Alicia Van Hecke

Learning Wrap-Ups: Basic Math Introductory Kit

Book cover: 'Learning Wrap-Ups: Basic Math Introductory Kit'

These colorful key-shaped plastic flash cards allow students to practice basic Math skills by wrapping a string around the ribbed edges of each card to identify the correct answer. (Cards are attached together on a pivot point in groupings of 10 cards organized by operation.) The cards are cleverly self-correcting – when the child finishes each card, they simply flip it over; when all answers are correct, the string will match the diagram on the back of the card. The basic operations sets are simple equations where you match the equation to the correct answer.

Planting the Trees of Kenya

Author(s): 
Claire A. Nivola
Illustrator(s): 
Zhao, Jing

When I was doing my research for this year's library tree project, I spent a bunch of time at a local bookstore, checking out great new children's titles. Easily my favorite (which it turns out the library had already purchased) was Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai by Claire A. Nivola.

Not God's Type

Author(s): 
Holly Ordway
This is the fascinating and very engaging story of an atheist who converted to Catholicism thanks to her affinity for literature and competitive saber sword-fighting. No really! I love the way she skillfully and accessibly takes us through the series of ideas and arguments she needed to work through in the process of conversion. I am also completely intrigued by the fact that she is a Catholic who now holds the chair of apologetics at Houston Baptist University. An excellent and fairly quick read for high schoolers and adults that will be especially enjoyed by book-lovers.

Something Other Than God

Author(s): 
Jennifer Fulwiler
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:

You Can Share the Faith

Author(s): 
Karen Edmisten
I highly recommend this terrific little book for everyone who wishes to share their faith with others – especially with their family and friends. Karen is an atheist-turned-Catholic (and Catholic homeschool mom, and contributor to this website) who shares in this book many common aspects of the conversion journey through her own experiences and those of a number of her friends. These stories are organized around a very practical set of “do’s” and “don’ts” that will help readers be better prepared to witness to and support those who are being drawn to the faith.

The Monuments Men

Book Cover
Author(s): 
Robert M. Edsel
"The Monuments Men" is an engaging and little known story about servicemen who specialized in trying to preserve the art and culture of Europe during World War II. Not only were they involved in trying to get the Allies to do as little damage as possible in fighting the war, but it became almost another front of the war with Hitler, who not only stole and hoarded unbelievable quantities of art (in order to create his own "Fuhrermuseum"), but also gave orders to destroy these hoards of art as the Allies made headway into Germany. It's a fascinating story to begin with.

Deathbed Conversions

Book Cover
Author(s): 
Karen Edmisten
I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of stories about famous (and at times infamous) people who converted to Catholicism after many years of wrestling with God. The author handles their often tough life stories with gentleness and understanding, and with special attention to God's grace working through friends and family members who stuck with these individuals in good times and in bad. Many of the stories include very messy life situations - including extra-marital affairs and abortions - but, of course have a good ending.

Popes Who Resigned

Book Cover
Author(s): 
Thomas Craughwell
This is a fascinating (and very quick read) e-book that briefly outlines the stories of popes who resigned or were deposed (most of them in much more tumultuous circumstances than Pope Benedict XVI. It's a nice way to get a quick glimpse at how complex our church history is (which offers some great perspective for the struggles of our own days) as well as a nice overview of what the papacy means to us and where it comes from.

Schiller Math

Schiller Math Kit
Author(s): 
Larry Schiller
This is an impressive, complete, scripted, Montessori-based Math program. Though it's not 100% purist Montessori (for example, some of the manipulatives will provide changes in color and shape at the same time, where Montessori was very fussy about only working with one attribute at a time), I think it does a really nice job of incorporating her most critical ideas.

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