Book Club: Book Review of These Tangled Threads

 

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was neither required to write a positive review nor compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

The Biltmore Estate (and its surrounding countryside) is the backdrop for These Tangled Threads by Sarah Loudin Thomas. Woven throughout a prologue, 48 chapters, and an epilogue, readers are introduced to a selection of characters from 1897 to 1924. Three main characters share their lives with us as we learn about weaving, woodworking, family, and truth. 

About the Book 

Sarah Loudin Thomas shares her knowledge of the Biltmore Estate, where she worked for six years, with her audience. The story starts with young Arthur meeting Mr. Vanderbilt and takes us through events in the first and second decades of the 1900s. 

Arthur is joined by Lorna, who works for Biltmore Industries and is tasked with designing and weaving fabric for the engagement of Cornelia Vanderbilt. The next main character is introduced as we see her joining the Biltmore Village. Gentry is a young girl who will be training in the weaving room under the tutelage of Lorna. As a 16-year-old, she is not eager to focus and lacks patience in completing her tasks. Conflict arises as the three characters interact in the 348-page paperback book from Bethany House.

At the heart of the novel, Thomas tells the story of the relationships between Arthur, Lorna, and Gentry. The three each have their own troubles. Arthur was sent away by his alcoholic parents and has a clubfoot. Lorna is a skilled weaver but lacks the creativity needed to design her own patterns. And poor Gentry was sent away by her unloving grandfather after her mother died. In between these details are tangled threads that bring them together again and again. 

Appalachian Author Highlights Historic Vanderbilt Wedding as Centennial Approaches

My Thoughts 

As someone who enjoys historical fiction, I was intrigued by the description of These Tangled Threads. I had a general knowledge of the Vanderbilts – in fact, I think I read another work of historical fiction featuring Cornelia – but I knew little else specific to this industry or locale. 

May I admit that I had trouble following the story when I first picked up the book? It arrived when I didn't have a lot of time to devote to more than one chapter during each reading. This made it difficult to follow the jumps between character perspectives and years in the different chapters. After a few personal and family events passed, I sat down and devoted time to reading These Tangled Threads. With the extra time to read uninterrupted, I followed the story much better.

I really enjoyed the story of Arthur. His attempt to help a family member was touching and well-written. I loved seeing his losses and successes detailed. And I was so happy with the end of his story. 

I didn't connect as closely to Lorna or Gentry, but without these two young ladies, the story would not advance. In the end, I appreciated the honesty that emerged and the growth of the characters. 

I would recommend These Tangled Threads to those who enjoy historical fiction and Christian novels. Through all the troubles, the book is encouraging and uplifting.

Book Club: Book Review of Kiki Finds Her Voice

 

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

Finding inspirational books for children can be daunting. There may be a lot of children's books available, but do they all align with your worldview? It's not easy to find ones that align with our Christian worldview, so I am always happy to see children's books published by Zonderkidz™. We were lucky enough to receive Kiki Finds Her Voice: Be True to You and Embrace Your God-Given Gifts to read and review. 

I am not too familiar with music after the late 1990s. The little that I do know tends to be what is in pop culture on social media, as I don't listen to the radio or watch a lot of television anymore. So, I will admit to not knowing Kierra Sheard-Kelly before taking a look at Kiki Finds Her Voice. 

About the Book 

This hardcover book is geared towards ages 4-8. In the story, we meet Kiki and her "kinda-sorta" friend, Brittany, and her friends, Sophia and Ashley. The four girls are preparing to audition for the Bates Elementary Talent Show. 

When the girls audition, everyone is very happy except for Kiki's mom. Her mom feels that she is not old enough to be singing a song with those lyrics. Kiki shares that the song is everywhere, but her mom reminds her that they follow Jesus and not everyone else. Her parents remind her that she needs to do her own thing and not worry about fitting in. 

The book continues with the rest of Kiki's story and closes with an author's note. The story is based on a real-life event of the author. She wanted to share her story "because I want you to always remember God gave you your passions and your purpose for a reason. You were not made to be everyone else." 

Our Thoughts 

From the cover of the book to the colorful illustrations inside, Kiki Finds Her Voice is a warm and inviting book. And even though the book is written for ages 4-8, I think any child who is familiar with the Grammy Award-nominated gospel singer would enjoy the story. 

I love that the book allows Kiki to be upset, but her parents help her understand why she doesn't need to fit in with the rest of the world. It is her chance to lead – even if the other girls aren't happy with the song change. It is very encouraging and refreshing to read a book where a character is different because they are following God.

Our daughter really enjoyed Kiki Finds Her Voice. I think it is a great addition to our bookshelves! 

Interested in more from Zonderkidz™? 

Book Club: Book Review of The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible Search and Find

Book Club: Book Review of Tiny Truths Little Lights Devotional

Book Club: Book Review of Fiona and the Easter Egg Hunt

History in Your Homeschool: A Review of Discover! Social Studies 6

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this curriculum from the Timberdoodle in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

How do you teach history in your homeschool? There are so many great ways to incorporate the study of the past. No matter what your child's learning style, I have found that Discover! Social Studies 6 offers you lessons, ideas, and more to help meet your child's needs and abilities. 

