Saturday, June 28, 2014

Diana Waring's Encouragement for Homeschool Moms Collection Giveaway and More

I posted an author interview introducing you to Diana Waring the other day. She's the author of Experience History Through Music and the ever popular History Revealed World History Curriculum.

It's no secret that I am an excited participant in the Experience History Through Music launch team. Reviewing these new, updated products created by Diana Waring Presents has been an honor and blessing.

I recently received the Encouragement for Homeschool Moms Collection as a gift for being part of the launch team. It is a VERY inspirational and informative set that ANY homeschooler will appreciate. I've heard Diana speak at a convention in the past and I believe you will truly be blessed by her words and advice.

I have GREAT news! Diana Waring has generously offered me the opportunity to giveaway a complete Encouragement for Homeschool Moms Collection to one of my LUCKY blog readers. This downloadable collection includes the "Once Upon a Time" ebook containing eight articles totaling 40 pages in addition to the four MP3 audio downloadable recordings. The four audios include the Beyond Survival Workshop, Box-Free Living, Roots, and Wings. This package retails for $25, but one of my readers can win it!

This giveaway ends July 5th (12am) Central Time. One winner will be randomly selected to receive a copy of this collection. Read the terms and conditions provided. Please click on the link provided to enter this giveaway if you do not see the Rafflecopter widget. Thanks!

I am also celebrating the release of these products by participating in the Diana and Friends Experience History Through Music Giveaway. Have you entered it yet?

Don't forget about the Facebook Release Party on July 1st from 8-10 EST. We will begin the party at Diana Waring Presents and say our goodbye the last hour at A Journey Through Learning.

Be on the lookout for my review sometime next week where I'll be sharing highlights about our experiences using Experience History Through Music!


Thursday, June 26, 2014

Author Interview: Introducing Diana Waring

Diana Waring is an extremely popular and familiar name in many homeschool circles. It has been a privilege to review Diana Waring Presents Experience History Through Music this summer. We are having a BLAST integrating music into American History lessons using the 3 Book/CD set. My review will post the week of June 30th. 

As many of you already know, I am part of the launch team for these products. This launch team opportunity has given us some insider information about the author's life that I think you'd enjoy reading. I really want you to get to know the Diana on a more personal level before the Facebook release party. She's a wonderful person! I actually met her at a homeschool convention in Tennessee and it was an honor to speak with such a passionate person. I'll start with a little bio and the interview will follow. 

Meet the Author
Diana Waring is the author of Beyond SurvivalReaping the Harvest and Diana Waring's History Revealed world history curriculum. She discovered years ago that "the key to education is relationship." Beginning in the early '80s, Diana homeschooled her children through high-school—the real life opportunities to learn how kids learn. Mentored by educators whose focus was honoring Him who created all learners, and with an international background (born in Germany, university degree in French, lifelong student of world history), Diana cares about how people learn as well as what they learn.  Audiences on four continents have enthusiastically received her energetic speaking style.

Let's get started! Without further ado . . . Meet the friendly, easy going, and fun lovin' Diana Waring.

1. What was your life like musically as you were growing up? Did you take lessons, sing with your family, in a church choir, etc.?

I ALWAYS loved music . . . I was always singing, started playing clarinet in 4th grade, oboe in 7th grade (!!!), taught myself to play guitar in 10th grade. 

I was an only child, my parents were not musical, and we did not attend church . . .

But music WAS in my grandparents' lives. My father's father played guitar and sang before he had a stroke in 1953 (there is a FASCINATING story there -- tell you later), and my mother's father played various string instruments and sang, as well. I have met folks who knew him, and they tell me he was a fabulous story-teller and a fun musician.

Once I learned to play guitar (in 1969), I started doing folk music whenever I had the chance. If you can believe this, I even tried to get permission to play in bars when I was 15. After I became a Christian, I started playing worship music for prayer meetings . . .

Which led to me becoming the worship leader at our Christian fellowship in college and at the church I attended. 

Since music was one of my greatest motivators, I expected to continue in that realm . . . particularly within church settings. It was unexpected to have the door suddenly open up in 1989 to create these American folk music recordings--but I loved the songs and the genre of music!!

Now, here we are, 25 years later, and I am absolutely THRILLED to have this musical part of my life come back!! I pulled out my 12-string, donned my historic costume, and sang folk songs in Greenville, Cincinnati and Harrisburg this spring -- and it was a JOY!!

