Resources: books and videos for American History

As I mentioned in a previous post, we do alot of real books and videos to supplement our learning, particularly with American History.

I just finished updating our resource list for things we used this year and thought I'd post in case anyone else could benefit from what we found and what we thought about what we found. I'll be updating this listing as we continue American history next Fall ...

Books and Resources for American History 2008-09

Spines/resources used throughout:

Catholic Schools Textbook Project – From Sea to Shining Sea: The Story of America – this text is pretty good but I forgot how dry “textbooks” can be! Lots of supplementing needed when using this book
Home School in the Woods – History Study Time Travelers: New World Explorers – excellent cd-rom with great activities, games, lapbook ideas and overviews that make learning fun
Home School in the Woods – History Study Time Travelers: Colonial Life – excellent cd-rom with great activities, games, lapbook ideas and overviews that make learning fun

Prehistory to Columbus

Maestro, Betsy & Giulio – The Discovery of the Americas: From prehistory through the age of Columbus (this long picture book includes discussion of Cabot, Balboa and Magellan).
St. Brendan (circa 550)
Fritz, Jean -- Brendan the Navigator: A History Mystery about the Discovery of America (great discussion in this long picture book about the legend of Brendan and the realities that make the legend probably true)
Leif Erickson (circa 1000)
D’Aulaire, Ingri and Edgar Parin – Leif the Lucky (long picture book about Leif Erickson, his infamous father and Leif”s discovery and attempted colonization of Vinland – now believed to be Newfoundland
Mason, Antony – If You Were There: Viking Times (great pictorial non-fiction about the Vikings, including a great section on the Viking’s attempts to colonize the New World 500 years before Columbus).
Christopher Columbus (1492)
Conrad, Pam – Pedro’s Journal: A Voyage with Christopher Columbus August 3, 1492 – February 14, 1493 (chapter book, historical fiction)
D’Aulaire, Ingri and Edgar Parin – Columbus (beautiful illustrations and story-like text make this a classic overview of Columbus’ life.
Foster, Genevieve – 1492: Year of Columbus (this is a book that sets the background for the era of Columbus – great thinkers, scientists, artists born and active during Columbus’ time)
Maestro, Betsy & Giulio – Exploration and Conquest: The Americas after Columbus: 1500-1620 (a great overview of the other explorers and conquest folks – but a tad pc about the poor native folks who were dislodged with very little credence given to why some of the practices of the natives were not right [human sacrifices, etc])
Sis, Peter – Follow the Dream: the Story of Christopher Columbus (a beautiful telling of Columbus’ life from a writer/illustrator who left the Iron Curtain to come to the “new world”)

Magnificent Voyage of Christopher Columbus (DVD from WGBH – PBS: excellent with lots of great detail while also showing a recreation of the first voyage)

Early Colonization (Spanish, French and Dutch) – (1500-1599):

Baker, Robert J. (Bishop) – Cacique: A Novel of Florida’s Heroic Mission History – a fabulous historical fiction novel about the Franciscan missionaries in northern Florida and why it took so long to find a trace of their work. This is written by a Catholic Bishop, Bishop Baker of Birmingham, who was a high school history teacher and was there in the late 1980s when the first traces of the Spanish missions throughout northern Florida were unearthed.

National Treasure 2 (Disney movie) – using the same “treasure hunters” from National Treasure, this one s a search for the Cibola, one of the Seven Cities of Gold of early-American legend. This was the city the Spanish tried to find in their explorations into America. Interesting story and good background information.

Colonization (1600-1776)

American Girls Collection – Welcome to Felicity’s World: 1774 Growing Up in Colonial America (beautifully done book with lots of facts, pictures and information covering the 1770s in the colonies, with a special focus on Williamsburg).
Bulla, Clyde Robert – Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims (a short chapter-book – we read it in one sitting – a fictionalized telling of the story of a Patuxet Indian youth who befriends the first British explorers, goes to England on the big sail boat and learns English while living in London, comes back to the Patuxets only to be kidnapped for the Spanish slave market but eventually gets back. GREAT story that really had mine listening and engaged!)
Bulla, Clyde Robert – John Billington: Friend of Squanto (a short chapter book – we read it in one sitting – telling the story of John Billington, a young passenger aboard the Mayflower who is always getting into trouble; he befriends Squanto once the Pilgrims begin setting up the community in Plymouth).
Chorao, Kay – D is for Drums: A Colonial Williamsburg ABC (a beautifully drawn picture book that gives colonial terms/words for each letter; the pictures are fun to look at and try to determine what is what).
Fritz, Jean – The Double Life of Pocahontas (chapter book, historical fiction but drags and is not as exciting or interesting as the Pocahontas video described below)
Fritz, Jean – Who’s That Stepping on Plymouth Rock? (long picture book about the truth behind Plymouth Rock and the need to make it a symbol of independence during the American revolution. Very good story and readable in about 20 minutes).
Goor, Ron and Nancy – Williamsburg: Cradle of the Revolution ( chapter book of the history of Williamsburg, it’s part in the Revolution, and what it looks like now as “Colonial Williamsburg”).
Harness, Cheryl – Our Colonial Year (cute picture book about normal colonial kids and what they would do each month of the year. The folk-art illustrations are fun to delve into deeper while the short verses for each month are succinct, yet explain volumes about life in early America.)
Jackson, Shirley – The Witchcraft of Salem Village (chapter book, fictionalized account based on the Salem Witch trials where girls in the small Puritan village blame three women in town of witchcraft)
Karwoski, Gail – Surviving Jamestown: The Adventures of Young Sam Collier (chapter book, historical fiction of John Smith’s page between 1606-1609 when the colonies were just starting out)
Lawrence, Isabelle – A Spy in Williamsburg (chapter book, fictionalized account of life in Williamsburg just prior to the revolution; Patrick Henry, Peyton Randolph and Thomas Jefferson are figures woven into the story).
Maestro, Betsy & Giulio – The Americans: Colonial Times (1620-1689) – great overview of who was establishing colonies and where. Includes the rising tensions between the Native Americans and the various Europeans coming to settle: Spanish in the south, English on the Atlantic seaboard, Dutch and Swedish in the Mid-Atlantic, French in the North and West. Also discusses WHY the colonists were coming – religious freedom, land, agriculture, fur trade. Briefly mentions the impact of the Catholic missionaries in finding and mapping the west (from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Coast).
Maestro, Besty & Giulio – Struggle for a Continent: The French and Indian Wars (1689-1763) – great (if a bit boring) overview of the myriad of battles and wars fought between the French and the British as each country pushes others out in the colonization effort; also, book points out that often wars “at home” encouraged fighting in outlying colonies/settlements to beleaguer the enemy that much more. This is an important 70 years or so that is often glossed over; as is the fact that France was controlling the New World areas to ensure uninterrupted fur trade, while England was sending “troublemakers” to settle, live and prosper in the New World.
Speare, Elizabeth George – The Witch of Blackbird Pond (chapter book, historical fiction of life in 1687-88 Connecticut with the strict Puritans)
Waters, Kate (photographs by Russ Kendall) – Mary Geddy’s Day: A Colonial Girl in Williamsburg (long picture book about “a day in the life” of a little girl; excellent photos that show how different things were).

