Willa Ryan

Julie of the Wolves

Book cover: 'Julie of the Wolves'
Author(s): 
Jean Craighead George
Her Eskimo name is Miyax, her American name is Julie. She is journeying through the desolate North Slope of Alaska, from Barrow to Point Hope, and starving. There are no lemmings, which means there are no weasels, no white foxes, no snowy owls - in fact, no food that Miyax can catch with only a knife. Her only hope for survival, she feels, is to befriend the wolves, to become a member of their pack, and this she sets out to do.

Men of Iron

Book cover: Men of Iron
Author(s): 
Howard Pyle

This is a stirring tale in the tradition of the Knights of the Round Table and Ivanhoe. It takes place in the early 15th century. Myles Falworth is a young boy brought up in a poor but noble household, late in the reign of Henry IV of England. His father, a supporter of Richard II, has been unfairly accused of treason and outlawed. As a youth, Myles is sent as squire to the household of an old family friend, where his unpolished manners, fierce strength of will and impulsive actions win him both loyal friends and fervent enemies.

Dawn of All

Book cover: 'Dawn of All'
Author(s): 
Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson
This book, together with its counterpart Lord of the World, is an early venture into the "speculative" genre of fiction. Written in 1911, it could be considered early science fiction with its descriptions of future technology, but it is really much more a religious and philosophical exploration of the effects of belief systems on society.

Charlotte Mason's Original Home Schooling Series

Book cover: 'The Original Home Schooling Series'
Author(s): 
Charlotte M. Mason

6 volume set, reference work for adults.

Living books instead of textbooks for teaching. "Narration" or retelling what one has read, rather than fill-in-the-blanks workbooks. Short lessons of 10 to 30 minutes, leaving time for handicrafts and exploration in the afternoon. Plenty of time outside in God's creation, learning to draw and identify plants and animals. If you are using any of these ideas in your homeschool, you may owe a debt of gratitude to Charlotte Mason.

Citadel of God

Book cover: 'Citadel of God: A Novel about Saint Benedict'
Author(s): 
Louis de Wohl
Citadel of God is set in Italy of the early 6th century. The Roman Empire is decaying. An Ostrogoth king, Theodoric, is marching in triumph to occupy Italy. A young boy, ward of the respected Roman scholar Boethius, rushes in to stab the barbarian conquerer with a stylus in defense of Old Rome and is rescued from death by a young scholar from Nursia who is called Benedictus.

Viking Adventure

Book cover: 'Viking Adventure'
Author(s): 
Clyde Robert Bulla
Illustrator(s): 
Douglas Gorsline
This book tells the story of Sigurd, a young Viking boy who hears his father tell tales of adventures sailing to far lands and longs for adventures of his own. It looks like his dreams may come true when his father's friend Gorm comes to his home and tells of his plan to sail for the legendary land of Wineland, west of Greenland.

Miquon Math

Cover: Miquon Math Orange Book
Author(s): 
Lore Rasmussen

Miquon Math is a series of 6 math workbooks designed to be used in 1st through 3rd grade. They are named by color and not by grade level, so that an older child can use them without feeling they are "remedial". The workbooks are designed to be used with Cuisenaire Rods. I have had the books for a couple of years but have only started using them this year as a supplement for my 3rd and 4th graders. I hesitated using them before because they have an unusual format -- the pages don't necessarily have to be done in order, and are grouped by topic rather than in sequential chapters.

Geometry: Seeing, Doing, Understanding

Book cover: 'Jacobs' Geometry'
Author(s): 
Harold R. Jacobs

Saxon is a tried and true mathematics choice for many homeschoolers, but one complaint about the high school level texts Algebra I and Algebra II is that geometry is included piecemeal in the algebra courses rather than being taught separately in a systematic fashion. Jacobs' Geometry is one alternative for those who find this to be a problem. It is a friendly, thorough approach to high school geometry that starts with an introduction to deductive reasoning and takes the student through to non-Euclidean and coordinate geometry.

The Lances of Lynwood

Author(s): 
Charlotte M. Yonge
"Virtue Conquers" is the theme of this charming, wholesome adventure story set in the Middle Ages, during the reign of Edward III of England. Eustace, the scholarly but valiant brother-in-law of Sir Reginald Lynwood, goes as his squire to Spain under the banner of the English sovereign. In his first battle, he loses his brother-in-law but gains a knight's spurs for his courage.

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