Book Review ~ Secret of the Andes

Topic 1 ~ Inca, Aztecs & Mayans

Secret of the Andes by Ann Nolan Clark

I really enjoyed reading this book. It received alot of mixed reviews in our home. For me it was beautifully written and it filled with exquisite imagery that made you "see" what Cusi's world was like. Samantha (18) thought it was dry and boring. She said it dragged on and on and on. Doug (DH) thought it to be dry and filled with adult vocabulary. Now, Jacob's review threw me for a loop. I thought for sure that he would also find it dry and painful to read but in fact, he gave it a 5. I was so shocked and thought I needed to explain what a 5 rating meant (again). (a five meant that other children would really enjoy it and it shouldn't be missed by the parents) He said "Yep, I know that. I still give it a five because it was so emotional and I really felt for Cusi. Other kids are going to want to also read about him trying to find his family. This was a good book, Mom. So, it needs a five."  Well, there ya have it, this from an 8 year old boy. I guess I'm really shocked because all the kids reviews on amazon are highly against it. Some even say it was torture to read this book. Maybe the difference is in the twaddle that other kids have been exposed to before picking this book up, my DD included. Jake has mostly been exposed to living books most of his life. I won't be afraid to offer a good book to Jake again, ya just never know.
Ratings:
5 ~ Mom
5 ~ Jake
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Book Review ~ Incans, Aztecs, Mayans

Topic 1 ~ Inca, Aztec & Mayans

Incans, Aztecs, Mayans by John Holzmann


I absolutely love this book! I like that it has short topics with one or two comprehension questions following the reading. I love that it includes notes for the "Adults" and sometimes for the "Student". I liked it when he made a point about why we needed to study other cultures and that we learn from the bad things people do just as much as the good things. The best part was all of the Bible knowledge included and the constant comparison between their religion and Christian religion. The author made three seperate parts: Inca, Aztec & Myan, but compared each to the others throughout the book. My rating is a strong 5.
Rating:
    5 ~ Mom
    3 ~ Jake (8 years old)
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Book Review ~ The Corn Grows Ripe

Topic 1 ~ Inca, Aztec & Mayans

The Corn Grows Ripe by Dorothy Rhoads

I can see why this book is a Newberry Honor book. It had a great plot and a rich vocabulary. The only draw back for me was that the setting wasn't during the time period we were studying. The only tie-ins with our studies was the grandmother's recollections and their belief system. I'm glad we added it though as it was a great reader for my 8 year old son.

Rating:
4 ~ Mom
4 ~ Jake

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Book Review ~ Lost Temple of the Aztecs

Topic 1 ~ Inca, Aztec & Mayans
Lost Temple of the Aztecs by Shelley Tanaka


This book is easy to seperate into managable "bites". It's easy to read and comprehend. The images and little side notes add just the right balance for the text. When asking my son to rate this book for this review he flipped through and started narrating several pages to me. A week had passed since we read it so for me that's all I needed to give this book a high rating.


Rating:
     5 ~ Mom
     4 ~ Jake (8 years old)
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Book Review ~ You Wouldn't Want to Be an Aztec Sacrifice!

Topic 1 ~ Inca, Aztec & Mayans

You Wouldn't Want to Be an Aztec Sacrifice! Guesome Things You'd Rather Not Know by Fiona Macdonald
My son really enjoyed reading this book. I think he's going to love the whole series. This one is also a two page spread per topic. It is much more intense and I found quite a few things just plain gross. Ex. "The captives' skins are cut off and used to dress the god's statue" and "Your arms and legs will be eaten as a religious feast." While these things are "gruesome" it is what happened during that time. My son wasn't tramatized or even upset by these things. He just accepted that that was the way it was then. If you feel your child is sensative or hasn't really been introduced to death, then you might skip this one. My son has been introduced to sacrifices and death through the Bible, giving him a good foundation to understand what Idol worshipers can and will do to please their "gods".
Contents: geography, herbal remedies, warfare, plants of the desert, priests, sacrifice, religion, afterlife
Rating:
     3 ~ Mom
     5 ~ Jake (8 years old)

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Book Review ~ You Wouldn't Want to Be an Inca Mummy!

From Topic 1 ~ Inca, Aztec & Mayan's

You Wouldn't Want to Be an Inca Mummy! A One-Way Journey You'd Rather Not Make by Colin Hynson

My son loved this book. Each day he would ask for it to be read first. He was as fascinated with the pictures as he was the text. This book is broken down into very small managable topics (can you say Charlotte Mason), one topic per two page spread. The graphics are cartoonish but they still manage to hold your attention and provide some light humor to a serious topic. There are a few questionable items but nothing you wouldn't also find in the Bible. Ex. The Sapa Inca's wife is also his sister. The sacrifice of children on the last two pages could easily be skipped.

Contents: society, crime and punishment, warfare, daily life, religion, after life

Rating:

     4 ~ Mom

     5 ~ Jake ( 8 yrs old)

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