Review: National Geographic Home Learning Essentials

 

National Geographic

Home Learning Essentials

Beginner's United States Atlas, Third Edition: (ages 7-10) The fully updated edition of this popular atlas introduces young readers to the wonders of all of America's states and territories, with maps, fun facts, geographical features, and more. It’s accessible design showcases what's unique about each state and territory and every profile starts with a colorful map and essay and includes capital cities; population; important land and water features; state birds, flowers, and flags. It's all packaged in a bigger format, with a refreshed design, and bold, bright photos and illustrations.

United States Atlas, 6th Edition: (ages 8-12) Current, authoritative, and produced by the expert cartographers at National Geographic, this best-selling United States atlas is newly updated with all the latest info and is packed with maps, stats, facts, and pictures. National Geographic's world-renowned cartographers have paired up with education experts to create maps of all 50 states, U.S. territories, and Washington, D.C., that pinpoint the physical features, capitals, and other towns and cities. Discover the latest data along with colorful photography of each state and the people who live there. Key points reflect the latest information about land and water, people, and places. Essays cover each region of the country while eight specially themed maps on nature, population, economy, energy, climate, and more delve deeper into key issues. State birds and state flags add to the high visual interest.

National Geographic Kids Almanac 2021: (ages 8-12) - The latest installment of the New York Times best-selling almanac is edutainment at its best. With features like Homework Help and STEM related topics, and deep dives into history, geography and cultures from the world, combined with facts, crafts and activities, this is the go-to reference for both the school day and down time. This new edition also includes the Almanac Challenge 2021 — which inspires kids to reduce their plastic waste and encourage others to do the same — and also highlights the winner of the 2020 Almanac Challenge.

You can purchase these books from ShopDisney, Amazon. and other major retailers.

My Thoughts

As many people probably are doing right now, we find ourselves in the position of distance learning for school and began to throw in unofficial homeschooling. These National Geographic books for kids are awesome - my son loves all the detail in the United States Atlas, 6th Edition. Our current lesson is learning about the Midwest, where we live. The atlases are divvied up by region, making it even easier to explore. There are facts about the USA itself, each region, and each individual state plus information on our territories. A glossary and index are at the back.

The Beginner's United States Atlas, Third Edition edition has a little less of the same great details which is great for younger learners. You can see in the photo above the detail comparison for the state of Minnesota.

My son is very into nature and often asks to learn about specific animals so we are supplementing his education with the National Geographic Kids Almanac 2021 as well as the National Geographic Ultimate Weird But True book. After utilizing National Geographic Kids and other websites, we then turn to these two books for added fun facts. 

I'm sure we'll be adding more National Geographic books to our collection in the future! What a great way to make learning fun!

Tell me the Answer! Barron’s says “will do” with a fun new book.

Barron's has new additions to the best-selling series! These fun-filled Q&A book is packed with answers to questions that curious children want to know—and parents are only too happy to have them look up and discover on their own. Each book contains more than 200 answers to questions on different topics: the Universe, Space, the Earth, Humans, Everyday Phenomena, and more. The books are organized according to different topics and tabbed for easy reference—and the last tab includes fun stickers. A hidden spiral binding makes it easy to flip back and forth, while entertaining illustrations and activities make learning fun. (Ages 8 and up).

Earth & Sky includes intriguing questions such as:

• What is an exoplanet?
• Who was Copernicus?
• What is a light year?
• How does a star shine?
• What is the equator?
• How do sailors make use of the stars?
• And many more

Parents may find the answers as interesting as their kids do!

Tell Me Earth & Sky
Sophie de Mullenheim
122 pp., 5 ½" x 8"
$14.99, Can$17.99
ISBN 978-1-4380-5060-7

                                           My Thoughts:

I am a huge fan of space! When I heard about this latest release from Barron's I knew it was going to have to go into my collection. Not only is is an easy read, it's interesting and fun! All ages will get a kick out of the creative design and organization of this information packed book! Everything from the history of space so far, to scientific facts is included. Plus, who doesn't love when a book adds stickers as well?

