptogram, so Delacomb seeks help from the Holmeses.  As the Crypto-Capers investigate, some of the evidence points to Mrs. Delacomb, while other bits of evidence point to the groundskeeper Tom Kemper.  In fact, on one occasion, Mrs. Delacomb had even given Mr. Kemper a ride.  Will Max and Mia be able to figure out the mystery, identify the thief, and retrieve the stolen items?  Most youngsters enjoy reading mysteries, and this is good because solving mysteries helps to develop critical thinking skills.  In the Crypto-Capers books, there is the added benefit of language arts related exercises in working on the cryptograms.  On top of this, The Case of the Missing Sock is just a fun story that will keep the reader turning the pages.  As the excitement and suspense build, inquiring minds want to know who did it, and why!  Also, at the end I especially liked the scene where Mr. Delacomb and his fifteen-year-old son Robert learn some important lessons about their relationship with each other.  If you like mysteries, you will not want to miss the Crypto-Capers. Language level: 1.  Reading Level: Ages 8-12 (grades 4-7).  Recommendation:  EXCELLENT.

     Hand, Renee.  The Crypto-Capers in the Case of Red Rock Canyon (Publisher: North Star Press of Saint Cloud Inc., 2009).  The Crypto-Capers are back!  Fourteen-year-old Max Holmes, his sister Mia, their Granny Nellie, and their friend Morris are detectives who travel all over the world to investigate mysteries. Well, Max, Mia, and Granny go places while Morris stays at home because of his allergies and communicates with the others by electronic gadgetry.  Each individual has his or her specific talents.  Max is good at logic and deductive reasoning.  Mia can solve just about any puzzle.  Granny is fluent in several languages and provides muscle for the group.  And Morris is a genius with computers.   In this second book of the series, author Renee Hand takes the team to Las Vegas, Nevada, where show producer Julian Cross employs them to find a very expensive missing ruby necklace which he had purchased for use in his presentation but was stolen.  The thief accidentally left a cryptogram, probably to communicate with his accomplices.  There are all kinds of suspects--Cross's girlfriend and lead singer Lucille Devereaux; Cross's rival producer Pierson Long; Long's girlfriend and lead singer, Juliet, Lucille's twin sister; even the man who delivered the necklace, Mr. William Teague.  Along the way, they match wits with an elusive criminal known as "the Panther."  Then Mia gets kidnapped!  Will they find Mia?  And will they ever recover the necklace?  Not only is this a fun story to read, but it is one in which the characters engage in some self-discovery about themselves and exhibit a great deal of courage.  In addition, the reader can help to solve the cryptograms and participate in the various activities.  "These are not for the faint of heart, but for the bravest and most confident of souls.  Can you do it?  We are counting on you."  All children, but especially those who like to solve mysteries and work on puzzles, should enjoy The Crypto-Capers in the Case of Red Rock Canyon. Language level: 1.  Reading Level: Ages 8-12 (grades 4-7).  Recommendation: EXCELLENT.

     Hawk, Fran.  Count Down to Fall (Publisher: Sylvan Dell Publishing; 2009).  What is your favorite time of year?  For many people, and perhaps plants and animals too, it is fall.  Begin with ten sweet gum leaves; go through nine dogwood leaves, eight beech leaves, seven pine cones, six linden leaves, five chestnut leaves, four oak leaves, three maple leaves; and two birch leaves; and end up with one quaking aspen leaf.  Through Fran Hawk's poetic text youngsters will be introduced to the idea of counting down from ten, and from Sherry Neidigh's true-to-life illustrations they will also be able to see various kinds of trees and how to identify them by the shapes of their leaves, along with the raccoons, opossums, cats, squirrels, bears, turtles, chipmunks, owls, deer, and beavers which need the trees to live.  The "For Creative Minds" section at the back of Count Down to Fall has several activities related to plant parts, leaf shapes, and how leaves change color in the fall, as well as further information on how both animals and people depend on plants.  As with other Sylvan Dell books, there are "Related Websites," "Interactive Quizzes," and other "Teaching Activities" at their website to help parents and educators expand the learning possibilities.  This is a wonderful way for students to learn about how plants and animals prepare for the approaching winter chill.  Language level: 1.  Reading Level: Ages 4-8 (Grades Preschool to 3).  Recommendation: EXCELLENT.

     Hollihan, Kerrie Logan.  Isaac Newton and Physics for Kids: His Life and Ideas with 21 Activities (Publisher: Chicago Review Press Inc.; 2009).  Who might you think was the greatest scientist of all times?  Various people will likely have different opinions in answer to that question, but certainly everyone should be able to agree that one of them was Sir Isaac Newton.  Born in 1642, Newton is perhaps best remembered for the story, which may or may not be true, of how he developed the law of gravity from watching an apple fall to the ground.  However, Newton was truly a phenomenal figure in the history of science who contributed to the study of optics, calculus, astronomy, and chemistry, as well as his work in physics, and additionally served his country both as a Member of Parliament and first Warden and then Master of the Mint.  Author Kerrie Logan Hollihan not only chronicles the history of Newton's life and work but also introduces students to the methods of scientific discovery, including rational questioning, systematic experimentation, and rigorous exploration by the inclusion of 21 activities, with step-by-step instructions and detailed illustrations, to help stimulate interest in science.  Some of the activities include building a sextant, conducting a series of tests with a pendulum, and mixing up a batch of homemade ink.  There is also information about many of Newton's Enlightenment contemporaries and friends, such as mathematician Galileo Galilei and architect Christopher Wren.  Newton was certainly not a "perfect" human being but had his faults, and this book does not gloss over them.  However, two things stand out about Newton.  "He firmly believed that God was the creator of all things" (p. 70).  Also, in spite of what some revisionist historians have concluded, "Newton's reputation as a great man of science stands firm" (p. 120).  Some parents may not care for the fact that reference is made to the claim by some twentieth century writers that Newton may have had homosexual relationships with John Wickins and Fatio de Duillier (which one source I checked says is purely conjectural and much disputed).  Otherwise, Isaac Newton and Physics for Kids is a fascinating look at a great scientist who, despite his personal weaknesses and failings, contributed much to our understanding of the physical universe.  Language level: 1.  Reading Level: Ages 9-12.  Recommendation: GOOD.