Stories of the Prophets by Ibn Kathir (on-going)

Malcolm X : A Fire Burning Brightly by Walter Dean Myers & Leonard Jenkins
Pompeii: The Day A City Was Buried by Melanie & Christopher Rice (DK)
Usborne’s Enclyclopedia of World History (on-going)
Voyages of Discovery – Viking Explorers by Luidi Prunetti (McGraw-Hill) (on-going)

Animal Talk from Singing Birds & Fireflies by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent
Australia The Gift by Steve Parish
Fire! (DK)
Kangaroos & Marsupials by Lionel Bender
Koala Kate Talks Ablout Koalas by Denise Burt
Longman’s Inquizitive books: Bushfire
Longman’s Inquizitive books: The Desert Gallery
On The Trail from Animal Tracks & Traces by Kathleen V Kudlinksi
People & Animals: Work & Leisure by Barry Silkstone
The Magic School Bus Chapter Book: Amazing Magnetism
The Magic School Bus Chapter Book: Expedition Down Under
The Magic School Bus Chapter Book: The Giant Germ
The Magic School Bus Chapter Book: The Truth about Bats
The Magic School Bus Chapter Book: The Wild Whale Watch
The Magic School Bus Chapter Book: Twister Trouble
Travelling Through Time (DK)

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

A Bargain for Frances by Russel Hoban & Lillian Hoban
Amelia Bedelia Goes Camping by Peggy Parish & Lynn Sweat
Best Friends for Frances by Russel Hoban & Lillian Hoban
Beryl’s Box by Lisa Taylor & Penny Dann
Bedtime for Frances by Russell Hoban & Garth Williams
Bread & Jam for Frances by Russel Hoban & Lillian Hoban
Days with Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel
Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel
Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel
Frog and Toad All Year by Arnold Lobel
Owl at Home by Arnold Lobel
Koala Lou by Mem Fox
Miss Lily’s Fabulous Pink Feather Boa by Margaret Wild & Kerry Argent
Mom Can’t See Me by Sally Hobart Alexander
Possum Magic by Mem Fox
The Gold Coin by Alma Flor Ada
The Pudding Like a Night on the Sea by Ann Cameron

DK Readers
Beastly Tales
Dinosaur Detectives
Disasters At Sea
Free At Last: The Story of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Horse Show
Outback Adventure: Australian Vacation
The Story of Anne Frank
The Story of Muhammed Ali
Zeppelin

Ms M loves all things Australian so we have decided to revisit the Land Down Under. Here are some of the things we have done/are doing.

Books & Stories

• Animal Myths & Legends – of course we don’t believe in these but it was interesting to see how others think.
• Australia The Gift by Steve Parish – superb photographs by one of Australia’s best-known photographers who has spent much of his life journeying around the country.
• Australian Mammals Sticker Picture Book by Steve Parish – a gift from my sister… Ms M had fun with this!
• DK Readers: Outback Adventure – Australian Holiday by Kate McCleod – a nice book about a family seeing the sites in Broome, a remote place in the Australian outback.
• Kangaroos & Marsupials by Lionel Bender – a very informative and yet easy-to-understand book about the different marsupials. Very good photos!
• Koala Kate Talks Ablout Koalas by Denise Burt – a little book we found at the second-hand bookstore… all about the life and habits of the koala told from the point of view of a koala! Delightful photographs.
• Koala Lou by Mem Fox – sweet tale about a koala who feels sidestepped with the arrival of siblings and longs for her mother’s reassurance by trying to win a medal in the Bush Olympics. Listen to Mem Fox reciting it here.
• Longman’s Inquizitive books: Bushfire – describes how bushfires occur, the damage it can do as well as how the fire can help the bush and animals that live in it.
• Longman’s Inquizitive books: The Desert Gallery – interesting books about the amazing plants and animals that survive in the harsh Australian desert.
• Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder – yes, I know it is set in the USA but we drew parallels between the Native Americans and the Aborigines.
• Miss Lily’s Fabulous Pink Feather Boa by Margaret Wild & Kerry Argent – Ms M cried when we first read this! A lonely potoroo, who feels she must eb the last of her kind, meets a lively and kind crocodile, Miss Lily (she has “a very small appetite” and only eats fish). The Last Potoroo is enthralled by her host and her feather boa which made her feel as if “she could do anything – and everything!” With the help of Miss Lily, the potoroo learns about courage and honesty and goes forth to seek others of her kind. She returns to repay Miss Lily’s love with a surprise!
• People & Animals: Work & Leisure by Barry Silkstone – about the relationship between man and animals, with a focus on those in Australia.
• Possum Magic by Mem Fox – about Hush and Grandma Poss who gallivant Australia to undo the bush magic spell that made Hush invisible. A good intro to the different Oz cities and food. We didn’t feel comfy with magic so we called it Bush science/chemistry *LOL* and Hobart’s casinos were changed to hotels.
• Stories from Australia
• The Magic School Bus Chapter Book: Expedition Down Under

