Reading, Writing & Pondering

  All About Christmas by Alison Mitchell is sure to have some answers for questions from those early elementary students--ages 7 to 11. This is a large book that is roughly 9 by 10 inches in size and almost 50 pages long. There is a lot of good information in All About Christmas. It is a book that could be read straight through or one that you could use the table of contents to find the information that you most want to learn about Christmas. There is also a glossary in the book and a quiz, for those who want to test their knowledge after reading through the book. As a homeschool mom, I would also like this book to use with our studies around Christmas. There are drawings and there are also actual photos in the book that back up the information presented. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.

  Do you know children who enjoy seek and find books? Seek and Find: The First Christmas is a large book aimed at children under five--but in our family, all ages enjoy this book.  Based on the Bible, this is a hardcover book with heavy boardbook pages inside that little ones can easily turn themselves. There are over 450 things to count and find within this book. It is book that could keep the little ones busy for quite awhile and is also one that the whole family could do together, depending on your family. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.

  Seek and Find: The First Christmas Activity Book written by Sarah Parker and illustrated by Andre Parker is an activity book that has a variety of fun paper-based children's activities. There are 35 activities for children ages four to seven.  Puzzles, mazes, counting and other activities all based on Jesus and the first Christmas. This book is thin and measures 8.75 by 10.25 inches in size. It would be an easy one to slide in a book bag, along with some colored pencils, to keep children entertained on the go. It easily compliments the hardcover search and find book that is part of this series.   I received a copy of this book from the Good Book Company. All opinions within this review are my own.

  The Christmas Surprise by Steph Williams tells the Christmas story to young children in a little different way. I love the way this book is written. It is a fun one to read aloud to help little ones understand the Christmas story. There is also a note for grown-ups in the back to guide adults as they talk to children about the Christmas story. There is also the text from Luke1:26-35 in the NIV version so adults could also read directly from the Bible at the end to the children as well. I think The Christmas Surprise is well done. It is written is such a way that young children can not only understand the Christmas story but also so they can get excited about it. As I already mentioned, it is fun to read aloud as an adult could ham it up and use different voices to make this book even more fun. It is also one that children could keep to re-read every year and learn to read on their own. Best of all, The Christmas Surprise is at a price point that is under five dollars so it wou...

    The Stay True Daily Planner is more than just a planner. This planner comes with a web-based A.L.I.V.E. assessment, which may help believers deepen their relationship with Christ. This program is designed to empower you to discover your purpose, identify your core values, and create monthly and daily goals that will move you forward to enlarge your capacity to DREAM BIG.  This planner is large and fairly heavy. For me, I plan to keep this at my desk to use daily. It isn't something I would carry around. It is hardcover and comes with a nice slip case. It is all quite nice. There is also a nice softcover matching notebook. I have the dark blue but it comes in other colors too. I like that it has a ribbon marker to help you know where you left off. This planner isn't dated so it could be started any time. There is space to look at a month at a glance, as well as each day and each week. There is also a lot of space to help work through your goals in various areas of you...

  All the Lost Places is the first book that I have read by Amanda Dykes. It is a time slip novel with the story of a book within a book--different than other time slip historical novels that I have read in the past. Part of All the Lost Place s is set in 1807 when a baby is set in a basket and floats through a canal to a new home as in the way of Moses. Sebastian Trovato is then raised by a guild of artisans who all teach him a variety of trades. He is well loved but he doesn't really feel like he knows who he is and where he belongs. In 1904, Daniel Goodman is fortunate to get a work assignment in Venice as he seeks to make restitution for past mistakes and to help his mother out of a predicament, which is also feels somewhat responsible for. Goodman goes to Venice and meets Vittoria, a bookshop keeper, and together they begin to unravel the mystery of a book, the mystery of Sebastian, and the mystery of who he is and his place in the world. I'll be honest, it took me awhile...

