Supplement

The Secret of the Shamrock

Book cover: 'The Secret of the Shamrock'
Author(s): 
Lisa Hendey
Illustrator(s): 
Jenn Bower
As my years of homeschooling younger children come to a close, one of the things I enjoy is to teach religious education at the parish. I love telling the kids about the Saints. I just do not think the students hear stories being told or read to them at school these days. These books are a wonderful resource for me, as I keep them for the last part of the class and the students will look forward to each chapter. It has been my experience that it is their favorite part of the class and the one time they are all quiet and attentive!

There's a Frog in My Throat

Author(s): 
Loreen Leedy
Pat Street
This is a clever, very colorful picture book with a simple purpose. It illustrates, with funny little cartoon illustrations, hundreds (440 to be exact) of common expressions in the English language that involve animals, such as: "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." "Mad as a hornet." "I have butterflies in my stomach." "You're putting the cart before the horse." A short definition of the phrase's meaning is also included. This is a fun idea for exploring our language and it's amazing just how many expressions fit into this category?

How Much Can a Bare Bear Bear?

Author(s): 
Brian P. Cleary
Illustrator(s): 
Brian Gable
Do you know what homonyms and homophones are? If not, this book will certainly help you understand them. With clever writing and silly cartoon illustrations (and a somewhat obnoxious typeface), they give many clever and memorable examples of each.

The Dot and the Line

Author(s): 
Norton Juster

"Freedom is not a license for chaos" is my son's signature below his email messages. It was written by Norton Juster, of The Phantom Toolbooth fame, and it comes from our almost-17-year-old's favorite book.

The First Whole Book of Diagrams

Author(s): 
Mary Daly

I was not taught to diagram sentences as part of my education, so I first viewed such diagrams as a curiosity; however, I have gradually come to appreciate their value as a tool for helping my children understand how the works and ideas in a sentence are related. I have, for example, diagrammed Latin sentences for them to help them understand the structure and grammar of that language.

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