A Net in Time

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Book Review

Laugh and Learn Bible for Little Ones

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disclosure

You may recall that I just reviewed the Laugh and Learn Bible for kids, today I have the Laugh and Learn bible for little ones.   Also written by Phil Vischer this book is for your littlest one, a great way to introduce them to the things of God. 

Laugh and Learn Bible for Little Ones contained 13 lessons with fabulous illustrations to help your littlest ones learn about God.

What I am Reviewing

Phil Vischer of Veggie Tale fame as put together a board book for your littlest ones called Laugh and Learn bible for Little Ones.  13 lessons, board book style, 34 pages, and written for preschoolers.  Published by JellyTelly Press.  Bible stories with simple main points with full colour images to delight curious young ones. 

Details on Laugh & Learn Bible For Little Ones

Each story should take you about 15 minutes to go through, not including the time it takes to enjoy the beautifully crafted illustrations.   You will notice the text on the first page with the illustrated page next to it. 

Laugh and Learn Bible for Little Ones

The main lesson from the story is always highlighted on the bottom of one of the pages.  Check out all the details in the illustrations!  The bright colours and details that draw in the eye of your child. Don’t you think they help your child retell the story?

Laugh and Learn Bible for Little Ones

In the course of the text, you’ll see highlighted words that I don’t really know the significance of. I am guessing they are what Mr. Vischer thinks are significant parts of the story. The whole focus of these 13 lessons is to see God as creator, God’s great love for each person he created, and God’s guidance for our lives through his written word.

Laugh and Learn Bible for Little Ones

Should you Get it?

Yes!  🙂  Bright pictures, good stories, along with to the point lessons for littles to remember. 13 lessons from the Old and New Testament, a well-written book that your littles will have you read over and over. 

All images made using PicMonkey.  Stock photos included, resize, unique templates and more.  Affordable pricing. 

My Son, If you Accept My Words

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FTC lavidge

Today I am reviewing a book for you from a mom who wanted to help her boy.  She so badly wanted him to know what God wants for him in his life.  Her original intent was not to share it.  You know though that word gets around, and so we are now able to share her words with you.  The book?  My Son, If You Accept My Words. 

My Son If you Accept my words

What I am Reviewing

My Son, If you Accept my Words is written by Sondra Lee.  Published by Westbow Press, and running at 182 pages.  Black and white photos dot the pages.  The sole purpose is to encourage young men to become the men that God calls them to be.  Learning how to live as a Christian man in a secular society is a challenge.  Helping our young men see scripture clearly and take God’s word to heart is an important step in that process.

The Details

My Son, if you accept my words cover 15 chapters.  The first nine chapters broaching on the lives of key biblical figures.  We’ll discuss Ruth, Isaac and Rebekah, Joseph, Samson, Joseph- Jesus’s Earthly Father, Mary, Hosea, Hannah and Peter.  

The last six chapters are

  • Identity Theft
  • No One Escapes
  • Guard Your Heart
  • Finish Well
  • Weathering the Storms
  • Sometimes the Journey is too Much
My Son, If you accept my words sample page

You will find KJV scripture printed out for ease of reading.  If you prefer to read in the translation of your choice it is easy to do. 

My Son, If you accept my words sample page

You’ll find that each scripture passage is followed up with an explanation.  These readings are directly based on the passage.   Occasionally the explanations were too personal, directed at her son and not a more general audience. 

My Son, If you accept my words sample page

Prayers were often included.  Prayers for God to prepare a young man’s heart, to guide his choices, and lead him throughout his life. 

My Son, If you accept my words sample page

Some of her advice is very practical. Like be discerning in what you believe, protect your reputation, give people no reason to gossip, and so forth.  Good advice for everyone, regardless of gender or age. 

I’m not going to say that I agree with everything she had to say, but there is much wisdom to be found within the pages of My Son, If You Accept My Words.  

My Son, If you accept my words sample page

Should You Get It?

I think so.  There is much that I would find useful as I guide my son toward maturity.  My prayer is that he be a solid man of God. The help that Sondra Lee provides will aid in that journey.   I haven’t read the entire book, I’m about 1/2 way through. 