What is the Discover! Social Studies series? 

It is included in the 2023 non-religious 6th-grade curriculum kit from Timberdoodle. But just because it is in the non-religious kit doesn't mean that there is no talk of religion. Religion is interwoven in all societies you will be studying about. When studying Ancient Egypt, there is a lesson on the religious practices, which introduces the polytheistic nature of their religion and mummification. In the chapter on Ancient Israel, your child will read about the Tabernacle, Moses, Passover, and a few other key details of the Hebrew religion. 

Each chapter has several lessons and a chapter review. When looking at Chapter 5: Ancient India, your child will study: 

• Harappan Civilization (one of the earliest Ancient Indian civilizations; it was highly advanced but disappeared for unknown reasons)
• Ancient Indian Caste System (Aryans and the Vedas are introduced; a chart depicting the castes and their locations, as well as their Hindu names, is included) 
• Buddhism in Ancient India (information about Siddhartha and a comparison of Buddhism, Christianity, and Hinduism in a Venn Diagram is included)
• Language in Ancient India (a look at the languages and spread of different languages)
• Mauryan Empire (learn about the great leaders like Ashoka and Chandragupta Maurya) 

What topics are included in Discover! Social Studies 6? 

The focus of Discover! Social Studies 6 is the study of ancient civilizations. Your child starts by learning about the themes of World History and how they will apply that to ancient civilizations. Then, it moves forward to learning about the characteristics of civilizations by looking at Sumer and Mesopotamia.

Chapters include the following civilizations: 

• Ancient Egypt 
• Ancient Israel
• Ancient India 
• Ancient China 
• Ancient Greece
• Ancient Rome
• Mesoamerica (Olmec, Mayan, Aztec) 
• Ancient Africa (Aksum, Ghana, Mali, Songhai, Shona) 

History in Your Homeschool: Bringing it to Life 

 

In addition to readings and questions that promote critical thinking, there are real-world applications and activities that help bring history to life. From simple activities such as burying an object in the backyard so your child can see what it is like to be an archaeologist to exploring the movement of languages through the world, "in the real world" sections provide your child with a unique way to study history. This application allows your child to study things that might interest them outside of the history curriculum such as architecture, art, or military strategy.

Other activities include creating a timeline to show the kingdoms of Ancient Egypt, explaining how Passover is celebrated, and researching different mountains to compare their similarities and differences. Each lesson also has academic vocabulary to study and a review of the material studied. When they are finished with each chapter, there is an assessment available in the teacher's guide that can be a test.

 

Our Thoughts on Discover! Social Studies 6 

As a former world history teacher, I was very happy to see how this curriculum is laid out. The introductory chapter was well thought out and allowed for great conversations about civilizations and how we can study history in general. Except for the chapter assessment and confirming a few answers, I haven't really used the Instructor Guide too much. 

I have enjoyed discussing the ancient civilizations with my fifth grader that I used to teach to ninth graders. It's amazing how homeschooling allows one to teach such a wide variety of topics. So while this curriculum is written for sixth grade, you could use it with a younger or older child depending upon their skills or what area of history you wish to pursue. 

When I asked our son his opinion, he said, "I like it." He does struggle sometimes with answering the questions in detail but when that occurs, we usually talk about the answer instead of just focusing on writing it down. So there are lots of ways you can use this in your homeschool. 

Discover! Social Studies 6 allows families to bring history into their homeschool in a more structured way. So if your homeschool and children thrive on structure, I recommend you check out this curriculum. 

Are you looking for more resources from Timberdoodle? 

• Thinking Critically and Creatively: A Review of Critical & Creative Thinking Activities
• Adding Writing Into Our Curriculum: A Review of Daily 6-Trait Writing Grade 3
• Dice, Decks, and Boards: Penguins Huddle Up™ Game
• Including Geography in Your Homeschool: A Review of Skill Sharpeners Geography - Grade 2
• Supplementing Fifth Grade with a Geography Workbook

Thinking Critically and Creatively: A Review of Critical & Creative Thinking Activities

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this book from Timberdoodle in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page. Thank you. 

Are you looking to add some fun activities into your homeschool day that will help your children think critically and creatively? In Critical And Creative 5, students will work through 46 engaging topics with over 140 pages of challenging activities to help them build their critical and creative thinking skills. We were blessed with the chance to review this book in our homeschool thanks to Timberdoodle. 

About Critical and Creative Grade 5 

In Critical and Creative Thinking Activites, Grade 5, students will gain valuable practice through a broad range of thinking skills. The first two pages in the unit present the topic in a general way. They might need to draw on previous experience or look at the topic in a new way. The third and last page of each unit features things like logic puzzles, riddles, and secret codes. 