I'm looking forward to bringing this into my classroom to inspire my students to work on space related projects. They are the perfect age to enjoy each page and learn some valuable facts that they can carry with them. Barron's always produces the best content, and this book is a wonderful addition for any space lover, library, or family!

Connect with Barron's:

Website Facebook  Twitter Google+ Youtube 

Book Review: Mind Magic

Mind-reading, fortune telling, uncanny predictions and other paranormal activities continue to baffle audiences throughout the world Marc LeMezma, a member of the Magic Circle, opens up the world of psychic magic and shows just how easy it is to "trick" your audience into thinking that you can read their minds, predict their futures and control their thoughts. 

This book contains 17 tricks that anyone with a little guile and patter can perform, it guides readers through a little history of the subject, moving into the realms of mind-reading, ghostly occurrences, fortune telling and mind control, creating atmosphere, stories and stunts to amuse and confuse. 

Including tips on what to wear, what food and drink to serve, and how to set up your room, Marc LeMezma also gives information on a growing interest - holding a paranormal party.

Marc Lemezma is a professional magical entertainer. His specialty is a unique form known as Bizarre Magick—a combination of theatre, music and trickery. A member of the prestigious Magic Circle and the International Magician's Society, Marc has performed his magic all over the world including Europe and the United States. He is also the author of Marc Lemezma's Card Magic, Marc Lemezma's Mind Tricks, and Every Magic Secret in the World Revealed.

Check out Marc Lemezma's website: www.lemezma.com.  

Purchase Mind Magic at:

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

www.lemezma.com

Our Thoughts

Mind Magic was a fun read! We enjoy magic shows and one very talented relative likes to perform magic tricks.  While I have no interest in performing, I have always wanted to know how the illusions are achieved.  To  me, knowing how it's achieved and being able to see the illusion created makes it an even more artful performance, rather than just blindly not knowing how it works.  I'm one of those people that just has to know, kind of like if my checkbook balance is off by a penny, I have to find it.

We attended a magic show in Branson years ago and it was fun to pick up on things; for example we could tell when a body double was being used, but there were many illusions we couldn't figure out - how do you make an entire car disappear in a split second?!?

The book is laid out where you read The Trick as the magician performs it, then Behind the Scenes, where the "how" is explained, and lastly, "The Performance" which helps you with your acting abilities as you perform the trick for others. Reading about the mathematics behind one of the tricks revealed in the book was eye-opening.  A good 20 years ago I used to know one trick well enough to perform it but never understood how it worked until now. Some of the other tricks in Mind Magic involve memorizing charts where specific verbiage is used. 

Shortly after having read Mind Magic, I encountered a sweet cashier in a department store who took it upon himself to entertain my son & I with a trick.  Thanks to the book, I understood how it was performed (not that I was going to tell the magician that!) and it truly is an art form to have such a great performance perfected! I am very interested in reading more of Marc Lemezma's books to find out the "how" behind more illusions.

Book Review: Radical Mycology by Peter McCoy

Fungi are found throughout the world, often playing critical roles at the center of all ecological webs. As culturally important foods and medicines, as well as instigators of religious practices, they have been intimately tied to the development and spread of human societies. And yet, despite their numerous influences on the history of the world, fungi are completely disregarded by the majority of people today.

In 2006 Peter McCoy co-founded Radical Mycology, a grassroots organization dedicated to increasing awareness of the many valuable ways to work with fungi for personal, societal, and ecological health. Nearly a decade later, McCoy has written Radical Mycology to share the wide array of skills and insights that have arisen from the organization’s international work to advance the science of appropriately applied mycology. Shattering commonly held beliefs on the value of the Fungal Queendom, Radical Mycology definitively explores the many reasons that fungi should no longer be ignored but instead honored and embraced for the many gifts they offer. The result is the most comprehensive and accessible book on the various aspects of mycology—the science of fungi—ever published.

