Catholic Homeschooling Books on Kindle

Two of my books are now available on Kindle. I'm also happy to see Laura Berquist's book Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum is available as well.

Here are the links:

• For the Love of Literature by Maureen Wittmann
• The Catholic Homeschool Companion edited and compiled by Maureen Wittmann and Rachel Mackson
• Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum by Laura Berquist

Additionally, I'm currently working on bringing back my out of print book A Catholic Homeschool Treasury for Kindle.

If you're thinking about buying an e-reader, here is a blog post to read:

Using Kindle in Your Homeschool

Catholic Homeschooling in Ohio

I'll be speaking at the Dayton, Ohio Catholic homeschooling conference next month. I'm looking forward to seeing Regina Doman and Danielle Bean again.

This is a conference not to miss! Here is the information below. Make sure to stop at the Homeschool Connections table and say Hello!


6th Annual Dayton Catholic Homeschool Conference

May 21 & 22, 2010
St. Peter Family Life Center in Huber Heights Ohio.

Join us for encouragement, instruction, inspiration and great shopping!
New this year, Used Book Sale Saturday am only, 8:30am-11:30am.

For convenient, online early bird registration click here.

To view the schedule click here.

Our featured speakers include:

• Danielle Bean, Catholic author of "My Cup of Tea: Musings of a Catholic Mom"
• Regina Doman, Catholic author of "Angel in the Waters" and "Shadow of the Bear"
  
• Maureen Wittmann of Homeschool Connections and author of "For the Love of Literature"
• Fr. Frank Amberger of Remey parish and Knights of Our Lady
• Fr. Stash Dailey, Parochial Vicar at St. Michael, Worthington
• Fr. Frank Sherry, Fathers of Mercy, mission speaker
  
Andrew Schmiedicke, author and editor

To date our 2010 Vendors include:

• Dominion Academy of Dayton
Greathall Productions - The recordings of Jim Weiss
Home School Legal Defence Association
LPH Resource Center
Madonna University
Math U See
Pflaum Publishing Group
Sacred Heart Books and Gifts
• Seton Home Study School
St. George Catholic Books and Gifts
• Teaching Textbooks
• Usborne Books

Suggested early bird donation for attendance Single $15, Couple $20, Teen $10, Family $40

Books for Boys (and Girls) and Tale of Manaeth

When I speak or write on the topic of literature, the one comment I always get is, "I need book ideas for boys!" I've written on this topic countless times and still people ask me, "What are good books for boys?" So, when my friend Phillip Campbell gave his new book to me, Tale of Manaeth, I just knew I'd have to tell you all about it. If you have boys, buy this book. Gosh, if you have girls, buy this book. The boys will love the blood, guts, and gory war scenes. The girls will love the fact that the hero is a girl.

First, about the author. I know Phillip through our Catholic homeschool group. He's a homeschool dad who also provides tutoring services for local homeschoolers. In fact, I was so impressed by his natural teaching ability (my kids love him!) that I hired him for Homeschool Connections. Phillip is an Ave Maria University grad and currently a Madonna education graduate student. He is also the Director of Religious Education for a terrific parish in Ann Arbor.

While Phillip's book is not overtly Catholic, Tale of Manaeth was written by a dedicated and faithful Catholic. I like that. I get weary reading kid lit and weeding out the trash.

As The Curt Jester wrote recently, "Tale of Manaeth is an old school fantasy epic written in the narrative style like the Iliad or Tolkien’s Silmarillion." When Phillip first handed the book to me he mentioned that he was concerned that the writing style might be hard on modern ears, but he had nothing to worry about. It's refreshing to immerse oneself in language that excites the soul, that makes you think about the words themselves.

Yet, it is not the writing style that puts this book at the top of my list. It's the girl hero. She is a princess, living the good life, when suddenly she is thrust into a life or death situation. Not just her own life, but the life of her royal subjects. It reminds me a little bit of Alice in The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor. (A book I really should review one day but for now I'll say I liked it but there is a huge red flag for the sequel Seeing Redd. Huge.)

But back to Phillip's Tale of Manaeth. Our heroine is Manaeth whose name is changed to Manissa. After all, she is no longer the same person. Manaeth was a young, naive girl. Manissa is a warrior queen. Unexpected, unplanned. She didn't ask for the job of warrior queen. Didn't necessarily want it. Yet rose to the occasion when called upon and saves the world with her wisdom, tenacity, and moral compass.

I love those kinds of heroes. That is the kind of hero a child can relate to and aspire to be. It demonstrates how everyday people living everyday lives can overcome the worst of situations and save the world. Isn't that what we all love about Peter in Narnia and Frodo in LOTR, who do things out of personal conviction, because it's the right thing to do and not out of a quest for fame and fortune?

