Refuge on Crescent Hill, by Melanie Dobson

Ok, so you guys and gals know that I'm not normally a big fan of Christian fiction, right? I probably sound like a broken record around here because I keep saying that Christian fiction is generally unbelievable, poorly written, blah, blah, blah. I honestly think this is a huge shame because Christians should be writing in stellar fashion. Yet they do not for some strange reason which I cannot understand. I find it frustrating that so much of it is published when I feel like so little of it is worth reading.

Then came Refuge on Crescent Hill: A Novel,by Melanie Dobson. I'm as excited about this one as I was about The Silent Gift by Michael Landon, Jr. (Click on the title to read my review of that one.) Hands down thrilling good fun. And unfortunately I picked it up and started reading it on a really busy day. Which meant I read it as fast and furiously as I possibly could in any spare minute that I could find but it still took me two days. Two days of bliss and suspenseful agony all at the same time! Don't you just love it when a book manages to wrap you up in that manner? This book reminds me why I like to read: for the pure, unadulterated pleasure of curling up with a fantastic story and becoming swept away in another person's world.

To give you a basic idea of what this book is about - Camden Bristow is a jobless and homeless photographer when she decides to return to visit her grandmother who lives in Etherton, Ohio. Her grandmother lives in an old mansion known as Crescent Hill. Camden arrives to discover some shocking and life changing news and throughout the remainder of the book, a mystery surrounding Crescent Hill slowly begins to unravel. I don't want to provide any spoilers so that's all I'm going to say about the plot.

This book involved history, suspense, and some muted romance (I'm always grateful when it's muted.) It also involves a bumbling bad guy that produced a chuckle or two, even though I didn't like him. The twists and turns and the way Dobson weaves her story together is just an all-around pleasurable reading experience. This is how much I liked it: she made all kinds of pop culture references - and I didn't even care. I was so wrapped up in the story that I would note the reference and, with a quick snotty sniff in the air, I would move on past it. (I still wish they weren't in there and then I would likely have nothing to complain about and my review would be all "like, I love this book so much!!!" But what are you going to do?)

This book was just fun. With eager anticipation I breezed through the pages, wondering what would happen next. Sometimes I guessed right and sometimes I guessed wrong. I had a good time.

Just to rehash:

Fun
Artful
Suspenseful
Historically interesting
Compelling Characters


This is really not so much of a review as a "rave" that I almost feel ridiculous writing this up! I know JUST the friend I'm going to pass this one off to because I know she'll absolutely love it. This is exactly the type of book that you want to read with a friend so that you can talk about the coolness of it. Refuge on Crescent Hill is a blast of an experience.

Ok, running out of adjectives but...happiness rules the day with this one!

In the meantime, I'm excessively happy with Melanie Dobson and have added her other titles to my own Amazon wishlist for future reading pleasures. If this is her usual style - I'm all about Melanie Dobson books. Hook, line and sinker!

Thanks, Kregel Publications, first of all for publishing this book and then for sending me a copy to read.

Bella (Giveaway)

You might recognize her as Lettice, because that is how this little bunny originally appeared in UK. However, Tiger Tales is reintroducing this adorable little rabbit to the U.S. population with a new name: Bella. Personally, I favor the Americanization of this bunny rabbit as I think Bella is a softer name. (And not to be confused with the Twilight series AT ALL, thankyouverymuch!)

Bella was born in the mind of Mandy Stanley, who originally trained for a career in the fashion industry creating baby wear. Now that I'm aware of that, I can see her love of children and babies in the way that she has illustrated this little rabbit.

Now, you all know that I do not have a little girl of my own to read these to, but I'm hanging onto them anyway with a hope. =D Why!? These books are adorable. Fanciful. Magical. Endearing. (And therefore subject to a great many italics in the description of them!)

I opened up a box from Tiger Tales Publishers and inside I found Bella: The Birthday Party. Before I had even opened up the cover of the book, my heart was sold! There is something about the pink gingham and the sparkling fairy dress that Bella is wearing. I knew I was going to LOVE it! And I was right.



In Bella: The Birthday Party I met Bella who lives with her family 'high up on top of a hill.'

"Every day was the same, until one summer afternoon . . ."

