-
Random God Sightings by Kelly Hanes
Glimpsing Him Random God Sightings by Kelly Hanes is a powerful book of twenty six stories of seeing God in the everyday. Often in our striving to see God, we miss the fact that He is walking right beside us. We will ‘see’ Him when we least expect to. God may be at the Christian […]
-
What Makes a “Strong Girl Character”? Thoughts and a Podcast
Does rejecting gender stereotypes mean there are no meaningful distinctions between strong girls and strong boys? Not so long ago, librarians and publishers were concerned about Why Boys Don’t Read. Why the gap in boy-girl reading scores? Did boys need special handling, or special reading matter? The “Guys Read” initiative by Jon Scieszka sought to write, develop, and recommend books that would be of special appeal to the Y chromosome crowd: fast-paced, humorous, gripping fiction and nonfiction. No one doubted that boys, in general (and allowing for plenty of exceptions), might need a little extra “oomph” to hook them on the joys of literature and hopefully lead to more challenging…
-
Painted Horses
Painted Horses: Hunting for Treasure Within Teaching is a noble profession. Learning is not only confined to the lectures discussed within the four walls of a classroom. There are several nuggets of wisdom derived in this tale of encouragement and hope. Main character Pam came to a town called Paris to apply as a teacher of US History. The principal forewarned her that the teens have a knack of spitting a teacher out. She was desperate for the job so insurance can cover her baby’s surgery. The boy has club feet, and the young mom wanted to support his medical-related expenses. Pam sets an example of how a determined mom…
-
Wile E Coyote, Physical Science Genius
Find out why that poor coyote never actually catches the speedy roadrunner in these clever science books for young physicists. Wile E. Coyote, physical science genius (series) by Suzanne Slade and Mark Weakland. Capstone Press, 2014. Zap! Experiments with energy Splat: Experiments with states of matter Thud: Experiments with forces of motion Smash: Experiments with simple machines This series turns Looney Tunes into science books. Each volume explains how, if Wile E. Coyote would just use his brains, he would catch Road Runner. Because of the principles of physics (simple machines, forces of motion, states of matter and energy), you find out why Wile’s traps don’t work. The illustrations are…
-
The Colors of Emily
The Colors of Emily: A Reflection of Hope An artwork is an expression of one’s soul. This story, The Colors of Emily, is about how an art finder and artist have affected each other’s lives in one way or another. Kate was a hard-headed art dealer. She undergoes therapy so she can get her life in order but decided to run away from the therapist. On a lookout for new art pieces, she drove to reach a small town called New Harmony. Kate’s behaviour holds to a typical adult with a troubled past. This reminds us to not judge a person, but we need to understand where she is coming. Kate…
-
Her Generous Billionaire by Juliette Duncan
Second Chances Her Generous Billionaire by Juliette Duncan is a charming Christian romance. The setting is Australia where the climate is as warm and welcoming as the action. The novel revolves around the love of God. To live and love like Jesus is the motivator for actions. “She’s a woman of faith who lives her […]
-
The Tender Years by T.K. Chapin
Faithful God The Tender Years by T.K. Chapin is a contemporary Christian novel that concerns the subjects of infertility and fostering. T.K. Chapin is not afraid to tackle relevant issues that may be sensitive and painful. He covers them with God’s love showing that life can be hard even when we get our heart’s desire. […]
-
How To Say Goodbye by Katy Collins
Amazing Grace How To Say Goodbye by Katy Collins is a beautiful contemporary novel about death and learning to live again. It is a novel that will make you cry and it will make you smile. It will certainly tug at your heartstrings. There are a wonderful mix of unique characters united by their loss. […]
-
Back Porch Book Chat: Virginia Lee Rogers
Back Porch Book Chat: A casual, virtual conversation about books. Join us as we chat with book lovers like ourselves about a topic we all love! Our first guest is Virginia Lee Rogers, a homeschooling mom of 5 and seller of used books on Instagram at The Jolly Reader; check out her bio after the interview for more details. Welcome, Virginia Lee, to our virtual back porch for a casual conversation about our favorite topic: books! Before we begin, tell us what iced beverage you’d like as we sit in our rocking chairs on this summer day: Sweet tea? Lemonade? La Croix? Ice water? Sweet tea. Summer, winter, spring and…
-
Family Vacation Book List: Fun for the Whole Family
Going on vacation this summer? What about daily trips to the pool and back? Perhaps you have some summer evenings on the porch planned. Sounds like you need a good family vacation book list! The books below are all excellent choices for some family reading time this summer: enjoyable for a wide variety of ages with a mix of adventure and humor. Pick one from the classics list and one from the new books list for some good variety. We’ve specified a good narrator if he or she is the perfect fit. Don’t overlook the value of mom or dad reading aloud–even in the car! Family Vacation Book List Classics…