The included prayers, the qualities to look for in a wife, and the abilities to develop in yourself as a young man make this a good book for a growing young man. 

I think one of the things I most appreciated was how focused Ms. Lee is to her purpose.  She pulled items out of the scripture text that I wouldn’t have previously considered as a point of manhood.  Ms. Lee worked hard to show scriptural reasoning for character traits young men need to develop.  She does the same for the traits to look for in a wife. 

The Invisible Boy

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raincoast FTC

Oh, what a difficult subject and how carefully Alyssa Hollingsworth approaches.  The Invisible Boy makes the topic of human trafficking accessible to middle schoolers.  Well written, once I picked it up I had to continue until I was done.  I needed to know that everything would turn out okay for Eli. 

The Invisible Boy - hollingsworth

What I am Reviewing

Roaring Brook Press has come out with a compelling read in The Invisible Boy by Alyssa Hollingsworth.  Deborah Lee illustrates in a comic book format.  320 pages.  My ARC copy was trade paperback, you will find it on amazon as a hardcover with fly.  (affiliate link)

A love of comic books brings ace girl reporter Nadia Quick into relationship with two very different individuals.  They each get their own superhero names.  As the book progresses we learn a hard truth about Eli and his life. Once this hard truth is realized events proceed very quickly. Human trafficking and child abuse are not easy topics to cover.  Hollingsworth pulls it off giving middle school students information that just might save a life. 

I am reviewing The Invisible Boy on behalf of Raincoast Books.  

The Details for The Invisible Boy

23 chapers, 320 pages, Epilogue and author’s note.   EVERY page is worth reading, every comic strip worth perusing.  Nadia has a case to pursue and through that a story to tell. Will it be the right one?

The Invisible Boy - hollingsworth

Each chapter opens with a one page comic, the story leading from one chapter to the next. Pay attention to them, they will either give clues for what is to come, or hint at what has passed.   I didn’t see fully developed comics for each chapter in this ARC copy, many were just mock-ups.  As such I can’t tell you if the comic strip is complete, but I was intrigued.

sample page from The Invisible Boy - hollingsworth

Easy to read text, with clear sensitivity to the subject at hand.  The characters are very real.  I could clearly see Nadia with her quirkiness would result in few friendships, that Paddle Boy would be a bit taken aback by his quirky neighbour, and the fear in Invisible Boy.  The parents made mistakes and owned up to them. 

Make sure you read the epilogue and author’s note.  They give important information that rounds out the story. 

The Invisible Boy - hollingsworth

Recommendation

The Invisible Boy is a great book. I enjoyed reading it and felt a strong desire to finish it once I started it.  It teaches about a difficult subject and what middle schoolers can do to help break the cycle. 

For sensitive readers, you might want to read the book with them.  The close of the book has some intense sections that could bother some readers. 

It’s worth reading just for the story. It is good enough to be a useful addition to a study on 

A Game of Fox & Squirrels

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raincoast FTC

Abuse is a hard topic to deal with, but in A Game of Fox & Squirrels, Jenn Reese does an excellent job of conveying the thoughts and emotions of one young girl.  11 year old Samatha is the protagonist of this story, and through her eyes, we are introduced to a child’s confusion, and a journey to healing. 

a game of fox & squirrels

What I am Reviewing

A Game of Fox & Squirrels is written by Jenn Reese and published by Henry Holt & Company.  Geared for middle school readers it runs at 228 pages.  I received an ARC version, it sells as a hardcover.   This book is being reviewed on behalf of Raincoast Books.   Family Abuse and dealing with dysfunctional relationships are the themes of this compelling chapter book for middle school.  21 chapters round out the pages.

A short synopsis: After an incident shatters their family, eleven-year old Samantha and her older sister Caitlin are sent to live in rural Oregon with an aunt they’ve never met. Sam wants nothing more than to go back to the way things were. . . before she spoke up about their father’s anger.
When Aunt Vicky gives Sam a mysterious card game called “A Game of Fox & Squirrels,” Sam falls in love with the animal characters, especially the charming trickster fox, Ashander. Then one day Ashander shows up in Sam’s room and offers her an adventure and a promise: find the Golden Acorn, and Sam can have anything she desires.

