A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Homeschooling

Seen and Unseen

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (Seen and Unseen) through Raincoast Books. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and is so much appreciated. 🙂

World War 2 was a hard time in history, it brought out the ugly in too many people for a variety of reasons.   Hitler brought out the ugly in his determination to create a master race and encourage his people to fight for him.  The attack by Japan (at Pearl Harbor) brought out the ugly in the American populace toward Japanese and Japanese/Americans.   This is not to say that some beauty didn’t occur during the war either, but sometimes, the biggest thing seen is the ugly. 

Seen and Unseen

The Basics of Seen and Unseen

Title: Seen and Unseen: What Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake, and Ansel Adam’s Photographs reveal about the Japanese American Incarceration.
Author: Elizabeth Partridge
Illustrator: Lauren Tamaki
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Formats Available: Kindle, Audiobook, Hardcover
Received: Advanced Readers Copy
Pages: 132
Intended Audience: 10-14 years, 5-9 grade
Reviewed for: Raincoast Books

Author Information: Author of 18 books, this American born former acupuncturist is now a full-time writer. On her website she notes that she is “drawn to pivotal moments in our American history that have been erased from our narrative.” This story fits within that interest. Most of her books are geared for children and middle school readers.

About Seen and Unseen: Three photographers. Three perspectives. And through the lenses of their cameras, three different views of one bitter chapter of American history. What can photographers teach us about the Japanese American Incarceration? Dorothea Lange: hired by the government as a photographic documentor. Toyo Miyatake smuggled photographic equipment into camps to show the true conditions. Ansel Adams was hired to take photos, he was determined to show the resilience of the incarcerated.

Digging Deeper

Three Photographers, three different perspectives, one section for each journalistic effort.   Photographs and line drawings fill the pages.  Since I received an advanced reader’s copy, most of the pages I saw were in black and white.   A few were in colour.  

You’d think happily smiling faces would mean things were good in the camp, but as time went on in the camps, the incarcerated residents found ways to escape camp for a bit. And sometimes, smiles are put into places to hide fear within (which you’ll learn with the photos by Adams.   Imagine… not knowing what you did wrong, and suddenly you lose everything and are stuck in a camp in the middle of nowhere.  Treated poorly, feed basic camp rations, surrounded by barb wire, etc.  Having your loyalty questioned continually and not knowing what you can say or do to prove yourselves. The fear and anger that would be part of your lives there.  Imagine what that would do to you and your families.    You will see this lived out in the pages of this photographic journal. 

I very much appreciated that this journal was not just a series of photos, but actually told the story of what happened with whole families.  American families, with American-born children. Trapped away from their lives, with no choices. 

Aren’t the pages filled in with colour nice?  The shades of orange highlighted over the yellow and black backgrounds.  It feels very oriental, and yet, not.  Respectful of the people involved, and yet showing the hardship they went through.   I wish the whole book had been done in colour! 

Helpful Additions

At the close of the book you’ll find a very helpful section that gives a bit more information into the history.  The section includes

  • After the War
  • Why Words Matter
  • Citizenship violated
  • Civil liberties and the Constitution
  • Biographies of the photographers
  • Notes from the author
  • Notes from the illustrator
  • The damage of the model minority myth
  • Photo Credits and Notes

Throughout this section, youth are helped to think through these issues.   To consider the government’s actions, even despite the anxieties of the time.

The photos each of these journalists took has a different perspective to it.  They each saw different things in this incarceration.  Some the unfairness of it all, others the stark reality of life, and yet others a shaded perspective of resilience. 

So, add it to your history lessons?

It is evident throughout that the author is unhappy with the US government for how they treated the Japanese Americans.   That she wants her readers to stop and think about how the government acts.  She uses language, drawings, and photos to help her readers think and to question what happened. 

And books like these are helpful in presenting a broader picture than what you might find in a textbook.  Combining this read with other middle school books such as Displacement and This Light Between Us will present a broader, richer experience for students.  This fuller experience allows students to form a deeper understanding of the issues and become better critical thinkers. 