2. How did you start writing history books?

The very first book I wrote WAS a history book—an earlier version of "America." As I have shared in the back story, when a friend suggested that it would be beneficial to attend a homeschool convention—and the only way I could afford to get in was to become a workshop presenter—the idea of marrying American folk music to American history seemed like such fun that I had to write a book!  (And help create the folk music recording!!)

One thing often leads to another. Doing workshops on making history come alive using music exposed me to the notion that there are many other wonderful ways to make history come alive, like literature, geography, the Bible, science, art, architecture, cooking and more.

All of this melded together when I started teaching my own children world history in 1992. There were so many things I wanted to know about how events recorded in the Bible impacted the ancient cultures of the time . . . seeing the "secular" civilizations through Scripture and better understanding Scripture in light of those civilizations.  

I was SO excited about what we were learning that I started telling others at homeschool conventions . . . which led to the History Revealed curriculum (20 years in the making). Nine books in that series (plus nine sets of audio CDs), plus two of the three American folk music/history books (and CDs) make a grand total of 11 books on history that I have had the opportunity to research and write!

Goodness! I had no idea when I started homeschooling that I would learn so much.  :)

3. What is your favorite period of history?

My standard answer is that my favorite period of history is the one I am currently studying!!

I think the deeper answer, though, is that I have always been fascinated by the incredible drama of WWII and its aftermath. I was born in Germany ten years after the end of WWII, and when it dawned on me as a fifth grader that my birthplace was at the epicenter, the reality that history HAPPENED engaged my heart and mind.

Add to that the fact that my grandfather was the chairman of the National Security Resources Board, appointed by President Harry Truman in 1951. He was the man responsible for putting the resources of America to work if we went into another world warwhich was not a far-fetched idea in 1951 as we engaged in the Korean War and the early Cold War. I still remember listening to my grandfather say, "Diana, we must always know what the Russians are doing . . ."  The Cold War was not a newspaper headline to him, it was VERY real.

So, with all of the personal family history, I think it is safe to say that WWII and the Cold War are, by far, the most fascinating to me.

4. Have your kids followed in your music-loving/performing footsteps (on any level)?

Yes! All three of my kids play instruments, all three love various types of music, and all three still enjoy singing with me whenever we get together!

My oldest, Isaac, is actually an amazing musician. He plays numerous instruments, often more than one at a time—which wows audiences! He has a huge baritone voice, which can fill a room faster than most.  One of the most incredible things about Isaac is that, in performance, he can ask for words or phrases from the audience, then compose a song on the spot with those words—and it is so catchy that people will walk out the door singing the song!!

Mike is more of an athlete than a musician, but he plays bass guitar, Australian didgeridoo, and he sings both melody and harmony with a fabulous tenor voice! He wrote one of the most delightful songs I've ever heard: "Round Trip Ticket to Samoa" . . . which we always thought would be a stunning song for travel agents.  :)

Melody was my classically-trained musician. She studied classical piano very seriously, as she prepared to go to a conservatory and then into the world of concert pianists. Dr. Jay Wile, who attended her senior recital, told me that he was blown away with her musical talent. Tragically, when she entered the conservatory, she developed severe pain (which continues to baffle doctors) that prevented her from continuing in music. I absolutely melt, though, when she comes to visit and plays once again on my grandmother's piano. She loves, loves, loves music. (The tragedy turned to beauty when she began serving refugees, those in poverty, and youth-at-risk. She is amazing.)

5. Of all the songs in the three new books, which songs are your favorites?

I LOVE "Ho for California" in Westward Ho! Somehow, this one became my favorite . . . I remember the day we drove across the Sacramento River as a family, on our way to a homeschooling event in California, singing at the top of our lungs, "Then, ho, brothers, ho, to California go. There's plenty of gold in the world we're told on the banks of the Sacramento. . ."

"Gooey Duck"  was, by far, the most popular song that we performed in our concert. There is something so catchy about this song! Also, as I was writing the original Westward Ho! book, I chatted with my grandfather about gooey ducks (giant clams). He chuckled and told me that though they were plentiful in Puget Sound waters when he was a lad, they were SO ugly that people avoided eating them unless they were desperate. That has tickled me ever since . . .

"Sweet Betsy From Pike" is another favorite, included in America. It is such a singable ballad, and full of humorous possibilities.  It was a delight to sing it on the recording!!

