Apologia: Read for the Heart

A good book is a rare treasure. And sadly, it seems that good books are getting scarcer every day. There is no shortage of books; there is, however a shortage of books worth reading. How sad that many of the marvelous books that shaped the hearts and minds of our grandparents and great-grandparents are fading out of print and being replaced by more "modern" volumes filled with vulgarity, rebellion and promiscuity. The book market today is a virtual mine field of explosives and its hard to find a safe place to step!

The good news is that Sarah Clarkson, author of Read for the Heart, has created a treasure map that will lead you directly to some buried {literary} treasures. I'll be honest, some of them are in fact buried and may require digging to find copies of these gems for yourself. But trust me, the treasure is definitely worth the hunt. And there is nothing like the first glimpse into a story of pure gold.

While there are similar books on the market, what makes this particular book unique is that it is written by a homeschool graduate who was herself raised on the quality literature she is recommending. This is not some stuffy academic tome on the "proper" care and feeding of the mind but rather a warm, personal glimpse into a childhood touched by the golden hue of remarkable literature.

Tina Farewell in her Foreward aptly describes the uniqueness of this book and its author:

"Read for the Heart is different from other books about books in large part because of the fresh perspective of its author, a young lady raised by parents who surrounded her with great books and invested in her life experiences. Sarah Clarkson is a wonderful example of what can happen when you raise a child on whole, living books. Her parents, Clay and Sally Clarkson, are artists; Sarah is one of their masterpieces."

So What's Inside?

You will find much more than just a list of books to read. Ms. Clarkson has woven personal stories and illustrations of how the books she and her family read created a lifetime of memories and lessons learned. Book recommendations are grouped into the following categories:

• Picture Books
• The Golden Age Classics
• Children's Fiction
• Fairy Tales and Fantasy
• History and Biography
• Spiritual Reading for Children
• Poetry
• Music, Art & Nature

Each chapter is introduced with information about that genre. For example, she discusses the hallmarks of a classic children's picture book which serves as not only a rationale for her inclusion of certain titles but also gives the reader a guide for judging the worth of other picture books.

In the Golden Age Classics chapter, Ms. Clarkson provides some historical background and context for this particular period of literary history. She then shares suggestions on a few book collections, noteworthy illustrators as well as references if you'd like to learn more about the period. This is followed by individual suggested titles.

One of the most noteworthy chapters was about Music, Art and Nature. I own several books that share recommended books and Read for the Heart is the only one that has included books specifically about these areas of study. There are a number of books within the nature category in particular that I look forward to exploring with my children this summer.

Each and every chapter contains a list of authors within the genre listed alphabetically. Publishing dates are listed as well as a brief summary of the story. Sequels and other titles of note by that author are also included. In some cases a targeted age is given (e.g. elementary, junior high, high school).

When you get to that last satisfying chapter and your head is swimming with all the books you want to find, you've dog-eared most of the book and used post-it notes to flag the most enticing of the lot, you might experience some disappointment that the book has come to an end. And then you will be pleasantly surprised to find some golden nuggets tucked into the appendix. Here you will find:

• Caledecott Medalists from 1938-2009
• Newbery Medalistis from 1922-2009
• Historical Fiction by G.A. Henty
• Landmark History Books (written by various respected authors)
• Trailblazer books (historical fiction written by Dave & Neta Jackson)
• Author's favorites for family, girls, boys, and audio

And so you have even more books to add to your hunting list. But that's still not the end. The final crowning touch is not one, but two exhaustive indexes: one for Authors & Illustrators, and a second one arranged by Title.

Our Experience

I read the book cover to cover within the first week it was in my possession. Ms. Clarkson has a warm, inviting way of writing that makes you feel as though you're exchanging pleasantries with her over a cup of tea. Each chapter is introduced with some rememberance of her family or some discussion about books and their worth. So really this is part memoir/part lecture as the you are graciously invited into the recesses of tender family moments related to reading and then given a charge to inspire you to replicate her experiences in your own family.

I appreciated the provided synopsis of each recommended story so I could select the books of most interest to my family or a particular child. I have often read a book by an author and then immediately wanted to read more. Ms. Clarkson helps you find those by including other books that author has written.

The typeset on the book is very easy on the eyes (equally helpful for aging mothers or sleep-deprived ones). I liked the fact that there was room between entries and in the margins where I could write my own notes. I think as we work through the recommendations, I'll ask my children to rate the book and share their impression. I can record these and have a keepsake of our own literary adventures.

We have always tried to read aloud to our children but after reading this book, I realized that it had been a very long time since we had read anything together with all six of our children. We spend a great deal of time reading to the littles at bedtime or helping them read their school but sadly our reading with older children had become less frequent. My 13-year old surprised me just this past week asking if there was a book I could start reading to him and the two siblings closest in age to him. I'm thankful I have a great resource like Read for the Heart from which to draw new inspiration.

One of the recommended books we recently finished was Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink. I remembered reading this book as a child but for some reason, had not yet read it to my children. So I pulled out our copy and started reading it to my 8, 6 and 4 year olds. When it was time to put them to bed one evening, the loudest protests actually came from my 13 year old who'd been listening along (without me knowing it). And when I took the book along on a car trip, even my 16 year old was listening in with interest. When I took a brief break to save my voice, it was my 53 year old husband who couldn't wait for the story to resume. So that was one book that was a definite hit all around. We look forward to reading the sequel.

And Caddie Woodlawn is just one of the hundreds of books you'll find recommended in Read for the Heart. Knowing that not all families have the same standards in literature, Ms. Clarkson has noted cautions for some books that might not fit a family's ideals or for stories more suited for older readers. I am very conservative in our reading choices and I personally did not find any titles that we could not wholeheartedly endorse.

I've been reading and collecting books for over 25 years and was familiar with a good many of the recommendations but I still found several authors I have now added to my own wish list. If you could only buy one book of book suggestions, I would recommend buying Read for the Heart. You will be well occupied in tracking down the more than 1,000 titles suggested in this book! This book serves as a great model for building a quality home library for your children and grandchildren.

Purchase Information

Read for the Heart can be purchased directly from Apologia for $17.00. I consider that a dynamite price for a paperback with 384 pages. You might even want to buy two copies--one to keep at home and one to leave in the car so you'll have it handy for library trips and used book sales.

You can take a peek at the complete Table of Contents. And then sit down with a mug of tea or coffee and get a taste of the treasures within by reading a sample chapter.

For additional reviews of this book, visit the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog. You'll find out what other families thought about this new book.

Where Do I Begin Digging?

