Yearly Archives: 2007

Books for rent

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It’s called BookSwim and it works like Netflix. Yeah, I know that’s the beauty of the library, borrowing books, so you don’t have to pay for your reading habit, but my local library sadly is not the most child-friendly place. (See this post for more. I’ll not rehash it all again.)

For about $20 a month, I could avoid going to the library by walking to the mailbox. Think of the gas I would save. Think of the cash in my pocket because I forgot to take back the Barney DVD with a dollar-a-day fine. And BookSwim has a wonderful assortment of educational books for us book-crazed homeschoolers.

I so want BookSwim to be be worth the up-front cost, that I’m going to talk myself into it. Anyone in the BookSwim pool care to share a yea or nay?

Dusting off the blog

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That was a nice break.

I didn’t intend to go completely silent here, just happened, and now the ol’ blog is calling again.

Home schooling: all the old subjects and some new. It’s going okay, never perfect, but what is, right? I have a new phonics book for Peter who needs a bit more help. The kid can read, he just isn’t all that into it. And if ever a boy needed to be able to read well, it’s him. So full of questions and attempts to figure it all out. Oy.

Susan also started up Latin again after about a year away from it. First time conjugating verbs. I tell her to think of it as a secret language used by spies, which she loves. Gotta know what buttons to push for different children.

And I’m writing. Wishing I had more time in the day to sit at the computer. Wishing I didn’t waste time when sitting at the computer doing other things other than write. (Blogging is allowed.)

Doc and I hit the ten year milestone this month. How did that happen? Not that it’s bad or miserable, it just got here so fast. More about that on the 27th.

Blog book tour: Melody Carlson

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I didn’t know all that much about blog book tours until I received an invitation to participate in one. I feel like I’ve reached the promised land as a book blogger. Free books, people! Who could say no to that? And all I have to do is mention the books here. Easy as pie. It’s even better when the books are actually good. Ha.

So, welcome to the first Blog Tour at books are our friends. I have sitting on my desk six books by author Melody Carlson. Notes from a Spinning Planet series: Ireland, Mexico, and Papua New Guinea. Plus, The Secret Life of Samantha McGregor books: Bad Connection, Beyond Reach, and Playing with Fire.

Since I’m most familiar with south east Asia, I read Notes‘ Papua New Guinea. The story follows co-ed Maddie as she travels with her Aunt Sidney to the third-world country. Sidney, a magazine writer, and arguably the coolest auntie in literary history, is on assignment to discover … well, I’m not going to give it away. How’s that for a teaser?

I will say that I was surprised to learn what the novel — a Christian, young adult book — is about. And I applaud Carlson for taking on the subject. I’ll have my own children read this when they are teen-aged. Carlson has spun an entertaining story with likable characters, in an exotic locale around a topic that needs to be discussed.

As for the Samantha books, honestly I just skimmed the first book, but it looks good too. (Picky me doesn’t like the typeset. Oy. I’m weird.) Carlson takes it in a different direction with this series about prophetic visions.

Check out Melody Carlson’s website: melodycarlson.com