Ana Braga-Henebry

Marguerite

Author(s): 
Frances de Chantal

What an unexpected and lovely story! Beautifully written and engaging, this short novel has many elements of real life making it so alive. A little boy who is under cancer treatment, a good and kind doctor, and twin sisters who carry crosses with courage. The mystery is well woven, the suspense done just right. Everything is unraveled in time, and we get to know a lot about a beautiful grotto in Iowa. I enjoyed very much the many Catholic references as well. I highly recommend this short novel!

Will Wilder

Author(s): 
Raymond Arroyo
I am delightfully surprised by this new children's book. The author is talented and the story progresses without you noticing it... Yes, the story grabbed me from the first chapter, and that is a lot to say for this reviewer who is a mother of seven and has read many children's books to her kids. I liked many things about it. Like Frodo and Sam in Lord of The Rings--and all of us ordinary people--Will isn't perfect. He is an ordinary kid called to an important mission. His family and his town are realistic, and the mystery, dangers and mishap well told.

The Story of Job

Author(s): 
Regina Doman
Illustrator(s): 
Ben Hatke
Ben Hatke's illustrations are the icing on the cake of this wonderful little book. Job is famous for his biblical faithfulness over the most unfortunate circumstances. It is a tremendous story for us in our day, and Regina Doman brings it to life for children--and for adults as well! What a tool of hope in the dark days we live in. The final illustration of the happiness of the couple around their pregnancy and children should be made into life-affirming posters everywhere!

The Secret of the Shamrock

Book cover: 'The Secret of the Shamrock'
Author(s): 
Lisa Hendey
Illustrator(s): 
Jenn Bower
As my years of homeschooling younger children come to a close, one of the things I enjoy is to teach religious education at the parish. I love telling the kids about the Saints. I just do not think the students hear stories being told or read to them at school these days. These books are a wonderful resource for me, as I keep them for the last part of the class and the students will look forward to each chapter. It has been my experience that it is their favorite part of the class and the one time they are all quiet and attentive!

Little Britches

Book Cover for "Little Britches"
Author(s): 
Ralph Moody
We are now in the middle of the Little Britches series, written by Ralph Moody. I cannot speak for Ralph Moody's later books, or his fiction. I am referring to his series of books for children which are also his autobiography. The books have all of the elements you would expect in a good story and more! Family love, courage, disappointments and celebrations, birth, death, creativity and adventures galore. Little Britches is what his cowboys friends call the author when he is young, and learns to ride, to become quite the young cowboy.

Behold and See 6

Book Cover
Author(s): 
RoseMary C. Johnson
Recently during our school hours the iPad told us of a new study on salmon behavior--a link to it was posted by a prolific Facebook friend. It was an "Aha moment"! We are using Behold and See 6 for Science and had read recently about the curious and amazing behavior of the salmon: it returns to the very place it was born to lay its eggs even after years in the open ocean.

J. R. R. Tolkien

Book Cover
Author(s): 
Alexandra Wallen
Illustrator(s): 
John Wallen
The author and illustrator pair have done many children's picture books together, including the nice "Picture Book of..." American history series. The interesting and wonderful thing about Tolkien's life isn't easy to tell in a book for kids, because they were the things living inside his heart: his intelligence and discipline, his hard work, his love and dedication to his wife and children, his faith. This picture book tells the life of the renowned author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and it was a life of sorrows, and very ordinary.

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Book cover: Our Lady of Guadalupe
Author(s): 
Carmen T. Bernier-Grand
Illustrator(s): 
Tonya Engel

I never cease to marvel at the wonder-full story of Guadalupe. This new picture book does a fabulous job of retelling it, with historical accuracy, gentleness, and vibrant illustrations. This lovely book will make a very nice gift to a child, and the child's older siblings and parents will enjoy it as well. 

Saints and Their Stories

Author(s): 
Maria Loretta Giraldo
Translator(s): 
Margaret Edward Moran
Illustrator(s): 
Nicoletta Bertelle

This is the translation of a lovely Italian book for children. I love the uniqueness of the style and illustrations. The stories are filled with anecdotes and details of the saints' lives not found in other books about saints for children. Truly a gem-- we will read it aloud during Religion this Fall. Do visit the Publisher's site as they have a neat flip-the-pages "look-inside" feature.

Getting Started with Spanish

Author(s): 
William E. Linney and Antonio Luis
This is very much the same method used in the author's other language book entitled Getting Started with Latin, which I also reviewed at http://www.love2learn.net/node/1793. Amazon reviews are consistently positive and this reviewer agrees. Lessons are presented at times in tiny digestible pieces, and build from there. Since my native language is very close to Spanish, it was so interesting to me to see how Lesson One was all about articles-- so important in Romance languages: all four lines and five examples. Job done.

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