August and September 2024 Book Reports

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald - I had read this book before, perhaps during my high school or college years, but I wanted to read it again before First Daughter did. It is one of the novels scheduled for English in Level 6 Year 2 (twelfth grade). It was at least as depressing as I remembered, but I found myself appreciating how it highlighted the malaise and aimlessness of the wealthy 1920s crowd. I think many of the same symptoms are still thriving in American society. I'm glad we have it scheduled. First Daughter thought all the characters are terrible, as she should. (purchased copy)

On Writing Well by William Zinsser - This is another book from the English course for the Mater Amabilis curriculum, though it's from Level 6 Year 1 (eleventh grade) and I finished it after First Daughter. I love how we have writing books scheduled for Level 6. They are good companions to the more basic writing guides we use in Level 5. (The Level 6 Year 2 book is The Office of Assertion. Zinsser's book is full of good advice the student can incorporate immediately into narrations and the longer essays assigned in the course. (PaperBackSwap.com)

The River and the Source by Margaret A. Ogola - I have seen this book recommended so many times over the years as a free geography read for Africa. For many years, it was out of print in the United States. Unlike many books available for geography, it was written by a Kenyan woman (not an American or Britain who lived in Kenya, or even a Kenyan who moved to the US or Great Britain). The author drew on stories told by her mother and grandmother about her great-grandmother. The book follows generations of the family through colonization and modernization. It's an excellent choice for a high school geography student, though given the time periods covered, a parent may want to pre-read. There are definitely some difficult topics. I was surprised at how small the printed pages are inside the book compared to the size of the book itself. I think the margins on all four sides are at least 2"! (purchased copy)

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Bookshop and Amazon are affiliate links.

July 2023 Book Reports

Into the Deep: An Unlikely Catholic Conversion by Abigail Rine Favale - I first read Favale's newer book, The Genesis of Gender. I bought this book and read it quickly when I thought I would be able to hear her speak at a conference. Sadly that didn't work out, but the book was worth reading. It's the heart-wrenching story of Favale's conversion. She was raised evangelical, discarded that belief for postmodern feminism and intellectualism, but surprised herself by converting to Roman Catholicism. Favale writes with skill and humility of her failings and yearnings. Anyone who has struggled with balancing feminism and faith may find her book illuminating. (purchased copy)

How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World through Generosity by Amanda and Jonathan Teixeira - link to my post (purchased copy)

Jane Austen's Genius Guide to Life: On Love, Friendship, and Becoming the Person God Created You to Be by Haley Stewart - This is a perfect book for anyone who loves Jane Austen. It discusses each of Austen's main books (Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Mansfield Park, Sense and Sensibility, Northanger Abbey, and Persuasion) with a focus on a virtue. I read it on my own, but it would be fun to do with a book club. It would also make an excellent companion for a teenager reading all of Austen's novels. It does have spoilers, so I recommend reading the Austen novel before the corresponding chapter. (received as a gift)

Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington (Nugi Garimara) - This is an excellent book for the Mater Amabilis high school geography course that includes Australia. It is based on the true story of three sisters who escape from the government to return to their Aboriginal family. The events are sometimes heart-breaking and frightening, but it provides insight into a world my children have never known. (received from a member of PaperbackSwap.com)

Tales of Japan: Traditional Stories of Monsters and Magic illustrated by Kotaro Chiba - This book is part of a series of Tales from Chronicle Books. The book is a lovely hardcover with dramatic illustrations. It is recommended in the Mater Amabilis curriculum for Level 3 Year 2 (seventh grade). It is indeed a book full of monsters and magic, and some of the stories would be frightening for young or sensitive readers. Second Son did just fine with them; in fact, he enjoyed them. I don't know enough about Japanese tales to say if they are good choices but the sources in the back do seem to be Japanese. (purchased used)

Losing Our Dignity: How Secularized Medicine Is Undermining Fundamental Human Equality by Charles Camosy - link to my post (purchased copy)

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links.

A Hundred Years Ago in New Zealand: The Drovers Road Collection

The Drover's Road Collection

by Joyce West

This collection includes three books: Drovers Road, Cape Lost, and The Golden Country (audiobook linked for the third). This edition is out of print, but Bethlehem Books has reprinted the three books individually and has audiobooks available as well. (The audiobooks are narrated by an Englishwoman. She has a lovely voice, based on the sample, but it would have been so fun to hear them narrated by someone from New Zealand.)

These books share the adventures of Gay Allan, a lively child who grows to adulthood and inherits a ranch in 1920s and 1930s in New Zealand. After her parents divorced, she went to live with her uncle, who had already taken in the three children of his oldest brother after a tragic car accident. Their lives are not tragic, though. They are filled with love for each other, delight in their land, and plenty of excitement (and hard work). 

I was captivated by these books. New Zealand is about as far away from Kansas as you can get and still be on earth, so I loved reading about this wild and faraway land. Gay and her cousins ramble about the land and getting into mischief. More than anything, I loved how much they care for each other, even when they had their disagreements.

There are a few interactions with and references to Maori people that might feel awkward today, but for the most part they are treated with respect.

I picked this book from our shelves because I wanted something heart-warming, and it was perfect. The reading level is a little light for high school, but I still think you could use one of these books for high school geography. (The third might be a good option.)

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affilliate links.

November 2022 Book Reports

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte - I had read this book a few years before we had kids, so it had been almost twenty years when I read it again with my book club. It seemed a little more trite to me this time around, though generally I think the main protagonist is a much more virtuous person than I would have been in her situation. (read free Kindle copy)

Out of Many, One: Portraits of America's Immigrants by George W. Bush - link to my post (borrowed copy from my dad) 

A Mercy by Toni Morrison - I read this as I was deciding on an African American literature selection for senior year. This book presents the stories of a single 1680s household from the differing perspectives of the master, mistress, and slaves. It is often difficult to read, both because the text can be challenging and because the events are harsh and tragic. Few people of privilege, wealth, or power are portrayed positively. But it is beautifully written. I think a high school senior could read it, though some will struggle in understanding some of the voices. There are also some pointed criticisms of Catholics that, while I think they are valid, would need context for a teenage Catholic reader. That is all in addition, of course, to all the content considerations you might imagine: rape, violence, slavery, witchcraft, intimacy outside of marriage and with people of the same gender, etc. (library copy)

To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis - This was my second time through this audiobook and I loved it just as much as the first time. I picked up on many more of the jokes this time through because I had recently listened to Jerome K. Jerome's original travelogue, Three Men in a Boat. Back in 2020, I wrote:

This may be my favorite audiobook of all time. I enjoyed every single minute of it, invented chores so I could listen to it, and was both delighted with the ending and sorry it was over. It's a quirky tale of time-travel, Victorian England, the Blitz, and romance, "to say nothing of the dog" (and cat). (purchased from Audible during a sale)

 I'm sure the book is good, but the audiobook is an absolute delight.

