Rebecca Hill
If you enjoy stitching, then you are going to LOVE this book!!! I found some great little stitches that are quick, and easy to pull together! Whether you want one piece or are putting together an entire motif, then this book has you covered!
I did one of the stitches, and it took me only a few hours! The book has a great breakdown for those that are new to stitching, but for those who have been stitching for a while, then you can dive right into the patterns!
We take chocolate for granted today - many of us do not stop to think that it was not as widely accepted in the past. The Aztecs had a delicious hot chocolate recipe that they made, and Marco, the Chocolate King, has learned this recipe - and sold it widely in Spain before they were forced to leave. When they made it to France, they found it was very hard to make a living by selling chocolate, that is, until Benjamin has an accident and stumbles out in front of the French king!!
With royal patronage, the family soon has enough money to buy more beans, and also add new spices to their drinks, to add new flavors. What a great end to a messy accident!
This was a cute read, and I loved the history that was included as well. If you love hot chocolate, then you are going to want to try the recipe that is shared in the book (it is delicious, and we enjoyed it here at home). Grab this fun book and share a little history in the guise of a cute story!
There are so many aspects of war, and the navy is just one part of it. There are times when having a strong navy comes in handy - and this was evident during the first world war.
With the added benefit of having first-hand accounts, this book pulls together the battle for the seas perfectly! For those that love naval warfare, you are in for a sure-fire treat with this book!
I truly enjoyed reading through this one, as it not only satisfied the history lover in me but gave me a better understanding of the naval powers in World War I. Having done a lot of research into naval warfare in WWII, it was nice to see and connect the dots on advancements and needed advancements that were targeted, the difference in how battles were conducted, and how the powers that be did their best to dominate the seas.
This book is perfect for the military history lover in your life, and a perfect addition to any home library!
Anglerfish are an interesting breed. I have been intrigued by them since a documentary on BBC started talking about them.
In this book, the author takes you on the journey of the life of an anglerfish, what they encounter, how they live, etc.
I honestly enjoyed reading through this one, and it would be a fabulous addition to any classroom, especially for those students who are interested in marine life, and some of the other members of the anglerfish family.
I am going to be looking for a copy of this one to donate to my children's school!
Thank you to Edelweiss and Candlewick Press for an electronic copy of this book for a fair and honest review.
If you enjoy a good ghost story, then you are going to enjoy the stories that are in this collection! While none of these gave me chills, I enjoyed the read, and discovering a few new stories along the way! If you read most books, you will find some of the same stories again and again, but I was pleasantly surprised to find several that I had never heard of in this collection.
Hands down a fabulous read, and one that I look forward to adding to my in-home library. Ghost story perfection and the notes from the author make it even better! Grab this one now!
Are you ready for an adventure that you will not soon forget!? Then, you need to sign up for “True Raiders.” This journey will leave you wanting more - and seeing new breath being brought back to the men who set out for one unforgettable excursion.
Brad Ricca goes through impeccable research to bring the story of the Expedition to find the Ark of the Covenant, at a time when there was a fever pitch for artifacts - although the process at the time didn't really preserve history - rather it would destroy and hope for treasure at the end.
The adventure that this expedition undertook was one for the search for the Ark of the Covenant - something that had been lost since the Israelites were taken into captivity by the Assyrians.
I found this book easy to follow, and very interesting. You are going to be captivated from the first chapter. If you decide to listen to this via audiobook (I listened to parts of this on audio - while I was working) the chapters are short, which makes it easy to set a timer and not get lost or forget your location in the book.
I cannot wait to get my hands on a hard copy of this book, as this is one that I would like to add to my collection. If you love history, then this is one that you are going to want to read, and jump into a journey that you are not going to soon forget.
This was a real interesting book. Roanoke has fascinated people from the beginning, everyone wondering what happened to those who were left behind. Told from the perspective of Eleanor Dare, the expedition leaders daughter, this is a book that will captivate and keep you interested the entire way through.
Great book, easy weekend read.
This was a fun and interesting read! I truly enjoyed this one. For those who are interested in history, this is one book that you are going to want to check out - and find an adventure that is going to be out of the ordinary!
Discover a different style of history - and join these young adventurers as they search for the Ark of the Covenant. This book is compelling and intriguing! You are not going to be disappointed with this book at all!
Clara Barton - we think of her as the person who started the American Red Cross. Before she did that, she was known as the “Angel of the Battlefield.” She came to the battlefields of the Civil War, tending wounded soldiers and giving them aid. Her work on the battlefield gained her national notoriety, but she didn't want that. She simply wanted to tend those who were wounded, and aid them.
This book was amazing! I absolutely loved reading it, and getting a deeper look at Clara Barton, and her work on the Antietam battlefield, and the work that she put into caring for the soldiers - as well as the work that she did for the soldiers during the Civil War.
