No name

Silver for General Washington

A Story of Valley Forge
Book cover: Silver for General Washington
Author(s): 
Enid LaMonte Meadowcroft
Number of pages: 
186 pages
Copyright: 
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

Book cover: Simply Grammar
Author(s): 
Karen Andreola
Number of pages: 
178 pages
Copyright: 
1993
ISBN: 
9781889209012
Publisher: 
Charlotte Mason Research and Supply Co.
Binding: 
Softcover
Subject(s): 
Grammar
Grade / Age level: 
Grades 6-8
Elementary
Resource Type: 
Text
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

Singapore Math

Singapore Math Home Instructor's Set - Grade 5
Publisher: 
Singapore Math
Subject(s): 
Math
Grade / Age level: 
Elementary
Resource Type: 
Text
Review: 

Singapore students are scoring the highest in the world in math and science. The web page for these texts in the US is http://www.singaporemath.com

Singapore Math seems to solve the "conceptual/drill...Saxon jumping around problem". Here's an example from a problem in the first half of the fifth grade book:

<< Mr Li paid $36 for 3 singlets and 2 T-shirts. A T-shirt cost 3 times as much as a singlet. How much did Mr Li pay for the 2 T-shirts? >>

Apparently the children are taught to "think mathematically" and are able to solve these types of problems in 5th grade without using algebra....these types of problems lead up to a better understanding of algebra.

Multiplication Asian style The children learn facts families in sets ....for example they chant as follows

2 2 4 2 3 6 2 4 8 2 5 10

They don't say "times" or "equal" although that is explained to them. They are taught the reciprical nature of multiplication and division after they can chant this from memory they write out the sets as-

2x2=4 2x3=6 and so on 4/2=2 3x2=6...... 6/2=3 6/3=2

and finally provide answers for equations....then they go on to memorize the next set which would be

2 6 12 2 7 14 2 8 16 2 9 18

If anyone is thinking about going with this program I would suggest making the move before going in to New Elementary Math. It would be easier to acclimate to this way of thinking while still in Primary Math I believe.

There are answers at the back the book but no other aid. To be honest I think I would have trouble teaching this material. I did "ok" in math but not great and I don't remember more then basic algebra. If you tend to think mathematically and enjoyed algebra, trig. you could probably use this without too much effort.

The Singapore texts actually do have almost as much drill as other books I've used (Miquon, Horizon) but not as much as Abeka. For example in 3rd A Singapore gives about 8-10 examples of adding 5 digit numbers then the workbook has at least that many that the child does on their own. The difference is that Horizon has the child doing a few of those problems every day for a week or two while at the same time they introduce new things. Singapore moves on after 2 lessons that cover that...but the child should have mastered that skill before they can move on to the next lesson. In Asia the kids spend a lot of time working on drills at home.

In Saxon you learn to add fractions then you repeat the same level of adding fractions for 6 or 8 lessons in the doing 3 or 4 problems in each practice section. During the intervening lessons you jump from learning short division to dividing with remainders to using metric scale etc before you finally get back to fractions again.

With Singapore you learn to add fractions and spend maybe 3 lessons learning how to do that (slight difficulty increase with each lesson) then you move on to using the skill of adding fractions with word problems (real life) for a few lessons. By this time the child has probably done more fraction addition problems overall then they would do in Saxon. The skill is learned and won't be touched again until the review chapters. If the child has trouble, the teacher/parent shouldn't move on. I did this a few times with my son and regret it. The review chapters occur often enough that the child shouldn't forget.

Reviewed by: 
Andrea Chen
First reviewed: 
1998-99

Skip Counting Songs and Addition Facts Songs

Author(s): 
Richard Demme
Subject(s): 
Math
Resource Type: 
Audio Tape
Supplement
Review: 

Audio tape designed to help children with some addition "math facts" and with skip counting as a preparation for multiplication further down the road. Simple songs are sung without accompaniment to familiar tunes. The tunes are rather catchy and we find ourselves regularly singing them around the house. (Such as the "9s" - 9, 18 and 27, 36 and 45, 54 and 63, 72 and 81, nine of them, round the sun, make their orbit one by one, nine of them, round the sun and counting them is fun). One side of the tape includes all of the songs sung by a simple tenor voice. The other side has the same songs played at a faster speed (which sounds something like "Alvin and the Chipmunks" for you Generation Xers.) There is another tape which I haven't reviewed which uses Biblical themes and tunes for the songs.

Reviewed by: 
Alicia Van Hecke
First reviewed: 
1998-99

Smath: The Game that Makes Math Fun

Book cover: 'Smath: The Game that Makes Math Fun'
Publisher: 
Pressman Toy Corporation
Subject(s): 
Math
Resource Type: 
Manipulative
Review: 

Smath is a very similar game to Equate. It comes with a game board, 4 plastic tile racks and plastic tiles with a bag for the tiles. Tiles: 6 each of numbers 0-12, 10 blanks, 36 equal signs, 9 each of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division signs, and 12 clear parentheses that stack over another tile when used. There are no fractions or decimal points. Each player draws 10 tiles per turn. Game play is similar to Scrabble, but equals sign and parentheses tiles are kept separate and can be used as needed. This prevents game play from stalling.

