Nonfiction Books

The author of this book uses the term "Catechism" which gives the appearance of being helpful to only those religions that use catechisms. But don't let that stop you from sharing the truths in this little book with your kids. Regardless of your religious background or preference, this book is more about living right than religion. The circumstances open up great avenues to discuss consequences for decisions. If you can look past our religious differences and focus on who God is you will enjoy sharing this book with your little ones
Sally Taylor author/illustrator

This has become a valuable addition to our devotional resources. I think every Christian parent should have this on their nightstand/coffee table for frequent reading. Our son asks for one more story whenever I say we're done for the night. That's half the test. The other is its accuracy to the Scriptures. This provides a clear format to convey our family's faith to our son. I didn't learn by question and answer catechism and was unfamiliar with it, but we love that format. I highly recommend this book for your children.

This is a great book and easy for parents to use. My only issue with it is it's not setup for my 4 yr old. I thought it would be a good thing to use for morning devotionals but it was over his head. Maybe not for your child, but was for mine. You could possibly adapt it to your child's age, but I'm not very good at that.

I do not regret it a bit when I decided to go ahead and read this book myself, as a result of one of the boys in my class whom it was intended for as a Christmas gift did not show up last year. I just wish I knew about it earlier and had the privilege to use it as the `textbook' for the class. Though I have a minimum exposure to Christian children education curriculum, I would consider this book an indispensably must-use for every Christian parent and teacher teaching children aging, I would say, 3 to 10, for four reasons.

First, it is God-centered and Scripture-filled, which permeates every single lesson that Susan and Richie Hunt put together. It is indeed their goal "to teach children that they are created for God's glory", and their need for God's grace to live for him. Second, it is a beautiful relatively realistic portrayal of a humble devout Christian family. Third, it has simple ways to teach Christianity without being shallow in a level understandable by children. One might be surprised upon learning it is possible to teach little children some crucial Christian doctrines without the use of theological jargons; the ones included are the doctrines of total depravity, justification by faith, regeneration,and atonement. Fourth, it is pragmatic, where children not only learn about doctrines but also most importantly, how they would turn them into actions, exemplified mainly by Caleb and Cassie, the sweetest, best-behaving boy and girl I have read about, though not without weaknesses to prevent the readers from thinking that they and their parent are some sort of "Super Christians".

For younger children to second graders, I'd say, they need someone to read for them, but for older ones, they can read themselves with the help of their teacher to ensure they understand the lessons. Even for `big old kids' like me, these big gospel truths are still exceedingly precious. I don't mind at all sitting under Susan and Richie Hunt's tutelage in this book and would definitely use it for future teaching opportunities.

I'm a little wary of this book. In the first 5 stories or so it seems that the emphasis was on the sin of non believers and new believers. Every time some one sinned it was this new Christian boy Daniel. Then the other children that were believers would point out the sin in the boy or go and get there father to help explain the areas of sin in the little boy Daniel. This type of thinking will lead you away from the cross and right into judgmental legalism. I think the book would have served its purpose to a greater degree if it would have pointed the hearts of Caleb and Cassie to the cross, to examine there own hearts and to be brought to repentance through Christ's work on the cross. The last thing I want is my children to be looking for sins in others without looking to there own hearts first. That being said it still had some great things as well. Teaching our children to pray through scripture and going through the catechisms is a wonderful thing.

Where to set the rules, where to draw the line, these are questions any and all parent constantly ask themselves. "1-2-3 Magic for Kids: Helping Your Children Understand the New Rules" is a practical and 'user friendly' guide for parents and their children in setting up a discipline and incentive program that works for everyone around them. Aiming for a more harmonic atmosphere around the home, and increasing the love between children and their parents, "1-2-3 Magic for Kids" is highly recommended for all parents who are unsure of what to do or what to say when their children fail to listen.

Reading this book with our kids does a better job than us explaining the regular 1-2-3 Magic book. We purchased both and found the Kids book was easier and made it part of our books at bedtime that we read. One chapter per night was best for us.

As a mental health provider, I believe this can be a great way to train parents to really teach their children the 123 way. I love the section where it addresses how they might get around the system and cuts them off from the start.

Excellent for tying literature to mathematics. Children love these books and so do I!

