The Boy(s) Who Changed the World by Andy Andrews

Andy Andrews seemlessly tells the story of 4 influential men in history from a perspective that school age children might find slightly challenging, albeit easy enough to figure out.

He aims at instilling a deep insistance in young readers that all of their actions, and inactions, matter more than they might realize. What an excellent message for today's youth!

Andrews tell the story of Norman Bourlag and his 'super seeds', but he does so much more by introducing his young audience to not only Bourlag, but also Henry Wallace, George Washington Carver, and even the lesser known, but as Andrews points out quite well, equally important, Moses Carver.

The Boy Who Changed the World should go a long way to inspiring those children who might feel as though nothing they do will matter to anyone around them. It shows them that while they may not live to see the full results of everything they do, one simple choice can lead to an impact on generations not yet come. A wonderfully written true tale for children that will hopefully translate to a call of action in many young lives. Well done!

Melissa & Doug Toys Reviewed

So as some of you have previously read, I have a connection with Ebeanstalk, they send me toys to have my children play with/test out and I post a review on said toys in return.

Well, for January the toys received were, Melissa & Doug Make Your Own Princess Mirror and, respectively, Wood Heart Chest.

The Make Your Own Princess Mirror was nice enough dolled up in pretty shades of purple with a truly functioning mirror pane center. However, my 4-year-old daughter didn't find simply adding gems and glitter quite challenging enough, it would have been nice if it had not come pre-painted.

The Make You Own Wood Heart Chest by comparison only had a pre-painted outline on the cover, the rest of it was up to my little one and she had quite the good time decorating it with the included glitter and sticking gems everywhere. She didn't seem all that interested in the painting. Perhaps I should have given this one to the other 4-year-old?

All in all it was a fairly mess free project/craft time with my 4-year-old twins and there were several things that were done well with both objects, such as the quick drying paint, the fact that each came in a sturdy wooden box which my girls found just as fun to decorate and paint as the craft item itself, and there was a good variety of items within each set to keep a 4-year-old interested for the entire length of the project.

The only thing that I didn't like, and maybe this was simply my own naivete, was that the glue tubes, which I did not realize were glue tubes until nearly an hour later, were not clearly marked as glue, and so I assumed this was just a white glitter and let my little one heap it on as they saw fit. Unfortunately the unintending consequence of this was a very lengthy dry time for all the sufaces involved.

All in all I'd say that the the Princess Mirror is dedicated to the girly-girl, not the artistic one, and would be one of the better craft toys for two year olds.

If you looking for Baby Toys or Toys for One Year Olds, keep looking around on Ebeanstalk, they have plenty to offer!

Seeds of Turmoil

Upon begining this book I wasn't really sure what to expect. The dust jacket states, very clearly, that the author is attempting to shed light on an ages old conflict in the Middle East. A conflict which very few, in fact almost no, men seem to fully understand. Bryan White does so both convinicinly and amicably. While his biased is evident as a christian, he professes this very forwardly and outwardly throughout the book, so if you are suprised by it, you're not really paying attention.



The lines that are drawn both between and across the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths and direct and biblically backed up. In fact, Wright not only uses Old and New Testament scriptures, but makes a point of referring to the Apocrypha and the Qur'an as well. He seems to accomplish this seemlessly.



Though I'm sure there are many who will disagree with Bryant Wright's estimations of why things remain as they are in this region, I personally found the book in line with my lines of thinking and believing and I also found many useful insights which I may not have been exposed to so readily in another situation.



All in all, a good read that is worth the time for those interested in the Middle East, Israel, or Faith-based conflict in general.

Stuff with Ebeanstalk!

This time of year you may have some little ones that you are struggling to find that special something for. Something to perpetuate the whole idea that Jolly St. Nick has indeed placed him or her on the nice, rather than naughty, list and this item proves that. Here's where Ebeanstalk.com can help you out.

The site is loaded with ideas for kids from Infant to 12 years of age. From the Go-Go Firetruck to the Web RC-Iron Eagle helicopter. Whether your looking for toys for one year olds or ten year olds there is something here that your little tike will enjoy.

And in another shade of parenting you can pick from the Baby Stella Doll all the way over to the Morning Whisper Bead Kit. So whether your little princess needs toys for two year olds or twelve year olds, you'll be fully prepared for the impending Yultide cheer(s).

Of course, maybe you are looking for some baby toys for a brand-new mama and papa that you know, and again, whether it's a Ladybird Playmat or some Zoom Zoom Vehicles Ebeanstalk has got you covered there as well.

It really is a great site, easy to navigate based on age and gender of the children your shopping for. Tons of toys that are heavy on education or skill building. If you child is a reader there's a whole book section. Looking for some family fun, there's a category there too. You'll find the drop down menus and the several different gift suggestions on the homepage a very welcome sight this time of year.

Same Kind of Different As Me

This book was amazing to me in the fact that it told two very unique stories from the begining and by the end, had woven them together nearly seemlessly. To me, that is a credit to the Creator that brought these two individuals together.

Denver Moore, a poor black man from Louisiana, came up in the 1960's and was raised on a sharecropping plantation. He speaks candidly about the Man and the injustices occurred, but he does so with an innocence that is still reminiscent of the boy who "didn't know no better" as Denver says himself.

Denver finally breaks away from the chains of bondage known as sharecropping and hops a freight train across the country, ended up in a few different spots, before staying in Fort Worth, TX.

Ron Hall, by comparison, is, in many ways, the grandson of the Man on a different sharecropping plantation. Unbeknownst to Ron it will come to haunt a bit later in life, but as a boy, it is merely a fact of life for him and there is really no wrong perceived in it.

Denver comes into his own among the Fort Worth homeless and develops quite the reputation as a man not to be messed with. Ron, on the other hand, goes to college and begins an entrepenureally enterprise as an Art dealer.

These two men come to brought into each other life by Deborah Hall, Ron's college sweetheart and wife. Debbie becomes an amazing catalyst for change and these two men develop an amazing bond and friendship over time due to her persistence.

When Debbie dies, things seem uncertain to both of them. And true to form, Mrs. Hall shows up to take care of this as well. As your read the book at this point, you begin to understand that where the words end, the story is truly only begining.