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Set in approximately 1590 B.C. in Ancient Egypt and Nubia, this historical novel tells of Rahotep, an Egyptian nobleman who commands a small but capable force of Nubian archers. He and his archers offer their services to the Pharaoh Sekenenre, who wishes to finally throw off the rule of the Hyksos invaders and restore Egypt to its former glory. The young and sometimes rash Rahotep finds himself in the middle of a complex web of traditional court protocol, scheming temple priests and treacherous plots to take the life of the Pharaoh. He is finally caught in the web himself, falsely accused of an attack on the Pharoah's life. Escaping, he must choose between rescuing the Pharaoh from another plot and proving his innocence or simply making his escape to safety elsewhere - having a strong excuse after the false accusations. He chooses to help the Pharaoh and becomes involved in several impressive battles with the goal of an all-important first great victory against the Hyksos - necessary to rally Egypt's confidence and support.

This dramatic story makes you feel like you've been dropped right into Ancient Egypt to experience life among soldiers and courtiers in dangerous times. The plot rivals the great adventure novels - secret plots overheard, dangerous undercover missions, daring military campaigns - and offers more besides. The characters are well-portrayed, not overly-simplified or stereotyped. The noble characters fight with courage and honor, and the author shows death and killing as an unfortunate consequence of a just war, not something to be gloried in or dwelt upon in a crude fashion (a remarkable departure from so many books and movies made today).The treacherous plottings in the court and the temples vividly and accurately portray those insidious evils that mix truth and lie into a complex deception. This sort of literature helps children to develop a strong moral sense of right and wrong and the intellectual skills necessary to distinguish the two. Suitable for upper grade school or high school.

Reviewed by:

Alicia Van Hecke

First reviewed:

4-13-02

Shakespeare for Kids

His Life and Times

Author(s):

Colleen Aagesen

Margie Blumberg

Number of pages:

149 pages

1999

Publisher:

Chicago Review Press

Binding:

Softcover

Subject(s):

Setting:

Grade / Age level:

Review:

Additional notes:

This book was donated for review by Chicago Review Press.

Reviewed by:

Alicia Van Hecke

First reviewed:

11-30-04

Sharks

Author(s):

Seymour Simon

Number of pages:

32 pages

1995

ISBN:

9780060230296

Publisher:

Harper Collins

Binding:

Sewn Hardcover

Subject(s):

Fish

Grade / Age level:

Elementary

Review:

Seymour Simon is well-known for his numerous photo-essay-type of picture books for elementary-aged students. Most of his books center around one specific well-defined topic and are illustrated with full-page photographs of the subject. This book is no exception. Sharks is an unpaginated, 32-page picture book, with approximately half of those pages containing full-color photographs of sharks.

The text begins by reassuring the young reader that shark attacks on humans are relatively uncommon and continues with a comparison between sharks and other types of fish. Several pages describe the characteristics of different kinds of sharks, leaving the reader with a sense of how varied these fish truly are. There are also two pages that describe the different types of shark reproduction; for my young non-readers, I skipped the paragraphs that described "external fertilization" and "internal fertilization". The book closes by reminding the children that sharks do not attack people very often, despite what they may have heard, and gives several suggestions for staying safe whilst swimming.

As usual for Seymour Simon's books, the photographs are of high quality and are truly the highlight of the book. Two of the photographs show the teeth and jaws of sharks up close, and my sensitive 5-year-old was horrified. Even so, my 3-year-old was fascinated. One photograph shows the birth of a lemon shark, which is born live as are human babies; my little readers didn't understand this and breezed right by it. The most popular picture of all was that of a hammerhead shark. The children were incredulous that any living creature could look so odd. Weeks later, they still talk about the hammerhead and are anxious to see one at an aquarium.

Reviewed by:

Susan Kalis

First reviewed:

4-18-01

Shh! We're Writing the Constitution

Author(s):

Jean Fritz

Illustrator(s):

Tomie de Paola

Number of pages:

64 pages

1987

Publisher:

Paperstar/ Penguin Books

Binding:

Softcover

Subject(s):

History

Setting:

American Revolution Era

Grade / Age level:

Elementary

Review:

A surprisingly in-depth account of the characters involved in the writing of the United States' Constitution and many of the fascinating details of life at that time, the struggles involved in such a monumental task, and the somewhat humorous attitudes and actions of our Founding Fathers. Approximately 4th grade reading level, but could be read aloud to younger children (and would be informative for older ones as well).

Reviewed by:

Alicia Van Hecke

First reviewed:

9-13-2000

Show, Don't Tell!