Interwoven with insights into the incredible traits of fungi, Radical Mycology begins with chapters that explore the uniqueness of fungal biology, the critical ecological roles of micro and macro fungi, how to safely identify mushrooms, the value of lichens as medicines and indicators of environmental quality, and the significant influences that fungi have held on the evolution of human cultures. With this foundation laid, the reader is then equipped to work with the fungi directly. Techniques for making potent fungal medicines, growing fermenting fungi for food, and easily cultivating mushrooms with recycled tools (and yet still achieving lab-quality results) are explored in-depth. Subsequent chapters grow far beyond the limits of other books on mushrooms. Detailed information on the principles and practices of natural mushroom farming—largely influenced by the design system of permaculture—is presented along with extensive information on cultivating mycorrhizal fungi and the science of mycoremediation, the application of fungi to mitigate pollution in the environment and in our homes. The book ends with deeper insights into the social effects that fungi present from the reflection of mycelial networks in the design of whole societies to a rigorous examination of the history of psychoactive fungi.

Written for the beginner as well as the experienced mycologist, Radical Mycology is an invaluable reference book for anyone interested in Do-It-Yourself (or Do-It-Together) homesteading, community organizing, food security, natural medicine, grassroots bioremediation, and the evolution of human-fungal-ecological relations. More than a book on mushrooms, Radical Mycology is a call to ally with the fungi in all efforts to spawn a healthier world. Illustrated by the author and heavily referenced, this unprecedented book will undoubtedly remain a classic for generations to come.

Visit Radical Mycology on:
RadicalMycology.com
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
YouTube

Purchase Radical Mycology at:
Chthaeus Press

Our Thoughts
I am very much a mushroom enthusiast and I like to think I can call my self an intermediate level mushroom hunter (probably still bordering on beginner when you consider the experts!). Funny thing is, growing up I hated them - there just wasn't anything about them I liked - especially canned mushrooms (((shudder))).  But, knowing they are full of health benefits, several years ago I began a journey of mycological learning; which includes hunting, photographing, identifying, harvesting, preparing, & storing. And the books . . . oh, the mushroom books!



beautiful color photos

Radical Mycology has something for everyone - if you're very much a beginner, there's plenty to read up on - historical usage on up to present and future uses, all sorts of recipes, presenting mycology in fun ways to children. There's sections on species identification, chapters on how to cultivate, making medicines, psychoactive fungi, recipes for cooking.  And of course, there's the more technical sections in chapters 1 - 5 that give you a better understanding of fungi overall. My favorite chapters are regarding identifying, edibility/consumption, making medicines, healing, crafty projects, and hidden near the end - mushroom jokes! 

Provided I can find them, I harvest enough edible species to last until next year's harvest. Right now, what I don't eat fresh either gets dehydrated or frozen for future cooking use. I'd like to get into uses for edible mushrooms beyond simply eating them in dishes - Chapter 6 also talks about fermenting for a wide variety of beverages - kefirs, wines, kombucha as well as recipes for eating. I well know from experience that mushrooms pair very well with apples, so the Chanterelle Apple Pie recipe is on my list of things to make - that is, when I find more Chanterelles. I have some dried, but I think I'd prefer fresh for this one.

One of my hobbies is herbal medicine, so making mushroom tinctures, decoctions, extracts, and other ways to reap the health benefits is right up my alley.  Maitake is one of my all-time favorite mushrooms; right now I have a decoction waiting for me in the refrigerator. I am also looking forward to trying Chaga someday - we have a small one growing that I've been watching for a few years, waiting for it to grow big enough to sustainably harvest.

Cultivation is something I need to learn more about as we recently purchased an old abandoned farmstead/acreage. The woods was full of trash, we're talking 100+ years of human-caused trash.  Once cleanup is complete, we can use techniques outlined in Radical Mycology to help additional beneficial mushrooms grow and clean up the soil. We also have some prime areas for morels and I can't wait to begin that project!

All in all, Radical Mycology is an incredibly informative, well written (and very large!) book that encompasses everything you'll ever want to know about mushrooms, and probably a few things you haven't even thought of. An excellent reference book for all your mushroom projects!

For more Radical Mycology articles, zines, & videos, visit Radical Mycology: Free Literature & Media and the Radical Mycology Convergence 2012 Workshops.