The Details on A Game of Fox & Squirrel

The author’s sensitivity to this topic is found from the get-go.  Her dedication reads: “For everyone  lost in the woods: I promise you, there is a way out.” 

a game of fox & squirrels

Samantha, 11 years old, in such a hard position.  Having to tell secrets she’d learned to keep quiet about.  Feeling trapped and in a new place.  Her pain and confusion so very evident.

But there’s the “and yet”.  She has an Aunt who knows and cares even if she’s a stranger.  Samantha needs to learn who to trust. Is is possible?

Perhaps a game will help her learn.

a game of fox & squirrels

Each of the 21 chapters opens with a new list of the rules about the Game Fox & Squirrels.  In each chapter more of Ashander’s personality emerges.  With each chapter Samantha learns more about her options.  

The fox is not to be trusted, the fox is a difficult opponent, but with help… perhaps that fox can be defeated!

a game of fox & squirrels

As one might expect in a game of Fox and Squirrels, riddles abound.  Can they be solved?  Can the fox be outsmarted?  What reward awaits at the end of the game?

My Thoughts

So tastefully and well-done.  A Game of Fox & Squirrels kept me intrigued throughout, rooting for Samantha to come through in the end.  Samantha and her sister walked a hard road, sisters watching out for each other.  They needed to be caring for each other when others did not. 

With a burden lifted, how does a child survive?  Samantha needed to learn this.  How to do so wasn’t easy.

There is so much I loved about this story.  Being a person with a fine imagination I can totally see a lost 11 year old getting caught up in a game.  The magic inherent in a good imagination can help heal a heart when the love of the real world is apparent. 

The only caution I add, because it matters, the Aunt is married in a same-gender relationship. 

Miss Austen

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raincoast FTC

I expected when I saw the title of my current review book, Miss Austen, to be learning about Jane Austen as she’s the one I’m most familiar with. Interestingly enough though, it’s about her older sister Cassandra Austen. It’s a tender book filled with memories, mostly good, some sad.  Let’s walk through it shall we? 

Miss Austen: the novel

What I am Reviewing

Miss Austen: A Novel is a tender look into the life of the Austen family.  Cassandra, an elderly lady now, seeking to restore and to relive her memories of her dear sister Jane. Visiting the family of her long-dead fiance she discovers letters that reveal much about herself, her sister and her family.  The question remains… what will be left when she is done?  Will the letters remain, or just the memories?

288 pages, 28 chapters, years covered.  I received at ARC copy, it sells as a hardcover. Written by Gill Hornby and published by Flatiron Books. A biography that covers the lives of Cassandra Austen and her family.  There is a ton of historical data that brings the early 1800’s into vibrant detail.   I am reviewing this book on behalf of Raincoast Books. 

The Details for Miss Austen

The past, as depicted in vignettes based on letters, and the present reality intermingled.  A sweet, but sometimes hard looking back into her history.  It wasn’t all roses and sweetness, but difficulties arose like in all families. 

Miss Austen: The novel

I loved the realness of it all.  An old lady, going to visit extended family, doesn’t let them know until it’s just a bit late for it, spends her time with them while on a secret quest.  She knows what she is up to, the question is, how long will she remain undiscovered?

The villalge of Kintbury, Miss Austin

Miss Austen opens with a map of the Village of Kintbury as well as a family lineup for the Austen, Fowles and Lloyds.  We are privileged to see how these families were connected. 

My Thoughts

I haven’t quite finished though I’ve skipped ahead a bit just to see if my suspicions were correct.  (They were but I’m not telling you since this is a review, not a book report).  This is a lovely story.  I loved seeing Cassandra as she is now, trying to be kind despite some of the hostility she faces.  The walks into her history as she read letters… I love this.  I really do.  It was so fascinating watching her relationship with her sister.  That love they shared clearly shown.  Get to know the Austens.  Get to know Cassandra Austen in particular.  You won’t regret it. 

This Light Between Us

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raincoast FTC

WOW… this book opened my eyes. I knew the horrors that the Germans visited on the Jewish people. As I read about the American treatment of the Japanese post-Pearl Harbour filled me with such sadness.   This Light Between Us also tells, through letters, of a friendship that crossed oceans. 

