A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Books for Children

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 Science of Babies

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

Children often want to know how they came to be, or even where babies come from. The Science of Babies gives parents a way to talk with their children about where babies come from and what they need. A board book so it gives little hands something they can touch, and play with, without damaging the book for others to use.  This book takes a scientific approach and used proper terms when talking about how babies come into being.   Shall we learn more?

The Science of Babies

A Brief Overview

The Science of Babies: A little book for big questions about bodies, birth and families has been published by Birdhouse Kids.  32 pages in board book style. Written by Deborah Roffman and Illustrated by Frank Cable.  It is written for children 3 1/2 and up. Correct scientific terminology is used throughout. 

Birdhouse Kids is located in Vancouver, Canada.  Their goal is to create resources for parents and educators that help them introduce children “to the things in life that will make them accomplished, healthy, and happy.”  Their focus is on early childhood education. 

Looking deeper into The Science of Babies

The board book starts with talking about people are different on the outside, with body parts there, and also body parts on the inside.  Children learn about how some body parts are private and some body parts are used by grown-ups to make new people. 

Over the course of the book, children learn the facts about how the creation of a baby is accomplished.  Including the pleasure it brings adults to do the work of creating a baby.

It’s not all pictures with a bit text, but sometimes mostly text with just a few images. 

All types of families are included without labelling.  So the reader is left to decide how those families can be described.   This later part also includes what babies need: food, sleep, attention, and love. 

What do I think?

I love how they specified that it is grown-ups who make children.   And although  I know the focus was on using scientific language I disliked how they talked about the baby being a fetus. 

I was delighted that they focused on how it is a pleasure to create a baby, rather than focusing on just the duty, or how some babies are created in less than good circumstances.   The authors avoid that hardness.

 When it comes right down to it I’m not sure what I think of The Science of Babies.  I love that they use proper terminology, and their focus on pleasure, and what babies need to grow.  I think part of my hesitation is that I come from a faith-based perspective when discussing where babies come from.   It’s not just the action and the pleasure in creating, but the love and desire of the parents in carrying that child through gestation and into growing as a person.   I feel the lack.

It’s just “here are the facts” and oh, remember to love the fetus once it becomes a baby.  Will it be helpful?  Yes!  Is it a good place to start?  For sure.  You can present this book within the context of whatever faith system (or lack thereof) that you hold to.  You are given the language and the steps, so half the job is done for you.  Then use your social context to make it fuller, fitting your family values. 

July 2022 Books

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It’s that time of the month again, time for me to share with you the books I read last month.  These are my July 2022 books, I hope you find something that might inspire you!   I will include links to reviews or to amazon.  (using my amazon affiliate account)

July 2022 Books

Books read for Reviews.

The Whale Who Swam through Time.  A wonderfully illustrated book that tells the story of a bowhead whale and the things she experiences throughout her life. 

Big Dreams, Small Fish.  I thought this was an excellent family-oriented book about a Jewish girl and her desire to help her family.  She was very persistent in her efforts and they won out in her multicultural neighbourhood. 

Cold: A novel.  DO NOT read this book.  I regret doing so. 

Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts.   For the most part this was a solidly good middle school read.  So much of it that I enjoyed. A great start to a new series. 

Hillary and the Ladybug Butterflies. This book was much better than the shorter books I reviewed earlier this year.  

The Story of a Butterfly.   A picture book walking us through the habitat needs and life cycle of the painted lady butterfly. 

A book I didn’t really enjoy was Into the Wind-Wracked Wilds. 

Looking for a simple bedtime story of littles?  One can be found in Blue Baboon Finds Her Tune. 

Physical Books for Fun

World Without End by Ken Follett.   This is a long book, I’ve gotten a good start on it.  I’ve enjoyed his books in the past so I’m hopeful I will enjoy this one.  Well okay, I guess I have read this one.  As I told my hubby “I enjoyed it the first time I read it, but not enough to slog through 1046 pages again!”  It tells the story of four children and how their lives were affected by an event in the early 1300’s. 