Book Review: Mother Earth News Almanac

Mother Earth News Almanac: A Guide Through the Seasons returns! The 1970s classic has been out of print for years. Now, updated for today's readers and back in print, its information is as useful as ever. It contains instructions and illustrations for everything from harnessing solar energy to cultivating a sustainable garden to learning how to keep bees. Simply put, Mother Earth News Almanac is designed to empower readers to be self-sufficient.

The Mother Earth News team has updated the essentials, but left the core of the guide intact, with all the charm of the original … from the writing style to the signature line drawings. This is a must-have for any fan of Mother Earth News, and a budget-friendly guide for a new generation of homesteaders. 

The almanac is a seasonal guide with subject matter that every passionate DIYer, homesteader or environmentally aware reader can appreciate. You'll find recipes, money-saving tips, and homesteading techniques such as illustrated directions for tying a timber hitch, cat's-paw, sheepshank, and other knots; folk medicine treatments and preventatives; tips on raising chickens and keeping bees; plans for building three kinds of kites; complete instructions for fast and easy compost; and much, much more!

The simple life doesn't have to be hard, not when you have this timeless almanac.

About Mother Earth News
The most popular and longest-running sustainable-lifestyle magazine, MOTHER EARTH NEWS provides wide-ranging, expert editorial coverage of organic foods, country living, green transportation, renewable energy, natural health and green building. Lively, insightful and on the cutting edge, MOTHER EARTH NEWS is the definitive read for the growing number of Americans who choose wisely and live well. 

Read Mother Earth News magazine and visit them on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Mother Earth News Almanac: A Guide Through the Seasons may be purchased both on their website and on Amazon. 

Our Thoughts
We've been on our way to a more economical, healthier lifestyle for the last several years and have now finally purchased an acreage way out in the country for a future build site.

The Mother Earth News Almanac: A Guide Through the Seasons is exactly what I want to be reading as we prepare our new place. This book isn't just about gardening, homesteading, livestock, etc - it's also full of good useful household tips on just about everything, from DIY repairs and projects, to recipes, and hints on where to find the things you need.  I like the humorous writing style it has, too. 

Many of the tips & tricks mentioned are ones I grew up with - like using wood ashes on an icy driveway - boy, as kids we hated it when Dad spread ashes on the driveway - it wasn't slippery enough to sled down anymore (but it sure made driving up it easier!).  There's even a bit in there about lubricating nails so they pound in easier - something I well know, as pins were my all-time favorite (yes, even over snaps and aplix!) on cloth diapers - have to lubricate pins, too, in order to get them to slide thru fabric like butter.  There's even a paragraph in there about hunting morel mushrooms, one of my favorite spring activities!

The Mother Earth News online magazine is filled with informative articles - I just finished reading How to Sell at a Farmers Market as I know we'll have more garden produce than we will need.  I could easily spend days on this website . . . in fact I just subscribed to their magazine, which you can get in print, digital, or both. And I know both my mother and myself will greatly enjoy the magazines.

An enjoyable read, Mother Earth News Almanac: A Guide Through the Seasons is the type of gift I'd want to receive for Mother's Day! (And it'd make a great Father's Day gift as well!)

The Well-Armored Child: A Parent's Guide to Preventing Sexual Abuse

Author Joelle Casteix has filled the need for an easy-to-read toolkit for parents when it comes to preventing childhood sexual abuse. When her own child was born, she was deluged with tomes that covered everything from breastfeeding to choosing the right college. But one book was noticeably absent. It’s the book that can help parents take action to prevent their child from becoming another statistic.

The Well-Armored Child gives parents the tools and strategies to understand how predators “groom” children, why many of our trusted institutions cover up abuse, and how to empower children without shame, fear, or inappropriate discussions of sex.

My thoughts:

Child sex abuse is such a touchy hard subject to address to your child/children.  And I feel it something that children need to be educated on at a very early age.  This book is very well written, and makes it very easy to start and discuss with your child/children the dangers of child sexual abuse.