Secrets of Writing

Author(s):

Josephine Nobisso

Illustrator(s):

Eva Montanari

Number of pages:

32 pages

2004

Publisher:

Gingerbread House

Binding:

Sewn Hardcover

Grade / Age level:

Grades 3-5

Review:

Show Don’t Tell! Secrets of Writing by Josephine Nobisso About 25 years ago, I attended a workshop for teaching writing in which the presenter talked about writing that "shows" as opposed to writing that merely "tells." As she described her method, I thought it was astounding and could quite possibly revolutionize the writing of my students. When I tried to teach it to middle school students, though, I had to break it down into components: What exactly is “showing” writing? How I wish I had had Nobisso’s book at that time. She breaks it down and makes it highly entertaining. She begins by making the case for writing that shows. It requires specific nouns, clarifying adjectives, and action verbs with their modifiers. However Show Don’t Tell only deals with the nouns and adjectives. (A sequel dealing with verbs and adverbs is promised.) A lion who is a writer does the narration, and he is instructing the other animals on how to make their writing more engaging. He says that merely adding adjectives to a noun doesn’t cut it, and adjectives should never end a sentence (as in, She is pretty) because that would only tell the reader something, not show it. The lion leads the other animals on a lesson in finding the noun that is “just right” to show the reader the ideas he has in his imagination, and then adding adjectives only if it helps to clarify the sentence. After the instruction, the lion asks the animals to do an exercise in which they feel, smell, and hear something and have to write about it. Your students can do this exercise as well since a little mesh patch, a scratch-and-sniff strip, and a push-button noisemaker are included in the book. Having the exercises makes the book so much more valuable and makes Nobisso’s point—children can write in a way that engages the reader’s imagination. My favorite line in the book is this: “One of the secrets of good writing lies in being not fancy, but honest.” The illustrations are fantastic (oh dear, I ended my sentence with an adjective! I’m not showing it to you very well.). The text font and size for this book vary by who is speaking and is not printed conventionally on the page. Your kids will love looking at it, though some might be bothered by having to figure out who is talking or where the lion’s narration comes back in. And, even though it looks like a picture book, I think a middle- or high-school student could read it and get something out of it. You would need to read it aloud to younger children, sitting right next to them so they can see the varied text and discuss who is talking. And then, revisit it often as you practice writing that shows.

Reviewed by:

Margot Davidson

First reviewed:

5-7-2010

Sidetracked Home Executives

Author(s):

Pam Young

Peggy Jones

Number of pages:

165 pages

2001

ISBN:

9780446677677

Publisher:

Warner Books

Binding:

Softcover

Subject(s):

Managing Homeschool Life

Review:

Pam Young and Peggy Jones were the original "slob sisters" and "SHE"s (Sidetracked Home Executives). Their homes were disorganized, untidy, and definitely not conducive to peace and joy – until they found a way up and out of the chaos. To share their discovery with other SHEs, they wrote this now-classic book.

The book has two great strengths: Its authors write from their personal experience, which makes it easy for anyone else who is not "B.O." (Born Organized) to relate, and it is written with delightful humor. It is so engaging and motivating that, while reading it, you'll find yourself restraining an impulse to tidy a room or scrub a floor. Or maybe you shouldn't restrain yourself. In any event, the book will make you want what they have: a clean, organized, happy home.

To climb out of the chaos in their homes, Pam and Peggy realized that they needed a new set of habits. They devised a system of index cards, described in the book, with chores to be done daily, weekly, monthly, and semi-annually. They also describe index cards you can set up for your children, at ages 3, 5, 7, and 8, with suggestions for additional chores to add as they grow.

While nothing in this book is directed specifically at homeschoolers, there is nothing that couldn't work just as well in a homeschool family as any other. The ideas for children's file cards would be especially helpful in a homeschooling family.

This edition (2001) also suggests alternatives to the file card system. You could use your own PC to set up checklists, or, as the authors suggest on their website (www.shesintouch.com), you could turn to Marla Ciley at www.flylady.net for no-nonsense instruction in building new, more orderly habits. Marla read Pam and Peggy's book some years ago as she sought a way out of her chaos, then took their ideas (with permission) and ran with them on the web.

But no matter which system you think you might prefer, pick up this book if you are looking for an enjoyable and motivational introduction to the art of getting organized.

Additional notes:

Copyrights 1977/2001

revised and updated edition; original edition: 1977

Reviewed by:

Mary-Eileen Swart

First reviewed:

11-15-2004

Signs and Mysteries

Revealing Ancient Christian Symbols

Author(s):

Mike Aquilina

Illustrator(s):

Lea Marie Ravotti

Number of pages:

192 pages

2008

Publisher:

Our Sunday Visitor

Subject(s):

Setting:

Grade / Age level:

Review:

Mike Aquilina's newest book, Signs and Mysteries: Revealing Ancient Christian Symbols is a great read and a great reference book in one. It's also an exquisite piece of art, thanks to the illustrations by Lea Marie Ravotti. (Do yourself a favor and click through to her site. Her work is gorgeous.) It's so easy to take illustrators for granted, isn't it? But one cannot do so with this book. The illustrations are integral; the book is, after all, about looking more closely at symbols, visual representations of the life of faith. It won't do merely to talk about them. We need to see them. And see them we do, beautifully rendered by a gifted artist. But the other thing we can't take for granted is the explication of these powerful, enduring symbols, and the importance of a knowledgeable guide. We need a guide who can gently but firmly impress upon us the power that is present in the visual language we're touring:

These symbols are, in one sense, quite ordinary; they are commonplace items from everyday life in the ancient world. And so we might take them for granted, overlook them. But they're there for a reason ... When we see these signs, how can we help sensing we have received an urgent message, telegraphic, cryptic, from a distant family member?