Once you've purchased Read for the Heart, you will soon have a list of books you want to read first. Now comes the fun of the hunt. If you are trying an author for the first time, I would recommend finding a copy to borrow before buying. Then you can see if you like the style and content. Start with your local library; you might be surprised at how many titles they may have available. If you are fortunate enough to live near more than one, take Read for the Heart in hand and make note of which libraries carry which titles. If not in the collection of your local library, find out which ones are available through Inter-Library Loan.

Some books may also be available in the public domain. Project Gutenberg, Google Books, and Baldwin Project are a few places to start looking for books by older authors such as George MacDonald, Edith Nesbit or Charles Kingsley. Librivox is a wonderful place to check for free audio versions of books in the public domain. As e-readers become more popular, you may be able to find classic books to download free for a Nook or Kindle. Amazon is a source for some of these free classics.

If you decide you want to find a book to purchase that is out of print or hard to find, then AbeBooks, Alibris, and even PaperBack Swap are places that you could begin to look for copies to buy. With some patient and persistent searching, you can find many other sites for used books. Library books sales have been some of the best sources for many of our treasured titles. You can locate book sales in your area through Book Sale Finder.

So what are you waiting for?

With the lazy days of summer ahead, buy a copy of Read for the Heart and start plotting your course to literary treasures and adventures galore!

Disclaimer: We received a complimentary copy of Read for the Heart for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

Make Your Summer Musical with Kinderbach

Special Offer Ending Soon! Details below...

Summer is a wonderful time to tackle some musical study. Whether or not you do summer school, we all know there are some summer days that are either too hot or too stormy to enjoy being outdoors. On those occasions (or whenever you hear the dreaded, "I'm bored" refrain), be ready with a fun musical program by Kinderbach.

Kinderbach is a great introduction to music, especially if you are considering starting piano lessons in the fall. You can work at your own pace, and redo lessons as often as needed and I guarantee that your child will be better prepared to start formal music instruction. Geared for ages 2-7, this is a program your family can enjoy together.

You can purchase either an online subscription or the program on DVD. The great news is that Kinderbach is offering their products at an amazing 35% discount until May 31, 2011--use the coupon code TOSCrew2011 .

Read my full Kinderbach review and then go save money on the program for yourself! Visit Kinderbach to find out more about this great musical program.

Make this summer sizzle with music!

Eagle's Wings: Considering God's Creation

We tend to be rather eclectic in our choice of curriculum. With six different children, I have learned that a course that worked beautifully with one child, may not work for another. Which means we are pretty much always on the lookout for new material all the time. My high school science choices have stayed fairly consistent but elementary and middle school science is one area where we have tried a number of different materials.

Eagle's Wings was a company I was not familiar with (although it's been around since 1987) but their science curriculum, Considering God's Creation for 2nd through 7th graders sounded very interesting. We have a son in 2nd grade and a younger daughter in Kindergarten who likes doing whatever her older brother does. So I decided to give it a try with both of them.

When we received our shipment for this review, we received a Teacher's Guide with CD as well as a Studen book (the student book is reproducible within an immediate family).

Primarily and life and earth science course, there are 36 lessons covering the following topics:

• Creation
• The Universe: Stars, Sun & Planets
• Earth
• Rocks & Minerals
• Weather
• Plant Kingdom
• Animal Kingdom
• Animal Anatomy & Physiology
• Human Systems

It's nice to have a course that hits on lots of different areas--there will definitely be something to please every student. The chapters that are of greater interest can be studied more fully by following the author's suggestions for additional resources and activities for digging deeper.

The Teacher's Manual is an extremely user-friendly resource providing not only teacher's notes and hints but scripted information to be read to the students. Each lesson includes notes at the beginning regarding what student pages will be used and what supplies students will need for that lesson. Following that, vocabulary words are shared (that can be reviewed orally or made into flashcards as the author suggests). Greek and Latin roots are included with the vocabulary which is a great extension for older students.

An introduction is then given that can be read to the older student (or summarized for younger students) that provides an overview of the lesson. In 23 of the 36 lessons, there is then a poem/song that is read. The CD included with the Teacher's Manual has the poem set to music. The next section includes Bible reading with verses students can look up (another great activity for older students).

Following the Bible work, is an explanation of the work to be done in the notebook. This typically involves one or more pages from the student manual. But the pages are not just writing exercises, but truly activity pages with kids cutting, pasting, assembling and coloring a variety of projects. Some chapters include extra activity suggestions beyond the notebook pages. You can view samples from the student book. Another section is called "Evolution Stumpers" which presents scientific facts which support creation. A fun way for students to develop critical thinking skills.

Review questions are then included (with answers included). Crossword reviews are included in the student notebooks which can be used for testing (answers for the puzzles are in the Teacher Manual). At the end of each chapter is a "Digging Deeper" section with a number of extension activities. These provide ways to incorporate research, writing, reading additional materials or watching a supplementary video. The Digging Deeper ideas are an excellent way to challenge the older student and make more connections between the material and its application to their life.

Our Experience

As I mentioned earlier, we used this material with a child right at the lowest intended age (2nd grade) and another even younger (K). They both really enjoyed this material. Because my younger one is only a beginning reader, I read to her the material on the worksheets. She had no trouble doing the cutting/pasting necessary for the projects. When she needed to fill in words on a page, I provided her the words to copy and she was very proud of having a page that she had completed in her own writing with projects she had also cut and pasted herself.

We loved having the Bible connections for each lesson. My 2nd grader felt like a leader being able to look up the references and read them out loud. It was wonderful for my kids to have a daily connection between their science and the Bible. The music CD is definitely a plus for younger students.

My older daughter in 5th grade looked over the material and she thought the projects were too young for her. If I were to include her in the study of this course, I would pick and choose some of the notebook activities for her to do and then rely more on the Digging Deeper section for her activities.

There is no "set schedule" for how the material is covered which allows the teacher a great deal of flexibility. You could break up the activities over 5 days in a week or spend a bigger chunk of time fewer days of the week. For older students, the course could be accelerated and done in a semester and for younger students, this could easily be used over two school years.

Positive Elements

• Hands on activities that get kids actively engaged in the material
• Thorough teacher notes with specific student pages & supplies needed
• Use of Bible verses to reinforce the lesson
• Flexibility--select from a number of activities to best suit your students
• Teacher's manual included helpful information on how to teach multiple levels
• Questions with helpful answers included for teachers
• Very affordably priced!

Suggested Improvements

• Revise information on the planets, explaining Pluto's reclassification
• For future revisions, include web addresses for suggested resources
• Include information for older students regarding all seven colors of the spectrum (rainbow)
• Provide some sample schedules for how to use the material (helpful for those new to homeschooling)

Purchase Information

Grade Level: 2nd-7th (adaptable for younger and older)

Teacher's Guide & CD with the Student Edition can be purchased directly from Eagle's Wings for $29.95. That's an incredible price for 384 total pages of material! Although the student book is reproducible within a family, you can also order a supplemental book for $13.95.