    Do you think things are getting better or worse in our world today? In See the Good by Zach Windahl, Windahl encourages us to see the good in our world today.  The forward to See the Good is written by Bob Goff(as a Bob Goff fan, this was a perk for me). In Goff's two-page forward, he tells us that he knows Windahl personally and he is someone who sees the good in spite of the difficult situations in life. He isn't someone out there just sugar coating things without seeing the hard stuff. See the Goo d is divided into two parts: Changing the Way We See and How to Live it Out, which I think are fairly self-explanatory titles. Throughout the book, Windahl shares his personal stories mixed with Bible stories and verses to help us see how we can focus on the positive as well as how we can integrate good things into our life and way of seeing things. He also helps us see why we should do that and the benefits when we do.  I could relate to a lot of what Windahl shar...

  Dream Big for Kid s by Bob Goff and Lindsey Goff Viducich is a BIG nicely illustrated children's book at 32 pages and about 10 inches squared.  Dream Big for Kids is aimed at children ages four to eight. I would lean on giving it to children more in the six to eight year old age range but it all depends on the child. Dream Big for Kids encourages kids to use their imaginations and dream during the day--not just at night. What could they do when they grow up? What do they like to do? What do the kids hope for themselves and the world that they live in? This book is a Christian-based book so there is talk about God in this book and how we are all created by Him to be uniquely gifted to do things in the world. I like that this book encourages dreaming and hoping for good things. I like that the book is inclusive in both illustrations and its wordings so all children can learn these things. Dream Big for Kids would make a nice gift for someone too. I received a copy of this b...

  Do you enjoy dogs? Slow Dog by Joy Johnston is a delightful children's story about an older dog that moves slowly and a young girl who wants to go fast a lot of the time. I think this could fit a lot of families. I loved the bright, beautiful illustrations. I almost feel like I could reach in and pet Murphy. I like that the illustrations are inclusive with people of color but I think the story could resonate with many. I see lots of children with energy who want to go fast--and I remember wanting to go fast. Yet, Murphy and this book show the true value in taking life slower and enjoying the little things. Slow Dog is one of my favorite children's book reads of this year. Slow Dog is a paperback book that is 28 pages long and measures about 8 1/2 inches square and fairly thin. It is aimed at children about ages four to eight. I received this book through Library Thing from the author/publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.

  In 1942, Avis Montgomery is young and fairly newly married when her brother goes off to war. Anthony was the head librarian in a small Maine town and asks Avis to take his place to keep the library open. Avis isn't much of a reader but she reluctantly agrees. Then a wartime need threatens to close the library so Avis invents a book club to help keep the library open. The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green is the story of that fictional book club initially made up of a diverse group of ladies and is a lovely book. Initially, the club members don't have much in common. Louis is a wealthy spinster, Martina is a working mom of two little ones, Ginny recently moved to town after war efforts took over her family's home place, and Avis is the librarian. After awhile other people in town join the group. There is actually a fairly large cast of characters in The Blackout Book Club but the way they are added in to the story, it is easy to keep track of everyone. I really enjoye...

  Targeted:Three Romantic Suspense Novellas by Lynette Eason, Lynn H. Blackburn and Natalie Walters contains three fast-paced novellas by some of the best suspense writers that I usually read.  The first story is On The Run by Lynette Eason. This story starts out with Daria Nevsky getting hit on the head when she goes home as she gets ready to go on vacation. . .which didn't quite work out. She seeks out medical care and Dr. Ryker Donahue helps her with her injuries--and ends up doing a lot more for her. These two end up in quite an adventure together. The next story is Deadly Objective by Lynn H. Blackburn. Emily  Dixon is the physical therapist helping the Vice President's son heal from a shoulder injury. Secret Service Agent Liam Harper is in charge of the teenage boy named Mason. Together they seek to figure out what is going on when Mason is attacked at home--and on a camping trip. The 3rd story is Caught in the Crosshairs by Natalie Walters. Claudia Gallegos is a f...