Picture books

What's Your Angle, Pythagoras by Julie Ellis

This book helps to make learning the Pythagorean Theorem at a basic level fun and easily understood.

The Battle of New Orleans: The Drummer's Story by Freddi Williams Evans

I had to laugh when we began to watch a History Channel show last week when Josh was sick. The show was on the American Flag and it's origins, refurbishing and such. They discussed the War of 1812 and the Battle of New Orleans in this context. This book was sitting on our bookshelves from a find in the new books section at our local library. Needless to say we read it that day :)

Music for the End of Time by Jen Bryant

Another good find in the new section of the children's books netted me this book. The cover peeked my interest and upon reading the inside flap knew that this would be one to interest Josh, after all, it spoke of a nightingale and anything that has to do with birds is usually an instant hit lol. Little did I know what a treasure this book really is upon that first glance. Reading it, we learned the story of the French composer, Olivier Messiaen, who composed and performed for the first time, his famous Quartet for the End of Time, while in a German concentration camp during WWII. Messiaen may become Josh's favorite composer, for while doing further research on his life and music, we found out he was, as well as being a deeply religious man, also an avid bird-watcher and incorporated bird songs into his works. We listened to some of quartet, which is written in eight parts for 4 pieces; the piano, the violin, the clarinet and the cello, and is based on a passage in the Revelation of St. John. The opening notes were inspired by a nightingale's song.