Eagle's Wings has an excellent Frequently Asked Questions page about Considering God's Creation. You can view samples from the teacher and student books here.

For additional reviews by other homeschool families, visit the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog.

Additional Products

Eagle's Wings carries products for science, history, Bible, phonics, math and geography. To view their complete product line, follow this link to the Eagle's Wings website.

Contact Information

Website: www.EaglesWingsEd.com

E-mail: Info@EaglesWingsEd.com

Phone: 580-252-1555

Address: Eagle's Wings, P.O. Box 502, Duncan, OK 73534

Disclaimer: We received a free copy of Considering God's Creation from Eagles Wings for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

Pearson: Scott Foresman Reading Street

Scott Foresman has been publishing books for quite some time and we have enjoyed collecting some of their earliest titles. Scott Foresman Reading Street is the current line of readers for grades K-6. Pearson Publishing now owns Scott Foresman and boasts products including curriculum, assessments, information management, educator learning and family learning. You can learn more about each of those areas at Pearson's website.

The K-12 Scope and Sequence details concepts covered in each grade level for reading through sixth grade (Reading Street) followed by Literature studies from 6-12th grade. We had the opportunity to review the books for second grade. Here is Book 2.1 in the Reading Street series:

The first book (480 pages) included three units based on the following themes:

• Exploration
• Working Together
• Creative Ideas

Grammar concepts covered in Book 2.1 include:

• Sentences
• Subjects
• Predicates
• Statements and questions
• Commands and exclamations
• Nouns
• Proper nouns
• Singular/plural nouns
• Irregular plural nouns
• Possessive nouns
• Verbs
• Verb/noun agreement
• Past, present, future verbs
• State of being verbs

Book 2.2 (shown below) included units on these themes:

• Our Changing World
• Responsibility
• Traditions

Book 2.2 includes the following grammar concepts:

• Adjectives and our senses
• Adjectives for number, size, and shape
• Adjectives that compare
• Adverbs that tell when and where
• Adverbs that tell how
• Pronouns
• Singular/plural pronouns
• Using I and me
• Different kinds of pronouns
• Contractions
• Using capital letters
• Quotation marks
• Using commas
• Commas in compound sentences
• The Paragraph

Book 2.2 also introduces some writing skills including:

• Comparing and Contrasting
• Fact and Opinion
• Theme and Plot
• Main Idea
• Sequence
• Author's Purpose
• Realism and Fantasy
• Draw Conclusions
• Cause and Effect
• Character, Setting, Plot

Within any given unit, the reading selections included a variety of genres. Realistic fiction, non-fiction, poetry and plays were some of the selections for students. These selections were cross-curricular bringing in science, social studies, history, and writing into the reading curriculum.

Units included vocabulary to review, discussion questions, writing exercises, and grammar review. Some units also incorporated tips on finding out more information through internet searches (the specific links shown in the book are included in the endnotes).

Each reading selection is written by a particular author and illustrator (this is not an editorial board of authors and illustrators). Sort of a bind-up of many grade level books with lots of extras mixed in. At the end of each selection, a short bio is included about the authors/illustrators. There were several authors I already knew and liked: Cynthia Rylant, Andrew Clements, Eve Bunting, Aliki, and Tedd Arnold to name a few. Plus many new authors we enjoyed meeting. Each selection was a whole book, not just a chapter of a larger work but a book in its entirety with the original illustrations.

I was especially pleased with the variety of non-fiction pieces included. It was wonderful having age-appropriate selections for my son to read related to science or social studies. These selections were filled with full color photography of the topics.

Our Experience

My 2nd grade son thoroughly enjoyed using Reading Street. His normal reading curriculum has only black and white pictures on every few pages. Reading Street was a visual feast in comparison--full color pages with engaging illustrations and headings. Each text was like a mini-library with representative samples of many kinds of books. We'll definitely be looking for more books to read by some of the authors from the text.

I admit to being very particular about what my kids read and I found nothing objectionable in the selections in either book 2.1 or 2.2. All were just wholesome stories that were really delightful reading. For our review, I would have my son read the stories out loud to me and then we would discuss the questions at the end and learn more about the author. I would then read the grammar review and we would discuss it orally. He thoroughly enjoyed all the selections. I liked having the balance of fiction and non-fiction with some poetry reading and supplemental writing exercises included as well.

We only received the student books so I cannot speak to the clarity and quality of the teacher books. There were a few times when the teacher guide would have been helpful but we managed with just the student text pretty well. To be honest, the additional cost for the teacher guide is much too prohibitive for us to ever consider (over $460). The student books themselves are really quite expensive and I'm not sure that it would realistically fit into our home educating budget for each grade. I admit that this product really stands out as the Cadillac of reading programs but unfortunately has the price tag to match.

Positive:

• Overflowing with full color illustrations and photography
• High quality books with sturdy binding
• Great selection of fiction and non-fiction
• Introduces grammar and writing concepts (although not a complete grammar program)
• Information on authors and illustrators

Suggested Improvements:

• Provide links through the publisher to explore the computer exercises demonstrated
• Have more affordable option for home educators
• More user-friendly website; allow samples to be viewed without registering
• Provide a way for home educators to view Teacher Guide sample
• Consider a paid subscription with access to an online Teacher Guide for more affordable option than the printed set
• Work with Homeschool Buyer's Co-op to offer group pricing for home educators

Product Information

Reading Street Grade 2.1 or 2. 2 $43.47 each

Set of both Reading Street texts $86.97

DVD-ROM Version of the texts $86.97

Weekly Tests Student edition $ 7.97

Weekly Test Teacher Manual $41.47

Unit Teacher Manual $38.47 each (12 volumes in set)

For complete pricing on Reading Street Grade 2 (including the Teacher Manual that we did not review), click here. For other grades, go here and select the grade level in which you are interested.

Our Verdict

While I really think Pearson has a quality product, I'm afraid it is priced much too high for the home school market. However, if you were comparing this cost to the tuition at a private school, then the price tag may not seem so high.

We did not review the weekly tests but the student edition price seems surprisingly inexpensive. On the other hand, the Weekly Test Teacher Guide, seems very expensive. I'm sure it's a quality book but all I really need as a teacher is a student book with the answers filled in which shouldn't cost much more to print than the student edition.

Even if I could justify the cost of the student books (they truly are beautiful and very nicely laid out), I would probably not buy a curriculum for which I could not afford the Teacher Manual or supporting materials. If Pearson created a more affordable option for home educators (like an online manual online leveled readers for a subscription fee), then I think it could attract more homeschool buyers.