Bella meets a little girl who is chasing a balloon. It is the girl's birthday and she invites Bella to join in the party. Bella has a wonderful time playing with the children but soon it starts to rain. The little girl begins to cry, believing her party to be ruined. This is when Bella comes in and saves the day by taking the children to a "beautiful secret spot" that is a magical looking place. The children feast on cake and Bella is heralded as having saved the day! Bella is sent back home with a bag of treats to share with her family and a bunny balloon all for herself.

Could this book possibly BE any cuter? I think not.

Next up I discovered Bella: The Fairy Ball. Do you know what my little Anne of Green Gables heart did then!? (Thump, thump, thump!!)

"Nibble, nibble. Hop, hop. Every day was the same, until one summer afternoon . . ."

Bella is making a daisy chain when she feels the sharp tug of a fairy on the other end. Off she goes to spend some time with fairies. The fairies like Bella and sprinkle golden fairy dust on her to make her tiny, just like them. She has a delightful day with the fairies and then is sent home again with the gift of one wish that they promise will come true. What is Bella's wish? Well, you'll just have to read the books to find out!

I think these books are awesome and adorable. (Insert: gush, gush, gush!) I like Bella. I like Bella a lot.

Someone needs to loan me a little girl to read to and play with for a bit, me thinks!

In the meantime, the best I can do is offer a giveaway to one of you (assuming you have a girl, or know of one) that you would like to share these with. Tiger Tales has very generously offered a set of these two books to one Reading to Know reader. All you have to do is leave a comment below. This contest will be open through Thursday, July 8th. It is open to U.S. Residents only.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Best fairy wishes to you!

Hopping off,
Carrie

Reading My Library

Ok, I lied. I'm keeping Reading My Library alive. My book stacks are lowering so I feel that life is manageable once again. =D




You can check out my latest Progress Report over there if you like and I will be keeping Read Aloud Thursday posts over there also.

I was debating the merits of keeping two separate book blogs, but I feel that their purpose is so wholly different (in certain respects) that if you want to hear about books to find for your children at the library, well, you'll just have to follow me in two places. Sorry if that's a pain but it's an orderly-in-MY-mind-anyway decision and I'm going to go with it.

That, and I really like the design of the blog over there and it was a sad thought to say goodbye to it. ;D

Rescuing Ambition

I just finished reading this title from Crossway Books. I closed it, laughing at myself (in a sad little way) and addressed my own self. "Carrie," I said, "You are an idiot!" (I had to say this to myself because I'm sure that most of you would be too polite to say such a thing to my face. I'll save you the trouble.)

Rescuing Ambition was an exciting read. It stirred up feelings of elation and amusement all at once. I was convicted and gratified, encouraged and corrected. In short, it was awesome!!!!

I liked this book for a myriad of reasons, nonetheleast of which was the fact that author Dave Harvey makes the statement that, "Ambition is a good thing." We were created to be ambitious, he says. We are programed to be glory seekers. To say that one is ambitious is not a bad thing (although we like to claim it is at times.) I liked this book because Christians are quicker to point out the need for humility than they are to point out the fact that God made us to be a people who accomplish great things. I've heard the message, and I'm sure that you have too, that we should be humble and quiet (which I always read to mean "quiet" and "boring" and then I lose interest in whatever it is that the speaker is saying.) Inside of me is a burning-to-boiling over passion to LIVE out dreams and it grows wearisome to present a dream to have it knocked down with the humility club time and time again, as if I'm a less than pious person because I have big ideas. (Not to say that I'm not occasionally-to-very-often prideful - because I am human. But I have dreams because I'm human, created in God's image, and that's the way that God created me to be!) So imagine my delight when Harvey makes the statement right off the bat that:

"Humility, rightly understood, shouldn't be a fabric softener on our aspirations. True humility doesn't kill our dreams; it provides a guardrail for them." (page 14)

In other words, have your dreams and pursue them even. But test them and see if they are God-given and are built out of a desire to do things for God's glory or your own. Therein lies the distinction and frequently the dilemma.

