Grades 3-5
Saint Thomas Aquinas and the Preaching Beggar - additional
(Additional Review) "Essentials and Accidentals"
Once Saint Thomas Aquinas was in a class that Saint Albert the Great taught. One day St. Albert asked why this was silly: "I am a human being and I have a high pitched voice; therefore all human beings have high-pitched voices."
Once Saint Thomas Aquinas was in a class that Saint Albert the Great taught. One day St. Albert asked why this was silly: "I am a human being and I have a high pitched voice; therefore all human beings have high-pitched voices."
The Chronicles of Narnia
This set of seven books has been a children's classic for decades (and will soon be released as major motion pictures). The action is focused on a small group of children from our own world (Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve) who are drawn into the activities of a whole separate world - Narnia. The activity extends from our own world, to Narnia, it's neighboring countries, and even other worlds still.
The Lances of Lynwood
"Virtue Conquers" is the theme of this charming, wholesome adventure story set in the Middle Ages, during the reign of Edward III of England. Eustace, the scholarly but valiant brother-in-law of Sir Reginald Lynwood, goes as his squire to Spain under the banner of the English sovereign. In his first battle, he loses his brother-in-law but gains a knight's spurs for his courage.
The Courage of Sarah Noble
The Courage of Sarah Noble is based on the true story of eight year old Sarah Noble, who accompanies her father into the Connecticut wilderness to cook meals for him as he builds the family's cabin. The story takes place in 1707 and focuses on her courage against the unknown fears of the wilderness.
The White Stag
The White Stag by Kate Seredy is the telling of the legend of the migration of the Huns and Magyars out of Asia to the great Hungarian plains. It begins with Nimrod, an ancient leader of a wandering people who are always moving west, seeking a land that had been promised to them by their gods. At a moment of despair, his people sick and starving, Nimrod receives a message from his god, Hadur, which gives him hope and brings on his death.
The Bronze Bow
The Bronze Bow, by Elizabeth George Speare, brings to life the era when Jesus walked on the earth. The book is written through the eyes of Daniel bar Jamin, a poor village boy, who is desperately seeking to revenge the crucifixion of his father at the hands of Roman soldiers. Daniel lives in the hills above Ketzah with a band of thieves, who ruthlessly attack Romans at every opportunity. The stark hatred that drives Daniel contrasts sharply with the love that he receives from his friend, Joel, and his own gentle sister. The movement of Jesus and his apostles form a shadowy sub-plot.
The Singing Tree
The Singing Tree, sequel to The Good Master, is a much more serious story and takes place during World War I. Sandor, Kate's father, is drafted into the war and eventually, the Good Master, Marton Nagy, must report as well. The majority of the book tells of how the family gets along during the war years without the men of the family. Of course, Jancsi the young master steps up and, aided by a journal his father left for him, manages the farm quite well.
The Children's Homer
The Children's Homer is an epic adventure about the Trojan War and the homecoming of Odysseus. The two famous tales, The Iliad and The Odyssey, were originally written by Homer, a renowned poet in Ancient Greece. Mr. Colum retells these stories for us. My family used this book as a read-aloud, and enjoyed it immensely. We were all thrilled by the gripping stories and the detailed pictures. It's an excellent book to use when studing Anciect Greece. I would give it five *****rating.