Barbara Frank

Here’s a story for those well-meaning relatives and friends who tell us we shouldn’t be homeschooling our children because we aren’t certified teachers.

You know what bugs me the most about this story?

It’s not the fact that this fifth-grade teacher sent 3800+ emails over the course of 169 school days. (At a rate of one minute per email, that’s 57 hours of paid work time.) » Read the rest of this entry «

Our four-year-old nephew is a very bright little boy.

I’m not bragging on our shared genetics, because he’s adopted. He’s been in preschool the past couple of years where he quickly absorbed everything they taught him and then some. And then he got bored. » Read the rest of this entry «

Heard about all the great free and bargain-priced eBooks available on Amazon Kindle, but don’t have a Kindle? No worries: you can download Kindle for your PC for free. Here are step-by-step instructions (illustrated for us non-techies!) that will have you collecting eBooks in no time.

Seven years ago, Life Prep for Homeschooled Teenagers was first published. Since then, I’ve gotten many email messages from readers who used the curriculum with their kids and were pleased with it.

Sadly, I’ve also been asked why I chose to include girls in my target audience for the book.

Now, I realize that many homeschoolers are even more conservative than I am, enough so that they plan to keep their daughters at home until and unless they marry. But to keep them in the dark about financial matters seems so misguided to me. » Read the rest of this entry «

Our new book, Shovelhorns and Black Bruin, is selling like hotcakes! I think more and more parents are realizing that the classic books are the best; these novels by Clarence Hawkes (circa 1908-9) are definitely classics. With two classic novels in one book, it’s also a great deal.

To celebrate, we’re giving away a hot-off-the-press copy to a lucky winner, and it could be you! Just leave a comment here answering this question:

How do your children benefit from reading classic books?

By commenting, you’ll be automatically entered in the drawing for this giveaway. Deadline for entries is midnight, August 19, 2010. Don’t miss out: comment now!

8-20-10 Please note: contest is now closed.

This week’s edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling is hosted by Judy Aron, and she did an awesome job. Check it out!

We have a new book out just this week. And my husband painted the cover art! Learn more about this “new old” book below:

Do your boys enjoy reading? Do you have trouble finding books that catch their interest and are good for them to read? Then you’ll love Shovelhorns, the Biography of a Moose, and Black Bruin, the Biography of a Bear, two classic novels in one new book.

These two wildlife animal stories will captivate your boys. These aren’t namby-pamby tales but realistic adventures written by naturalist Clarence Hawkes in the early 1900’s: classic stories which boys will enjoy.

Best of all, you’ll get two of Clarence Hawkes’ wildlife adventures in one book. Readers of all ages will love these stories, but especially boys who enjoy the outdoors and stories that don’t hold back from telling about the life and death struggles that occur in the wild.

Shovelhorns, the Biography of a Moose, first published in 1909, is the story of a moose in the harsh woods of New Brunswick, Canada. Relive the life of this moose as he grows from a small calf to a great bull moose. Learn how his mother protects him from a fierce wolf pack. As he matures, he experiences his own adventures and battles, including his be­friend­ing by the son of a Northern hunting guide, and the inevitable time in his life when he must prove he is deserving of the title “King of the Wilderness.”

Following this story is another exciting adventure. Black Bruin, the Biography of a Bear, first published in 1908, is the story of a black bear in northern New York. You’ll be hooked from the start as you read the exciting circumstances of how Black Bruin becomes part of a young farmer’s family. This black bear from the wild desires freedom, and his strength and appetite bring him constant conflict. You’ll be enthralled reading the many trials Black Bruin faces as he strives to be “King of the Mountain.”

Clarence Hawkes’ storytelling will keep your boys (and you) turning the pages and wanting to read more of his wildlife adventures from this exciting era. Both stories are beautifully illustrated by Charles Copeland.

DOWNLOAD TWO FREE SAMPLES FROM THIS BOOK HERE: http://www.cardamompublishers.com/stories-for-boys.htm