A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Elementary

101 Small Ways to Change the World

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Kids today want to be involved in the world around them, they want to know that they can make a difference. Often times though, they don’t know just what they can do.   It’s hard to come up with ideas when you don’t know where to start.  Enter in 101 Small Ways to Change the World.    Just the help a child, teenager or adult needs, to stoke the fires of imagination to change the world. 

From the Cover:

It’s hard to believe that you could change the world, but it’s true! We’ll show you loads of awesome ways to help out family, friends, yourself and the planet – and show how you’re never too young to make a big difference. Includes random acts of kindness, craft projects, energy-saving ideas, and much more.

101 Small Ways to Change the World is a practical, fun and creative book to inspire you at home, school and in your local community and beyond! Remember, all big ideas start with just one person who decides to do things differently. You could be that person.

What You Get

The hardcover tome starts with the encouragement to think big, but to do the small.   For if you want to plant a forest, you need to start with one tree.  One small act combined with another small act changes the world.

This is followed by three sections:

  • 1. Caring for Others
  • 2. Caring for the Planet
  • 3. Caring for Yourself

Section one on Caring for others covers topics such as spreading kindness at school, cheering up a friend, doing your chores, helping wildlife thrive, donating things to charity, being a volunteer and starting a neighbourhood library.

The next section is Caring for the Planet which included ideas such as turning off the lights, walk instead of drive, picking up litter, recreating out of old, make a game, using less plastic, buying local, planting a tree, taking a short shower, and planting a garden. 

Caring for yourself encourages the reader to stand up for yourself, be positive, eat healthy, find a hobby, be involved with your family, challenge yourself, and to share your abilities.

My Thoughts

There is so much in this book that I like.  Practical ideas for kids, teens and adults to engage with, to make small changes in the world and their communities.  A great book for that, and the learning how to care for yourself too!  Excellent stuff.

I did struggle with the “don’t eat meat” mantra.  It wasn’t balanced with the good that animals do, only the negatives were addressed.  This section could easily have addressed “try alternative proteins like crickets etc”. 

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The Secrets of Tutankhamun

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King Tut, boy king of Ancient Egypt.  Who was he?   Where was he buried?  Why did it take so long to discover his tomb?  What secrets did it hide and what did we learn from it?   These questions and more, answered in The Secrets of Tutankhamun by Patricia Cleveland-Peck. 

From the Cover

When a series of family deaths led to the nine-year-old Tutankhamun’s unlikely ascension to the throne of Egypt, the young Pharoah inherited a land in the midst of conflict and change.   His rule was short and tumultuous, and at around age nineteen, Tut died.    Three thousand years later, Howard Carter, a British archaeologist …. made a discovery that shocked the world. …. Featuring the story of Tut’s life, the archaeological advances made through the discovery of his tomb, and guides to hieroglyphics and the mummification process. …..

What you Get

The life of Tutankhamun is brought to us in this oversized paperback tome.  A meaty book filled with his life and the life of the men searching for answers, and then discovering them!   

Divided into three parts, this 64 page book talks about how Tut lived and died, the discovery by Howard Carter and how the mysteries were solved around the discoveries made at his burial site. 

Now, what I received was the advanced readers’ copy, so most of the book I received was done in grayscale images.   There were numerous images scattered throughout the entire book that really brought the well-written text to life.

A few pages were included so we could see what the final book will look like. All seven pages of colour were filled with shades of blacks, blues, yellows and whites.  

Highly informative history spills out of the pages.  There is so much to be learned as well as life lessons.  For instance, the persistence of Howard Carter in his quest to find the tomb.  Questions to be asked at the time of discovery that weren’t answered until much later.  The excitement the discovery brought.  The uniqueness of his tomb, and all the questions it raised, along with the discovery of two infant tombs.  Just a treasure trove of information.

My Thoughts:

People have long been fascinated with Tutankhamun and this book delves deep into the mystery of who he was and how he lived.  There is much speculation of course, based on archaeological finds.  Overall though, it’s a great look into the lives of two men….one young, living with health problems and dying young.  The other older, determined to solve a mystery, persisting even when it seemed he’d never do it.

I found it a well-written book that gave a great amount of information, I learned so much.  Meaty picture books are just the best, you know?

I thoroughly enjoyed all the add-ons… learning the hieroglyphic alphabet, how they read the paintings in the tomb, the mummification process and more.  It would be a great addition to studies on Ancient Egypt. 

Links to other books on Egypt to help round out your studies.

Egyptomania. 

Cleopatra and Ancient Egypt. 