This whole series of books is wonderful. The story line for a middle school level is somewhat elementary, but the students still LOVE them. They remember the terms and even bring them up during lessons. I think even at the middle school levels, the kids really like being read to and these books ,as silly as they seem when read at that level, help solidify these key geometry concepts in a fun kind of way. They take about 10-15 minutes to read out loud. Highly recommend!

My nine-year-old loved the earlier books in the Sir Cumference series, and was excited to hear that a new one was available. He enjoyed it thoroughly, for both the story and the math content. This series of books ranks near the top of his favorites list.

The students enjoy this series of books and learn something along the way!

Back in the days of Camelot, people knew geometry, but they learned it in adventures instead of textbooks. Per of Ameter played a game created by the Countess Areana in which they figured the outside edges and inner pieces of shapes made with the same size squares. Their skill at this game allowed them to solve several mysteries on the Isle of Immeter through a few escapes, as the island was protected by a sea dragon. Finally Per solved all the puzzles, and the sea dragon delivered a locked from the Countess Areana giving Per ownership of the island. When the two children returned from their adventure, Sir Cumference named the measurement of the outside edge of any flat, straight sided shape perimeter, after Per, who now was the Lady of Immeter. The inside of the shapes was called Area, after the Countess Areana who designed all the puzzles they solved. And so, as you will know if you have read this book, this is a cute, abbreviated account of the true way geometry really evolved.

A handy chart on the last page explains in mathematical terms the formulas described in the book.

Boring. Drones on and on. The characters never come to life, and when Penman tries to make them sound exciting she fails miserably. Penman has a cluttered and disjointed way of writing that uses opposing verbiage and comes out awkward and clumped together like she's trying to be unique and original but it fails. Instead, it comes out like she's hawking characters and a story that just isn't "there" to begin with! Not enough action in this book - too much emotional drama, not enough of what's on the cover - battles! There is hardly any of what actually happened in this period of history. Where's the action? Penman goes on and on with fluttering eyelashes, heavy breathing, and the like. Gag. Spare me the over-emotional drama - it's too boring anyway. I couldn't force myself to finish this, I gave up after too much character angst.

Seldom have I read a historic novel that stays so close to the documented facts, while at the same time being thrilling and engaging on every page.
There was no point where I lost concentration or interest.
Penman really makes the characters and events come alive.
Falls the Shadow is the sequel to Here Be Dragons and is the story of two great men- Simon de Montfort, the principal leader of the Baronial opposition to Henry III, and the progenitor of representative democracy in England. It also feature's Simon's beautiful and strong-spirited wife Eleanor (Nell)- a daughter of King John and Isabelle of Angouleme, and their children.
It also traces the story of Welsh national hero Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, his rise to power as Prince of Wales, and his struggle for Welsh national self-determination, as well as struggles and relations withing the Welsh princely house of Llywelyn Far.
The book deals with the rise of the young De Montfort, and parallels
events in Wales and England, as well as scenes taking place in France and Italy.
The book deals with the persecution of the Jews in England, and the man who stood up for their rights, the Mayor of London, Thomas FitzThomas, who continually fought for the rights and welfare of the Jews of London.
Like it's predecessor, Falls the Shadow always strikes the right balance between the dramatic events that shaped the history of Britain, as well as the trials and tribulations of the men, women and children, featured in the accounts.

This is a continuation of the book "Here Be Dragons" which tells the story of King John of England's bastard daughter Joanna and her marriage to the Prince of Wales. "Falls the Shadow" tells the story of their children and grandchildren in the fight with the Engish crown. But mostly it tells the story of Simon de Montfort and his marriage to Henry III's sister Eleanor. It tells of his conflict with the monarchy. It's a very interesting book. A way to learn history without pain; with real interest in the personalities involved. It is the first I was aware of the close kinship between the Welsh and the English by marriage - how interrelated they were. A great book!

