Reviews

Review–St. Louis Ballet Nutcracker

I’ve been to about a half-dozen live performances of the Nutcracker in my lifetime, and seen many more on television. Now, I don’t think that makes me a ballet expert or anything, but it does mean I have some pretty strong opinions about the ballet and how it’s performed, and so I was very curious to see how the St. Louis Ballet’s version would measure up. In general, my main comparison is to the San Fransisco Ballet Nutcracker, which, even though I’ve never seen it performed live, is my favorite.

I will say that of all the live performances I *have* seen, I think the St. Louis Ballet has been my favorite. I will have to admit that the first time I saw the Nutcracker was over 20 years ago in downtown Chicago, so while it was most likely the highest quality production I’ve seen, it is also the fuzziest in my memory. But compared to the more recent performances I’ve seen live, the Saint Louis Ballet definitely gets my vote.

I loved the costuming of the Saint Louis Ballet. I’m guessing their budget isn’t as great as, say, the San Fransisco Ballet, and I think they did an excellent job with what they had. The snowflakes had my favorite costumes, especially the queen, whose white dress was accented with blue gems, and I also liked the purple Sugar Plum Fairy costume. I will say, I was not a fan of the Arabians costumes, particularly the man’s, as he was shirtless, and that seemed really out of place in a family performance.

I did not care for the narration that accompanied the performance. I don’t know if that’s a standard for the St. Louis Ballet, of it was something they added because it was a school performance, but I really don’t think it had any place in the ballet. The dancing should tell the story without using words, and I think even children can figure out what’s happening in the Nutcracker, without someone having to give a play-by-play. I found this especially disappointing because, if this was many of the children’s first introduction to the ballet, as is kind of the point of having the school performance, they totally missed the concept of letting the dancers tell the story through their movements.

My favorite part of this performance was the “Waltz of the Snowflakes.” In general, this is always one of my favorite parts of the Nutcracker, and the St. Louis Ballet was no exception. Between the beautiful costumes, and the dancing, I thought this was the highlight of the ballet.

The sets of the St. Louis Ballet were nothing spectacular, and were actually rather bland. Again, I realize the budget is probably pretty small, but they almost felt like something you would expect to see at a high school or college production, not the sets of a professional company. I found them to be pretty uninspiring, and they certainly didn’t add to my enjoyment of the performance.

I had mixed feelings about the Russian dance. They did a hoop dance, which may actually be more traditional to the Nutcracker than the Cossack dance, but I really prefer the Russian Cossack dance. This change of dance styles affected the costuming, which I also had mixed feelings about. The candy cane costumes were kind of charming, but they were covered in bells, which I found kind of fun and distracting at the same time. I never realized how much noise so many small bells could make when they’re all ringing together!

I did prefer the polinchelles in the St. Louis Ballet, even to those in the San Fransisco Ballet. Again, the costumes were charming–very colorful and fun. And the dance was also very playful and entertaining to watch. But, best of all, there was no Mother Ginger in this dance. For some reason, that’s the one, (and only!), thing in the San Fransisco Ballet Nutcracker that I don’t like. I much prefer the polinchelles on their own than accompanied by the giant circus tent skirted Mother Ginger.

I will say that the overall dancing in the ballet was a bit sloppy. The timing appeared to be off in many instances, and the quality of the dancing was second-rate compared to the San Fransisco Ballet. I guess I’m really comparing apples and oranges, but San Fransisco will always be what I use to measure other ballets, and in the end, as much as I enjoyed the St. Louis Ballet, it will never be as magical as the San Fransisco Ballet Nutcracker.

Book Review: “The Church History ABCs”

Crossway Books recently provided me with a copy of The Church History ABCs by Stephen J. Nichols and Ned Bustard. I have to say, I am very impressed with this book. It gives a brief background on 26 important players in church history, from Augustine to Zwingli, and many well-known (and not-so-well-known) characters in between.

I love the idea of this book. I’ve been looking for ways to introduce my children to some other important names in the church, other than Martin Luther (of course), but there aren’t a whole lot of resources that touch on these men and women of faith. So, I was very impressed to find a children’s book that doesn’t shy away from names like Hippolytus and Tertullian–I have longed believed that if you start giving children information when they are very small, even if it seems above their comprehension level, they will pick up on it, and it will be that much easier for them to process more complex information when they are older. I was very happy to see that there were harder names, and challenging stories, and not just simple ones.