6. Do you play a musical instrument. If so what? and how old were you when you started playing?

In chronological order, here are the instruments I play (don't you know a historian would tell it chronologically???):  
  • I learned to play clarinet in 4th grade.
  • Switched to oboe in 7th grade.
  • Switched to guitar (which I taught myself to play) in 10th grade, as braces made playing oboe impossible!!
  • Bought a mountain dulcimer and learned to play it when I was 17.
  • Learned to play recorder when I was 19 . . . played it in the musical, "Godspell."
  • Took some lessons on piano when I was 20, and kept working at it on my own.
  • Learned to play banjo when I was 23.
  • But my real instrument is voice!!!  I was a vocal major for a time in college, and have sung in concert choirs, as a worship leader, doing folk song concerts with my kids, and, last year I had the opportunity to sing Beethoven's 9th symphony in Indianapolis!
7. Which of the songs in this series of books resonant the most with your life and why?

As a musician and storyteller, I love the possibilities of telling stories in music—ballads are an incredible art form. "Old Settler" and "San Juan Pig War" are the two that I most enjoy singing for others, as they tell such memorable stories. . .

And, I love "Sweet By and By." We used to end our "Yankee Doodle Tells A Tale" concert with this song, and it never failed to bring me to tears . . . singing of our "bountiful Father above.

8. What value do you see in students learning America's folk songs?

How many opportunities do we ever have to actually DO what our ancestors did? As a real and normal part of our lives? You and I live in a world that is vastly different than the time period represented in America, Westward Ho! and Musical Memories of Laura Ingalls Wilder.  And, yet, we can still sing and enjoy the very same songs they did, we can taste a tiny bite of history through the medium of folk songs, and we can experience America through it's music! Plus, it's part of our American heritage.  It's part of our history. And what could be more fun than learning history through songs you can clap to, stomp to, and sink your teeth into??  :)

9. Are these Experience History Through Music products to be used as curriculum?  Is there a schedule to follow?

Though students can experience American history through these three books and CDs (and have a lot of fun in the process), it is not an actual curriculum. 

They are supplementary materials that can be enjoyed by anyoneThere is no specific schedule to follow, no tests to take. You might describe it as a sort of "stealth academics," meaning that your kids will be having so much fun singing the songs, they won't even realize they are learning. But YOU will.

10. Do you have other books/products in the works?

Always!! Next on my list of books to write is one entitled, "Daughters of God." I am hoping to have it finished by this fall. 

Then, the plan is to create an American history curriculum for elementary age students, one that allows for the same sort of creativity and freedom as my world history curriculum, the History Revealed series. 

Once these are both done, I have lots of things I have always wanted to write, but never had the time . . . including fiction—historical, of course!!

A Party is Coming . . . Will You Be Attending?  
Be sure to RSVP for the Facebook Release Party next Tuesday, July 1st 2014 from 8-10 EST. The party will begin at Diana Waring Presents and end at A Journey Through Learning. There will be giveaway prizes and freebies!

Don't forget to enter this generous Diana and Friends Experience History Through Music Giveaway too! 

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Diana and Friends Experience History Through Music Giveaway - $700 + Value

A couple years ago, I reviewed Diana Waring Presents Ancient Civilizations and the Bible Book and CD set. We adored the curriculum and quickly became huge fans. Needless to say, I was super excited when I was offered the opportunity to join the launch team for her new American History products. We're participating in the upcoming release of Experience History Through Music by Diana Waring

The new Experience History Through Music products have provided us with hours of laughter, joyful moments, and memories to treasure in our hearts forever. I love seeing Alyssa get all dressed up in her cowgirl boots to sing the Westward Ho! songs such as Boll Weevil, Home on the Range, and Apple Picker's Reel. The stories are fascinating! We are BOTH learning interesting information. The music really starts our day off on a cheerful and positive note. 

I will be sharing my review of Diana's Experience History Through Music the week of June 30th. Please visit A Learning Journey to hear about our experiences with the products at that time. Until then . . . I want to share some exciting news with you.

Diana and Friends Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Experience History Through Music, I am joining members of the Diana Waring Launch Team for an amazing giveaway. Friends of Diana have joined in and as you can see, someone's homeschool is going to be greatly blessed!  Here's what you could win! 