Elizabeth Partridge did an excellent job of not only showing us history but also telling the story of how the authors got involved and how they were impacted.   Seen and Unseen is worth using in your American and WW2 history studies. 

What Does Your Daddy Do?

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (What Does Your Daddy Do?) through News 21 AM. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and is so much appreciated. 🙂

Consider the importance in encouraging children to see the good in a wide variety of occupations.  Joshua Page helps us consider the trade of being an electrician and hints at learning about being a plumber.  What other occupations can your youth consider?  A carpenter maybe?   Consider the value of working in the trades and help your children consider them as well. 

What Does your Daddy Do?

Basic Details

Title: What Does Your Daddy Do?
Author: Joshua Page
Formats available: Kindle, Paperback
Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
Pages: 44
Intended Audience: 4-9 years old
Genre: Family Life, School issues, careers
Reviewed For: News 21 AM

About the Author:

Joshua Page is a husband, father, and entrepreneur. He is passionate about getting kids involved with the trades.   He has been featured on many podcasts, a TEDx speaker, and a motivational public speaker.   When not busy running his electrical companies and inspiring others, he loves to spend time with his family.

Synopsis: 

In his new children’s book, What Does Your Daddy Do?, Page introduces young readers to Ashton, whose fifth-grade class is having career week. Ashton isn’t sure exactly what his dad does, so he goes home and asks him. Ashton then gets to learn about all the cool work his dad does as an electrician and all the interesting tools he gets to use. As career week continues, all the students get to share stories about what their parents do.

Looking Deeper into What does your daddy do?

What does your daddy do?  alternates full-colour images with plain pages of text.  The story takes us into the curious mind of an elementary boy asking his dad what he does.  Thusly we are taken into the life of an electrician working small and large jobs.

I expected to have the story written at a bit higher level as these are upper elementary children having this discussion, but I found the writing geared to younger children.  None-the-less the story told the basic work of an electrician.   I would have loved to have some discussion about the exact type of work that an electrician does.  For instance, how running pipes and wires can help a water slide work, or fixing a light switch can prevent fires, or just help someone read a book.   Just so more of the practical hands-on of the trade of an electrician. 

The brightness of the illustrated pages is attractive don’t you think?  The consistency in the colour palette and the clarity in the illustrations help bring the story to life. 

Add to your shelves?

I have to admit, I’m not sure what I think.  He talks about this being with a fifth-grade class, but I don’t find that it’s written with fifth-graders in mind.  It’s written more for younger children.  So that incongruity threw me off. 

But he does a good overview of describing some of what an electrician does, helping people with their wiring and other electrical issues. I could easily see this becoming a series as Sofia needed to learn what a plumber does.  The sheer number of trades you could cover would be fantastic. 

I really liked how Ashton’s dad explained what an electrician did to Ashton, and then Ashton had to take the knowledge back to his classroom.  That continuation of learning in What Does your Daddy Do? is part of what intrigues me about this title. 

Personally, I think it’s fantastic to bring the trades to life for our children.  Helping them to see the possibilities of what they might wish to do as they mature.  I do hope that Mr. Page continues this series, considering a whole range of occupations from Hair stylists, carpenters, daycare workers, as well as tool and die makers.  It’s fantastic to expose children to a wide range of occupations to help keep their options open. 

The Boy Behind The Door

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (The Boy Behind the Door) through Ascot Media Group. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and is so much appreciated. 🙂

For those who don’t know, I love history (it’s not the only think I love, but it’s up there eh?).  Anyways, books that tell a story, bringing history life… makes for a very good read you know?  The Boy behind the Door is a tale sending us into the life of a short Jewish Lad.  We take a front-row seat to his experiences as Germany swarmed over The Netherlands.  We see his bewilderment as growing restrictions are placed upon the Jewish population.  Learn how Salomon Kook escaped the Nazis in this short, historically-based, fiction read. 

