Barbara Frank

Congratulations to reader Katrina Morgan! Her entry in this week’s giveaway of Shovelhorns and Black Bruin was chosen by a random number generator. Many thanks to all of you who entered the contest.

P.S. Loved all the responses, btw! Not everyone agrees with me that boys are harder to buy for than girls…..

I had just used the random number generator to pick the winner of the Shovelhorns and Black Bruin giveaway when my husband came into the office and said, “Since we had such a nice response to this giveaway, let’s pick two winners.”

Can’t argue with that! So the winners of a fresh new copy of Shovelhorns and Black Bruin  are Tammy and Bev. Congratulations, ladies! And many thanks to everyone who entered. I loved reading your responses  

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.

….reader Linda D., whose entry was randomly drawn for a free copy of Kindergarten Stories and Morning Talks With Over 125 Illustrations. Congratulations, Linda!

I want to thank everyone who entered all seven giveaway contests. I loved reading your responses! Makes me proud to be part of a fantastic group of people: homeschool moms 

….is reader Jill, whose entry was drawn by the random number generator for this week’s giveaway of a copy of my book, The Imperfect Homeschooler’s Guide to Homeschooling.

Many thanks to everyone who entered for sharing your homeschooling challenges. I sure am glad I didn’t have to choose a winner, because I wanted every one of you to win!

Be sure to enter our final spring giveaway for a copy of our new book, a reprint of an 1890 kindergarten story curriculum called Kindergarten Stories and Morning Talks With Over 125 Illustrations. Learn more here.

This is it: the final giveaway! It sure has been fun giving away books, and it helped pass those last few gray weeks of winter

Kindergarten Stories and Morning Talks With Over 125 Illustrations is our new old book. It’s an 1890 kindergarten story curriculum that we’ve republished, making it larger and easier to read, and adding illustrations to make it a great read-aloud curriculum for children.

This book started selling as soon as it was published: it’s been so exciting to see people’s response to it! Diane Lockman, new classical method columnist for Practical Homeschooling magazine, said on her blog:

“Kindergarten Stories and Morning Talks is sure to please your young homeschooler as you snuggle and read about animals, nature, fairy tales, fables, and even how old-timey household objects were made and chores were performed like how to churn butter…. Especially interesting to me are all the references to what we now call “homesteading” and the lost art of homemaking from scratch with whatever resources you have on hand at the time.  My mother-in-law would love this classic storybook, and I’m sure that she would stop every now and then and tell stories from her own childhood.  In fact, this would be a great gift to purchase for read aloud time at granny’s house.”

Here’s your chance to get this new book for free. Just leave a comment to this post answering this question: what’s the best thing about homeschooling with classic books?

Leave your comment here before midnight on Friday, April 23 to enter the drawing. Good luck!

Do you feel like other people homeschool better than you do?

Do they seem more confident, more accomplished, more patient?

Do their houses look like model homes compared to yours?

No matter how it looks to you, there are no perfect homeschoolers. We all have our challenges as we do our best to teach our kids every day.

What’s your biggest challenge when it comes to raising, educating and loving your kids 24/7? Leave your answer as a comment on this post by midnight on Friday, April 16, and you’ll be automatically entered into a drawing for a brand new copy of The Imperfect Homeschooler’s Guide to Homeschooling, a book packed with information and advice gleaned from my 20+ years of homeschooling.

All week long, I’ve enjoyed the scent of this hyacinth as I worked. (It’s also a welcome distraction from the messy desk, don’t you think?) Spring is finally here, and not a moment too soon.

Congratulations to reader Jacqueline H., whose name was drawn in this past week’s Giveaway. If you haven’t won yet, keep trying. There are three more giveaways; this coming week’s winner will receive a copy of my first book, Life Prep for Homeschooled Teenagers. You can enter that drawing here.

Have a blessed Easter, everyone!

