A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Review

Review: The Beginner’s Bible for Little Ones

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 The  Beginner’s Bible for Little Ones is a board book put together for our little ones.  It’s a sturdy board book. With lots of colourful pictures to delight the eye as they learn the basic facts about eight stories from the bible, selected from both the Old and New Testament.

The stories contained are:

  • The Beginning
  • Noah’s Ark
  • The Mean Giant
  • Daniel and the Lions
  • An Angel Visits Mary
  • Baby Jesus is Born
  • Jesus Feeds Thousands
  • Jesus is Alive

Each story is four pages long with a short amount of text on each page under a picture.  I appreciated that the pictures weren’t obviously Anglo-Saxon but made me think of a more middle eastern look.  Though I’m not sure the blond hair is really Middle Eastern.  🙂

I liked that the biblical reference was provided, making it easy to start with the story in the book, and then use the bible to expand on the details.   

 My Thoughts:
 It’s a nice little book for what it is… a way to introduce familiar bible stories to little children.  It does that.  It doesn’t mention sin, though it mentions people doing bad things, among which is forgetting who God is.  God’s protection of his people is made clear which is an important thing for littles to know.  God watches over us full well!

The Beginner’s Bible for Little Ones
Zondervan
32 pages
ages 2-4 years
Style: Board book
Bible stories for children

Reviewed for: BookLookBloggers.

Where can you find it?
Amazon.ca: The Beginner’s Bible for Little Ones

Amazon.com: The Beginner’s Bible for Little Ones

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This post may contain affiliate links – using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool – thank you!

©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time . We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites

Review: Following the Great Wall

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Guess what I have for you today?   Another Unfolding Journeys book, this one on the Great Wall!  You may remember me talking about Rocky Mountains Explorer in the past.  This book does not disappoint as it dips us into the Following the Great Wall in China.

Following the Great Wall is an unfolding book, where the one side of the fold out is illustrated images about the great wall, with the opposite side giving factual details. 

This is one of the facts that I particularly find helpful when talking about a subject with a group of students.  Being able to easily show them an image while I read the information from the backside of the image.

But the information is so readily linked that even if you are sitting just looking at the book you can easily flip from one side to the other to learn more.  The numbering system is just so helpful. With the illustration providing just enough information to peak one’s interest.

My Thoughts:
I thoroughly enjoy the unfolding journey books and this one is no exception.   To be able to see the whole picture and take in all the details, and then to gain more information in whatever images hits my fancy.. it’s great!

Following the Great Wall
Steward Ross
Victo Ngai
Lonely Planet Kids
Series: Unfolding Journeys
Pages: 16
Age Range: 8-12 years
Type: heavy cardstock, foldout book

Reviewed for: Raincoast Books

Others in the series:

Where can you find it?
Amazon.ca: Lonely Planet Unfolding Journeys – Following the Great Wall 1st Ed.

Amazon.com: Unfolding Journeys – Following the Great Wall (Lonely Planet Kids)

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This post may contain affiliate links – using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool – thank you!

©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time . We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites

Review: The Elephant Scientist

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Today I have a third book for you from the Scientists in the Field series, this one is The Elephant Scientist.   I have previously reviewed Pluto and Dolphins of Shark Bay.  This is an excellent book that taught me so much about elephants… in ways I totally didn’t expect!  🙂

Ever wonder how elephants know there is a storm coming?  When I read this section of the book I was totally hooked.

I so wanted to know if there was a possibility of being true.  Could elephants be linked with insects?  Could this trait be useful?   That’s the question.   So we delved into the world of elephant feet, elephant alarm sounds, and more.   Learning about elephant societies, the females and their groups, the boys and theirs.    Intermingled in the compelling words were a whole host of images, to draw in the reader (aimed at youth 10-12 years old).  The full colour images were stunning in their detail and observation of elephant life.

The pages are well balanced between text and images.

I was fascinated by the idea that they use the alarm calls of elephants to keep them from damaging the fields and gardens of farmers and homeowners.  We didn’t just learn about these two ideas, look what else you get to learn about.

