Album Review: Science is Real

I think we’ve listened to this CD or watched the video at least 10 times. And it arrived on Thursday. So yeah, we’re digging it. In particular, favorites are “Meet the Elements”; “I am a Paleontologist”; “The Bloodmobile”; “Electric Car”;  and “What is a Shooting Star.” (“A shooting star is not a star, it’s not a star at all / A shooting star’s a meteor that’s heading for a fall / A shooting star is not a star, why does it shine so bright? / The friction as it falls through air produces heat and light.”

A book review

This is one of the most amazing books I’ve ever seen. I love it more than the kids do, and that’s saying something, because they really like it.

All of the images are done just using paper, and it must have taken more than a year, with the intricacies on each page. The story starts out with a tree standing in the forest. A wind storm blows up and the tree is felled. Then, the following pages show the tree’s new inhabitants, the decomposition of the bark, the roving insects that devour the leaves, and the beautiful dirt that results. It’s just beautiful.

If you haven’t already, check it out. Even if you aren’t a kid, you’ll love it. I promise.

Book Review: The Family Sabbatical Handbook

Since I’m already daydreaming about James’s sabbatical (7 years away!) and other, shorter, trips before then, when I saw this at the library I grabbed it.

The book is well written and practical, with lists, resource tips, and lots of great information about what to consider and how to prepare. But it was also inspirational. Bernick and her family moved to a small city in Mexico for 18 months and it cost $35,000. They didn’t work (though Bernick is a freelance writer and did a few assignments) and spent tons of time with their young children. Both of them learned a lot about another culture and learned to speak Spanish fluently.

I don’t think that this is anywhere near term for us, but it was fun to read about how another family made this kind of thing work.

Review: Laura Werlin’s Cheese Essentials

Daunted in the cheese section? I learned so much reading this book! I already knew which basic cheeses I liked (Manchego! Brie! Munster!) and which I didn’t (um…), but Werlin’s accessible definitions, descriptions, and groupings made shopping for cheeses so much easier. Definitely recommend.

Amazon