What's New

Flash, Crash, Rumble and Roll

Book cover: Flash, Crash, Rumble and Roll
Author(s): 
Franklyn M. Branley
Illustrator(s): 
True Kelley

This simple, nicely illustrated (cartoon-like pictures) children's book explains important concepts of science in a very easy-to-understand fashion. The reader is introduced to the way thunderclouds form and where thunder and lightning come from. The scientific content is substantial and very accessible. The story line is rounded out with tips for staying safe during a storm. My children have been fascinated by the details about the inside of a thundercloud, how fast sound and light travel, how you can measure the distance thunder travels and more.

Lightning

Book cover: Lightning
Author(s): 
Seymour Simon

Seymour Simon, famous for his children's science books illustrated with stunning photography, hits another home run with Lightning. This fascinating book details facts and fascinating statistics about lightning with lots of the "wow!" effect that helps keep middle-schoolers interested in science. Did you know that scientists have discovered new types of lightning within the past ten years? How long would the electricity from one bolt of lightning power one lightbulb? These and many more fascinating photos and facts await the reader of this very nice science book.

Storms

Book cover: Storms
Author(s): 
Seymour Simon

Like Seymour Simon's book on Lightning, reviewed above, this text combines incredible photographs with very interesting text to introduce young readers to some basics of severe weather. The text concentrates on thunderstorms, lightning, hail, tornadoes, and hurricanes. The statistics and little stories about these storms are weird and fascinating and you'll also find lots of solid scientific content.

The Empty Pot

Book cover: The Empty Pot
Author(s): 
Demi

This lovely little storybook has been enjoyed by my preschoolers as well as my grade-school-aged children. As the moral of the story unfolds, this colorful story book exposes children to a little bit of Ancient China. It is the story of Ping, a child with a green thumb. However when the emperor gives Ping a seed to care for, he cannot even get a sprout from it. Yet all of the children of the land, who were also given seeds to nurture, return to the emperor's palace with beautiful flowers. Ping, humbled, gives the emperor his empty pot expecting to be scolded.

Faith Quest: The Basics

Book cover: 'Faith Quest: The Basics'
Author(s): 
Michelle Willis, M.Ed.
Faith Quest, The Basics is an interactive computer program that covers the fundamentals of the Catholic faith. The package includes a CD-Rom and a Facilitator Resource Guide. It has both a Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur.

The Facilitator Guide includes an overview of the materials, Lesson Worksheets, Quizzes, Crossword Puzzles, Unit Practice Test, Unit Test, and Answer Keys.

Twelve Virtues of a Good Teacher

Book cover: 'Twelve Virtues of a Good Teacher'
Author(s): 
Luke M. Grande, F.S.C.

Based on twelve virtues that St. John Baptist de La Salle, patron saint of teachers, thought important for teachers to know, Twelve Virtues of a Good Teacher is a reprint from 1962 that elaborates on these virtues. St. John Baptist de La Salle was an educational reformer and founder of the Brothers of Christian Schools in France during the 17th Century.

Past Suspicion

Book cover: 'Past Suspicion'
Author(s): 
Therese Heckencamp
ISBN # 1-59286-802-9

After the death of her mother, a young woman, Robin, must travel from her home in California to a small town in Wisconsin to live with an uncle she never knew existed. She is angry and determined to escape as soon as she turns eighteen, which will be very soon. Almost immediately upon her arrival mysterious things begin to happen. She moves into the room her mother lived in as a young woman and learns a lot about her mother by going through her things. Evidently her mother kept many other secrets, besides having a brother, from her.

The Happy Little Family

Book cover: 'The Happy Little Family'
Author(s): 
Rebecca Caudill
The Fairchild family - Father, Mother, Chris, Althy, Emmy, Debby and Bonnie - live in the hills of Kentucky in the early 1900s. We are particularly treated to simple stories of everyday life through the eyes of four-year-old Bonnie: her frustrations with trying to keep up with her older siblings, the love of her understanding father, the importance of "little" things, like sunbonnets and arrowheads. The large text, comfortable length and engaging storyline make it a great choice for young readers.

Cat. Chat: The Catholic Audio Show For Kids Vol. 3

Book cover: 'Cat. Chat: The Catholic Audio Show For Kids Vol. 3'

Vol. 3: Amazing Angels and Super Saints It's time to have a party! A saints and angels party. In this volume, the family - Papa, Josh, and Hannah - hosts an All Saints' Party for the kids and their friends. The format is the same as the other two volumes. Moses, the family cat, introduces the audio show with commentary in the middle and at the end, the family has discussions about the faith to lead the children to a greater understanding of the Catholic truths of the faith, the dialogue is interspersed with lively, contemporary songs, and the evening's entertainment closes with a prayer.

Madeleine Takes Command (audio)

Book cover: 'Madeleine Takes Command (audio)'
Author(s): 
Ethel C. Brill
Madeleine Takes Command is a story of heroism. Based on a true account in the winter 1692-93 in the wilderness of French Canada, fourteen-year-old Madeleine, along with her brothers, twelve-year-old Louis and ten-year-old Alexandre, hold down the fort against a raiding Iroquois party.