This book is perfect for kids - and it has some great historical facts at the last part of the book. Highly recommend reading this one as a family!
If you have kids that are interested in history or archaeology - this is the perfect book!
Walk through the stages of setting up an archaeological dig, how they are properly conducted, and what happens as archaeologists begin working through the gridded areas.
I enjoyed reading through this book, and getting a little history as well! Perfectly balanced and great for kids who have a growing interest in the past!
Itzel is looking for the giant snake. Through the stories that have been passed down, it was said the giant snake would bring rain - and Itzel and her grandmother are desperately needing water for their crops.
As she navigates looking for the giant snake, she meets other animals along the way, and the Ocelot joins her on her journey.
This story was amazing. I truly love reading stories from different cultures, and I look forward to reading this one with my kids - introducing them into another culture as well. Easy to read and understand!
Have you ever wondered what it is like to be a sea otter? Laurence Pringle walks you through the daily activities, grooming, dangers, and more that the sea otter faces.
This book is great for kids who are interested in sea life, and also for the avid reader who wants to get their feet wet and learn a bit more - this book gives you the best information, without making you feel rushed or out of your depth.
Fabulous and informative!
The missing number grows each year, and many families never receive the answers they are looking for. For some, the search goes on for years before they finally find an answer - and for some, the search and wait never yields results.
In “The Cold Vanish” Jon Billman follows one particular case, that of Jacob Gray, although others are discussed along the way. For many, not being prepared can mean the difference between life and death. For those that are extreme outdoorsmen, getting lost can be just as dangerous. Billman follows the case of Jacob Gray, befriending the father and going through the difficult years of searching for Jacob.
While other cases are discussed, many of them are not done so in-depth, leaving the reader to wonder and begin to dig for other information, and who else might be missing in the Wilderness areas of North America.
I enjoyed this book, and found the information to be easy to follow - although I suggest a notebook to note down any areas that you might want to dive further into. I didn't appreciate his portrayal of David Paulides, it seemed catty and unwarranted - especially for someone who has done quite a bit of work into the missing in the national parks. Other than that - the book was fantastic! I would recommend this one to anyone who is interested in those who go missing, and the efforts that are undertaken to find and bring them home.
Ancient China for kids is a great read! This book walks you through the beginning stages of Chinese history and highlights many of the areas that made it great throughout the ancient world.
Whatever your kids are into, they are going to find something that they will enjoy in this read. From the first Chinese writings, to art, military conquests and so much more!
This was an easy read and one that I am looking forward to sharing with my kids. This book is an easy way to share history. It is also perfect for those who have not read anything into Chinese history, and are looking for a jumping off point.
Egyptian history has always been near and dear to my heart. I fell in love with it when I was younger, and the obsession has remained to this day.
Captivating History has done a fabulous job with Ancient Egypt for Kids. This book starts with a great breakdown on Egypt, and the morphing into the nation that it would become.
Through this book you are going to learn about mummification, the religion of Ancient Egypt, the pharaohs and queens who made it great - and the eventual downfall through its last queen, Cleopatra.
Absolutely LOVED this book! I am going to be reading this out loud to my kids, and sharing some of my love of Egypt with them. Reading these books gives an overview of the history, but allows for easy research into areas that readers might find interesting. Great for homeschoolers, elementary students, and those who are just starting a dive into history.
I am going to start this review out with a warning - there is a lot of content within this book that is hard to stomach. Please be aware of this before starting the book - and keep some Kleenex close.
Now, for this book - I am going to be honest. It took me a little while to get through reading this one. I had to take it in shorter doses, as the content was so ghastly, you have to be able to absorb and digest what you are reading.
As you are sifting through this book, you are going to run a gambit of emotion, and it will range from anger, shock, horror, and pure heartbreak as you read through.
When a fire broke out at the Wise home, there seemed to be no sense of anything else being wrong. A simple fire, which turned out to be arson, but no mention of anyone other than two adults being in the home. As Diane Moore recounts the events and the subsequent investigation, you are going to learn that pure evil truly walks among us.
In the charred remains of what was once a room, there are indications that there was another human in the home. A baby. Matthew. The six week old child of the couple who were living in the residence.
In the calls that were placed for emergency services, the fact that there was a helpless infant in the home was never disclosed. Why? Why was a mother who went to two homes before calling 911 not frantically trying to find a way into that room to rescue her child? Why was she not begging and insisting that emergency personnel hurry to find her child?
There were so many things about this book that was hard to digest. The fact that an infant was in the home and not disclosed raised some major red flags. When the fire turned out to be arson, even more flags were raised. And, as the investigation into what caused the fire, and the background of the parents - there were even MORE red flags raised. The father was a trained firefighter - how could he have NOT known how to set a fire and almost get away with it? How could he NOT have tried to rescue his child? The answer is simple - he didn't want to. It was not the first time that infants had died around him, and the previous deaths also were accompanied with the death of their mother. The father of the babies? William Wise.
