**A Children's Book Giveaway**

Hello and Monday greetings to you all :o)

 

Today I have something for you - a giveaway! If you are a long-time reader of my blog, you will know that I write a monthly review for The Curriculum Choice - a great website that review homeschooling curriculum.

 

If you want to know anything about curriculum, that is the place to visit and find out a bit more before you buy! I have written a couple of reviews over my time at The Curriculum Choice on some lovely books published by Frances Lincoln Children's Books.

 

They have some great books out that make good additions to any homeschoolers library. Recently they were kind enough to give me three books to review and giveaway from them. Two of those books I have reviewed for The Curriculum Choice (the 2nd of which is due to be published in June - I'll let you know so you can hop over and enter the giveaway), and one book that I am going to tell you about right here on Under An English Sky.

 

So let me tell you about 'Tell us a Story, Papa Chagall'.

 

This is a really sweet little book suitable for younger children, I'd say ages 3-7 perhaps. It is a story, a biography actually, about Marc Chagall, a wonderful Jewish artist who told stories in paint.

 

In this book, Marc Chagall's twin grandchildren visit him in his studio, they beg him to tell them a story. As you know, grandma's and grandpa's have simply WONDERFUL stories to tell ;o)

 

Papa Chagall tells the twins the remarkable story of his rags to riches journey. He tells them of his humble beginnings in a 'topsy-turvy' village in Russia. He came from a poor family, but they were 'the happiest family in the whole of Russia.'

 

The twins learn of their grandfathers love of painting and how he painted just about everything he saw, but Papa Chagall does not paint ordinary paintings, his are quite extra-ordinary! So much so that he is given a place at art school!

 

Papa Chagall continues to lead his grandchildren along the path of his life, through the dark years of war, and into the happier brighter years of Southern France.

 

This is simply a delightful book to share with little ones, one that is certain to capture their attention. It is beautifully and colourfully illustrated, a great little treasure to add to your homeschool library!

 

Now for the 'How To' in entering. This giveaway is open to anyone - I am happy to post anywhere so just follow the Rafflecopter instructions below - it's as easy as pie ;o)

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday Review :: Romans in Britain

Did You Know??

Currclick is currently having its Back To Homeschool Sale! Now is a great time to stock up on curriculum for the new school year!

There is no doubt that the Ancient Romans have passed on a legacy that has pretty much shaped modern life as we know it. At the beginning of this year, we decided to delve into a bit of Roman/British History. We chose 'The Romans In Britain' lapbook by 'In The Hands of A Child'.

Title: The Romans in Britain
Publisher: In The Hands of A Child
Available: Currclick
Format: PDF Instant Download
Cost: £6.45 BUT marked down to £3.87 for the Back-to-school sale!! {offer ends 28 August 2013}
Ages: 5-7, 8-10, 11-13

We found this a fascinating study, especially living in England. There were so many things that we learnt that brought us to an 'A-Haaa' moment :o). 

As we worked our way through the lapbook, I found a couple of YouTube videos to really bring that time period to life for my girls. I would really recommend doing this with whatever topic you are going to be studying. What a great resource YouTube can be - my girls loved this 'media' side and I found that it spurred them on to a deeper interest in the Romans.

Interesting enough, there have been quite a few instances since completing this study that my girls have been able to say, 'Hey - the Romans brought that to us!'

Somehow lapbooking something just makes it a whole lot more fun and thus,  it seems, there is more retention of what we have learnt.

This 102 page project pack includes a 17 page research guide - all the work is done for you :o) - and 26 hands-on activities to help your children grasp the history of the Romans in Britain.

Research Guide

As I have shared in my other reviews, each project pack comes with a planned out schedule...

all the answers to your activities...

and instructions and photographs on how to put a lapbook together and what it could look like on completion.

Take a look at the Table of Contents to see what your children will be learning about:

If you would like to have a look at the publishers preview of this lapbook please click here and then click on 'Publishers Preview under the lapbooks image.

TIP: Use YouTube and some free [Roman related] online games to add a different dimension to your children's learning experience.

Related Products:

Ancient Romans,the early church, and other European Cultures Notebooking Pages - £3.14
Story of the Romans - £0.65
Roman Art and Architecture £1.13

**This post contains affiliate links**

**Nature Book Giveaway**

**This Giveaway is now closed. Thank you to all who left a comment**

I recently wrote a review for The Curriculum Choice on a wonderful little book called Nature Adventures. The authors of the book were kind enough to give me a copy to giveaway for my review, however they also sent me a copy of one of their earlier nature books called Nature School, published by Frances Lincoln Children's Books

I absolutely love Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom's books. They are a delight to read, the illustrations gorgeous and on top of all that - informative! 

Nature School is ideally suited to children ages 4 - 12, although certainly not limited to that age range. My girls 13 and 15 enjoyed reading through it.  This little book is absolutely packed with ideas and projects to do.   Each chapter covers a different nature topic, each has some nature tips and a related project to do.