Felicity: An American Girl Adventure American Girls Collection (dvd compilation of the American Girl “Felicity” books; good overview of Williamsburg and life for an upper middle class family on the brink of revolution).
Pocahontas Revealed: Science Examines an American Legend (Nova dvd) – archaelogical evidence, scientific research and tribal lore mix to retell the true story about Powhatan’s favorite daughter and John Smith savior, Pocahontas.

American Revolution (1776-1783)

Allen, Thomas B. -- George Washington, Spymaster: How the Americans Outspied the British and Won the Revolutionary War is a great chapter book (or read-aloud) that talks about all the covert activities (on both sides) developed or honed during the American Revolution. Very cool and lots of great rabbit trails for code-making, invisible ink and other fun topics.
Forbes, Esther – Johnny Tremain: A Story of Boston in Revolt is a wonderful glimpse at colonial life just before and during the revolution. Johnny is a silversmith apprentice who gets involved with helping the revolution along.
Fritz, Jean – And then what happened, Paul Revere? (a great short read-aloud about the life of Paul Revere, his famous ride and his last years)
Fritz, Jean – What’s the Big Idea Ben Franklin? (overview of Ben’s life with lots of details about his experiments, eccentricities and environment)
Fritz, Jean – Will You Sign Here, John Hancock? (interesting biography of the most noticeable name on the Declaration of Independence; Hancock is portrayed as being amazingly self-centered and always seeking vainglory)
Fritz, Jean – Can’t You Make Them Behave, King George? (a great short read-aloud about King George III’s life and why he was so tenacious about the colonies)
Fritz, Jean – George Washington’s Breakfast (an inquisitive little boy named after the first President wonders what GW ate for breakfast – interesting linking of facts about GW and the how and why to seek information)
Fritz, Jean – Where was Patrick Henry on the 29th of May? (biography of Patrick Henry’s life and what was happening on his birthday throughout American history – very readable and enjoyable)
Fritz, Jean – Why Don’t You Get a Horse, Sam Adams? (biography of Sam Adams who never rode a horse so he could harangue people he met about the Brits and how America needed to stand up to England; very interesting twist for why he finally deigns to ride a horse)
Fritz, Jean – Shhh! We’re Writing the Constitution (drier than most Fritz books, this one covers the in-fighting and arguments leading up to the writing of the Constitution; goes into which states ratified and which didn’t
Harness, Cheryl – George Washington (longer picture book that tells great and interesting facts about the 1st president; lots of great information and details that include his great love for Martha and his duty and honor.)
Harness, Cheryl – The Revolutionary John Adams (longer picture book that tells great and interesting facts about this 2nd president of the United States. Excellent illustrations, information and fun to read!).
Harness, Cheryl – Thomas Jefferson (longer picture book that tells the background of Jefferson’s life from birth to death. Very interesting with great pictures and fun facts on this 3rd president of the United States.
Maestro, Betsy & Giulio – Liberty or Death: The American Revolution 1763-1783 (longer than a picture book, this is a great overview of the skirmishes and battles that added up to the American Revolution … from the “shot heard round the world” to the surrender at Yorktown. This is a great overview with lots of detailed maps and information about all the players in this pivotal world-event.)
Ransom, Candice – Time Spies: Secret in the Tower is a third or fourth grade reading level chapter book that tells the story of three siblings who go back in time to help deliver an important message to George Washington at the Battle of Yorktown. This is a cute story that reads well and gives some great information. At the end of the book, the author encourages the reader to try out invisible ink and code writing. Very fun story!
Schanzer, Rosalyn – George vs George: The American Revolution as seen from both sides (longer-than-a-picture book explanation of the war, and what led up to it and what happened after, from both the British view and the American view. The taxes don’t seem so unreasonable when explained from the British side!)

Benedict Arnold: A Question of Honor (A&E original dvd) – points out the problem Arnold had with pride (and a bit of a chip on his shoulder) as the reason for his switching sides during the Revolution. Kelsey Grammer does a great job as George Washington … once Arnold’s mentor then his enemy.
Founding Brothers: Vol 1 and Vol 2 (History Channel dvd) – the wheelings and dealings and personalities of America’s founding fathers featuring Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Hamilton and others. Excellent series!
John & Abigail Adams (PBS dvd) – part movie, part documentary, this DVD does a great job of showing the public and private side of the Adamses … from pre-Revolution through the early years of the new Country. Excellent!
Johnny Tremain (Disney) – although not as good as the book, this movie does a good job of showing just what the Sons of Liberty did to help encourage our nation’s independence. This is a classic when Disney was still trying to stay pretty close to the original story. A favorite around here although the “Liberty Tree” song will be on your lips for many weeks after watching!
Liberty Kids (PBS dvd) – series of animated adventures with three kids and a free-Black man who all work for Ben Franklin’s newspaper; they report on all the events leading up to and thru the revolution. Very well done with some amazing voices (incl Walter Cronkite as Franklin and Dustin Hoffman as Benedict Arnold).
National Treasure (Disney dvd) – a fictionalized account using the legend that many of the Nation’s founders were Masons and thus privy to the hiding of the amassed treasure; a great, Indiana Jones-type movie (without the sex and not too much violence) that tells a great story, linking bits of American history of the late 1700s.
Rebels and Redcoats: How Britain Lost America (PBS dvd) – a British military historian (Richard Holmes) gives a very different view of the American Revolution – that from the British view. Many of the “sacred cows” of the Revolution (George Washington, especially) get short shrift during this interesting four-part mini-series. Definitely something to watch to encourage discussion and to debate some of the realities of the Revolution.
Saving the National Treasures (NOVA dvd) – great documentary about the restoration/preserving processes needed to keep the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and the Bill of Rights viewable but safe for centuries. Lots of great historical details of why, how and when these were written.