You can read what several other families thought of Pearson products in reading, math and social studies at the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog.

Contact Information

Website: www.pearsonschool.com

E-mail: Response Form

Phone: 1-800-848-9500

Fax: 1-877-260-2530

Address: Pearson, P.O. Box 2500, Lebanon, IN 46052

Disclaimer: We received a copy of Reading Street Books 2.1 and 2.2 for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

Wordy QWERTY by Talking Fingers

Wordy QWERTY-Foundations for Reading and Writing Fluency is a program designed for children ages 7-9 (2nd-4th grade) but could be used and enjoyed by older children needing some extra practice with reading and writing.

There are a total of 20 lessons covering the following topics:

• Silent E
• Sounds of C
• Sounds of G
• J or DGE
• W or WH
• C or K
• CK or K
• CKS or X
• CH or TCH
• LL, SS, FF, ZZ
• OI or OY
• VE words
• Open Syllables
• 2 Consonants
• Doubling Rule
• ER, IR, OR, UR, EAR
• I Before E
• Plurals: Add ES
• Plurals: Y to IES
• Plurals: F to VES

For each lesson, the spelling rule or pattern is reinforced through various activities. Dr. Jeannine Herron explains more about the program in this video:

Patterns/Spelling Rule

The first activity of the lesson is a word spelling activity. The word is given orally and the student spells it using their keyboard. Once it is spelled, the student decides where to place the word. For example, place all short vowel sounds in one box and then place all the long vowel sounds in the other box. Below is an example of words that start with C or K:

Spelling Song

The next activity involves a song that explains the spelling rule. Students can follow along with the words written on the screen. Users can replay the song if they'd like to hear it again. Here's part of the song about when to use the letter "k":

;

Recycler (Rhyming words)

The user starts with an activity called "Recycler" in which he is shown two words and he must select the one that is spelled correctly (or as my son explained it, find the "real words"). In some cases both words are correct (in which case student selects the "both" button). As he works, he's earning points that are displayed at the top of the page. When he has completed the list of words, he is shown which words he correctly identified (marked by a yellow star):

Pop-a-Word

The next activity is an activity involving balloon popping. The student is given a sentence orally and the student selects the correct word in order. Other similar words, however, are shown as well so the user has to use visual discrimination to select the correct word among several choices. And the words come and go so if a student takes too long, he'll have to wait for the word to reappear. Here's what that activity looks like:

Write Stories

For the next activity, two lines are spoken for the student. The first line remains on the screen and the student must remember and type the second line. There is a "lips" icon that a student can click to hear the sentence again. Once they correctly type the second half of the sentence, a picture is shown (like the one below):

Notice in the above screen shot, that "D" and "K" are colored. Students receive reminders to place their "tall fingers" on those letters as they type.

Read Stories

Another activity involves reading a story. Certain words are left out. When the student arrives at a blank, he can click on the green circle and is provided three choices of words to put in the blank. If correct, the next blank space will have a green circle by it and the student continues on through the story filling in the blanks. Here is one example:

Scope and Sequence

The complete Scope and Sequence for Wordy QWERTY is available here. The following is a glimpse at the Scope and Sequence for Lessons 1-5:

Our Experience

When we were first given the opportunity to sample Word QWERTY, I had my 8 year old give it a test drive. Although he was close to tears after the first attempt, he soon became accustomed to the activities and thoroughly loved doing the lessons. The songs were especially popular in our household. My son would holler to his sisters (6 and 4) that the songs were coming and they'd high-tail it to the computer to listen and dance. I have to admit that the songs are pretty fun and catchy. I found myself singing them throughout the day.

My son had the most difficulty with the typing portion. There were reminders given for where to place his fingers but having had no keyboard training, the finger positions felt awkward to him. I just kept encouraging him to do what he could. This got easier for him as he progressed through the program.

After every four lessons, students can watch an Animusic segment (the "music machine") complete with balls that go cascading and making music on the machine. A very fun concept that our whole family enjoyed. This was one of my son's favorite parts of the program.

Teachers can set up the allowable times for a student to use the program, specifying days of the week as well as specific hours. Passing levels can also be adjusted. The default passing level is 70% but it can be set anywhere from 0% (always pass) up to 100%. Parents can also view a bar graph showing their student's percentage correct for each lesson they complete. It was helpful to see at a glance how my son was performing.

Overall, we really enjoyed this program and recommend it enthusiastically to others!

Read More Reviews

A number of other families had the opportunity to use Wordy QWERTY; find out what they thought at the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog. For more information on Read, Write & Type (the program that precedes Wordy QWERTY), you can read reviews of that program as well.

Purchase Information

Wordy QWERTY offers an online edition that is valid for 5 years and the price is based on the number of users:

• Online Edition--1 user $25
• Online Edition--2 users $40
• Online Edition--3 users $52.50
• Online Edition--4 users $60
• Online Edition--5 users $71.25

You can also purchase the program on CD for $35 (not compatible with Windows 7 or Mac 10.6). View complete pricing information here.

Take advantage of this demonstration of the program and receive 20% off your order!

Contact Information

Website: www.talkingfingers.com

E-mail: contact@talkingfingers.com

Phone: 800-674-9126

Address: Talking Fingers, Inc., 830 Rincon Way, San Rafael, CA 94903

Disclaimer: We received a trial subscription to Word QWERTY for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

Mad Dog Math

Mad Dog Math is an innovative math program that provides students a fun way to drill basic math facts. The creater, Julie Kotoff, has over 30 years of educational experience. Mad Dog Math was first developed and perfected while Julie was a third grade teacher. She wanted to help her students master multiplication and division facts. Later as an administrator, Julie developed the addition and subtraction portions of the program. Her beloved dog, Ruff, served as the model for the program mascot.

This product that has been successfully used in schools is now also available at home. According to the website, Mad Dog Math--At Home is beneficial for the following users:

A family whose child is in a Mad Dog Math school/classroom A teacher who is using Mad Dog Math in the classroom A home school family who is using Mad Dog Math After school programs using Mad Dog Math Tutoring centers using Mad Dog Math Any child who wants to improve his computation skills A parent who is using Mad Dog Math at home to supplement what is going on in his child’s classroom

Program Details

Within the program, there are three levels of difficulty. As the student begins any given level, he will be given sets of 20 problems within a specified "fact family"(e.g. addition for digits 0-3). A student can do as many sets of 20 problems as they need to pass that level. Students "pass" a fact family with no more than 2 wrong. If a student had more errors (or needs to improve their time), they can then "Fetch" a new set of randomly selected problems.