For the past month, I’ve been giving away materials recommended in my book Life Prep for Homeschooled Teenagers. Now let’s give away a copy of the book itself, which is a curriculum for teaching teens values and skills for the adult world they’re about to enter.

But first, a question: what do you think is the biggest blessing that comes from homeschooling a teen? Leave your answer as a comment on this post by Friday, April 9 Sunday, April 11 at midnight, and you’ll be automatically entered into a drawing for a free copy of Life Prep for Homeschooled Teenagers.

Congratulations to reader Judi, who just won the random drawing for Giveaway #3, a hardcover copy of How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie. Way to go, Judi!

Don’t forget, Giveaway #4 has begun. This week’s prize is a video of Dr. James Dobson speaking on “Preparing for the Challenges of Adulthood.” You have until Friday, April 2 at midnight to enter.

If you’ve ever heard Dr. James Dobson speak to a group, you know how engaging and informative he can be. In this video, part 1 of the “Life on the Edge” series, Dobson talks with teens about how to make decisions within God’s will once they become adults.

What are the toughest decisions we have to make as adults? Leave your answer as a comment on this post by Friday, April 2, and you’ll be automatically entered into a drawing for this video, “Preparing for the Challenges of Adulthood,” part of a video series I recommended in my book Life Prep for Homeschooled Teenagers, where I wrote:

I highly recommend this video series for its common sense and Christian attitude about the issues and decisions our teenagers will face as adults.

Stay tuned for more giveaways!

It can be scary to go out into the world as a young adult. But it’s twice as hard if you’re the anxious type.

Are any of your kids worrywarts? How do you help your kids handle nervous feelings or worries? Leave your answer as a comment on this post by Friday, March 26, and you’ll be automatically entered into a drawing for a hardback copy of How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie.

Carnegie was the best-selling author of last week’s giveaway book, How to Win Friends and Influence People. In How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, he uses the true stories of people of the past, including presidents Abraham Lincoln and Dwight D. Eisenhower, to teach readers how to get out of the habit of worrying. Originally published in 1944, this book is still in print.

Stay tuned for more giveaways!

I think homeschoolers have proven that the lack of socialization myth is just that: a myth. But the fact is that everyone, homeschooled or not, will meet all sorts of people during the course of their lives, and sometimes they’ll have questions about how to deal with them.

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie has been in print since it was first published in 1936 because Carnegie was so good at explaining how to get along with people. This particular copy is a vintage copy, but I don’t know the exact year it was printed: inside it says “Copyright 1936, 85^th printing.”

This is one of the books on the Recommended Reading List of my book Life Prep for Homeschooled Teenagers. As I said in that book:

This book is especially valuable for homeschooled students, because they will be heading out into a world where they may face some negative experiences and people that they missed out on by not attending public school.

What do you think about homeschoolers and socialization? Leave your answer as a comment on this post by Friday, March 19, and you’ll be automatically entered into a drawing for this hardback copy of How to Win Friends and Influence People.

NOTE: This contest has ended. Sorry if you didn’t win….do enter this week’s giveaway and try again 

What’s the most important thing you want to teach your children so they’ll be prepared to live on their own someday? Is it how to budget? How to cook? How to live within their means and debt-free? Or something else?

Leave your answer as a comment on this post by Friday, March 12, and you’ll be automatically entered into a drawing for a hardback copy of Life on the Edge, one of the books on the Recommended Reading List of my book Life Prep for Homeschooled Teenagers. As I said in that book:

Dr. Dobson discusses important subjects like choosing a career and a marriage partner, as well as just dealing with the ups and downs of life as a young adult in today’s society. His Christian faith is always evident in what he writes, yet his practical advice is valuable for readers of any faith.

Stay tuned for more giveaways!

NOTE: This giveaway is now closed…sorry if you didn’t win. Do try again with the 3/12 giveaway drawing 

Ugh….all these gray chilly days are bumming me out. Let’s have some fun! Let’s do some giveaways…..starting tomorrow