This Light Between us

What I am Reviewing

This Light Between Us is written by Andrew Fukuda.  An unlikely friendship spills out of 384 pages in this hardcover tome.   I received a ARC copy and am reviewing on behalf of Raincoast books.  A young adult novel it is both emotionally compelling as well as steeped in history. Countries at odds with each other, fighting a brutal enemy and yet…Deeper thoughts.   Line drawings occasionally pop up, but mostly it is story with letters interspersed.   Published by Torteen Books

In 1935, ten-year-old Alex Maki from Bainbridge Island, Washington is disgusted when he’s forced to become pen pals with Charlie Levy of Paris, France – a girl . ….From the desolation of an internment camp on the plains of Manzanar to the horrors of Auschwitz and the devastation of European battlefields, the only thing they can hold onto are the memories of their letters. But nothing can dispel the light between them.

The Details for This Light Between Us

sample letter from This light between us

This is an excellent piece of historical fiction, a great look both sides of a World War 2.  I wrote on my instagram page that I had never really thought before of what the Japanese internment would have meant to the children.  These AMERICAN born Japanese children and teenagers to be taken away to those internment camps as if they had done something wrong.   Can you imagine the anger and hurt that would have created?

illustration from This Light Between us

Since I received an ARC copy of this book a lot of the graphics that will be included I couldn’t see. Overall I’d say there was one sketch per every six to eight chapters.  They are all simple line drawings, much like you’d see from a beginning cartoonist which is what Alex is.  You can well imagine him drawing them to amuse Charlie. 

This light between us sample page

Recommendations

I deliberately didn’t read all the way to the end, that way I wouldn’t be tempted to give the ending away.  But I’m captivated, it’s a really good read showing both sides so well.   

I was planning on finishing it and handing it over to my lad. My plans changed when I was telling him what I was reading and he was curious ergo we’re now reading it together.  WW2 is what he’s studying for history this year. This will give him another perspective on the war I don’t see talked about much.

I fell in love with the characters and found myself rooting for them against the odds they were facing.  I hope my lad will see the fear and prejudice, understand the different ways of reacting against it, see the understanding of why people didn’t fight back, and the parallels in this war.  It’s not always an easy read, but it is an enlightening one.  I only hope This Light Between Us is not heart-breaking at the end.

My Friend Earth

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raincoast FTC

Earth day is coming!  Can you believe it!   A day to celebrate all that is good about the earth and to think of ways to help perserve her. My Friend Earth which I am reviewing today helps youngsters see all that the earth is.  It also serves as an inspiration in caring for our world. 

My Friend Earth

What I am Reviewing

Patrician MacLachlan wrote My Friend Earth, a beautifully illustrated hardcover book with interactive elements. Francesca Sanna, illustrator, brought together vibrant colours with multiple shades of greens and browns to tell Earth’s story.  Chronicle Books produced this 44 page picture book that is written for preschool and kindergarten children.    My Friend Earth teaches children about the earth, it’s seasons, and the environment. 

Reviewed on behalf of Raincoast Books. 

The Details of My Friend Earth

sample page from My Friend Earth

Just look at those colours eh?  So bright and inviting!  The cut outs help create action and movement resulting in drawing you in to learn more.   See birds flit, fish dart, and water flow.  

my friend earth, sample page

You’ll be delighted with the antics of whales, the coursing of horses, and fierce winds that blow hard.   The seasons will come and go, showing the earth in action.

sample page My Friend Earth

The text fits within the images, flowing as the images pass. The lines aren’t poetic in nature but just fit. Easy words to read the help you delight a child with the turn of page.  What will happen next?  What might Earth do or see or cause to happen? Are there flaps to lift?  Holes to peer through?

Recommendations

Celebrate Earth day with your littles.  This delightful book is geared for them.  So much to see and talk about on each page.  I love the peek-a-boo holes.  It’s wonderful to read of the variety of animals and see the gentle change in seasons.  For all the activity that happens within the pages, this is a very calm, peaceful picture book.  Introduce your littles to the environment of the world, talk about how we can preserve it, and have a great Earth day!  My Friend Earth.