So, if you're looking for a good read for your older tweens or teens, or gosh for yourself, I recommend Tale of Manaeth. (Make sure to ask the author to autograph for you!)

Upcoming Speaking Engagements

I have 5 confirmed speaking engagements so far this upcoming season. I'd like to share the schedule with you so if you're in the neighborhood you can mark the date. I love meeting friends when I travel.

March 21
North Pittsburgh Catholic Homeschoolers

March 26-27
St. Louis Catholic Homeschool Association

May 21-22
Dayton Catholic Homeschool Conference
Topics: Relax You Too Can Homeschool and Virtually Homeschooling

May 28-29
Minnesota Catholic Home Education Conference
Topics: Thrifty Homeschooler, Relax You Too Can Homeschool and For the Love of Literature

June 19
Sacred Heart -- New Jersey

Exciting Stuff at Homeschool Connections

Walter and I have been busy, busy. Walter got the brand new Homeschool Connections website up and running yesterday. It's still under construction but go check it out anyway and let me know what you think about the design. I'd love to hear your feedback. It looks a little bit like my Catholic Treasury website. Walter will have all the content loaded up within the week so you'll want to check back to see all the neat stuff Homeschool Connections has to offer, from free webinars to online classes.

Until then, I'd like to share the 2009 fall classes with you:

• Theology: Moral Theology with Monica Ashour
• Theology: Christian Anthropology with Monica Ashour
• Literature: Gawain and the Green Knight -- Chivalry, Courtesy and Chastity with Henry Russell, Ph.D.
• Literature: Christ and King Arthur -- Heroism and Holiness with Henry Russell, Ph.D.
• Literature: The Orthodox Canterbury Tales of Geoffrey Chaucer -- Trust God and Tradition with Henry Russell, Ph.D.
• Science: Blood in Sickness and In Health with Kris Corriera
• Philosophy: What Do Philosophers Do and How Do They Do It with Jean Rioux, Ph.D.
• US Constitution: Democracy, Government, and Citizenship with Ed Rivet
• Economics: Principles of Economics and Catholic Perspectives with David Harris, Ph.D.
• Literature: Tolkien & Fairy Stories
• Theology: The Mass Explained
• Theology/Literature: Catholic Spiritual Writers

These are all high school classes. We have enlisted a middle school teacher who will offer classes for us in the spring and possibly late fall.

If you'd like to get on our newsletter instead of checking the website regularly, there is a sign up box in the top right hand corner of this blog. That will keep you up to date on free webinars, courses, and money-saving coupons. Between now and September, newsletters will go be going out every Monday. However, that will lighten up greatly once the fall semester starts.

Save $30 Plus on High School

For those of you not on the Homeschool Connections email list, I thought you'd like to know that there is a $30 off coupon available to you, your friends, and your homeschool support group. It's only good until July 1, 2009, so you'll want to act fast. Here is the coupon code: mh22lw

In fact, there is a MacBeth class starting on Monday. It's only $60 for the class. With the coupon that makes it only $30. I guarantee you won't find a deal like this ever again -- a 4-week, Catholic Shakespeare course with a college professor who's taught at both Franciscan and Ava Maria!

Here's what the kids said about Dr. Russell's summer course (on Beowulf) that just ended:

"Thank you Dr. Russell!!!! I can't wait until next Monday for the MacBeth class!!!!"

"Dr. Russell had very interesting and insightful comments. I enjoyed the class very much."

"Excellent explanations and insights."

"I appreciate literature so much more now."

The students love these classes. So much so, that the students of the American government class started a Facebook fanpage for their instructor, Ed Rivet.

Here is a list of upcoming courses plus free webinars. (More fall classes to be scheduled within the week -- Theology, Anatomy, and Literature.)

Oh, one more thing. If you register early for fall classes you get a very nice discount.

Living Books, Homeschooling, and Math & Science

The math and science webinar went well last week. Oh, there were a few glitches (I'm always my worst critic) but the attendees loved it. If you weren't able to make it there, you can still attend the recorded event -- for free no less. You can watch it, download it, and even email it to friends.

However, before I tell you the details of the webinar, I have a few people to thank.



I'm really excited that Living Math was one of our sponsors so that Homeschool Connections could bring the math & science webinar to you and other homeschoolers for free. If you visit the Living Math webisite, let Julie know how much you appreciate her generosity and all the other wonderful things she does for homeschoolers.

The Living Math's website full of loads of tips and reviews to help you bring a true appreciation of math to your homeschool. There is also an accompanying Yahoo Group that is a vibrant email list that has provided me with a ton of help and inspiration.

If you're planning on purchasing some living math books, please consider linking from the Living Math website as it helps Julie keep the website running.




