A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Reviews

Santa.com

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Do you need a reminder of how Christmas should be?  Santa.com calls the reader to look past expediency and commercialism into the heart of a real Santa Christmas.  Can Yo-yo help Santa remember what is best?

Santa.com

The Details of Santa.com

Santa.com is a beautiful hardcover book filled with glossy full-colour pages.  In fact you’ll get 32 pages of colour splashed across the pages, filling pages and carefully illustrating the story.  Illustrations are done by Ryley Garcia.   Authors are Russell Hicks and Matt Cubberley, if you’d like to know more about who they are check out my sponsor Raincoast books. 

Computers and technology fill the pages, and children 4-8 will delight in the numerous elves running around frantically trying to save Christmas. 

From the cover

In the good old days, the elves made toys by hand at Santa’s workshop, but times have changed. The North Pole modernized, and Santa.com was born. Now, Christmas wishes are fulfilled by robotic candy cane arms and delivered by peppermint drones . . . until Cyber Scrooge hacks the system! Little Yo-Yo the elf thinks they still have a chance to save Christmas, but can the reindeer still fly? And more importantly, will Santa come out of retirement?

The font is easy to read and varies in size depending on what is going on.  I loved all the problem solving that needed to occur.  How does one stop Cyber Scrooge from ruining Christmas?  With grit, determination and heart.

This is something Yo-yo possesses and he uses it to be helpful.  Makes for a great story for children. See Santa be the man he’s supposed to be and get Christmas back on track with just the right gift!

Should You Get it?

Santa.com, should you get it?  I think I’d like to borrow it from the library rather than own it.  It’s an easy read, with tons of great images.  I liked it, but nothing really made me say “go out and buy this”.  A story that reminds us of how easy it is to forget who you are in the quest to do it all better.  When that happens, it’s good to have someone remind you of where your heart truly is. This book…gives Santa that necessary someone.  🙂  

Other Santa Books Reviewed

I thought this Christmas ad fitting.  I hope you enjoy it!  

Bigger than a Dream

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Have you ever wondered about death?  Children ask questions about death frequently, particularly if their families have been touched by it.  Bigger than a Dream seeks to answer those questions. Affiliate links will be used in this review.

Bigger than a Dream

Bigger Than a Dream, details

Raincoast Books sent me Bigger Than a Dream to review. 

Author Jef Aerts along with Illustrator Marit Tornqvist have produced a picture book where image and story follow each other closely.  Talking about death is often very difficult for people to do, especially with children.  Mr Aerts tackles this issue with his most recent book. 

He tells the story of a young lad who misses his sister who died. And so they talk about death and what it means.

Levine Querido c/o Chronicle Books are the publishers of this 48 page picture book geared to children 4-8 years old. 

Looking Within

The font is a great size for reading easily, but sometimes that background makes the words harder to read.  This especially if you are trying to read with a group of children. 

Don’t you just love when illustrations fit well with the storyline?   When you almost know what the words will say just by seeing the images?  This is what Marit Tornqvist does with the story, bringing it so easily to life. 

Many of the illustrations are done with blues, greens and darker colours.  Colours that relate well to depth of the conversation contained within these pages.

Should you Get it?

I don’t know.  To be honest I was a bit weirded out by a little boy talking with his long-dead sister.  I know it was all kind of a dream, but it doesn’t start off that way.  It was difficult to distinguish the lines.    I expect a younger elementary student might have that same problem. 

From a homeschooling perspective, this picture book would be very helpful if exploring how death is handled in different cultures. 

Bigger than a Dream does help us see the questions that young children ask about death, and gives some potential answers.  For that I am happy. 

Top New Middle School Reads

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Every year I do a wrap-up post of my favourite books I reviewed from the past year. It’s good to remind myself about all I’ve done, as well as to really pick through the best of them.  So without further delay here are my top new middle school reads for you today. 

I will provide links to my reviews, and affiliate quick links if you are intrigued.  Helps my blog, doesn’t affect your bottom-line. 

Top New Middle School Reads

Non-Fiction Books

Fever year,  Graphic novel style about the Spanish Flue that hit during World War 1.  Well done, very informative, without being icky. 