There are three clubs a student is striving to join: 2-Minute Club, 1-Minute Club, and 30-Second Club. Once a student is ready to work toward a club, he can set the Timed Period for 2 minutes. In order to become part of the "2-Minute Club," the student must pass all fact families within addition and subtraction (for Levels 1 and 2) or multiplication and division (Level 3), completing them in 2 minutes or less.

Here is an example of a page of problems for Level 2. Notice that the Time Allowed has been set to 2 Minutes and the Fact Family being attempted is Zero to Six. This user is working on addition problems. When he is ready to begin he just clicks "Time Me" and starts answering:

After each set of 20 problems are completed, the student receives immediate feedback regarding incorrect answers and how much time they took (in the screen shot above, a user name was not entered, so the program provides a log in reminder at the bottom). When he has successfully answered the addition problems, he can then select subtraction for the same fact family.

For Level 1, the student must complete all the fact families in both addition and subtraction in 2 minutes or less. Once he has passed all of those levels, he will earn the 2-Minute Club sticker which will be displayed on his Mad Dog Math page. He would then redo all the levels within Level 1 trying to complete them in 1 minute or less. Once he has received the 1-Minute Club sticker, they would then work toward the 30-Second Club.

Level 1 covers introduces Addition and Subtraction in bite-size increments up through 18. Level 2 reviews 1-6, and then focuses more on facts for 7 through 18. Level 3 features Multiplication and Division. Here is a glimpse at a sample progress report from Level 3:

After each set, a student's score is shown as well as the amount of time it took to complete. Periodically, the child is also told how many more passing scores are needed to earn the club sticker. Students progress at their own pace and are only competing with themselves.

It is possible to use the program without the time limiting feature. On the drill page, you can select "No Limit" for Time Allowed. Student will still hit the "Time Me" button to track their progress but they can have as much time as needed to complete. This can be a great advantage for a student with some learning challenges or for a student just newly beginning to learn math skills.

Our Experience

My 8 year old son was at first a little intimidated and nervous about this program. But in no time he was reminding me that he needed to do Mad Dog Math. It quickly became a favorite part of his day. We usually didn't spend more than 10 minutes at any given time. As he passed fact families, his confidence grew.

My 11 year old tried out the program using Level 3 for drilling multiplication and division facts. Although not quite as interested as her younger brother, it provided a valuable tool for really drilling her math facts.

The best aspect for me as a teacher, was having my student's work automatically timed and scored. My child could keep advancing without waiting for mom to correct his work!

I think this program would be an especially valuable tool to use over the summer to keep a child's math skills sharp between grades. After passing the 30 second club, a student could also challenge themselves to do the drills in even less time.

Program Strengths

• Students work at own pace
• Self-timed and self-corrected drills
• Immediate feedback of scores and time
• Tracks which fact families have been passed
• Fun way to practice basic math drills
• Fosters mastery of concepts
• Incrementally helps increase speed in basic math drills

Suggested Improvements

• Have a way to automatically advance students when they have passed a fact family (currently, student must physically select next level; if you forget to change the level, you'll be repeating work already passed)
• Have an administration site on home version for parents where they can see at a glance the progress for all their students (instead of logging in as each child to see where they are)
• Provide data to parents for each level regarding student accuracy, times, and number of attempts before passing (either as admin site or delivered to parents by e-mail)

Product Information

Targeted user age is K-3rd grade & up. The downloadable product is available as a 32-bit or 64-bit download and can be purchased directly from Mad Dog Math. Pricing levels include:

• 1 Year License: $19.95
• 2 Year License: $29.95
• Perpetual License: $39.95

If you prefer a paper and pencil version of the math drills, you can purchase the Home School Mastery Binder for $69.99. Binders can be purchased for the following grade levels: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade and 3rd Grade & up. The same materials are also available on CD-ROM for $69.99. Here's a sample of a paper/pencil Kindergarten drill sheet.

Other products offered by Mad Dog Math:

• Mad Dog Math Flashcards $14.99
• Mad Dog Math Timer $6.99 (use to time paper/pencil version, time child's computer use)
• Mad Dog Math Certificates $10.99 (set of 50)

Check the website for information for school district use. You can see Mad Dog Math in action in a school on this video. A PC based version for schools will also be available soon.

You can read testimonies from satisfied users of Mad Dog Math. And make sure you visit the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog to read reviews of Mad Dog Math by other home educating families who tried it.

If you'd like to try the program, you can download a trial version that enables you to sample portions of the program.

Contact Information

Website: www.maddogmath.com

E-mail: julie@maddogmath.com

Phone:(562) 533-5772

Mailing Address: Mad Dog Math, 4562 Ocana Avenue, Lakewood, CA 90713

Disclaimer: We received a trial download of Mad Dog Math for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

WonderMaps from Bright Ideas Press

When did you first experience wonder? Perhaps it was your first slice of Wonder Bread.

Or watching your first episode of Wonder Woman. Prepare to be amazed and in awe once again with the new Bright Ideas Press product, WonderMaps!

What Wonder Bread did for the bread industry and Wonder Woman did for superheroes, WonderMaps will do for the study of geography. According to Bright Ideas Press:

"Geography and map skills add richness to any lesson. Whether it’s history, literature, science, current events or Bible, maps play an integral role in thoroughly understanding the topic at hand. With WonderMaps’ made-to-order geography materials at your fingertips, there’s no more skipping map studies due to a lack of preparation time and resources!"

I admit that I have been guilty of glossing over map work because I have either not had the right resource or lacked the time needed to find it. My own background in geography was horribly lacking and I really do want to make it a priority for my kids but it always seemed to be one of those areas that kept getting nudged to a back burner for *someday* when we had.

I had also made a haphazard attempt at stocking our library with geography resources but would find that using a modern day map to illustrate the reach of the Roman Empire at its height didn't work. I had also wanted to tackle a thorough study of the United States as it progressed into the nation it is today but where to find the historical maps to illustrate the stages of its development?

When I first learned about WonderMaps, it was truly a moment of wonder. Everything I'd ever wanted in a map resource was included as well as many features I hadn't even thought of! At last an affordable resource that required next to no teacher preparation and offered maps categorized by World maps, United States maps, Historical maps and Thematic maps. WonderMaps is one of the most innovative products I have seen in a long time. So what makes WonderMaps so....wonderful?

Customizable Layering

With an easy mouse click, you can add or remove layers to customize a map. Add or remove country or state boundaries, capital cities, primary cities, rivers and geographical markings, degrees of longitude and latitude. You can also view and print in color or black and white.

You don't necessarily have to print out the maps, you can just view them from your computer or laptop--the ultimate globe enabling you to really see or magnify a particular area. If you choose to print out maps, you can select any features you want visible and print it out. Ready to test your student? Then print out a black and white map without any markings. Print off as many as you need for any number of students in your family.