I am also happy to let you know about our other sponsor: Ecce Homo Press, publisher of the ever popular Little Flowers Girls Club and Blue Knights Boys Club materials, the Glory of America series, Little Women Hospitality Program, and more. They are also the publisher of my book For the Love of Literature which was the inspiration for this series of webinars.

The other Homeschool Connections sponsors include:
Love2Learn
mater et magistra

Now for information on the newest recorded webinar:
Bringing Joy to Your Homeschool Math and Science Lessons:

Literature isn't just for reading! You can teach math, science, language arts, and more using living books. This is the third in a series of three talks on the topic of teaching through real books.

Have you ever said out loud, "I hate math!" Or, "Math was my worst subject!" Was science always a tough subject for you? Do you struggle wondering how you can bring the fullness of the subject to your children? If so, you've come to the right place.

In this talk Maureen Wittmann shows you how to let go of your math and science phobia and keep from passing it onto your children. Math can be fun and interesting. Really. You just need to look at it in a new light. Science can go beyond the kitchen experiments and come alive in a child's imagination. Really.

Maureen brings lots of books with her for show and tell. You'll leave this online seminar loaded with book titles, fresh ideas, and practical tips. You won't want to miss it!

Maureen is the author of For the Love of Literature: Teaching Core Subjects Through Literature published by Ecce Homo Press, available from your favorite bookseller or maureenwittmann.com.

Favorite Art and Music Living Books

I'm putting the finishing touches on my Power Point presentation for the webinar on Wednesday, Teaching Art and Music Appreciation with Real Books.

Even though I have loads of book titles to share, it is oh so very possible that I've missed a jewel or two. (I'm pulling the titles from For the Love of Literature.)

If you have a very favorite, please share here in the comments. That way everyone can benefit.

Art doesn't have to be restricted to classic paintings. There is also architecture, photography, and sculpture. And music doesn't have to be restricted to classical. There is also opera, Gregorian chant, modern, and jazz. There are also lovely living books on dance to consider.

There are picture books, nonfiction, biographies, and historical fiction that fit into the art and music mode.

So many beautiful books. So little time.

What are your favs?

The Seashell on the Mountaintop

In my book For the Love of Literature I ask readers to let me know when they find great books that should be added to future editions. In response to that call, I received the following email:

Hi Maureen,

I was just going through your book For the Love of Literature to look for some titles for my sons and myself. I recall a book I have recently heard through audio book that you might be interested in and even add to any future revisions of your book or recommendations on your website.

The title is, The Seashell on the Mountaintop: A Story of Science, Sainthood, and the Humble Genius Who Discovered a New History of the Earth by Alan Cutler. It is also in book form. If you haven't heard of this before, this is a fascinating story of Saint Nicholas Steno. I believe it is more of a high school and adult book. It relates not only Steno's life and scientific career but also gives the reader insight into what was happening in science at the time and scientific discovery in the age of Descartes and Da Vinci, who were contemporaries of Steno. It also discusses his conversion to Catholicism. I heard the audio version and it was very easy to follow.

Thank you for your book and God bless you in your work,
Rose

As you all know, I love discovering new, cool books. Thank you Rose! I'll be looking for this title in the library and consider it for the next edition of LOL, which btw is not too far in the future.

If you've read this book or listened to the audio, please leave a comment here. I'd love to hear other opinions.

Win a Free Book!

One lucky attendee to the Teaching History with Real Books webinar will get a free copy of For the Love of Literature. Autographed no less!

You get to attend a fun mini-conference from the comfort of your own home AND possibly win an awesome door prize. Hey, life doesn't get much better!

See you there!

Review: Warriors: Into the Wild

I'm finally getting around to the Warriors review I promised eons ago. If you haven't yet heard of this series, you may not have tween boys in your house. It seems to be all the rage among the middle school boys in our homeschool group.

I did let Buster read it before I got to it, but I wasn't too worried as I trust the boys who recommended it to him in the first place. However, when I finally picked it up I had a big red flag go up when I read the author's bio, "Erin Hunter is inspired by a love of cats and a fascination with the ferocity of the natural world. As well as having a great respect for nature in all its forms, Erin enjoys creating rich mythical explanations for animal behavior, shaped by her interest in astrology and standing stones. " (emphasis mine)

Needless to say, the interest in astrology did not excite me about this series. In fact, it motivated me to get on the ball and read the first book myself as well as check out the Warriors website.

First, I should mention that Erin Hunter is not a real person. Erin Hunter is a pseudonym for three separate authors who work together to crank out book after book in this series. A fourth author was added to help write a new, but similar, series on bears called Seekers.

As I'm sure you've all guessed so far, these are not great literature. They're dime store paperbacks. However, they are enjoyable stories and it's easy to see why kids love them. It was also surprising to me that they do offer quite a bit for you to baptize and teach moral lessons.