A New Nation Begins (1783-1860s)

Aliki – The Story of Johnny Appleseed is a long picture book that is steeped in the legends of Johnny Appleseed. This makes a great read with the Swain book described below.
American Girls Collection – Welcome to Josefina’s World, 1824: Growing Up on America’s Southwest Frontier is a great resource for understanding the establishment of the Southwest. This book covers Spanish, Mexican and American governance of the area in and around current Santa Fe, New Mexico. Also discussion of the Santa Fe Trail. Great overview of customs, traditions, ways of life, etc. Really fun!
Blumberg, Rhoda – What’s the Deal? Jefferson, Napoleon, and the Louisiana Purchase – chapter book that covers the many sides of how America bought the center of the country from the French. Goes into great detail about the European influences, Jefferson’s desire to push West at all costs, and information about the other important players. Very well illustrated too.
Broyles, Anne – Priscillia and the Hollyhocks (1830s) – a beautiful picture book that tells the true story a young girl who is sold from slavery on a white man’s plantation, to slavery on a Cherokee indian’s plantation, walks with the Cherokee family on the Trail of Tears, and is adopted by a white family in Illinois who bring her home to join the other 15 kids adopted by this childless couple. A wonderful, uplifting story with the recurring theme of planting hollyhocks wherever Priscilla goes.
Buckey, Sarah Masters – The Smuggler’s Treasure (American Girl History Mysteries) – this is a great read-aloud (for both boys and girls) about life in 1814’s New Orleans with pirates and British impacting the lives of the multicultural citizenry. This gives a great view of life back then. At the end of the book, there is a four-page synopsis of society of the early 1800s. Great story!
Coatsworth, Elizabeth – The Sally series (1790s Maine) – this is a delightful read-aloud series (five books in all) that explain the life of a spunky orphan, her three aunts and two uncles and their travels from Massachusetts to the “wilds” of Maine, on to France and the Barbary Coast, and then back to Maine. The series spans about 6-8 years, with great adventure, wonderful rabbit trails (French Revolution, vendues, pirates and sultans, Muslim faith, etc), and a great family story. Wonderful background to this little-taught time.

1. Away Goes Sally
2. Five Bushel Farm
3. The Fair American
4. The White Horse
5. The Wonderful Day

Cornelissen, Cornelia – Soft Rain: A story of the Cherokee Trail of Tears (1838) – this is a wonderful chapter book that tells the story of Soft Rain and her family as they leave their home in North Carolina and travel all the way to Oklahoma. It’s a well-told story that follows Soft Rain through sadness, hunger, sickness, terror and help from some whites. The author’s great-grandfather walked the “trail” when he was 10!
Fischer, Laura – Life on the Trail of Tears (1838) – good overview of the Cherokee nation and their forced emigration from the Southeastern states to Oklahoma. A bit hard on the government and the whites, but still a good overview, I just had to say “well, I’m sure there were some in the government who thought this was a good idea” and “some of the settlers probably helped the Cherokees” …
Harness, Cheryl – The Amazing Impossible Erie Canal is a wonderful picture book about the politics, engineering and economics behind the building of the Canal. This canal, at the time, was the longest, built in the shortest amount of time, with the least amount of money in the World! In less than 60 years, the revenues from the canal were three times the cost of building ($7 million+).
Krensky, Stephen – Sisters of Scituate Light tells the story (and is beautifully illustrated by Stacey Schuett) of the daughters of the lighthouse keeper who in September 1814 trick the British into believing that an American military force is camped on Scituate Island. Very fun book!
Lunn, Janet – Laura Secord: A Story of Courage – this is a great short chapter book that tells the story of a brave Canadian woman who goes to great lengths to warn a British officer of a surprise attack from the Americans. This is an interesting story as you get the War of 1812 from the Canadian viewpoint. The pictures are beautifully drawn by Maxwell Newhouse.
Maestro, Betsy & Giulio – A More Perfect Union: The Story of Our Constitution – longer picture book detailing the process of why we needed a constitution and how it came about. Disappointing as there weren’t as many facts interwoven through the text as with other Maestro books, but good overview.
McCully, Emily Arnold – The Battle for St. Michaels – cute “I can read” chapter book about the legendary pirate trick a small town in Maryland plays on the British soldiers who come to burn their town in the first year of the War of 1812. Includes mention of the raid on Parrott’s Point, MD when hundreds of British soldiers landed and fled from the cannon protecting St. Michaels.
Meader, Stepher – Who Rides in the Dark? – a chapter book, historical fiction about the 1830s “stagecoach days” in New Hampshire. This book follows a young man who ends up working at a tavern along the stage route in post-Revolutionary New Hampshire. Wonderfully full of action and adventure and a bit of suspense.
Mitchell, Barbara – Cornstalks and Cannonballs – a slightly long picture book that tells the historic tale of how a small town in Delaware (Lewes) fooled the British very early in the War of 1812. A great story, with gorgeous blue-ink sketches to illustrate (by Karen Ritz) that made the kids proud to be Americans!
Quackenbush, Robert – James Madison & Dolley Madison and Their Times – quick read-aloud overview of the Madisons and their many contributions to the new United States.
Quackenbush, Robert – Who Let Muddy Boots into the White House? A Story of Andrew Jackson is a great quick read-aloud about the 7th president of the United States – the first born in a log cabin, unrefined and soldier. Well done!
Ransom, Candice – Time Spies: Flames in the City (A Tale of the War of 1812) – a great read-aloud story that has a three modern siblings who travel back in time to help Dolley and James Madison during the burning of Washington in August 1814. These are fun to read chapter-books that give great information about this era.
Rubel, David – The United States in the 19th Century is a great resource that shows the development of politics, society, arts & entertainment and science & technology during the amazing 1800s. With a brand-new country at the beginning and an established world-power by the end, the 19th century is really a fascinating 100 years! This breaks into snippets the events … great for rabbit trails or “strewing”.
Smith-Baranzini, Marlene – Brown Paper School USKids History: Book of the New American Nation. We used this as our spine for the time between the revolution and doing an expansion/pioneer unit. This book is full of lots of information, based on diaries, letters and other contemporaneous information. Additionally, has great ideas for activities and games to help the kids “own” the history!
Stein, R. Conrad – The Story of the Burning of Washington (Cornerstones of Freedom) – a long picture book that tells of the folly of the Americans and the professionalism of the British. Ends on an upbeat note with the battle at Fort McHenry and Francis Scott Key’s writing of the National Anthem.
Stromberg, Joan – Kat Finds a Friend: A St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Story – great chapter book story about the Walters family (related to the author) that befriends the newly established Sisters of Charity in Emmitsburg, MD. Wonderful story and background on this wonderful American saint and her work.
Swain, Gwenyth – Johnny Appleseed – a great easy chapter book that gives mostly facts (and just a hint of legendary tales) about John Chapman and his spreading of apple trees and the Bible. This is great for clearing up some of the folk tales about this real American who lived from 1774-1845.
Venezia, Mike – James Monroe: Fifth President – quick overview of Monroe’s life; not much on his early life but good overview of his military life with Washington and then his political life later.
Weintraub, Aileen – Jean Lafitte: Pirate-Hero of the War of 1812 – short chapter book (with large type and illustratons) that tells the story of Jean Lafitte and how he helped the Americans during the War of 1812 (including during the Battle of New Orleans). My boys REALLY liked this one!

