extra book recommendations from Preparing ???

[learning_is_fun]

Hi! I am getting ready to place an order for RtoR, and was looking back at some of the wonderful books from previous programs we have missed (and wishing I would have done this from the beginning ). I was thinking of trying to order a couple extras from Preparing that would fit the time period we will be in, but can't decide which would be the best. Wondering if anyone has any favorites. The books I'm looking at are Triumph for Flavius, Fountain of Life, Viking Quest I, Beorn the Proud, Little Miriam of Galilee, Minstrel in the Tower, Peter the Great, or any others I may have missed. I can get Door in the Wall, Adam of the Road, and William Shakespeare and the Globe from our library. I would love to order them all, but I'm already spending much more than I should be, and also I don't want to overwhelm us or order books that won't get read. I am thinking it would be nice to be able to use one or two for DITHOR, and I do have one son who reads like crazy, so I do think it would be worthwhile to order a couple of them. I just have to decide which ones. I have 2 boys, a 12 and a 10 year old. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Stephannie

[mamas4bugs]

We LOVED Triumph for Flavius--it was the favorite that year. I think you probably want to read Viking Quest 1 because you'll run into the second one in RTR (you probably noticed that ). My son actually didn't care for Door in the Wall---it was his least favorite that year, although I never really got a clear-cut reason why.

[cirons]

Out of the ones you mentioned, Triumph for Flavius is definitely a good look into Roman life and it has a great ending!

[mamanlait]

Stephanie,
Honestly, we loved all of those books. Preparing was absolutely fantastic. I can't wait to read them all again with my second child in a couple of years!!! Miriam of Galilee can't be missed for a book of that time period (it's a great read for both genders, btw). The only part of Viking Quest that we were upset by was that we couldn't read the sequels for a couple of years (until RtR). I've even considered jumping ahead, anyway Tirzah was a fantastic book about the Exodus from a young adult view. Wonderful Winter was slow in the beginning but picked up to a wonderful finish. I could go on. If you haven't done Preparing, and you have an older child, the Extension Readers are second to none as well. We read all but one as a read aloud and I just can't tell you what an amazing in-depth history (historical fiction) experience we had. The Bronze Bow is one of my all time favorite books and it is in the Ext. Pkg and my daughter read Shakespeare Stealer and wanted the sequel (she zoomed through it...I haven't read it, yet, but she loved it). Without reservation, Preparing was my favorite year of homeschooling in my 5 years of schooling due to the beautifully selected literature
Amy

[learning_is_fun]

Thank you so much, ladies! You have been very helpful. I'm still half tempted to put my 10 yr. old in Preparing because it looks so good . But, I will probably stick with our plan of doing RtoR with both, and just add some of the literature from Preparing. It looks like Triumph for Flavius and Viking Quest I are definates. I may have to add Little Miriam and Wonderful Winter. We actually read Tirzah this year and loved it. My oldest son has read Shakespeare Stealer and really liked it, and we have The Bronze Bow. We were planning on reading it at the end of this last year, but never got to it, so it looks like it should fit in perfectly at the beginning of RtoR. I'll just have to decide which of these to use for DITHOR (where they fit), or if we can fit in some extra read-aloud (maybe this summer), or which ones can be read on their own for fun. (12 yo will read them on his own, no problem. He's always looking for good reads. 10 yo has to have books scheduled for him to pick them up and read.)

Thank you again for taking the time to give me some wonderful recommendations!
Stephannie

[mamas4bugs]

If I had a 10 year old, I would be soooo tempted to put him in Preparing. I agree that it was, hands down, the best year in our 9 years of homeschooling. My son was 10 at the time and LOVED it. Come to think of it, his brother will be 10 next year when we do it again. We can't wait to get to it again.

I know it isn't on your list, but Grandpa's Box was my boys' (the younger one listened in) favorite part of the day. Just a thought.

[learning_is_fun]

Hhhmmmmmmm......Amy and mamas4bugs, you are really tempting me to look into Preparing again. I knew I shouldn't have posted. I was so ready to order, but I'm going to have to do some more thinking and praying about it.

I was a little worried about Preparing, thinking it looked better suited for him for last year or even the year before, but looking again, I think it might still fit him really well, especially with the extensions. The only problem now is finances. I was already stressed about trying to order 1 program. I'm definately going to have to do a lot of praying. I may still have to stick to my original plan.

mamas4bugs--I also have a 12 yo Caleb, planning on doing RtoR with extensions (I think. That's my plan for now anyhow.)

Thanks again for your help!
Stephannie

[gotpeace91]

another vote for Triumph for Flavius!

[Kathleen]

Hi Stephannie!

