SA Carnival of Homeschooling Blogs #4: Living Books

Welcome to the 4th edition for 2012 of

SA Carnival of Homeschooling Blogs

And it's all about books - and not just any books. Living Books.  OK so now some of you may be stumped and be wondering how a book can be living, how does it have life?  How can it breath? 
But think back to books that you remember.... the ones that had you holding your breath in suspense, the ones that made you cry, books that made history seem real and relevant - real people you could identify with, you travelled the world through mountains and valleys, you discovered that Judge Grammar could teach you all about Mr Noun - those are the ones we are talking about.


Living books are bound to get homeschoolers excited and in fact its should get all mom's excited.  If you are a parent, these are the types of books you want your children to read.  They're books written by people who love their subject - whether it's Maths or Geography.(yes you even get people who love Maths - special individuals those).  It's also definitely not written as a text book or in  very structured, fact by fact, point by point kind of way.  It's written in a conversational way, a narrative, a story. 

And what child does not enjoy a good story, in fact what adult does not enjoy a good story?  Through living books, children are exposed to facts and information in such an entertaining and engaging style that so much more is learnt and retained with very little effort.  

The language used in these books is of a high and excellent standard, not the language that is common to playground antics or Facebook comments.  It stretches their abilities and understanding of the language. It often stretches mine too.  We all grow in reading books like this.  In fact it will develop a real appetite for more of the same. 

I have fallen in love with living books.  As I read them to my children, I am totally engaged, enthralled and part of the learning experience.

And I am not the only one.  There are mothers all over the world who have discovered the value of living books.  And some of these include our very own homegrown South African Homeschool Bloggers.

Nadene of Practical Pages has been homeschooling for 14 years, using living books as an important part of her homeschooling day and her Charlotte Mason curriculum approach.  

Join her as she and her daughter Learn through Living Books.  I love how she uses a white board as a type of mind map/timeline/sequencing tool in conjunction with her living books.

 

Karen, a confessed book lover and hoarder, walks us through some great living books at Karen's Clan.  Loving Living Books give you a brief glimpse into her books on her bedside table and her list of favourite living books (and her wish list of soon to be favourites I am sure). 

Taryn of Hayes Happenings offers us a thorough explanation of living books, and how her journey of discovery and adventure has led her family down a road rich with learning and literature.  The Living Books they love include powerful stories of a farm girl embarking on an adventure to translate the bible in the jungles of the Philippines, the experiences of the blind and apples and arrows.

As for me, well over the years we have collected dozens of living books, too many even to mention.  I have loved all of them except maybe one or two. I enjoy my read aloud times with my children as much as they do.  Some of my current favourites though are:

The Wheel on the School by Meindert DeJong

Why do the storks no longer come to the little Dutch fishing village of Shora to nest? It was Lina, one of the six schoolchildren who first asked the question, and she set the others to wondering. And sometimes when you begin to wonder, you begin to make things happen. So the children set out to bring the storks back to Shora. The force of their vision put the whole village to work until at last the dream began to come true.

This truly was a book where I laughed so much that my sides hurt.  I have to admit I am always inclined to opt for the living books with humour and this is one of them.  The antics of these children of course had my children planning their own types of adventures but they were introduced to the whole Dutch culture combined with lots of good geography included.  This is a classic, never to be given away type of book.  I am sure that we will read this a number of times in our schooling future.

Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo

Washed up on a remote island in a Pacific storm, Michael curls up and waits to die. But when he wakes, there is fresh fruit beside him. He is not alone… Michael Morpurgo’s vivid story of a young castaway’s struggle for survival is an unmissable modern classic. Fusing adventure and mystery, it is a heartbreaking but uplifting tale of love, loss, hope and redemption.
I am a fan of Michael Morphurgo - he writes in such a way that you want to savour every moment.  He uses expressions that come alive and his combination of excellent writing, humour (again) and history - just bring this story to life. 
Carefully woven into this book was the history of Hiroshima, island survival, conflicting cultures and languages, boating and sailing and relationships.  This is the third book I have read of his and I know that I will continue to find more.

Now you may be wondering where you can find living books like these?

There are a number of ways you can find living books. The resources are endless and are often grouped according to subjects which makes it easier to find what you are looking for.  Some of them include curriculum providers who include living books as part of their curriculum.  These can often be found at your local library or a friend, or you could opt for a second hand book store.

Here are some resources to find lists of living books for you and your family.  Though I don't always use these books as part of my curriculum, I often pack them into their library bags and let them discover something new.

*  Ambleside Online
*  Living Books Curriculum
*  Beautiful Feet Books
*  Penny Gardener's Charlotte Mason's Website
*  Librivox
*  Classical Christian Homeschooling
*  Paula's Archives
*  Sonlight
*  Veritas Press
*  Living Book List for Science
*  Living Maths Books
*  What should I read next?

For further reading on Charlottle Mason and Living books, here are some excellent resources:
Charlotte Mason Basics by Jimmie of Jimmies Collage
Excellent resource on living books at The Thinking Mother

So do the rounds, visit our South African Homeschooling bloggers and hopefully you will find some new inspiration to add to your book shelves.