Adams Chronicles (DVD) – a PBS mini-series from the 70s, this does a great job of giving the story of the Adams family – from John Adams (2nd president), to John Quincy Adams (6th president), and the other generations who went on to politics, academia and industrialization. What a family!
Andrew Jackson: Good, Evil and the Presidency (PBS Home Video) – excellent overview of Old Hickory’s life before, during and after the presidency.
Santa Fe Trail (DVD) – classic B/W movie (starring Erroll Flynn, Ronald Reagan, Ward Bond, Ray Milland and others) that covers from 1854 (and the results of the Kansas-Nebraska Act) thru to John Brown’s actions and his ultimate capture and hanging. Really great story showing just how many of the famous generals (on both sides) in the Civil War were good friends and allies during this turbulent time just before Civil War!

Expansion/Pioneer Days (1865-1900):

MacLachlan, Patricia -- Sarah, Plain and Tall tells the story of mail-order bride Sarah's trip from Maine to Kansas to marry widower Jacob and help raise his two children, Anna and Caleb. Narrated by Anna, this is a wonderful story of love and family.
MacLachlan, Patricia -- Skylark tells the story of drought-ridden Kansas and Sarah's trip back to Maine with Anna and Caleb to meet the "aunts". Narrated by Anna, this is a wonderful story of loyalty and staying together through any calamity.
MacLachlan, Patricia -- Caleb's Story tells the story the expansion of the Witting family with the arrival of a long-lost relative. Told through the eyes of Caleb, this is the longest of the books and has the most depth (I think, anyway!).
MacLachlan, Patricia -- More Perfect than the Moon tells the story of a new arrival, "more perfect than the moon" and Cassie's fear of the whole event! Told through the eyes of eight-year-old Cassie, this is a wonderful story about fear (from a child's viewpoint) of adding a baby to a family that is perfectly happy without the "terrible baby".
MacLachlan, Patricia -- Grandfather's Dance tells the story of family reunions and life and death as the Wittings celebrate Anna's wedding and Grandfather's dying. Again, told through Cassie's eyes, this is a beautiful story of life going on, of the importance of family and of the naturalness of death.
Wilder, Laura Ingalls – Farmer Boy tells the story of Almanzo Wilder’s upbringing in post-Civil War New York on a farm. Excellent descriptions of life for 10 year old boys during this period.

WWI (1915-1919)
North, Sterling – Rascal is an excellent chapter book fictionalized account of North’s 11th and 12th years in a small-town in southern Wisconsin. He finds a raccoon kit and names him Rascal. This is a great real book on life in the United States during WWI, including a brother off fighting in the “war to end all wars”, deprivations brought about by the war, and life in pre-Depression America.

Depression (1929-1940)
Kit Kittredge: An American Girl – a wonderful movie showing a family heavily impacted by the Depression. Good coverage of the hoboes and their code, belt-tightening and families in disarray. Abigail Breslin does a great job as Kit – not too sweet and not to acerbic!
The Waltons (DVD, television show) – wonderful show detailing the lives of a family living in the Shenandoah mountains of Virginia during the depths of the Depression. Great view of coping with the tightness of monies, the need to take jobs away from home, paying for college, the FDR government programs, sitting around listening to the radio, and more. We love this series and watch them every summer! A great way to supplement study of this era in American History as well as show a part of very rural life.

1. The Homecoming: A Christmas Story – the series “pilot”; Patricia Neal plays the mom and Edgar Bergen plays “grandpa”.
2. The Complete First Season
3. The Complete Second Season
4. The Complete Third Season
5. The Complete Fourth Season
6. The Complete Fifth Season – war is looming as the Waltons head off their mountain and into the big cities.

World War 2 (1940-1945)

I’ll Remember April – great “boy movie” about life on the homefront with a twist. Life in a Southern California town is disrupted by reports of Japanese invasions, interment of Japanese-American citizens and sons injured in war. The boys really like this one (although so do the girls).
Molly: An American Girl on the Home Front – overview of the war and its impact on a family in middle America. How a 10-year-old copes with the deprivations of war from lack of ice cream to her dad being lost in action.

Modern Times (1945-present)

Apollo 13 (DVD) – this is an excellent dramatization of the events leading up to and including the ill-fated Apollo 13 voyage of 1970. This is an amazingly tense and dramatic movie and well-worth the time to see. There is one scene early on that is a bit inappropriate (one of the astronauts is a bachelor and has “a girl in every port”) but otherwise it is just tense drama. The DVD has very interesting “bonus” material.

Movie Night: Believe in Me

We love sports movies around here.

Y'know the ones like Miracle where the underdog US Hockey team succeeds because of the awe-inspiring coaching ... or Rudy, where the star does whatever he needs to get to Notre Dame to play football ... We Are Marshall where the football team is killed in a plane wreck and a brand-new, untried coach needs to step up and re-build the morale of the team and the school ... or Radio where the team gets a new assistant "coach" who they first abused ... or movies like Glory Road or Remember the Titans -- both movies about racial inequalities righted on the playing field ... or The Rookie where Patrick Swayze Dennis Quaid (!) plays the oldest rookie ever to play in a major league baseball game. These are fabulous -- especially for family movie night -- movies that show that right prevails, that the underdog can win, that faith and love are 9/10ths of winning. And these are all based on true stories. And these are all movies dealing with different sports at the professional, college and high school levels.

Well, tonight we watched such a movie ... but this one has a bit of a twist. Believe in Me is about a small town high school in Oklahoma. A small town high school where the girls' basketball team is nothing ... gets only the boys' hand-me-downs and little funding ... gets only left-over coaches. That is until Coach "Driscoll" (real-life coach's name is Jim Keith) ... a man who thought he would head-coach the boys but gets "stuck" with the girls ... and leads them to succeed. This is a great underdog wins type of movie ... a great, spirit is more important than funding type of movie ... a great dedication brings success type of movie. Don't forget to watch thru the credits as there is an interesting bit at the very beginning ....

Staring Bruce Dern as the bad "this is my town" character, Jeffrey Donovan as the Coach and Samantha Mathis as his wife, this movie far exceeded our expectations. Check any of these out (and pardon the language in some -- these are better for kids who know better than to direct-quote a movie!) and you'll enjoy a great family move night!

