Reviewing this product could not have come at a better time!

Introduction to Literature: English 1 is designed for 8th grade and up. However, it can be adapted as needed. This course is designed to be independent study and the text is written directly to the student. It focuses on various works: short stories, poems, drama and novels. Context readings have been provided to give background on the authors and help to give that valuable literary context.

The student will demonstrate understanding through approach papers, essays and other writings. Excellent samples of each type of written paper is given in the text and so very helpful!

Introduction to Literature consists of  9 units. The first unit is a collection of six short stories. The other units include the works: Around the World in Eighty Days, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, Jane Eyre, Pygmalion, Treasure Island, Animal Farm, The Tempest, and Gulliver’s Travels. An honors tract is also available and you can read more about it here.

If you are interested in why these particular works were chosen, you can read about the selection process here.

Beginning this course with a 7th grader who had not encountered such writing assignments in the past was a bit of a challenge. I decided quickly that we were going to take it a bit slow with the units to make sure we covered them thoroughly. This is one of the reasons this review is so difficult for me to write. I wish that we had progressed  a bit further in the program to have experience with a couple of units. We are just finishing up with unit 1. It took my daughter, who loves long novels, a bit of time to enjoy the short story writings. Then we both had to learn how to produce an adequate approach paper. We are making progress and she is learning so much. And to her surprise, she is actually enjoying the writing!

I love that it is independent study. She takes her assignment and runs with it. She is an excellent independent student and I love when courses encourage this and make it easy on both of us to implement.  We will continue to progress through this course at a steady pace, taking longer when needed since she is on the younger side for this course. I do hope to continue with the other levels of the Excellence in Literature program. I have loved what I have seen so far!

Personally, I always enjoy thumbing through a product before buying and you can sample a whole unit from Introduction to Literature here.  There are 5 years of study in the Excellence in Literature course and you can see a complete book listing for these.

It would also be wise to read the FAQ as it covers such topics as: How to Prepare a Younger Student, How to Determine Placement (each level increases in difficulty) and more. Very helpful information!

I even love the price of Excellence in Literature:  Introduction to Literature! You have a choice between two different formats:

Introduction to Literature: English 1 – Print Book, 132 pages $29 + $4.95 shipping/handling

Introduction to Literature: English 1 – E Book -  $27. It is already laid out to be printed double sided to easily slip into a 3 ring binder.

Please stop by the Crew and see what other families thought of Excellence in Literature: Introduction to Literature.

**Disclaimer: As a member of TOS Review Crew, I received a complimentary copy of this product for review. No compensation was made. The thoughts/opinions expressed in this post are my own.

In our homeschool, we value quality literature that can be used to enrich our children’s education and learning. Often times finding that quality literature can be difficult and challenging.  Yesterday’s Classics has made this task so much easier!

Yesterday’s Classics, in an effort to make quality, classic literature available have reprinted books from the golden age of children’s literature ( 1880-1920). Many of these books have been out of print for decades but are now available once again to be enjoyed!

The books published by Yesterday’s Classics offer so much:

*Text of high literary quality

*Stories that engage the reader

*Cultivation of moral imagination

*Awakens interest in nature

*Stimulates power of observation

Several homeschool curricula use Yesterday’s Classics; Ambleside Online, Heart of Dakota, Living Books Curriculum and Tapestry of Grace. We use one of these curricula and it was a struggle to find the core readings we need since our library had none on the shelves.  Due to finances, we and many other families, are not able to buy every book needed or desired. Yesterday’s Classics has a wonderful offer that makes building your personal library an affordable possibility.

Yesterday’s Classics now offers 225 books in epub or kindle files. Now a bookshelf full of books can be held in your hand and for a fraction of the cost! Oh, how excited we were for this review!

In purchasing the epub/kindle files of Yesterday’s Classics 225 ebooks you will receive:

*Illustrations – if the original text had color illustrations, they will be in color on the Kindle/epub files.

*Table of Contents for each ebook which makes navigation a breeze!

*22 different genres: world history, science, readers, American history, biographies, Shakespeare,  poetry and so much more.

Have more than one student who needs to utilize these books? There are no restrictions on how many devices you can put the books on. You can also print out whichever books you chose to print.  And Yesterday’s Classics has excellent customer service and are happy to help in any way!

They also provide resources to make utilizing the epub/Kindle files so simple. When you purchase the ebooks, you will receive a list  of the books arranged by genre, title, author and level to make finding the books you need easy. A list of book thumbnails and descriptions are provided so you can make sure the book covers the information you are looking for.