I still haven’t finished Gentle and Lowly   Harder to get through non-fiction books in the summer when I’ve gardening to do and work schedules to keep.  And I’ve been trying to use this more as a devotional than as a read-it just because book.  I’ve started bringing it along for my lunch breaks at work as I usually have focused time for 20 minutes then!  🙂 

Power Play.  A book about Petaybee, a sentient world, with her people integrally connected with her.  Fighting to survive in a materialistic universe. This is the third book in the series, and it does stand on its own!  Of course, now I want to go back and re-read the first two, and then go on and read the next books in this story.  Won’t that be fun?  🙂 

Audible Books

Cytonic.  The last in Brandon Sanderson’s Skyward Series.  I have thoroughly enjoyed this group of books about a young human in a futuristic society that wants all humans dead. Her skills are proving useful. And yet, she’s not sure how to use them as she is on a quest.  I also listened to each of the three novellas which helped tell the story from three different perspectives.  Sunreach, ReDawn, and Evershore.  Sanderson does an excellent job of telling a story.  

Secrets on the wind by Whitson.  This book has been an unexpected pleasure. As I am writing this I am wondering if it’s going to turn into a romance. Right now I’m just intrigued wondering how these people are going to heal from their hurts. Historical in nature involving a US army post in the late 1800’s. A widowed soldier, a laundry lady, and a woman suffering from hard captivity. Part of a series.   This was an enjoyable book…. grit and faith… a good read. 

More Kindle books….

Birthright by Nora Roberts.  I enjoy a good mystery and this one tied up two mysteries in one.  The question is, which premise is correct?  Are the bad things happening due to the archaeological dig, or because Callie is digging into her own past? There are romantic interludes, but for the most part, I just forward past them.   

I started Tuscan Daughter which I thought sounded interesting about the time period of Michelango and the other artists of that time period.  “Twas a bit whiney for my taste and I found myself irritated!  It’s a story about a girl missing her momma and wanting a love relationship with a man unable to return that love.   I returned it. 

But I did enjoy Daughters of the Night Sky.  I think I would have enjoyed it more reading it than listening to it as the narrator’s voice, was for me, a bit off-putting.  Good story about the bravery of women in a time when they were expected to be good little housewives and mothers.  Fighting with poor aircraft, frightening the enemy (Germans) in WW2.  My friend Lori recommended this one. 

July 2022 Books

Books on Kindle

I finally finished From the Ashes.  Turned out to be less of a romance as a story about the difficulties faced by the allies dividing up Berlin after WW2. It was well done I thought. The ending was too quick and short for my liking, felt like part of the story was untold. I am considering getting the next in the series but am concerned it will end as abruptly as the first book.  There are a total of four. 

I got a new tablet so I’ve started a new kindle book called The Lost Star.  Can’t tell you much about it yet as I’ve just opened it up.  It’s a sci-fi heroine type of story. It’s book four in a series so if I like it will probably stop reading it so I can get caught up on the rest of the series…   Well… just so you know… starting THIS book before bed was a BAD idea.   I stayed up much much too late so I could finish it.  🙂 

On vacation, I read The Last Dollar Princess.   The New York 400, the new rich, the English nobility… and money.  Who has the right connections to help the right person?   A love story that isn’t quite what you expect in some ways.   I cheered for the wrong person, but the story ended up good none-the-less.  🙂  You’ll find yourself catching a glimpse of the suffragette movement as well.  

Lola is Missing.  A mystery concerning divorcing parents and a little girl.  I have just started it but find myself hoping against hope that they’ll find the little girl safe and sound.  The first in a series concerning Detective Rachel Prince. 

How about you?

What is your July 2022 books read list?   Anything interesting that might intrigue me?   Send me a link or give me a list of titles, I’d love to read them! 

Others in this series:

Black Boy, Black Boy

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (Black Boy, Black Boy) 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. 🙂

Young children can be inspired with a short walk through history in Black Boy, Black Boy.  Told to a child, with children in mind, find yourself inspired and encouraged to move into your future confidently!   A nice story for children, particularly black children, giving them black historical figures to look up to. 