Reviewed by: 
Suchi Myjak
First reviewed: 
7-8-05

Snow Treasure

Author(s): 
Marie McSwigan
Number of pages: 
159 pages
Copyright: 
1942
Publisher: 
Scholastic
Binding: 
Softcover
Subject(s): 
History
Setting: 
Europe
Life during World War II
Grade / Age level: 
Grades 3-5
Grades 6-8
Review: 
This is the exciting story of the heroic children of Norway who secretly smuggled their country's wealth in gold on sleds past Nazi occupiers so that it could be shipped to America and kept out of the hands of the Nazis. The story is exciting and involves great dangers, but is carefully crafted within a setting that is not too intense for children. Written in the early years of World War II, it includes interesting details that our modern history books seem to forget. In particular, some noteworthy details include the secretive ways in which the Nazis prepared to conquer a country and some specifics of the persecution of the Catholic Church in Poland. The author writes with a great sense of honesty and purpose in illustrating the tactics of evil and the virtues necessary to overcome them without any kind of preachiness or insincerity. Recommended in Catholic Authors 4-Sight Edition

Perspective: 
Catholic
Reviewed by: 
Alicia Van Hecke
First reviewed: 
6-5-02

Solanus Casey

The Story of Father Solanus
Author(s): 
Catherine M. Odell
Number of pages: 
266 pages
Copyright: 
2007
Publisher: 
Our Sunday Visitor
Subject(s): 
Biographies
Saint Stories
Setting: 
20th century
Grade / Age level: 
All ages
Review: 
This November, to coincide with our American History studies, we will study American saints, blesseds and venerables. One of the venerables we will study is Fr. Solanus Casey, a Capuchin Franciscan, born in Wisconsin in 1870 and died in Detroit in 1957. One of the books we’ll use as a read-aloud during November is Solanus Casey: The Story of Father Solanus (revised) by Catherine M. Odell. This book details the engaging life-story of this humble man, a simplex priest, who taught those around him not only about God’s love but about humility and joyful acceptance of God’s will. Casey, the sixth child born to Irish immigrants Barney and Ellen Casey, grew up on a farm in Wisconsin, surrounded by his nine brothers and four of his six sisters (two died during a flu epidemic). Odell describes this early life – a life filled with working and studying alongside his devout Catholic family. A life where Casey learned his faith and his faithfulness to God’s will. A life where Casey learned to trust those around him as well as to put his absolute trust in God’s kindness. Agriculture in the late 1800s suffered a downturn and Casey and his older brothers left the farm to get jobs in the bigger towns. In Appleton and Superior, Casey found employment as a prison guard (and met the infamous Younger brothers) and held jobs on the streetcars of these larger towns. He convinced his parents to bring the family to Superior and all was well in the Casey family. But Barney, as he was called by the family, began to feel the call to the priesthood and in 1891 applied for acceptance to the diocesan seminary. Casey’s grades at the Seminary were not great – he had trouble with Latin and some of the other college-level coursework. The seminary reviewed his records and suggested that maybe the religious life was not for him. But Casey wouldn’t believe that. Instead, he applied to the Capuchins. In 1897, at the age of 27, Barney Casey was invested in the Capuchins and given the name “Solanus”. After seven years of classes, health problems and worries about his future, Solanus Casey was ordained a “simplex” Capuchin priest on July 24, 1904. [Simplex priests are not able to hear confessions or preach sermons, but are truly and fully priests in all other aspects of the religious life.] Casey spent the next 53 years of his life as doorkeeper at various Capuchin monasteries in New York, Harlem, Yonkers, Detroit, and other mid-west towns. In all of these assignments, Fr. Solanus was so much more than the doorkeeper. He listened with his heart to people’s problems – to their crises in faith, their financial crises, their health crises. To each of these people – and he talked to millions over the years – he spoke to their hearts, to their faith, to each individual.
Solanus seemed to handle each need, each set of worried eyes, delicately but effectively. He radiated a sense that God cared about all those things. He often laid hands on those sick and prayed for a healing then and there. And his promises of prayer for individual intentions were more than polite words. He began to spend extended time in the chapel after office hours and his Capuchin house commitments were fulfilled. pg 108
Odell’s book details all the many little things Casey did for others. Through illnesses, painful and debilitating, Fr. Solanus continued to minister to those in need. His story, as told through Odell’s prose, is one of the most beautiful, Christ-filled books I’ve read in a long time. The reading is simple – as was this man – and yet it details a life so filled with God’s love and charity to others – a charity that had the good Father reminding everyone to “Thank God” as he showed them out the monastery door.
During the Depression, the Capuchins opened a soup kitchen in Detroit. This man of simple faith was told that there was no more bread to serve the crowd of people waiting.] “Just wait and God will provide.” Fr. Solanus said an “Our Father” after inviting the men to join him in prayer. We just turned around and opened the front door … a bakery man was coming with a big basket full of food … when the men saw they they strated to cry … Fr. Solanus in his simple way, said, “See, God provides. Nobody will starve as long as you put your confidence in God, in Divine Providence.” pg 132
This book captures the love and charity I want my own children to have; the simple faith that I’m trying to pass on to my family. I’m sure my children will remember Venerable Solanus Casey for many years to come, thanks to this book by Catherine Odell.
Perspective: 
Catholic
Reviewed by: 
Mary C. Gildersleeve
First reviewed: 
11-2-2008