End of the year activities: field trip

We are winding down our "formal" home-schooling this week -- with Kotch done (graduation on June 1st), dh almost done, the weather turning hot and the pool opening, summer is upon us with a vengeance! Add to these influences, the need to sort/toss/pack/move before the end of June ... well, formal schooling needs to slow up (altho we NEVER stop living, loving and learning).

So, whenever we're nearing the "end" , I try to plan fun things that mark the end, giving a bit of "closure" ...

For instance, yesterday we went on a field trip to see the movie, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. We loved it! We love the first one and watch it often; that said, I think this sequel is even better in most ways. Ben Stiller's character, Larry Dailey, is not quite so pitiful and shows great loyalty and love for others (this was missing a bit in the original). There is none of the first-movie's family issues that try to seem so politically-correct and just end up looking sad from all sides. Robin Williams returns as two different Teddy Roosevelts -- but thankfully has a smaller role than in the first as a little bit of RW goes a long way. Jedediah and Octavius are back and just as well-done as in the original movie while Capuchin monkey, Dexter, has great competition from space-monkey Able!

Amy Adams is great as a young Amelia Earhart -- very moxie-filled -- altho as String Bean (an Earhart afficianado) pointed out: AE was in her 30s when she really started flying and disappeared at the age of 40, so Adams' portrayal is a bit young for the gutsy aviatrix.

Of course the plot is hokey ... and far-fetched ... and absolutely unbelievable ... but that's the fun! Having been to all the places shown in the movie -- Air & Space, Castle, even the Lincoln Memorial -- made the movie even more fun for the kids and I. We've seen those paintings and sculptures that come alive ... we've stood in front of Abe and looked down the Reflecting Pool to the Washington Monument (and he is BIGGGGGG!) ... the kids have even been on the South Lawn of the White House (altho Octavius' venture was a slightly different experience than their own).

The bad guys are led by Akmunrah's evil, older brother Kahmunrah (played really well by Hank Azaria) and include Napoleon, Ivan the Terrible (or rather, Ivan the Awesome!), and Al Capone. There is a great scene when bad-boy muppet Oscar the Grouch and Darth Vader try to join the bad guys but are summarily dismissed. The final battle scence -- good vs bad, Custer vs Napoleon -- is great fun (but a bit over the top destructive). Some of the gags the kids didn't get -- like the Archie Bunker "throne" comment (yes, I remember that show!).

The Smithsonian -- comprised of 19 museums around the Mall (and outlying areas) -- holds such wonderful delights and this movie points out many of them. The Air&Space sequences -- with the Tuskegee Airmen and bobble-headed Einsteins -- remind the kids just how much we love that particular museum. The pictures coming alive in the National Gallery of Art (not a Smithsonian museum but located right in the midst of them) remind the kids of the great art available seven days a week in the Nation's Capital.

The ending is a great twist (maybe a bit predictable but still good) and makes me wish we lived closer to the NY Natural History museum (especially if this movie was real instead of just escapist fantasy)!

This field trip was a memory-making, reminiscence-remembering, family outing that we'll chuckle over for a long time. And reminded us all that we've haven't been to the DC museums in a while -- sounds like another field trip is in store for this weekend so dh can join in our ramblings round the Mall!

Feast Day: St. Patrick's Day ...

St. Patrick's Prayer, also known as, "St. Patrick's Breastplate"

I arise today

Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,

Through the belief in the threeness,

Through the confession of the oneness

Of the Creator of Creation.
I arise today

Through the strength of Christ's birth with his baptism,

Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial,

Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension,

Through the strength of his descent for the Judgment Day.
I arise today

Through the strength of the love of Cherubim,

In obedience of angels,

In the service of archangels,

In hope of resurrection to meet with reward,

In prayers of patriarchs,

In predictions of prophets,

In preaching of apostles,

In faith of confessors,

In innocence of holy virgins,

In deeds of righteous men.
I arise today

Through the strength of heaven:

Light of sun,Radiance of moon,Splendor of fire,

Speed of lightning,Swiftness of wind,Depth of sea,

Stability of earth,Firmness of rock.
I arise today

Through God's strength to pilot me:

God's might to uphold me,

God's wisdom to guide me,

God's eye to look before me,

God's ear to hear me,

God's word to speak for me,

God's hand to guard me,

God's way to lie before me,

God's shield to protect me,

God's host to save me

From snares of demons,

From temptations of vices,

From everyone who shall wish me ill,

Afar and anear,

Alone and in multitude.
I summon today all these powers between me and those evils,

Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul,

Against incantations of false prophets,

Against black laws of pagandom

Against false laws of heretics,

Against craft of idolatry,

Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,

Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul.
Christ to shield me today

Against poison,

against burning,

Against drowning,

against wounding,

So that there may come to me abundance of reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,Christ on my right, Christ on my left,Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,

Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.
I arise today

Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,

Through belief in the threeness,Through confession of the oneness,Of the Creator of Creation

Amen!

Happy St. Patrick's Day to you all .... we've actually been enjoying the great Saint's feast for the past few days. We started Saturday with:

the parade in Manassas.

And, man, was it cold for March 14th (somewhere round about hi-30s)!

The Young Marines marched and looked wonderful -- LegoManiac, being one of the height-challenged boys, is in the very back of the group, but he didn't mind one bit!

We also watched the others prance, dance and drive past: Irish dancers, wolfhounds and even

the good Saint himself!

We then came home (mostly to warm up!) and the kids watched one of their favorite Irish movies, The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns, a classic story of the big bad American coming to Ireland to capitalize on the pristine beauty only to find more than he bargained for! Great stuff. They followed that with Darby O'Gill (a classic when I was little; that young Sean Connery is a joy to behold). Tonight, they'll watch The Quiet Man, while I head out for a theology lecture at dh's high school.

For dinner, I'm making this amazing Irish Beef and Guiness Stew from Jessica on Catholic Cuisine. If the smell is any indicator, this stuff is going to be great! I've also made two loaves of cranberry soda bread that is always a big hit and with a salad, we should have a really great meal.

We've also been talking lots about the saint and what he did to help spread the gospel throughout Ireland. Much of his life is shaded in myth, but there are bits that are true -- primarily that he evangelized the faith to a country that stayed Catholic through the Reformation and beyond, bringing their strong faith to the new world as they emigrated from their homeland! It's said that on St. Patrick's Day, everyone is Irish -- but we truly are and we're very proud of that fact!