This second volume in a trilogy about the contentious history between Britain and Wales is first of all a magnificent character study. At the heart of the novel is Simon de Montfort, a French-born aristocrat who travels to England in 1231 to boldly reclaim the lands taken from his family when his father was falsely accused of treason. Montfort will use these heavily mortgaged lands as an entrée into the court of young King Henry, the feckless, indecisive king of England. Simon soon falls in love with Henry's sister, Nell, a widow who impulsively dedicated herself to God after her first husband's death. Their love is forbidden because of Nell's vow and because of Simon's humble birth. Gambling on Henry's goodwill, Nell and Simon marry, setting in motion events that will affect Western history. As Henry's ineptitude as king becomes more and more evident, Simon and a group of fellow aristocrats rebel. One of Simon's staunchest allies is Llewelyn, the uncrowned Prince of Wales, grandson to the Welsh leader who brought Henry's father to his knees. Llwelyn is dedicated to his grandfather's vision of a united Wales that can withstand the might of the British empire. But Llewelyn's ambitions are thwarted by the machinations of his brothers, Owain and Davydd who hunger for their own share of power governing Wales. "Falls the Shadow" is the story of two great men: Simon de Montfort, who set the stage for modern parliamentary government and Llewelyn, who sought to protect and save his country from destruction. Both strong-willed, ambitious men, they share the strengths and weaknesses that ultimately doom their endeavors. Simon is a man of honor who genuinely believes that all men should act selflessly in favor of principles which are more important than individual profit. His nobility blinds him to the self-interest that compels his closest allies to betray him. This vivid novel brings to life the characters and the setting of medieval England.

I can only imagine what a daunting task it was to attempt a sequel to Here Be Dragon's, one of the best novels ever written. SKP did brilliantly, however, in this sequel. At least it is a sequal chronologically. If carries on from the Llewellyn-Joanna-King John story, to that of their children and the complicated ties between the Welsh and the English.

It is touching, heartwrenching, and completely fascinating. It is the story of Simon de Montfort's attempt to bring representative goverment to England. It was doomed to fail though as it was an idea whose time had not yet come. There are many other sub plots to this story. The secondary characters are as fascinating as Simon himself. There are many parts in the story where some tissue will come in handy although it never gets bogged down in misery. As in HBD's, touching moments are sprinkled through the story in the most charming way.

The only draw back is that it does get bogged down in a couple places due to the sheer number of characters coming in and out of the story. A list of who's who would've been a big help. Even still, it was a fascinating read by a brilliant story teller. Highly recommended!

great book and in great shape...just what I needed for a great price

This book was a hit with our 10-year-old grandson. When it first arrived, his mother showed it to him and went over some parts of it, then left it to him to read at length. He doesn't pore over it, but we've noticed what he'll do is read a little at a time. If he has questions, he brings them to his mother or to us. It has been a great conversation starter and avoided many an awkward situation, laying the foundation for some good discussions and teaching opportunities.

This book is along the lines of the American Girls' book called The Care and Keeping of You, but it goes a step farther. It introduces your young girls to middle school issues about the body and feelings for boys and such. It is a conversation starter. I wondered how to bring the subject up with my daughter without pushing it on her before she was ready. This book (which my daughter saw on the shelf at the bookstore and asked to buy) tastefully brings up the subject matter so she can have a jumping off point when she is ready to start asking questions. I recommend the AG book first and then move her up to this one for more IN-DEPTH information on her own body, as well as an introduction to what boys are like.

I read the reviews on this book before purchasing and no one mentioned how this book not only talks about BOYS but GIRLS parts and what they go through too! Why on earth would my 11 year old son need to know where the clitoris is?? I was pleased with the book until I got to that part! a full drawing of all the parts of a girls vagina.. they may as well talked about oral sex while they were at it! I also didn't like all the sex talk.. I wanted a book to explain to a boy about hair, their penis getting hard, growing bigger etc. and yes, talking about sperm and sex are fine, but talking about "coming?" inside a girl!? I don't know.. maybe I'm old fashioned but I'm saving this book until he's about 14-15....

This was one of two books I purchased for my ten year old son. He thought it was more graphic than he wanted. He read it second and so the topics were not being seen for the first time. That said, he has re-read both books many times over the last month or so. I think the combination of books is good and covers all the neccessities in growing up. Yes I did read the book before I gave it to him and approved of the content. The other book was What's going on down there?

Mom in St. Louis

My son just turned 10 and I want him to be prepared (he sees his 11 year old sister "changing" and he's interested in when his own puberty will start) and has been watching for his own new hair growth. We needed a book that addressed his interest and possible concerns about what puberty was and what to expect for himself.

This book fit the bill exactly! It has very accessible text, nice color illustrations that don't overdo the "cute" factor that some illustrations attempt. Topics covered were what I wanted him to know about and I approved of the straight forward but not over-the-top approach to how much information was presented for this age group.

