A Net in Time

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Review: Ascent

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If there is a mountain to climb, Peak and Alessia want to climb.  They are not out for fame or glory, they just want to climb mountains. In Ascent, a Peak Marcello Adventure, written by Roland Smith, we find Peak heading toward Hkakabo Razi in Myanmar.  What adventures will await them?  

A Peak Marcello Adventure. Ascent!

Peak and Alessia, along with bodyguard Ethan enter into the world of Asia.  Walking through the jungle and encountering dangers along the way.   I am loathe to tell you too much of the story because that would ruin the surprise of it eh?   

Myanmar, a country filled with tropical rainforest, isolated mountains, venomous reptiles, corrupt police, isolated villages, rope bridges, and rogue elephants.   Baggage handlers and guides are a must. 

How will this trio navigate the dangers that face them?  Will they survive the bug infested rainforest?  Will they figure out who is sabotaging their expedition?   Will they even manage to reach the summit?   To know the answers you need to read the book!

My thoughts.

Middle school students with a love for adventure should enjoy reading this book.  There are some interesting twists in the plotline that keep the story interesting.  Peak ended up learning some important lessons about himself. Leadership and asking for help and dependence on others.   All good things for a young adult to learn.  Many things were alluded to from other books in the series, without full explanations given.  This of course, creates the desire to read those books so you get the full story.   This book does stand on it’s own, it just leaves me wanting to know more.   

I found this video interesting to help me picture some of the battles Peak would have had to struggle with.

 

 

Ascent
Roland Smith
A Peak Marcello Adventure
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
12+
Softcover, middle school
Adventure, mystery
Reviewed for: Raincoast Books.

Where to find: Amazon Link.

Review: LogoJoy

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Hey, you know that it can be helpful to have your own branding right?  How having a logo or a font that is common across the board for you? Did you know there are sites on-line that are there to help you develop do that?   LogoJoy sent me a free logo to check out so I could tell you all about them.

LogoJoy, a site the helps you design a logo for your business or blog.

Who is LogoJoy?

Logojoy is one of the world’s leading online logo makers with over 30,000 unique users every day, and more than 2,000,000 logos created this year.  They use artifical intelligence to help you create a beautiful logo.   Their goal is simple..help you create a good logo.   They have a whole process that they take you through on your journey.

This interface walks you through six different steps.  The first four: 

The next step shows you a number of different logos based upon your choices.   I have to tell you, they showed me way more options then this.  All variations of the different themes and symbols that I chose.

Step six is to pick the logo you like the most and then to customize it.  In this step you can customize everything, you can add elements, change your symbol, decide your slogan needs to be edited…all sorts of things… even change the colour of your background.   

I even learned that you can make the background transparent to use as a watermark.  It’s actually a rather neat site to help you figure out what you like, and gives you the freedom to rework it in a manner that shows YOUR style as well.

Here are a couple of options I came up with.   I couldn’t really find a way to show you the transparent background one, there is probably something very obvious…but right now it’s not coming to me but you’ve all seen watermarks on images I’m sure.  🙂

And look, here’s a video that will walk you through the process.  Pretty helpful folks I have found.  

 

I tested out the premium package. This is what comes with it.

LogoJoy
Make a logo using colours, fonts, symbols that you like
An interactive website that uses choices you make.
Different packages available: 
    Basic $20, Premium $65, Enterprise $195

Art Book: How to Build Lego Cars

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Do you love building with Lego?   Do you see it for the art form that it is?  Yes, it’s STEM and building and engineering, but … it is also an art form.   You can really see it in these magnificantcars that Peter Blackert helps you design in How to Build Brick Cars.

Oh…these aren’t your standard lego cars…these are master builder cars that go on to inspire you to model your own creations.
15 different cars which work you up from basic to expert, teaching you the skills you need to design your own lego models of the sports, race, and muscle cars you see around you every day.

You get to build cars such as the Ford Raptor, Datsun Coupe, Ferrari 250, Porsche 911 and so many more.  15 cars all told.

You will find detailed parts lists as well as information about the car being built.  The parts list is in full colour with numbers written alongside.  I didn’t find those numbers worked well with the Lego Store, so they might be with another area?  I don’t know.  BUT I do know you could go into any Lego Store with this book and they could help you find any pieces that you need, with the picture is on the page along with colour.  Easy peasy!