Topics include:

*A Nature Notebook
*Field Skills
*Nature Detective
*Tracks and Droppings
*Wildlife Feeding Stations
*Animal Homes
*Minibeasts
*Fungi
*Worm Farm
*Changing Bodies
*Nuts, Beans, Cones and Seeds
*How Seeds Spread
*Trees
*Night-time and Moths
*Bats and Owls
*Litter and Pollution
*Make a Pond
*Water World
*Nature Displays
*Nature Walk
*Nature Party

This is the perfect book to keep Summer learning going, in a fun and interactive way. Lots of time spent outdoors together. Perhaps you could pack a picnic, your nature journals and supplies and spend many happy summer afternoons exploring and learning about your natural surrounds.

I am happy to post to anywhere in the world so this giveaway is open to all. To enter please leave a comment below. I will announce the winner on Friday June 14th, so be sure to check in and see if you have won ;o)

New Curriculum Choice Review Out Today

A quick note - I am reviewing the A.C.E curriculum over at 'The Curriculum Choice' today. Please do pop on over if you are interested in knowing more. I have also added links to all my Curriculum Choice reviews on my sidebar for quick reference.

For those living in the UK who might be interested in A.C.E, you can find out more through TEACH (The European Academy for Christian Homeschooling).

**A Giveaway!**

Today I am blogging over at Curriculum Choice. I am thrilled to be offering a free copy of the book I am reviewing curtsy of the authors to one lucky reader. Why don't you pop on over and enter for a chance to win and find out more about a marvelous book to add to your nature bookshelf.

Curriculum Choice Review - The Light and the Glory

Today I am blogging over at Curriculum Choice. I am reviewing a lovely book, that we have used and enjoyed in our own homeschool, called 'The Light and the Glory'. Why don't you pop on over and see what I have to say about this book. Perhaps it is just the thing you are needing for your own homeschool studies...

Blessings in Christ,

Review: Hearts and Trees Kits

I first heard of 'Hearts and Trees' kits through Barb over at The Handbook Of Nature Study. These are great little kits that are put together by her daughter Amanda. Each kit has activities related to handcraft, nature study and art. When Barb asked me if my girls would like to try out a kit and if I would then review it here on Under An English Sky, we jumped at the chance!

We were given a choice of two kits and chose the Bubbles and Lavender kit - principally because we LOVE lavender - that aroma is just gorgeous! There was much excitement when the postman popped our package - all the way from the States - through our door.

I loved how it came packaged. Before even opening the kit, there is a list of what the kit contains. Immediately I notice that there is a broad range of activities and that this is not a kit that we are going to be able to do in an afternoon. There are a good couple of days worth of activities here - brilliant! That means that we can enjoy our kit and savour it over time. 

Our kit contains:

2 sewing projects

2 handcraft projects

1 painting project

1 drawing project

an artist study with a collection of notebooking pages and a high-quality glossy print for picture study

a  nature study collection of projects focusing on lavender.

As we looked through the kit, I was really impressed with all the thought and work that has gone into putting a kit together. The collection of artist and nature notebooking pages is impressive. 

As we looked through this well-stocked kit, each of the girls chose an activity that appealed to her. Ms J-L decided that she would do the bubble painting and Ms V-L chose to make the felt bracelet.

 I purposefully decided not to get involved in these activities as I wanted to see if they could follow the instructions independently. Each child had no problem with completing her chosen activity. The instructions are clear and well laid out, making it easy for a child of reading ability to follow.

Ms J-L following the instructions to make her bubble paint

The best part - making bubbles.

As a homeschooling mum, I enjoyed that fact that someone else had done all the legwork and even supplied me with everything I needed. This kit kept our afternoons busy for a week. Not only were the activities fun to do, but we learnt allot along the way.

Ms V-L working on her bracelet

The end result.

My girls are 12 and 14, perhaps a bit out of the target age range. Having said that, they still enjoyed the projects in this kit and we found that the notebooking pages were suitable and relevant for us. I would say that this product is best suited for ages 5 - 12. The sewing and handcraft projects can be easily tackled from about ages 4 - 5 with mums help, and with greater ease the older they get. 

Visit Hearts and Trees to have a look at Amanda's range of beautiful kits. All these kits are affordable and certainly give you value for money! 

Living Books: A Book Review

Yesterday I mentioned a wonderful book that I had found in the library. In my estimation it is a beautiful 'living book', a great addition to any Charlotte Mason inspired homeschool. I have a few of my favourite living nature books that we often refer to - whether it is for inspiration or a bit of knowledge {You can find these books on my sidebar to the left.} but of course I am always on the look-out for a new find.

'Nature Adventures' by Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom is a beautifully put together. The authors are clearly passionate about the study of nature and journaling, as I turn each page, I feel as if I am looking through someones personal nature journal.