Black boy, black Boy

A general overview

Ali Kamanda and Jorge Redmond collaborated to produce a 40 page black history book to encourage young readers.  Children 3-7 years old will delight in rhyming couplets as they consider men of history  and are encouraged to look forward to their futures. Illustrated by Ken Daley with bright colours and a winding trail. Sourcebooks published.

I am reviewing an ARC on behalf of Raincoast Books. 

Looking Deeper into Black Boy

Some books lend themselves well to Black History month, Black Boy is one of them.  Giving us glimpses into the lives of 9 black people from history.  We will delve into the lives of poets, athletes, musicians, aviators and more.  A couple of the people mentioned are Chinua Achebe and Elijah McCoy.

Don’t you just love the bright colours that fill the page? From the multi-coloured trail that winds it’s way through the history of these men through the brilliant images depicting their impact on history. 

rhyming verse connects the young black boy to these various men of history.   For instance “show me the style of your favorite dance, Just like Arthur Mitchell look at my stance.”

A brief write up is included about each individual at the close of this picture book.  Just three to four sentences for each notable individual.  Things like their birth/death, what they did, and any notables.

Grab it up to read?

If you are working through a unit study of black people from history, this book will give you an easy list to start with.  🙂 Even though it is by no means in-depth, sometimes all you need is a starter book to encourage you in your studies.  A good book to springboard from!

Even if you aren’t looking for black history, but just want a book to encourage your children to look to history for inspiration.  Black boy, Black Boy does an excellent job of connecting young male readers to history.  Do they like to dance?  Here’s a dancer.  Do they like to read… here’s an author.  In the end, the reader is encouraged to leap into action. 

To learn more about black history month and other African-American themed books I’ve read, please do check out my link. 

A shorter review can be found on goodreads. 

Blue Baboon Finds Her Tune

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (Blue Baboon Finds Her Tune) 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.

A simple rhyming story about a Baboon who figures out her tune.  Blue Baboon Finds Her Tune by the Docherty’s is meant to be part of a night-time story for young children.  Bright colours, simple lyrics, and lots of fun images make it an easy read with children.

Blue Baboon finds her tune

The Basic Details

I received a softcover ARC edition of Blue Baboon Finds Her Tune from Raincoast Books.   Children from 3-6 years of age will enjoy the bright colours and simple lyrics of this 32-page bedtime story as they prepare for bed. Helen Docherty is the author with Thomas Docherty illustrating. Published by Sourcebooks, Jabberwocky. 

Looking more closely at Blue Baboon Finds Her Tune

Helen Docherty provides simple rhyming lyrics for young children.  Simple lyrics provide a soothing rhythm to help restless minds settle to sleep.   There is really nothing too complicated in the rhyming couplets offered in this colourful picture book. 

For parents looking for more than a soothing rhythm, lots of talking points are provided within the images provided by Thomas Docherty.  From city lights, to musical instruments, wild weather and balloon rides.  So many elements to bring to the attention of your youngsters and to talk about.  

Colour fills the pages from start to finish, with the font large enough to easily read with a group of children.

I won’t give away the surprise ending, suffice it to say that it’s important the blue baboon took the bassoon along for the ride. 

Share with your children?

I tend not to be crazy about simple rhyming books.  I tend to think the best children’s books interest the adult readers as well.. at least a little bit!  Otherwise, why would we want to read them to our children? 

That said, I enjoyed the surprise ending!  I DID!  

Will your children enjoy the surprise ending?  Probably, you might too, or you might even see it coming. 

Either way, it’s a quiet book.  Perfect for a bedtime story for luring children to settle down for a well-needed rest.  So give Blue Baboon Finds Her Tune a look should you see it at your local library. 

Hillary and the Ladybug Butterflies

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (Hillary and the Ladybug Butterflies) 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. 🙂 

Hillary is back!  This time in a full-length storybook!  Follow Hillary and Tiny Tim as they go on an adventure.  Will they run into trouble?  Who are these Ladybug Butterflies?  Are they dangerous and if so why?  What will happen on the risky journey they must undergo.