From Diana Waring Presents

american history -- never this funExperience History Through Music - set of 3 books with CDs ($50/set) Diana Waring Presents is about to bring back into print the BEST folk music you have ever heard, combined with the fascinating stories they represent in American history!   The Experience Music Through Historyseries includes: America - Heart of a New Nation, Westward Ho! - Heart of the Old West  and Musical Memories of Laura Ingalls Wilder. The musicians are amazing, every instrument is real, lots of great vocalists, and more toe-tapping music than you can imagine! The books tell the stories behind the songs.  Together, they bring American history to life through it's music!!With fascinating history books and toe-tapping folk music CDs, American history has NEVER been this fun!
EncouragementCollage2

Encouragement for Homeschool Moms Collection ($25) Every mom needs that word of encouragement from someone who has been there, who has grownup children and can speak with assurance about the journey. Homeschool moms have an extra portion of the journey to navigate, and often wish for an extra voice that will offer direction but without nagging or prodding. Diana Waring has that voice.  

From A Journey Through Learning

Logo New 300 trans$50 Gift Certificate $50 to spend in the A Journey Through Learning store, applicable toward any digital download purchase.  

 

From Homeschool Legacy

westward ho I 300x400Westward Ho! Part I ($19.95) Load up your wagon! Discover the extraordinary times of adventurous frontiersmen and brave pioneers as you travel cross-country along the Erie Canal,  Oregon Trail, and even “remember the Alamo” in Westward Ho Part I. Westward Ho! Part II ($19.95) Continue the exciting saga begun in Westward Ho! Part I as you journey with the forty-niners, ride the rails of the Transcontinental Railroad, experience life on the prairie, and discover the exciting era of cowboys and cattle drives in Westward Ho! Part II.  

From Knowledge Quest Maps

HardcoverCD_ecover_croppedMap Trek: Atlas and Outline Maps of World History ($55) Map Trek is a historical atlas plus outline maps that allow you to teach geography alongside history. This is a resource that any homeschool parent can use with brilliant success, even if you don't remember a thing from your history or geography classes in public school.  

 

From Home School Adventure Co. 

PAPS-R-96dpi shadowPhilosophy Adventure™ Digital Download ($39.95) Philosophy Adventure™ is designed to help students 6th-12th grade cultivate and defend a biblical worldview by teaching them how to write skillfully, think critically, and speak articulately as they explore the history of ideas.  

 

From Heidi St. John (The Busy Mom and Real Life Press)

fpf3-bundle-covers-180x180Firmly Planted Family Devotional Digital Volume 3 ($39) The Firmly Planted Family Series is divided into ten-week studies and is your key to making sense of the Bible—even if you’re learning right along with your children. Each lesson provides a core idea, a simple narrative, memory verses and discussion questions for children of all ages. And the companion student workbook is filled with age-appropriate, full-color, reproducible activities for children of any age!  

From Raising Real Men

My-Beloved-and-My-Friend-Cover-Border-201x300RRM-Mom-Dad-300x295Free Registration to Boyhood Boot Camp or Boot Camp 9-12 LIVE webinar series (winner's choice) plus Mom & Dad Special Raising Real Men (Book for Mom to read in the bathroom + AudioBook for Dad to listen to on the commute) ($62-69) Free Registration for Marriage Retreat Online plus His & Hers Special of My Beloved and My Friend: How To Be Married To Your Best Friend Without Changing Spouses (book + audiobook), ($65)  

 

From Institute for Excellence in Writing

logo$50 Gift Certificate $50 to spend in the IEW store, applicable toward any purchase.  

From The Old Schoolhouse Magazine

Big-Book-14-Cover-113013-e1392516063206ST-Affiliate-300x300_zpsb38aa8aeSchoolhouseTeachers.com ($139) A one year membership to the curriculum arm of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. Nearly 100 classes for Pre-K to High School, taught by expert teachers, and lots of extras including the Schoolhouse Planners, Schoolhouse Expos, monthly free ebook downloads and more.  The Old Schoolhouse Magazine 2014 Print Book ($15) Be encouraged, enlightened, and educated with the all new 2014 Annual Print Book published by The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine.You’ll get a year’s worth of homeschool support in almost 300 pages in this full color one-of-a-kind print magazine for homeschoolers, by homeschoolers. This is a magazine you’ll refer to again and again.  