If you are like me and clueless to the ways of e-readers, this resource will be invaluable! Yesterday’s Classics provides a guide to e-reader devices  and software. Our family does not own an e-reader such as a Kindle or Nook. I was thrilled to learn that I could download a free e-reader for my computer and still utilize Yesterday’s Classics wonderful resource of these e-books. What a blessing!

Purchasing Details!

From now until May 31st, you can purchase Yesterday’s Classics Package of 225 books in epub or Kindle files for $99.95. 225 books for $99.95. I know! An amazing offer!

Here are some comparisons to help you see the amazing deal this is! If you purchased each book in paperback edition, it would be $2495.75! Wow! If you were to purchased epub/Kindle files individually, it would be $648.80. This special offer really is special. Excellent quality literature to enrich your child’s learning for such a small price.

Our Thoughts:

I will admit that I am one of those old school book lovers. I love to hold the book in my hand, to hear the sound of a newly opened book, the smell of the pages….. I was not jumping on the e-reader bandwagon.

Then I had the opportunity for this review. While I still treasure holding the book in my hand, I am a homeschooling mom of 7, using a literature based curriculum with children who devour books and a limited budget. Practicality won out on this and I am so pleased with the epub files from Yesterday’s Classics.

A few of the books, my girls had been reading online from www.mainlesson.com (Yesterday’s Classics sister site). However, they hated it. Often they would ask me to print them out but that was not a frugal option!  Reading on the computer gave them headaches, it was hard to find their place  and hindered their retention. Having these selections in epub files has been such a blessing. We downloaded a free e-reader for our computers and now our children can read easily without eye strain. They can easily make a “bookmark” for where they are to pick up reading. One of my daughters loves being able to make the text bigger and another loves not having to scroll and scroll and scroll as she had to do with the free online version.

It is getting more and more difficult to find literature appropriate for my children and Yesterday’s Classics has been such a help. From my 5 year to my 12 year old, selections are available that are well written, quality literature. My 5 year old will soon begin using the readers to reinforce her phonics lessons.

Not sure if the epub/Kindle files are the right choice for your family? Yesterday’s Classics gives you the opportunity to download The Dutch Twins by Lucy Fitch Perkins for free so you can experience this format before you buy.You just simple download whichever version you need (epub or Kindle) or download both! Free.

If you decide to purchase the Yesterday’s Classics Package and are not satisfied, they offer a 100% risk free guarantee! If you scroll to the bottom of this page, you can view a thumbnail and description of each of the 225 books offered in the epub/kindle package.

Not everyone is going to love the epub/Kindle format. For those who want the paperback copies of these books, Yesterday’s Classics offers free shipping with the purchase of 4 or more books.

Our family has thoroughly enjoyed this affordable resource provided by Yesterday’s Classics. I can’t say enough how thrilled we have been with this product!

Please stop by the Crew and see what others thought of Yesterday’s Classics!

**Disclaimer – As a member of TOS review crew, I received a complimentary copy of this product for review. No compensation was made. The opinions/thoughts/experiences expressed in this post are my own.

As the class would take turns reading our Dick and Jane style books, we had a popsicle stick to keep us on the correct line. I knew how to read. I was a fast reader. I was bored listening to other children read so slowly. Instead of keeping the stick on its long side under the whole line, I took the tip of the stick and tapped for each word. The teacher corrected me and had me hold it correctly. I was mortified. And I didn’t do it again.

I have a few young readers in my home and we don’t use a popsicle stick. We use an index card or a piece of torn contruction paper or a ruler or whatever we find close by. Shameful, isn’t it? However, they need it to keep themselves in the right spot.

But you know what happens, right? They want to see how much more they have to read before the torture, um, I mean phonics lessons is over. They want to see that they are almost done. They want to see if the exciting story about the doll’s pink bunk bed will ever end. And what happens? They lose which line they were actually reading. Mmhmmm.

I have older children in my home who are almost certified speed readers. So thankful for my library card! However, I often find that during Bible reading that they have a piece of paper to keep them on track. Having the words so small and close together can be tough on the eyes sometimes and we lose our place.

This was the scene of the past. We have tossed the index card, the folded up piece of paper and the construction paper scrap. We now have See-n-Read and it is  a wonderful tool that many in our home are getting the benefit of.

What is See-n-Read? See -n-Read  is a reading tool that helps the reader see and focus on what they are reading.

See-n-Read provides a clear reference point to focus on and it is surrounded by a non-glare tinted transparent finish that helps readers to focus on manageable “chunks” of information in each line of text.