I will say that I was puzzled by the inclusion of some people–I don’t know if it’s just because I was unfamiliar with some of them (like Absalom Jones), or because I have never viewed them as church heroes before (like Lady Jane Grey), but there were names that didn’t seem to fit as well with the others. For the most part, though, I thought there was a good variety of people from different times and places in church history, mostly names that *should* sound familiar, but are often not quite remembered.

I do wish this book was written for a slightly older audience. This book follows the same format as many ABC books–while the focus is on one individual (A for Augustine), and there is a brief paragraph about his or her life, there is another goal to the book–teaching very young children the alphabet. So, in addition to Augustine, we also read that “A is for apricot, and apple, as well as Augustine–Africa’s ancient bishop.” This is great for preschoolers, but I would love something a little more in-depth for early elementary students, that does a little less alphabetizing, and a little more historical information.

Homeschool Review: “A More Perfect Union”

As a part of our summer school unit, which focused on the Revolutionary War, and the events surrounding it, we learned a little bit about the Constitution. I found a book focused on how the Constitution was written, as well as who was involved in writing it, and the basic contents of it.

A More Perfect Union: The Story of Our Constitution (part of “The American Story Series”) was written and illustrated by Betsy and Giulio Maestro, a duo who have written a whole series about the early history of America. It is targeted at middle to upper elementary aged students, and Turkey and Bunny found it very interesting. It is very factual, and yet written in a way and on a level that makes it interesting to children.

The illustrations are great, and add interest to the story. The timeline in the back of the book is a great concise help in seeing the big picture of the Revolutionary War, and the early years of America as a free country. Basically, everything about the books is both interesting to children, and full of information–a great way to encourage children to learn without even realizing they’re doing so, and make history come alive for them!

This was a great resource for learning about a very important part of American history–I’m so glad I took a chance on it! There are six other books in the series, covering the history of America from her pre-history to discovery by Columbus to the War of 1812, and everything in between, including the French and Indian War. I can’t wait to add those to our library as well–these are definitely books that the children will want to read over and over again!

“Here Burns My Candle” Blog Book Tour

I have been waiting for Liz Curtis Higgs’ new book, Here Burns My Candle, for years. Literally. Her last Scottish novel, Grace in Thine Eyes, came out in March 2006, and ever since, I have been anxiously awaiting whatever she had in store next. If WaterBrook hadn’t kindly provided me with a copy (a pre-release, no less! A dream come true for me!), I certainly would have pre-ordered it from Amazon. Obviously, my expectations for the book were high.

I was once again astounded by Liz’s attention to detail–particularly her use of Scottish dialect and knowledge of Scottish history, among other things. Her characters, as always, are interesting, likable, flawed, and very, very real.

The story was very engaging. It focuses on the well-to-do Kerr family–matriarch Marjory, her two sons, Donald, who is the source of much gossip for his many rumored affairs, and Andrew, and their wives, Elisabeth, whose lowly past and secret pagan life make her an unlikely match for the aristocratic Donald, and Janet, whose life’s purpose is to be a high society woman.

The story takes place around the Jacobite uprising in Scotland, with Elisabeth being sympathetic to the cause of Bonny Prince Charlie, and the men of her family eventually also deciding to join in the uprising. Parts of the story follow the Biblical narrative of Ruth (but only through verse 18 of chapter one), and other parts illustrate a story you might expect to hear from the descendants of a Scottish family who lived through these events, and all the repercussions said events would have on a family, from social status to finances.

All that being said, I was disappointed with one thing. This is supposed to be Biblical fiction–a retelling of the story of Ruth in a 18th century Scottish setting. I didn’t feel that the book was able to delve into the Biblical account nearly enough–there was so much backstory and character development that you could almost forget that it’s supposed to be based on a Bible story until the end of the book. As far as flat-out historical fiction, this book is excellent, but as Biblical fiction, it was a bit lacking. I’m hoping that problem will be corrected in the sequel, Mine is the Night, coming out next spring. I know I’ll be counting down the days until then!

