by Donna | Jul 5, 2013
Our favorite patriotic “devotional”! Our two sons, ages fifteen and eighteen, asked me to get this back out for this summer’s reading since we haven’t done it for two years now. I LOVE this book. Short readings–about 5 to 10 minutes each, plus “This day in history list” for each day. So inspiring!
You might be familiar with one of the authors, William J. Bennett, from his amazing story collection, “Book of Virtues” (a great read aloud book for families with multi ages of children and even older children!). He has done it again in this wonderful 365 excerpt patriotic book!
If you homeschool, you want this book! If you homeschool and you are doing American history this year, you definitely want this book! đ
“American History Parade” pg. 235 (Today in history)
1776 The Continental Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence
1802 The US Military Academy opens at West Point, NY
1826 John Adams, age ninety, and Thomas Jefferson, age eight-three die
1831 James Monroe, fifth US President, dies at age seventy-three
1959 A forty-ninth star is added to the flat to represent the new state of Alaska
1960 A fiftieth star is added to the flat to represent the new state of Hawaii
Click here or on the picture below to get this book!
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by Donna | Apr 20, 2013
FOR NURSING STUDENTS!!!
When you find something that helps your kids succeed, you just want to pass that along with enthusiasm!
The video set below has been amazingly helpful to our son in his pre-nursing classes. He used them each time he had a practical and an exam in his Anatomy and Physiology classes. It is far more than “another creation science” offering! Ninety bucks is a small price to pay for A’s in our pre-nursing classes.
Note: My husband originally got these to use with his high school advanced biology (anatomy and physiology) classes, but we found them amazingly useful for college studies too!
https://www.answersingenesis.org/store/product/body-evidence/?sku=40-1-374
by Donna | Dec 1, 2012
One Christmas story that we enjoy every year in various formsâan Adventures in Oddysey radio drama âspin-offâ of it; short story in our compilation books; audio of it; etc.âis the OâHenry story, âGift of the Magi.â It is such a poignant short story of sacrificially giving, something that many of us know very little about in todayâs society.
I thought I would probably find it online since it is beyond the âcopyrightâ years and is available in so many books. And I was right! So I wanted to share it with our readers, in the hopes that you will have a short read aloud session with your familyâwith a lively discussion following! âGod bless us, everyone!â (Oh, wrong storyâŚ) smileâŚ
https://www.online-literature.com/o_henry/1014/
P.S. For you homeschoolers out there, this story makes a wonderful “piggyback story” to piggyback off from and write a similar tale. We are adding it to our Creative Writing series! Fun stuff!
by Donna | Nov 29, 2012
Different ones have asked for more read aloud ideas, especially my very favorites, so I thought I would list them by age (todayâten and under) and by category (i.e. âBible-relatedâ; traditions; devotional; etc.) with *** by my âvery-most-favorite-if-we-only-read-a-handful-of-christmas-books-this-year-this-would-be-one-of-themâ! Hope this helps you as you prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ with your sweet children.
Key:
***Wouldnât want to go a Christmas without it
**Great
*Good enough for my list! đ
Note: I have included âout of printâ ones because you can often pick them up used or at the library.
âBible/Nativity-Related Stories/Retellingsâ
***Adornaments âdifferent than your typical ânativity ornaments,â which we also have had through the years, this adornaments set is a book with cardboard ornaments containing the names of Christ and a verse on each one to go with that name. I liked doing this with the kids as it connected the nativity story with Christ as our Savior (and more!) too. https://www.amazon.com/Adorenaments-Parenting-FamilyLife/dp/1572292385
***âThe Indescribable Giftâ by Richard Exley; Illustrated by Phil Boatwright (out of print); this is a beautiful, elegant Christmas picture book with the Christmas story told from the point of view of all the major players: Zechariah, Mary, Elizabth, Joseph, The Innkeeper, The Shepherds, Simeon, and more. A truly lovely bookâfor up through adults. A chapter out of this a day makes a wonderful advent devotional. https://www.alibris.com/search/books/qwork/3185413/used/The%20Indescribable%20Gift
**âJothamâs Journeyâ Arnold Ytreeide; âOver and over Jotham screamed for his family, but there was no one to hear him. They had vanished. He was alone. Where had they