 

click image for amazon link
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World War II Night Before Christmas

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Study the World Wars this year has opened my eyes to the tremendous hardship the soldiers faced in the first World War. The Great War was hard, but the Second World War brought it’s own difficulties.   Those are pointed out in World War II Night Before Christmas. 

From The Cover

Santa visits the Allied troops in Normandy on Christmas Eve, 1944.  He brings them blankets, rations, coffee, and warm winter clothes…items that the Allied troops lacked in the frigid temperatures of Normandy.

What you Get:

Full Colour images and a poem reminiscent of The Night Before Christmas.  The lines bring out the dangers the soldiers faced, as well as their fears and dreams.  And who should appear at the end?   Santa of course (you’ll need to read of his gear). 

I appreciated that he listed names of soldiers in the war, and carefully wrote in a way to educate without alarming children listening to the familiar lyrics of Night Before Christmas. 

My Thoughts

I have to admit I did struggle with the Nazis are evil and we are good.   Do not misunderstand me, I do not believe that Nazism is a good mindset to follow.  But I do struggle with the notion of Santa saying Americans are good and those they fight are evil.  It is very much a “yay, America” book.  That aspect came across stronger than I would have preferred.

What I do like is that in the midst of worry and fear hope happens.  Santa comes and brings the soldiers exactly what they where in need of, just when they most needed it. That message is one that children need to hear.  Perhaps not that Santa is the answer, but that hope always exists for those who wait for it. 

  • World War II Night Before Christmas
  • Mike Guardia
  • Melanie Stephens (illustrator)
  • Magnum books
  • 36 pages, softcover, picture book
  • Christmas, WW2, Santa

Reviewed for the author.

Other books by Miake Guardia

It’s Snowing in Hawaii.

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Pup 681

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Don’t you just love picture books?  I do!!!!  I especially love picture books that tell a true to life story.  Pup 681 is a great book to introduce children to rescue work and lovely world that is sea otters.  Reviewing this picture book taught me a few things about sea otters and is definitely worth reading. 

Pup 681 a sea otter rescue story

From the Cover:

Washed ashore alone, a tiny sea otter pup needs help! Soon, a rescuer is there, to take her in and keep her warm and fed. The pup faces challenges in her new life without her sea otter family. But with the love and care of her rescuer, she flourishes in her new home. Inspired by a true story, this is a heartwarming and hopeful tale about family and love.

What you get:

You get a heart warming, sweet story. Pup 681 is such a little fellow. Needing help and then finding it.   Can’t you just hear him call “Meeeh Meeeh”.  The cry of a baby wanting family members to come and help.  

Pup 681Stunning pictures dot the pages, sometimes as a full  two-page spread and other times as single illustrations.  The colours are so reflective on the environment this wee otter would have found himself in.

Pup 681Don’t the illustrations just bring the story to life?   You can just see little otter getting better can’t you?

“and there she was warmed … and fluffed….and fed“

pup 681The care and concern given this wee pup was evident on every page.  The hearts of the rescuers could be seen shining through as they worked to save the life of one wee pup washed up without his momma.  Words so gentle, helpful and instruction… the way this tale was written suits the nature of the story. 

My Thoughts:

I think this is a fantastic book which gives a good introduction to otters and some of their unique features. It is a fun, well written story with great illustrations. I would be an excellent introduction to a course of study on sea others or other oceanic life.  Knowing that there is a real Pup 681 (though this work is ficitional)  gives a personal touch to your study. 

If you are looking for other resources to help you in your study of Sea Otters you may want to consider:

Marine Mammals.    Saving Sea Otters.    National Park Service.

My only concern was the “bambi syndrome” where human emotions were applied to this little otter.  One doesn’t know if a rescued otter baby would be feeling an emptiness inside.  We shouldn’t apply human emotions to animals like that.  It might make for an easier story to write but doesn’t really respect the otter as a wild animal. 

Pup 681: A sea otter rescue story 
Pup 681: a sea otter rescue story.
Jean Reidy
Illustrator: Ashley Crowley
Godwin Books
Henry Holt and Company
40 pages, trade paperback,
Picture book, age 4-8
Biology, Rescue, Sea Otter, Science

Reviewed for Raincoast Books.

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The Selfish Giant

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Do you remember the story of The Selfish Giant?  I don’t recall when I first read this story, but as I looked through all the new illustrations, I was brought back in time and I smiled.  Come along, I want YOU to smile too!  🙂

The Selfish Giant, book review

From the Back Cover

A beloved tale that has lasted for generations, The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde, one of the world’s greatest writers, tells the tale of a very selfish giant, his wonderful garden, the curious and playful village children, and, of course, the little child who changes the giant’s heart. A beloved classic in English literature, The Selfish Giant may be Oscar Wilde’s greatest story of redemption and forgiveness.