Book Review: “The Big Picture Story Bible”

I recently had the opportunity to read David Helm’s The Big Picture Story Bible to my children. It was a huge hit! Even though I would consider a toddler/preschool Bible storybook, my older two (ages 7 and 6) were also riveted. One of the things they, in particular, enjoyed about the book were the questions interwoven in the stories. These, of course, are not a standard part of the Biblical narrative, but gave them the chance to think about the story, and then show their understanding of what they had heard.

The large pictures were especially enjoyed by my younger two children (ages 4 and 3). They found it easy to point out different familiar items, such as animals, people, and vegetation. My youngest didn’t want me to stop reading, and we read over 100 pages in one sitting. Granted, there isn’t a lot of writing on each page, but it still held her attention for a long time.

As a parent, I thought this was a good book. The stories, of course, are nothing new, but I did enjoy the way one part led into another, showing the connection between Bible stories. I did find the book to be an odd size and shape for holding and reading to a child sitting in my lap, but I made it work.

What I liked most about the book, though, was my children’s reaction to it. I started reading to the youngest two, and when I glanced up, I realized the 6-year-old had left her artwork to listen in, and a short while later, when I read one of the questions, my 7-year-old, who I didn’t even think was listening, chimed in with the answer. It is always a pleasure to see my children enjoying the Word of God!

Find out more about this book at www.crossway.org/blog

Book Review: “The Liturgical Year”

As a conservative Lutheran, the structure of the Church Year is very important to me. From the beginning of the new year at Advent, to the season of Feasts and Festivals, to the teaching time of the year throughout the season of Pentecost, I mark my days by the flow of the church year even more than I do that of the calendar year.

Given my deep appreciation for the church year, and it’s usefulness in teaching and ordering our days, I was very excited to read The Liturgical Year (part of the Ancient Practices series) by Joan Chittister. This book is an excellent introduction to the concept of “Liturgical Time,” especially for those Christians who may not be familiar with the idea of having a specific routine of days in the church.  The author summarized the church year well by saying:

The liturgical year is the process of coming back year after year to look at what we already know, on one level, but are newly surprised by again and again…

There were, of course, a few things in the book that didn’t sit quite right with me (emphasis on Marian feasts, for one, and a sense of mysticism, for another), as the book was written by a Roman Catholic, but the Lutheran church shares much history with the Catholic church, so I found it to be mostly beneficial.

I also appreciated the author’s description as to *why* we live a liturgical life:

We do not live a liturgical life to look good to other people. We do not develop a liturgical spirituality to affect a kind of spiritual dimension in our lives. And we certainly do not go to Mass regularly to avoid hell. We live a liturgical life in order to become like the One whom we follow from the manger to the Mount of Olives.

Great resource for those wanting to understand more about the basis and practice of the church year!

Book Review: “5 Cities that Ruled the World”

Douglas Wilson’s book, 5 Cities that Ruled the World, about how major cities throughout time (Jerusalem, Athens, Rome, London, and New York) shaped global history is a fascinating read. I can’t say that I know enough about each city to identify any possible bias regarding their histories, and I’m little surprised at the exclusion of some cities, namely Constantinople, but I think that this is a great book for understanding world history.

Each city’s story is contained within one chapter. Things that are revealed about each city include its history (origin, major leaders, and wars and other events), its effect on the world stage, and its current state.

I found that the chapter on London contained the most “unknown” information. I guess perhaps I just didn’t know much about London history, especially the *very* early years (did you know London burned 15 times before the year 1300?!?).

My only real complaint with the book has nothing to do with its content, and instead is an issue with the materials. I can’t stand what the cover is made of–it’s a paperback, made of a textured paper, and I find it weird to touch. Other than that, the book is a great tool for learning more about our world’s major cities, and how they shaped the society in which we currently live, even from across the centuries and around the globe.

Book Review: “A Family Guide to the Bible”

A Family Guide to the Bible by Christin Ditchfield is a good resource, especially for people who are unfamiliar with certain parts of the Bible, or the history behind each book. After some introductory material, including the history, message and authority of the Bible, there is a summary of each individual book, which has the author, audience and setting, as well as the story, interesting trivia, and important words to know.