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie - I've never been much of a mystery reader; I can never guess the murderer! But so many people rave about Agatha Christie, I thought I'd give a few of her books a try. I enjoyed this one, though of course I didn't figure out the solution until it was revealed. (library copy)

Leona by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino - I was looking on PaperBackSwap for books by this author because I love her book My Heart Lies South. This little out of print book about a brave but often over-looked woman in Mexico's history was available. It's written at about a middle school level, though the romance means it might be more interesting to older children. I enjoyed it, but I don't know that you have to seek it out. (received from another member of PaperBackSwap.com)

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston - link to my post (library copy)

Two Old Women: An Alaska Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival by Velma Wallis - I read this with my book club. The story tells of the perseverance of two women left alone in the Alaskan wilderness, the revival of their skills to survive, and the flourishing of their friendship. It's also a story of the healing of family relationships. I added this book to my Geography of the Americas shelf in case any high schoolers want to select it as a free-read (Level 5 or Level 6). (purchased used)

The Yellow Fairy Book edited by Andrew Lang - I have read fairy tales aloud to all my kids regularly since the very beginning of our homeschooling journey, but we don't read one every day, or even every week, so it can take a long time to get through a book. Fairy tales seem to be enjoying something of a moment, especially in the homeschooling crowd, but nothing can teach you about the wonderful and the weird as much as reading through a collection from beginning to end. I picked something different to read aloud after this one, but I'm considering returning to the Blue Fairy Book after that because my younger kids don't remember it. (purchased used)

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links.

The Nile in Context: River of the Gods

River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile 
by Candace Millard

I loved Millard's River of Doubt, so when I saw she was doing an event at our big city's main library for her new book (this would have been in May 2022), I knew I had to go. First Daughter went with me. We had a fabulous evening and bought a book each, both of which the author graciously signed for us.

River of the Gods fills in all the Nile River gaps a Mater Amabilis mother or student would have after reading A Book of Discovery. It's full of intrigue, disease, adventure, and death. The personalities and tragedies of the European explorers come to life, but Millard also supplies contextual information on the people of Africa who accompanied (or attacked) the adventurers. Millard's research seems excellent (to a non-historian such as myself) with extensive endnotes and bibliography.

I loved it. I'm becoming a bit of a geography and travel book addict, though. I think it would be a great book if you have a high schooler who was particularly fascinated by the search for the source of the Nile or the exploration of Africa by Europeans. It might be a tad slow-going for a casual reader.

I have received nothing in exchange for this review. I purchased the book. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links.

Adventures from Europe to Mongolia: Season One of the Far From Home Podcast

Far From Home

I learned of this podcast when listening to a recent Planet Money podcast episode. I was immediately intrigued by this modern day adventure story of two brothers traveling from London to Mongolia in the Mongol Rally in 2016. First Daughter is studying the Middle East, Central Asia, and India this year in her geography course (Level 5, tenth grade), and I thought this might be a good option for one of the two supplemental books on the region. Not knowing what to expect, I listened to all of season one before assigning it.

Scott Gurian and his brother, Drew, along with two other friends, drove their ridiculously tiny cars through tunnels, over mountains, and through rivers. They travelled 11,000 miles and visited almost twenty countries, including some, like Iran, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, which are infrequently visited by Americans.

The podcast does include some strong language and slightly mature references, but nothing that I find concerning for my high schooler. Overall, it's a great introduction to lots of countries and modern travel. Russia's invasion of Ukraine stymied the Mongol Rally in 2022 (replaced with a new offer of adventure from the organizers), but we can experience the 2016 Rally vicariously through this podcast. (Let's be honest: I would never attempt the Mongol Rally. But I love listening to adventures like this.)

I intend to continue listening to the podcast, but have currently only finished season one, which is the only season I will assign. I imagine you can find Far From Home wherever you listen to podcasts. (I just use Google's app on my phone.)

You can find the Mater Amabilis high school Geography plans here. I would recommend assigning these lectures once a week after finishing the earth studies book in the first term (The Seashell on the Mountaintop). A student wouldn't quite have time to finish them at that speed, so you could either skip some episodes or extend them past the end of the year. I intend to double them up for First Daughter, but she loves to listen to books and lectures on her phone while outside running around so an additional episode a week won't be a problem for her. On her own time, I will probably also ask her to read I am Malala (Young Reader's Edition) and Everything Sad Is Untrue, but those are both relatively quick reads for her. She will narrate the Far From Home episodes, but not the other two books.

List of Episodes

01: Getting Started (29 min) and (optional) 01a: Bonus Episode (10 min)

02: What Kind of Car Do You Drive to Mongolia? (30 min)

03: What Will We Eat? (22 min)

04: Final Preparations Before the Big Day (31 min) and (optional) 04a: For a Good Cause (12 min)    

05: Hitting the Road (28 min)

06: Mad Dash Across Europe (28 min)

07: The Real Rally Begins (30 min)

08: Not What We Expected (25 min)

09: An Eye-Opening Experience (28 min)

10: Culture Clash (35 min)

11: Just Plain Weird (37 min) and (optional) 11a: Bonus Episode - Voices from the Door to Hell (6 min)

12: Breaking Down (24 min)

13: Should We Stay or Should We Go? (32 min)

14: From Bad to Worse (25 min)

15: Whatever It Takes (34 min)

16: The Roads Get Rougher (30 min)

17: Stranded (31 min)

18: Wrong Way (26 min)

19: One Surprise After Another (32 min)

20: The Going  Gets Tough (32 min)

21: A Costly Mistake (30 min)

22: The Longest Day Ever (26 min)

23: The Finish Line (37 min)

24: Looking Back (39 min)

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. The podcast is free. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links.

The Revelation of God's Love: A Memory for Wonders

A Memory for Wonders: A True Story

by Mother Veronica Namoyo Le Goulard, P.C.C.

This stunningly beautiful book is the autobiography of Mother Veronica Namoyo, written and shared only by order from her superior. She was the child of atheists, yet felt herself encountering a presence repeatedly in her life that eventually led to conversion and a complete dedication of herself as a Poor Clare nun in Algiers.

Suddenly the sky over me and in some way around me, as I was on a small hillock, was all afire. The glory of the sunset was perhaps reflected in the myriads of particles of powdery sand still floating in the air. It was like an immense, feathery flame all scarlet from one pole to the other, with touches of crimson and, on one side, of deep purple. I was caught in limitless beauty and radiant, singing splendor. And at the same time, with a cry of wonder in my heart, I knew that all this beauty was created, I knew GOD. (p. 30)

The book ends with her entrance to the convent, but her life as a nun seems to be have been full and momentous. I would dearly love to read a biography of her time within the convent as well, though I recognize my curiosity is unlikely to be assuaged in this life.