This isn't a text that tries to impose the author's own morals or ethics, but merely impart important information to children on the cusp of puberty (or already there) and let them know that the changes (emotional and physical) and feelings are normal and who to talk to about when they're not sure.

I also very much appreciated that the last section of the book addresses what's going on with girls at the same (or not) time.

Just the right amount of text and length for the age and topic when you're moving from a basic book on the "birds and the bees" to more specific information aimed at the child himself and his body and feelings. I also appreciated that the author addresses the changing hygiene needs of the child.

My husband decided to read it aloud to our son the first time through, so he could ask questions and they could talk about my husband's own experiences in puberty. Now he can have it to read at his own pace and what topic is interesting to him at the moment.

We purchased the same book, but for girls for our daughter, to use in addition to the excellent one by American Girl that the previous review mentions. My daughter loves that book and I've looked for a long time for one like it for boys. This is it! I don't think you can go wrong if you're looking for an open, accessible and just the right length book to get the discussion rolling at your house.

I bought this book for my son as a birthday present, as he and I both like stories with Native American influences. He has read it many times since receiving it, especially when he wants to feel closer to me or to get through a bad day. This book is a wonderful addition to any young child's collection of stories.

This is a book we give as a gift for new babies and their families. It is a beautiful book with colorful illustrations and meaningful text. It is definitely a "keepsake".

RSW/Mechanicsburg,Pa.

My 1 yr old son enjoys having this read to him; however, my tongue doesn't. I find this book miserable to read. Unlike other books which tend to have more rhyme and rhythm, this one just has waaaaaaay too many adjectives and I find myself stumbling over the long sentences. Sometimes I even leave a few words out!

You may argue that it's the message that really counts (albiet this book tends to be a little mushy about it), but at the end of day, after having had my patience tried more times than I'd like to think, having to plow through this book is the last thing I want to do.

The illustrations are wonderful and my son DOES enjoy the book, and so I give it three stars for that.

This is a lovely gift for a new baby (forget the layette items, people get too many anyway!) - this and On the Night You Were Born are the books I send to all the new people I know. The sentiment in this book is perfect. In the prose-like text of this book, the little one is welcomed by the earth - the pictures are bold and fun to look at. I love it.

This wonderful book has become a personal tradition in my family. I give a copy to the parents for each new baby born. What better way to welcome the newest additions.

Classroom discussions: Using math talk to help students learn. Grades 1-6 is a practical resource that provides a deep look into the importance of the role that communication plays in mathematics learning and teaching. It is a useful and detailed guide for teachers who want to explore the ways on how to bring communication into their mathematics lessons and have students actively engaged in math talk that results in deeper mathematical understanding.
The book provides teachers with a variety of tools and strategies that are an essential part of a classroom where math talk is used. The book gives suggestions on how to get started and what to do when unexpected difficulties arise. The authors of the book also share ideas on components of an effective lesson planning.
To illustrate tools and strategies, vignettes of teachers' discussions with students and case studies are presented in the book. They providing teachers with a deeper insight into how to use math talk more effectively. Readers can also find a full section on the usefulness of math talk for developing students' conceptual knowledge in mathematics "as they build connections among mathematical ideas and concepts that include computation, reasoning, problem solving, terminology, symbol, definitions, and forms of representation".
Trying a new approach or strategy can be challenging for both teachers and students. That is why, as the book recommends, it is important to try one new thing at a time and also give adequate time to learn how to use new tools and strategies.
Overall, the book reads smoothly and is easy to follow. I will recommend reading this book and trying to use some of the tools and strategies discussed in the book in your classroom.

This book is great for helping your child figure out fifth grade math. Wish I had of found out about them sooner. It is great for us parents who have been out of school for a while, because you can look and see how to do a problem, get your mind refreshed, and then explain it to the child

We used this textbook for my son's 6th grade year. It was easy to use and yet up to state standards for education. Son tested out above 10th grade level at end of this year in standardized testing. Would recommend this to other home-schooling moms.

This book is wonderful. The explanations in each lesson are very simple and concise. In addition, with each set of new problems, previous concepts are reviewed by interspersing new concepts with old so the child is always building on material they have learned and reinforcing old material. This is the way a math book should be. My son, who was in 6th grade when he used this book, really grasped the concepts whereas, previously, he had struggled a bit with math. I highly recommend this book. My 5th grader uses it now and completely understands the book also. Excellent!!