The only part of this book that I really disliked is the way Ditchfield boiled each book down into one key verse. While these are probably a good starting point for memorization, I don’t think you can simplify each book of the Bible to that point, and in some cases, the key verse given is questionable regarding whether or not it is even the focal point of the book.

I particularly liked chapter six, on how to study the Bible. I think the author made an excellent point, in that families should chose one translation of the Bible, and stick with it for the sake of consistency (although it is also mentioned that using different translations for comparison can be useful). I wish that paraphrase translations of the Bible had not been mentioned in the “choosing a translation section”–I truly believe that those versions of the Bible have no place in serious Bible study.

This book could be a very helpful tool for families trying to get a grasp on the big picture of Scripture, although my personal preference is a good study Bible.

For more on this book, visit www.crossway.org/blog

Homeschool Review: “A Reason For…”

We’re on our second year of A Reason for Handwriting ( we started with Book K last year, and have moved on to the now-alphabetically-sequenced Book A), and our first year of A Reason for Spelling (also Book A). Even though it’s early in the school year, I have a pretty good feeling for both programs.

I was very impressed with the way Handwriting introduced proper letter formation in Book K, using a tree-house as a guide. My children thought it was a fun way to learn, and even though Bunny still has some work to do on writing well (which is all about her rushing, and not about her understanding of what she’s *supposed* to be doing!), Turkey has excellent printing already, and they both know how letters are supposed to be written.

We’re still working on reviewing what we learned last year now that we’ve started Book A, but looking ahead, I love that we’ll be using Scripture to practice handwriting (even if the translation used isn’t my first, or even second, choice!), and I also love the fancy border sheets, which reinforce the idea that handwriting is a public way of communication, and should look nice.

So far in Spelling, we’ve worked on phonics review, and it’s been very much like the Explode the Code series. The activities have been fun, and the bonus activities suggested in the teacher’s guide are geared toward every kind of learner, even kinesthetic. What I like most, though, is the way the lessons line up with the lessons in the Handwriting book. Of course, this only works if you’re using the same level of handwriting and spelling at the same time (which we are), but I think it’s a great way to reinforce the Bible passages used, and to bring in needed repetition in spelling and writing well. And why wouldn’t you link the two? It seems like a very natural way to learn, which is one of the things I love about our main curriculum, Sonlight.

I’m definitely looking forward to learning cursive and spelling harder words in the years to come with the A Reason For… books!

Book Review: “What He Must Be…if he wants to marry my daughter”

I was very excited to read What He Must Be…If He Wants to Marry My Daughter by Voddie Baucham Jr., because I’ve read an excellent book by Dr. Baucham before (Family Driven Faith), and I was curious to see what he had to say about helping your daughter find a good, Christian man to marry (even though I’m no where near ready to think about my two little girls ever getting married!).

I thought that this was another excellent book by Dr. Baucham. It’s a topic that I think a lot of parents either don’t think about or are afraid to approach. In a culture of “falling in love” and “if it feels good, do it,” fathers and mothers have to make a deliberate effort in guiding their children as they look at potential spouses, at instilling in their children what kind of qualities to look for before they marry, and in helping (their sons, particularly), cultivate these qualities in themselves.

I did feel that this book would be especially beneficial for fathers to read, although mothers can gain much from it as well. I also think that fathers and mothers would take away different things from their reading. I’m sure that my perspective on the book is much different from what my husband’s perspective would be were he to read it.

I especially liked the chapter entitled “He Must Be Committed to Children.” When dating or even newly engaged, I’m sure that the topic of children is far from many couple’s minds, and yet a man’s feelings about children, the way he treats them, and his ability to interact with them speak volumes for the kind of man he is, and are a good indicator of the future of the relationship. While it may not be a comfortable thing to consider or discuss, it is a crucial topic, and parents need to be encouraging their daughters to consider it, and raise their sons to care for children.

The only part of the book that really puzzled me was the conclusion. It seemed to focus entirely on race issues, and while I understand that that can be a very important discussion for some families, it seemed like it would have been better discussed in it’s own chapter, instead of a wrap-up to the whole book. It felt a little awkward having the conclusion focused so much on one topic.

You can read more about What He Must Be If He Wants to Marry My Daughter at www.crossway.org/blog