I think that this book is incredibly important for the pious Christian who walks with downcast eyes who do not dare to do anything big for fear that they will overstep their humility bounds. This book is a very kind (and really amusing, thanks to the author's humor and wit!) slap in the face that says, "Hey YOU! God made you to be ambitious!" The other glorious thing is that Harvey doesn't say that the only way that one can pursue their ambitions rightly is is they declare their intent to be a missionary on foreign fields. Housewives can be ambitious, just as business man and teenagers can be - right where they are, pursuing the passions that God placed inside of each one of them.

But wait. It's not just any ambition that will do. Harvey is careful to point out we aren't to be about seeking to glorify ourselves, or puff ourselves up, or set ourselves up on very high pedestals. Rather, we want to be seeking glory, honor and immortality in Christ will be rewarded with eternal life. (He cites Romans 2:6-8)

"Glory grabs us. But even more than that, it arouses something in our souls. It stirs us. We experience something totally vicarious, some strange exercise in identification. And make no mistake, it goes deep. It calls to something we value. To do something that matters. To seek something greater than our own puny existence.
It's an instinct for glory.
It pops up in a stark contrast Paul portrays in Romans between two groups of seekers. On one side are "those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality"; on the other side "those who are self-seeking." To the first group, God "will give eternal life"; for the second, "there will be wrath and fury" (Romans 2:6-8).
Try to wrap your brain around this: God doesn't oppose glory-seeking; He commends it. And what's more astounding, he rewards it with eternal life." (Page 22)

So the first thing to note is: Ambitions are good! If you don't have them (or don't think you do) then Harvey suggests, in so many words, that you examine who you live your life for.

The second thing to note is that ambitions can cause us trouble if we are pursuing them for the wrong reasons or with an incorrect motive. We are glory seekers, after all, and frequently we (I) find that our greatest delight is in seeking our own glory.

"Sometimes it gets pretty bad. I want to claim King Solomon's boast: "I became great and surpassed all who were before me" (Eccles. 2:9). Yeah, who wants to be just "good" or "equal"? "Great" and "surpassing all" sounds so much better. Come on, folks, crown me the Sultan of Awesome and parade me through the streets filled with people yelling my name. Make sure everyone's there from my old neighborhood who ever dared question my greatness. I'll capture it on Facebook for anyone who missed it.
Pretty sad, huh?" (page 43)

It is easy to get caught up in how much we are doing for ourselves. I like to think of myself as a pretty great person. So I found Harvey's words of advice and admonition to really examine one's self and one's motives to be apropos. The best advice though, and the one that I think we all like to ignore, is to have "mirror" friends. Those are the ones who will call you on the carpet for misplaced motivates. They are the ones who will ask you the "why" behind the actions you have decided to take. If you have such "mirrors" in your life, the chances of you staying the course and ultimately seeking God's glory are higher. Without people in our lives who are allowed to become close enough to ask the "why" - we are setting ourselves up for failure in this department.

I'm very blessed to have mirror friends in my life. It is admittedly hard for me when they ask me, "WHY are you doing this?" I tend to become defensive and offended. How dare s/he question my motives? But I got the point Harvey was trying to make and I'm learning to be grateful that I have friends close enough to ask me those important questions. I can see that God has gifted them to me to draw me closer to Himself and keep me focused on Him.

Lastly, I did appreciate Harvey's discussion about meeting with failure - for certainly we all will.

"Most people view failure like the flu - avoid it at all costs. We stay away from others who fail, as if we're afraid we might be infected with failure germs. That's a bit shortsighted, not to mention insufficiently biblical.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to pioneer a new paradigm that makes failure a goal worth pursuing. (Johnny wants to go bankrupt: "Go, Johnny, go!") And I'm certainly not suggesting we overlook our foolish choices that lead to failure. We must always distinguish between the act of failing - which often relates to our own sin, weakness, or limitations - and God's purposes in allowing us to fail." (page 139)

" . . . not all failure is sin, but all sin is failure." (page 139)

Now, my personality is to leap headfirst into every situation and then discover somewhere along the way that whatever I decided wasn't such a great idea. I'm not very cautious when it comes to trying some new idea that popped into my head. It doesn't really rankle me when I need to redirect and stop putting effort into something that just isn't working out. I just move on. (This trait drives my cautious husband nuts at times. He has been great at keeping me balanced and vice versa!)

