DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

The use of audiobooks just might be a hallmark of homeschooling, but that’s because they are a wonderful solution for so many kid situations that you don’t want to pull out a screen for. Riding in the car on a long trip? Audiobook saves the day. Need the kids to sit in one spot and (hopefully) not interrupt you? The right audiobook can give you space to focus. Finding books that reinforce scripture and engage your family in spiritual ideas is icing on the cake, right? Today’s review is just that! I’m talking about The Adventum, Volume 1 from The Adventum Audio Adventure series.

What We Received:

We received a digital download of The Adventum, Volume 1, an audio drama series that imagines what Biblical events were like as though you were really there.

How It Works:

In Latin, Adventum means “Arrival” and this project centers around the arrival of God’s redemption. Adventum, Volume 1 is part of a series of realistic adaptations of Bible stories. They currently offer 5 volumes and we are reviewing Volume 1. In Volume 1, this audio drama covers Creation to Jacob & Esau and includes 20 tracks each 10-20 minutes long. They offer a digital or physical version. The physical version includes 4 CDs. Each track or story is told with dramatic music, character dialogue and a narrator. The dialogue is not a direct quotation from scripture but an adaptation to what might be our modern day experience if we were experiencing it today. However, when quoting the voice of God, it is always a direct quote from the Bible.

What We Thought:

Since we received the digital version we downloaded it onto the computer the kids predominantly use and listened that way. In some ways, having CDs feels like it would be easier, but fewer and fewer of our devices even take CDs anymore that it just about evens out. We purchased a new to us car this summer and it didn’t even have a CD player! One of the things we noticed first about the stories is how intense the music was. My 5 year old got a little scared at first and my 9 year old agreed that it sounded a little creepy. As they listened to it for a while, they seemed to grow accustomed to it and it wasn’t an issue. When we first received this product, I set it up to play during lunch for my kids 11, 9 and 5 years old. It held their attention fine, but they didn’t ask for it on their own. Considering the stories are very familiar to them (since birth) I feel this series is best used as a conversation starter. “Do you think it happened like that? Would you have felt that way?” It definitely provides a good way to consider how we see stories in scripture and how realistic our notions are. For families new to the Bible, these definitely instigate learning and curiosity. Regardless of your background, The Adventum is an engaging and useful resource to add to your audio collection.

Follow The Adventum on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theadventum

Are you interested in learning what other families thought? Click through the link below to read the rest of the reviews.

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

My husband and I love traveling and our kids have taken their fair share of road trips so far in their lives. One of the common pre-trip activities they do is prepping out their backpack with coloring and activity sheets they print off the internet. I’ve done it for them when they were small, but now that the older ones have big opinions and the ability to do it, I leave it to them. Still, child or adult would agree that finding what you want and getting it printed off right can be a frustrating endeavor. Having a place to go to for any kind of supplementary printables comes in handy when prepping for a car trip but even more so for the homeschooling life. In today’s review, we are looking at Super Teacher Worksheets, a printable resource website.

What We Received:

We received a full 1-year membership to Super Teachers Worksheets that allows us unlimited downloads/access.

How It Works:

With our membership, we received access to everything the website offers. The grade level ranges from Preschool to about 6th grade and includes all major subjects like language arts, math, science, social studies, but also activities like puzzles, games, bookmarks, coloring pages, holiday themed pages. There are common core aligned categories and a worksheet generator that is great for practicing math facts or constructing your own test type sheets. You can search in categories or by grade level. There is a My Filing Cabinet section where you can save worksheets you would like to remember or come back to. This website is good for anyone trying to supplement children’s education, but especially useful in homeschooling, especially those with multiple children.