This book was engaging, with some humor thrown in, because - lets face it - you have to have a sense of humor when you are dealing with something so horrific and tragic. As a mother, this was extremely hard to read. I found myself thinking over what I would do if something was threatening the life of my child. I would do anything - ANYTHING to make sure that my child was safe. That this mother was so detached and unconcerned about her infant just blew me away. Babies are so helpless already, and the horrendous death of this infant had haunted my dreams for a while.
If you enjoy true crime, this is a book that will grab you. However, as I stated above, the information that is revealed within the book is a hard swallow.
Hans Holzer is one of the biggest names in ghost hunting - and rightly so. This book takes you on their journey through Ireland and their hunt for some of the resident ghosts there. The title can be a little misleading, but as you read through, there really is a lot of great information, and I enjoyed this one immensely!
The Book of Uriel is quite different from any other World War II novel I have ever read. Told from the perspective of ten-year-old Uriel, a young boy who is mute, this story takes on a different feel and vibe.
Oh my goodness! What a book! This story has some dark moments, but there are some redeeming qualities throughout. Uriel is rescued, and hidden. Through time, he begins to work with the Archangel, Michael - and the outcome is one that you are not going to see coming! This story was one that will stay with you for a very long time.
I did enjoy reading through this book. While it is geared toward middle-aged readers, there are some darker themes that might throw some of our young readers. Overall, it was a fabulous book! Grab your copy of the Book of Uriel and check it out for yourself!
The Mayan civilization has been a fascination of mine for a while. Their gruesome rise to fame - through human sacrifice and the amazing structures they built. Through the Olmec civilization to the rise of the Mayans, there have been a lot of myths floating around, but there are some concrete evidences that are providing some insight into the Mayan world. Through cracking some of their writings, to understanding the amazing technology that was used to construct their massive temples, there are quite a few areas of the Mayan civilization that are still unfolding.
While they practiced human sacrifice, they were not the only civilization to do so - they just took it to a grand scale - in order to honor their gods.
With the arrival of the Spanish, the Mayan found their thriving civilization hit hard. Through the search and plunder of treasure, to germs that decimated the natives, and the exploitations of those who remained, the one grand civilization was reduced to almost nothing.
Enthralling History unravels the Mayans - laying out this history in a way that is easy and fun to read through. Perfect for those who are just dipping their toes into this area of history!
I was so very excited to read this book! I love anything with medieval history, and I was excited to get a different look into the view of these kings. Overall, I think there were some great points made, but there was nothing in this book that really stood out as new.
As with all kings, especially new ones, there are stories that can crop up, especially if it makes one look bad. Richard III is one of the ones that has gotten a bad rap in history - with the accusations that he murdered his nephews in the Tower. There is no concrete evidence that he did, and there is no concrete evidence that he didn't.
There are some redeeming qualities in the book. I enjoyed reading about Matilda - the almost queen of England, She lost her crown because she was a woman - and her cousin managed to twist the narrative toward his own well-being - although it did not end well for him. As well as another powerhouse, Eleanor of Aquitaine - a woman who managed to live longer than most, fomented a rebellion against her own husband, a powerhouse in her own right, and someone who knew how to hold and wield power.
Of course, you have to always enjoy reading about Edward III. He has long been one of my favorite monarchs, not only because of the crazy aspects of his father - but because of the way that he managed to return power to where it should be, and how he treated his mother and her lover.
There is always something fun when it comes to royalty, and while this book doesn't really give you anything new, it is still a fun and great read.
The rise and fall of Rome has long captivated historians - but it can be harder to share some of the information with younger readers without completely overwhelming them. Shoot, it can be hard to teach this to college students without completing overwhelming them.
Ancient Rome breaks down the rise of the Roman empire - the wars, the major players, moments of interest, and discusses it in a way that those who are not familiar with the history, or are newcomers to the era can read and understand.
Enthralling History brings Roman history back to life, sharing the lives of emperors, strong women, and shares some of the not so pretty side of roman history. There are some fabulous nuggets - and if you enjoy military history - then the expansion of the roman empire is going to excite you!
There are so many myths surrounding John Smith - and if you have ever watched the Disney movie, Pocahontas, then you know there there are several that have been expounded even further.
John Smith might have been an enigma in his time, but he did not fall in love with Pocahontas (she would have been around 11 at the time). He did, however, lead a very full and active life. There are not many who could have accomplished what he did, but he had the tenacity and the drive to push limits and build onto something greater.
The author pulled quite a bit from the writings of John Smith himself, which not only gives an insight into how his mind and thought processes worked, but also gives an unbiased (relatively) look into the life and adventures that he undertook.
I loved reading through this book! It is one that I plan to add to my reading list for my college students - it would be the perfect material for a book review assignment!