Something Other Than God

How I Passionately Sought Happiness and Accidentally Found It
Author(s): 
Jennifer Fulwiler
Number of pages: 
256 pages
Copyright: 
2014
Publisher: 
Ignatius Press
Subject(s): 
Conversion Stories
Grade / Age level: 
High School
Resource Type: 
Book(s)
Review: 
Jennifer Fulwiler was raised a pro-abortion atheist and was committed to that belief system for many years, but over time a number of little things made her wonder. Eventually she came to see that this was God working in her life. In this delightful and engrossing book, she shares this great illustration of how God works in mysterious, unexpected and sometimes hilarious ways!

Here's a brief sample from a conversation she had with the man she would later marry:

"I don't see how anyone could look at that and not believe in God", Joe said, his voice lowered as if out of reverence for this masterpiece of nature.

Maybe it was the influence of the gin and tonic, but I figured that now, when we were both happy and calm, wa sas good a time as any to have this discussion. "You know that I don't believe in God, right?" I said.

Joe kept his eyes on the cloud. "Yeah, I think you said something about that once."

I waited for him to elaborate on that statement; I'd expected more of a reaction. He remained silent, so I asked, "Does that bother you?"

"Nah", he said casually. "You're reasonable, so you'll get over the atheism thing eventually."
We especially enjoyed the humorous stories about her antics as a stubborn kid, such as moving all the Bibles in the library to the "Fiction" section. Yes, God really doesn't give up on anyone! ;)
Perspective: 
Catholic
Reviewed by: 
Alicia Van Hecke
First reviewed: 
9-16-2016

Something to Write About, History Edition

Author(s): 
Marge Fenelon
Number of pages: 
74 pages
Copyright: 
2002
Publisher: 
self-published
Binding: 
Softcover
Subject(s): 
History
Setting: 
Miscellaneous
Grade / Age level: 
Grades 6-8
Elementary
Resource Type: 
General Resource
Review: 
The subtitle of this work is: A Catholic Activity Guide That Blends History, Geography and Composition for Grades 1-8. The book includes directions for a student to put together a book over the course of the school year, which really becomes a story of the study he made of history. This requirement "to produce" is one of the best ways for students to internalize their study.

The directions, written directly to the student, are broken down into three parts: Early American History for grades 1-3, American History - Discovery through Westward Expansion for Grades 4-6, and World History -Ancient Civilizations through Modern Times for Grades 7-8. The student is directed to compile a book which will include maps, illustrations and compositions that he creates while studying the particular time period. Extensive lists of maps and illustrations to be made are included. But the lists of suggested writing activities are the best parts of the book.

Here are a few samples from each section:

Grades 1-3 - Write a prayer to St. Isaac Jogues; pretend you are George Washington at Valley Forge, write a speech to give to your soldiers to encourage them not to give up; make a chart showing three parts of our government and what they do.

Grades 4-6 - Write a newspaper article about the Louisiana purchase; write a two page expository essay comparing the French and Indian War with the Revolutionary War; pretend you are a soldier in the Civil War and write a three page letter to family at home.

Grades 7-8 - Write an expository essay describing Greek government and how it functioned; write a diamante (poem) about the early Christians just after Jesus was buried and before He had risen.

The second best thing about this book are the definitions of literary terms in the appendix. Each kind of essay required in the book is explained, many different kinds of pattern poems are demonstrated, and common literary terms, such as metaphor and personification, are defined. Your child would learn a lot about writing techniques and constructions by using this guide. The bonus is that the types of writing learned by making the history book can be applied in other learning situations.

The author includes samples of student work from each of the grade level sections. These can be valuable especially if a student is "stuck," or doesn't understand the assignment.

The student keeps the maps, illustrations and compositions he creates in a safe place until it is time to put the book together. The student can choose from several suggested methods for binding the book.

Some of the writing activities for Grades 1-3 would be difficult for a 1st grader and some 2nd graders, but they could easily be adapted. A child could dictate his work, or be required to write shorter versions of the assignment. The program is flexible and designed so that you can pick and choose the activities that best fit the child.

This kind of activity is good on many levels. It gives the student practice in needed skills while doing something meaningful (e.g. learning about metaphor by writing it instead of filling in a workbook). It requires the student to extend his thoughts about the facts he learns, moving him to a higher level of thinking. Best of all, he has a record at the end of the year of all that was learned and accomplished. That is very satisfying for a student of any age.

Additional notes: 

This book is also available from the author at:
Marge Fenelon,
3558 E. Cudahy Avenue,
Cudahy, WI 53110-1103.
Phone & Fax 414-769-6742
Email: fenelon@execpc.com
1-877-815-0544

Reviewed by: 
Margot Davidson
First reviewed: 
9-12-02

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