WonderMaps has provided historical and modern-day maps, outline, reference, political and topographical maps. Can you believe that WonderMaps provides over 350 maps including:

• 60+ maps of the world
• 60+ maps of the USA
• 125 historical maps (including 25 Biblical maps)
• Complete map sets from Mystery of History (Volumes I,II,III) and All American History (Volumes I, II)

Are you studying a particular time in history? Would you like corresponding maps right at your fingertips? Then you will love the historical and thematic maps WonderMaps includes.

Historical Maps

• Creation -- 33 AD
• 33 AD -- 1456 AD
• 1457 AD -- 1707 AD
• 1708 AD -- Present

Thematic Maps

• Biblical Maps
• Chinese Dynasties
• Native Americans
• Explorers
• American History
• World Wars
• 20th Century Treaties

See for Yourself

Here's a video that highlights WonderMaps versatility and ease of use:

Our Experience

My youngest children, 4, 6 and 8 were doing a brief intro to world geography learning about just a handful of countries this past year. I printed off black outline maps of the countries for them to color. I also printed off a world outline map so they could see where each country fit into the world at large. WonderMaps was a great complement to their first introduction to the world.

My middle children, 13 and 11 are studying Mystery of History volume 3 this year. I loved that I could use maps that were tailor made to coordinate with our studies. And for my high schooler taking a World History course,

it was extremely helpful to be able to pull up maps from various periods of history for a given country. He also had a great reference for completing mapping assignments from his text.

WonderMaps is also an exceptional tool to pair with any current events study. My kids can map areas they read about in their student readers. And my high schooler and I can map countries we've read about in the newspaper or heard about on the radio.

The layering feature is really quite remarkable. I loved the flexibility this offers. My youngest students didn't need detailed information about landforms or rivers so I could show and print off maps with just the minimum information. I could also print a map completely blank if I wanted them to practice labeling locations on his own map. Later, I could make yet another copy to serve as a test.

I loved being able to zoom in and out on any given map--not something you can do with a globe (you practically need a magnifying glass to read a globe). What a great feature for a visually impaired student to be able to magnify a region or country.

Mapping for Fun

Need a super close up of a particular area? Just zoom in and print the screen view. To find out if your printer allows you to do this, click to print an area and select "Current View" which prints what is shown on the screen. I then selected "Fit to screen size" and had a very large printout of a particular area. Want to make a HUGE wall map or floor puzzle? Just enlarge to the desired size and print off sections (I left some areas of overlap when printing for ease of matching) and then tape or glue the parts together.

Or how about creating a matching game with the United States? Print off a black and white outline (with no markings) of the USA. Then print off a color version with states listed onto cardstock. Simple cut out the cardstock states (add magnets if you'd like) and let your kids match the state shapes to the outline master (for small northeastern states, leave in groups).

If your printer can print larger sizes of paper, print off world maps or regional maps and laminate them for placemats so kids can build geography skills every time they have a meal. You could also laminate blank maps and use a wax pencil or transparency pen to use for reviewing over and over. Post a large map and label where missionaries live or mark off countries as you pray for people in that country.

Add Wonder to any Subject

WonderMaps is the perfect solution for anyone who wants to weave mapwork into their science (where did Galileo live?), literature (where does "The Silver Skates" take place?), Bible (what are the modern day cities that correspond with Bible sites?), history (from where did the Pilgrims originate) and even math (where did Pythagoras live?) and even current events (where was Osama bin Laden killed?). Encourage connections between geography and every other subject with WonderMaps.

Travel the world virtually or for real. If you are fortunate enough to travel overseas, then print off maps of your destination and have your kids plot their course ahead of time or journal about it afterwards. Or planning a trek across the USA? Then mark your progress on a WonderMap of the region you are visiting.

Don't Just Take My Word

A number of homeschool families were able to try out WonderMaps. Make sure you visit the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog to find out what others thought of this product.

Purchase Information

You can purchase WonderMaps directly from Bright Ideas Press for $49.95. WonderMaps is available as a download (no shipping costs) or on CD if you prefer. Add up what you might spend buying more than one quality atlas and this is a real steal! Bright Ideas Press answers the technical questions you may have about running the program.

Contact Information

Website:www.brightideaspress.com

E-mail: contact@brightideaspress.com

Phone: 877-492-8081 (M-F 8:30-5:00pm EST)

Address: Bright Ideas Press, PO Box 333, Cheswold, DE 19936

Disclaimer: We received a free download of WonderMaps from Bright Ideas Press for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

GoTrybe

With the increase of "screen time" the health and fitness of our nation is definitely suffering. Using the power of technology, GoTrybe is an online fitness program that encourages kids in grades K-12 to get more active through the use of online workouts and educational videos.

Joining the Trybe

Users are assigned a "trybe" depending on their age. Zoodoos is for grades K-5, Trybe180 is for grades 6-8 and Nextrybe is for grades 9-12. Workouts and videos are tailored for each particular age group. The only equipment you need to use the program is a computer with internet access.

When you begin, users customize their girl or boy avatar. Here's an example of a boy avatar:

Users earn points when they do workouts and watch educational videos. These points can be used to buy outfits and accessories for their avatar (my daughter found that aspect pretty fun but I'm not sure how much it would interest boys). Users also earn badges as they progress through the program.

Users are encouraged to participate in activities each day. There are four categories: fitness, nutrition, motivation and wellness. Users earn points for every daily activity they do. You can do as many fitness workouts that you want to do and you'll get points for all of them. All the other daily activities can only be done once per day. The nutrition, movitation and wellness activities include watching a video or reading a daily educational segment and answering questions about the content. Correct answers earn users additional points.

Workouts

Users can do ready-made Trybe workouts for a full-length workout based on a theme (could be Hip Hop or sports related depending on each Trybe). Users can also choose to build their own workout with warm up, cardio, strength and flexibility elements. User clicks on "warm up" and is shown the warm up choices, clicks cardio and they can see and select their cardio elements and so on for strength and flexibility. Their custom workout can then be saved. Here's what the screen looks like for customizing a workout:

An example of a sports workout video is shown below (warm-up, cardio, strength and flexibility portions are abbreviated with W, C, S, and F respectively on the left of the video). Time spent on the workout is also shown:

Our Experience

My daughter, a 5th grader, was part of the Zoodoo group. She thought the workouts in the Zoodoo group were a little too kiddish and she said that most of the videos were not that inspiring. Many were interviews with Trybe instructors but she didn't feel like she learned all that much from them. One thing she really liked, however, was a series of interviews done with athletes from a baseball team. They shared tips on how they stayed fit when they were little and how they stay fit as adults.

