A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Review

Art Series: The Art of Cursive Logic

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 I almost forgot to do a post this week!   Can you believe it?

And a good reminder came in the mail today…. sample pages from Cursive Logic’s new book.  Guess what they have created?   It’s a colouring book for adults!   

 This book is actually in final production stages so I can’t tell you what the actual book will be like but I can tell you this.

They have mentioned to me how the final product will be made on paper superior to what they are sending as samples…and boy.. that will be REALLY nice paper since what they sent is very solid, great paper that won’t leak through, printed only on one side, and just a gorgeous paper for a colouring book.

This book is very much geared to teen-adult learners rather than children, as seen from the fine details found on this page. 

Let me tell you what I like about this book.

  1. It all ties together.  If you are wanting to improve your cursive abilities or simply want to learn how to do cursive, wouldn’t it be lovely to practice those skills and make some lovely art at the same time?
  2. It’s a colouring book and the images are beautiful, the learning the cursive movements is tied into the art work seamlessly.
  3. Quotes that appeal and give me something to think on.

    4. Cursive Logic instruction is not forgotten in the desire to create a gorgeous book.

    You will find the same shapes and movements of the teaching pages contained within the colouring pages.  It’s actually quite well done.

 I really really wish I could convey the beauty of the paper… it is SO nice and very solid.   It would be great for using any kind of medium to fill in the pictures.  Though I have to admit, I wish they could have included a sample of each of the kinds of paper they are thinking of using so I could have judged them.  🙂

Anyways, if you like colouring… get this book.  If you want to improve your cursive.. get this book.   Either one…you’ll improve a skill and have a good time doing it eh?

 The information from Cursive Logic:

  • like to print on
    thick, art paper
  • with perforated edges for ease of coloring and for display
  • they are doing a kickstarter campaign which you can find here:  bit.ly/2taclrc It’s a great way to support a cool book and get interesting product in return.  🙂
 I received unbound lesson pages and four sample pages in exchange for this review.

Blog Tour: The Playbook by Kwame Alexander

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 Remember I told you I was going to be part of a blog tour?   Well, today is my day to talk to you about this interesting book.  The Playbook: 52 rules to aim, shoot and score in this game called life. It has been written by Kwame Alexander.

Kwame Alexander is a poet, educator, New York Times Bestselling author
of 21 books, and recipient of the 2015 Newbery Medal for his novel, The
Crossover.   He as founded two organizations, Book-in-a-Day and LEAP for
Ghana.   He is a literacy advocate and regularly travels to promote literacy.  He has served as Bank Street College of Education’s first
writer-in-residence.  You can learn more about Kwame here.

If you are interested here is a link to interview and a reading from his previous book, Booked.

52 Rules.   Broken into four quarters: Grit, Motivation, Passion (halftime), Focus and Teamwork.   Each section is broken into training and words of encouragement from a variety of athletes that span all sports: basketball, Olympians and more.  Even quotes from Nobel Prize winners and poets. 

Rule 30 “There is not single formula for winning but you must have a game plan”.
Rule 16 “You may not be a starter but always be star in your mind ready to shine at any time”
Rule 42 “Be unselfish, share the ball, work together, win together”.

Filled with stories from his life and the lives of  athletes, this book is bound to appeal to the athletes among us, from children up to adults,though it is geared to youth aged 10-12.  There is much wisdom to be gained in the reading of this book, all from a sports mindset. 

I have to admit, I loved the graphics in this book.   Being a non-sports minded person sometimes I got a bit lost in the jargon, but I enjoyed the set up of this book, how it was divided into quarters, covered half time and was simply filled with encouragement for the young athlete to be a person of character as they play the game, whatever game that might be.  To see the character encouraged in the larger realm of life as well.

I can so easily see this book becoming the basis of teaching in a sports camp, or used by a coach with his team.  
 

The Playbook: 52 Rules to aim, shoot, and score in this game called life.
Author: Kwame Alexander
Illustrator: Thai Neave
Pages: 176
Publisher:  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Ages: 10-12 years old.
Reviewed for: Raincoast Books

Here is Kwame at a Time for Kids interview.

Here is Kwame at an awards banquet, for the 2015 Newberry Award. He is so excited in this video. 
It’s just fun to see.   It’s for a different book, but matters not. 
Shows he has some fun and style in writing.