What We Thought:

My children at 5, 9 and 11 are spread ideally in age across what this website offers. My five year old really enjoyed the color by numbers in the kindergarten category. Everyone utilized the coloring pages, though I think they would enjoy some more advanced ones added to the mix. There were math pages for everyone that were really helpful for diving into a specific skill like area or fractions. The worksheet generator is also very handy when what you need isn’t readily available. In addition to general reading comprehension, spelling and grammar, there were also some chapter book unit studies like Charlotte’s Web and The Boxcar Children. Like this, many of the activities could serve as a focus of the curriculum or work as a beautiful supplement to whatever you find yourself doing. We didn’t experience any trouble with the website or printing either, which is always a nice sign. The image quality is nice and clear, which is great for younger students as well. Overall this website has been a great resource, especially for families with elementary aged children.

Follow Super Teacher Worksheets on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/superteacherworksheets/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SuperTeacherWks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/superteacher_worksheets/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/superteacherwks/

Wondering what other families thought about this resource? Click on the link below to read their reviews too.

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

It’s one thing to read a story once, but it’s another thing to explore it a second time through a Biblical lens. A blessing of homeschool is that you can spend as much or as little time on a book or subject as you deem necessary. Our family has read many books together and our voracious readers often steal away to read ahead, but it is a different experience to truly study it. Today we’re talking about the study guide company, Progeny Press and two of their study guides, The Story of Ping Study Guide and The Last Battle Study Guide.

What We Received:

We received a digital copy each of The Story of Ping Study Guide and The Last Battle Study Guide..

How It Works:

Each study guide Progeny Press offers does not include the book it is studying so you must obtain it on your own. In most cases, these books are at your local library. Each guide comes with a variety of sections that explore different components of the story and of scriptural context. The Story About Ping, intended for grades K-2, includes activities like researching how big a duck is, vocabulary words from the story, learning about ancient China or reading in Genesis to determine which day God made ducks. The Last Battle, intended for grades 5-8, includes prereading activities like researching hand-to-hand combat or studying all the passages in the Bible that discuss being a hypocrite. The bulk of the study guide goes through the chapters in order and provides corresponding activities like word puzzles, context scripture questions and all manner of reading comprehension elements. From author information to geography to a deep dive into scripture, these study guides really flesh out what it means to study. While there is a Table of Contents at the beginning and an Answer Key at the end, the order of activities isn’t set or required. Prereading activities can be just as engaging during or after reading the book, but the order is a logical recommendation.

What We Thought:

The Story About Ping was the most age appropriate for my 5 year old. Since he isn’t reading on his own - as might often be the case in that age group - the study guide is suited to a parent walking the student through questions and activities. The Last Battle was given to my 11 year old son and he worked largely independently, though we talked about it quite a bit. In both cases, these study guides effectively enhanced each child’s education and reading experience. The chapter groupings in The Last Battle study guide were 2 to 3 chapter groups, but my son said he wished it went one chapter at a time. I think for focus and attention purposes, it might help pull a sluggish reader or writer along. From a parent and educator perspective, these study guides are rich with perspective and all kinds of learning enhancements. Progeny Press is an important company to remember when you’re looking to fill out your next homeschool unit.

Follow Progeny Press on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/progenypress
Twitter: https://twitter.com/progenypress
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/progenypress/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ProgenyPress

Wondering about the other study guides the Crew reviewed? Check the link below to read all the reviews!

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

As my 11 year old son is heading into the 6th grade, we are making a change. He has used one curriculum for math his entire elementary education, but this year we need to cut out squabbling over right and wrong answers. The best way to do that is for mom to not be the work checker, but a computer instead. You can’t argue with a computer nearly as much! Since this year is my 7th year as a member of the Homeschool Review Crew and I feel like the one company I’ve reviewed for the most is CTCMath, I feel confident in knowing what I’m getting myself into when making this jump to CTCMath exclusively. We have used it in a supplement capacity every time we have reviewed it before but this will be the first year we rely on it for a complete math education. Today we are going to review the 12 month family membership from CTCMath.

What We Received:

We received the 12 month family membership from CTCMath that includes online access to K-12 math curriculum for our three children.