================================================

Recipes:

Irish Beef and Guiness Stew (Jessica on Catholic Cuisine)

Ingredients:
· 2 pounds lean beef stew meat
· 3 tbs vegetable oil, divided
· 2 tbs all-purpose flour
· salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
· 1 pinch cayenne pepper
· 2 large onions, chopped
· 1 clove garlic, crushed
· 2 tbs tomato paste
· 1 1/2 cups Guiness stout beer (or other Irish Stout)
· 2 cups carrot, cut into chunks
· 1 sprig fresh thyme
· 1 tbs fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Directions:Trim the meat of any fat, cut into 2 inch cubes, and toss them in a bowl with 1 tbs of the vegetable oil. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, salt, pepper, and a pinch of cayenne. Toss the meat in the mixture to coat.Heat the remaining oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef, and brown on all sides. Add the onions and crushed garlic. Stir the tomato paste into a small amount of water (to dilute); pour into the pan, stir to blend, cover and cook gently (reduce heat if necessary) for about 5 minutes. Pour 1/2 cup of the beer into the pan, and as it begins to boil, scrape any bits of food from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. This adds a lot of flavor to the broth. Pour in the rest of the beer, and add the carrots and thyme. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley.Yields: Six to Eight Servings

[NOTE: I added 3 potatoes, cleaned and chopped up as what's Irish Stew without potatoes!]

Cranberry Soda Bread -- If you're not already a fan of soda bread, you will be after you've tried this variation. To achieve the right texture, you should cool it before serving.

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup dried sweetened cranberries

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a large baking sheet and dust it with cornmeal. Measure the oats into a bowl, then stir in the buttermilk, honey, and oil. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and make a well in the middle. Pour the liquid into it and stir briskly with a wooden spoon until the dough pulls together in a shaggy mass. Let the dough rest for 3 minutes. Turn it onto a floured surface and gently knead the dough for about 30 seconds. Next, divide it in half and form each half into a football shape with rounded ends. Place the loaves on the baking sheet with plenty of room between them and cut a shallow slit down the center of each. Bake the bread for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375 degrees and bake another 25 minutes, or until the loaves are golden and crusty and the bottoms sound hollow when tapped. Cool before serving. Makes 2 loaves.

Christmas: on the fifth day of Christmas ...

... my true love gave to me ... morning Mass with our favorite priest ... an afternoon of "gadding about" with my teen while he and the littles played "Santa's workshop" by getting the doll club-house/Nativity stable all sanded, glued and nailed to the base ready for painting. BamBam is sanding the front ...

while LegoManiac shows the back "barn door" to allow easy access and give a "stable look" when we use this for our Nativity next year.

Yes, this project is big -- the base board is 2-feet x 3-feet and the height is just over 30-inches but isn't it marvelous? The girls (Kotch and I and maybe StringBean too) will do the painting ... barn red for the exterior and green (darkened slightly with some black) for the roof. We'll then put felt pads on the bottom corners (to protect surfaces and to allow a 1/4" lip to help with lifting and moving from spot to spot). Will post pictures of the final!

And to top off this wonderful day, and since it is the Feast of St. Thomas a Becket, the man killed through the misuse of monarchial power, our family movie: the classic Becket with Peter O'Toole as the despotic Henry II and Richard Burton as the reformed Thomas Becket. What a great movie!

Hope you had as good a Fifth Day of Christmas!

St. Thomas a Becket, pray for us!

What Should We Do Today

Our home-education adventure is a very eclectic mix of classical, work-booky, Charlotte Mason-ish, Waldorfian, unschooling events. We tend to go with the flow and work in the rhythm from the kids for each day. If someone has a rabbit trail he/she wants to traverse, we all join in. If we're particularly hyperactive, that may be a good day for workbooks or outdoor field trip. With home-education, the school day and what we learn in it is up to us.

Today, BamBam was feeling a bit under-the-weather -- could, of course, be caused by the fact that yesterday it was in the 60s and today in the low 40s! He complained of a headache and was congested from the moment he got up.

So ... being the hs mom that I am, I quickly changed our schedule for the day and after taking Kotch and carpool to school, we came straight home and began a read-aloud. I figured we'd read for a bit and once BamBam fell asleep, we'd turn to other activities.

Boy was I wrong!

We start The Tale of Despereaux -- a book I'd put aside a few years ago as silly and not worth reading. But, on the advice of dear online friend Maureen, I figured it could be a good read-aloud in our slower Advent time. WOWWWWWW! was Maureen's analysis right.

We started this book this morning and just finished it ... yep, with stopping to pickup carpool and dh ... with a break for dinner and other incidentals (like clean-up), we read this whole 250+page book today.

And it really is a great story ... lots of blood and guts and grossness to keep the young boys interested ... a bit of a love story for the girls and a great moral that weaves its way through DiCamillo (author of Because of Winn-Dixie and other novels that are equally well-written). The characters are wonderfully drawn by DiCamillo's pen while the story is makes you want to keep reading for "what next ..."

The movie based on this book comes out on Friday. Looks like we'll be heading to the movies over our Christmas Break!

Review: Noelle .... a different point of view

Review: Noelle, the Movie

My husband and I went and saw this movie tonight [eta: last night, actually], in spite of (and maybe, because of) all the controversy that has recently been stirred up by this movie, particularly based on the Catholic League’s review of this movie. [I have yet to see any other Catholic voice review this movie; the closest was an interview in Catholic Digest, but that was not a review of the movie.]

Before I start this review, please let me say that I respect Bill Donohue and the Catholic League and all that they do to protect Catholics and Catholicism in the current American-secular climate. Based on their review of Noelle, we weren’t going to go see it … but cooler heads prevailed and we went to ensure that my husband would be able to address questions from his Catholic high school theology students.

For this review, I’ll quote directly from the December 3rd Catholic League review.

First, the Catholic League titles their review “CATHOLICISM TARRED BY CHRISTIAN FILM”. The movie we watched didn’t “tar” Catholicism. This title alone sets up an animosity that doesn’t make sense after having viewed the movie. This title sets up the preconception that somehow Gener8xion Entertainment, and the Walls and everyone else who had anything to do with this movie have a malignant intent to “dis” Catholicism. If anything, the writers, directors and actors are culpable of benign ignorance in the mistakes they make in this film – Catholic League paints it as malignant.

The Catholic League review continues:

In the synopsis provided by Gener8Xion, it accurately describes Jonathan
Keene as ‘a young Catholic priest seemingly devoid of genuine human emotion’;
his job is ‘to do what he does best: shut down a failing parish.’ Then there is
‘the child-like Fr. Simeon Joyce, a faithful but disillusioned priest who
blatantly disregards church regulations, uses church monies to pay an old
fisherman’s medical bills and spends most of his time drinking at the local
pub.’ Both priests are portrayed as losers.

