All ages

The Phantom Tollbooth

Book cover: The Phantom Tollbooth
Author(s): 
Norton Juster
Illustrator(s): 
Jules Feiffer

This rather ordinary-looking book is a genuine treasure! It is the story of a bored little boy who has a mysterious tollbooth suddenly appear in his bedroom one day. He goes through the tollbooth, mostly because there is nothing better to do at that present moment. Well, a thoroughly entertaining adventure awaits our young friend, Milo. The novel is a romp through the lands of numbers and letters, the former ruled by the Mathemagician, of course!

Celebrating the Faith in the Home

Book cover: 'Celebrating the Faith in the Home: Advent and Christmas for the Christian Family'
Author(s): 
Teresa Zepeda
Laurie Navar Gill

This book contains ideas, history, personal anecdotes, traditional prayers, instructions, etc. for incorporating religious traditions into your family's celebration of Advent and Christmas. Using just one or two of the ideas listed in this book will make this season much more meaningful for you and your family.

History Links: Unit Six – Ancient Greece

Author(s): 
Jennifer Alles
Barbara Little
Kim Staggenborg
Unit Studies, or integrated curriculum, present a wonderful opportunity to study one topic in depth while taking side-trips to study related topics. The History Links units have been prepared to help Catholic families study a broad range of subjects, over all grade levels, organized by historical time period, from a Catholic point of view. That doesn't sound too easy to do, but the authors have made it so.

Gi'Me Elbow Room, Folk Songs of A Scottish Childhood

Book cover: 'Gi'Me Elbow Room, Folk Songs of A Scottish Childhood'
Author(s): 
Bonnie Rideout

Three time national fiddle champion Bonnie Rideout put together an enchanting collection of songs and poems for children on this mp3 album, originally released on CD. She has set traditional poems and nursery rhymes (such as "Bobbie Shafto" and "Wee Willie Winkie") to traditional Scottish tunes and includes familiar songs such as "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" and "Oh Dear, What Can the Matter Be."

The Adoremus Hymnal

Book cover: 'The Adoremus Hymnal'
Author(s): 
Hellen Hull Hitchcock (Editor)

This is a beautiful hymnal with all the favorite traditional Catholic hymns and the parts and prayers of the Mass in English and Latin. It avoids any use of "feminized" (a.k.a. inclusive) language, which has destroyed so many of the Church's beautiful hymns and even tried to remove the use of "he" or "him" when referring to Jesus. Our family has taken to pulling out this hymnal every morning after prayers and each person picking out their favorite song to sing together before beginning the school day.

Beck Family Musical Series

Each set in this series contains two or three tapes and a book. The books contains the lyrics and music to a wide variety of folk tunes from around the world, hymns, and Gregorian chants. The Gregorian chants are relatively difficult, but the other songs are fairly easy to sing. I didn't know many of the songs, but we have enjoyed learning them. Each set of a book and tapes is roughly aimed at different ages, but I am having no trouble using the 4th-6th grade set with my seventh grade daughter. The sets are 1st-3rd grades, 4th-6th grades, and 7th-8th grades.

Wee Sing: Around the World

Book cover: Wee Sing: Around the World
Author(s): 
Susan Hagen Nipp

This audio tape or CD and booklet take you around the world, continent by continent, by introducing you to favorite folks songs or children's songs from each country. Someone from each country introduces themselves in their own language and then in English and the song is sung in each language as well. The booklet includes all the words to the songs in the native language and English, simple piano notation and guitar chords. There are charming illustrations including each country's flag. You'll also find a little description of each country.

A Child's Book of Lullabies

Book cover: A Child's Book of Lullabies
Author(s): 
Shona McKellar
Illustrator(s): 
Mary Cassatt

This is a songbook of lullabies illustrated with paintings of mothers and babies by American artist Mary Cassatt. The songs are mostly classics such as Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and Now the Day is Over, but you'll also find Cum By Yah. Mary Cassatt was an impressionist from the 19th century and her paintings include lots of baby bottoms and nursing mothers. They are all very sweet, but not necessarily everyone's style. It is sold by Dorling Kindersley with a tape of the lullabies.

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