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Our Lady of Guadalupe Cut'n'Color Kit

Publisher: 
Illuminated Ink
Subject(s): 
Craft
The Blessed Mother
Advent
Grade / Age level: 
Elementary
Review: 

Our Lady of Guadalupe Cut ‘n Color is actually a 3-dimensional story book about Our Lady of Guadalupe. Once completed, this cut, color, and assemble kit creates a lovely storybook attached to an attractive diorama that children can use with the paper dolls to act out the story. A few parts will need some adult supervision. On the bottom of the “book” are pages of the story that you turn while the diorama remains in view. Each kit includes the book, scenery, church, and paper dolls of Juan Diego, the Bishop, and Our Lady of Guadalupe all on card stock with easy to follow instructions. A craft knife or X-acto knife is required. The picture on the cover does not give justice to how beautiful this project is. Once completed, your child will have an attractive diorama to play with and a story to read over and over again.

Perspective: 
Catholic
Reviewed by: 
Elizabeth Yank
First reviewed: 
5-2-2006

Our Musical Year

Songs of Faith, Freedom and Fun
Book cover: 'Our Musical Year: Songs of Faith, Freedom and Fun'
Author(s): 
Sandra Harrison
Laura O'Kelly-Farrell
Copyright: 
2001
Publisher: 
High Note Solutions
Subject(s): 
Music
Grade / Age level: 
Elementary
Resource Type: 
General Resource
Review: 

Level 1 (1st and 2nd grade) includes 93 songs 130 pg. spiral-bound manual and two CDs - one learning CD and one sing-along (instrumental) 

Level 2 (3rd-6th grade) includes 91 songs 142 pg. spiral-bound manual and 3 CDs. Includes music instruction and basic theory lessons 

We've had a lot of frustration with finding a good music program for our family. We were unable to use the songbook that came with our package curriculum because I did not know most of the songs and we don't have a piano or the ability to properly play them if we did. When I tried to find recordings of the songs from the songbook, I was told it was out of print. I looked for other songbooks with tapes or CDs to go along with it but I was not happy with the ones I bought. They either did not have the traditional Catholic songs for children or when I was able to find some of the music for the songs I wanted my children to learn, there was no words for it to help them follow along. Also, it was very difficult to teach them when there was other children singing on the tape. I had a hard time getting them to put forth any effort and participation in music class and felt they were not learning much about music.

Finally, we purchased Our Musical Year at a homeschool conference. Since we have started using the book and music in this program, our children have increased their participation so much because they enjoy it and I feel they are really learning. Now they want to use it not only for music class, but also for fun. They are already singing some of the songs around the house and we have only used it a few times. I feel it is well worth the money because I can use it for more than one year and for more than one student. Also I think of all the money I wasted on other things to try to help me teach music class. I really like how the book is set up to go along with the liturgical year and the fun and patriotic songs are great too. I feel these are the kind of songs I want my children singing instead of what they hear on the radio. They are not just learning songs to sing either. They are learning about how music works with the notes going up and down. The learning CD is slow enough and clear so they can really hear the notes and they can understand the musical terms I teach them. This is my first year home schooling my 7 year old and 4 year old. We also have a 1 1/2 year old and a baby due this summer. This is just what I have been looking for all year long. Now I will feel better prepared for next year.

Reviewed by: 
K.V.
First reviewed: 
6-5-02

Our Roman Roots

Book cover: 'Our Roman Roots'
Author(s): 
Dr. James Leek
Subject(s): 
Latin Programs
Review: 