Yes, Fr. Keene is a priest devoid of human emotion. He is almost an automaton character who shies from human contact and human conflict. His character is one of individualistic theology – he refuses to pray with Fr. Joyce as he says “prayer is a private thing”. And, yes, I’ve met priests over my Catholic life who appear similar to Fr. Keene. There is no mistake that this priest is a realistic characterization. I don’t think he was portrayed as a loser, but actually as more of a successful priest that confuses vocation with career in an almost corporate-sense. At one point, he tells Fr. Keene that putting on the live Nativity will bring the people back and the parish will be much more “profitable … uh, I mean productive.”

Fr. Joyce, on the other hand, is the antithesis of Fr. Keene – he loves his parish and parishioners and gives freely and completely of himself to help the parishioners. He LOVES being a priest and wants Fr. Keene to “believe” as he does. He most certainly is not portrayed as a “loser” but more as someone who thinks his battle is over and he has ALMOST lost but will give it “one more shot”. Yes, he gives parish money to help a fisherman who is very sick which is clearly against what a pastor should do; but Fr. Joyce is the kind of priest who thinks more of the people than the surroundings or the rules. Fr. Joyce’s mistake is in becoming too chummy with the parishioners and crossing the boundary between the pastor and his parish.

This movie shows two very different priests: the one who is too conscious of the job and not the vocation and the other who is just a bit too chummy with his townspeople, trying to get them to come back to the church. Both have problems, both are human, but neither are “losers”. Further, ALL priests are not one of these two “types”; just like all homeschoolers are different, all Catholics are different and all people are different – that’s the way God wants it.

The Catholic League review continues:

Viewers learn that the only reason Fr. Keene became a priest is because he
felt guilty about getting a girl pregnant when he was in college; to top things
off, he pressured her to have an abortion.

Yes, Fr. Keene probably does not have a true vocation. He mistakenly not only converts to Catholicism but also becomes a priest based on his guilt over encouraging his girlfriend to have an abortion. As Fr. Joyce points out though, “Being a priest is a privilege not a penance,” a statement that gets Fr. Keene thinking. Showing Fr. Keene as having an impediment to his vows opens the door for possible laicization … at least that’s the way I saw it.

The Catholic League:

Fr. Joyce, the alcoholic, has serious reservations about celibacy and his
idea of heaven is a jolly good Christmas party. Fr. Joyce tells Fr. Keene he
wants to marry a woman named Marjorie so he can help raise her illegitimate kid,
saying he ‘made a vow to God not to the Church.’

Fr. Joyce, the self-sacrificing priest, is not portrayed as an alcoholic but one who goes to the people in the pub to pastor his flock. He does drink but not necessarily to excess and I didn’t get the impression that he was an alcoholic but a priest who drinks with his parishioners as Jesus ate with tax collectors. I took Fr. Joyce’s decision to marry Marjorie as yet another act of self-sacrifice to help his parishioners – she was in trouble, he didn’t want her to abort the baby, so he decides that the only way to help her is to marry her. Fr. Joyce is in a very emotional state at this point – feeling let-down by his Church and vocation – and doesn’t realize the grave mortal sin he’d incur on himself should he leave the priesthood to marry Marjorie as he plainly has a priestly vocation. Nowhere does the movie imply that he is in love with Marjorie or WANTS to leave the priesthood. The “jolly good Christmas party” is because he finally sees his parishioners enjoying working on a Christmas play and he’s happy for them.

The Catholic League review continues:

But Fr. Keene, a first-class klutz, is also in love with the same woman: he
is shown bolting in the middle of Midnight Mass to be with her, knocking over a
filled chalice and ripping off his vestments.

Fr. Keene has been through a very emotional scene where his righteous anger for the corrupting of the innocent gets the better of him. Shortly after that, the movie shifts to Fr. Keene preparing for Midnight Mass and beginning to celebrate Mass. But the scene is one where you can’t determine if he is just starting the consecration or if Jesus is truly present in the body and blood. Reading this portion of the Catholic League review leads you to assume a scene where Mass is full of people, Fr. Keene “flips out”, leaves Mass, spilling the precious Body and Blood. This is not how this scene plays out. Fr. Keene is prepping for Midnight Mass that no one attends. Suddenly, as if the Holy Spirit told Fr. Keene that Marjorie was in trouble and needed help, Fr. Keene leaves the altar – but his spilling of the wine before the consecration would not be a trivialization of the consecration or the transubstantiation.

The Catholic League review concludes:

Throughout the film, confession is trivialized, celibacy is ridiculed, the
Virgin Mary is disrespected, nuns are belittled, last rites are mocked, and
priestly vocations are caricatured. In short, that which is uniquely Catholic is
trashed.

At this point, I’m not sure the Catholic League and I were watching the same movie.

· Confession is not trivialized but instead the confessional becomes a place of drama where the parishioners feel real remorse and come to confess that they haven’t been true to Fr. Joyce and have let him down. This humbling act is not “trivial”. When the grandmother confesses her hatred of her granddaughter’s seducer, she clearly wants to be absolved of this hatred. Fr. Keene, who is not “a people priest” as he himself explains, does not act appropriately in the confessional, but that’s his character.
· Celibacy is never ridiculed in the version I saw.
· The Blessed Mother is dealt with in Protestant terms or in terms for an unbeliever, which at this point is what Marjorie is. She doesn’t have the faith formation necessary to clearly understand the Catholic doctrine of virgin birth. She is also in highly emotional situation and not thinking clearly.
· When were nuns belittled? If the Catholic League means the scene where Marjorie says “so you can send the baby to a monastery where the nuns never wanted to be mothers”. I took this as Marjorie lashing out and trying to anger Fr. Keene.
· Last rites were not mocked, but Marjorie does make a joke as she tries to lighten the mood whilst recovering from having passed out and while she is in premature labor. How many women in the midst of labor contractions don’t make flippant remarks?

One of the last phrases in the review really got me:

It means nothing that the movie has a pro-life message.

I have to strongly disagree with this comment. I think it means everything that there is a strong pro-life message in this movie marketed to the secular and religious movie-goer. I think it’s very important that this movie shows the guilt the father feels when he talks his partner into an abortion … a guilt that can have life-long consequences, a guilt that is rarely portrayed (but rather, the illegitimate father is usually shown walking away with no feelings of remorse or guilt). I think it’s very important that Marjorie WANTS to keep her baby but doesn’t know how that is possible and feels pushed to abort but stops whenever she sees the priest. I think it’s very important that Fr. Joyce is willing to give up his own wishes, to lay down his life, to save his parishioner from committing a mortal sin.