It is a good word to me to be told to examine my motives and realize that sometimes my "good ideas" are born from a sinful attitude or thought. I should check in with God periodically (heh) and see if He REALLY wants to pursue all of my "GREAT ideas!!!" or if I should back off or be a bit more patient with my genius.

I have much to learn.

At the same time, I KNOW I've been pursuing some great things that have just not worked out the way that I wanted them to. Plans have been thwarted. What was supposed to be easy and joyous has been a tumultuous road. What about the plans that I was pursuing because I really felt like God was leading me somewhere that ended up all, well, messed up?

Harvey speaks of taking risks for the glory of God and walking in blind faith to the things He has called us into: "God's design in that is to drive you to dependence upon Him." (page 180)

He says:

"Risk always leads us to experience God in a deeper way. This is by design. Risk rescues us from misplaced security by anchoring us in the eternal." (page 180)

Harvey encourages us to understand that with great risk comes great difficulty. But this keeps us grounded and focused and in a position where we want to be SURE that we are following after God and pursuing that which HE called us to. (Not what we imagined we were called to.) Walking ambitiously for Christ will expose us to uncertainty. We can be sure of trials and tribulations and should not expect otherwise. (Matthew 5:11-12; John 15:20; Acts 20:22-23)

I felt like I received a great slap on the hand and almost a refresher course in Christianity 101 by reading this. Certain ideas that had been floating around in my head fell into place and I closed this book laughing at myself for various deficiencies and sinful thoughts and being energized for the road ahead. Yes, I will still face trials and temptations and will be persecuted for my beliefs. Why should I expect otherwise? I should not be surprised by this in any respect. (Although it's for certain that I will likely never learn to enjoy the trials, even if I DO believe that they are for my ultimate good. It's hard to believe that in the moment, is it not?)

At the same time, I should hold onto godly ambition and pursue it! Why? Because that's what I was made to do!

I couldn't recommend Rescuing Ambition more highly.

Thanks to my favorite Crossway Books for sending me this book to read. I am WOW-ed!

Bonhoeffer, by Eric Metaxas

I read this book about a month back and reviewed it over at 5 Minutes for Books.

I planned some follow-up thoughts which I wanted to share over here, but unfortunately got sidetracked and am just making my way back to it!

There is simply so much in this 600 page book to cover and discuss concerning the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer that it's hard to limit one's self to a simple review of the book. What I said over at 5 Minutes for Books still stands, of course. I just wanted to share some quotes from this book which make Bonhoeffer stand out, to me, as someone to be admired.

First off, to help you understand Bonhoeffer a little bit better, you should know that he is from a family of eight children. His father was a prominent psychiatrist/neurologist in Germany and his mother was a German countess. Their family was well-connected in Germany and their home a happy one. They loved Germany fiercely and proudly and it broke their hearts when Hitler came into power and destroyed the country that they loved so well.

It was rather shocking when young Dietrich declared that he meant to grow up and be a theologian. His father was not a Christian and his mother was more religious, I think, being the daughter of a theologian herself. What I loved hearing about was how serious German seminaries took their doctrine and theology. There was nothing "fluffy" about saying that you wanted to become a minister. Becoming one involved an in depth study of the scripture, constant argument and proving of one's belief system, and whole hearted devotion. This is the seminary system that Dietrich was educated in. In fact, when he came to America he was rather appalled at how loosely Americans held to their faith. He felt that this country did not take their faith very seriously. So said one who essentially laid down his life for what he believed in. Bonhoeffer took his beliefs very seriously.

His family was less than pleased with his choice to study theology. Metaxas writes:

"His brother Karl-Friedrich was the least pleased with Dietrich's decision. Karl-Friedrich had already distinguished himself as a brilliant scientist. He felt Dietrich was turning his back on scientifically verifiable reality and escaping into the fog of metaphysics. In one of their arguments on this subject, Dietrich said, "Dass es einen Gott gibt, dafur lass ich mir den Kofp abschlagen." which means something like, "Even if you were to knock my head off, God would still exist." (Chapter 1, Family and Childhood)

For anyone who has ever had to go up against their family on a matter of faith, you know how truly difficult this can be. Dietrich believed in God though and there was no turning back for him. He was consistent in his beliefs and his statement throughout his lifetime.