Ecclesiastical Pronunciation, 15 weeks of lessons

Our Roman Roots was designed to teach children Latin through the functional method. This means that the material to be learned is presented in relation to what is already known to the child. Vocabulary and grammar are taught as aids to reading. This is unlike the approach used by many programs which emphasize grammar through chant and vocabulary through memorization. For example in the first lesson the child is given a short quote in Latin (eg. "To the stars through difficulties.") followed by an English translation of the quote. The student is instructed to draw lines between those Latin and English words which he thinks are the same. Later he is given vocabulary (many with illustrations) which contain some of the words that were in the original quotes. These quotes are used later to encourage critical thinking. Through repeated exposure to phrases, and some comments from the author, grammar is gradually introduced. Each weekly unit also involves the memorization of a Latin song or chant such as "The Lamb of God" and "The Our Father". Review is built into this program which comes with an easy to follow cassette tape that uses ecclesiastical Latin. My only complaint about this program is that a few words are introduced and never defined. The author suggests students can do each lesson alone in 45 minutes. In our family the lessons took over an hour and the student often didn't grasp parts of the material. I now sit side by side and do the lesson along with my child with both of us finishing in about 30 minutes. Our family adheres to the Classical approach which encourages chants and memorization (the opposite of what is used in this program), however ORR is a most pleasant introduction to Latin. Our family uses "English From the Roots Up" in second and third grade, "Our Roman Roots" in fourth grade and "Latina Christiana" in fifth grade. The student and teacher need no previous knowledge of Latin to use this program. While there are only 15 weeks of lessons most families will not be able to tie up this much time every day doing Latin. We do Latin every other week in our house, with quick review during the off week.

Perspective: 
Catholic
Reviewed by: 
Andrea Chen
First reviewed: 
1998-99

Our Sunday Visitor's 2008 Catholic Almanac

Author(s): 
Matthew Bunson, general editor
Number of pages: 
640 pages
Copyright: 
2008
Publisher: 
Our Sunday Visitor
Binding: 
Softcover
Subject(s): 
Miscellaneous Religion Materials
Grade / Age level: 
Grades 6-8
High School
Review: 
This is a fantastic reference book for a wide variety of reasons - especially for those who don't have Internet access or who don't want their children to do searches on the Internet. Our Sunday Visitor has been publishing an annual Catholic Almanac for over one hundred years. Teachers, educators, parents and many others will find a great deal of useful and well-organized information at their finger-tips. The text is divided into four main sections with numerous sub categories beneath each one. Here's a quick overview:
Part One: News and Events: The Year in Review and News in Depth(includes segments on Pope Benedict XVI, Papal Documents and Announcements, Special Reports on International News, Special Reports on National News, Life Issues and Meetings of U.S. Bishops) Part Two: The Teachings of the Catholic Church Doctrine of the Catholic Church, Glossary, The Church Calendar, Liturgical Life of the Church, The Sacraments of the Church and The Communion of Saints. Part Three: The Church Universal Dates and Events in Catholic History, The Papacy and the Holy See, The Roman Curia, Hierarchy of the Catholic Church, The Universal Church, Eastern Catholic Churches, The Catholic Church in the U.S., United States Hierarchy, Biographies of American Bishops, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Minority Catholics in the U.S., Statistics of the Church in the U.S., The Catholic Church in Canada, The Catholic Church in Mexico. Part Four: The Life of the Church in the World Consecrated Life, Apostolates and Ministries, Catholic Social Services, Education, Catholic Communications, Ecumenism and Interreligous Dialogue, Separated Eastern Churches, Reformation Churches, Interreligious Dialogue.
Although this is a complete list of main categories and general topics, it doesn't give a sense of the detail and usefulness of the overall content. I'll try to give a few examples that might be particular useful to Catholic homeschool families, to give a sense of the content: In the section on "The Papacy and the Holy See" from Part Three, you'll find (among other things) a complete lists of popes as well as a more detailed overview of the Popes of the 20th Century. Here's a one of the segments (entitled "Peace Efforts") of the mini-biography of Pope Pius XII, who was Pope during World War II. I think this gives a good sense of the important facts which have been carefully chose and supported in the text:
Before the start of World War II, he tried unsuccessfully to get the contending nations - Germany and Poland, France and Italy- to settle their differences peaceably. During the war, he offered his services to mediate the widened conflict, spoke out against the horrors of war and the suffering it caused, mobilized relief work for its victims, proposed a five-point program for peace in Christmas messages from 1939 to 1942, and secured a generally open status for the city of Rome. He has been criticized in some quarters for not doing enough to oppose the Holocaust. This is a matter of historical debate, but it is a fact that through his direct intercession many thousands of Jews in Rome and Italy were saved from certain death, and he resisted wherever possible the threat of Nazism to human rights. Such were his contributions to assisting Jews that the rabbi of Rome, Dr. Abraham Zolli, was converted to Catholicism, and upon his death, Pius was praised by Golda Meir for his efforts. After the war, he endorsed the principles and intent of the U.N. and continued efforts for peace.
Also, in the same overall section is a 36 page country-by-country overview of Catholic statistics (number of religious, Catholic population, percent of the total population that is Catholic and things like that) and a paragraph briefly explaining the history of the faith in each country. It's a wonderful supplement to geographical studies and a place to find interesting information on current missionary efforts of the Church. I could readily imagine homeschool families choosing countries with small minorities of Catholics (such as Turkmenistan, which has only two priests to serve a population of approximately 1000 Catholics). Here is a list of some of the other resources contained in this Almanac that may be of interest (there are many, many more besides these):
  • Books of the Bible (including information on books that are rejected by Protestant denominations and overviews of each book)
  • A mini Old Testament Bible timeline
  • A list of Apostolic Fathers, Fathers of the Church and Doctors of the Church with a brief biography of each
  • A 32 page Catholic Glossary
  • A detailed liturgical calendar
  • An overview of major Holy Days and other Observances
  • Extensive listing of saints, including a list of traditional Patrons and Intercessors and recent Canonizations
  • A ten page timeline of Catholic History
  • A listing of all Papal Encyclicals from 1740 to the present day (The most recent encyclical included here is Deus Caritas Est)
  • A Chronology of U.S. Catholic History
  • A list of missionaries (with very brief biographies) to the Americas
  • Lists of Cathedrals, Basilicas and Shrines in the United States
  • An extensive listing of Catholic Colleges and Universities, including website and phone number, and current enrollment.
Because of the nature of this resource, I have not done a thorough read-through, but everything I've seen (and I've spent a number of hours poring through this) has been very solid. The book does contain some material that may not be suitable for young children, including a mention on the front cover of "An Update on the Sexual Abuse Scandal".
Perspective: 
Catholic
Reviewed by: 
Alicia Van Hecke
First reviewed: 
4-19-2008