On the Horizon.   Another World War book, this one of poetry.  Covering both sides of the war.  World War 2 hard-fought, pain on both sides of the equation.   Worth reading. 

This Light Between Us.  Fiction, yet, not-fiction.  A weaving between the two.  An excellent read about Japanese internment camps and the Nazi death camps.   Such a good book. 

How the moon landing affected people around the world.  For all Humankind.  An interesting read. 

The Radium Girls, such a fascinating read. Such a dangerous substance, new laws needing to be made, hardship for these girls.  A hard read, but sometimes it’s necessary to read hard things. 

Another WW2 book, Displacement draws us into the life of Japanese internment camps in a different way than the book above.  Graphic novel style. 

The Light Between us

Fiction

Some subjects are difficult to address.  Child Trafficking is one of them.   Invisible Boy sensitively addresses this issue. 

The last lie.  This book made me ask lots of questions, making me wonder about language and how it all works together.   

Fly on the Wall.   Caught between worlds, learning to be seen for who you are.   A combination book part graphic novel, part chapter book.  Worth reading indeed. 

In the mood for a doggie based mystery?   A Dog-friendly town might suit your needs perfectly. 

The Space between Lost and Found.  Dealing with a parent lost without being gone. A tough thing for a child. A story about how a young lady learns to cope with Alzheimer’s in her mom. 

A place at the table.  Girls, competition, cross-cultural challenges, and baking.  All make for an excellent middle school read. 

Lupe Wong won’t dance is a book I thoroughly enjoyed.  Might be something your middle schoolers might enjoy as well.  🙂 Strong-willed young lady tackles big (and small) issues. 

Middle School boys can be a lot of fun, Boys in the Back Row is all about those boys, music, and middle school struggles. 

My last book today might not appeal to all audiences based on the pandemic we are currently in.  The possible end scenario might alarm some people.  But Cleo Porter and the Body Electric showcases a young lady with a lot of determination.  It’s worth reading to see her action.  

A place at the table

How about you?   What top new middle school reads have you discovered this year?  It’s great to read new books and discover new authors to brighten our days and enliven our minds. 

Help with Novel Studies

fresh start

One of the things I love about having good books for middle schoolers to read is that it gives you the opportunity to lightly start novel studies. SchoolhouseTeachers.com has an analyzing, understanding and exploring literature course that you could take the bones of and help your children dig deeper into the books they love. 

With over 450 courses covering all grades from PreK through highschool, and four different ways to approach using this on-line resource.  It’s well worth looking into ST for all your homeschooling needs. 

If you come to Earth

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Oh my what fun!   Learn about the world and everything in it with “If you Come to Earth” by Sophie Blackall.  If you were an alien coming to earth…. you’ll get a whirl-wind tour of what to expect in this wonderful hardcover picture book.   Let me tell you all about it in this review (affiliate links used) 

If you Come to Earth, the details

Chronicle Books, along with Sophie Blackall, take visitors on a fast-paced tour of the world.  Teaching the world’s guests through our cities, people groups, events, and much much more.  Children in Kindergarten through grade three will delight in the colourful illustrations, and learning about the world we live in. 

The reader will discover 80 pages of discovery and exploration about planet earth. Learning about the environment and events that help shape us. 

My review is on behalf of Raincoast Books. 

What you’ll get

You’ll learn about our solar system, people groups, buildings, transportation, wildlife, jobs, clothing, family styles, and much more.  Children will be delighted with the colourful illustrations that bring the social studies of earth to life. 

Just check out all those families you can talk with your Kindergarten to grade 3 children with.  Children, parents, grandparents, activities, blankets  and so much more.  The depth you could get into if you wanted to.  Ms. Blackall did an excellent job of using more than words. 

The illustrations more than make up for the smaller text size.   I rejoiced in the friendly portrayal of how people can help each other, and how we need each other at different stages of our lives.  This is very much a sit together and read book.  The excellent illustrations make it also a great book for children to simply sit and look through on their own.  They can still learn a great deal about the world even if they can’t read on their own yet. 

