Monthly Archives: December 2013

The Digital Invasion by Dr. Sylvia Hart Frejd

31 Tuesday Dec 2013

Posted by in Family Helps

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I heard about this book yesterday on the radio.  It really intrigued me.  The author tells how the brains of children are being changed by over stimulation with electronic devices of all sorts.  She gives ways parents can tell if the changes are occurring in their child’s brain (or in their brains).  I am going to have to get this to read it in its entirety. It is published by Baker.

If any of you have read it, please leave me a comment. It would be greatly appreciated.

The Maps — Series by Jennifer Besel

26 Thursday Dec 2013

Posted by in Children's Non-fiction

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Titles in this series: All book have a word count of about 150 words. All are supposed to be for Grade One.

What is a Map?

Map Scales.

Types of Maps.

Compass Roses and Directions.

Symbols and Keys.

These books are designed to help develop critical thinking as required by the Common Core. They all contain excellent, colorful pictures and drawings. There is a glossary in each book, but the glossaries do not contain a pronunciation guide. Five new words or phrases pertaining to maps are introduced in each book. Each has a bibliography for further reading and two internet sites students can go to for games and more information. One site is a search site developed for children, and the other is a catalog of other Capstone books.  The students using the Capstone site are able to go to educational games on http://www.facthound.com.  Each book is library bound making it a good choice for school and public libraries.

While these books are written on a first grade level, I definitely have questions concerning the use of three and four syllable words in them. I do not believe that most first graders will be able to read them. They might best be used as a read-aloud to students, and then the teacher can further explain the concepts.

Also, each book contains only 24 pages; therefore, it does not fit the standard for picture books, and also makes the books rather expensive for libraries with limited budgets. Still, the material is clear, concise, and very well presented.  It definitely has a place in elementary libraries and public libraries.  I feel I can recommend it for elementary student probably those in second or third grade, though.

Come August, Come Freedom: the Bellows, the Gallows, and the Black Slave, Gabriel

26 Thursday Dec 2013

Posted by in Historical Fiction

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      Once in a while, I run across a book that is so well-written and so riveting that I cannot put it down.  I stayed up until nearly two in the morning to finish this book.  Even though I knew the outcome of Gabriel’s uprising

     I recognize that this is historical fiction, but the events are thoroughly researched, and the author has included facsimiles of historical documents within the text. It, of course, is the story of the first well-organized slave rebellion in the US.

     The slaves, led by a blacksmith named Gabriel, modeled their revolt on the American revolution and the revolution in Haiti.  They were trying to get their freedom and an equal voice. Even though they did not succeed, they did get the attention of many people in the US and thus the ultimate freedom of the slaves in America.

      I don’t often highly recommend books, but I honestly believe that this one should be required reading for all students of American history.  I  highly recommend it for the middle school and the high school library.

Angel Fever by L.A. Weatherly

21 Saturday Dec 2013

Posted by in Young Adult

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Did you ever read a series that just begs to be made into a movie?  Such are the books, Angel Burn, Angel Fever, and this, L.A. Weatherly’s latest title, Angel Fever.  Weatherly’s expertise at creating a vivid mental image in the mind of the reader makes a compelling argument for creating the actual visual image.  She practically has the scenes designed for the director.

This one tells the final story of Willow and the AK’s  fight against the vampire-like beings, the angels.  After the destruction of Mexico City, Willow and Alex now try to find the rest of the surviving angels.   Willow’s father, Raziel, one of the angels, is now in charge and has set up camps for the humans who survived the devastating earthquakes.  These “camps” are really farms to insure the surviving angels with constant food sources.

Willow learns that she must open a gateway between the two worlds to send the angels back to their home, and then close it again so they can never return to earth.  In order to do that she must destroy her father.  The author said that she had intended to write about passion, but it ”turned out to be … about forgiveness.”

I thoroughly enjoyed the series, and I expect that it may become popular with teen readers.  Given the mature themes in the books, I think it is best suited for the high school or college/age reader. Weatherley has a good amount of sexual innuendo in the story.  Although the sex is not graphic, some may not want younger readers exposed to it.

The Shadowhand Covenant

20 Friday Dec 2013

Posted by in Children's Books, Uncategorized

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??????????     If you have The Vengekeep Prophecies by Brian Farrey, you most definitely will want to add this to your fantasy collection. This is the second book of the series, but it could be read as a stand-alone.  In this tale, Jaxter Grimjinx, of the infamous Grimjinx family of thieves, must find out why a notorious group of thieves, known as Shadowhands are disappearing.  He also wants to know why the High Laird has begun imprisoning a peaceful group of people known as the Sarosans. Of course, nothing is ever easy, not what it seems to be in Vengekeep.

In the course of his adventure he makes new friends and allies – one of them was a former enemy of his.  At the end of the book, although things are somewhat resolved, the reader will know that more of the story is yet to come. This is a delightful, suspense-filled fantasy for the 10 -12 year old reader.

Any story about children who manage to best adults with their skills or powers is always fascinating to younger readers.  One must suspend concrete knowledge in order the get into the story.  For instance, Jaxter carries with him a few pouches of herbs.  He never runs out of them, although he is constantly using them; and, he always seems to have just what he needs in those pouches.  Once, they are taken away from him, but the stupid adults who took the pouches leave them where he can get his hands on them again. Still, it is a good story, and I feel I can recommend it for upper elementary and possibly the middle-school student.