If it would be an injustice to merely talk about the symbols without illustrating them, it would be an equal injustice to focus only on the visuals. Signs and Mysteries takes us on a pilgrimage of sorts, delivering those urgent messages from our ancient brothers and sisters in Christ, because, as the author tells us of these symbols:

The first Christians traced those lines because they wanted them to stand forever as a perpetual prayer, for remembrance of the dead, for the perseverance of the living, and for deliverance in times of trial.

Exploring these ancient (but still relevant) symbols is far more than an archaeological exercise. Signs and Mysteries may be a fascinating read and a valuable reference, as well as a visual feast, but it is also about connections to our Christian family. It is a personal book in the best sense of the word -- a book that connects us, through a shared and vital language, to the person of Jesus Christ.

Perspective:

Catholic

Reviewed by:

Karen Edmisten

First reviewed:

5-11-2009

Silent Witness

Author(s):

David W. Rolfe (producer)

ISBN:

817531010701

Publisher:

Ignatius Press

Subject(s):

The Life of Christ

Resource Type:

General Resource

Review:

This documentary video presents rather compelling evidence, from diverse fields of science, that the Shroud of Turin is the authentic burial cloth of Christ. Scientists and doctors also explain the sufferings of Jesus based on the evidence present on the cloth in conjunction with other historical data. Because some scenes from Christ's Passion are dramatized, the movie may prove too intense for very young, innocent children. It would be more suitable for older grade school and high school ages.

This movie has been around for quite awhile - I remember first seeing it in 4th or 5th grade when it was shown at our Church each year during Holy Week. I remember being quite impressed and fascinated with the details at that age. I recommend that parents preview the movie to determine suitability for their own children. It is excellent for Lent and Holy Week and a very moving film! Highly recommended.

Additional notes:

The Shroud of Turin Expanded Edition DVD

Update from webmaster, March 2024: In 2017, Ignatius Press published The Shroud of Turin: New Expanded Edition, a collection of 4 films about the Shroud of Turin by British film producer David Rolfe. The Silent Witness, made in 1978, is the first. Also included are Shroud of Turin, made in 2008 for the BBC; Shroud, the Official Film of the 2010 Exposition of the Shroud in Turin; and A Grave Injustice, which investigates the flaws of the only carbon dating test to the done on the Shroud to date.

Total run time for the DVD is 200 minutes.

Reviewed by:

Alicia Van Hecke

First reviewed:

4-19-01

Silver for General Washington

A Story of Valley Forge

Author(s):

Enid LaMonte Meadowcroft

Number of pages:

186 pages

1944

Publisher:

Scholastic

Binding:

Softcover

Subject(s):

Historical Fiction

Setting:

American Revolution Era

Grade / Age level:

Elementary

Review:

Silver for General Washington is an engrossing story about twelve-year-old Gil and his sister, Jen, who are living in Valley Forge with their cousins during the occupation of Philadelphia. Before leaving their well-to-do home in Philadelphia, Gil helped his father bury all the family silver in a chest beneath the house. As the winter progresses and conditions grow worse for the poor soldiers, Gil overhears people saying that what's really needed is money to get food and other supplies. Knowing that it's what his father would want (his father is away on war business) Gil decides to sneak back into Philadelphia to recover the silver himself and offer it to General Washington. A nice story that brings to life the struggles and courage present in a critical and difficult time in our country's history that is all too often taken for granted.

Suitable for a family read-aloud or independent reading grades three and up.

Reviewed by:

Alicia Van Hecke

First reviewed:

6-11-02

Simply Grammar

Author(s):

Karen Andreola

Number of pages:

178 pages

1993

ISBN:

9781889209012

Publisher:

Charlotte Mason Research and Supply Co.

Binding:

Softcover

Subject(s):

Grade / Age level:

Resource Type:

Review:

A very simple and lovely grammar book based on the text First Grammar Lessons written by Charlotte Mason in 1928. The text is illustrated with charming 19th century drawings which are used within the text for exercises such as: completing sentences and making sentences of certain types and telling stories using certain parts of speech. The text is intended for fourth grade and up (the Charlotte Mason method recommends waiting until then for formal grammar studies - focusing on reading and narration earlier). It is simple enough to be used as a "lap-text" for the earlier grades as well (for mother and child to work on together in an informal manner). I found the explanations to be very good at helping children understand what the different parts of speech are used for.

Reviewed by:

Alicia Van Hecke

First reviewed:

2-3-01

Love 2 Learn.net

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Shadow Hawk

Shakespeare for Kids

Sharks

Shh! We're Writing the Constitution

Show, Don't Tell!

Sidetracked Home Executives

Signs and Mysteries

Silent Witness

Silver for General Washington

Simply Grammar

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