The first book in the series is Warriors: Into the Wild. It is the story of a house cat, a kitten actually, who decides to join a clan of wild cats in the woods. Firepaw turns out to be our hero, not only through his physical prowess but through his honesty and forthrightness.

Let's first address the astrology issue as I think this is important for us to consider as Catholic parents. From page 161:

"All Clan leaders have to spend one night at the Moonstone when they are first chosen. There, the spirits of StarClan [cats that died] share with them."

We also read on page 45:

"Graypaw didn't take his eyes off the dead cat as he replied, 'His spirit may have left to join Star Clan, but the clan will share tongues [verbal fellowship] with Redtail one last time.'

'Star Clan?' Firepaw echoed.

'It's the tribe of heavenly warriors that watch over all the clan cats. You can see them in Silverpelt.... Silverpelt is that thick band of stars you see each night stretching across the sky. Each star is a StarClan warrior. Redtail will be among them tonight."'

These passages are clearly pagan and not reflective of Catholic teaching. As such, since my child had already read the book, I sat down and talked about it with him. I highly recommend having this discussion with your child if he reads this book. It should be made clear that the books are pure fantasy. In the make believe world of talking cats they just may speak to the stars that are made up of their ancestors. But not in real life.

However, here is an opportunity to baptize. We do believe in the Communion of the Saints and that those who have gone before us in grace are in heaven and do intercede for us. So, I pointed this out to Buster and pointed other similarities and differences. Much like I did when we read the Greek and Norse myths.

Also important to point out is that the villain takes his power through deception and murder. While his evil ways do advance his position at first, in the end they bring about his downfall. It's a simple, basic story: good triumphs over evil.

That is one of the primary attributes that makes the series popular with children. Who doesn't want a good hero who wins the day after defeating the bad guy?

Another reason for their popularity is the intrigue of the secret lives of warrior cats. The everyday "kitty pet" leaves the cushy life of a house cat to join a clan of wild cats. He gives up all his comforts to go off and fend for himself and his clan. He can no longer depend upon his human master to bring him his daily meal but must hunt for it himself each day. Yet, the hunted mouse, gained through hunting skill, is so much more delicious than the dry, drab food that comes from a box. Even if it means a less-than-filled-to-the-brim tummy each day.

Then there are also the fight scenes throughout the books. This is certainly an attraction for boys. I must admit I know of a couple of girls who abhorred the book due to the injuries and deaths incurred by the cats. But the boys tend to find the the war scenes exciting.

I also think kids appreciate that the cats are cats. Not like some books (and movies) where the animals walk on two legs and don waistcoats and what have you. They don't have technology or magical powers. "Erin Hunter" writes in a way where you find yourself easily in her fantasy world, imagining how a clan of wild cats might speak or act if it were possible.

I did find a few annoying things, in addition to the whole pagan, astrology bent. This includes a few predictable story lines and the silly names of the cats -- Firepaw, Graypaw, Sandpaw, Tigeclaw. Not exactly original. Also, and this is my own pet peeve, there is the all-to-easy plot device of the main character having a vital piece of information that will save the day, yet he keeps it to himself, looking for the right moment to spill the beans, even though he has tons of opportunity, and instead takes matters into his own hands after it's too late. Sigh.

So, what's the bottom line here? Umm, I'm going to take the easy way out and say "Read it yourself." This isn't one to just hand over without a word. In the end I let Buster pass the book onto Sparky to read making sure to discuss the good and bad found in the authors' depiction of a make believe world of warrior cats.

How to Teach with Real Books

Anyone out there feeling less than gung-ho about getting back to the grindstone after the Christmas break? If you're struggling with a little winter burnout then join me for the upcoming Homeschool Connection webinars. I promise to help you put the excitement back into the school year.

Here are the online seminars Walter Crawford and I have in store for you:
Feb. 4 -- How to Teach History with Real Books
Mar. 4 -- How to Teach Art and Music Appreciation with Real Books
Apr. 1 -- How to Teach Math and Science with Real Books

Literature isn't just for reading! You can teach math, science, language arts, and more using living books. This series of three talks on the topic of teaching through real books is an extension of Maureen's book For the Love of Literature.

Do you have fond memories of your high school history textbook? Of memorizing dates in grade school? Of endless history lectures in college. If not, then toss the textbooks and join us for an uplifting and fun talk on how to teach history with living literature. Bring to your children a love for learning after attending How to Teach History with Real Books.

Do you have a love for beautiful art and music? Would you like to share that love with your children? Would you like to learn about all of the beautiful books available for children and young adults? Do you yearn for uplifting books that not only teach but help to create a joy for learning? If so, How to Teach Art and Music Appreciation with Real Books is the talk for you.