Users can go to other users pages and friend people. While users are cautioned not to share personal information, there doesn't appear to be anything that actually prevents such sharing. We have generally stayed away from online chatting groups for our kids and I much prefer kid sites that limit communication by providing pre-selected dialogue to choose from. I would really appreciate having a parental control to shut off the "friending" aspect of the site.

Positive Elements

• Users can try the program for a day to see if it's a good choice for their family
• Encourages daily participation in fitness plus wellness education
• Workouts tailored to young people
• Great variety of workouts, preventing exercise boredom
• Parents and siblings can participate in workouts encouraging family fitness
• Ability to customize and bookmark workouts
• Entire workout library without having to store videos and DVDs
• Portability, take your workouts with you on vacation wherever you have internet access

Areas for Improvement

• Regulate communication between users to prevent personal information or inappropriate information from being shared
• Expand option for spending points (other than just new clothes); perhaps use points to buy sports equipment or points to unlock more workout choices
• Allow some flexibility in joining a trybe so that kids in the upper age range can opt for an older group with more difficult fitness options
• Have more videos interviewing or featuring professional athletes
• Include a log for kids to record minutes spent each day doing outdoor rec and fitness activities
• Search feature to locate workouts of interest
• Set goals for workout times and outdoor (real world) fitness activities
• Have a way for parents to turn off the friending option
• Have more avatar options--something between the little kids with big heads and the older "swanky" ones (shown below)

Overall I think the concept is a great one with many merits. In the midwest when temps are pretty cold, it's difficult to get outside to exercise so a program like GoTrybe is a great option for places where weather conditions (too hot, too cold, raining, etc.) makes outdoor fitness difficult. This program definitely provides a way to be active all year long. My only concern is that this program not be the ONLY form of activity a child uses. Nothing beats real work and exercise in the great outdoors. I think that having an online diary/log where users can track outside activities would help encourage them to set goals in that area as well.

This can be a great way for families to get more active together. Having workouts geared for kids (rather than trying to adapt an adult workout) is also a great benefit. Pairing a child's natural interest in computers with fitness is a great idea.

If you'd like to read what other families thought of their trial membership, you can read their reviews at the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog.

Ready to try it for yourself? You can test drive GoTrybe free for a day. After the free trial, a membership to GoTrybe is normally $19.95/year but check the GoTrybe Blog for their current special offer of 99 cents/month.

Contact Information

Website: www.gotrybe.com

E-mail: Response Form

Address: GoTrybe, LLC, PO Box 1853, Johnson City, TN 37604-1853

Phone Number: (423) 926-1583

Disclaimer: We received a free trial membership to GoTrybe for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

Kregel Publications: Circle C Beginnings

We were recently introduced to Susan K. Marlow's character, Andi Carter, in the book, Andi's Indian Summer (illustrated by Leslie Gammelgaard).

Here's a synopsis from the website:

Andi's friend Riley shows her a scary old dime novel that sets Andi's mind spinning with thoughts of being captured by Indians. But when she and Riley ride a little too far from the safety of the ranch, Andi discovers the truth about the natives living nearby.

The series currently has four books:

• Andi's Pony Trouble
• Andi's Indian Summer
• Andi's Fair Surprise
• Andi's School Days

And the good news is that the fun will continue with two more books expected out in August 2011:

• Andi's Circle C Christmas
• Andi's Lonely Little Foal

You'll want to own the whole set!

Enjoy the following book trailer about the series:

Our Experience

The targeted audience for this Christian fiction series is 6-8 year olds. My 8 year old son read it on his own and really enjoyed it. After he'd raced through it, I read the book out loud to my 4 and 6 year old daughters. The chapters were a perfect length to read before bedtime. And they had enough suspense and adventure to keep them begging for more each night! They were both mesmerized by the story from start to finish.

Here are some of the things we particularly liked about this book series and the extra resources offered by Kregel Publications:

• Historical Notes about the time period written directly to the child so they can understand more about the time in which Andi lived.

• New words defined at the beginning of the book

• Coloring sheets that matched the book illustrations (my girls LOVED being able to color scenes from the story). Available on the Circle C Beginnings website. Staple the completed pictures together for a fun way to review the story

• The Circle C Beginnings home page also offers story excerpts (click on a cover)

• In addition to Coloring pages, the website offers Activity packs, Puzzles (java required), and Lapbooks ($12.00 plus shipping; read about the Lapbook topics)

I highly recommend this wholesome series. The free resources from the publisher make this series extra special. After finishing the Beginnings series, I know my girls will enjoy the continuation of Andi's story in the Circle C Adventures.

To learn what other families thought of this series, visit the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog.

Ordering Information

Books can be purchased directly from the publisher here. Homeschoolers can save 30% on orders placed between now and August 31, 2011 (upcoming books can be pre-ordered and will ship when they become available). To view all of Kregel's resources for kids, browse through their Children's Catalog for other wholesome reading selections for your family. You may also be interested in Kregel Academic & Ministry resources. And Kregel also publishes Spanish resources.

Contact Information

Website: www.kregel.com

E-mail: kregelbooks@kregel.com

Phone: (800) 733-2607

Address: Kregel Publications, 733 Wealthy Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Disclaimer: We received a free copy of Andi's Indian Summer from Kregel Publications for the purpose of reviewing. No other compensation was received.

Yesterday's Classics

We love old books in our house. We have one bookshelf devoted solely to old school books and vintage readers. Whenever possible, we enjoy scouring book sales for another treasured classic. But many vintage titles are out of print and virtually impossible to find in decent condition. Every now and then we have stumbled onto one book in a series and then cannot track down the missing volumes.

Thanks to Yesterday's Classics, many of these out of print treasures are making it back into the hearts and minds of children. They have taken hundreds of vintage children's books and reprinted them with improvements in format and grammar to appeal to today's reader without losing any of original's charm. If you wanted to purchase a printed copy of every title they carry, you'd spend (are you sitting down?)....$2495.75. Plus whatever it costs you to buy shelves to hold all those volumes!

What if you could purchase such a library for a fraction of that cost? Given the popularity and convenience of E-readers, Yesterday's Classics has made all their books available in Ereader format. Would you believe that you can purchase the Yesterday's Classics Ebook Package of 225 Titles for only $99.95?!? That's less than 50 cents per volume (you can't even get books that cheap at most library sales or Goodwill!). You can even download a title for free to see what you think. Read for yourself all the details of this amazing offer (scroll down and look for the two blue rectangles for your free download).

While you might possibly be able to track down some of these books free online, the time it would take and the difficulty in reading those versions is just not worth it in my opinion. The difference between a document found free online and the formatted version from Yesterday's Classics is unbelievable. Print size is customizable, the Table of Contents is fully linked and you can easily bookmark or highlight information within the document. Yesterday's Classics library is a great way to own 225 titles without the dilemma of where to store them (or figuring out how to take them with you on long car trips or vacations). The convenience and excellent quality of the format make this a very worthwhile investment.