Kneeling in cotton stockings, listening to these still foreign expressions and looking at the veiled forms beyond the threshold, I was conscious of an almost infinite distance between when I was and what I was supposed to be. But the grain of wheat had to be buried. I went to the other side, and an enormous key turned grindingly in the lock. (p. 182)

Later that night, as she knew alone in her cell, she could hardly pray. She said only "You wanted me here, and here I am." (p. 182) 

This would be an excellent choice for a supplemental geography book in Level 5 or 6 alongside the study of Africa. Descriptions of the life and people of Morocco and Algeria are interwoven with her story. 

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links. I purchased this book.

Cultivation and Craft in Japan: Water, Wood and Wild Things

Water, Wood, and Wild Things: Learning Craft and Cultivation in a Japanese Mountain Town

by Hannah Kirshner

I found this book on the new books shelf of our library. I grab a lot of books from those shelves, but most I quickly set aside. As I read this book, I soon realized it would be a wonderful book for our high school geography course. Our geography courses are found at Mater Amabilis and are all in two parts. In one part, the student reads a narrative text (excerpts from one of Charlotte Mason's books), completes some mapwork, and reads current articles on the area. In the other part, the student reads two or three books that immerse them in the region. These can be fiction or nonfiction, travelogues or memoirs. We have tried to curate a robust list for each course to give families many options to fit their time, budget, and a student's interests. Many of the books are wonderful books, but they just happen to be the handful our moderators and members have come across and recommended. There is really a single best book.

This book is one of those books. It doesn't just serve the purpose; it's possibly one of the best possible books a Charlotte Mason inclined student could read about life in Japan. I almost can't recommend it highly enough.

Hannah Kirshner moves to Japan in order to humbly learn from some of the most accomplished artists and artisans in Yamanaka. She begins by learning the secrets of sake, but intentionally immerses herself in the community because she recognizes the wisdom and craftsmanship of the people around her. The book tells in chapter after chapter how she is befriended by someone of great knowledge who then invites her into that knowledge, one apprenticeship after another.

She is invited to observe saka-ami hunting, a traditional form of hunting geese with thrown nets open only to men. For a winter season, she regularly goes to the club house and shadows the hunters, an outsider, but a generally welcomed one.

For the darkest months of the year, when I usually feel melancholy and reluctant to go outside, I spent evenings watching the sunset at the edge of the duck pond and days in anticipation of what the next hunt would bring. I noticed the landscape change day to day as the camellias bloomed and dropped their flowers and the long sasa leaves dried to look like goose feathers scattered on the trail. I learned to track the direction and strength of the wind. As light faded from the sky, I meditated on the sound of beating wings. (p. 211)

She accompanies an artist, Mika, to gather ganpi from which a traditional paper is created. After five years of study, Mika is still learning how to properly identify the plants she desires.

While she transforms the fiber into paper with the alchemy of water, ganpi is growing in the mountains for next year's harvest. Its silky oval leaves open in late spring, and in early summer its pale yellow flowers bloom; when autumn frost arrives, the leaves drop and the shrubs go dormant until spring. I have everything I need, Mika says, to make my art: sunlight, water, and ganpi. (p. 227; italics by the author)

In five lovely paragraphs (on pp. 256-257), Ms. Kirshner describes her childhood farm:

Some years, button mushrooms emerged in the part of the pasture grazed by our sheep. In the way-back, where the grass grew tall enough for a small child or resting deer to hide, there were blackberries in late summer that stained my lips, hands, and clothes. Garter snakes coiled on the thorny branches to soak up the sun.

Find the book and read them all. It's the kind of childhood homeschool moms all dream to give their children, though few of us are probably as successful as we dream. (Though she does say, "Much of our five-acre farm was uncultivated meadow," and I can happily affirm that much of our seven acres is also uncultivated...something.) It is her quest to become intimately acquainted with the wild world of Japan that has led Ms. Kirshner on so many of her adventures. 

The mountains that day were a thousand colors of green, from the nearly white shimmer of new leaves to the deep blue green of sugi and Noto hiba cypress, all luminous under an overcast sky. They stay that way--infinitely varied--only for a few days, and then the deciduous trees gradually darken into a more uniform green until the cold snap of autumn nights sets them alight in famously fiery hues. (pp. 262-263)

The author presents herself to the people of Japan as someone eager to learn because she respects who they are and recognizes the value their communities and skills bring to Japan and to the world. She is profoundly respectful of Japanese people and culture, which I am eager for my children to emulate.

The text is interspersed with drawings, maps, and recipes. It's a delight to read. 

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon.com and Bookshop.org are affiliate links. I checked this book out from the library.

Culture and Conservation: Nafanua

Nafanua: Saving the Samoan Rain Forest 

by Paul Alan Cox

I heard about this book in the Living Books of All Peoples group on Facebook, a fantastic group with a treasure trove of information not just about books, but about how to learn about and appreciate other people and cultures. 

The author is an ethnobiologist who first visited the Samoan islands as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He learned a great deal in his time as a missionary and returned years later to examine specimens of the rainforest in search of new sources of treatment for cancer by studying with local herbal medicine authorities.

This book is bursting with knowledge about the environment of the Samoan islands, but also their culture and history. He includes quotations from European travelers, scholars, and missionaries to show how they misunderstood (or understood) the islanders.

The book is very much Dr. Cox's own personal story, sharing his fears about influencing the island culture and his concerns later for how his involvement changes the forest and the people when he and others seek to protect parts of the forest for the benefit of the environment. Though it is written from the perspective of an American, it is an excellent introduction to the Samoan people for those of us who will never have the chance to travel there and live within a tightly knit village, as his family did. His own trepidations about blending cultures speak eloquently to the same tensions in our world today.

Dr. Cox's own strong faith is ever-present in the book. He writes respectfully about those of other faiths, including the many Catholics in his village. 

Some of my scientific colleagues have gently asked whether my devotion to Christianity is compatible with advocacy of indigenous rights and preservation of indigenous cultures. Given the checkered record of missionary interactions with indigenous people, particularly in Polynesia, it is a perfectly reasonable question, and I try to respond with candor: I am committed to my faith. In my ethnobotanical work I do not seek to preach my faith to indigenous people, but I believe that my religious commitment facilitates a more empathetic response to indigenous approaches to the divine. (p. 36)

This was a truly wonderful book. It's a remarkably exciting story that reveals how difficult it is to immerse yourself in another culture because you also always remain who you were before, while showing how we can protect the livelihoods and cultures of those most vulnerable by listening to their stories and learning to love who they are.