Hillary and the ladybug Butterflies

Basic Details

You may recall my reviews of Hillary the Little Ladybug and Fly Patrol.  I thought I would see what a larger book would look like and so today we’re looking at Hillary and the Ladybug Butterflies.  This book is 146 pages and was published by Jongleur Books.  Once again you’ll find images with characters laid over them.  Lots of white space make this a spacious 6 chapter read.    William Dandurand is the photographer and Illustrator.  Authorship is shared between Mary Cohen, and William Danderuand, along with Elisabeth and Gary Revel. 

Looking Deeper into Hillary and the Ladybug Butterflies

Chapter headings are simple.  I like how straightforward it all is.  As you can see there is a lot of white space provided.  I tend to think this book would be less bulky if some of this white space was removed.  As I’ve thought about it, I can see children being able to add their own pictures to the book.   Don’t you think this would add depth and fun?  🙂 

I can’t say I’m crazy about the font.  Seems understated for the showiness of butterflies and ladybugs.  It is also a bit small for reading with a group of children and holding it up for them to see the pictures.  Yet, this no-nonsense script is very easy to read. 

I can’t say I’m crazy about the way the images were done.  Cartoons over photos.  It’s an interesting method don’t you think?    Almost all of these full-colour images are done in a mixed-media format. 

Some photos do stand on their own, kudos to photographer William Dandurand for how lovely they are.

The bold, bright cartoons stand out and show basic expressions like happy, sad, surprised, etc. 

Most good stories have a good side and a bad side.  The ladybug butterflies showed their bad side by imprisoning the ladybugs who searched them out.   But she was protecting her own people, and especially their children by doing so.  Was she really being bad though?  That’s a question I would ask if reading the story to a group of children. 

It’s great to have books to help you ask questions, even if you don’t always have the answers.  

Should you read it?

I actually like Hillary and the Ladybug Butterflies much more than I did the first two in the series.   I still don’t like all the wasted space.  This book could be much less bulky if the text and images were placed on the same page.  I didn’t notice any odd pausing in the sentences this time either. Reads much more naturally, as a reader should read. 

I think children will enjoy this read. Kindergarten through grade 2 I think.  A bit of a mystery, brave adventurers, and a great solution at the end!  What more can you want eh? 

The Whale Who Swam Through Time

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (The Whale Who Swam Through Time) 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. 🙂

Do you have an interest in understanding the lives of whales?  Then I urge you to check out this lovely picture book by Alex Boersma.  The Whale Who Swam Through Time walks us through the life of a bowhead whale and her 200 years of life. Swim through the waters and watch how the world changes from her perspective and gain a deeper insight into what whales need. 

The whale who swam through time

The Whale Who Swam Through Time in a nutshell

Through 48 pages the reader is brought through a 200 year journey alongside a bowhead whale.  We get to read this story in a book published by Roaring Brook Press entitled The Whale who Swam through Time: a 200 year journey in the Artic.  A picture book geared for children 4-8 years old, it’s suitable for people of all ages who just want to learn a bit more about whales.

The copy I received from Raincoast books is a hardcover with a dust cover.  This time-traveling book was written by Alex Boersma and Nick Pyenson.  Alex Boersma also provided the illustrations. 

Taking a Closer Look

Start with the birth of one bowhead whale.  Then follow her as she moves through time, through her life, with pages illustrated boldly with her life. 

You’ll discover boats with adventurers and hunters, and watch her break through the ice and have her dinner.  Even watching her dive deep with her mom away from danger, and give birth to her own child. 

There is so much more to discover within the pages of blue and white.  So much life and potential danger, will she survive?   With an easy-to-read text for reading with a child at your side. 

I was so pleased to see the information provided at the close of the book, filling in the cracks that the pictures and text merely highlighted. 

Add it to your shelves?

Homeschoolers studying whales, or teachers in a classroom should add this to their book list.  It is so interesting to watch this whale and her life and how the world around her changed.  These changes added new challenges to her life and her offspring. 

Alex Boersma did a great job of bringing The Whale Who Swam through Time to life.  All those blues of the ocean, along with the bright colours of the boats, sea life, and nature.  Just a lovely book to page through indeed. Loads of talking points to help children develop their observational and story telling skills.  A well-illustrated book helps with this so much.