From Writing with Sharon Watson

69276_1454187188126914_157492202_nthe-power-in-your-hands-front-coverThe Power in Your Hands ($53.96) With The Power in Your Hands: Writing Nonfiction in High School, they’ll learn what they need to know for high school and will be prepared for college writing. Writing Fiction [in High School] ($35) Are you raising the next C. S. Lewis or Jane Austen? Help your students develop their fiction-writing talents with Writing Fiction [In High School]: Bringing Your Stories to Life .

 To enter the giveaway, use the Rafflecopter below. Residents of the U.S., age 18 and older only. Other Terms and Conditions can be found in the Rafflecopter.


Sunday, June 15, 2014

Homeschool Mother's Journal: A Devastating Two Weeks

Happy Father's Day! May you all have a wonderfully blessed day! 

In My Life . . . 
Dance Rehearsal and Recital
Alyssa did well during her dance recital performance. I love it when she gets to show her personality in free style mode!

Stressful Situation
My heart is broken. An unfortunate and life changing decision was made that will have a huge impact on my family. I am not yet able to write about it . . . let alone talk about it without crying. I am asking for your prayers at this time in my life. Prayers for what is best.

In Our Homeschool . . . 
Our school days took an unexpected halt after my beautiful niece's visit to our home. Alyssa and I took a much needed break. I also decided that due to the most recent circumstances in our life, that we will need to take most of this summer off or limit the amount of school work we do. This may be difficult for Alyssa, because she wants to continue doing school all summer. We enjoy homeschooling year-round. My daughter will still utilize online programs and we will finish using the review products we have in hand. We'll see what happens. We will, however, spend more time focusing on God's Word.

We are still working through her Spelling You See Americana curriculum books which she truly enjoys. I can't believe she's spelling big words such as Independence and Declaration with ease!
We also recently received Diana Waring's Experiencing History Through Music to review. I am extremely impressed with the products. My daughter put on her cowgirl boots and has been dancing since the package arrived. Music always brings a smile to my daughter's face.

Places We Went
I took Alyssa to see Maleficent. She wasn't scared at all. We both really liked the movie and enjoyed our daughter lunch date at Honey Baked Ham after piano class. We also went in two of her favorite stores in that area Christian Gifts Outlet and Bling.

I'm Praying 
My Daughter and Her Future
Understanding in a Mess of Confusion
That MY Trust and Faith in God's Plan -  Remain Strong
Restful Night
My Future
Educational Decisions

I'm Thinking About
Father's Day
Our Future
Homeschool
The Laws

What I'm Cooked . . . 
Pot Roast and Buttery Homemade Biscuits

What Alyssa's Reading
Circle C Beginnings Series by Susan K. Marlow (5th book)
Rosie and Scamper by Vicki Watson
Meet the Bugs by Mark C. Collins
My Child My Princess by Beth Moore

What I'm Reading
Smart Money Smart Kids by Dave Ramsey and Rachel Cruze
I Quit Sugar by Sarah Wilson
The Virtuous Life of a Christ-Centered Wife by Darlene Schacht

What I'm Listening To  . . . Music Helps Heal the Heart
Bridge Over Troubled Waters

Homeschool Freebies and Giveaways
SecularHomeschool.com is hosting a giveaway for Oak Meadow's full curriculum. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a COMPLETE homeschool curriculum package for the grade level of your choice. This would definitely save any homeschool family money and bless their homeschool year. Click on the Oak Meadow link above to learn more about this curriculum.

Projects on My To-Do List
Figure out a Financial and Homeschool Budget Plan
PURGE: Continue Decluttering and Eliminating
Decide on Garage Sale Date or Consignment Drop Off Locations

I will link-up this post at Great Peace Academy Homeschool Happenings, Managing Your Blessings: The Homeschool Mother's Journal, and Weekly Wrap-Up.

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Review of The Easterville Miracle by Melody Carlson

I was sent the book titled, The Easterville Miracle, to review as part of the book review program through Broadman and Holman Publishing Group. I don't know about you, but I am always on the lookout for great holiday gift books. I search for Bible-centered books with age appropriate content. This book fits the bill. The Easterville Miracle is a 32-page children's hardcover book written by Melody Carlson that should definitely be considered as an Easter gift option. Another popular and well-loved Easter book written by this author is Benjamin's Box: The Story of the Resurrections Eggs.