The Boy behind the door

The Facts

Title: The Boy Behind the Door: How Saloman Kool Escapes the Nazis.
Publisher: Amsterdam Publishers
Reviewed For: Ascot Media Group
Pages: 194
Format Received: Softcover
Genre: History, WW2, Teen and Young Adult Survival, Jewish Literature, WW2 Fiction
Intended Audience: Teen, Young Adult

Author Information:

David Tabatsky is a writer, editor and performing artist based in New York City. David’s two passions have driven his career as a performer and writer. He has performed as an actor, clown and juggler around the world, in venues such as Lincoln Center, Radio City Music Hall, the Beacon Theatre, throughout Europe and Japan, and most notably at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

The Story:

Inspired by a real boy and real events shares the story of a Dutch teenager who survived World War II by eluding the Nazis time and time again as German forces occupied the Netherlands.  Learn the story of Salomon Kool and how through the kindness of others, and his own ingenuity, he survived in Nazi invasion of The Netherlands.

Looking More Closely at The Boy Behind the Door

Short chapters and careful character development fill the pages of this quick read.  I won’t say the reading is always easy.  But it was very much eye-opening.  I had not considered the war from the perspective of a Jewish family, particularly that of a young man.  Seeing through the eyes of a just past childhood all the limitations and dislike Jewish families faced.  Seeing how the Nazis worked to destroy families.  Not always easy.  But then seeing, oh, seeing people willing to help.  People willing to risk everything for people they didn’t even know.  How careful they had to be, and yet, risks taken. 

Written from the point of view of Salomon so you get to understand the ramifications of Nazi “enforcement policies” on the Jewish population.  Imagine not being able to play in a park, or watch a movie, go to visit your favourite barber, or not being able to walk on the sunny side of the street.   Things that affected real children in a dangerous time in history.  So very hard. 

Should you read it?

Despite the plethora of WW2 literature invading the bookshelves lately making it hard to choose what to read, The Boy Behind the Door shows a different perspective.   Seeing the war through the eyes of a child-man is eye-opening.  Well worth reading, particularly if you want to learn more about the war. 

This would be a great addition to students learning about the war. I can see teens reading and then discussing or writing papers about various topics raised.  It’s not always easy, but you know what?  War and the brutalization of a people is NOT an easy topic.  Learning about how hard it was perhaps might open eyes and ears so it never happens again!  Wouldn’t it be good if we could prevent THIS history from happening again? 

The Rowdy Randy Wild West Show

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (The Rowdy Randy Wild West Show) through Smith Publicity. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and is so much appreciated. 🙂

The Rowdy Randy Wild West Show invites us into Rowdy Randy’s world and the fun of a wild west show.  Take a light look at the animals of events of this historical period. Watch a strong female character organize her own Wild West Show.

The Rowdy Randy Wild West Show

The Basic Details of The Rowdy Randy Wild West Show

From the author: “The wildlife of the West inspired the Rowdy Randy series,” says Rislov. “Many people travel to Yellowstone and other National Parks to see these magnificent creatures. Rowdy Randy, the cowgirl horsefly, came about as the main character … We continued this second story with creating her own Wild West Show that is based off U.S. Western History. She is still the strong character that she was in the first book. In this book she is also a leader of many- and that all girls can be leaders too. I hope this series sparks a love of nature for children and brings more families outdoors to create their own brave adventures.”

You’ll find The Rowdy Randy Wild West Show to be a fast-moving story told over 32 pages in a hardcover book with dustcover.   Filled with full-colour images and a story suitable for children 5-7 years of age.  Animals are featured from all over the wild west with glimpses into US history.  

Seeing the Specifics

Striking full-colour images fill the pages.  The bright greens of a mallard,  bright blues of berries, and muted grey of mice are just some of the colours that will grab your attention.   Some of the animals are attired in human garments such as hard hats and postal bags. 

Not all the animals featured are real such as the jackalope, but in a book for children, I kinda expect some pretend to occur.  

You’ll find Rowdy Randy hard at work throughout, delegating people when she needs to, and encouraging people to be involved.   Before you know it, you see animals travelling by stagecoach, covered wagon, and on animal back.   You’ll find some references to US history in how people travelled, the pony express, and at the close of the book, to another, more well-known wild west show. 