After the opening section you get into the meat of the build.  Full colour illustrations walk you step by step through the build. As long as you are paying attention (and don’t skip steps) you can complete your build.

My thoughts:
This is a great book for any lego enthusiast.  Getting help to make the car of your dreams?  What more could you ask for.  The detailed instruction ensure that anyone who can follow lego instructions can complete these builds…just as long as you have all the lego parts at hand.    Go ahead, create some lego art!

How to Build Brick Cars: Detailed Lego Designs for Sports cars, race cars, and muscle cars.
Peter Blackert
MotorBooks
192 Pages
Paperback, oversized
Lego, creator, build, master builder, animals, design

Reviewed for: Quarto Group.

Where can I find it?

How to Build Brick Cars.    Amazon.ca   Or   Amazon.com.

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: Beasts from Bricks

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Oh, who doesn’t like to build with lego?  I spent hours as a child playing with lego and have had lots of fun playing with my boy child…though the older he gets the more he keeps himself busy with other things and plays less with his mama.  BUT this book is cool!  Making animals from around the world, using the designs in Beasts from Bricks.  It’s great!


15 different animals which take you through the different continents of the world, teaching you the skills you need to design your own lego models of various animals you can meet in your life (or perhaps WISH you could meet in real life).

You get to build animals such as the African Elephant, Indian rhinocerous, Suffolk sheep, walrus, jack rabbit, anteater and a wombat (as well as others).   I loved that each new animals was introduced to us along with why the author builder created them.

You will find detailed parts lists along with a colour key.  The parts list is in full colour with numbers written alongside.  I didn’t find those numbers worked well with the Lego Store, so they might be with another area?  I don’t know.  BUT I do know you could go into any Lego Store with this book and they could help you find any pieces that you need, since the picture is on the page along with it’s colour.  Easy peasy!

After the opening section you get into the meat of the build.  Full colour illustrations walk you step by step through the build. As long as you are paying attention (and don’t skip steps) you can complete your build.  You may even find yourself inspired to find other animals you can build.  Sometimes to just be changing the colour (as in making a white sheep black, or multi coloured), or by using the skills you have been taught to come up with your own designs.  Who knows what you’ll be able to build eh?

Little things I liked: Each animal is colour coded, so you know all the blue is one animal, different builds he’s made pictured at the back of book, clear instructions, image of finished animal, and the pedestal each animal is placed on so you aren’t limited to stance or flat surfaces.

My Thoughts:
Get this book.  Have fun learning about and then building animals from all over the world. It’ll be great fun, you know it!  🙂

Beasts from bricks
Ekow Nimako
Quarry books
144 pages
Softcover, oversized
Lego, building, STEM, animals, engineering

Reviewed for: Quarto Group

Where can I find it?
Beasts from bricks.  Amazon.ca    Or    Amazon.com.

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 Little Books of Prayers

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Sometimes, just sometimes I get a review book in that I am just not sure how to approach.   That was the case recently with this book “The Little Book of Prayers”. Many of the prayers in this little book, were great.  Well written, God-based prayers.  There were also some really neat images, of believers who have gone on before, contained in almost every two-page spread.

Herein lies my hesitation.

It’s a Roman Catholic based book and as such, evaluating prayers to the saints (like to Mary, Jude, Anne etc) I feel totally unqualified to do.   That’s the brass tacks of it, NOR do I feel right in telling you these prayers are appropriate.   I don’t pray to any of the saints, I believe that our prayers are directed to God through Jesus.

BUT if you are Catholic and are looking for a neat prayer book to aid yourself or your children in developing a good prayer life, this book will most definitely (from what I can tell) fit the bill.

I appreciated the little blue ribbon, it’s of good quality and so helpful for keeping your place as you learn the prayers.  The prayers are written in an easy to read font.

Check out these images, aren’t they well done?  Helping us to remember believers who have died and gone on to glory?  It’s good to remember the history of our faith.

It’s not a large book, perhaps 6 x 4 inches, hardcover, with gloss lined edges, it’s a very pretty book, and very easy to handle.  I can envision someone putting it into their handbag or pocket on their way to church or other places.  Or giving to a child to hold as they learn the prayers of the Roman Catholic church.