How It Works:

CTCMath is a complete online curriculum with video lessons, questions, diagnostic tests, math facts games, weekly reviews, and printable practice sheets. Each student has access to all grades at all times. Whatever grade and topic they complete will be recorded, tracked and averaged for a overall as well as detailed look at their work and grade. Through the parent dashboard, I can assign assignments with deadlines at any time. Besides the recording of correct answers and average scores, there is no timeline or schedule to keep within the program. Timelines are purely up to the parent/teacher. Since students can access all grades at all time, the program is entirely flexible to your family’s needs. If a student needs help on a particular topic that actually begins in a previous grade, it is a seamless transition to the other grade. The flexibility of this program allows it to be a complete math curriculum OR only a supplement that fills in gaps whenever needed. In many ways, it is an ideal homeschool program.

What We Thought:

We have never focused on grades or tests in our homeschool, but with math our focus is on mastery. Using CTCMath as the primary has allowed the kids to gradually adapt to percentage scores through tests and reviews. My 11 year old is somewhat stereotypical for a boy in that he’s perfectly capable of doing well in math, but tends to drag his feet if it requires more than a second’s worth of mental energy. That has resulted in a growing amount of arguing over answers and completed assignments with him especially. With CTCMath, a grade on any test or assignment is immediate and not something to debate. If he has trouble it, he’s more likely to ask for help than to argue the answer since I’m not the one telling him it’s right or wrong. Since older brother is doing it, we had my 9 year old daughter start in on the 4th grade material in place of the books she used last year. It has run smoothly except there are things (like decimals) that she hasn’t covered or didn’t remember which easily frustrated her at first, but getting in the habit of going back to the 3rd grade to see how it was introduced there has addressed the problem. CTCMath is a long-running program that is extremely versatile and proven to fill math needs wherever needed.

Follow CTCMath on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ctcmath/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CTCMathOfficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ctcmath/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/ctcmath/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ctcmathyoutube

Are you concerned about how it works in high school? Check out the rest of the reviews through the link below to see what other families thought.

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

As a 42 year old woman looking back at my adolescence, it is incredibly easy to see all the lies I believed, especially those that would shape the rest of my development. But that was 30 years ago. The amount of media that our kids consume - often without even trying to - is enormous and not going away on its own. As parents, we have to equip our children with proactive defenses against all these ideas that undermine God’s place in this world and our children’s true value. To that end, it is important to have tools that can help equip them. I’m so grateful that the Homeschool Review Crew makes it possible for our family to explore resources that are designed to feed and fuel our families for the future. Today, we are reviewing Lies Girls Believe and A Mom's Guide to Lies Girls Believe from True Girl.

What We Received:

We received to paperback books, Lies Girls Believe by Dannah Gresh and A Mom’s Guide to Lies Girls Believe & the Truth That Sets Them Free by Dannah Gresh.

How It Works:

Lies Girls believe is a book intended for girls age 9-12 to read on their own. From the first page, where girls are invited to write their name as co-author of the book, it is a very interactive book that encourages colored pencil writing throughout the chapters. Through quizzes, questions and quality interactive illustrations, girls get the chance to take a look at themselves, how they feel and possible lies they could be believing without even realizing it. This book appropriately hits on subjects like God being good enough, mean girls, the value of our family, genders, periods, and friendship, to name a few. Girls are walked through relatable examples and questions that can show the danger of believing lies and ways to avoid it.

While girls can read their book independently whether mom has this companion or not, A Mom’s Guide to Lies Girls Believe is intended to be read at the same pace and at the same time as their daughters are reading their book. Mom’s book explains the necessity of the Girls book, shows glimpses of what the girls are reading about, questions to discuss with their daughters at the end of chapters, suggested prayer prompts and discusses lies mom’s believe. In both books there is an emphasis on our feelings and how they can swing too far on the pendulum in both directions, which usually gets us in trouble. The first lie she addresses for mom’s is this idea that either we have supreme control over the influences our daughters experience or that we have zero control over what happens to our daughters. Both are lies and truth lies somewhere in the middle, as it usually does. The Mom’s Guide is a valuable tool in reinforcing the truths found in the girls book but especially in deepening the mother daughter relationship as they face adolescence.

What We Thought:

My daughter, Zoey just turned 9 last month. She immediately dove into the book and LOVED it. It was extra special that the main character in the book is named Zoey too (and they spelled it right, she loves to remind me!) Anything that we are supposed to do together, she gets excited about. She immediately got out her colored pencils, underlined and wrote in all the things as she read along. From a mom’s perspective, there are some topics that aren’t necessarily on her radar yet, but that’s all the better to me. She’s close enough that I would much rather her have a healthy perspective on subjects - like her period or gender questions - BEFORE she’s in turmoil about them. With us discussing things at the end of every chapter, it gives her a safe space to ask questions and for me as her mom to connect with her on the individual topics. Before I had a daughter or even 5 years ago, I might of had a take it or leave it kind of attitude for something like this. It’s easy to convince yourself that if you have a good relationship with God and your child, nothing much more is needed. After looking at a resource like this and having a 9 year old daughter who is staring down adolescence, I feel very differently. I know that I can’t ensure the ultimate protection for my daughter, just like my mother couldn’t for me, but going through books like these can give you a head start and a great defense against the devil’s arrows that are certainly coming. I recommend every daughter and mother read these books together!

Follow True Girl on Social Media:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/truegirlofficial
Instagram: www.instagram.com/truegirlofficial
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3iKzBBy2jjAwPzweKNbpCw

Is Lies Girls Believe something your daughter could benefit from? Click on the link below to read other reviews of this product so you can make an informed decision.

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

You don’t have to be an expert to provide your children a solid education. Those saying otherwise clearly aren’t paying attention. Aside from a stereo-typical inner-city public school art education, I have zero training in drawing, painting, water colors, clay or any other hands-on art. It never came naturally to me so I generally avoided it growing up. Despite that, my kids have a decent understanding of the subject and are producing works far beyond my ability. A lot of that can be attributed to being exposed to some great instructors and resources along the way. One of our favorites is ARTistic Pursuits! Thanks to the Homeschool Review Crew we now own at least 4 of their products. Last year we reviewed Drawing with Graphite Pencils, Art Core 1 and this summer we have been enjoying Painting with Watercolor Pencils, Art Core 2.

What We Received:

We received Painting with Watercolor Pencils, Art Core 2 which included a hardback textbook, 2 DVDs, and access to the digital course on the Artistic Pursuits’ website.

How It Works:

As the second book in the Art Core series, Painting with Watercolor Pencils is designed for students in 4-6th grade, upper elementary ages. To complete the lessons you are required to obtain supplies on your own that includes, watercolor paper, watercolor pencils, and certain brushes. This course gives students a strong introduction to color theory and watercolor painting techniques. The book is designed to be used in conjunction with either the DVDs or the online videos. There are 27 text lessons in the book and 9 video lessons online or on DVD. The text lessons are simple and direct, incorporating art history, painting techniques and other student examples that gives you a variety of levels to compare your work to. The book recommends 2 lessons per week and allows for students’ independence or parental involvement.

What We Thought:

My 11 year old boy and 9 year old girl both used this program. My 5 year old really wanted to be involved but I opted to leave him out mostly because I didn’t want to buy supplies for him when he may or may not utilize them very well and he’s far below the recommended age. My older two have used Artistic Pursuits before so they were familiar with the format and the instructor. Getting started was very simple and they enjoyed all the lessons and creating. Their biggest complaint was about their sibling not going at the same pace as them, but that’s a not a curriculum fail as much as a family relations issue. When I am not involved they are inclined to skip the text lessons unless it directly applies to the video simply due to ease of use. It is easier to sit and watch a video rather than reading the page to your sister! Still, even if students never touched a text lesson, which is not recommended, students can still gain a big understanding of painting with watercolors and spark an interest in the subject. I am so thankful to have books like these on my bookshelf that we can utilize at any time, not just a one time course.

Follow ARTistic Pursuits on Social Media:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/artisticpursuitsinc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ARTisticPursui1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artisticpursuitsinc/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk75eIpDhZUqbr1On5xEQJQ

The Homeschool Review Crew used a variety of products from ARTistic Pursuits. Explore all they have to offer your family through the link below.

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

Once a parent makes the big decision to homeschool, the next big choice is what curriculum to use. And that, my friends, is a loaded question! Every family has different ages, different paces, and different financial abilities so picking curriculum isn’t exactly a simple endeavor. In many cases it can take a few years to truly understand what type of programs your family needs and what you should avoid. Today we are talking about Ancient Greece and the Project Passport World History Studies from Home School in the Woods he and some lessons I’ve learned about what does NOT work well for our ADHD heavy family.

What We Received:

We received a digital file of the Project Passport World History Studies for Ancient Greece. This file includes instructions and content for a variety of small and large projects designed to be printed out and assembled in some way.

How It Works:

Since this is only a digital file, this is very parent-involved at the beginning due to a large amount of printing, cutting and constructing. For this ADHD mom, that is a red flag that I should listen to in the future because I am prone to putting off large printing jobs and struggle to keep up with multiple moving parts. For this program, since you are printing it all yourself, there are a variety of ways to use it. The complete intension is to experience Greece as a traveler complete with a passport, itineraries, traveler’s notes, scrapbook, audio tour, newspaper, maps and a variety of historical topics to explore. Homeschool in the Woods offers this Project Passport for multiple locations including Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, The Middle Ages, and the Renaissance & Reformation. For Ancient Greece, the itineraries provide a helpful overview of all the 25 “stops’ travelers will take, labelled with a location or aspect of Grecian life that will be focused on. Each stop also includes which activities are included, like adding to the “Greek Weekly” newspaper or “A Visit to Sparta” on the Audio Tour. There are several things to print at the beginning to set up the whole experience, but once that is established, you could pick and choose or reorder the various stops’ activities as you see fit, but it does have a natural flow as it is that works well. All of these activities include printing, coloring, cutting, gluing and attaching in some form or another. All of these hands-on projects offer students the chance to engage and interact with history and information while also being creative. This combination often leads to questions of curiosity and clarification that help build historical context and understanding.

What We Thought:

One of the hallmarks of my ADHD is that if a (non-autopiloted) task of any kind has too many steps to it, it s likely that I will not finish it. Sometimes that is due to distraction, disinterest or simple frustration. Digital projects often require step-by-step instructions (that have a tendency to overwhelm me) and a moderate level of organization (something that takes a lot of concentration that I don’t always have). In this case, both things worked against me to create a large sense over overwhelming dread and frustration at all the different things going on. However, that was just at the beginning when there are several things to print, organize and setup before the kids every really get involved. Once I could get things clear in my head, the kids involvement went smoothly. This is the lesson to learn about your strengths and weaknesses as a person and homeschool parent. It doesn’t matter how wonderfully made and popular a curriculum may be. If it doesn’t work well for you or your kids, (meaning you never get around to using it maybe or it makes someone cry) it’s not going to work well.

That being said, the Project Passport World History study is very well setup and thought out. My 9 and 11 year old are always happy to color, cut and glue anything. We have been working through aspects of Greece in our regular history curriculum so interacting with major places and people helped reinforce many of the things they had studied this year. The program could easily work as a full history component or as a supplement to any other program. Last year we reviewed History Through the Ages: Creation to Christ (Beginning - 100 AD) Timeline Figures from Homeschool in the Woods and right now many of our Review Crew families are reviewing Printable Essential Timeline Library which combines all of their timeline figures into one package. If you are looking for something to connect with all of your history lessons, this is something to consider.

Follow Homeschool in the Woods on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/homeschoolinthewoods
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homeschoolinthewoods/
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/hsinthewoods/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrKq6iLty2fpB6R6ZpcUb8A

Homeschool in the Woods offers a lot of different projects. Click below to read all the other reviews of several different products.

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

Among the many lessons we have learned over the past two years, the importance of healthy habits is certainly one of the more important ones. The choices we make on a daily basis create or destroy health and teaching our children this fact is an important part of our jobs as parents. The messages they receive from society are mixed at best and almost always biased. How to care for their bodies and health has to start at home. American Coaching Academy works to equip educators, coaches and parents with some versatile tools to make daily choices become habits and those habits fun to keep track of. My review today is of Healthy Habit Trackers from American Coaching Academy.

What We Received:

We received Healthy Habit Trackers, a digital file of 12 different 30 day healthy challenges and a file of empty habit trackers that allow you to enter in the tracked tasks.

How It Works:

When you purchase this product you receive two files, one has the tasks already set for you to keep track of and the other allows you to fill in tasks of your own choosing. The files are essentially the same except one is lacking all habit designations. The pre-made tasks consist of things like exercises, water drinking, fruit and vegetable consumption, good hygiene, sleep, and kindness. Many of them include movement and exercise in timed elements. For example, there might be a minute of running in place or jumping jacks. The trackers are not in any particular order so there is no plan or value to use them in a particular way. The pre-made trackers certainly give you good ideas if you aren’t sure where to starts. On each of them there is some way to colorfully or plainly keep track of habits. The different designs, especially once filled out, can be quite motivating all by themselves depending on the age of the students.. Using different colored markers or pens.

What We Thought:

Since there were 12 different pre-made options, it was a little overwhelming to decide which one to go with. I let my kids pick what they wanted at first, but they needed help narrowing their options down. Making your own in some ways seemed a little more desirable just because it can accommodate a number of habits into one sheet. The concept of coloring in boxes or shapes daily, especially with different colors is a lot of fun to my 8 (almost 9) year old daughter. My boys (5 and 11) went along just fine, but coloring didn’t seem nearly as motivating. There is no reason that an adult can’t use these, especially the blank ones and from an ADHD perspective, their novelty could be highly motivating for a while.

Making regular healthy choices is not an easy conviction to have or change to make. These fun habit trackers encourage personal responsibility and good level of independence that is always needing in growing families. And as a digital file, you can use them again and again! When you’re looking ahead towards the next school year, Healthy Habit Trackers are a great option for commitment and creative organization!

Find American Coaching Academy on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmericanCoachingAcademy/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/americancoachingacademy/_created/

How did this product work in other families? Check out the Crew’s reviews through the link below:

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

As a new homeschooler, I remember thinking that if I just taught them how to read, I would have accomplished this huge thing. Now that I have a 6th grader this fall, that feeling has long since faded, but it has been replaced with a deeper understanding of how that desire and ability to read has exploded into a million questions and interests. Reading is a springboard for all the stories and lessons of life. I know for some kids, reading, much more loving to read, is such a struggle. In other cases, finding interesting, clean and age appropriate content can be such a struggle too. Cultivating a love of reading and stories in your home is so important and whether it is in your lap, through audiobooks or a zillion trips to the library, this consumption of words feeds your family on all the levels. One of the best ways to encourage literacy in a home is by having good quality books available to your family. Today’s review highlights a new installment of a popular series that every Christian parent should know about and have available when their children are ready for it. We’re talking about Book 28 in The Imagination Station Series: Islands and Enemies from Tyndale and Focus on the Family.

What We Received:

We received one hard back book, Islands and Enemies , Book 28 in The Imagination Station Series from Tyndale and Focus on the Family. This 150-paged book is part of a series that has its origin in Adventures in Odyssey, an audio drama that has been produced by Focus on the Family since 1987. It is not necessary to have listened to the audio drama to read Islands and Enemies, but it is a fun link that readers enjoy. This chapter book is recommended for ages 7 and up and includes black and white illustrations every few pages.

Who Would Like This Book:

This book and those in this series are full of adventure, history and moral values. Parents looking for books with a Christian worldview will certainly approve. In this book, the main (cousin) characters are in a fight about a broken project and explore loyalty and well-spoken words over the course of the book. Parents will appreciate the focus on character building concepts. Readers who enjoy the time machine effect and getting to ‘visit’ another place and time will love this series. My 8 (almost 9) year old daughter and 11 year old son both read it and enjoyed it. The reading level is below the 11 year old’s skill level, but the historical components and reoccurring characters make it just a fun read. The series could be a great read aloud series for those not yet reading on their own fully, especially in conjunction with the Adventures in Odyssey audio stories.

Reader Recommendation:

If you have never tried out the Adventures in Odyssey or The Imagination Station book series, I as a parent and my children as readers highly recommend them! With years of episodes and books, it’s certainly something they could ‘binge’ on this summer that you can trust is encouraging positive growth and understanding. If your family is familiar, but just haven’t tried them out in a while, rest assured that Islands and Enemies continuing the engaging legacy.

Follow Tyndale on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TyndaleHouse/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tyndalehouse
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyndalehouse
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/TyndaleHouse
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TyndaleHP

Several families reviewed this book so check out other reviews to see if our perspective is consistent with theirs before you give this one to your kids.

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

In my house we have big brains and ADHD symptoms galore, but all that really means is lots of mental energy that needs plenty of outlets. Physical activity, physical labor, and creative activities can go a long way, but teaching them to think critically and giving them lots of opportunities to use those analytical brains is proving to be really important. Today we're talking about a company that cares about this subject so much, critical thinking is in their name! We have tried out several things from The Critical Thinking Co.™ over the years and today we are talking about one of their workbooks, Language Smarts Level E.

What We Received:

We received Language Smarts Level E from The Critical Thinking Co.™ which is a 392-paged paperback workbook that is intended for Grade 4 students, ages 9-10.

How It Works:

Language Smarts Level E is a supplemental or complete curriculum that addresses reading, writing, spelling, punctuation, grammar and thinking skills. The book is divided into different elements of language arts, spending several pages on each element. Since they are broken into sections students can easily bounce around to different elements. If used as a supplemental curriculum, it is simple to find the elements you need to work on in the index and assign those specifically. If a student just needs refreshing or more work on understanding clauses or homophones, this is an excellent resource. It is also used as a complete curriculum where students work straight through from beginning to end in order to achieve mastery before moving on from each element. This book is designed with activities that help prepare students for standardized tests and targets thinking skills that prepare students for continual learning throughout their life.

What We Thought:

My 8 year old daughter is finishing out 3rd grade and will be heading into 4th grade this fall. She really enjoys language arts and had finished her curriculum for the year a couple of months ago. Since she is heading into 4th grade, I had her start at the beginning and work straight through for the review period. She worked on syllables, prefixes, suffixes and antonyms. Since she is largely self-motivated in this subject, I simply told her to do a couple of pages a day without any instruction. She would come to me when she had questions and occasionally got frustrated because she couldn’t figure something out. Once we went over it together, she was able to easily move on. My daughter really enjoyed this workbook I think mostly because a lot of it felt like puzzles to her, which is the curriculum’s intent. She loves figuring things out and is always up for overanalyzing something, which is a good thing in this format. As usual, this company provides excellent content that challenges and strengthens students’ minds and provides a great resource for homeschool families.

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The Homeschool Review Crew tried out several kinds and levels of workbooks from The Critical Thinking Co.. Check out all of the reviews through the link below to see if there are other resources suitable for your family.