Newly illustrated by renowned artist Jeanne Bowman, this fantastic edition of this famous tale showcases Wilde’s story in a pallet and composition that will delight and inspire both young and old and will become a family treasure to be read again and again.

What you get

This is a beautifully illustrated.   Jeanne Bowman has done an excellent job of showing the before and after in The Selfish Giant.

Before

The Selfish Giant

The after

The Selfish Giant

Don’t you just love the detail and colour in the pictures?   The cold of the snow and the anger of the giant, and then follow that up with the colour and life in the garden?   It’s just so lovely.   There is so much vibrancy in the illustrations, it draws you in. Really it does.   You just want to know in the cold of winter…why is there now a spot of colour in the garden?  What happened?

My Thoughts

I can just totally see sitting down with a child in my lap and reading the story, but also stopping to point out the angry giant, or ask how many animals can they see, or can you count the different flowers?  Learning about kindness and sharing, and what selfishness and angry hearts can bring.  A book filled with learning but also delight!  And the question: would you be the child who dared?

The Selfish Giant

 

The Selfish Giant
Oscar Wilde
New illustrations by Jeanne Bowman
Familius
32 pages, 5-8 years, trade paperback
character, selfish, picture book
giving, good choices

Reviewed for: Raincoast Books.

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Dinosaur Museum

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Do you have a person in your life who likes dinosaurs?  Well.. I have this GREAT book for you today.   Seriously, Lonely Planet Kids has done an amazing job with Build your Own Dinosaur Museum.  In it you will find 5 prehistoric pop-ups to make and display.  Loads of interesting facts pepper the pages as you uncrate dinosaur bones to build your very own dinosaurs.   

Build your own Dinosaur museum

From the Book Cover: 

Calling all dinosaur experts! We need your help.
We have just received a crate of dinosaur fossils – and they need assembling! Fast! Can you find the right room for each skeleton and build them in time for the museum’s big opening? There are five pop-up dinosaurs to put back together, including a Triceratops, Stegosaurus and T-rex. It’s going to be roar some!

Lonely Planet’s Build Your Own Dinosaur Museum is an activity book with a difference, where you get to play chief paleontologist. The museum rooms are ready, but there aren’t any skeletons to display. It’s up to you to figure out which one is which and where they need to go.
Fun, interactive and with lots of facts to discover, this book is perfect for any dinosaur fan, budding biologist or model maker.

What you Get:

When I opened this hardcover book I discovered several pages in the front of the book that were taped securely closed.  Being the curious duck that I am I immediately opened up the tape. By the way, the tape sticks over and over and over again.  I tested it about 15 times and then my lad did a couple more times for good measure. 

Build your own Dinosaur museumThese pieces are colour coded and easy to tear out. They also give instructions so you know which page goes with what display page.  The pieces have bends in them so once you put them in the book they will indeed pop-up. This is excellent for young dinosaur enthusiasts. 

Build your own Dinosaur museumIt does follow the evolutionary theory of the earth’s development, and how animals came into being.  I find this is pretty normal with most dinosaur focused books.  I learned many new facts like did you know there was a triceratops group?  This is a group of dinosaurs with a similar head shape but the horn count was different!  I learned how some dinosaurs found safety in numbers, and some dinosaurs were like ostriches…dependent upon their speed to elude predators. 

Build your own Dinosaur museum

Five of the pages were dedicated to the pop-ups, where-as other pages had spots for adding in interesting details, like this egg. 

Build your own Dinosaur museumThere are so many builds for the dinosaur enthusiast, they should be kept busy learning and playing for a good amount of time.  The great thing is, the text is interesting enough they they’ll keep coming back to it to read it again. 

Build your own Dinosaur museumThe reader gets to learn about 

  • What dinosaurs are
  • Triceratops
  • Dinosaur defense
  • Stegosaurus
  • Plant eaters
  • T-rex
  • Predators
  • Marine Reptiles
  • Liopleurodon
  • Flying Reptiles
  • Pleranodon
  • Where in the World?
  • End of an era

Build your own Dinosaur museum

My Thoughts:

I am enamoured with this book, there is so much information, and so many things to keep busy hands well… busy, it’s just great!   From a homeschoolers’ perspective this book would be an excellent addition to a dinosaur unit.  Helping students to hone their attention on five specific dinosaurs and learn how they were put together. Big bones, small forearms, land moving, earth shakers, flyers and more.