Elephant Scientist is a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the Elephants, learning how they can tell them apart, how the males form groups, how the females live in matriarchal groups, their strong social interconnection, differences in how they respond to alarm calls and so much more.  A very interesting book.  🙂
My Thoughts:
 I have a firm appreciation for the scientists in the field series.  I love meeting the people researching these different topics, and Elephant Scientist is no exception.   A neat idea about elephants, the research to test out that theory, with helping elephants being the end goal. 

Elephant Scientist
By: Caitlin O’Connell & Donna M. Jackson
Images: Caitlin O’Connell & Timothy Rodwell
Series: Scientists in the Field
Pages: 80
Ages: 10-12 years
Publisher:  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Reviewed for: Raincoast Books

Where can you find it?
 Amazon.ca: The Elephant Scientist

Amazon.com: The Elephant Scientist (Scientists in the Field Series)

This post may contain affiliate links – using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool – thank you!

©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time . We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Review: Grand Canyon

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Ever wondered about the Grand Canyon, thinking about the animals that lived there or even how it came into being?   Jason Chin takes us on a picturesque journey through the many layers of the Grand Canyon, introducing us to the plants, animals and rocks that we’ll find along the way.

Jason Chin has put together a beautifully illustrated book that speaks to us of the history of The Grand Canyon.   He carefully takes us through the different layers, showing us the rocks, animals and plants that live along the way.

 This meaty picture book exceeded my expectations as it talked about the rock formation, and why it happened.   He dwelt heavily upon evolutionary principles but as he did so he showed the beauty of the Grand Canyon, and the huge variety of habitats and animals found throughout.  From the heat of the inner beauty to the hidden oasis found within.   I wanted to go see the Grand Canyon for myself by the time I was done, while realizing I could never see all that he showed me without hiking it myself.

He took the time to teach about concepts such as weathering, rock layers, ripple marks from mud flats, and much more.  Making this a highly useful book for anyone wanting to learn about the Grand Canyon.

He talks to us about fossils and takes imaginary trips back in time to show us what life might have been like back then in the Grand Canyon.

There is also a huge fold out that shows the beauty of the Grand Canyon.  I could not get the whole thing in my camera frame.  🙂

The last section of the book is devoted to facts to help you understand the geology of the Grand Canyon all the more.  By looking at the rocks found in the present, we can imagine what might have been in the past.   Layer by layer learning to appreciate the Grand Canyon.

 Mr. Chin explains some of this thinking as he created this book:

My Thoughts:
I never expected that a picture book, with illustrations as opposed to images, could convey to me the depth and breadth of the Grand Canyon.   This book helped me to see the immensity of it as well as the beauty of wonder.  Jason Chin did an excellent job.   A well crafted book that will benefit the classroom as well as individual enjoyment.

 Grand Canyon
By: Jason Chin
Roaring Brook Press
Pages: 56
Ages: 7 – 12 years
Type: Hardcover with fly
Approximately 10 x 12 inches

Reviewed for: Raincoast Books

Where can you find it?
Amazon.ca: Grand Canyon

Amazon.com: Grand Canyon

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This post may contain affiliate links – using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool – thank you!

©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time . We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites

Review: Run with Me

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 Run with Me is the story of an U.S. Olympic Champion which started in Jamaica and ended in Oregon.   Sanya Richards-Ross lived a life of faith combined with the joy of running.

Written towards youth as the intended audience, Ms. Richards-Ross speaks with a candor about listening to the Lord as you engage in your daily activities. She lists five P’s that she has found pivotal to her life.

Ms. Richards-Ross has been running ever since she was a little girl.  Running was simply part of her life that she enjoyed.   She found it hard sometimes to push through (as every runner does) but the end result was a lady born to run, and to run with speed.

I remember watching her run in the Olympics and being amazed at her speed.