My Thoughts:  
If you are Roman Catholic, or even a person curious about the Roman Catholic faith, this prayer book is well made, of excellent quality, with good pictures of people in our faith history.  See the images, be inspired to live out your faith as the believers did of old.  Learn to pray better by seeing and memorizing good examples.  

The Little Book of Prayers
Chronicle books
176 pages
Faith, Roman Catholic, Prayers, Hardcover 

Reviewed for: Raincoast Books.  

 Where can I find it?
Amazon.ca: The Little Book of Prayers.
Amazon.com: The Little Book of Prayers. 

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: A Runtamuffin Tale

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Runtamuffin…. is a cute little chicken that learns quickly that people are it’s friends, and that thought carries Runtamuffin throughout her entire life. This fun picture book for children captures life in a barnyard, while teaching important truths to it’s readers.

 Imagine you want to give someone a gift unique to them, what would it be?
In Lasse’s case….he wanted to be a farmer…the gift, just for him…chickens!  Oh my the girls had fun in making this gift special for him.  You could sense the delight they had in the creating, and their love for him.

And so starts the story of Runtamuffin and her adventures.  She learned to trust her humans, she learned to trust the other animals, to count on their aid, and they in turn learned to count on her. Tales of adventure awaited little Runtamuffin.

It’s a nice story for youngsters, the font making it one to read along side a child as opposed to reading to a group of children.    

The illustrations are full colour and give many talking points, such as why a chicken might sit on the back of a horse, how they might learn which horses were safe to visit and which were not, and the joy of listening to a well told story.

If you want to know more about the author and illustrator, as well as read snippets of other reviews you can go here.

My thoughts:
It was a cute story, seeing all the farm animals, the protective dog, the newest arrival and the curiousity among the chickens and the boldness of Runtamuffin.  Nicely told.

A Runtamuffin Tale
Melissa Taylor
Marc Beauregard (illustrator)
57 pages
Ages 5-8
Picture book, animals, life on farm, relationships

Reviewed for: Ascot Media Group. 

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: Santa’s Magic Key

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We have NEVER done Santa in this house, I didn’t grow up with Santa in my formative years and always thought it was a bit silly to believe in him, or to encourage children to do so. I deliberately chose to exclude Santa from stories with the lad when he was little as I remember my mom saying “don’t lie on purpose to your children, if they do, they just might wonder what else you are lying to them about.”

That said, every once in a while though I run into a Santa based Christmas Story that I just enjoy, and that I then share with my lad, and when we are done I ask him “what do you think the truth is in that story?” Today I want to tell you about Santa’s Magic Key.  This is honestly, just a lovely book.  🙂   I am looking forward to, when this review is over, putting it in the Christmas box for the local gifts for the needy.


Imagine if you would, a young boy who lives in a new home, has been taught all about Santa, and now it’s Christmas.  

His new home doesn’t have a chimney….what is a boy in a new home to do?   Worry that’s what!  He writes a letter to tell him of this conumbrum…and so the story continues. 

Simon Mendez does an excellent job of illustrating the words of Eric James.  These beautifully wrought pictures bring the story to life showcasing the story so wonderfully you’d almost feel like you were in the pictures with this young boy. 

In this sweet story we get to see the kindness of a shopkeeper, the heart of a young boy, and a future promise.   If I read this book to my lad he could easily find truths to hold on to, and so I think would your children.  See the truths, enjoy a make-believe story, and touch on a bit of the wonder of Christmas.  You just need to look a little harder for it. 

My Thoughts:
I loved that this book comes with a heavy key… what a great way to help children live out the joy of  Christmas promise.   The illustrations are simply beautiful and the story so easy to read.  The large font would make it ideal to read to a group of children gathered round your feet, the pictures large so all could see, and yet the book sits comfortably in one’s lap to share individually with a child.  

Santa’s Magic Key
Eric James
Simon Mendez (illustrator)
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
40 pages
Christmas, picture book, seasonal, hardcover
ages 4-9

Reviewed for: Raincoast Books.

Where can I find it?
Amazon.ca: Santa’s Magic Key.
Amazon.com: Santa’s Magic Key. 

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