Raiders from the Sea was our absolute favorite read-aloud ever (so far)!! We could not put it down, and it has taken MUCH self-control and patience not to skip ahead and read the 2nd Viking book before we get to it in RtR! We loved it! I really don't think there was a book we didn't like though. We did all the storytime books and the independent history books (not the extensions). We really enjoyed Fountain of Life, too. I loved the way it gave a glimpse of how Jewish people were seeking after Christ and some were so against Him and set on traditions. It showed how that affected families. Very interesting perspective as it took the point of view of a teenage son in a Pharisee's family who worked for a wealthy Saducee a ways from Jerusalem. The father did not believe Jesus was the Christ. The Saducee chose to follow Him and shared openly with all who would listen and were seeking. We were fans of Door in the Wall, too. Grant liked the adventure of a boy defending a castle as you got into it. And we liked the overall message of focusing on what you can do to serve the Lord of help others, and not on what you can't. Look for your "door in the wall".

I have to agree with these other ladies. I have loved every HOD program that we have done (which is all of them from LHTH through CtC), but I think if I had to choose a favorite it would be Preparing. It was a GREAT year! That doesn't mean you should change your plan and do it - but if you land on that after praying, you won't be disappointed. It was fabulous!!

We'll be journeying with you through RtR soon!
Kathleen

Oh - I was going to add. Peter the Great was more of a "picture book" kind of book. My son really liked it, but if you're looking more for chapter books this probably wouldn't be the one you're looking for.

[mamas4bugs]

mamas4bugs--I also have a 12 yo Caleb, planning on doing RtoR with extensions (I think. That's my plan for now anyhow.)

That's so cool. My Caleb also did the extensions with Preparing when he did it as a 10 year old. It really was a fabulous year, but I do hear you about finances. If you do land on Preparing, I agree with Kathleen that you will not be disappointed, but if not, then I'm sure you'll have a wonderful year with RTR. I can't wait to dig in to it! I never really studied the Middle Ages in school, so I'm thinking that even though the history is independent, I may have to read the books, too!

[pjdobro]

I have really enjoyed reading this thread. I was excited to start Preparing before, but now I can hardly contain myself! I thought Bigger was such a great year and now you all are talking about Preparing being the best ever. I can't imagine it being better than Bigger since we had such a great year with Bigger. I don't know if I'll be able to contain my enthusiasm when we start Preparing in the fall so lookout!

[learning_is_fun]

Thank you, thank you again, for all your helpful responses. I am really leaning towards trying to find a way to do Preparing with my 10yo now. If that doesn't work out, I'm still going to have to order several of the books. They all look so good.
I do have a question about using guides with kids in the extension age range. I was looking at future guides, and they all look like they are going to be great. I was thinking I would love for my kids to be able to do all the High School guides, but they will miss the last one if I continue through all the guides. I was only having to worry about that with one of my boys, but now that I'm thinking about doing Preparing with the younger I will have that dilemna with both. Will I be able to skip a guide for each of them? What are others thinking in this situation. Is there already a post about this? I probably should be starting a new post with this question

Thanks for any help,
Stephannie

[mamas4bugs]

Right quick cuz I'm headed to bed , but I face that issue with both my boys as well. I don't think it will matter, really, though because if you look at the sequence, they will still cover all the time periods. It will just be broken up differently.

For instance, my Caleb will use Rev to Rev and the not yet released Modern guide in 9th and 10th grade, both with extensions. Then he will do the Geography guide in 11th and the World history in 12th. He'll miss the last two high school guides, but that's OK because they will cover the same time periods as Rev to Rev and the new Modern guide. We might have to beef up a bit for high school, but since he falls within the extension range, I kind of doubt it.

Josh will wind up missing the very last guide. He'll do the Modern guide (the one to follow Rev to Rev) in 9th. Because this will cover the modern period, I'm not worried about missing the last guide, which also covers the Modern period.

Am I making any sense? I would be hesitant to skip a guide because the guides are soooooo much more than just the history period. The skills built on each other incrementally, so I would be afraid that if I skipped a guide, my kiddo would miss the skills that guide taught, and therefore be frustrated in the next guide.

HTH!

[learning_is_fun]

Thank you, mamas4bugs, for your response. Yes, that makes a lot of sense, and the more I think about it, I'm sure Carrie would address those issues as she's writing the guides, so I'm sure they wouldn't miss much.
I'm still not sure about my decision. I just started a new post on the pros and cons of combining vs. separating to see if I come across anything that really speaks to me and helps in my decision.

Whatever we decide, I can't wait to use all these wonderful books everyone has recommended!!!

Thanks again!!!
Stephannie