gone? How long ago had they left? Through quick, stabbing sobs Jotham told himself, “I must look for my family, I must search until I find them.” And so his journey begins. In this widely popular, exciting story for the Advent season, readers follow ten-year-old Jotham across Israel as he searches for his family. Though he faces thieves, robbers, and kidnappers, Jotham also encounters the wise men, shepherds, and innkeepers until at last he finds his way to the Savior born in Bethlehemâ (CBD Review). https://www.christianbook.com/jothams-journey/arnold-ytreeide/9780825441745/pd/441745/1152561199?item_code=WW&netp_id=533620&event=ESRCN&view=details
**âBartholomewâs Passageâ by Arnold Ytreeide; same type of story as âJothamâs Journeyâ but a different child and circumstances. https://www.christianbook.com/bartholomews-passage/arnold-ytreeide/9780825441738/pd/441738?event=AAI
**âTabithaâs Travelsâ by Arnold Ytreeide; same type of story as âJothamâs Journeyâ but a different child and circumstances https://www.christianbook.com/tabithas-travels-arnold-ytreeide/9780825441721/pd/441720/1152561199?event=AAI
*âKing of the Stableâ by Melody Carlson; Illustrated by Chris Ellison (not in print); cute picture book about a boy who worked in the stable when Jesus was born; lovely illustrations. https://www.amazon.com/King-Stable-Melody-Carlson/dp/158134032X
*âThe Tale of Three Trees: A Traditional Folktaleâ by Angela Elwell Hunt; Illustrated by Tim Jonke; neat story about how three trees grew up to be the boat Jesus was on, the manger, and the cross. https://www.christianbook.com/the-tale-of-three-trees/angela-hunt/9780745917436/pd/19014?item_code=WW&netp_id=155456&event=ESRCN&view=details
*âThe Singing Shepherdâ by Angela Elwell Hunt; Illustratoins by Peter Palagonia (out of print); a cute story about a little singing shepherd boy; https://www.amazon.com/Singing-Shepherd-Angela-Elwell-Hunt/dp/0745930360/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1292211682&sr=8-1
*âThe Black Sheepâ by Elisabeth Heck; Illustrated by Sita Jucker (out of print); cute picture book about a little black sheep who met Baby Jesus. https://www.alibris.com/search/books/qwork/732200/used/The%20Black%20Sheep
*âA King Is Bornâ by Patricia St. John; Illustrated by Richard Scott (out of print); nice picture book about the birth of Christ; more true to Scripture than many others (i.e. the wise men come when they are supposed to!) https://www.amazon.co.uk/king-born-Patricia-St-John/dp/0862016215
**âMaryâs Treasure Boxâ by Carolyn Walz Kramlich; Illustrated by Walter Porter; told from Maryâs point of view when she was a grandmother, the cover says, âBeyond retelling the story of Christâs birth, âMaryâs Treasure Boxâ creatively shares lessons about Christ gleaned through the objects in a simple wooden boxâa bit of straw, wool, flut, and swaddling cloths.â Neat way to tell the nativity story and provide insights into that first Christmas. https://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/product_detail.asp?sku=0849958342&title=&author=Carolyn_Kramlich
*âThe Crippled Lambâ by Max Lucado; Illustrated by Liz Bonham; another sweet Christmas story involving a little lamb on the first Christmas; nice illustrations https://www.christianbook.com/lucado-childrens-treasury-childs-first-collection/max-lucado/9781400310487/pd/310480?item_code=WW&netp_id=480026&event=ESRCN&view=details
***âThe Very First Christmasâ by Paul L Maier; Illustrated by Francisco Ordaz; from the cover: âNo more fairy tales for Christopher; he wants a real bedtime story. So his mother tells the amazing and miraculous story of Jesusâ birth. Along the way, Christopher learns the answers to some challenging questions about the Christmas story. And all the answers are right from the Bible. You have selected a wonderful gift for children, families, and friends. Written by best-selling author and historian, Paul L. Maier, and richly illustrated by Francisco Ordaz..â I agree! https://www.christianbook.com/the-very-first-christmas-softcover/paul-maier/9780758606167/pd/606168?item_code=WW&netp_id=316844&event=ESRCN&view=details
*âMaryâs First Christmasâ by Walter Wangerin, Jr.; Illustrated by Timothy Ladwig; the Christmas story written in journal form from the view of Mary; lots of good insights and lovely illustrations https://www.christianbook.com/marys-first-christmas-walter-wangerin/9780310222163/pd/22168?item_code=WW&netp_id=109947&event=ESRCN&view=details