Other people participating in the blog tour can be found here:
The Book Wars.
Lost in Great Book.
Cherry Blossoms and Maple Syrup.
Fab Book Reviews.

Review: Fatal Frost

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Nancy Mehl has brought up a book filled with law enforcement personnel and an extremely nasty cartell.   Three friends are stuck in the middle of a bit mess up.

U.S. Marshal Mercy Brennan is recovering from being shot when her absentee father returns into her life.  In the investigation of a case, her father, unknown to Mercy, puts her into danger with St. Louis’ most powerful cartel.

Enter, ex-boyfriend Deputy U.S. Marshal Mark St. Laurent and childhood friend Tally (also in law enforcement).   Their job: Protect Mercy.

 Mercy doesn’t become of the desperateness of their situation until they are trapped in a cabin by a severe winter storm.   Will Mercy, Mark and Tally survive?    Will they stop the cartel?

 My thoughts: 
You know what I appreciated about this book?

There was no boyfriend/girlfriend interplay.   Was there love shown?   Yes, three good friends working together to keep each other alive and evidence safe.   Working to keep people safe and the cartel shut down.  Fighting against their frailties for the good of others.   Seeing doors opened in their lives to the truth of who God is.

Was there human drama and possibilities for in the future?  Sure…but that wasn’t the focus of the book. It made for a good book in my mind.

Fatal Frost
Author: Nancy Mehl
Publisher: Bethany House
Pages: 298
Type: Christian fiction, mystery
Series: Defenders of Justice, book 1

Reviewed for: Nuts about Books.

 Amazon.ca: Fatal Frost (Defenders of Justice Book #1)

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Amazon.com: Fatal Frost (Defenders of Justice)

Review: The Kindness Club

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Meet Chloe, a girl with a good heart having to make a fresh start in a new home and a new school.

Trying to make the best of it.  Her best friend left behind, and wanting desperately to make some new friends.

What is a girl to do?

She’s to think positive, that young lady is.  “I have the best friends at my new school, I have the best friends at my new school”.  

Chloe, finds herself in a science with Mr. Dibble, and he assigns her, along with Lucy and Theo a science experiment.  They are to come up with an hypothesis, test it out and report back to the class.  They have two weeks to complete the project and thus the Kindness Club is born.

Chloe is also invited to join the “It Girls” club, a club only for the cool girls of the school.

Chloe has more new friends than she bargained for and soon finds herself “worried about upsetting all her new friends”.   As events unfold in the book, she truly learns how importance kindness is.

My thoughts: 
I actually thought I wouldn’t like this book when I started reading it, but I did.   It was neat to see the affect the kindness had on a wide range of people.   Such an interesting assignment Mr. Dibble gave to his students.  A great way to put thought into action.  

Now do I think upper elementary/middle school students will like it?   My son was intrigued by the idea and thought it would be interesting to try something like that. He was even coming up with ideas he thought would be neat to try out.  When I asked if he wanted to read it, he said “it’s a good book for girls”.  🙂   He likes the idea, but sees it as a girls book.

I think if the cover was changed, it might appeal to him more.

The Kindness Club : Chloe on the Bright Side

By: Courtney Sheinmel
Size: 7.19 x 8.53
224 pages
Ages 8-12 years

Published by: Bloomsbury USA

Reviewed for: Raincoast Books

Review: SchoolhouseTeachers.com

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Affiliate Links are used in this post. They cost you nothing & help me with my family needs. 

I’ve been a member at SchoolhouseTeachers.com for so long I can’t even really remember when I started, I know it was from before I started working with the Homeschool Review Crew.    I have used different program with them throughout the years and each year they add more courses to their Yearly Membership.   

Recently I wrote a post talking about the courses I am planning to use with my son this year, You can find that post here.  It will be good to round out our studies with these interesting courses. 

I got to reading through some of the other courses, looking for anything that might interest me and guess what?   I found a couple.

This one on Digital Art and Product Designs for Small Business. 50 Lessons once a week to put my creative skills to good use learning to make better graphics for my blog posts.   Doesn’t that sound great?   I feel rather inadequate sometimes as I lack confidence and natural eye for making graphics.

I have a lad who enjoys history so I’ve been questing around for a history program I can use once he’s gone through all the Veritas Press history program.    To that end I’ve discovered a what I think will be a good gap program.   This Day in History.  Learning on new history fact a day/week depending on how I use it.   Just the kind of thing to intrigue the lad.   