Learning from her coach the first four P’s, a fifth was added for her faith.  Seeing her faith in God and learning how God made himself known to her was great to read about.  Learning to listen to voice of God is a great thing for anyone to learn.  You can see her work ethic, how she pushed through the pain, trained relentlessly (1000 reps at night), running races and PUSHING to win.   She had an end goal and worked until she achieved it.

My Thoughts:
I appreciated so much how the importance of listening to those who have gone on before you is stressed: from listening to her coach (who taught her the first four P’s), to listening to her dad and enjoying his support, to the love of her family, and even to getting mental help from experts.   She learned from everyone around her, including God, how to make the game she played, better. 

Part of her end goal was to be a good role model for any youth that might come along after her.  To that end she used her physical condition, mental stability and work ethic to become the World and Olympic Champion that she is today. 

It was a good book to read, one that I think middle schoolers could enjoy and learn from.
They will most definitely enjoy her pictures that are included, in full colour, in the middle of the book.   Pictures from youth through to her Olympic wins.

Run With Me
Sanya Richards-Ross: the story of an U.S. Olympic Champion
ZonderKidz
Age: 8-12
Auto-biography
Hardcover
Pages: 208

Reviewed for: BookLookBloggers.

Where can you find it?
Amazon.ca: Run with Me: The Story of a U.S. Olympic Champion

Amazon.com: Run with Me: The Story of a U.S. Olympic Champion

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This post may contain affiliate links – using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool – thank you!

©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time . We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites

Art Book: Dangles

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I don’t know if you remember the handlettering A to Z book I put up a couple weeks back, but today I have a book called Dangles for you.  It’s goes along with hand lettering quite handily, as well as being useful to mandalas, creative ring art and such like.

I have to be honest here, this book intrigues me yet scares me off.   Weird eh?

I am not what you’d call a girlie girlie, so I’m not into necklaces, charms, dangling things and such like.  Just not my style, Doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy them on others but for me…it’s like NO. The art that is created with this concept just intrigues me cause it’s actually kinda pretty.  🙂

I know.. weird.   But it’s me eh!  🙂

Anyways, in Dangles you get 8 different section, each devoted to teaching you a different aspect of making a dangle.   From understanding what they are, to how to use them in different contexts.

 First off, just what is a dangle?   Dangles are “beautifully illustrated strings of charms that you can use to decorate letters, shapes and objects.” (p.6)  They have no set boundaries, you can wrap them around an object, let them shoot up from the bottom of a page, let them dangle down from a letter and more.  They give you a way to personalize any design.

Ms. Kneibler starts with showing us how to add a dangle to a letter.
I appreciated how she took the time to show us a basic letter, how to add some style to that letter, and then showed how to add a dangle.   After that she gives the reader a chance to try their own hand at the letter, giving a letter outline so you can practice all the steps yourself.

She does this for every letter of the alphabet, showing how a dangle could work with both upper and lower case letters.

The letters section is followed by a section on adding dangles to complete words.    She repeats the process that she started with the letters, showing how to hand letter a word, then to add pattern to the word letters, and then to add dangles to that overall word.   Leaving room to practice what she just finished teaching you. 

One of the neat things that I found very helpful was how each section is colour coded.  You know if you are in the dark purple section that you will be learning about dangle shapes and mandalas.   In this section there is less room for practice.  It was more about showing you the different ways that dangles can be used in the making of shapes and mandalas. 

Isn’t the finished mandala pretty?

 The golden rod section teaches us how to put it all together, the letters, the objects, just making it all work together.   It was hard to choose which one to share with you, but this bird and flower I thought was pretty neat eh?  The dangles just seem to flow naturally from it.

 Charming projects is the light blue section, it’s not very large and focuses on how you can turn your dangle art into things like bookmarks and gift cards. 

One of the most helpful sections for me was the Charm Directory.   Seeing all the variety and the ways to put the different shapes together.  I just liked this section and found it helpful.  There were no names to put the designs, just showing all the variation which would be a huge boon when learning how to do this, so you can figure out more easily how to let your imagination soar. 

