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Saturday, July 30, 2011

GiveAways on Frugalissa Finds

If you haven't checked out local blogger Frugalissa Finds you need to do so today. She has several giveaways running through next week. Not only will you find these awesome giveaways, but also great deals at local stores among just a few of the cool things on her blog. Just click on the link above and find all the contest and great deals!!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

My summer of book reviews #1

       This summer I have completed a graduate level course in which I learned about using books in the classroom. During this class I read 21 Caldecott and Newbery Award books. Over the next few weeks I’m going to share those books with you. 
Our family loves to read and I have found several new books that are our new favorites. Today I want to share Sector 7 by David Weisner. Sector 7 was written in 1999, is a picture book and therefore was a Caldecott Honor book for the year of 2000. 
Since I wrote book reports on each of the books I read I’m going to leave them in semi-book report form for the most part. 

Synopsis: This book has no words to tell the story. A little boy takes a field trip to the Empire State building. At the top in the observatory he realizes how cloudy it is. His scarf and hat are blown off. He turns to see them on a smiling cloud. The cloud takes him to the “Cloud Dispatch Center” Sector 7. The clouds give him a tour of how they are made, where they receive their assignments, the design area, the whole sector. The clouds are bored with the same old clouds. The little boy draws them as stars, fish and other fun designs. Then the other humans there discover him and he is sent back on a taxi cloud; while the cloud he arrived on is led away to be punished. As he and the other students return to school they notice all the shaped clouds; clouds the little boy had designed and how were now happy. 
Illustrations: The illustrations for this book where done in watercolor. They are very exquisite. The pictures indeed tell the story. The reader is drawn into the book through the emotions of the boy and the cloud. The details of every picture are so perfect. One would feel like they are in “Sector 7” also. Words can’t describe how excited I felt looking at this book, I couldn’t wait to share it with my husband and kids. This book makes me wonder if there really is a “Sector 7” in the sky turning out clouds every day.

     This book would be a great asset in the classroom or homeschool science class in teaching about the different kinds of clouds. It would help to pull students in and get them excited about learning about clouds.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Cars 2 Review

Today, the kids and I took my parents to see Cars 2. We had given Papaw handmade tickets for this movie for Father's Day so we were making good on our IOU. Let me say, we woke Papaw twice in the first 15 minutes of the movie. Of course, bless his heart, he had eaten a tub of popcorn during the 20 minutes that we sat in the theater waiting on the movie to start, so a nap was imminent.

We didn't see it in 3D, although I don't think it would make a difference. The beginning is slow, so slow that I was thinking the entire time of how much money I had wasted compared to if we had just waited and bought it on DVD. I must say, however, after the action started I was pleasantly surprised.

It's nothing like the first movie, so lower your expectations before you go. But if you like suspense, drama, and spies you should enjoy this one. I don't want to give away too much about the plot. Mater is the primary actor in this movie and there are several new cars. There is a lot of action, some of which could be scary for the younger crowd.

It does have two good morals. One, no matter what people say or think about you, what you do and think is more important. You can always do good for others, even if they don't think so. Moral two is that the dents of friendship are more important than being perfect.

The kids talked about how good it was and were glad we had went to see it. I had high expectations for it to be as awesome as the first so I was a little disappointed.

Would I watch it again? Not at the theater. Will I buy the DVD? Of course, cause the kids liked it. Would I recommend you run to the theater and see it? Only if you go during the $5.00 matinee time.

Disclaimer:
This is my personal opinion. I was not given any kind of payment for my review. Actually I paid quite a bit to be able give my personal review.  :)