Most of the time the language used suits the vocabulary of younger children, but more advanced language was used as well.   This occasionally made it harder to read out loud as these words didn’t flow as easily off the tongue.  I also wonder if the intended audience would understand them. 

Acrobatics, marksmanship, climbing events and more were the attractions of the Wild West Show hosted by Rowdy Randy.  I actually found this part of the story to be the weakest.  The writing occasionally left me confused as to which characters were involved. 

Add it to your repertoire?

I don’t know.  I loved the full-colour images.  But the lack of ease of reading aloud, some of the more difficult words, and the minimal referencing of US history.  It just didn’t feel like enough… do you know what I mean?   

It’s not like The Rowdy Randy Wild West Show is an unacceptable book, but I wanted more. I wanted a touch more depth to the story as well as more definition of animals seen in the wild west.   This could have been mitigated by adding a glossary of animals. Additionally having a teacher’s section where one connects the US history to events in the book.   As is, it could be used at the close of a schooling unit to see if children could pick out the wild west elements. 

Summertime Reading

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You’ve already seen the books I read in July, and I thought today I’d continue telling you about my summertime reading!  Not quite as many books this month since I’ve been spending some time building a shed!   Anyways, I will be linking to reviews or to amazon links to make it easy in case you want to get them yourself!  🙂  Hurts you none, is MUCH appreciated if you do buy, and it helps me out! 

summertime reading

Books read for Reviews

The Science of Babies.  Gives you the language needed to talk with your children, and you can add your own social context/faith to the conversation. 

Listen to the language of the trees.  I love informative picture books, and this one does a good job. 

Future Worlds.  A hugely fun book that you can use to develop critical thinking skills in your children, or a love of “can I be a part of that future possibility”.  

Don’t Worry, Be Ha-Pea.  Food + puns = a fun book.  

The Button Pusher.  I thought this a well-done book about ADHD and how hard it is to cope with it at times, but good helps and parental support make it easier. 

Books read for fun

The Scrivener’s Bones.  Hubsters LOVED Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians so promptly ordered the next in the series.   So as he finished it (and then ordered the next one) I get to read the one he finished!  I may get through more of this series by the end of the month.  FUN books.  Get them for your middle-schoolers!  🙂   I find it immensely humourous how much he likes them and insists on getting the next as soon as he’s done the last!  🙂 

Lola is Missing.  A mystery, where they are trying to find a missing child.  Started it last month!  Reading it on Kindle.   I’m finding the characters interesting and I’m hoping they find the child.  I’ll be updating when I’ve finished! 

Gentle and Lowly.  What a fantastic journey into the heart of Christ.  I so STRONGLY recommend that you get this book and delve deeply in his heart.  See Christ more clearly, love God more dearly. 

Time of the Twins.  I admittedly didn’t care for this book and will most likely return it (on audible). Hubsters was surprised that I didn’t care for it as he knows the series and expected that I would. 

How about you?

What books have kept you engaged with your summertime reading?   Anything that you would recommend?   If so, why? 

The Button Pusher

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (The Button Pusher) through Raincoast Books. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and is so much appreciated. 🙂

I honestly wasn’t expecting much when I initially leafed through Button Pusher.  I figured it was yet another light fiction piece done in graphic novel style for the middle school crowd.  Instead, what I found as an informative, based-on-life graphic novel, delineating the effects of ADD/ADHD on a child and their family.  Not a fun, or easy path in life. This would be an excellent book for upper elementary and middle school children and their families. 

Button Pusher by Tyler page

General Details

I received a full-colour, paperback edition with a built-in fly.  Written by Tyler Page in an autobiographical format, within the graphic novel style. Within the story you will find breakouts teaching about different aspects of ADHD. Published by First Second out of New York.   Running at 256 pages and written with youth 10-14 years.  I’m reviewing on behalf of Raincoast Books. 

Seeing ADHD through the eyes of Button Pusher

Learn about how people with ADHD deal with doctors, executive function, the genetic component, environmental factors, how Ritalin works on the brain and so much more.  These blue pages are packed full of information helping youth understand how ADHD affects each person.   I find them to be really well done with language easily understood by middle school youth.