Aussie Geography – Overview

• About Australia – by Pocantico Hills School
• Australian Flag printout
• Australia Interactive Map
• A to Z Kids’ Stuff
• Enchanted Learning’s page on Australia
• National Geographic on Australia
• Outline Map of Australia
• Picture Australia
• Photos of Australia

History

• European discovery and the colonisation of Australia
• The Flying Doctor

Aboriginal Culture

• Aboriginal Art and Aboriginal Culture Centre – with gallery, info on didgeridoos and dreamtime
• Aboriginal Fine Arts Gallery
• Aboriginal Rock Art
• Australian Aboriginal Art Online
• Australian Aborigines
• Indigenous Australia

Uluru/Ayers Rock

• Australia Government’s page on Uluru
• Crystal Links on Uluru – has more info on Australia on its index page

Aussie Animals

• ABC TV’s Our Animals
• Animal Postcards & Stories – cute!
• Australian Fauna
• Australian Koala Foundation
• Billy Bear For Kids – The Koala
• Chris’ Joey Haven
• Enchanted Learning’s Page on Australian Animals
• Fred’s Chook Page – listen to the kookaburra
• Kangaroo Theme Page
• Kids’ Planet – Kangaroo Fact Sheet
• Kids’ Planet – Koala Fact Sheet
• Koala Movie – see and listen to a koala
• Laughing Kookabura photos with sounds
• Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
• Marsupial Mania!

Art & Crafts and Other Fun Activities

• Aboriginal Art
• Aussie Recipes from Mem Fox – an accompaniment to Possum Magic
• Australia Colouring Page
• Australia for Kids
• Australia Jigsaws
• Australian animals colouring sheet
• Boomerangs
• Clip Art
• Colour the flag
• Didgeridoos – make your own!
• Echidna Craft
• Ettamogah Wildlife Sanctuary’s Kids’ Site
• K is for Kangaroo
• Kangaroo Craft
• Koala Craft
• Koala Colouring Page
• Kookaburra in a Tree
• National Geographic Colouring Book: Kangaroos
• National Geographic Colouring Book: Koalas
• Platypus Craft
• Sydney Opera House – a template from Paper Toys!

Aussie Songs

• Kookaburra
• Who’ll come a ‘Waltzing Matilda’ with me? – about Australia’s best known and much loved national song

Aussie Slang

• Australian Slang
• Australians speak English but…
• PBS’ Glossary of Aussie slang

More Great Links!

• Herberton State School (P-10), Far North Queensland, Australia
• Jerrie Cheek’s Australia Hotlist Page
• Lesson Plan/Ideas on Australia
• Project by Class 3/4D of Eleanora Heights Primary School
• ProTeacher on Australia
• SurfNetKids on Australia
• Time For Kids
• Zoom School

I confess.

I went positively insane on books in Singapore. I went so insane we had to ship a whole box over to Pakistan and leave some behind (which made me insanely upset). I have always been insane about books, but then you see this time, my insanity was compounded because I met someone even more insane about them. She is so insane about books that she started her own book business! *S*

Angie Maniam runs The Home Library. She has a lovely selection of books for children and a small, but growing, I am sure, collection for parents. What I love most about The Home Library is the sincerity and love behind the whole venture. Angie strives to choose only the best – they have been carefully assessed, meaning that she and her children have read each and every item they recommend. This is evident because the books in her catalogue are little treasures – they will inspire, stimulate and most of all, strike a chord.

There is also that charming personal touch – when I first contacted Angie, she was ever so exuberant, so much so I lost my normal sense of reserve and proceeded to call her and chat with her for a good half-hour! I was also invited to her home – her children are gems and showed Marz a roaring good time! – to peruse her shelves. I spent three whole hours there! *blush* Nothing like good old-fashioned customer service, I tell you!

If you are in Singapore, The Home Library gives a very good exchange rate, charges no shipping and can also deliver your books for a small fee. Homeschoolers get a nice discount too! Interested?

The Home Library Online

Go forth and shop.

Has it really been THREE months since I updated this blog? I have lots of links and ideas to add… BUT we are recovering from a long vacation (does that make sense?) and are inundated with luggage. :)

In the meantime, here are some links to story sites that I posted on a parenting forum. They were well received so I thought I would post them here too.