I’m saddened that so many of my very good Catholic friends and colleagues want to take the Catholic League’s review and decide not to give this movie a chance. So much of the talk on-line about this movie has been so negative and yet no one had seen it. Judging without full knowledge is such a waste … and could cause movies like this one – that is trying to do the good – to flop whilst movies like The Golden Compass are box office hits.

Please understand that this review is MY opinion/interpretation of Noelle. It is far different from the Catholic League review. Your take on the movie may be somewhere in between the two reviews. But don’t just assume …. go see it yourself! I don't think I'd take younger children to see it, but teens and older could take away alot from this movie and be able to "talk to" some interesting questions.

Movies: Bella!

The feel good movie of the year!

Two thumbs way up for this one!

If you only see one movie this year, make it this one!

These rather trite movie review phrases can't do justice to the movie we saw last night.

At 8:00 p.m., we bundled the three littles, 16 yo Kotch, granmere and dh and I into the van to drive 45 minutes(!) to see this movie ... we got home 4 hours later much the better for the excursion!

Bella, which is an independent film with limited (or "select") distribution, opened this weekend here in the Front Range. Four theaters around the area are showing it. Check your area and see where it's playing -- you won't regret seeing this movie ... no matter the distance you have to go.

This movie celebrates life; not in the political pro-life vs pro-choice way but rather in embracing all forms of life:

• life as a gift from birth to death
• life as lived in a loving family
• life as lived in a work family
• life as lived by folks you may pass on the street and ignore
• life as lived, with all the upsets and changes and disappointments
• life as lived, yes, even in the heart of New York City by a blind street person
• life as lived with joy in spite of situations -- whether of our making or not

The film is rated PG-13 for the subject matter and a brief, and well-handled accident scene. It's too bad it has to have a rating at all .... EVERYONE should go see this one! The conversations that this will engender will be useful for all .... the teens at their lockers on Monday morning, the family around the dinner table on Sunday night, the adults at work ... in carpool line ... or blogging this weekend ...

Because, you see, this movie will speak to everyone in the audience differently ... dh saw it as a movie about how to "be a man", I saw it as how best to live with irreversible events, the littles saw it as a beautiful love story, granmere saw it as reality.

Bella, a movie all should watch (and then live the message!).

Ooops -- another rabbit trail ...

I can't wait till the weather turns cooler and our thoughts move to a cooler clime (this when the Front Range temp, at 10:42 pm, is 78!). Thanks to Elizabeth over at 4real, I so want to go on a Beatrix Potter unit study/rabbit trail ... here are the resources I'd use this time around:

• Miss Potter (the movie) -- this sounds like a wonderful (if not QUITE accurate telling of her story)


• Beatrix Potter: A Journal


• Beatrix Potter: A Life in Nature by Linda Lear

We already own the Collected Works and we love watching the ballet, so these should round out a unit nicely, don't you think?

Have you done a Beatrix Potter unit? Have you had your kids draw like Miss Potter? What resources have you found that would fill out this unit study?

Blessings and prayers,

Book not worth borrowing

There are times that I reserve the right to post a negative or derogatory review; after all, this blog is mine, right?

Anyway, we have started reading some of William Joyce's books. One that I mentioned in the "plethora of picture books" post is his A Day with Wilbur Robinson. This is a wonderful, futuristic-ish story about a marvelously eccentric family known as the Robinsons. A note on the cover of the book mentioned that this book was made into the current Disney movie Meet the Robinsons.

Not able to go see the movie right now, we borrowed the Meet the Robinsons: The Movie Storybook from the Library. DO NOT waste your time reading this book. And if it truly depicts the movie, don't waste your time seeing the movie! In typical Disney fashion, the story line is completely foreign from the original and unique tale by William Joyce (except for a couple of minor details). The plot is convoluted and bizarre -- a case of time travel where a scientific genius orphan meets his son and they work together to ensure the future is not changed ... right! And kids are supposed to understand that the boys are best friends and the same age but are really father and son and thus, different ages ... right!

Stick to the original I recommended the other day -- A Day with Wilbur Robinson is a pleasure to read and a joy to read-aloud. The 15 (!) other books that Disney's marketing staff have created to help sell the movie are pure and simple TWADDLE, and not even very good twaddle!

Doesn't this sound like a wonderful movie?

Catholic Education Resource Center has posted a great review of the movie, Into Great Silence, a documentary of la Grande Chartreuse (Carthusian Monastery) in France.

Unfortunately, it's not showing in our area yet! But if you, dear reader, get a chance to see it, please let me know what you think!

Another argument for teaching kids at HOME!

Thanks to a post on Semicolon's blog, I found out yet another reason why I really like Harper Lee, author of the classic southern novel, To Kill a Mockingbird (a book EVERYONE should read at least once and a movie, starring Gregory Peck, that EVERYONE should see at least once)

Here's what Ms. Lee says about schooling:

I could only look around me: Atticus and my uncle, who went to school at home, knew everything —at least what one didn’t know the other did. . .

As for me, I knew nothing except what I gathered from Time magazine and reading everything I could lay hands on at home, but as I inched sluggishly along the treadmill of the Maycomb County school system, I could not help receiving the impression that I was being cheated out of something. Out of what I knew not, yet I did not believe that twelve years of unrelieved boredom was exactly what the state had in mind for me.

Sounds like a fabulous example of the benefits of living/loving/learning in the home, doesn't it?

Happy St. Brigid's Feast Day!

Today is St. Brigid of Ireland's feast day. Born around 450 and died around 525; her first years of life were coincident with St. Patrick's life. Which is why Brigid's mother was Christian. Brigid lived a devout life as the daughter of a slave and the lord of the manor. He made sure she was educated and tried to arrange a good marriage for her -- but Brigid had other ideas and eventually was allowed to become a nun. She founded many convents throughout Ireland and is probably only second to St. Patrick as well-loved Irish saints go.

This is one of StringBean's patron saints, so we always do a bit more for those. Today we read a lovely book called Brigid's Cloak -- which is an interesting blend of pagan and Christian legend. We will act out this story tonight for Dad, Granmere and Kotch -- aren't they lucky? We also made Brigid's Crosses -- which traditionally are made with rushes or grass, but which we made with chenille stems (used to be called "pipe cleaners"). The benefit of the chenille stems is that they're a bit easier to maneuver and you can mold them a bit to what you want the cross to look like.

We'll make spaghetti (after all, the feast day beneficiary is the one who chooses dinner), BarmBrack (which is REALLY good and then we get in a spot of "cooking math") and watch Darby O'Gill after the first (and only) performance of our version of "Brigid's Cloak".