I have a eight and eleven year and after reading through this book, I sat both of my children down and talked about the dangers, and what strangers, friends and sad to say what family members might try to do to harm them.  Surprisingly to me, they paid attention and had questions.  And through reading this book, I was able to answer their questions in a manner they could understand.  

This is a book every parent should read and educate their children on this very sad subject. 

Erasing Autism:: The Spectrum Balance Protocol

Product was received for free in exchange for an honest review.

At last! The long awaited “how to” book explaining The Spectrum Balance® Protocol; the diet that has been used so effectively on Autism and many other ASDs since 2005. Available free of charge from The NoHarm Foundation since 2009, this Protocol has been downloaded by families over 10,000 times and in over 70 countries. This is the whole picture. In an easy to understand fashion, this book will explain the science behind what causes many ASDs, how to execute the diet most effectively, the foods used in the diet itself, and 26 true case studies written in a realistic and compelling style that will both enlighten and entertain. Truly, only truth is stranger than fiction!

My thoughts:

Dr. Young is a genuine, caring Doctor.  Her book is loaded with information and research she has done on children with Autism.  She offers hope to parents and anyone who has family and friends that have children with Autism.   

I always knew that diet and nutrition can affect anyone, not just Autism.  But it was quite interesting reading Dr. Young's chronologies.  I do in fact have a dear friend who has an Autistic son, and she is always looking and reading anything that offers information on ways to help her son.  Her son also has severe sensory issues when it come to foods, and will not eat anything but Carbs.  I lent her this book, and she is taking baby steps on now trying hard to change his diet, in hopes to help his symptoms from Autism. She has hope now as she is reading this book.  

Even if this book helps six out of ten families, that is a great accomplishment, and the word of this book will be spread to others in hopes to help more. 

Sorry I'm Not Sorry: An Honest Look at Bullying from the Bully (Mean Girl Makeover)

Product was received for free in exchange for an honest review.

Sorry I’m Not Sorry tells the story of Kylie Steppe, former queen bee of Gold Country Middle School. After bullying a fellow GCMS student, Kylie has been expelled—and she has to attend mandatory counseling. Without her posse to aid her and others to torment, Kylie focuses on the person who stole her GCMS popularity crown: Tori Taylor. As Kylie plots revenge on Tori and attends therapy sessions, will Kylie decide to become more empathetic toward her peers?  It’s hard for tweens to imagine why a bully acts the way he or she does. Sorry I’m Not Sorry shows girls that they hold the power to stop bullying through mutual understanding and acts of love. My thoughts: This book should be in every household library with daughters. This is book number three in a series.  Although I have not had the chance to read one and two, it is easy to follow where two has left off with Kylie bullying.  I really loved Lydia, the character in this book who mentored Kylie and helped her focus on being a better young girl. What was sad in this book is how Kylie's so called friends didn't like the new Kylie, an she than realizes how bad she must of made other's feel. I have a daughter who was bullied and this is just the book we needed to read together.

Embrace Happiness: The Art of Conflict Management

Product was received for free in exchange for an honest review.

Conflict is a natural part of relationships, especially as you face the challenges of parenting. When you work together on conflict management, you build happy, healthy relationships and teach your children important life skills. However, children who are exposed to severe and frequent conflict are more likely to be disobedient and to experience problems such as depression, aggression or poor performance at school.

Are you practicing constructive conflict management in front of your child? 

Author Ali Soleymaniha has been researching and practicing in the field of conflict management for more than a decade. With a desire to guide others seeking happiness in their relationships, Soleymaniha was inspired to pen his new book, “Embrace Happiness: The Art of Conflict Management.” 

Here are six tips for parents to use when working through conflict: 

1.    Always start and end the conversation by affirming that you care about the other person
2.    Be open to the idea that you made a mistake even if you are sure you did not
3.    Don't speak in generalities of another person's behavior 
4.    Always work to be the first to apologize when any dispute arises
5.    Focus on trying to discover what's right, not who is right
6.    Remind yourself the other person also cares about reconciling the relationship

My thoughts

We all handle conflict differently.  Some in a good way and some not so good.  This is a great tool book to manage conflict.

