The Handy Answer Book for Kids (and Parents) - A review

The Handy Answer Book for Kids (and Parents) 2nd Edition
by Gina Misiroglu
Published by Visible Ink Press (October 2009)

Paperback, 352 pages Reading level: Ages 9-12

Why do dogs bark? 
Why is the sky blue? 
Why? 
Why.....? 

Do you care for or have kids? Then chances are you've encountered the 'Why' query now and again. Maybe you know how tunnels are built, or how clouds float, but what if you don't? 

Well, lucky for you there's The Handy Answer Book for Kids (and Parents). This book has the answer to those and nearly 800 additional queries with enough depth and detail to both satisfy the curiosity of persistent young inquisitors and provide parents with a secure sense of a job well done. 

Written with a child's imagination in mind, this easy-to-understand book permits kids to help themselves because it's organized by simple topical chapters: Outer Space; Planet Earth and Our Moon; Creatures Big and Small; Plant Life; People around the World; Politics and Government; How Things Work; Math, Measurement, and Time; All about My Body; and Daily Life. This book invites parents/grandparents/caregivers to turn those uncertain opportunities into valuable one-on-one learning experiences. 

Gina Misiroglu is a fourteen-year veteran of the West Coast publishing industry, specializing in the development and editing of popular culture, reference, and women's studies titles. Misiroglu has edited and developed hundreds of books in her publishing career for a number of presses, including Price Stern Sloan/HP Books, New World Library, Lowell House, Visible Ink Press, Macmillan Reference USA, and Adams Media Corporation. Misiroglu is the author of Girls Like Us: 40 Extraordinary Women Celebrate Girlhood in Story, Poetry, and Song (New World Library, 1999), winner of the New York Public Library's "Best Book for Teens" Award, and Imagine: The Spirit of Twentieth-Century American Heroes(New World Library, 1999). 


What did I think?  This is a great little reference book for kids with a lot of questions about the world.  I got a kick out of some of the questions and answers in this book (like "What's a jiffy?) and there seemed to be a topic for every kind of kid in here.  There is a lot of information in this book.  The answers are concise and not overly wordy, yet still answer the questions at a fairly complete level (not that I am by any means an expert in any of these topics).  There are plenty of pictures to add interest to the information.  The information in this book is definitely meant for Americans, but there's enough other stuff to interest us Canadians too.  Though it would be lovely to have a Canadian version.


If someone wanted to read through this, it probably wouldn't be too painful, but really this is more of a reference book.  Using this book would be a great way help kids learn how to use an index.  There is also a list of more references and websites at the back if you want more information on a subject.  In our house, we already have a couple sets of encyclopedias that we use to look things up, but if you don't have encyclopedias and want your children to learn how to find information in ways other than the internet, this would be a cost effective choice as it covers a broad range of topics.


As you probably know if you read my blog regularly, my son LOVES science.  So, I thought I'd get his take on things.  He read through some of the science parts of the book and glanced at the rest. He didn't get real specific, but here's what he said...


Me: What did you like about this book?


Will: All the facts that it told me about.

Me: Was there anything you didn't like about this book?

Will: No!

Me: If you were going to tell another kid about this book, what would you say?

Will: I would say, this book is really interesting, you should read it.

Me: What was your favorite part of the book?

Will: Everything, but more specifically, I liked facts about space.

And the winner is...

I've been lucky lately in my blog giveaway entries.  I've won quite a few.  I do enjoy winning something that I like.  It's fun.  Here are some of my prizes that I've won...

Quite a while ago I won a buckwheat toddler pillow.  Thanks to True Cuddles and honeydumplings.  Now Finleigh has a pillow.  And I quite like it.  True Cuddles is a great (Canadian but ships to the States) site that offers kids products at discounted prices.  They've had some great deals.

Then, about 3 or 4 months ago, I won something (that I really liked even) from another blog (who's name I won't mention) and haven't gotten it.  And maybe never will.  Oh well, I guess that's how it goes.  I've stopped reading that blog anyways.  Whatever.

I won some fun toys for my boys from Tara's blog. We got a  Hot Wheels Battle Force 5 prize pack which the boys were pretty taken with when they first got it.  Unfortunately their obsession with Star Wars and Lego has relegated the cars to the 'only sometimes' played with category.  But they are pretty cool.  Tara's having a TON of giveaways right now on her blog.  Something for everybody I'd say and I'm hoping to win a couple of them myself.  You should head over there right now and enter.

Then next came probably my favorite prize of all.  Cuz it's pretty and fun and useful and mostly just for me.  Leslie at A Room Somewhere held a contest for a calendar from Say It With Style, a great little Etsy shop.  Which you should check out next week because it's closed right now due to a virus on the owner's computer. Look, isn't it lovely?  Yes, I fuzzed out my last name.  You take a picture frame (which I bought) and put the vinyl from Say it with Style on the back of the glass.  Then you've got a reusable calendar.  Brian just hung it up this morning...I love it.

After I heard from Leslie, I figured that was enough and it would be quiet for awhile.  Then I received an email from my favorite online publicist that I'd won one of her contests.  Gosh, how fun!  I've not received this one yet, but I'm sure I'll see it soon.  Thanks Lisa!

So thanks to everyone who have followed through on their giveaway promises.  I'm very grateful for all my prizes.

* There's a ton of links in this post, even though they don't show up unless you move your mouse over top of them.  I'll have to look into fixing that when I have more time...

The Blue Umbrella - A Review

What would happen if all the world’s weather was controlled by one man with a blue umbrella?  If your mother had been killed by lightning, would you trust this man?  This is the decision facing 10-year-old Zac Sparks in Mike Mason’s new page-turning fantasy novel, The Blue Umbrella (David C Cook, October 2009).  Probing the depths of good and evil, the first in Mason’s series for 9 to 12 year olds is a superbly written children’s story with deep spiritual resonance. 

When Zac Sparks’ mother dies, he’s sent to live in Five Corners with his cruel old Aunties.  It isn’t long before Zac knows something strange is going on.  Five Corners is populated with weird characters—a midget butler, a girl who doesn’t speak, a blind balloon seller, and a mysterious singer who is heard but not seen.  Then there’s the Aunties’ father, Dada.  Zac’s first encounter with Dada is so terrifying he faints dead away.

The one bright spot is Sky Porter, the proprietor of the general store across the street, a friendly soul who encourages Zac—when the Aunties aren’t looking—and shows him a kindness that is sadly lacking from his dismal life.  But Sky isn’t what he seems either, and when Zac learns Sky’s amazing secret he realizes, to his dismay, that this wonderful man may have a very dark side as well.

Discovering that Dada is an evil magician who is intent on stealing the ultimate treasure, Zac knows many lives are at stake, including his own.  With time running out, he must turn to the one person who might be able to help: Sky Porter.  Can Zac trust him?

In the vein of Lewis and Tolkien, Mason has crafted a fantasy that will certainly appeal to fans of Harry Potter, The Golden Compass, Lemony Snicket, and The Chronicles of Narnia.  “In this era of climate change, when weather is arguably the most important issue facing the world, a story that dramatizes the human role and responsibility in creating weather is highly relevant and timely,” says Mason.  “The Blue Umbrella is permeated with a sense of awe at the power and beauty of weather, and it asks the question: Who is behind all this?”  

Author Bio: Mike Mason is the best-selling, award-winning author of The Mystery of Marriage, The Gospel According to Job, Practicing the Presence of People, and many others.  He has an M.A. in English and has studied theology at Regent College.  He lives in Langley, BC, Canada, with his wife, Karen, a family physician.  They have one daughter, Heather, who is pursuing a career in dance and the arts.  The Blue Umbrella is Mike’s first novel.

The Blue Umbrella by Mike Mason

David C Cook/October 2009

ISBN: 978-1-4347-6526-0/425 pages/softcover/$14.99

www.davidccook.com - www.mikemasonbooks.com

What did I think?  If I'm completely honest, I'm having a hard time deciding what I think about this book.  It's kinda weird.  But really, is it any weirder than other fantasy novel?  Probably not.  It took me a while to really get into the story, but when I did, I enjoyed reading the rest of it.

Now keep in mind that this is a book meant for children.  That may be why it took me a while to get into it.  It's long for a children's book, I think, surpassing 400 pages.    

I do think there was a lot of beauty in this book as Mason described the weather in all its glory and splendor.  And I did like that the hero in this story was undeniably human.  The allegory in this book is hard to miss, or at least was for me.  However, the story was written in such a way that it did not preach (which is a pretty major pet peeve of mine).

I will let (and encourage) my son read this when he takes a break from Harry Potter as I think he would find the main character identifiable, but I don't think this would be a light read for a child.

The Church of Facebook - A review

A revolution is taking place, one profile at a time.  Online social networks like Facebook and MySpace are connecting people like never before.  With hundreds of millions of users, they’re creating almost limitless potential to redefine our personal worlds.  It’s a movement that’s changing how we form relationships, perceive others, and shape our identity.

In his new book, The Church of Facebook (David C Cook, October 2009) author Jesse Rice takes a deeper look at the movement which, at its core, reflects our need for community.  “Our longing for intimacy, connection, and a place to belong has never been a secret, but social networking offers us a new perspective on the way we engage our community,” Rice states.  This new perspective raises new questions: How do these networks impact our relationships?  In what ways are they shaping the way we think of ourselves?  And how might this phenomenon subtly reflect a God who longs to connect with each one of us?

The Church of Facebook explores these ideas and much more, offering a revealing look at the wildly popular world of online social networking.  “The new landscape of social networking tells us two basic things:  One, we have a deep desire to be known.  And, two, we are faced with a technology that both enables and hinders the intimacy we’re looking for,” Rice says.  From personal profiles to status updates, author Jesse Rice takes a thoroughly entertaining and insightful look into what Facebook reveals about us, and what it may mean for the future of “community.”

Social networking is no fad; it has become a fact of life, especially for teens and twenty-somethings.  The Church of Facebook is essential reading for parents and pastors who want to understand this trend and its impact on their children and congregations.  Rice’s discussions will engage social networkers of all ages and stages who are wrestling with the very real issues of identity, meaning, purpose, and friendship within the context of virtual communities.

In the end, The Church of Facebook moves readers toward understanding God’s work in the body of Christ, the church.  Driven by Rice’s thought-provoking questions, observations, humor, and heartfelt storytelling, The Church of Facebookchallenges readers to consider new perspectives regarding their social networking habits and how those habits may point to deeper heart issues and, ultimately, our hunger for Jesus.

Author Bio: Jesse Rice is a writer and musician and served for eight years as the Contemporary Worship Arts Director at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, a large and thriving congregation in the heart of Silicon Valley.  Jesse has a Master’s in Counseling Psychology and is an authority on the search for meaning in a fast-paced, hyper-connected world.  He is a sought-after worship leader and speaker with more than fifteen years of experience working with college students and young adults.  Jesse and his wife, Katie, live in Palo Alto, California.

What did I think?  This was an interesting read.  I found myself saying "hmmm" quite a few times.  Rice gave a lot of interesting real life anecdotes to illustrate his points.  His writing style is clear and easy to read with some humor sprinkled in here and there.  This is a book written with a christian perspective, but it doesn't hammer you over the head with said perspective.  Looking into the psychology behind why we do things is interesting to me.  Fascinating even.  (I'm a bit of a psychology nut).  So I found this fun to read.  I made several mental notes to myself while reading, especially as I thought about my kids who will soon become one of those in the 'plugged in' generation that don't know any differently.

I could probably go on and on about my own thoughts about Facebook and all the ins and outs, but I won't.  What I will say is that I agreed with quite a bit of what Jesse Rice had to say.