The bulk of the story is told in full colour, with an easy-to-read font.  A full-colour spectrum is used which I thoroughly enjoyed.  Don’t you enjoy it when a book uses a wide range of colour? 

With that colour, you’ll also find a wide range of emotions.  From anger, happiness, confusion and more.  Tyler’s parents struggled in their relationship so you’ll see anger, and the result of objects thrown.  

You will see firsthand some of the issues Tyler struggled with growing up. I found that often times his friends didn’t help him make wise decisions.  

Should you pick up Button Pusher?

One of my son’s friends has a fairly debilitating form of ADHD.  We’ve included him in some of our outings, and find even as a teenager he needs a fair amount of redirecting to help him stay on task.   Even to just keep him from wandering off when we’re out together.   

Just as Tyler learned needed skills as he matured (and meds did play a part in that), my son’s friend has needed to learn a variety of skills.  Maintaining friendships is part of that.  ERGO I think this book would be immensely helpful to not only ADHD youth, but also the friends they may or may not have.  It’s hard to manage emotions, feel confident about yourself, and be a good part of society while managing difficult conditions. 

Button Pusher helps ADHD youth realize that they can do this.  They can learn to cope and channel all that additional energy into good.  Their friends can learn to help their ADHD friends make better decisions. 

Don’t Worry, Be Ha-PEA

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (Don’t Worry, Be Ha-PEA) through Ascot Media Group. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and is so much appreciated. 🙂

Don’t Worry, Be Ha-PEA is a book filled with funny food puns. You’ll need to check it out with the cookie dough letters and the various foodstuffs in pictures.  Some of them are very easy to figure out, others, well, not so much eh?  It’s a fun book to gift or leave out for guests to enjoy.  A family-friendly book for you to enjoy.  Want to know more… read on! 

Don't Worry, Be Ha-PEA: 101 Deliciously Clever Food Puns

Brief Description of Don’t Worry be Ha-Pea

Curious about how this punny, food-filled 128-page hardcover came into being?   Check out this video! 

Discovering food-oriented puns with full-colour images, divided into seven sections, by Marie Saba.  Published by Familius Books.   You’ll discover 101 Deliciously Clever Food Puns in Don’t Worry, Be Ha-PEA.  Some are very easy, others, well, let’s just say we haven’t quite figured them out yet in this household.  Still fun trying though eh? 

I mentioned seven categories:

  • Deliciously Romantic
  • Movie Title Munchies
  • Nom-Nom Celebrity Names
  • Spicy Slang
  • Sweet Inspiration
  • Tasty Tourist Attractions
  • Yummy Cartoon Characters

Diving in for a Closer Look

Other than the title pages for each section, every page has a pun on it.  The backgrounds are always a solid background, either in singular colour, or as wood panel background. 

I can just see the fun Marie Saba had in creating these.  Wouldn’t it be fun to just come up with puns?  Finding the right produce, and then figuring how to put it together.  She must have used a thesaurus a lot since some of the puns are CLOSE plays on words.  🙂

It’s not a very big book, maybe 7 x 7, which makes it easy to slip into a bag so you can bring it along to gathering and have fun with friends solving the puns (whether you do so correctly or not).  Try, fail, try, succeed, laugh and enjoy yourself. 

Should you get it?

Don’t Worry, Be Ha-PEA: 101 Deliciously Clever Food Puns by Marie Saba is a fun little book.  It’s one that I would happily gift a foodie!  Or have it sitting out on a table for guests to browse when over for a visit.  There is nothing in them to worry about with your children as all the puns are family-friendly. 

OH, I was just thinking.. this would be a good book to use with kids learning a second language.  Can they figure out what the picture is and then hunt for a near word or a rhyming word to solve the pun? Wouldn’t it be a handy way to help cement learning?  Or even to use with a cooking unit for homeschooling (or in the public school system)?  Might be a fun way to encourage your children to practice their thinking skills eh?