This book encourages children (and me) to be observant and that a nature adventure can be found anywhere and at any time. It is a wildlife handbook, sketch book and diary all in one. This book has been divided into sections: 'In The Town', 'Fresh Water', 'Woodland', 'Field and Hedgerow', 'Wild Country', 'The Seashore' and' Through the Seasons'. It even includes a snippet on nature while on a car journey!

 The illustrations are beautiful, notes are made beside each illustration just as you would do in your own nature journal .Poetry and quotes from great poets, play-writes and classic literature have been sprinkled throughout, giving a lovely example of how a personal nature journal can be developed.

This is one book that I am not content to just check out of the library every so often. I feel that this would add huge value to our home library. My girls have picked it up numerous times and poured over it's pages.

Nature Adventures has been checked and endorsed by the Wildlife Trusts, who promote the conservation of wildlife across the UK, so all information is accurate ;o)

You can grab your own copy from Amazon, if you are from the UK you can follow this link:

and if you are from the USA, you will find it here.

The Importance of An Author in Nature

Image taken from the Enid Blyton Society

I was quite shocked to hear that my favourite childhood author, Enid Blyton, has some rather strong critics. I recently found out that in the 1990's, some of her books were banned from libraries as some of her writing was considered 'racist' or 'sexist'. I must admit that reading some of my old time favourites in this currently 'PC' obsessed society, I can see the problem. However, I think that we would do well to take into account the times in which she lived and the cultural 'norms' at the time.

As a child, I cannot say that any of these adult 'concerns' EVER entered my mind while reading her books. A generation on and my daughter has not ever come to me and said, 'Mom. I do feel that perhaps Peter is a little condescending to Janet! She should have equal rights!' No, in fact, Enid Blyton has become her favourite author and she is fast become my youngest's favourite too.

I wondered what it was about Enid Blyton that made her works so appealing to thousands of children. I think that each book/series almost needs to be looked at on it's own and merited for it's own appeal. For instance, 'The Magic Faraway Tree', the thought that ordinary children, living pretty ordinary lives and having to complete ordinary tasks around the home to help out - having extraordinary adventures in magical lands with fairy folk just fed my imagination. Going on adventures with the 'Famous Five' and the 'Secret Seven' was filled with excitement and adventure. The freedom that the children had and the assurance that all would end well, whatever the pickle, was appealing. Even her 'fairy-tales' such as 'Flip and Binkle Bunny' was and is dear to my heart because her love of nature shines through so strongly.

I want to take a closer look at this little collection of 'Flip and Binkle' books. What made this so special to me? It is quite clearly complete fantasy, yet it drew me right into 'Oak Tree Town' to share in the naughty things these bunnies got up to.

I think in all of her books, but especially this collection, Enid's love and passion for nature shone through. Her vivid descriptions of 'Bumble Bee Common', of hedgerows ripe with blackberries, of clear blue skies and lazy hazy afternoons and the many talking animals, created a picture and deep love of England in the heart of a little girl in Africa.

It was Enid's vivid descriptions and clear love of this beautiful land that made me determined as a young girl - not older than 7 - that this was a land where I wanted to live. I am BLESSED to be living here now. As my eye rests on hedgerows, fields surrounded by ancient stonewalls and patchwork countryside, I feel at home, and I do believe that it because Enid's love of nature and of her land was evident in all her books. The picture created is the picture indeed.

It was not until 2011 that I came across Enid Blytons Nature books. Suddenly it all fell into place. Nature was  very important to this author, and it shone through in all her work! Her Nature lovers series are ideal 'living book' to use with young children. A beautiful way to introduce them to the wonders of the natural world.

When Barb sent out an email asking for recommendations of books where nature plays a prominent part, my mind immediately leapt to Enid. I have to confess that it is only while doing a bit of research into her nature books specifically that I have come to realise how many of these books she has actually written! I am thrilled of course. The Ambleside online Charlotte Mason curriculum often recommends Thornton Burgess' lovely books to be used in nature study for younger children.

A few months ago someone in England was asking if there was anything in a similar vein but relevant for us here in Great Britain. Well, there is! I almost want to say ,'I wish I had known about these when my children were younger.' But the child in me says, 'So what? Just because we are a bit older, why can't we peruse these beautiful books?'

So, they have duly been added to the 'wish list' I'm all for keeping the magic of childhood and wonder of discovery alive for as long as possible! 

 

As a child, I did not read any of the wonderful nature books you see in this post. but the love of nature was caught early, just from the obvious passion and love Enid had for nature and the countryside. Her love for nature comes through all her stories, like little golden threads, spinning a precious and valuable heritage than can be caught, just by opening the cover of one of her many tales. I do believe that this author has impacted my life in ways I never thought!

So even if you decided not to use these nature specific books, I do believe that by simply reading and introducing Enid Blytons' many wonderful stories to your children, that a love of nature and countryside will begin to grow in your child's heart that will dwell in them for decades to come.

So do I agree with all Enid Blytons critics? Not a chance! I feel that they are poorer for not seeing the value of her work and have deeply underestimated the impact that her work has had in the lives of millions of children all over the world!