Book Description (Taken from the Website)
When surrounded by brightly colored eggs, fuzzy chicks, and chocolate bunnies, it's easy to forget what Easter is truly about. It's no surprise that the villagers in Easterville have completely lost sight of the reason behind their celebrations. But when a curious boy visits a wise old man, they join forces to create a visual reminder that will show the townsfolk of Easterville the true meaning of Easter. Just as a little boy named Sam and an old man named Henry remind the town of Easterville, the best-selling author Melody Carlson reminds us as well that the true meaning of Easter is not Easter bonnets, baskets, colored eggs, candy, or decorations. It is the glorious story of a cross on a hill and an empty tomb, and the wonderful news of forgiveness that the Easter story brings us.

About the Author
Melody Carlson has written over 100 books covering a wide range of topics including those of serious nature to more light hearted topics. Click on the link above to learn more about the author and her books.

Price
Broadman and Holman Publishers $12.99
Christianbook $9.99
Amazon $11.15

Note: Prices are subject to change.

My Thoughts
I enjoy reading books to my daughter that emphasize the true meaning of Easter rather than simply focusing on Easter eggs and bunnies. I was ecstatic when I found out this book could be added to my collection of Easter books, because it does focus on the real reason for celebrating Easter.

The brightly colored cover invites the reader to open the book to Susan Reagan's sweet illustrations. The illustrations added meaning to the text. The illustrator made use of the space with full page illustrations. You could feel the confusion Sam felt through his words and the illustrations helped you see it on his face. The rhyming text of the story immediately captured the attention of my six-year-old daughter keeping her completely engaged in the story's plot. I often paused momentarily to give my daughter time to figure out the upcoming rhyming words.

The setting of the story occurs in a quaint town called Easterville, but unfortunately the townsfolk are having a difficult time remembering how and why the town was given that particular name. The Easter celebration became a huge event every year. The children dressed up for the occasion, colorful eggs were displayed, fluffy stuffed bunnies sat in storefront windows, delicious shaped chocolates stood in rows, and beautiful baskets adorned with bows were exhibited in the town stores. The townspeople believed they were in fact celebrating Easter the right way. For some reason, the holiday became more and more hectic over the years. Sam decided to seek help. He wanted to find an answer to the question he'd asked everyone he knew, "What is the point of Easter? The cause for all we do." He truly believed that there must be a reason for the things they did to mark the Easter season. An older woman tells him "Back when I was a little girl, it wasn't quite this way. It seems that something has been lost about this holiday." The woman suggests that Sam visit an older man named Henry who lives at the top of the hill. He feels reassured and makes the trip up the hill hoping to find answers.

Sam helps Henry create a plan to share the truth with the townspeople which in turn helps awaken their hearts and minds enabling them to see the truth once again. "And look at how it glistens just like diamonds in the sun!" I loved the descriptive language utilized which helps the reader visualize the image on the page.

I am not going to spoil the end by telling you what happens. You'll have to read the book to find out what the crowd of whispering townsfolk are talking about. What was Sam and Henry's plan?

Sam's strong desire to figure out the reason they celebrate Easter lead to the truth which left the townspeople eager to hear an unforgettable story year after year. I can relate to Sam's feelings, because many people in our society have truly forgotten why we actually celebrate Easter even though there's nothing wrong with bunnies and eggs. Commercialism has distracted us from focusing on Jesus. We don't eliminate the Easter egg hunts or Easter baskets from our traditions, but we do emphasize the "real" reason in many ways. We should celebrate Jesus, His sacrifice for us, and the forgiveness of our sins. Your children will learn about God's love, grace, and forgiveness. They will find out the purpose of Easter. My favorite part of the story is when Henry tells the story to Sam on page 20.

The book ends with a scripture reference to John 3:16 (NIV) stating "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." This familiar and appropriate verse was the perfect way to end the story, because it helps readers focus on the true meaning of Easter which was Jesus's resurrection and His sacrifice for our sins.

I recommend this book for children ages 4-8. It would make a great Easter basket gift or can be used as a read aloud. The book emphasizes the Christian perspective and reasons for celebrating Easter. I believe Christian readers will appreciate the message of the story. Sunday school and private school teachers will be pleased with this book. Home and private school educators can easily tie in religious Easter crafts to this story. The Easterville Miracle will help you shift the attention to the true meaning of Easter.

Disclaimer
I received a complimentary, free copy of this book from the publisher as part of the B and H Publishing Group Book Review Program in exchange for an honest, unbiased review on my blog. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."