Have you ever said out loud, "I hate math!" Or, "Math was my worst subject!" Was science always a tough subject for you? Do you struggle wondering how you can bring the fullness of the subject to your children? Would you like them to see God's hand in these discipline? If so, you've come to the right place.

In How to Teach Math and Science with Real Books Maureen will show you how to let go of your math and science phobia and keep from passing it onto your children. Math can be fun and interesting. Really. You just need to look at it in a new light. Science can go beyond the kitchen experiments and come alive in a child's imagination. Really.

Maureen will bring lots of books with her for show and tell. You'll leave this online seminar loaded with book titles, fresh ideas, and practical tips. You won't want to miss it!

There is a $10 fee for each live talk. The fee also allows you to watch the recorded event at a later date with no additional cost. The Thrifty Homeschooler in me has to tell you that you are more than welcome to invite a friend or two over for Mom's Night Out and split the cost of the live online seminar.

If you can't attend a live talk but would like to see a recorded version it will be available at a later date for only $4.

I hope to see several of you there -- these live online seminars are way fun to do and to attend!

Addendum: It has come to my attention that if you own a Mac you cannot see the live video of the presenter even though you can hear the live audio, participate in the live chat, and view the Power Point Presentation. However, you can see the video in the recorded session (which is free if you paid for the live event). Hopefully, this will be fixed before February but if it isn't you'll want to keep that in mind before paying for the live event. Another option is to watch it with a friend who owns a PC or wait and simply purchase the recorded version later. If you'd like to complain to Webex go to http://www.webex.com/companyinfo/contact.html.

Organization 101 Last Night

The webcast last night was really fun to do. There were some technical glitches, mostly on my part, but we got through it okay. Next time it'll be smooth sailing. Thank you to everyone who attended! It took a little patience to wait for us to get started, and my audio kept cutting out, and it wasn't until I was well into my talk that I realized that I could work the Power Point Presentation from my end. But I think the talk itself went okay. It was really fun to see all the names there -- some familiar to me and some new. The chat feature was neat -- people were able to type in comments and questions as I spoke.

I'm looking forward to doing this again. The next time will go much smoother and I'll be more comfortable with the technology. Walter and I talked about maybe doing a series on For the Love of Literature. What talks would you want to see us do?

Last night's web seminar will be available free for download at Homeschool Connections sometime today. I'll let you know when it's up.

Next on the schedule is Danielle Bean. And I think that Elizabeth Foss will present in February. I'm looking forward to attending their talks!

UPDATE: The audio is now available for free download. I haven't listened to it, but you'll probably want to skip through the first 10 minutes where we're working through audio issues. Also, there are some buttons on the top to the right of the screen to view the chat feature (lots of tips and ideas from attendees as the talk goes on will be be found there) and the video.

Amazon Purchases and Children's Literature Book

I could use my readers' help. If you're planning on making any purchases at Amazon.com you could help me out by clicking on the Amazon ad in the sidebar (or any of the book cover graphics). Amazon will then give me a small commission to be used on future purchases.

Here's why:
When I wrote For the Love of Literature, my library was a huge help. There is no way I could have afforded to purchase the 900 books listed in For the Love of Literature but I could borrow them from the library. My former library in Lansing is part of a huge library district. What I couldn't find through inner-library loan I could borrow through their inter-library system. They had the gold standard when it came to library systems. Then I moved.

Unfortunately, my new city's library system doesn't even begin to compare in services. We have one country library. The books are old and tattered. There is no inner- or inter-library lending. None. Nada. Zero. Zip. They tell me they are working on implementing an inter-library loan system but it's at least six months down the road.

I've already put my new book, 100 Books for Kids Who Love to Read on hold for the past several months. This book is taking a lot of research and a lot of reading. I've purchased a good number books that I can't get at my library but I've already wiped out the school budget for the next few years doing so. Now I'm stalled.

This is why I am coming to you. If you're going to make a purchase through Amazon.com anyway (and it doesn't have to be books -- it can be software, video games, appliances or anything), you can click there through my blog and help me purchase books for my research.

Review: Twilight

If you've been anywhere near a teenage girl in the past year, you've probably heard about Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. This vampire romance novel is all the rage among high school, and even middle school, girls. It's so popular in fact that it'll be coming to a big screen near you November 21st.

As a teen leader and a mom, I decided to check out this novel for myself. When my older daughters expressed a desire to read it, I was assured by their friends that it was a clean book -- no swearing or sex. I have to say that I do appreciate teen literature that is free of vulgarities. You have to actually be a decent writer and have some talent these days to get published in the young adult market without filling your pages with anti-Christian rhetoric, bizarre sex, and rampant drug use. (I think Stephenie Meyer is Mormon -- I'm not sure.)