What Will You Get in the Ebook Package?

When you purchase the Yesterday's Classics Ebook Package, you will immediately have access to all 225 books. Notable features of this collection include:

• Volumes in 22 genres (e.g. Bible, American History, Ancient History, World History, Geography, Geology, English/Language/Grammar, Science and Nature Studies, Poetry, Literature, Fables and Fairy Tales, Mythology, Christmas Stories and more)
• Books appropriate for a variety of ages (4 years to adult)
• Books with original illustrations
• Table of Contents linked to page numbers
• Without Digital Rights Management (download files to as many devices as you own)
• Helpful Guide to E-reader devices and software
• Guide to downloading and transferring files to E-reader devices
• List of books with description and cover thumbnail
• Lists of books by level, genre, author and title
• If you own both EPUB and Kindle devices, you can purchase and download one format and e-mail the company to receive the download links for the other format (no extra charge)

Better than a Physical Book

As much as I love the feel of a book in my hand and the look of books on a shelf, you cannot enlarge the print in a traditional book. As I'm aging and approaching the stage of bifocals, it was an incredible benefit to have volumes of books I could read on my computer with the ability to adjust the size of print and also to have hyperlinked table of contents to quickly resume where I'd left off. Not to mention the convenience of multiple volumes on various topics to interest the whole family--all at my fingertips.

Never Lose Another Book

If your family is like ours, sometimes books mysteriously disappear. Or perhaps a book you know you own didn't get shelved correctly and you just cannot find it when you need it. With the Yesterday's Classics collection on an E-reader or your desktop, the possibility of "losing" books is eliminated. Knowing exactly where the books are that we want to use has been a HUGE bonus in our family! Plus reading off the computer, it's easier for kids to follow along than if we were sitting around a copy of the book (and illustrations are bigger as well). We can even print off the pages with illustrations if my children want to color while they listen.

Company Support

Besides the very helpful, and informative articles included with your purchase, the company offers exceptional support by e-mail. The downloads are conveniently provided in 13 manageable files or as individual titles. Those with high speed internet should have no difficulty downloading the file groups. Those with slower connections may prefer to download books one at a time. If you have any difficulty, the company is very helpful and responsive to any questions or concerns you may have while downloading your product.

Our Experience

My 13 year old son was the first to sample the books. Being a history lover, he decided to start with the world history selections. And my 11 year old daughter has been reading Charles and Mary Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare and loving it. My younger children (4, 6, 8) have been learning about countries around the world and there are numerous titles in this collection about children in other countries to enhance our studies.

My younger ones love to be read to and they aren't phased by having me reading from a computer instead of a traditional book. The print and illustrations are much larger on the screen than they would be in a printed book so they can actually better enjoy the illustrations in this Ereader format. And these are not dry, boring texts. These are books often written directly to a child as if they are being personally addressed by the author.

Here are a few of the authors (plus a favorite illustrating duo) I was particularly excited to see included in this bundle:

• Padraic Colum
• Thornton Burgess
• James Baldwin
• M. B. Synge
• H. E. Marshall
• Hendrik Willem Van Loon
• Charles Kingsley
• John Ruskin
• Howard Pyle
• Ernest Thompson Seton
• Kate Douglas Wiggin
• Andrew Lang
• Edith Nesbit
• Nathaniel Hawthorne
• Charles & Mary Lamb
• Charlotte Yonge
• Maud & Miska Petersham (illustrators)
• many, many others!

If you are tackling history chronologically, you might be covering historical time periods with very few translations appropriate for children. Some of the great selections from Yesterday's Classics are simplified versions of such classic works as the Odyssey, Beowulf, Shakespeare's plays and Robinson Crusoe to name just a few.

This is just simply one of the most incredible resource packages I have ever seen and worth every penny. There are selections for ages 4 up through adult--there is truly something for everyone. You could use this collection to cover nearly all of your child's schooling without having to hunt down these classics. And $99.95 for multiple subjects is a very reasonable price tag. You can easily pay that much for just one subject, not a whole library! Grab your laptop or Ereader and just start reading, discovering, and exploring the world through history, literature and science. This is truly the ultimate home (and travel) library.

You can read what several other homeschooling families thought of the Yesterday's Classics Ebook Package here.

Who Should Purchase

• Book collectors with shortage of shelf space
• Book collectors who like to "read on the go"
• Homeschoolers wanting to jump start their home library or add to an existing one
• Travelling families who take their schooling on the road
• Vacationers who want to keep learning while away from their home for the weekend, month or summer
• Moms with new babies to read while they nurse
• Those in the hospital or beridden at home
• Missionaries in remote areas or in areas with limited english library resources
• Anyone who enjoys classic works from the past
• Grandparents who would like to have some quality literature available when grandchildren visit (or who may want to reminisce about books from the "good old days")

Try Before You Buy

Make sure you read the information on this incredible offer. On the promotional page, scroll down until you see the blue rectangles that say "Download FREE [epub or Kindle] File." If you like what you see and read, then take advantage of the value packed price of $99.95 for 225 books that will provide hours of enjoyment and instruction for your whole family. But hurry, this special price is only available until May 31; after that the price goes up to the normal price of $149.95.

Purchase Information

While the best value is to purchase the complete collection, any book can also be purchased individually as a printed book. Orders can be placed directly through Yesterday's Classics online or by phone, mail, e-mail, or fax. An order form is available for your convenience. You can also order through Amazon.

Yesterday's Classics catalog can be searched by subject, author or title. Starting June 1, ebook titles will also be available for purchase individually (after the current Ebook sale is over).

Take some time to browse a few subjects from Yesterday's Classics catalog:

• World History
• Greece
• Rome
• England
• Faith
• History
• Literature
• Legends
• Nature

Yesterday's Classics also provides a listing of their books used in the following curriculum:

• Ambleside Online
• Living Books Curriculum
• Pageant of History

Satisfaction Guaranteed

Yesterday's Classics strives for their customer's 100% satisfaction. If you are not completely satisfied, you can e-mail them and your purchase price will be refunded. You really have nothing to lose. This is a phenomenal product, at an unbeatable price from an exceptional company.

Contact Information

Website: www.yesterdaysclassics.com

E-mail: orders@yesterdaysclassics.com

Phone: 919-357-8824

Fax: 866-497-3729

Address: Yesterday's Classics, PO Box 3418, Chapel Hill, NC 27515

Disclaimer: We were provided a free download of the Yesterday's Classics collection for the purpose of reviewing. No other compensation was received.