The See-n-Read is flexible material and so easy to use for young and old. Everyone in our home, from parents to our youngest reader, has enjoyed using the See-n-Read! It has helped our youngest to stay on track during her phonics lessons and not get overwhelmed with “how much is left”. Through the non-glare transparent finish, she can see exactly how much is ahead of her but stay focused on the current text.  My older daughter enjoys using it during grammar. While she is a fluent, above grade, reader, she has  habit of jumping ahead in the text while she reads. In her grammar lesson, this is not a good thing. She has been using See-n-Read to help her focus on the new skills being presented in her lesson. All of my older children have grabbed the See-n-Read for Bible reading. When I have wanted to use it, I have had to go and find out who had it stashed in a book. See-n-Read is also available in two sizes; 5.5 ” x 3″ and 8.5″ x 3″ .

Did you know that the See-n-Read can be even better? Yes! They have  a version called the Memory Mark Series. It is recommended for grades 4 and up. What makes the Memory Mark different? The clear line on the See-n-Read is now a cut out opening. This allows the reader to highlight, underline and make notes on the text they are reading and not worry about losing their place. It is also great for workbooks, tests, and notes.

See-n-Read has taken it a step further and has the eSee-n-Read; it is an electronic version of See-n-Read for your PC.  My girls read several books for history online. They both would prefer not to. Why? They lose their place easily and it hurts their eyes. How excited I was to get to review eSee-n-Read! You can customize it to the size you need on any document or program you are using. It helps tremendously with the glare and eye strain that you can feel when reading online. It made a huge difference in not losing your place when reading. I simply scrolled and the text I needed to read, scrolled right into the clear view line.

See-n-Read is a wonderful tool for any reader. Interested in picking up one or two for your family?

See-n-Read starts at only $2.99 for one but packages are available.

Memory Mark Series starts at only $2.99 and also has packages for purchase.

Such a great price for an amazing tool!

I was shocked at the great price on the eSee-n-Read. $29.99. Not bad! It is currently only available for Windows but they will have a Mac version out soon. You can also get a multi-user license if needed.  Want to give the eSee-n-Read a try? You can download a free 7-day trial!

See-n-Read definitely get two thumbs up from the Tribe!

Want to see what other crew members are saying about See-n-Read? Head on over and check it out!

Disclaimer: As a member of TOS Crew, I received a complimentary copy of this product for review. No other compensation was made.

A couple of years ago, I was online looking around for books for my children. I stumbled upon Salem Ridge Press and was extremely interested in their books. For whatever reason, I didn’t bookmark the site and it was pushed to the back of my mind. Then as a part of the TOS crew I was able to share 3 books from Salem Ridge Press with my children. As my children are all bookworms, they were excited as well!

First I want to tell you a bit about Salem Ridge Press and why you should go take a look around.
Salem Ridge Press was founded by Daniel Mills, a 2003 homeschool graduate. In 2005, he began Salem Ridge Press. Books from the late 1800s and early 1900s that fit the SRP standard are re-typeset for readability, a few edits such as vocabulary notes or maps are added and questionable illustrations would be replaced. They keep Philippians 4:8 as the standard: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Not all books offered through Salem Ridge Press are Christian but they do all hold to high moral values and encourage positive character. Daniel’s mom works alongside him and he has several younger siblings who are happy to screen book selections.

How wonderful that we have the opportunity to support such a business and receive quality literature as well! Let me share the three books I received to review.

First was Mary Jane – Her Visit by Clara Ingram Judson. This is the second book in a series about Mary Jane, a delightful five year old. In this selection, Mary Jane goes on a visit to her great-grandparents farm. We share in her experiences as she learns about caring for farm animals, cooking with grandmother, a trip to the circus and more. It was originally published in 1918 and is for 6-10 year olds. I was a bit concerned that only my younger girls would enjoy this story. However, as I read aloud each day, my 10 and 11 year old girls were asking for just 2 more chapters each time I would finish one. It was a delight to read and I can see my 7year old soon grabbing it to read on her own. I will be honest in that it didn’t appeal much to my 8 year old son so I would say it is definitely more for the female audience. Salem Ridge Press also offers the first in this series, Mary Jane – Her Book. (*Note from Daniel Mills – Salem Ridge Press version of Mary Jane –Her Visit is different from the one available at Project Gutenburg. They felt a few revisions were necessary to meet their standards. )

Next up was The American Twins of the Revolution by Lucy Fitch Perkins. We are in the midst of the Revolutionary War and General Washington has no money to pay his discouraged troops. General Priestly calls on his wife and twins, Sally and Roger, to hide a shipment of gold that will be used to pay the troops. British spies learn of this shipment and are determined that it will not reach Washington’s army. This book is based on a true story during this exciting time of American history. It was originally published in 1926 and is for ages 8-adult. This book was wonderful! My children could not get enough. Each chapter had them on the edge of their seats for what would happen next. Such an exciting time in history and The American Twins shows how individuals were willing to sacrifice much for this new country. We managed to read this book aloud in 3 days. As soon as I finished, my son took it from my hands to read on his own. Interested? You can read the first chapter online!