It’s actually rather hard to choose as there are over 300 courses that you can take.   ALL for one low yearly fee.

Just look at all these different categories!

 
Divided into Elementary, Middle School and Highschool for your ease in finding courses that interest you.    I am thinking they might want to offer some adult courses as well, though I have to admit those grade 12 courses are intriguing.  🙂


SchoolhouseTeachers.com has never let me down in the quality of what they offer.  They have so many different courses to choose from, that you can even use one to compliment another.

Their recent upgrade lends itself to a beautiful website, that is easy to navigate. One of the nicest features is the “can I help you” customer support button.   Ready and willing to help you at varied times throughout the day.  One night I was working at it was past 9 pm. and someone was there to help!  I was stunned!   Kind helpful people willing to help you find just the course you want.

The Homeschool Review Crew has been busy reviewing this company and it’s yearly membership.   Do check them out by clicking the image below or by following this link.

http://schoolhousereviewcrew.com/high-quality-self-paced-online-homeschool-resources-schoolhouseteachers.com/

Social media Links: 
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOSMag/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/tosmag/     
Google+:  https://plus.google.com/118111005169451277551/posts

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Review: Out of the Spin Cycle

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40 Devotionals awaiting to lighten your load as a mother.   

Jen Hatmaker writes with humour and real-life stories to bring truth to bear, and a heart bent to hold a struggling momma close.

This book is a hand up to mommas, teaching what is most important.   Knowing the hearts of our children and turning those hearts toward God.

More important than laundry.
More important than getting it all right.
More important than healthy children (as in no medical issues)
More important than doing everything for them.

Teaching them to see God’s heart in the life of their mother.

And teaching momma that she doesn’t have to do it all or know it all, all she really has to know is… the heart of the God who made her. 

Some of  the devotions have a bible passage at the start, others have the passage mixed within the devotional.  The passages seemed like they fit as opposed to be taken out of context (pet peeve of mine).   Each devotion has a least one question to help the reader think through the thought presented AND a step of action.

One step out of the spin cycle call to action was this “Think of a concrete way to teach the character of Jesus today. Find a way to demonstrate his love, his presence, his joy or his protection“. 

Recommend it?   Yes. I didn’t see anything that caused me to raise my eyebrows or set my spirit a questing after truth.   If you need some encouragement and truth spoken into your life, this book may be just what you are looking for.

Title: Out of the Spin Cycle – Devotions to Lighten Your Mother Load
 Author: Jen Hatmaker

Pages: 175
Type: Christian Devotional
Style: paperback 

Reviewed for Nuts about Books

Amazon.ca: Out of the Spin Cycle: Devotions to Lighten Your Mother Load
Amazon.com: Out of the Spin Cycle: Devotions to Lighten Your Mother Load

Trials, Tears and Triumphs

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My family parentage is Dutch.

My dad came over on a boat, my mom I think on a plane (can’t recall for sure).  Dad was a child, mom an adult.

 My hubby’s mom came over a boat.  She came as a child with her family.

Working was a part of a their lives since they were young.  Life was hard.

So when a friend of mine told me she wrote a book about her early life coming to Canada and the various things they want through.   How God’s grace was shown in her life I asked if I could please read it and if I liked it, could I put it on my blog.

She ever so graciously gave me a copy.  🙂

I know I’ve reviewed this book before, but I had a quiet snowed-in Sunday afternoon and thought I’d read it again.  🙂   AND I can’t find the old review so there yah go.

27 chapters.  Leading from coming over on the boat through to life as a teen and then as a married woman, whose husband became a pastor.   Through childhood troubles, the joys and sorrows of being strangers in a new land, wild acting horses, not being able to speak and through it all.. the grace of God manifest throughout.

135 pages of immigrant history and seeing God in action.   To see a person healed when she needed surgery to remove polyps around her throat preventing speech.  The surprise of the everyone involved in the case.

It’s a good read that helped me to understand some of what my heritage, some of what my people went through in their hopes of a better life.   It was good to see faith in action and the promises of God seen in real life.  

If you are interested in learning more about where to get this book, let me know.  I will put you in contact with Greta Zwaan the author.   Selling for about $12 the last I heard.