Bonhoeffer wrote a few books, one of which is entitled Life Together. Bonhoeffer had a rather unique view at the time that in order to be a Christian, one must live among them. He believed that the best way to understand the faith is to model it to one another. (Fancy the thought, hmm?) I agree with this idea for the most part. I don't think it should lead to things like communes, where we only fellowship with those we agree with in total. (For the record, Dietrich wasn't a fan of the commune idea either.) He did live with groups of seminary students and they remarked at how they came to understand the concepts of guilt and grace from the way that Bonhoeffer treated them. (Chapter 8, Berlin)

I think too often today we think that our faith is a private thing. It's something that should be lived internally and not externally. We don't feel like we want to go around rocking anyone's boat and so we keep our opinions to ourselves and try not to create conflict. Certainly 'in as much as is possible' (Romans 12:8) we should live in peace with all men, but that verse does not command silence or faith to be confined within the four walls of your home.

Furthermore, Christians today are less open with one another. Potlucks are a chore. Inviting people into your home to fellowship with them is almost unheard of! We've forgotten to live alongside one another, sharing our faith and making it real. We segregate ourselves into denominations or, when we can't find a church to suit ourselves, we go and create churches of one. We live alone. That's not living by faith and Dietrich became a proponent of living in fellowship and community with other Christians so that the gospel message would be more fully realized.

Bonhoeffer certainly was not one to be concerned about rocking the boat or creating unrest. What he most desired was that people would think through their belief system and choices to understand God and God's will for their lives. He lived rather fearlessly, actually, making the following statement at twenty-eight years of age:

"There is no way to peace along the way of safety. For peace must be dared, it is itself the great venture and can never be safe. Peace is the opposite of security. To demand guarantees is to want to protect oneself. Peace means giving oneself complete to God's commandment, wanting no security, but in faith and obedience laying the destiny of the nations in the hand of Almighty God, not trying to direct it for selfish purposes. Battles are won, not with weapons, but with God. They are won when the way leads to the cross." (Chapter 16, The Conference at Fano)

That is a pretty powerful statement. I think it stands alone so I'll not comment on it.

Bonhoeffer does get in to the how's and why's of why Dietrich decided to participate in a plot to assassinate Hitler. Certainly he wrestled over the question. In actuality, he was involved in a lesser way than I had previously thought. He did consider Hitler a risk and an evil that needed to be stopped. That is for sure and certain. It is very hard to fathom all that Hitler managed to accomplish during his dastardly reign. Metaxas details some of the Nazi horrors and at one point I had to stop reading because I was overwhelmed with the horror and sorrow of what went on in German concentration camps. The crimes against humanity were atrocious, and the Bonhoeffers were aware of what they were at the time. It's rather easy to see why Dietrich Bonhoeffer chose to participate in the attempted demise of Hitler in the manner that he did. He wrote the following statement:

"If we want to be Christians, we must have some share in Christ's large-heartedness by acting with responsibility and in freedom when the hour of danger comes, and by showing a real sympathy that springs, not from fear, but from the liberating and redeeming love of Christ for all who suffer. Mere waiting and looking on is not Christian behavior. The Christian is called to sympathy and action, not in the first place by his own sufferings, but by the sufferings of his brethren, for whose sake Christ suffered." (Chapter 28, Cell 92 at Tegel Prison)

I think, given the circumstances and historical situation that Dietrich found himself in, it's hard to judge. I'm adamantly opposed to the idea that Christians would take matters in their own hands and try to carry out justice single-handedly. For example, I'm 150% against the idea of individuals killing abortionists for the sake of the unborn. True, I am also 150% against abortions. But we must respect the authority structure put into place. The state has the right to enact justice. Not individuals who think they know best. As a Christian - the best thing we can do when we dislike a situation is to pray over it and follow any legal means to change situations that we don't agree with (i.e., call your congressman, go out and vote, etc.)

In any case, Dietrich Bonhoeffer made his choices and I struggle with them to some degree. So did he.