We get to not only see the good things of the people and animals of this work but very lightly we were shown how sometimes people hurt people.  Sensitive youngsters might need to avoid those two pages. 

Should you get it?

Is Sophia Blackall’s book If you come to Earth worth getting?   For sure!

I love the sheer number of talking points found within the pages.  my appreciation is great for how not everything is spelled out but shown in pictorial form.  So we can point out the different modes of transportation and learn what they are.  We can see the houses, apartments and castles.  People showing the different jobs they do.  Making this picture book very interactive.  

If you come to earth is simply a fantastic book that you can use in your social studies, geography, or people studies.  Help your children learn to ask good questions about what happens on our earth.  Well done. 

Because You’re Mine

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raincoast FTC

The love of a parent for a child is profoundly evident in Nancy Tillman’s “Because you’re mine”.   Every page extols the love of a parent for the child placed in their life.  Come, let me tell you all about it. 🙂 

Because you're mine

The Basics of Because You’re Mine

A picture book published by Feiwel and Friends (which is a division of Macmillan Children’s publishing group).   32 pages written for children 4-8 years old.  Nancy Tillman is both author and illustrator fitting words to images as she celebrates the bond between parent and child.  I received an ARC copy, it ships as a hardcover.   This review is done on behalf of Raincoast Books. 

The Beauty Contained Within

Ms. Tillman’s goal as an author is to help parents express what they feel for their children.   She does so through word and illustration.   Most of the illustrations contain some type of wildlife in them, those that don’t host a landscape theme. 

The font is very simple text font, black on white, a nice size to read with a child sitting next to you, or with practice with a group of children    The words are lyrical and flow, for the most part, easily from the lips.  When I read it out loud I only stumbled three times, with practice that wouldn’t happen at all. 

Most of the pages follow a similar style.  Dark font on a white background with an illustration on the page next.   Occasional pages were full colour with text. 

Should You Get it?

Honestly, I have mixed emotions about this storybook.   I love the sentiment behind it, of a parent expressing their love for their child.  THIS I love.  It a wonderful thing.

I am somewhat more hesitant about the repeated “because you are mine” refrain.  The thing is… I’m not sure why. 

Since for children to know they are loved irregardless of what they do or where they go.. it’s priceless to know that depth of love.  It’s much like the love God holds for us.  

As I think about it, I think it’s the possessiveness implied.  Like the child is a possession more than a dearly loved child. Yet the love continually expressed belies that.  This book can be read with either viewpoint I suppose, and maybe still show that great sentiment… the coveted love of a parent for their child.  

I further love that the children depicted are of all different ages.  Doesn’t state if children are fostered, adopted, or naturally born to the parent.  Just the ever-abounding love of a parent for their child. It would be so easy to use Because You’re Mine for any child in your care. 

 

Cleo Porter and the Body Electric

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Oh, sometimes you read a bit and it hits a bit close to home.  Cleo Porter and the Body Electric is one such book.  Imagine a world wide pandemic and countries take the ultimate step of isolating individuals and their families.  Now imagine that a medical emergency happens.  How would you handle it?   Follow along with Cleo’s response.

Cleo Porter and the body electric

Learning about Cleo Porter

Jake Burt has postulated the question: What would happen if you were isolated physically in a locked building after a global pandemic? What would happen if you knew someone needed help and only you could help them? Cleo Porter and the Body Electric helps us answer those questions.  Jake Burt, a grade five teacher and author, uses humour, wisdom, and a plucky character to bring this story to life for his readers. 

This middle-school, science fiction read takes place over 288 pages and is published by Feiwel and Friends.  I am reviewing this adventurous chapter book on behalf of Raincoast books.  Humour, folk wisdom, fear, determination, and a surprise twist round out this story.

From the Cover

In a future forever changed by a pandemic, a girl survives in total isolation.

A woman is dying. Cleo Porter has her medicine. And no way to deliver it.

Like everyone else, twelve-year-old Cleo and her parents are sealed in an apartment without windows or doors. They never leave. They never get visitors. Their food is dropped off by drones. So they’re safe. Safe from the disease that nearly wiped humans from the earth. Safe from everything. The trade-off?