This book is a perfect companion to Dinosaur Devotions that I reviewed last week.  AND.. if you are a member of SchoolhouseTeachers there is a great dinosaurs and the bible program you could work through.  Seriously, you should invest in it, it has so many programs that would be helpful to you and your students it’s amazing.  BUT anyways, Build your Own Dinosaur Museum is a must have for the young dinosaur enthusiast in your home.  It would make an excellent Christmas present don’t you think?

Build your own Dinosaur museum

Build Your Own Dinosaur Museum
Jenny Jacoby
illustrator: Beatrice Blue
Lonely Planet Kids
6-8 years, hardcover, Pop-ups, Build your own
Dinosaurs, history, science, biology
Nature, how it works, archaeology

Reviewed for: Raincoast Books.

Other dinosaur books for you to check into:

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Dinosaur Devotions

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Okay, I’m doing this devotional right, so you all can decide if it might be a good fit with your youngsters, and I’m sitting here thinking about another dinosaur book that I have in my review pile that if you like this book…you just might like THAT book.  The two go so well together.  SO as soon as I get that review done and posted I’ll link it up here so you can go find it.  Deal?  GREAT.  The book I’m reviewing for you here is called Dinosaur Devotions.  It’s a nice hardcover, devotional designed for dinosaur loving children.  But I really do need to just focus here.

Dinosaur Devotions

From the cover:

Did you know that a Therizinsaurus’s claws were as long as short swords?   And that the Argentinosaurus weighed as much as 10 elephants?  Now that’s heavy!  In Dinosaur Devotions, award-winning author and dinosaur enthusiast Michelle Medlock Adams shares hundreds of dinosaur facts and makes growing in your faith even more fun.

What do you get?

75 dinosaurs discoveries, bible facts and fun facts fill the pages of this lovely hardcover book.   With a blue ribbon to keep your spot, your children will delight in learning about God as they learn interesting facts about dinosaurs that tie into our faith in God.   For instance, the built in noise maker of the parasaurolophus reminds us to make a joyful noise unto the Lord, The velociraptor reminds us to be strong and courageous and the family minded mapusaurus encourages us to respect our parents.

Each page is set up the same.

dinosaur devotions

The name of the dinosaur on a banner, with facts about the dinosaur in smaller print down the side.  Under the banner is a bible verse, which, for the most part fit in well with the readings that I perused.  The title of the reading along with the passage.  Page 2 bringing us opportunities to dig a little deeper with questions to answer, and then a chance to do some Jurassic journaling as you write, complete an activity or draw out your thoughts on the passage.  Occasional a dictionary word would appear in this side banner as well. A small ‘did you know’ fact appears with every lesson.   Each reading takes a two page spread.

dinosaur devotions

Family, diet, weight, height and family are given given statistics.  As you can see from this devotional, an interesting fact about the dinosaur is used to help children better understand the life of being a Christian. 

dinosaur devotions

I really liked the stop and think about it banner.  From the digging deeper where a parent can ask their child (ren) questions about the reading, or if you are reading it yourself … to help YOU think more deeply about what you are learning. Applying this knowledge to yourself in the journaling really helps to cement the learning.

My Thoughts:

I have mixed thoughts.   Not being entirely sure what age this devotional was geared to, I handed it to my son (a young teen) and asked what his thoughts were.  They weren’t impressive.   He said “It mostly just talks about having good morals and doesn’t talk enough about God”. 

Yet I look through it, and I don’t see it.  I see a devotional that (though not perfect) tries hard to connect one love (dinosaurs) with another love (God).  Those connections will never be perfect because well… we don’t know enough about dinosaurs to really understand them, and two.. we live in a fallen world .. using a fallen part of creation to explain the greatness of God .. you will always fall short.  Just like with any devotional some do a better job at connecting the facts then others, and some the verses used seem a bit stretched but I could find a way to connect them.  

In the end my consideration needs to be this this devotional good enough to recommend to others?   I think so, I don’t know that I would give it a teen, but doing it as a family devotional with your children to about 11 or so?   Especially if they have a fondness for dinosaurs?  Definitely.   Ms. Adams has done a good job with this devotional.

dinosaur devotions
Dinosaur Devotions: 75 dino discoveries, bible truths, fun facts and more!
Michelle Medlock Adams
Illustrator: Denise Turu
Tommy Nelson
Hardcover, 160 pages, Devotional
Elementary ages
Discipleship, Faith, Christianity, Dinosaurs

Reviewed for: Booklookbloggers.

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