That said, he went ahead and he died convinced that his death on earth was the beginning of life in Heaven. His faith was firm and strong unto the end. His fellow Nazi prisoners noted his calm acceptance when he was called forth to be hung for his actions against Hitler. One of the prisoners said of Bonhoeffer, ". . . He was one of the very few men that I have ever met to whom his God was real and ever close to him." (Chapter 30, Buchenwald)

The camp doctor at Flossenburg gave the following account of Bonhoeffer's last moments:

"I was most deeply moved by the way this lovable man prayed, so devout and so certain that God heard his prayer. At the place of execution, he again said a short prayer and then climbed the steps to the gallows, brave and composed." (Chapter 31, On the Road to Freedom)

At the memorial service which was held for Bonhoeffer in England, they sang the hymn "For All the Saints" which, having taken a peek at the full lyrics, I think is quite fitting.



For all the saints, who from their labors rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,
Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

Thou wast their Rock, their Fortress and their Might;
Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well fought fight;
Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

Certainly there is a lot to think about in reading about the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. For my part, I walked away inspired, touched and moved by the conviction and belief that this man lived his life by. I'm glad to have had the opportunity to read this biography and learn more about a rather remarkable man who lived during a remarkable period in history.

Loving God With All Your Mind

So who won this?


(And the workbook to go with it?)

And this?



And this?



Jen N, (comment #6) that's who! Congrats, Jen! =) You sounded excited about it so I hope you will really enjoy this whole set of goodies from Harvest House Publishers.

Thanks to everyone who entered. Hope you all are enjoying a fabulous weekend! (Sorry- I forgot to announce this yesterday!)

Usborne Activity Cards

One final note before the weekend....

Last year I reviewed these Usborne Activity Cards:

The other day we were playing outside and I pulled the cards out and we played with them on the deck. There is such a huge variety of cards to choose from (50 double-sided cards in the pack!) and we had fun making funny faces and working through mazes. These cards are fantastic things to stick in your purse, or in the backseat of the car when you need something fun to do. (Or, in our case, just pull them out on a sunny day when you are getting tired of running around and want to cool off!)

I'm sure you are getting tired of me saying this but -- when I was at the Book Expo -- I came across the EDC Publishing/Usborne Books booth and I was amazed at the wide variety and assortment of activity cards that they offered from this series. (I didn't realize their was such a long line of cards!) They kindly sent me some samples and we have been looking through them and enjoying them.

We took the 100 Animals to Spot at the Zoo (Spotter Cards) with us on our zoo trip a week ago. On the way up I handed the cards over to Bookworm1 and he was entertained by looking through the cards and guessing at which animals we might see on our visit.

When he wanted to know more about a particular animal, he would hand the card over and we would read the information the card provided. The cards told us where the animals originated, what they like to eat and certain behaviors. At age three, I only read Bookworm1 the pertinent information but there was plenty of details for older kids as well. I would say that these cards are probably best suited for ages 4-10 but they suited our purposes quite nicely. We did not take them into the zoo, although that is their intended purpose. They are designed so that you can walk the zoo with them and learn from them as you go. We used them more as preparation and entertainment as we drove to the zoo and that worked great for us. I'm sure you can come up with your own ways to use the cards as well. They were quite fun.

After celebrating Space Day - I was very curious to check out 100 Things to Spot in the Night Sky. Now these cards are over our head but that didn't stop me from flipping through them and explaining constellations and meteors to Bookworm1. I'm going to definitely hang on to these cards and use them on some summer evening when Bookworm is old enough to stay up until after it is dark so that we can do some star gazing from our deck together. These cards are AWESOME and guide the user to find constellations in the night sky. There is a "Starting Star Spotting" card to get you going, as well as a Northern sky map. Each card then provides you with something to look for and a description to help lead you along. Look for things like Canis Minor and learn about the phases of the moon. Use a telescope or don't, but these cards make star gazing a little more exciting and entertaining.

Definitely something to have on hand for the next Space Day!

Lastly, we checked out 50 Science Things to Make and Do. This is a particular awesome deck of cards to have around during the summer time. It offers a variety of activities you can do with your kids (and they can potentially do on their own!) to explore their world.