"Is there a permanent solution for the rain forest?" I'm sometimes asked. "Yes," I reply, "cut it down. Then it will never grow back and you won't have to worry about it again. But if you want to save it, each day you have to decide not to destroy it, and must trust that others will reaffirm that decision after you have left the scene." (p. 183)

Dr. Cox is one of the co-founders of Seacology, a non-profit organization that works with island communities. It grew out of his desire to protect the rainforest of Falealupo, a story he tells in the book.

This is an excellent book to consider for high school geography of the Pacific Islands. It will definitely be on our list.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links. I received this book from a member of PaperBackSwap.com (not an affiliate link).

Making Monterrey Home: My Heart Lies South

My Heart Lies South: The Story of My Mexican Heritage (Young People's Edition)

by Elizabeth Borton de Treviño

This was a delightful light-hearted book I enjoyed so much, I promptly found some more books by the same author to add to my shelves. (We already own and love Nacar: The White Deer.)

After an exceptionally short courtship, Elizabeth Borton gave up her life in the States to marry a young man in Mexico. She moved to Monterrey in the 1930s and, with the generous help of her husband's large family, adopted the ways and life of her new homeland. She writes of her mishaps as a young bride in an unknown culture with wit, hope, and warmth. An insert in the middle shows many wonderful photographs of the author and her family.

Many of the anecdotes feature the Catholic faith, integral to the lives of the author's friends and neighbors, though perhaps experienced differently than in America today. 

This is the Young People's Edition printed by Bethlehem Books. I have never seen a non-young person's edition and cannot speak on the differences between them. This edition is not diminished by adaptation and is just as enjoyable by adults as by young adults. I think the focus on a newly married young woman means the book is most appealing to teenagers or adults rather than younger readers. There are also references to courtship rituals, pregnancy, drinking, and smoking.

There is one episode early in the book (pp. 26-27) in which a young maid threatens to kill herself. The story is told as if young woman was merely being melodramatic with no intention to actually harm herself, but you might want to preview that scene before sharing with a young person who has lost a friend or family member to suicide.

This is one of the books recommended in the Mater Amabilis curriculum for high school geography when studying North America. I think it would be a wonderful choice for a free read, though it's difficult to know how much has changed in Monterrey since the 1930s. It's as a memoir of an earlier time, not necessarily an accurate depiction of life today.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. I purchased the book directly from the publisher during one of their frequent sales. Links to Amazon are affiliate links.

Growing Together: A Girl Called Problem

 A Girl Called Problem: A Novel
 by Katie Quirk

I wanted to pre-read this before First Daughter studies Africa in geography next year. It's written by an American who lived in Tanzania for two years, so she's not a native Tanzanian, but has learned much about life there.

In this novel, Shida (whose name means Problem), struggles to support the relationships among her small community when they all move to a larger village. It's mainly a story of personal growth, but is set amidst great upheaval in her village reflecting the changes of the time throughout Tanzania.

There are references to witchcraft. Many of the accusations of witchcraft are presented as scapegoating of the elderly or powerless. While some references seem to indicate witchcraft is not effective, the book really leaves the possibility of it open. I don't think that is inappropriate for the setting or for the sense of respecting another culture, but it may be confusing to a reader inclined to believe in witchcraft.

This book is comparatively easy to read for First Daughter, who will be in ninth grade next year and is an excellent reader. I think some fifth graders could read it (as Mater Amabilis geography for Level 2 Year 2 is that of Africa), though I would be inclined to wait a year or two longer based on the subject matter. I am going to put it on First Daughter's list for additional reading (because the assignments are never enough for her). This would be a good option for high school students studying Africa who need some easier reading options.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Bookshop are affiliate links. I checked this book out from my local library.

North American Earth Studies: The Great Quake

The Great Quake:

How the Biggest Earthquake in North America Changed Our Understanding of the Planet

by Henry Fountain

I stumbled across this book in our library catalog when looking for something on plate tectonics for high school geography earth science reading. This isn't exactly what I had in mind (I was looking for a readily available history of science book), but it is definitely high on my list. It's fascinating reading that indeed covers the theory of plate tectonics underlying a modern understanding of earthquakes.

The geologist George Plafker provides a focus point for the book. His professional work in a variety of environments before and after the earthquake placed him in a unique position to synthesize information from different sources and points of view.

He was finding that his scientific education never really ended--there were always new things to see and discover.

Just the story of his scientific career provides an informative look at how science really works and the value in thinking about big ideas in a field rather than focusing on a tiny piece of a puzzle.

The descriptions of the people of Alaska, the places they lived and worked, and the ravages of the earthquake are riveting. Along the way, Mr. Fountain explains the development of the theories of continental drift and plate tectonics, and how those ideas were furthered in the course of the study of the measurable effects of the 1964 Alaskan earthquake.

I haven't decided exactly what geography will look like for First Son next year (in twelfth grade) or what it will look like for my later children (probably slightly different), but this book is a possibility for an earth sciences book in a North American course. I do have some hesitation, mainly because many of the descriptions of the earthquake's effects are disturbing. People died, some of the violently, but most of them are written of as individual people, with names and families, stories of what they were doing and why when the earthquake or their own personal tragedy struck. While these stories give a strength to the narrative, they are also sometimes difficult to read. Including this book in a course might depend on the student.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Bookshop or Amazon are affiliate links.

Deep in the Jungles of South America: River of Doubt

River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey

by Candice Millard

This is a fascinating book about the mapping and exploration of an unknown river in Brazil in 1914. A thrilling tale of danger, it's also a balanced presentation of the historical context of Theodore Roosevelt after his failed presidential race, the expansion of governmental control (or the lack thereof) in the Brazilian rainforest, and the environment surrounding the river. 

While on land, the members of the expedition could not sit, step, lean, or stand without entangling themselves in the predatory ambitions of some creature or, more often, hundreds of creatures of the Amazon.

It is thoroughly researched by the author, including numerous interviews with family and tribal members, including some who recount an oral history of the first contact with those from outside the rainforest on this expedition. 

In the dark, liana-draped trees that towered on all sides around the tiny wooden shack in which the men fell off to sleep, the warriors of the Cinta Larga--with painted bodies, hard bark belts, and poison-tipped arrows--slipped away as silently and invisibly as they had come. Obeying the timeless calculus of survival in the rain forest, they disappeared on swift bare feet into endless dark halls of leaf and vine. For their own reasons, and on their own terms, they would let these enemies live. 

Roosevelt and the other expedition members never glimpsed the people of the forest. Only in these later interviews was it revealed how greatly those in the forest debated what do to with the intruders and how easily they might have been killed. 

In addition to chapters bursting with historical and scientific details, the book shares stories of the real people on the journey. Theodore Roosevelt, of course, is the main focus. He didn't have the same skill set as many others, but was always willing to do his part and more. George Cherrie, a naturalist in the party, wrote:

"There was no camp duty that the Colonel shirked...It is the only time I have ever had my clothes washed by an ex-President of the United States!"

There are plenty of mature themes in the book, as well as descriptions of violence, destructive and immoral behavior, and unpleasant and sometimes disgusting physical maladies. It is definitely best reserved for older students or adults. I intend to offer it as an option for our high school geography course on South America; I think it provides a great link between the United States and Brazil. I thoroughly enjoyed it myself and recommend it.

I have received nothing for this post. I received a copy of this book from a member of PaperBackSwap.com (not an affiliate link). Links to Bookshop and Amazon are affiliate links.

Evaluating Science: The Monkey's Voyage

The Monkey's Voyage: How Improbable Journeys Shaped the History of Life

by Alan de Queiroz

Alan de Queiroz gives an extensive history of biogeography, the study of why plants and animals live where they do and not in other places. He also provides interesting perspectives on the kinds of assumptions scientists make about their fields and how those assumptions may be challenged over time. When the theory of continental drift became more accepted, biogeographical studies became constrained by the idea that all geographical differences were caused by the separation of land masses through continental drift. de Queiroz provides extensive evidence for the surprising idea that a few random long distance journeys by living things dramatically shaped the biogeographical landscape we have today.

Obviously, the continents had moved--nobody was claiming that the theory of plate tectonics was wrong--and obviously, they had carried species with them, but somehow, these facts did not explain nearly as much about the modern living world as we had thought.

One aspect I liked was how he showed the way scientists (really, anyone) tend to tackle any problem with the tools they know, the tools they have, or the tools that are new. Molecular modeling and dating (using changes in nucleotide sequences over time to determine how long ago a new species appears) and PCR were two tools that changes biogeographical studies. Whether those tools were used in the best manner or make the most comprehensive arguments is an interesting discussion to address before assuming results based on those tools are trustworthy. Those kinds of questions are important to ask. For some people, it's important just to realize and acknowledge that those questions exist. It is very easy to skip that step. (The alternate is also important: being able to read some eccentric website calling into question a standard scientific practice and recognize it for the fringe attack it is, rather than a valid argument.)

Building on those ideas, the author also discussed the value of scientific studies based on their methodology. Even within studies using the same models, some studies can be universally acknowledged superior or inferior, but there's a lot of room for gray area. de Quiroz explores many studies, identifying how the same method or tool can be used well or poorly, depending on the initial assumptions of the researchers. I found de Queiroz's detailed analyses informative, for anyone interested in science. The kinds of questions he asks can be translated to any other scientific discipline.

Throughout the book, the author interviews and introduces a large number of different scientists. They are real people with quirks, biases, and families. He even includes pictures of them. There are also lots of instances where scientists with very particular areas of interest talk with each other and make connections each alone would be unable to discern; that's real science in action. 

This book contains a fairly heavy dose of scientific analysis, but it is fascinating if you can wade through it all. Following the trail of studies and their value was one of my favorite biology major projects. It was fun to spend a little time thinking deeply about how research is done and whether it was valid.

This would be a fantastic geography and earth studies book for an interested and ambitious late high school student. While the study descriptions are sometimes dense, they are generally understandable for anyone willing to concentrate. You could also glean a lot from the book even if you can't follow every argument. That being said, I'm not sure most high school students would be willing to put in the effort.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Bookshop are affiliate links.

Continental Drift and Weather: Ending in Ice

Ending in Ice: The Revolutionary Idea and Tragic Expedition of Alfred Wegener
by Roger M. McCoy

This book explores the life and legacy of Alfred Wegener, the scientist who first provided extensive multi-disciplinary evidence for the movement of continents. He was mistaken in many of his arguments, but his ideas are now recognized more formally in the theory of plate tectonics.

The first chapter of the book is a brief biography of Wegener. Then there are a couple of chapters outlining his revolutionary ideas about the movement of continents. The author shares many ideas here about how new scientific ideas are accepted (or not) and why, a topic that is continued in the last few chapters of the book.

Then there are eight chapters detailing Wegner's expedition to Greenland and his disappearance. These chapters are a thorough and fascinating window into Arctic (and Antarctic) expeditions between the World Wars. Dramatic advances in mechanical engineering and aeronautics have since eliminated many of the most dangerous aspects of arctic research.

The last two chapters discuss Wegener's contributions to science from his research as a meteorologist and for geology and earth sciences through his ideas about continental drift. The last chapter covers a lot of technical information on plate tectonics in a readable way.

One of the aspects of the proofs of the continental drift theory the author pointed out was the transition from science by an individual (Galileo, Newton, Curie) to that of vast organizations and governments. The evidence that led to the understanding of continents moving over time was only possible because governments invested in extensive ocean floor mapping during and after World War II. No single individual could have undertaken such a task. 

The author explored reasons why Wegener's theories were initially refuted. One of the main problems was that his ideas about how continents moved were recognized as incredibly weak. Scientists therefore, erroneously as we now know, discounted his entire theory of continental drift. This is a good reminder to us all that one point of weak evidence does not negate an overall idea. It is best to consider all the evidence, setting aside that which is weak, but giving full consideration to that which remains.

I appreciate books that describe the history of scientific ideas in a way that shows how scientists communicate and assess each other's work. Scientists are people, people who have disagreements and make mistakes. Science is also a discipline in which people offer best guesses based on the current information. Over time and with the accumulation of new information, theories coalesce. This is an important lesson in a world that expects answers at the swipe of a touchscreen or the posing of a question aloud to a computer.

This book would be an excellent choice for a supplemental reading book on North American geography. It combines a relatively recent understanding of plate tectonics, an interesting story about climate research in Greenland, and a biography of a fascinating scientist. It does feel a little like a book inside a book rather than a coherent whole, but that's a small complaint.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. I borrowed the book from my library. Links to Amazon are affiliate links.

Across a Continent: Undaunted Courage

Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West
by Stephen E. Ambrose

This book is on the extracurricular reading list for the Mater Amabilis™ high school plans, which you can find linked from the main high school page. It fits well with American history and North American geography. I picked this book up when our library wasn't open and I was reading from the shelves. At almost 500 pages, it supplied plenty of reading material.

Despite its length, it never dragged. Ambrose's prose is lyrical. He is able to coalesce mountains of research into a coherent story. I most appreciated his ability to write eloquently of Lewis and Clark's courage, perseverance, and other virtues, while always gently but clearly acknowledging their failings, in particular in their relationships and treatment of Native Americans and slaves. Every now and then, Ambrose describes some obscure location on the journey and you remember he's literally traveled in their footsteps, in some places more than once.

The book is best for mature readers as there are numerous references to intimate behavior most of us would deem immoral. There are also a few derogatory comments recorded from Lewis about Roman Catholics and other missionaries, though very few. 

This is really a magnificent book. It explains the historical context of the Lewis and Clark journey, provides a detailed description from beginning to end, delves into the personalities of Lewis (and somewhat into the other members of the party), and explores the immediate and long-term ramifications of the exploration and later publication of the journals. Ambrose provides a balanced story, revealing the faults as well as admiring the accomplishments.

It is a long and dense book, one that requires an investment of time and focus many high schoolers may lack. For First Son, I have assigned excerpts of  the journals in his American History course, but decided this book would simply take too much time. My second child, First Daughter, will most certainly read and love it when she is in high school.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. I requested this book from another member at PaperBackSwap.com (affiliate link). Links to Bookshop and Amazon are affiliate links.

American Geography in Level 2 using the Geography Coloring Book

Last week I shared a set of lesson plans incorporating The Geography Coloring Book with the Mater Amabilis™ geography books in Levels 1A, 2, and 3. You can find those lesson plans here.

A friend in the Mater Amabilis™ Facebook group asked if I had considered adding assignments for American Geography in Level 2. This two-year course uses four books by Holling Clancy Holling: Paddle-to-the-Sea, Seabird, Tree in the Trail, and Minn of the Mississippi. These are magnificent books, illustrated with colorful details, spreading a delightful feast of geography, history, and the natural world.

One of the resources recommended for American Geography in Level 2 is a set of four maps designed to accompany the Hollings books. I've always used the map set, which is just lovely, but my friend pointed out that many people do not have wall space for big maps like those. Also, if you have already purchased The Geography Coloring Book, you wouldn't need to invest in another resource.

So I devoted a little time to creating mapping assignments in The Geography Coloring Book for the Hollings books in Level 2 American Geography. For each book, read one chapter a week. Most weeks have mapping assignments that correlate with the text. I also added some coloring for states not specifically included in the books so that by the end of the two years, a student will have colored each of the individual states.

My youngest is starting Level 2 next year, but I've already bought the map set, so if you use these plans, please let me know how they work or it they need any changes!

Level 2 Year 1: Paddle-to-the-Sea

Ch. 1

Color Canada (just the letters) on p. 10

Ch. 2

Label and color Lake Nipigon on p. 10

Ch. 8

Lake Superior on p. 10

Ch. 9

Michigan on p. 10

Ch. 11

Find Duluth, MN and Superior, WI on p. 10

Ch. 12

Find the Apostle Islands on p. 10

Ch. 13

Label Isle Royale and find the Keweenaw Peninsula on p. 10

Ch. 16

Color Ontario (just around the edges is fine) and find Sault Ste. Marie on p. 10

Ch. 17

Color Lake Michigan and Indiana on p. 10. Find the Straits of Mackinac, Gary, IN, and Chicago, IL.

Ch. 18

Maryland and New Jersey on p. 7

Ch. 19

Connecticut and Delaware on p. 7

Ch. 20

Color Lake Huron and Lake St. Clair on p. 10. Find Saginaw Bay and Detroit, MI.

Ch. 21

Color Lake Erie on p. 10

Ch. 22

Color Ohio on p. 10. Find Toledo, Sandusky, and Cleveland in Ohio and Erie, PA. Color Pennsylvania on p. 7. Find Buffalo. NY and Niagara Falls.

Ch. 23

Color New York and Lake Ontario on p. 7. Color in the letters that spell Canada. Find Toronto and Kinsgton in Ontario. Find the Thousand Islands using the map in the chapter.

Ch. 24

Color Lake Champlain and Vermont on p. 7. Find the St. Lawrence River, Montreal, and Quebec.

Ch. 25

Color Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland, and the Gulf of St. Lawrence on p. 5. Find the St. Lawrence River.

Ch. 26

Color the Atlantic Ocean on p. 5. Find Newfoundland and France on a globe.

Level 2 Year 1: Seabird

Ch. 1

Greenland on p. 3. Find the Arctic Circle.

Ch. 2

Maine and Baffin Bay on p. 3

Ch. 3

Labrador Sea on p. 3

Ch. 4

Newfoundland on p. 3

Ch. 5

New Brunswick on p. 3

Ch. 6

Maine and Nova Scotia on p. 7

Ch. 7

New Hampshire on p. 7

Ch. 8

Massachusetts and Rhode Island on p. 7. Find Cape Cod and Nantucket Island.

Ch. 9

Atlantic Ocean on p. 7

Ch 10

Pacific Ocean (just the letters is fine) on the Western Hemisphere on p. 1

Ch. 11

Pacific Ocean (just the letters is fine) on the Eastern Hemisphere on p. 1

Ch. 12

Oceania (Eastern Hemisphere) on p. 1

Ch. 13

North America (Western Hemisphere) on p. 1. Find Greenland.

Ch. 14

Arctic Ocean on both hemispheres on p. 1

Ch. 15

Atlantic Ocean and Equator (Western Hemisphere) on p. 1

Ch. 16

Atlantic Ocean (Eastern Hemisphere) on p. 1

Ch. 17

South America (Western Hemisphere) on p. 1 Label Cape Horn.

Ch. 18

California on p. 11. Find San Francisco.

Ch. 19

Antarctica on both hemispheres on p. 1

Ch. 20

Add Hawai’i (Western Hemisphere) to p. 1

Ch. 21

Asia (Eastern Hemisphere) on p. 1

Ch. 22

Indian Ocean (Eastern Hemisphere) on p. 1

Ch. 23

Africa (Eastern Hemisphere) on p. 1

Ch. 24

Europe (Eastern Hemisphere) on p. 1

Ch. 25

Alaska on p. 9

Ch. 26

Hawai’i on p. 9

Level 2 Year 2: Tree in the Trail

Ch. 1

Add the Tree to Kansas on p. 9 using the map at the end of your book. Color Kansas.

Ch. 2

Color Santa Fe, NM on p. 9

Ch. 3

Oklahoma on p. 9

Ch. 4

Texas on p. 9

Ch. 5

New Mexico on p. 11. Find Santa Fe.

Ch. 6

Colorado on p. 11

Ch. 7

Nebraska on p. 10

Ch. 8

North Dakota on p. 10

Ch. 9

Color the Rocky Mountains, Kansas (KS), Missouri (MO), Louisiana (LA), and New Mexico (NM) on p. 4. Find Canada, the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Great Lakes, and the Mississippi River.

Ch. 10

Color Mexico on p. 4. Color Missouri on p. 9. Find St. Louis and the Missouri River. Sketch the Trail from the Tree to Santa Fe on p. 9 using the map from the chapter in your book.

Ch. 11

South Dakota on p. 10

Ch. 12

Arizona on p. 10

Ch. 13

Idaho on p. 10

Ch. 14

Add Council Grove to p. 9. Find the Kansas River, Topeka, and Independence, MO.

Ch. 15

Montana on p. 10

Ch. 16

Nevada on p. 10

Ch. 17

Oregon on p. 10

Ch. 18

Utah on p. 10

Ch. 19

Washington on p. 10

Ch. 20

Wyoming on p. 10

Ch. 21

Find Dodge City on p. 9

Ch. 23

Add Bent’s Fort to p. 11. See the map in chapter 21 to help you add it.

Ch. 24

Rocky Mountains on p. 11. (Just color in the letters.)

Level 2 Year 2: Minn of the Mississippi

Ch. 1

Minnesota on p. 10

Ch. 2

Mississippi River on p. 4

Ch. 3

Trace the Mississippi River with your finger on p. 4. Color the Gulf of Mexico. Add Lake Itasca to p. 10.

Ch. 4

North Carolina and South Carolina on p. 8

Ch. 6

Trace with your finger the area of the glacial ice spread shown on p. 28 in your book on the map on p. 4 in the coloring book.

Ch. 7

Find Minneapolis and St. Paul on p. 10

Ch. 8

Great Lakes on p. 4

Ch. 9

Color Quebec and the Gulf of St. Lawrence on p. 4. Color Wisconsin on p. 10. If you like, add Lake Pepin.

Ch. 10

Color Florida on p. 8. Color Illinois on p. 10. Find the Wisconsin River, Green Bay, the Fox River, and the Illinois River.

Ch. 11

Iowa on p. 10. Find the Missouri River and St. Louis.

Ch. 12

Color Nova Scotia on p. 4. On p. 10, find Rock Island and the Iowa River.

Ch. 13

On p. 9, find the Missouri River, the Ohio River, and St. Louis.

Ch. 14

Kentucky on p. 8. Find the Ohio River. Compare the map on p. 61 of your book with the map on p. 4 of the coloring book.

Ch. 15

Arkansas on p. 9

Ch. 16

Tennessee on p. 8. Find Memphis.

Ch. 17

Alabama and Georgia on p. 8

Ch. 18

Color Mississippi on p. 8. Find Vicksburg and Natchez. Color Louisiana on p. 9. Find Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

Ch. 19

Gulf of Mexico on p. 9

Ch. 20

Virginia and West Virginia on p. 8

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Bookshop and Amazon are affiliate links.

A Master Lesson Plan for the Geography Coloring Book with Mater Amabilis™

As I was wrapping up our Mater Amabilis™ Level 1A year and organizing the Level 2 plans for Second Son, my youngest, I realized that over the years I have assigned different maps for the same book and the same maps for different books in The Geography Coloring Book. Because I love things to be nice and orderly, I decided to spend a little time creating a coherent set of master plans for The Geography Coloring Book aligned with the geography books for Mater Amabilis™ in Level 1A Year 2 (third grade), Level 2 (fourth and fifth grades), and Level 3 (sixth and seventh grades).

Just a friendly reminder: The Geography Coloring Book is not an essential tool for studying geography. I might even argue it's not the best tool for studying geography within the Charlotte Mason method. It is, however, an easy resource. The student colors the assignments independently, then can show the map work while narrating. Something similar would be asking the child to trace the country borders, rivers, and seas, but I found my kids tended to skip that part if I wasn't sitting next to them. I also personally love coloring maps, so in the usual fashion, I like assigning my children work I enjoy.

Moment of truth: These plans will not be used with any of my children in their entirety. They are plans for a hypothetical child who would start 1A Year 2 next year. These plans would allow for a student to use the same coloring book for the five years without duplicating the maps. (A few years allow options for different books, so there may be one or two countries or activities that appear more than once, but I really tried to avoid duplication.) At the end of five years, there are still plenty of maps left to color if you have a student who enjoys it.

If you are interested in a nice neat printable version of these, I intend to share a link in the Mater Amabilis™ Facebook group.

Level 1A Year 2 Geography and Earth Studies: People & Places
Mapping Lessons for Asia

Post on the Books We Read

Level 1A Year 2 Geography and Earth Studies: Extreme Environments

Map Assignments (for 52 Days by Camel, Jungle Islands, and By Truck to the North)

Level 2 Years 1 and 2 Geography and Earth Studies: American Geography
Mapping Lessons for the Holling C. Holling books (Paddle-to-the-Sea, Seabird, Tree in the Trail, and Minn of the Mississippi)

Level 2 Year 1 Geography and Earth Studies: People and Places

Mapping Lesson for the Americas

Post on the Books for Second Son

Post on the Books for First Son

Level 2 Year 2 Geography and Earth Studies: People & Places

Mapping Lessons for Africa

Post on Some of the Africa Books

Level 3 Year 1 Geography and Earth Studies: Travel

Book of Marvels: The Occident

Level 3 Year 2 Geography and Earth Studies: Travel

Book of Marvels: The Orient

Please do not copy and share these elsewhere, but instead share by linking to this post or to the Facebook group.

Links to Bookshop are affiliate links. You can also find The Geography Coloring Book at Amazon (affiliate link).

An Update to Mapping Activities for the Americas (Level 2 Year 1, Fourth Grade)

This is a revised and expanded lesson plan for The Geography Coloring Book for the Mater Amabilis™ Level 2 Year 1 People and Places Americas studies. You can find the final mapping plans our family used in this post, along with some notes about the books we read.

Our plans were kind of all over the place through the years. If you use the plans in this post, you can follow the master lesson plan (which I'll link here after I've finished and posted it) without assigning the same maps in different years. In comparison to Level 1A, the new plans for Level 2 expand from individual countries more to the continent as a whole.

You would only choose three of these books.