Aren’t the possibilities astounding?

The final section is the colour gallery, here you will find each of the letters and words demonstrated, along with the page numbers they are found on for easy access. 

 So what do I think of the book overall?
Really well designed!   I like the step by step training, with the room and encouragement to try it out yourself.  Well done!

If adding charms to your hand lettering appeals, or you want to learn how to add charms to your drawings to add some pizzazz to them, this book will definitely help you learn how to do that, and to do it well.

Dangles: Creating Decorative Letters and Art with Charms.
Olivia A. Kneibler
Race Point
144 pages.
Type: Art Teaching Book, Drawing
Size: about 8 x 10 inches

Reviewed for Quarto Group

Where to find this book?
Amazon.ca: The Art of Drawing Dangles: Creating Decorative Letters and Art with Charms

Amazon.com:  The Art of Drawing Dangles: Creating Decorative Letters and Art with Charms
 

This post may contain affiliate links – using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool – thank you!

©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

Review: The Dolphins of Shark Bay

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I thought this would be a super easy quick review to do.  Take pictures, read a bit of the text from The Dolphins of Shark Bay, and say whether or not it would be worth getting or reading.  I didn’t anticipate that I would find myself so fascinated that I would simply put down my camera and read.  I didn’t anticipate that I would talk with my lad about what I was learning as I read.  I didn’t anticipate him coming over and looking over my shoulder as I read.   “What’s that dolphin doing mom?” and then marvelling at how unique these dolphins seemed to us.   I love it when books surprise me, don’t you?

What do you get?
Pictures OH MY this book is loaded with pictures, and they draw you in.  Pictures of baby dolphins with their moms, pictures of dolphins swimming in groups, pictures of researchers watching the dolphins, dolphins that are hunting, sponging, and/or swimming.

Chapters are as follows, 76 pages broken down into 8 chapters.
1. Mystery Dolphin
2. Monkey Mia
3. Mothers of invention
4. Young and restless
5. Dating Games
6. Advanced Dolphinomics
7. Sticky Questions

I found the images inspired me to read more, and then to beyond the reading to videos. 🙂
I never knew that dolphins hunted differently around the world. Yeah, I knew about the dolphins that swam in circles stirring up the water dirt so the fish rose to the surface, making it easier to catch them. But I didn’t know a dolphin would drive a big fish toward the shore for the same reason, or that they would carry a sponge to protect their rostrum as they hunted for food on the ocean floor. 

 Reading about this inspired me to look it up on youtube. Skimming the water, the speed at which they can turn, it surprised me.

What else can I tell you?
The author brings you right into the life of the scientists, sharing their joys and sorrows.  Their sense of wonder and confusion.  Why do some offspring (usually just the girls) pick up their mothers hunting methods (like sponging) and others don’t?   The text is quite readable.

 I love how the book leaves you with the questions that the researchers ask themselves 
1. How do the males choose their herd mates
2. Is it okay for dolphins to be used as swimming buddies or kept in aquariums where they are safe from attack?
3. What causes some dolphins to pick up sponging?
4. Why do some dolphins from the bay stick with their own families, and why do others mingle with the visiting dolphins?

My thoughts:
I am so glad I got this book as a review.  It was so fun learning about the Dolphins of Shark Bay.  Seeing the tools the dolphins use, learning some of their unique struggles, and oh.. the images bringing it all to life.  This is an excellent book to learn about dolphins, not just the dolphins of shark bay, though these dolphins have some unique skills.  Well written, good material, with no prejudices to say what is right or wrong.

The Dolphins of Shark Bay
Author: Pamela S. Turner
Photographer: Scott Tuason
Ages: 10-12 years (or older)
Approximately 11 by 8 inches
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Series: Scientists in the Field
Reviewed for: Raincoast Books

Where can you find it?

Amazon.ca: The Dolphins of Shark Bay

Amazon.com:  The Dolphins of Shark Bay (Scientists in the Field Series)

This post may contain affiliate links – using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool – thank you!

©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time . We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites