Sonlight Core 1 week 5

Supplemental List Review Time!

OK, we are sometimes behind on supplements, since my library doesn't always get them out to me when I ask for them. So, some of these are from Week 4's list as well.

Water Buffalo Days: Growing Up in Vietnam by Huynh Quang Nhuong

This book is a really nice one.  It was supposed to Supplement Akebu to Zapotec's section on the Chut peoples in Vietnam.  However, this book in and of itself is interesting, and provides a personal account of living in Vietnam in early read-aloud format.  There are 16 chapters in total, and I would advise using this book as a read-aloud instead of a reader.  If you have very sensitive children, I would refrain from using this book at all, since a beloved pet water buffalo dies in the beginning of the story, is replaced by a new one, and the new old dies in the end of the story. In addition, there is an earthquake and a tiger attack.  But, overall a very fun look for children into another culture. 

Children of Vietnam by Marybeth Lorbiecki

Consisting of mostly photographs, a two or three paragraphs per page tell the story of various children who live in Vietnam, their families, and their lives.  While I think the text could use some improvement, I like the fact that the book focuses on children that live in the region rather than continuously focus on adults, as well as the photographs on each and every page. The photos help bring the above Water Buffalo Days book to life.

Charlie's House by Clyde Robert Bulla

This book is hauntingly touching, but I am using it as a reader, having pre-read the story for my six year old.  In typical Bulla fashion, it is a book on the 2 intermediate level of reading.  Another pre-warning for sensitive children here.  Charlie is run over by horses, temporarily unable to walk.  When he recovers, he works hard until he is twelve, and then makes his father mad by causing them to lose both a horse and a cow, causing him to have what sounds very briefly to be a stroke.  His mother then asks him to leave the house before his brothers try to hurt him. He flees, and winds up with a man who tells him he will buy him passage to America, but winds up in America as an indentured servant to a fairly nice man.  Well, nice, except he "loses" Charlie to his cousin in a card game.  Charlie is then sent to be a personal servant to a spoiled young girl and embarrassed.  He then is cast out one day, sent to work in the fields, gets punished for taking a drink of water, and is almost whipped until the girl decides she wants him back.  So, he decides to run away, and almost gets caught, but finally gets to his destination and is safe.  Like I said, hauntingly touching, but still written in an innocent enough of a way that even someone as picky as I am will give it as a reader. 

Volcanoes by Stephanie Turnbell

This one was to supplement our Night Animals book in Science.  It is another Usborne Beginners book, and I'll bet most of you can figure out what it is about.  I really liked this one for some reason, the colors just sort of draw your eye to it.

I'll continue to post more as we get through them.

We have finished up Trumpet of the Swan and have watched the video, and are now reading through Stuart Little in addition to Homer Price.  We will watch the Stuart Little video (and Homer Price for that matter) when we are done with them.