Chúcaro: Wild Pony of the Pampa

Week 1

Forward and 1. Lasso

Geography Coloring Book: Argentina on p. 17

Week 2

2. Ombu

Geography Coloring Book: Paraguay on p. 17

Week 3

3. The Casita

Geography Coloring Book: Uruguay on p. 17

Week 4

4. Currycomb and 5. Tears

Geography Coloring Book: Bolivia on p. 17

Week 5

6. Gitana, the Gypsy and 7. Meat, Mate, Music

Geography Coloring Book: Chile on p. 17

Week 6

8. What the Mayordomo Didn't Know Was Not Worth Knowing

Geography Coloring Book: Ecuador on p. 17

Week 7

9. The Red Kerchief--A Mystery and 10. Something Is Brewing Again

Geography Coloring Book: Peru on p. 17

Week 8

11. The Vaquero Never Had a Chance

Geography Coloring Book: Colombia on p. 16

Week 9 

12. An Urgent Message

Geography Coloring Book: French Guiana on p. 16

Week 10

13. The Patron

Geography Coloring Book: Guyana and Suriname on p. 16

Week 11

14. Bolas and 15. The Match

Geography Coloring Book: Venezuela on p. 16

Week 12

16. Itchy Hooves and 17. To Iguazu

Geography Coloring Book: Brazil on p. 16

The Cay

Week 1

Chapter One

Geography Coloring Book: Netherlands Antilles on p. 13

Week 2

Chapter Two

Geography Coloring Book: Bahamas on p. 13

Week 3

Chapter Three

Geography Coloring Book: Dominican Republic on p. 13

Week 4

Chapter Four

Geography Coloring Book: Haiti on p. 13

Week 5

Chapters Five and Six

Geography Coloring Book: Puerto Rico on p. 13

Week 6

Chapter Seven and Eight

Geography Coloring Book: Jamaica on p. 13

Week 7

Chapters Nine and Ten

Geography Coloring Book: St. Kitts and Nevis on p. 13

Week 8

Chapter Eleven

Geography Coloring Book: Antigua and Barbuda on p. 13

Week 9

Chapters Twelve and Thirteen

Geography Coloring Book: French Territories on p. 13

Week 10

Chapters Fourteen and Fifteen

Geography Coloring Book: Dominica on p. 13

Week 11

Chapters Sixteen and Seventeen

Geography Coloring Book: St. Lucia on p. 13

Week 12

Chapters Eighteen and Nineteen

Geography Coloring Book: Trinidad & Tobago on p. 13

The Secret of the Andes

Week 1

Chapters 1-2

Geography Coloring Book: Peru on p. 14

Week 2

Chapters 3-4

Geography Coloring Book: Chile on p. 14

Week 3

Chapter 5

Geography Coloring Book: the Amazon and its Tributaries on p. 15

Week 4

Chapters 6-7

Geography Coloring Book: the Orinoco and its Tributaries on p. 15

Week 5

Chapter 8

Geography Coloring Book: the Rio de la Plata on p. 15

Week 6

Chapter 9

Geography Coloring Book: the Parana on p. 15

Week 7

Chapter 10

Geography Coloring Book: the Paraguay River on p. 15

Week 8

Chapters 11-12

Geography Coloring Book: the Uruguay River on p. 15

Week 9

Chapter 13

Geography Coloring Book: the other Rio de la Plata tributaries on p. 15

Week 10

Chapter 14

Geography Coloring Book: the Andes Mountains region on the small map on p. 15

Week 11

Chapter 15

Geography Coloring Book: the Guiana Highlands and Brazilian Highlands land regions on the small map on p. 15

Week 12

Chapters 16-17

Geography Coloring Book: the Central Plains land regions (Llanos, Selvas, Gran Chaco, Pampas, and Patagonia) on the small map on p. 15

Where the Flame Trees Bloom

Week 1

Introduction

Geography Coloring Book: Color Cuba on p. 12

Week 2

The Teacher

Geography Coloring Book: Mexico on p 12

Week 3

Choices

Geography Coloring Book: Belize on p 12

Week 4

The Surveyor

Geography Coloring Book: Costa Rica on p 12

Week 5

Lightning

Geography Coloring Book: El Salvador on p 12

Week 6

Samone

Geography Coloring Book: Guatemala on p 12

Week 7

The Legend

Geography Coloring Book: Honduras on p 12

Week 8

Canelo

Geography Coloring Book: Nicaragua on p 12

Week 9

The Rag Dolls

Geography Coloring Book: Panama on p 12

Week 10

Mathematics

Geography Coloring Book: Caribbean Sea on p 12

Week 11

The Ice Cream Man

Geography Coloring Book: Gulf of Mexico p. 12

Week 12

The Feast of San Juan

Geography Coloring Book: Jamaica on p. 12

Week 13

Epilogue

Geography Coloring Book: Cuba on p. 13

Maya Quest: Interactive Expedition

The mapping activities here are on the same map as those for Where the Flame Trees Bloom so a family would choose one or the other of these books or forgo the mapping activities for the second book selected.

Week 1

pp. 2-11

Geography Coloring Book: Color Mexico on p. 12

Week 2

pp. 12-33

Geography Coloring Book: Belize on p 12

Week 3

pp. 24-33

Geography Coloring Book: Guatemala on p 12

Week 4

pp. 34-41

Geography Coloring Book: Costa Rica on p 12

Week 5

pp. 44-59

Geography Coloring Book: El Salvador on p 12

Week 6

pp. 60-73

Geography Coloring Book: Honduras on p 12

Week 7

pp. 74-87

Geography Coloring Book: Nicaragua on p 12

Week 8

pp. 88-99

Geography Coloring Book: Panama on p 12

Week 9

pp. 102-109

Geography Coloring Book: Caribbean Sea on p 12

Week 10

pp. 110-117

Geography Coloring Book: Gulf of Mexico on p 12

Week 11

pp. 118-125

Geography Coloring Book: Cuba on p. 12

Week 12

pp. 126-131

Geography Coloring Book: Jamaica on p. 12

Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibottson

This is not one of the Mater Amabilis™ suggestions, but a book my family has enjoyed.

Week 1

Ch 1-2

Geography Coloring Book: Color Brazil on p 14

Week 2

Ch 3-4

Geography Coloring Book: French Guiana on p 14

Week 3

Ch 5-6

Geography Coloring Book: Color Suriname on p 14

Week 4

Ch 7-8 

Geography Coloring Book: Guyana on p 14

Week 5

Ch 9-10

Geography Coloring Book: Venezuela on p 14

Week 6

Ch 11-12

Geography Coloring Book: Colombia on p 14

Week 7

Ch 13-14

Geography Coloring Book: Argentina on p. 14

Week 8

Ch 15-16

Geography Coloring Book: Eucador on p 14

Week 9

Ch 17-18

Geography Coloring Book: Bolivia on p 14

Week 10

Ch 19-20

Geography Coloring Book: Paraguay on p 14 

Week 11

Ch 21-22

Geography Coloring Book: Uruguay on p 14

Week 12

Ch 23-24

Geography Coloring Book: Falkland Islands on p. 14

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links.