Ideas:

* Visual exercises to see how your brain can trick your eyes
* Separation of colors
* Making "gloop"
* Learning about water power
* Learning about bugs
* Learning about inertia
* Making a rubber band paddle boat

There are plenty of things to do and because they are all a bit over our heads as well, and because the Book Expo has given us plenty to keep us occupied with, I'm going to offer to send this set of 50 Science Things to Make and Do to one of you! I do think these things look awfully fun but why should we sit on them when one of you can be USING them!

Enjoying exploring the world with your kids this summer! Hope you have fun.

Thanks, EDC Publishers, for allowing me to check out your cards. You guys do an awesome job creating quality products and this mother is grateful for you!

THIS POST WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED AS A GIVEAWAY. THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

Summer Reading

Lots of people are out there talking about what books are great to read with your kids this summer. But what about the mommies and the daddies?! Although we don't have nearly the same amount of time as the kidlets, we still like to read whenever we get a chance. So here's my list of Top Ten Summer Reads that *I* would recommend to you, Oprah style (har, har), that I think meet the criteria of offering "good, clean fun." Furthermore, I'm going to stretch myself NOT to put The Mysterious Benedict Society on the list, nor will I stoop to mentioning Strictest School in the World series. I think they go without saying. (So instead of linking to my reviews, I'll unashamedly link those titles up to Amazon so that anyone who needs to can rectify their reading situation to include having read those books.) Now. On with my Top Ten List:

#1 - Miss Fortune (on sale at Amazon right now for $4.60!)

Miss Fortune is Book 1 in the Allie Fortune (Christian) mystery series which is set during World War II. I would say that these books are less Christian and more just clean, if that makes sense. It's just simple fun, but a storyline that draws the reader in. I reviewed Miss Fortune and the sequel over at 5 Minutes for Books last year.




#2 - Miss Match (the sequel to Miss Fortune and on sale at Amazon for $5.60) You really can't beat two fun reads for about $10!

#3 - The Sacred Cipher: A Novel I keep harping on this one but I'll continue doing so until the cows come home. This one is an adventure/suspense novel, not unlike the National Treasure movies. I wrote a review of The Sacred Cipher over at 5 Minutes for Books and now it's sitting on Jonathan's TBR stack awaiting his attention. Whenever he finds the time (Insert: raucous laughter) to read it, he'll post his thoughts. (There. Now I've put that in print. haha! But I still have to read a book that he told me he wanted me to read so we're kinda even.)

#4 - Summer at Tiffany


Again, this is another book I reviewed at 5 Minutes for Books (what are all my good summer reads doing over there anyway, huh, Jennifer?!?!) ;) LOVED this memoir which even has the word "summer" in the title, which should alone convince you that it's a fun summer read. (No? Well. Trust in Me.)



Cccertainly take my word for it!

#5 - Cordelia Underwood: Or the Marvelous Beginnings of the Moosepath League - Good luck finding this title, but if you can - GRAB IT! My friend Sky originally recommended it to me and it's been years since I've read it and really ought to pick it back up again. I've been hunting around for the sequels for almost two years now without success. Van Reid is an elusive author but one worth spending time with! It's a humorous story and one that is sure to please (although the characters can get a little confusing if you aren't paying close attention.) Worth the time though!



#6 - Hood - Fun twist on Robin Hood. I read and reviewed Hood in March last year and am shocked at how long it has taken for me to pick up the sequel. It's still sitting here, awaiting my attention. That's on MY summer "reading wish list."

#7 - The Magician's Nephew - Ok. C.S. Lewis was going to land on this list! If you haven't read any books in the Chronicles of Narnia, then this is a good place to start. Furthermore, I'll be hosting the Chronicles of Narnia Reading Challenge during the month of July (you can learn more about that HERE) to give you time to travel to Narnia during the summer. I hope you'll consider joining in!



#8 - Anything at all by P.G. Wodehouse. Jonathan's favorite is Leave It to Psmith. (He really likes Psmith.) Carrie's favorite is Ukridge. (I really like Ukridge.) Either which way - prepare to laugh and have a good time!

#9 - Coop. Because if you haven't - you really should. (It was just released in paperback!) You can read my review of Coop if you need further convincing beyond this one short paragraph.