However, a book can be free of sex, drugs, and bad language, and still be a waste of time, even a detriment to your person.

Overall, I did not like the book. I wanted to like the book. I tried to like the book. But in the end I can't endorse it. (I'm sorry Kaleb.) It was a page turner. I had no trouble finishing it in three days. Oh, that doesn't mean that I didn't have quibbles as I read. I had quite a few. I felt bogged down in the beginning by endless description and I found myself editing as I went along. I have to admit the editing thing is a bad habit I have with less than perfectly written novels. So, it's not too much of an insult to Twilight. Only the best authors get a pass from my mental editing such as C. S., J. R. R., J. K. And bad editing is not entirely the fault of the author. Publishing houses do hire people known as, yes it's true, editors.

Anyway, I felt compelled to get to the end. I really wanted to know how Stephenie Meyer would wrap the whole thing up. Surely, there would be a great resolution to the whole thing, my soul would be lifted, I would find redemption in the main characters, and we would all go off into the sunset blissfully happy that, though the world isn't perfect, we can always find some good in it.

I was disappointed. The ending seemed nothing more to me than a setup to the next book in the series.

SPOILERS AHEAD

The basic plot is this: Bella, 17, gets sent to live with her dad in dreary Forks, WA from sunny Phoenix, AZ. She hates it. She hates the weather, the people, the small town atmosphere, the school, and so on. The one thing she loves is a dazzling, amazingly beautiful boy, Edward, in her science class who turns out to be a 100-year-old vampire. The interesting thing is that he belongs to a coven of vampires who only eat wild animals (the vampire version of a vegetarian I suppose). Oh, they're still tempted to feed on humans but they know that it's wrong.

This is the one part that I found the author using the opportunity to teach a moral lesson. Now, don't get me wrong -- I hate preachy books. However, a good author (Lewis, Tolkien, Rowling) can teach through the story -- how the characters act when presented with a dilemma.

Here is an excerpt from Twilight:

He hesitated before answering. "That's a good question, and you are not the first one to ask it. The others -- the majority of our kind who are quite content with our lot -- they, too, wonder how we live. But you see, just because we've been . . . dealt a certain hand . . . it doesn't mean that we can't choose to rise above -- to conquer the boundaries of a destiny that none of us wanted. To try to retain whatever essential humanity we can."

This made me think of those who deal with same-sex attraction yet live chaste lives, as the Church calls them to do. It's hard, really hard, but you do it. Any teen reading the above paragraph can think of times they were tempted in some way -- to cheat on a test, to gossip about a friend, to go too far with a boyfriend -- and yet they rose above the temptation and did what was right. Even if everyone else is doing it, you still resist. This is a good thing.

To Edward's benefit, he does try to stay away from Bella at first. He commits himself to protecting her and tries not to get too close to her. He partly fails, he can't bring himself to stay away from her and gives her every opportunity to move beyond curiosity to obsession. He puts her in mortal danger (from the bad guy vampires) by merely allowing her to hang out with him and his coven.

There are other plot lines that get in the way of teaching the Good, the True, and the Beautiful. For example, Bella has known this boy for such a very short time yet she is ready to give up her life for him. Oh no, not give up her life in an unselfish kind of way. Not to save his life or anything heroic. She begs him to make her a vampire too so that they can live throughout eternity together as boyfriend and girlfriend, never growing old but staying 17 forever. Forget that whole giving up your eternal soul thing. Forget that you'll be tempted to feed on humans and spend your unending life fighting the temptation to kill. Forget that should she lose control for even a second she will become a murderer in the most gruesome manner, possibly someone she loves. We know this because Edward, who loves her deeply, is continuously tempted to have Bella for lunch.

Please, would you or anyone you know fall for a guy who is just dying to fill you with venom and then suck your blood from your lifeless body? I don't care how cute he is, I would have to give him a pass. Really, what kind of message is that for teen girls -- if he's a hottie then go for it no matter the consequences? Bella declares her love for Edward, but it really is nothing more than lust. He wants her to stay human, but she tempts him endlessly to make her a vampire.

I don't get why she's so hot for him to start with either. He's stone cold. I would think that any emotion over his dazzling beauty would die at the touch of his marble like fingers. But then he does have the super strength, super speed, and mind-reading thing going for him. Conveniently (this is never explained), Bella's mind is the only one he can't read.

The inability to read Bella's mind does make her attractive to Edward. Also, she smells really, really good. Actually, I think it's the smell of her blood that gets Edward all hot under the collar. Surely, she must be the girl for him.

