Book review: E is for Ethiopia

E is for Ethiopia is a great book. Using the alphabet as organization for an overview of interesting facts about Ethiopia the books it combines explanations and fabulous photographs of Ethiopia to share some of the wonder of the country with it's reader. I love this book because it is not a text book and is very interesting to my boys . They can see the culture of their birth in beautiful photos and words which helps them to connect to it. I also like that it is written by Ethiopians. They have the passion to pass along and I feel they do this well with this simple yet beautiful kids book.
Check it out on Amazon.

Book Review: Yafi's Family

Yafi's Family is a great book. These are the things I love about this book:
1. the child is a boy
2. he is adopted as an older child
3. he is orphaned by death
4. he is Ethiopian
5. his parents retained his birth name
6. He has siblings in his adoptive home

I like these things because my boys can relate to each of these things very very well. It is a story about another boy, yet a story about themselves as well. The story is unique in that there are very few books about Ethiopian adoption, few books about older child adoption and even fewer about children who were orphaned by death rather than relinquished or abandoned. I would highly recommend this book for your home library. I think we will read this one over and over. As a note, I would suggest talking about feelings after you read this book and giving lots of affirmation. It triggered some sad feelings of loss the first time we read it for one of my sons. He likes this book, because it helps him feel like he is not alone in his loss. That is valuable.

Gregor the Overlander for teens

My teenage daughter just finished the Gregor the Overlander series. She loves them so much she is thinking there is no book that can rival them and they are stuck in her mind.......... that is a good book. Go check them out at your local library.

Guardians of Ga'Hoole

I have been interested in this book series and picked up the first three books from Scholastic. WOW! I am nearly through book one and am hooked. I see that there are something like 16 of these. If they are all as good as the first one I will have reading for quite some time. Hopefully the library has several copies now that the movie is out they will be in high demand. Of course they are about $5 a book too, so.........

The basic gist of the books is that there is a world of owl kingdoms. There are ordinary owls and there are evil owls and there are those who work for the evil and there are heroic owls who guard and protect all that is valuable to owldom and aim to keep the kingdoms unified and free. Ok, sounds like a typical plot. But, with owls and the uniqueness that brings, creative twists and plots and characters you develop feelings about quickly. An easy read for adults and teens, appropriate for elementary age kids and still able to hold the attention of a Jr. High student. In general a typical reader in the 3rd or 4th grade will be able to read this. An advanced reader in younger grades if the parents felt the content was appropriate. The first book certainly has nothing objectionable in my opinion and I am pretty choosy.

I read the first three on the way to Australia and during our time there. On the way home I watched the movie on the plane. I am now reading the fourth one. Good books, super fast read for an adult, maybe not enough action for older kids, certainly not teens. Great for elementary kids. Ideal age would be 3rd through 5th grades and older if interested.  My only complaint with this book is that the owls have bad words in owl language that they use. I think that is unnecessary and detracts from the book, the bad owl language increases as the series goes on. No "real" bad words though. Readers should discuss this with their parents and understand their parents views on language use, slang, bad words, etc.   
The movie was loosely like the book.  It would be hard to pack 15 volumes in to one movie. They did a decent job. The books are much better.

Amazon link
Barnes and nobles

Good books vs just books

I believe there are books that are not bad nor good but certainly not worth ones time. In that category fall two very popular book series for young children (my opinion only). Curious George and Clifford the Big Red Dog. I am sorry. I don't like these books. If you do, that is fine. Go ahead and keep liking them.

This is what I don't like: Curious George is a prime example of what not to do instead of what to do. We do not take monkeys out of the jungle. That is wrong. We do not keep wild animals in our home. That is a no brainer. Ok, curious George is more like a child than a wild animal in these stories. We do not leave our children unattended, but they used to, that is just asking for it. When they get in trouble there are real life consequences, you do not get off the hook just because you did something nice too or are cute or your naughtiness ended up making someone laugh. No way, it does not work like that. Things do not always turn out so well. It is ok to be curious but it is not ok to be careless or naughty. There is a big difference.  It would be bad parenting to be like the man with the yellow hat. I don't like Curious George books. I hate to admit it, I have one. The kids all like it and they know I don't and exactly why. You certainly don't have to agree. :)

Clifford the Big Red Dog. Ok, he is not sooooo bad. I just don't like the art or the story. No good reason. Just not a classic for me.

So, the Kindergarteners were allowed to bring home a book to sponsor at the school library. They could choose a book and bring it home and we can send in money and have a name plate put in with our child's name. What book did K bring home? Clifford the Big Red Dog. I said no. What book did he bring home as the next option? Curious George. Oh groan, no, no, no. So, we went to the school library together to preview GOOD literature. Ok, they are picture books, but it all starts there. You read trash when you are 5 and .............. no just kidding. :)

So, I showed him books that have a good story line which teaches a lesson and empathy for others, AND has fabulous art. Those are good books. We will be sponsoring Beatrice's Goat (Heifer Project book) and a book on adoption called Through Moon and Stars and a Night Skies (a Reading Rainbow Book), AND they will allow me to send a list of good adoption books to them and I will sponsor any they choose into the library and there is a teacher section which will soonly be enhanced with books on adopted kids in your classroom and Aspergers. How nice.

The Door Within by Wayne Thomas Batson

This is a review from my daughter who just read this book, reportedly one of the best she has read so far! This is the first book of a trilogy.

The Door Within, by Wayne Thomas Batson, is a fascinating story that you won't want to put down once you start reading. It is about a teenage boy named Aiden, who has to move with his family to his grandfather's house. While he is there, he finds something that sends him on a wild adventure. On this adventure, Aiden becomes a knight for a King, and has to face his fears. He also finds out that there is less than he thinks to complain about in life.
I enjoyed this book because it never got boring. Aiden always has something exciting going on in his quest. It is also a Christian book, and has characters that represent God and us. I think that this book would be enjoyed by both boys and girls or maybe even adults! If you like an action packed book that never gets boring, The Door Within is the book for you!
Barnes and Nobles 
Christian Bookstore

amazon 

Petrie's Family Games

Look for the link to this great game store, coming to the side bar soon!
Local in Colorado Springs and owned by a guy who was one of my good friends in our much younger years. In fact, my mom used him as motivation for me to learn to read..... "Cam read it and liked it, you should try it." And, I did. This game store has all sorts of stuff you really can't find anywhere else locally. It is a great place and a really really needed place. Welcome to the neighborhood Petrie's Family Games.