They’re alone. Thus, when they receive a package clearly meant for someone else – a package containing a substance critical for a stranger’s survival – Cleo is stuck. As a surgeon-in-training, she knows the clock is ticking. But people don’t leave their units.

Not ever. Until now.

What you get

In this illustrated edition you’ll fid the occasional image.  Not a whole lot, but the ones you find help to showcase the story. 

You’ll find well written prose with well-developed characters.  The determination of Cleo shines forth.  She makes mistakes and then recovers from them.  It was so interesting watching Cleo having to think on her feet.  You can really see her intelligence and compassion showing through in everything that she does. 

Humour was scattered throughout,  causing me to guffaw at unexpected moments.  This had it’s benefits with a lad curious about what made me laugh.  I’ll be passing this book along to him later for reading. 

Should you get it?

The fact that this book is about the results of a pandemic and a world-wide response might hit too close to home for some readers.   Cleo Porter and the Body Electric takes its time building, but once it gets going is fairly fast-paced.   The issues of isolation are real as is the fear of being out in the world.  It’s like issues in the world today, and for some young people it might be too real, and yet for others, due to how these issues are addressed, it might help it all make more sense. 

I enjoyed the folk-wisdom of an older lady who talked about how she made the decisions that she did and how confusing it is to want to help when others let fear rule them. The ending was different than I expected which a delightful surprise.   Overall I found Jake Burt’s novel to be well-balanced.  

 

My Pencil and Me

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raincoast FTC

Do you have a child wanting to learn to write?  OR perhaps you need some inspiration for yourself?   Check out Sara Varan’s newest book “My Pencil and Me”.   A rollicking ride into the word of Sara’s pencil, don’t you wonder what it has to say?  

My Pencil and Me

Learning about My Pencil and Me

:01 FirstSecond Books produced this fun-loving stroll through the story of writing a book when you really don’t know what to write about. Just what does one do when you don’t know what to write about? Well…. you could just ask your pencil…. Thus, a story is born!

48 pages of creatively illustrated pencil musings spelling out the creative writing process.  A user-friendly guide for both children and adults wanting to write their own tale. Struggling with writer’s block is a difficult thing regardless of how old you are.  In My Pencil and Me, Sara wants to help young readers combat it. 

I received an ARC copy from Raincoast Books in order to do this review. 

What Do You Get?

Clever prose, a helpful pup, and a talkative pencil. Three elements for a highly successful story.   Which as it progresses, becomes an even better story as certain necessary elements for the story fall into place. 

Bright and clean lines with simple colours help tell the story.  Aren’t the images fitting?  Don’t they just bring the story to life? Not a whole lot of white space on the pages, but the light blue sets up a similar feel doesn’t it?

From the Cover

Sara loves to draw and tell stories, but sometimes it can be difficult to get started. What if she doesn’t have any good ideas or her drawings turn out terrible?!

Lucky for Sara, she has a friend who is always by her side – her pencil. With a little help from Pencil, Sara learns it’s okay if her story isn’t perfect, as long as she’s using her imagination and having fun.

Who is My Pencil and Me for?

Although it’s geared to elementary students, honestly.. anyone struggling to write could find good value here. Simple language and spot-on illustrations show how letting your imagination run, can bring a story out you didn’t even know was there!

You’ll love the real-life pictures at the close of My Pencil and Me with Sara working at her desk with her pup at her side. It was a really nice touch.  

Should you get it?

Yes, not only does My Pencil and Me tell a good story, making it fun to read with your students, it teaches a good lesson.  There are lots of “talking points” contained within and it would be so easy to read with a group of children gathered round.  

It would be good to stop and ask yourself (or your listeners) what’s the first thing that your pencil is thinking about? Do you want real characters or pretend ones? Would you create a game to play, or a position to fill, or what will your characters do?  What sort of conflict might occur?  Do you want a happy or sad ending? What do you think of the story Sara’s pencil came up with?  What would you change?   Or of course, you could just read the story and then say “Go make your own!”  🙂