***âOne Wintry Nightâ by Ruth Bell Graham; Illustrated by Richard Jesse Watson; from the cover: âWhen a young mountain boy is caught alone in a sudden snowstorm, he takes refuge in a cabin his grandfather had helped to build many years before. The woman living there shelters the boy, attends to his badly swollen ankle, and spends the hours they are snow-bound telling him the Christmas storyâbeginning with creation and concluding with the resurrection.â This is a remarkable bookâone that ties creation with Christmas and Easter! It is lengthy, so will likely take several reading sessions, but the amazing illustrations and deep-teaching-text are worth it! https://www.christianbook.com/one-wintry-night-gift-edition/ruth-graham/9780801013065/pd/013065/1152539202?item_code=WW&netp_id=481521&event=ESRCN&view=details
âTraditions and Moreâ Types of Books
***The ADVENTure of Christmasâ by Lisa Welchel; One of my favorite easy-to-read-aloud Christmas books–filled with lots of activities, recipes, etc. about each tradition/entry. I like it more for the one-page-per tradition in easy kid language. I have a lot of books about Christmas traditions and symbols, but this is the best one I’ve found for younger kids. https://www.bookschristian.com/The-ADVENTure-of-Christmas-by-Lisa-Whelchel-book-p/73449.htm
*âThe First Christmas Tree: A Legend From Long Agoâ by Helen Haidle Illustrated by David and Elizabeth Haidle (out of print); a story describing the origins of decorating with the evergreen tree https://www.amazon.com/First-Christmas-Tree-Legend-Long/dp/080104393X
**âThe Legend of the Christmas Tree: An Inspirational Story of a Treasured Traditionâ by Rick Osborne; Illustrated by Bill Dodge; another story describing the origins of decorating with the evergreen tree https://www.harpercollins.com/books/Legend-Christmas-Tree/?isbn=9780310700432
*âThe Real 12 Days of Christmasâ by Helen Haidle; Illustrated by Celeste Henriquez out (of print); interesting and fun for those who know the song; nice pics https://www.amazon.com/Real-Twelve-Christmas-Helen-Haidle/dp/031070118X
**âSaint Nicholas: The Real Story of the Christmas Legend: by Julie Stiegemeyer; Illustrated by Chris Ellison https://www.christianbook.com/saint-nicholas-story-christmas-legend-hardcover/julie-stiegemeyer/9780758603760/pd/603762?item_code=WW&netp_id=316815&event=ESRCN&view=details
*âThe Legend of the Candy Cane: The Inspirational Story of Our Favorite Christmas Candyâ by Lori Walburg; Illustrated by James Bernardin; sweet, sweet story and tradition https://www.christianbook.com/the-legend-of-the-candy-cane/lori-walburg/9780310212478/pd/21247?item_code=WW&netp_id=131129&event=ESRCN&view=details
âOther Christmas Stories or âSet at Christmastime Type Storiesâ
***âThe Christmas Tapestryâ by Patricia Polacco; this tale has been handed down for generations and is told in other settings/places/time periods (such as the âIvory and Lace Tableclothâ in one of our Christmas collections); this is a lovely story; we read it yearly https://www.christianbook.com/christmas-tapestry-patricia-polacco/9780142411650/pd/411650?item_code=WW&netp_id=524629&event=ESRCN&view=details
*âThe Quiet Little Womanâ by Louisa May Alcott; Illustrations by C. Michael Dudash https://www.christianbook.com/louisa-may-alcotts-christmas-treasury/9781589199507/pd/99500?item_code=WW&netp_id=283266&event=ESRCN&view=details
***âA Christmas Treasury: The Childrenâs Classic Editionâ Illustrated by Christian Birmingham; from the cover: âCelebrate the magical Christmas season with this enchanting pageant of beloved classics that have earned their place as holiday favorites. This yuletide collection features Louisa May Alcottâs vision of holiday spirit in âLittle Womenâs A Merry Christmas,â âThe Night Before Christmas,â âJingle Bells,â and much more.â Beautifully illustratedâthis is a lovely book. Hard to find Christmas âcollectionsâ for this age group with classic stories too (and not all contemporary mouse and reindeer stories); love this collection for this age group! https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Treasury-Childrens-Classic/dp/0762411384
**âThe Candle in the Windowâ based on a story by Leo Tolstoy by Grace Johnson; Illustrated by Mark Elliot; lovely and heartwarming (out of print) https://www.amazon.com/Candle-Window-Grace-Johnson/dp/0800718151
**âThe Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomyâ by Susan Wojciechowski; Illustrated by PJ Lynch; amazingly heart warming story and awesome illustrations; https://www.christianbook.com/the-christmas-miracle-jonathan-toomey-with/susan-wojciechowski/9780763636296/pd/636290/1152540236?item_code=WW&netp_id=509874&event=ESRCN&view=details
*âA Childâs Christmas at S. Nicolas Circleâ by Douglas Kaine McKelvy; Illustrated by Thomas Kinkade; illustrations are beautiful (of course!); story is well-written and heartwarming https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/0849958830?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0849958830&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2