Let's take a look at one unit: Earthquakes and Volcanoes. On page one, students are asked what would be scarier, to be caught near a volcano when it erupts or to be caught in a big earthquake and why. Here is where the creative part of their brain should be getting a workout. Then they need to identify words using only the letters found in Volcanoes. The clues include: helps to walk or not to win.  On page two, children are asked to write sentences about earthquakes, identify true and false statements, and discover what volcano erupted in Washington state on May 18, 1980 thorugh a series of clues. Finally, on page three children work through a logic puzzle to discover facts about Mount Saint Helens. 

What are the topics that will help you think critically and creatively? Your child will find the following general topics: 

• Places (in the woods, in the kitchen, etc.) 
• Nature in Action (rain, sunshine, giant squid, etc.) 
• Time to Eat (school lunch, breakfast, etc.) 
• Sports and Games 
• Things I Use (shoes and socks, wheels, etc.) 
• In My World (light and dark, sticks and stones, etc.) 

How Did We Use Critical and Creative? 

I started off assigning each page in each topic to our fifth grader. After a few units, I discovered that this was not going to work for our son. There were some topics where he lacked experience and some where he had no interest whatsoever. The first topic where we hit a roadblock was "In the Water." He does not know how to swim and while enjoyed time in the pool and beach this summer, he has no interest in jumping in the water or diving. So when one activity asked him to number water activiteis 1 to 9 of things he would must like to do, he froze. He had no interest in swimming laps, jumping off the low dive, or going down a waterslide. And I couldn't see the point of forcing him to complete that activity. 

The beauty of homeschooling is that I can tailor his education to his needs and interests. So we changed things up. I would assign one topic every few days and ask him to pick from among the three pages. Sometimes I asked him to do more than one page from the topic but it all depended on the topic. 

When looking at the pages he chose to complete, there is no pattern. While he does enjoy the logic puzzles, he doesn't necessary pick on page over another in each topic. I think it really depends upon the day when he selects which page to complete. 

Some of the pages definitely seem to interst him more. For example, he showed me several time the page Dinosaur names in Greek and Latin while he was working on it. And was very proud of his own made up dinosaur. 

Our Thoughts 

I love books that help develop critical and creative thinking skills so I was looking forward to using this book with our son. He has enjoyed other books with a similar approach but this one didn't seem to meet his needs. Since we are homeschooling, we are making the book work for us by picking and choosing what we are completing. 

One thing to note is that it is designed for use in a classroom. You are given permision to copy it for a single-classroom. At least one page made mention of completing something on the reverse side which confused our son since we are just completing the work in the workbook and on scrap paper. 

I would recommend you check out this book for yourself to see if it would fit well in your homeschool. You can easily complete it in a year if you assign about three pages per week. It would be a good resource for your child to work on indepdently while you work with another child in your homeschool. 

Do You Want To Learn More About Timberdoodle Resources?

• Adding Writing Into Our Curriculum: A Review of Daily 6-Trait Writing Grade 3
• Dice, Decks, and Boards: Penguins Huddle Up™ Game
• Including Geography in Your Homeschool: A Review of Skill Sharpeners Geography - Grade 2
• Supplementing Fifth Grade with a Geography Workbook

Book Club: Book Review of 'Twas the Season of Lent

 

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

How do you and your children prepare for Easter? Next year, you can prepare with 'Twas the Season of Lent: Devotions and Stories for the Lenten and Easter Season. This beautiful hardcover book is written by Glenys Nellist and illustrated by Elena Selivanova. 

With 'Twas the Season of Lent, your family can start a new Lenten tradition. Over the course of forty days, you will share "the powerful meaning of Lent through prose and poetry, Scripture and prayer" (book jacket). Each day provides a specific message from the Bible, and most include a prayer. 

Woven through the book is a poem similar to 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. If your children are familiar with that poem, they will definitely enjoy the reading of this book each day. 

The topics and messages shared are those familiar to Christian families. On day one, children learn about Lent and then move on to read or hear about: 

• Four fishermen who join Jesus 
• Jesus as a teacher
• Nicodemus and his questions 
• How to pray and what to pray
• Parables
• And more. 

And the book closes with the poem on day forty. 

Our Thoughts 

I think this is a lovely book. The content opens up the room for a lot of good conversations with children. Before or after reading the day's entry, you could read the actual verses in the Bible. These are listed where applicable. For example, on day twenty-nine, when you read about love for everyone, Matthew 8:1-3 is listed. 

"Jesus reached out to heal, hold, and bring hope to everyone" (36). 

My daughter was very happy with the arrival of 'Twas the Season of Lent. She is quite happy to sit with me as I read each day's entry. 

I would recommend 'Twas the Season of Lent to families wanting to start new traditions. It will be a beautiful addition to your bookshelves. 

Interested in Other Book Reviews? 

Book Club: Book Review of The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible Search and Find

Book Club: Book Review of Tiny Truths Little Lights Devotional

Book Club: Book Review of Fiona and the Easter Egg Hunt