As always, visit and read with a critical mind. Ah… but then, you know that already. *S*

• Aesop’s Fables
• BAB Books
• Between The Lions Printable Stories
• Book Hive – with videos of professional storytellers!
• BookPALS Story Online – video of celebs reading books… with accompanying activities
• Children’s Books Online
• Children’s Literature – Links etc
• Classics for Young People
• Contemporary Writing for Children & Young Adults
• Dr Seuss Ideas – Lesson plans and printables for Dr Seuss books
• Fable Vision Library – books by Peter Reynolds and more
• Free Animated E-books (science)
• International Children’s Digital Library
• Kids’ Corner – featuring Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit in audio & other languages too!
• Learning Page
• Leo Lionni Teacher Resources (my kid likes Swimmy)
• Mem Fox – learn about the stories behind the stories and hear Mem Fox read aloud!
• New York Public Library’s E-Books
• Online Children’s Stories
• Reading A to Z
• Reading Rainbow – LOVE their lesson plans!
• Starfall
• Story A Month: Printable Patterns for felt-boards or folder games
• Story Place’s Digital Library
• Story Street
• Sunshine Online
• Teacher Tap E-books & Online Reading – lots of links!
• The North Star – by Peter Reynolds… inspiring! With teaching resources too!
• The Rosetta Stone Project – illustrated antique books
• TumbleBook Library – Queens Borough Public Library

I love Islamic lectures. I remember when my husband and I were based in the USA and would have to make long road trips to visit relatives in Chicago and Indiana. We would get a stack of CDs and some munchies and we would be good to go.

Now that I am a mother, there are days when it is hard to find the time or muster the energy to sit down and read. When Marz was still a baby, I had to stop attending a Tafseer class as she refused to let anyone look after her (including her dad!). It made me so sad and I felt bereft ilm-wise. I thought at first that my CDs and mp3s were a poor substitute but really… alhamdulillah, I’ve learnt quite a bit. You take the `ilm whenever you can get it, wherever you can get it and however you can get it!

Anyway, here are lectures on Islamic History that you might enjoy – the ones without links are not free/downloadable lectures. You’ll have to purchase the CDs.

By Suhayb Hassan

• The Life and Mission of Muhammad – 1
• The Life and Mission of Muhammad – 2
• The True Understanding of the Khilafah – 1
• The True Understanding of the Khilafah – 2

By Abu `Ammar Yasir Qadhi

• Story of The Two Gardens
• The Battle of Uhud – 1
• The Battle of Uhud – 2
• Love for the Prophet
• The Slander of `Aa’ishah – 1
• The Slander of `Aa’ishah – 2
• The Slander of `Aa’ishah – 3
• The Tafseer of Surah Yusuf – 1
• The Tafseer of Surah Yusuf – 2
• The Tafseer of Surah Yusuf – 3
• The Tafseer of Surah Yusuf – 4
• The Tafseer of Surah Yusuf – 5
• The Tafseer of Surah Yusuf – 6
• The Tafseer of Surah Yusuf – 7
• The Tafseer of Surah Yusuf – 8
• The Treaty of Hudaibiyah – 1
• The Treaty of Hudaibiyah – 2

By Jamaal al-Din M. Zarabozo

• Muhammad, the Messenger – 1
• Muhammad, the Messenger – 2
• Rights of the Messenger and the Relevance of the Sunnah – 1
• Rights of the Messenger and the Relevance of the Sunnah – 2

By Yahya Adel Ibrahim

• Tearful Moments of the Prophet’s Life
• The Truth About `Isa (Jesus) `alayhis salaam – 1: We Are More Worthy of Jesus Than They Are
• The Truth About `Isa (Jesus) `alayhis salaam – 2: The Birth of Jesus Was a Miracle (& the Story of Maryam)
• The Truth About `Isa (Jesus) `alayhis salaam – 3: Jesus Was Saved by Allah From the Cross
• The Truth About `Isa (Jesus) `alayhis salaam – 4: The Dajjal and the Return of Jesus

By Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips

• Love of the Prophet – 1
• Love of the Prophet – 2
• The Message of Jesus Christ – 1
• The Message of Jesus Christ – 2

By Dr Jaa`far Sheikh Idris

• Two Important Lessons From the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah for Muslims in the West

By Muhammad Syed Adly

• Prophecies of the Prophet, 1/3 : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
• Prophecies of the Prophet, 2/3: 5 | 6 | 7 | 8
• Prophecies of the Prophet, 3/3: 9 | 10 | 11

From Audio Islam

• An assortment on Islamic History

Suhaib Webb

• Mothers of the Believers

Muhammad Alshareef

• Lessons from The Life of Eesa Ibn Maryam