Old Book

(1890 Bible at the Presby House Museum)

One of my favorite books! A true classic.

Untouchable.

My honey and I discovered this version of a family Bible on a recent road trip through Goldendale, Washington.

The Presby House Museum is located in the Presby House, built in 1902. It is filled with many wonderful, baffling, exciting, sentimental, and old objects. All three floors of this home are open for visitors, as well as two outside buildings.

The docent was very friendly and helpful, advising us of important items on display throughout the beautiful home. One item that caught Kevin's eye was this old, old Bible. Being a pastor, he loves checking out old Bibles. Fragile though they be, the old language, period style illustrations, and sheer variety of sizes of the Bibles he finds, draw him in like a moth to a light.

In this case, very much like a moth to a light! Beware, OLD BIBLE alert. The docent gave us a quick peek inside to see the yellowed but readable pages. I estimate that this Bible was between 9 and 9 inches thick, and over a foot in length. That would require a serious commitment to hold on to it, let alone read it!

An antique (anything over 100 years is an antique, right?), but totally current and modern. Oh, I dare say, some words may need translating into common language. But overall, the message is the same.

A keeper of a book.

Families on Mission, Ideas for Teaching Your Preschooler to Love, Share, and Care

Families on Mission, Ideas for Teaching Your Preschooler to Love, Share, and Care by Angie Quantrell (Woman's Missionary Union, New Hope Publishing, 2005)

Families on Mission, Ideas for Teaching Your Preschooler to Love, Share, and Care was written when I was deep in the midst of preschool and early childhood education. After teaching four and five-year-olds for several years, I was full of ideas of ways to involve preschoolers in missions. This book is a catalog of simple activities for families to do along with their young children.

For preschoolers, missions is loving, caring, and sharing. Learning to reach out to other people in loving ways, helping them, praying for them, and caring for them, are important concepts that families need to teach and live out as they raise children that grow up to continue doing the same thing. The world is really a small place. Becoming a caring member of any community is important in our world.

Loving, caring, sharing, praying, giving, doing, helping, my friends, my church, my neighborhood, and my world are the themes for the eleven chapters in this book. Each topic has multiple activities, ideas, and suggestions for parents. This book is also appropriate for teachers, grandparents, families, daycare workers, and anyone else who works with young children and wants to model a lifestyle of reaching out and loving others. The ideas are geared for young children. Some activities revolve around the nuclear family. Other ideas involve extended family, church members, or community members.

Make a difference in the life of your preschooler. Choose and adapt the ideas for your situation. Have fun!

Enjoy missions - loving, caring, sharing, praying - with your preschooler.

I Can Be More Like Jesus

I Can Be More Like Jesus by Angie Quantrell (Woman's Missionary Union, 2006)

Philippe and Etienne enjoy life with their family. Journey with the two French brothers as they discover ways they can be more like Jesus. Helping others, praying for others, embracing nature, using manners, and giving help are just a few of the ways they learn to be more like Jesus.

In this photograph/watercolor illustrated book, French is the featured language. French phrases for every page focus are printed, along with pronunciation. Additional ideas are included at the end for families, teachers, and anyone who has or works with children.

I Can Be More Like Jesus is the fourth book in the I Can series. I am particularly proud of this book because I took the photos, using family and friends as characters. My graphic illustrator used a fancy computer program (sorry, not my specialty) to make the photographs appear to be made from watercolor painting. I love it!


I Can Pray
I Can Give
I Can Do It!
I Can Be More Like Jesus

Families on Mission, Teaching Your Preschooler to Love, Share, and Care

Read more about these books at www.wmu.com or call 1-800-968-7301.

Picture Book 10 for 10 Jog - 10 Books I Can't Live Without!

From a person who loves children's picture books, think of how difficult this exercise in frugality of books is going to be! But alas, I shall try to choose 10 favorites. For the moment. I have so many favorites, that tomorrow would probably be a different, or at least enlarged, list!

Drum roll please! (in no particular order)

1. Pete the Cat I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin.
My students LOVE Pete the Cat with the read along recording. We are always humming or rocking to the music.

2. Pete the Cat Rocking in My School Shoes by Eric Litwin.
So glad this book came out. The kids really love Pete but also the catchy tunes. I love the themes.

3. I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen.
I stumbled onto this book and fell in love. It is hysterical! It's fun to see if the children notice what is going on...sometimes two reads helps.

4. Frankie Works the Night Shift by Lisa Westberg Peters.
The pictures in this book are great. A good counting but also fun reading book.

5. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.
Who can live without the hungry caterpillar? Especially in spring?

6. Hi, Pizza Man! by Virginia Walter.
I always have this book in the pizza unit. The students get the pattern, but then it changes just a bit. They love it!

7. The Mitten by Jan Brett.
My students know I love Jan Brett. She is one of the first authors we focus on. This version of The Mitten is great.

8. Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems.
Again, hysterical!

9. King Bidgood's in the Bathtub by Audrey Wood.
The illustrations and language make this a favorite. Attention to details really draw readers in to the action.

10. I Can Be More Like Jesus by Angie Quantrell.
I'm excited about this book, having been given the opportunity to write it. I'm also very pleased about the illustrations, since I took the photos and the graphic artist ran a watercolor program on them. I can spot family members and friends throughout the book. ;0

I Can Do It

I Can Do It by Angie Quantrell (Woman's Missionary Union, 2003)

Did you know that young children are able to do many things?

Join Meiying and her family as she realizes the many things she can do to show love and help others. Meiying interacts with her family, friends, and community members as she reaches out to others. Chinese language phrases are written top to bottom on book pages (using Chinese characters) and a pronunciation phrase for the same characters is given for readers. The illustrations done by Cathy Lollar are colorful and delightful.

Check out I Can Do It. Share with your young readers and family members. Visit www.wmustore.com or call 1-800-968-7301 to order I Can Do It.

And this author says, THANK YOU!

DragonQuest

DragonQuest by Donita K. Paul (WaterBrook Press, 2005)

Book 2 in the Dragon Keeper Series, DragonQuest, is just as delightful as the first book DragonSpell.

In DragonQuest, Kale, the Dragon Keeper, goes to school, but soon finds herself headed out on a new adventure - searching for another dragon egg. Her immediate family of minor dragons is enlarged by one surprising member. Kale continues to exhibit her true personality, faults - doubts - bursts of emotion, everything. But still she is a lovable character. She shows her growth in trust in Wulder. Throughout this book, the reader sees Kale beginning to bloom.

Twists, turns, and unexpected events kept this reader continuing to turn the pages. Even after this one was supposed to be asleep!

Go ahead. Enjoy the journey of Kale (and her dragons), Bardon, Dar, - oh, and all the cast. You'll be happy you did.

PS Good clean fun!

I Can Give

I Can Give by Angie Quantrell (Woman's Missionary Union, 2003)

Whoo-hoo! Happy 10 years of publication, I Can Give! I just noticed that it has been 10 years since publication. How time flies.

Meet Juan Carlos and his family in I Can Give. Juan Carlos learns many different ways that he can give to help others. He can give his time, his energy, his ideas, his help, his friendship, his thanks, his praise - even his money. Juan Carlos learns that giving is not just about money, but much more.

I Can Give features single phrase sentences for young preschoolers. Each simple sentence is also given in Spanish, together with the pronunciation. For older children and beginning readers, a longer story tells about Juan Carlos and his adventures. Adorable illustrations show Juan Carlos as he gives to others.

I am so excited to realize that I Can Give is 10 years old. That is a decade worth of young readers. Happy Birthday, I Can Give.

Visit www.wmustore.com or call 1-800-968-7301 to purchase I Can Give. Thank you!

Hmmmm. I'm thinking it's time for some happy cake!