Owls in the Family

Author(s): 
Farley Mowat
Number of pages: 
91 pages
Copyright: 
1961
Publisher: 
Yearling
Binding: 
Softcover
Subject(s): 
Stories for Children
Setting: 
Canada
Grade / Age level: 
Elementary
Resource Type: 
Book(s)
Review: 
Owls in the Family is a wonderful story of a few years in the life of a young boy growing up in Canada, his friends, and his unusual pets. This tale, by distinguished author Farley Mowat, is told in the first person, recounting hilarious episodes with colorful descriptions, proving that real life can be even more fun than a made-up story. Billy’s newest pets, horned owls named Wol and Weeps, add an entirely new dimension to an already chaotic, pet-filled home. His tolerant parents and adventurous friends enjoy one challenging situation after another as the owls become beloved family members. Readers will enjoy learning about the habits of owls and other animals on the Canadian prairie as the owls outsmart Mutt the dog, attend French class, and torment the postman. This classic novel will appeal to all elementary-aged children who enjoy stories about animals. It is a particularly good selection for reading aloud, as well as being especially well-suited for young boys.
Reviewed by: 
Susan Kalis
First reviewed: 
9-29-2008

Paddle-to-the-Sea

Author(s): 
Holling Clancy Holling
Copyright: 
1941
Subject(s): 
Geography
Setting: 
United States
Grade / Age level: 
All ages
Resource Type: 
Picture Books
Review: 
Paddle-to-the-Sea is a one-of-a-kind story about a little carving of an Indian in a canoe that is sent off from North of Lake Superior in Canada for a four-year trek through each of the Great Lakes, through the St. Laurence River and finally into the Atlantic Ocean. Beautifully written and fabulously illustrated, the story takes readers on an in-depth (and rather lengthy!) story of the Great Lakes region told through the "eyes" of an inanimate wooden toy as it encounters all kinds of weather, wild animals, helpful people, a forest fire, and much more. It may sound like a strange premise, but it works, and all of my children have been enchanted with the story, though it may help that, living in the Great Lakes region, a number of the places are quite familiar to us. In addition to colorful illustrations of various locations from the story, the text is often surrounded with smaller maps and technical illustrations of locks and various geographical features of the region. We've found this to work best as a read-aloud as the sheer length tends to be intimidating to the younger set. It's probably a good hour of reading.
Reviewed by: 
Alicia Van Hecke
First reviewed: 
3-2-2009

Pamela Walks the Dog

Author(s): 
Christine Marlin
Illustrator(s): 
Hilda van Stockum
Number of pages: 
24 pages
Copyright: 
2001
Publisher: 
Bethlehem Books
Binding: 
Sewn Hardcover
Subject(s): 
Easy Readers
Grade / Age level: 
Grades K-2
Resource Type: 
Picture Books
Review: 
This latest title in the Bethlehem Books Lamb Time series is a short but sweet (and very funny) story about a busy little girl going through the very important and imaginative process of getting ready to walk the dog. Any parent with small children will appreciate the humorous truth about how children are that the author so clearly understands, even in such a simple story. This shouldn't surprise fans of the author's grandmother and the book's illustrator, Hilda Van Stockum, whose own books portray a beautiful understanding of small children.