I really liked reading through this book.  It is an easy simple read.  And not an overly long book either.  I for one don't like conflict of any kind.  This was just the book I needed to read.  There are a lot of examples and tools to use to avoid conflict.  There are only seven chapters, but they are loaded with tons of information.

Start Talking: A Girl's Guide for You and Your Mom about Health, Sex, or Whatever

Product was received for free in exchange for an honest review.

A Q&A guide for mother-daughter conversations about female health and sexuality, this book targets both daughters and mothers. Start Talking contains more than 113 questions girls ask including questions about periods, sex, relationships, guys, eating, exercise, body development, along with similar questions verbalized by mothers. Each chapter contains basic information accompanied by real-life vignettes, questions and answers for moms, questions and answers for daughters, "Table Talk" suggestions for moms on how to engage each other around these topics. This book differs from books targeting just girls understanding their own bodies, and from books targeting just mothers on what they should know: it is deliberately meant to spark conversations.


My thoughts:

I absolutely needed this book with an eleven year daughter.  The suggestions on how to open a conversation on menstrual cycles, boys, doctor visits etc. The Q & A format was extremely helpful on suggested conversation starters.  As a mom with a young daughter who isn't far from becoming a teenager, I want to keep communication open with her, and I want her to know that she can come to me with anything.   We have read some sections in this book together, and had discussions on what we have read.  

This is an easy read, and very very informative. The Table Talk sections throughout the chapters are great.  After reading this book you might notice changes in your daughter that you didn't prior to reading this.   There are many topics in this book that I had never even thought of. I am very happy to have this book, and will have it handy for a few years.

The Journey of the Heroic Parent

Product was received for free in exchange for an honest review.

There are a lot of parenting books that tell you what to do—this isn’t one of them. When a child is spiraling out of control, parents desperately turn to experts for a clear answer—a surefire solution to the question “What can I do to fix my child?” However, asking how to change your child is not the right question. 

In his groundbreaking book, THE JOURNEY OF THE HEROIC PARENT: Your Child’s Struggle & The Road Home (Regan Arts, April 21, 2015), Dr. Brad M. Reedy provides a process that helps parents find their own wisdom that is hidden beneath the guilt, fear, and shame. This is not another expert-therapist doling out the latest advice. Instead, it is a way for parents to discover how to think about their decisions when raising children. The result of healthy parenting is not well-behaved children but rather peace, clarity, and confidence as a human being. The parenting tools Dr. Reedy provides changes parents, not children, and that change has a profound impact on families. 

Brad M. Reedy, PhD, father of four, is a wilderness therapist who knows the helplessness a parent feels when their child suddenly becomes hostile or unreachable, whether due to addiction, a mood disorder, depression, an eating disorder, bullying, or adolescent hormones. With unique insight and empathy, Dr. Reedy can help all the baffled, exasperated, anxious, and suffering parents by offering this fresh perspective. 

Parents will learn: 

• How to be more of an intentional parent.
• How to teach children to feel—and how to develop the capacity to sit with your children in their pain.  
• How to uncover the ways in which your childhood affected your parenting style, however subtle—and then how to make conscious, positive changes in how you parent.   
• How to let go of control while increasing your influence with your children.
• How to communicate expectations and enforce consequences for behavior without the damaging side effects of shame and guilt.
• How to listen to your children and thus provide them with the most critical ingredient in self-esteem—the experience of being heard.

My thoughts:

This is a great book that is loaded with a lot of valuable/helpful information for anyone raising a child or children.  

There are ten chapters that touch on many different subjects.  You can either read the book from front to back or look at the sections in each chapter to see if there is something that hits home and you want to read first.  Chapter five actually was one of my favorites chapters in this book, which is Tools for encouraging change in our children.  Although I liked reading through the other chapters.  I can promise that there is something in this book that everyone will be able to connect with.

Brad M. Reedy, Phd writes in a simple easy to read and understand format.  And i know that this will be my go to book since I have more than one child.  It will help me come to grips with my children's behavior and how I can connect with them and help.