And the last book we were asked to read was Soldier Fritz by C. A. Ferrier. Young Fritz wants to follow in the steps of Martin Luther and be a soldier for the Lord. For his birthday he chooses a Bible from a peddler’s pack. His father, the Count, is sent off to war. Fritz and his family is forced to flee to the forest to escape imprisonment for their new faith. Disguising themselves as commoners, they must trust in the Lord as they wait for the Count to return and rescue them. We could not have received this book at a better time. We are deep in the middle of studying the Reformation and Luther. I chose not to do this as a read aloud but handed it to my son as part of his history reading. I will say that I find it very difficult to find quality books for my son. It did not take him long to jump into Soldier Fritz. I think he has read it twice and I can never find it when I want it back. It always ends up with his stash of books. A wonderful story of character and standing strong in your faith.

So have you gone to Salem Ridge Press yet? Hurry! Take a look around.

There are several ways you can purchase books published by Salem Ridge Press. You can buy directly from them. Their books are also available at Amazon.com and BarnesandNobles.com. If you prefer e-books, they are available through the TOS Magazine’s Schoolhouse Store. I received a paperback copy of Soldier Fritz, but Mary Jane and The American Twins were both in e-book form. Personally, I prefer hard copies, but the e-books were excellent quality and easy to read on the computer or to print out. Very clear and easy on the eyes. There are also other homeschooling bookstores and catalogs that offer Salem Ridge Press; check out this list to see if your favorite place to shop is listed.

Mr. Mills also provides prompt and excellent customer service. I had a quick question on a book and his response was timely, gracious and answered me completely. This company was a delight to review for and I will definitely be purchasing books in the future. Quality literature. Love it!

Make sure you stop by and see what other TOS crew members think about Salem Ridge Press!

***Disclaimer- I received complimentary copies of these products for review as a member of TOS Homeschool Crew. No compensation was made to me. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Are your suitcases pack? Passport is ready? Let’s travel around the world!!

Sounds too good to be true? Actually you and your children can travel around the world and never have to worry about missing luggage and strange foods.  This wonderful unit study from The Old Schoolhouse will help you Travel the World.  

Travel the World is a e-book module add on to The Schoolhouse Planner but can also be used as a stand alone unit study.  I used it as a stand alone unit study with four of my children and we all enjoyed our travels.

There is so much wonderful information packed into this unit study! We studied our map, visited al the continents and studied God’s Word. My children love to use the computer and Travel the World was full of links to check out online. Here is my trick to handling computer links and several children.

I created a folder on my desktop for each continent and then added the links I wanted them to visit. This way their computer time could be “independent” because I had already screened the links. One of the favorite links was finding Hannah using latitude and longitude coordinates. My Hannah found this extremely entertaining.

Included in the unit study/module are print outs for lapbooking. One of the activities was to pick a country you would like to visit, research it and create a lapbook. There are also print outs for a crossword puzzle, wordsearch, word scramble, and more. (My two girls were quite stumped on the word scramble. Who knew mountain was such a tough word to unscramble?) I love the copywork provided! We use Scripture often for our copywork and I was delighted to see it used in this unit. My only issue with the copywork is we a handwriting program that doesn’t used the dotted line and that threw a couple of my children a bit off. Nothing we couldn’t work around. I will say that I love that almost all the printouts were black and white. I know I live in the dark ages but I don’t have a color printer. I love when black and white printable are available!

All of us have enjoyed this unit study; from the preschooler to the 6th grader. There was something for everyone to do and learn. My older children had a great time helping the younger ones with certain activities. A High School Expansion is included with this unit so it can be utilized for K- High School.

If you want to find out more about Travel the World June 2010 Module, please visit The Schoolhouse Store to buy a copy for your family. This wonderful resourse is only $7.95! So much information that you can use with all your children as a stand alone study or enrichment to whatever you are currently using. They also offer many more modules….Beloved Bible Stories, Insects Galore, Wonders of Flight….all for a great price!

Disclaimer: I was provided a  complimentary copy of Travel the World by The Old Schoolhouse to be reviewed as a part of TOS crew. No financial compensation was made to me.