Another thing that bothered me was the use of first person narrative. We hear the story through Bella, yet we don't really know her reasoning. Why is it she's so drawn to Edward? Yes, girls throughout history have been strongly attracted to bad boys, but this bad boy is a vampire! I want to hear Bella's inner voice tell me why Edward's ice cold hands don't creep her out, why she's not afraid of his desire to suck the life out of her, why she is willing to turn her back on her mom and dad to become a vampire herself. What are Bella's lifelong dreams, aspirations, hopes? I have no idea. Instead, we only get a step-by-step narrative of what is going on around her. Much like a "What I did on my summer vacation" report.

If you're looking for pulp fiction with a little romance, a little horror, and little redeeming value, then this may be the book for you. Parents note that you shouldn't hand this over to your 13-year old. Read it first if your older teens are begging you to read it so that you can express to them why it may not be in their best interest. At the very least discuss the moral implications over dessert at the coffee house.

With all that said, I should add that I don't have a thing against horror novels per se. In fact, Dracula by Bram Stoker is a favorite of mine. If you haven't read, give it a try. You'll be struck by the underlying Catholic themes. The teens in my high school reading group chose it last year as one of their selections and they picked up on the Catholic imagery too. For example, Dracula (evil) cannot enter your home unless you invite him in. Of course, he needs to trick you into the invitation. Like sin, he is disguised in a welcoming, attractive package and you only recognize him for what he truly is after it's too late. But you can fight him back with strong determination.

Actually, I didn't read Dracula but listened to it on audio. One word of advice, don't listen to the last chapters as you're driving far out in the country around midnight with a full moon above. Believe it or not, that's what I did. I was terribly lost, unable to find the home of a fellow 4-H leader to pick up my kids with Dracula playing in my cassette deck. It was too scary!

Dracula ends with good triumphing over evil. Twilight ends (major spoiler ahead) with Bella relentlessly begging to be made into a vampire and Edward going for her neck. Because the edition I read included the first chapter of the next book in the series, I know that Edward doesn't actually make her into a vampiress. That's it. That's the end. It's anti-climatic at it's worst.

So, what's my overall opinion on Twilight. It's an okay book. Not great literature. A compelling story? Yes. Good for the soul? I have serious doubts. At this point I'm not sure if I'll read the sequels. I have hope that they will contain the redemptive ending I so desire, but if they don't I'll feel even more regret at having started this process.

Addendum: Regina's Twilight review
and a review from Cozy as Spring.

Library Thing Campaign for LOL

For all of you taking advantage of Library Thing, make sure you've included For the Love of Literature and given it a rating.

If LOL gets at least ten ratings of 5 stars, it'll receive special status at Library Thing.

Cool.

The Man Who Counted

I recently received the following email from a reader:

Hi, I bought your book, The Catholic Homeschool Companion, at a homeschool conference. My question is about the article titled “Using Saxon Math Effectively” found on pages 17-26. In your article, you refer readers to many math literature books. Trusting a fellow Catholic, I just assumed the referenced books would be of Catholic standards or at least with nothing contrary to our faith in them. So it was with great shock and disappointment that when I requested the book, “The Man Who Counted: A Collection of Mathematical Adventures” by Malba Tahan from our local library and found such non-Catholic material on the very first page in the very first sentence. The first sentence of this book states and I quote, “In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful!” This is not Catholic nor is it something that I would expect to find any Catholic writer to refer readers to be helpful in their homeschooling. And it certainly isn’t something I want to read to my children and instill in their minds. I was just wondering what your reasoning was for including this particular book as acceptable material and will I find any more books referred to throughout your book that are unacceptable to the Catholic faith?

I responded privately to the writer, but I would also like to address this publicly as I assume that others will have similar concerns.

First, I respect the writer's opinion and I appreciate that she wrote to me to get my side of the story. I do think she makes a very good point. I disagree that The Man Who Counted is contrary to our faith, but I should have been more clear in the book's description about the references to Allah and Islam and I should have given a stronger warning.

Note that I also recommend The Man Who Counted in For the Love of Literature and it remains one of my very favorite pieces of math literature.

I first discovered The Man Who Counted on MacBeth Derham's website. MacBeth is a wonderfully dedicated Catholic homeschooler. I've also seen the book reviewed positively on a host of Catholic homeschooling blogs and websites, as well as Heart and Mind Magazine.

Being a math geek, I fell in love with it. The number puzzles presented in real life situations is a great way to get kids excited about math. Even the non math geeks will love it! So much better than dry textbooks.

Mathematics, by its very nature as a universal language, is a discipline that has benefited from the insights of many cultures, especially the Arabic cultures. While we should not promote other faiths, we can surely take the good work of people from other faiths. We can find the good, the true, and the beautiful. Have we not done that with math all along? Our very numbers are Arabic; Roman numerals are terribly cumbersome. Then there are all of the advanced mathematical endeavors they pursued. Algebra is an Arabic word. We've even been able to learn from the Mayans in the area of mathematics.