My two reading-age children (ages 6 and 8) so enjoyed the punch line that they fought over who would be the first one to read the story to Daddy. As evidenced from the sticky fingerprints on every page, my younger children (ages 2 and 4) have been poring over the book as well. The story could be easily read by a younger reader who knows most of the phonograms (the story includes a few "challenging" words, such as "thought" and "would").

Reviewed by: 
Alicia Van Hecke
First reviewed: 
12-1-01

Passion Play Cut'n'Color Kit from Illuminated Ink

Publisher: 
Illuminated Ink
Subject(s): 
Craft
Lent
Grade / Age level: 
Grades 3-5
Grades 6-8
Review: 

The 3-D Passion Play Cut ‘n Color Kit creates a spectacular miniature theater when completed. It displays in a circle format and includes four ready-to-color, 3-dimensional scenes (The Last Supper, The Agony in the Garden, The Crucifixion, and the Resurrection). Three are back to back on the bottom and one is perched on top. (You might like to display it on a lazy-susan in order to change between scenes). Easy-to-follow, step-by-step, illustrated instructions are provided to insure success. Once completed, children will have a beautiful theater to re-enact the events of Holy Week, beginning with the Last Supper through the Resurrection, along with numerous movable characters, and 3 mini-booklets (Biblical excerpts from The Agony in the Garden, The Crucifixion, and the Resurrection). Besides the miniature booklets, there are scriptural verses printed along the perimeter of each scene. Also along the top tier there are nine virtues: Joy, Peace, Faithfulness, self-control, etc. Finished size: 10" x 10" x 13 ½". Younger children will need some adult supervision.

Perspective: 
Catholic
Reviewed by: 
Elizabeth Yank
First reviewed: 
5-2-2006

Past Suspicion

Book cover: 'Past Suspicion'
Author(s): 
Therese Heckencamp
Number of pages: 
241 pages
Copyright: 
2003
Publisher: 
Publishamerica
Binding: 
Softcover
Subject(s): 
Miscellaneous Fiction
Grade / Age level: 
High School
Review: 
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.

Two men enter her life and she is attracted to one and repulsed by the other, yet they both seem to have an interest in her that goes beyond dating. As the story unfolds, Robin finds out that in the past her mother was involved in a life-threatening accident involving a story she was researching for the school paper. She had found a map to a treasure that was part of the history of the town. This incident is what caused her to leave town before Robin was born and to never tell Robin about her family there. The two men know the story of her mother and the treasure, and, the reader finds out, each other very well.

Robin begins to research her mother's accident and the story she was working on. However, the more she discovers about the past, the more danger she herself is in. Still, she can't seem to let it go until she learns the truth.

To tell anymore would give the mystery away. The story follows the formula of the old Victoria Holt romance mysteries where the heroine is attracted to the guy who seems good but turns out to be the bad guy. The true love is one she mistrusts or doesn't understand. The author even uses the Victoria Holt novels as props in part of the plot. It seemed obvious to me as I read it, perhaps because I read all those Victoria Holt novels when I was younger, so I asked a high school girl in my parish to read Past Suspicion and here are her exact words, "It was great! It was kind of slow at the beginning, but it was well worth it!" Although I thought the formula was obvious, there were a few twists that I did not figure out, and that's what you really want in a mystery story.

This is definitely a romance and not heavy reading, but completely morally acceptable. Even though the young woman seems rebellious, she seeks counsel from a priest and works to improve her relationship with her uncle. The romance part of the story is pretty much kept on an intellectual level.

Most impressively, Miss Heckencamp, wrote the draft of this story when she was eighteen. She captures the torn emotions of the main character and the rising sense of danger very adeptly. A high school girl who likes romances would enjoy this story very much.

Reviewed by: 
Margot Davidson
First reviewed: 
7-13-04

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