#10 - Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast, by Robin McKinley. Apparently Lisa just read it and agrees with me that it is fun and fantastic!

Those would be my top recommendations. What would be yours?! Anything you'd like to share or add on to this list? Please be my guest and let us know what that one (or those many) titles would be!

Happy Summer Reading everyone!

History Project Books

My favorite part about going to the Book Expo was being able to wonder around the exhibit room and find publishers that I wasn't as familiar with. I really enjoyed exploring the aisles and checking out new book titles.

One publisher's booth that I came across belonged to Nomad Press. Their booth was a little piece of Heaven on earth for me - being that I love history and intend to homeschool my kids. But even if I didn't plan to homeschool my kids - I would still be a big fan of these books and would look for ways to utilize them in my own time and in my own way. Why? Because they are fantastic!

Nomad Press was generous in sending me three of their titles to take a peek at. I was excited about these books in the first place, but now that I've had a chance to browse through them more thoroughly, I'm even more interested and happy to introduce them to you (if you've not yet heard of them.)

Do you want to introduce your children to different time periods in history and help them to understand what it would be like to live in a different era? Look no further. Filled with craft activities, geography lessons, vocabulary lessons to fit the history lesson, fun facts and - of course! - history itself, these books offer a marvelous opportunity to delve into our past.

I took a look at three different titles:

1. Great Pioneer Projects You Can Build Yourself - Earmarked for ages 9-12, this book contains a variety of activities which range from easy to more difficult. (You can make your study as engaging as you like!) There are some fun ideas, such as creating and having the children go on a treasure hunt. As the book notes, "Many pioneers were following directions written in guidebooks giving information about where the trail went, where the good places were for water and grass, where rivers needed to be crossed, etc." It could be tricky getting to where they needed to be, so the idea behind the hunt is to make the children to recognize what the pioneers were up against!

The book also provides information on the Transcontinental Railroad, how pioneers built their homes, and pinhole cameras! (They give you instructions on how you can make your own pinhole camera also, should you be feeling so adventurous.)

2. Explore Colonial America!: 25 Great Projects, Activities, Experiments is designed for children ages 6-9. I really liked this book for the simplicity it offers in teaching the youngest generation how our country came to be. It includes basic maps of the original 13 Colonies that you can copy and have your children color.

There's an activity in here that I think we're going to have to try sooner, rather than later. Want to make an edible log cabin?! (Think thick pretzel sticks. Awesome!)

Because it is geared for younger children, there are a few jokes include to produce chuckles from the children (and likely groans from the adults.) Like the history books for the older kids, it also includes various vocabulary words to make our past more familiar. It also provides information on each of the colonies and the "major players" involved in founding America (i.e., Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson, etc.)

3. For the older kids, they also provide Great Colonial America Projects You Can Build Yourself! which, again, is designed for ages 9-12. This title provides a more in depth look at early colonial life, offering "Spotlights on Famous Colonists." The crafts and projects are more age appropriate.

A time line is also laid out so that you can get a clear picture of what significant events happened and in what time frame.

I think these books are fantastic and I plan on putting these, and others in Nomad Press's line of books, to good use during our school days. Here are a few of the titles which I know would be of interest in our household:




As you can see, Nomad Press offers a variety of books through which you can explore your world - both the past and the present. The nice thing is, they make it easier for you to explore the world, by making their books available on Amazon (which I know is how most of us order our books!) You can also order from Nomad Press.

I'm now delighted to let you know that Nomad Press is extended their generosity to one of you. They have offered to giveaway one of their titles to a Reading to Know reader. To win? Click over to the Nomad Press website and select the title that you would like to win. Come back here and leave a comment letting me know which one it is! It's that simple! (Except, if you are like me, you'll spend a lot of time clicking through the books and thinking about which titles you want to go through with your kids.)

This contest will be open through Thursday, July 1st and is open to U.S. Residents only.

Again, I think these books are probably going to hold the most appeal to home school moms. However, any parent could find a good way to put these books to use, especially during the upcoming summer holidays. Learning doesn't just happen in the classroom - and that's true no matter who you are!

Here's to making learning fun!

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED