Good Reads - February 2014

12 Years A Slave by Solomon Northup

I wanted to see this movie, but had to read the book first.  If you haven't heard of it, this is the memoir of a black man that was born free yet still sold into slavery.  He was traded and moved around for 12 years.  This was a very different perspective from other books I've read on slavery.  It gives an inside glimpse to the slave trade market as well as what it was like on the different plantations.  It is a memoir so there were parts that were a little drug out, but I did enjoy this book.

The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Potzsch

Oh man, y'all.  This is our book club pick for this month and it was a good one.  The story takes place in the 1600's.  A child turns up dead with a strange tattoo on his body and the town quickly cries witchcraft.  The entire book is about the hangman of the village and a doctor trying to prove that it wasn't witchcraft all while the town is crying for the town midwife to be burned at the stake.  It's written well and, even though it was long, it was an easy read.

Educating the Whole Hearted Child by Clay & Sally Clarkson

This is a pretty standard read for homeschooling.  It goes over the importance of taking the whole child into account and not just the books.  It goes over different learning styles and how best to teach each one.  This book was really inspiring.  I recommend it to anyone that is homeschooling.

Josie's Read Alouds:

The Wheel On the School by Meindert DeJong

Still plugging away at Sonlight's First Grade Reading List.  This one was a book I had never heard of (and neither had anyone else I talked to).  It was really good!  It's an older book that takes place on a small Dutch island.  The story is about the six children that live in a village.  Their village is the only one around that doesn't have storks nesting on the roofs.  The children along with their teacher decide to find a wagon wheel to put on the steep roof of the school to try to get storks to come and nest there.  The children have adventure while searching for a wagon wheel.  Pretty much each chapter ends with an adult that they had thought was strange or unkind being a friend.  It is well written and we all really enjoyed it.  Warning:  This book is long for a children's book.  It took us all month to finish it.