Exploring education through books, travel, and adventure
Budget-Friendly…those two words together are music to the ears of a homeschool mama, am I right? Homeschool supplies, books, extracurricular activities, printing…things add up SO fast! Well, I am here to share an awesome way to save a little money on your printing orders! If …
There is a very good chance that I am the President of the Wide-Eyed Editions fan club…I should look into getting a trophy or something! My bookshelves are brimming with gorgeous non-fiction books…and a very large percentage of them are Wide-Eyed Editions from Quarto Kids! …
Who loves a FREEBIE? I have created a fun lapbook freebie to go along with one of our favorite books, Malamander!
I love Middle-Grade novels…like a LOT! One of my favorites from last year is a book that I have talked about on more than one occasion…Malamander! Malamander has all of the elements I look for in a great middle-grade read…adventure, excitement, and humor! We loved it so much that we are reading it again! Malamander is also our middle-grade selection for our September book club over at The Booknerd Cafe on Facebook! If you haven’t joined us yet you should! It is such a fun place for booknerds to chat about books and get inspired to add bookish goodness to your homeschool! If you would like to check out my book review, you can read it here.
My kiddos and I love lapbooks! So, I thought it would be so fun to put together a FREE lapbook for you guys! I am going to be adding this in sections because I am creating it as we read! All you will need is a file folder for each child, scissors, glue stick, and something to color with. Please feel free to add to this…you don’t have to do it as I have it laid out! Go wild, y’all! 😉 Please come and share with us over at The Booknerd Cafe…we would love to see your creations!!!
My love for the Alphabet book series from Sleeping Bear Press is no secret. I have been using them since the beginning of our homeschool journey and tie them into just about every subject. Today I want to share with you a brand new title …
For anyone who has ever dealt with an overwhelming feeling of sadness or depression, The Shadow Elephant will really strike a chord with you. We will all be touched by depression at some point in our lives…whether it is our own or that of a …
Are you someone who feels most comfortable and content when you are at home or do you thrive out in the world? I absolutely love going out and exploring…but, I am such a homebody. I feel most content and happy when I am at home among my family. For many people though, they can feel confined or trapped if they aren’t able to get out and see the world. Away With Words is a story of just that. It is the story of Isabella Bird and her need to fly!
Isabella Bird was born in 1831 in England. Ever since she was small she had always suffered from aches and pains. She was weak and frail and was always stuck indoors. Her family and the doctors had no idea what to make of her mysterious ailments. Until one doctor suggested that perhaps they should take Isabella outside to get some fresh air! She ventured out with her father on his horse and it was like a weight was lifted off of young Isabella’s shoulders. The fresh air! The animals! Isabella was full of light and lots of questions about the world around her.
Unfortunately for Isabella, life for a girl in the 1800’s didn’t involve adventures, learning, or school. So Isabella again took to her bed and wilted away. All of her ailments returned. Isabella was depressed. Thankfully she had a very smart doctor who suggested that Isabella needed a change of scenery. Her parents agreed and Isabella packed up her bags and at the age of 22, she boarded a boat to Nova Scotia!! She was off on the adventures she had long dreamed of. She explored America and saw cowboys, wild animals, plants, and traders.
Isabella wrote many books of her adventures. She had found her place in the world. Her place wasn’t at home being a young Englishwoman. Her place was all over the globe. Trying new things and seeing new sights. The world was Isabella Bird’s Home.
This book was a gem. I have an immense love for picture book biographies. They have introduced me to so many amazing people. I had never heard of Isabella Bird, but what a woman she was!! It takes real grit and determination to defy the norm…especially in the 1800’s! What an inspirational woman she was to read about!
Author Lori Mortensen brought together such a beautiful and detailed account of Isabella’s life! There was so much information packed into the pages of this book. I also absolutely loved the Author’s Note at the end of the book providing more background information on Isabella’s life. As a sucker for a timeline I also really appreciated the inclusion of that!
Beautiful illustrations were provided by artist Kristy Caldwell. They were a perfect addition to the story and complemented it beautifully! She wonderfully captured Isabella’s emotions throughout the story. You could see the sadness in her eyes when she was trapped at home…and the weight lifted when she was finally able to explore!
This is the perfect book to inspire your kids to get out and explore the world! It teaches them to go after their dreams…even if it is unconventional!!
Sending a huge thank you to Peachtree Publishers for sending this copy to me for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
To purchase a copy, click the picture below or follow this link.
Calling all Booknerds!! Have we got a place for you! My dear friend, Arlene, and I have co-created a fabulous Facebook Group called The Booknerd Cafe. It is just for booknerds! If you are a booknerd, bookworm, book hoarder, booksniffer…whatever you want to call it…this …
State Parks are such amazing educational resources! I have been blown away with the things we have learned during our visits to the many Florida State Parks. We have learned about beaches, sea creatures, mangroves, manatees, Florida History…you name it…we have learned it! Does your …
It has been a minute since I have shared a freebie!! I am super excited about this one! My good friend Arlene and I were talking about reading logs (I mean, who doesn’t, right?) and she said: “Hey, you should create one”. It just so happened that I had already started working on one…and just needed a push to get it done! Well, that was a couple of months ago so obviously I am a procrastinator. Anyway, they are done and I am super excited to share them with you!
A lot of homeschoolers are required to keep a log of their childs reading. I LOVE tracking the books we have read as a family and my kids love tracking the books they have read as well!
So, I wanted to create something pretty…because that’s how I roll. I ended up with a couple of different styles. One style includes reading level and one doesn’t. It is just based on personal preference!
I also wanted to create some that were gender-neutral and some that would appeal to both girls and boys. For example, my daughter Sophie “needed” one with a unicorn…obvs.
So here you go! If there is anything else specific that you would like just shoot me an email…for reals…I have so much fun making these. Also, if there is anything that I didn’t include ON the log sheet that you think would be a good addition just let me know!
Happy Reading and Logging 🙂
We all know about the many accomplishments and contributions of Benjamin Franklin. He was such an important person in the history of the United States. But, what was Ben Franklin like as a child? A Ben Of All Trades- The Most Inventive Boyhood of Benjamin …