The Man Who Counted is a book about numbers. That a Muslim recognizes the beauty of mathematics is not antithetical to our faith, but a testament to God who created the universe. All men of intellect see the beauty of His creation in mathematics, whether they recognize Him or not.

Interestingly enough, the author of The Man Who Counted is a good Catholic man from Brazil. In the original book (written in Portuguese) the last chapter tells of the protagonist finding Christian Truth. This was left out of the English (British) version, which is no less than a mortal sin in the profession of scholarly translation as well as a mortal sin period imo.

Also interesting is the fact that Arab speaking Christians refer to God as Allah.

These are all things I point out to my children when reading The Man Who Counted. I see this book as historical fiction as well as a math book. And then there is the whole apologetics angle -- teaching about Islam and Christian Truth.

As homeschoolers, all subjects can be interdisciplinary. There is not line between "math time" and "social studies time."

The opening phrase can be skipped. I sometimes use the black marker method and black out offensive phrases. This is why I recommend parents pre-reading their children's books. Even good orthodox Catholics can disagree on what makes a good book.

One final note, it would be impossible to give my children a solid education if I only used books by Catholics, completely free of error. It would mean leaving out Dickens and Lewis. It would mean skipping Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece. The important thing to me is to present these books to my children baptized in the Catholic Faith -- giving them Church teaching on issues that come up as we read. Issues they will be faced with when they go out into the real world.

Boys Love Scary Books

Sparky continues to lobby for a place for American Chillers.

"Mom, what's the name of the book you're writing?"
"The working title is 100 Books for Kids Who Love to Read."
"And you're including American Chillers. Right."
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because they're not exactly great literature. "
"But they're scary."
"They're not even good literature."
"But they're scary."
"I don't think they're any good."
"But boys will love them. They're scary."
"No."
"Please!"
"No."

Let this be a lesson to all of you. Make sure you double check what your children are checking out at the library. Even if your 18-year-old son calls you on the cell phone from home to tell you he can't find the keys to the car to get to work and you realize that you have them in your purse and you need to rush the kids out of the library so he doesn't get fired. Your youngins may come home with over ten American Chillers titles.

I guess I better start searching out decent literature that's also scary. Poe may be a bit too much for a 10-year old. Any suggestions?

Discount Code for Adoremus Books

Adoremus Books is offering a discount for online orders. Use Discount Code AOB88 for 10% off entire order and FREE shipping. This code is good till 9/1/2008.

For the Love of Literature is their current featured book at the website. I've had the opportunity to meet the owners of Adoremus at a number of homeschooling conferences and they run a great business. Their customer service is top-notch. They sell loads of homeschoooling curriculum in addition to their Catholic line of books.

Rave Review for LOL

The Michigan Catholic Home-Educators ran a lovely review of For the Love of Literature in their quarterly newsletter, Opus Gloria:

New Book From Michigan Author

Maureen Wittmann’s new book For the Love of Literature! is a real treasure for home schooling parents! Maureen calls her book a “glorified booklist” but it is much more than that. She has done extensive research so that you can have at your finger tips a list of 950 books pertaining to any subject at any grade level including high school.  She has mapped out a lifetime reading plan that will be useful to all ages. In addition, her book shows how literature can be used to teach and reinforce values that lie at the heart of a truly Catholic education. 
 
Although this book is designed especially for Catholic home schooling parents, it would be useful to any parent.  The guide can be used to teach core subjects using literature, to supplement curriculum, or just to find great books to nourish a child’s love for reading. The book lists are extensive and up-to-date and feature biographies, historical fiction, beautiful books, etc. to study any subject area of interest. A synopsis of each  book’s plot and usefulness is given. There are also chapters on implementing literature in your home school, using your library, unit studies, classical education, and more.

Maureen, who is from Howell, Michigan, is a home schooling mother of seven children and frequent speaker at home schooling conference across the country  She is also the co-editor of The Catholic Homeschool Companion, a collection of articles written by 45 home schooling parents who share their tips, tricks, and techniques to make home schooling a happier, holier, and more productive learning environment.
 
For the Love of Literature can be ordered from Ecce Homo Press at www.eccehomopress.com or call 866-305-8362. The Catholic Homeschool Companion can be ordered from Sophia Institute Press www.sophiainstitute.com  or call  800-888-9343.  Both books will be available at the MCH book tables at the conference.

For those of you unfamiliar with the MI Catholic Home-Educators, they do a great deal to help their fellow homeschoolers through their annual conference in Lansing, the Father Hardon Scholarship Fund, and so much more. Thank you MCH!

The books can also be ordered directly from me if you'd like them signed. Just check the sidebar of this blog.