I would love to hear about any living books that you might think are a worthwhile addition to our libraries.  Leave a comment and tell us about some of your favourites.

Book Review Blog Carnival

Hosting this week's Book Review Blog Carnival has really been great.  I love being challenged and stretched to do new things. And this is one of them.  So I had an overwhelming number of submissions! I can see that I will have a lot of really good books to read.  I was going to write my own review as part of this carnival but really - there just wasn't any more space and I didn't want to leave someone out!

JHS at Colloquium reviews : "The Language of Flowers" by Vanessa Diffenbaugh (her debut album)  - A novel of an abandoned child  who is moved from foster home to foster home.  At the age of 18, through a chance meeting in a McKinley Park where she was sleeping at night, she meets a flower shop owner who offers her the opportunity to follow her interest in the language of flowers.

She also reviews: "Claim of Innocence" by Laura Caldwell a legal thriller written by an author who has a history in litigation and a law professor adding depth and authenticity to much of this thriller, as it unfolds.  Surprising twists and dark secrets are but a few of the things to expect in this novel.

Movement 121 Blog offers a review of an intriguing read "Social Innovation Inc: 5 Strategies for Driving Business Growth Through Social Change" by Jason Saul and how business growth can be truly encouraged by looking to meet the needs in society.  With so many societal problems, this book looks like it might give some perspective on how to make changes through big business.  Why not head over to them now and read their review.  In fact Movement 121 looks like a worthy group to get involved with.

Clark Bjorke presents us with a review on "A Conspiracy of Paper" written by David Liss.  London slums, posh clubs, organised crime bosses, murder, prize fighter turned detective - all set in the 18 century.  Clark has been reviewing books since 2007, so he offers a wealth of literary perspective.  And while you are over there, why not pop over to his other review "Coffee Trader" by the same author.  David Liss' historical fiction has clearly caught this reviewers attention.


Zohar of Man of La Book swings our attention to World War II with his review on a non-fiction book "Auschwitz: A Doctor's Eye­wit­ness Account by Dr. Mik­lós Nyis­zli.  "Winter in Wartime" by Jan Terlouw , a novel set during the same time period, is especially appealing for the young adult.  His historical fiction review on "Wings" by Karl Friedrich, a novel about women air force service pilots during World War II complements this historical collection, from so many varying perspectives.

A serious crime fiction addict, Kerrie of Mysteries in Paradise reviews her latest fix "Stagestruck" by Peter Lovesey.  For a bit of drama, read her review on crimes that have happened in the theatre.

Jim Murdoch of The Truth about Lies blog is reviewing a novel by Karin Alvtegen; namely "Betrayal", the author of international bestsellers "Guilt" and "Shame".  Though if you have read any of Karin Alvtegen's books, this one will offer you something very different to what you are used to.
And while you are there, head over to his review of "Tamarisk"written by Gerald Murnane. This is the story of a young boy growing up in Australia. He is a solitary-type and prefers to immerse himself in his own imaginary world. His father is a compulsive gambler and because of this the world of horse racing becomes central to the boy’s fantasies. It has been called “one of the very best books about childhood and the world as the child finds it."

"In Defense of Food" by Michael Pollan is reviewed by Kevin of Invest it Wisely.  And yes it's all about food - great food!  What sets ordinary food apart from great food?  We all want to be healthy - find out how.  And if you're quick, you might still make it to his giveaway which ends tomorrow, where he is giving 3 copies of this book away.  Don't wait!

 If you are one of those individuals that cannot stomach a read longer than 100 pages, Blog Magazine Era reviews a new men's lifestyle magazine "Men's Magazine Journal" which includes some big names like Michael Douglas and Lance Armstrong with even bigger stories.

FOR CHILDREN

 Taryn Hayes of Hayes Happenings is a South African homeschooling mom who offers us 2 reviews on children overcoming physical challenges.  "A Door in the Wall" by Marguerite de Angeli is a heartwarming tale of a child having to deal with the hardship of having lost his legs due to illness; while   "Follow my Leader" by James B. Garfield . is written about a blind boy who was blinded by a fire cracker.  Both these books are a good choice if you are looking for some extraordinary living books that will change your child's perspective and world view.

"Garter Snake at Willow Creek Lane" by Janet Halfmann will help your children learn all about snakes and nature.  And it is quite aptly called the first of the Smithsonian Backyard Book series.  If your child is a nature lover or curious about things slithering in the grass, this review written by Roberta Gibson Wrapped in Foil might be just the one you need to read.

Of course the dads dont' want to be left out in the cold .

Read Aloud Dad presents us with a very humourous review of a children's book that encourages the fun fantastical things that our children love so much as well as having real educational value.   "Officer Buckle and Gloria" by Peggy Rathman is a book about safety tips and living safe presented in a fun way.   Read this review if you are a parent and considering your next book buy.  Lots of lessons to be learnt.

And if you are looking for an old favourite, head over to Boys Matter who writes a brief review on Tom Sawyer but also offers a list of books to read that your boys might enjoy.

I would love to hear what you are reading at the moment.  What's on your bedside table? Is it a light romance, criminal thriller, historical novel?  Or is it just today's newspaper?