Homeschool Friday - This Is My Treehouse

Homeschool Friday is a feature here at Somewhere Only We Know that showcases books my family reads during homeschool and provides a mini-review for each.

This Is My Treehouse

By: Guillaume Gueraud & Alfred

Publication: September 3, 2024

36 pages

Genre: Children's, Juvenile Fiction / Imagination & Play

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Edelweiss description--Discover a secret hideaway built from dreams and imagination in this stunning and special book that will leave readers longing for a treehouse of their own.

Sitting high in the branches of a tall tree in the forest, there is a den made from bits of wood, and rope, and Grandma's old parasol. But for one child it is much, much more – it's a castle, a pirate ship, an igloo, a plane. A place to dream.

Joyful and lyrical, This is My Treehouse observes the endless adventures our imaginations can take us on, and the sanctuary offered by a space to call our own.

With tender text from award-winning author Guillaume Gueraud, and stunning visuals from graphic novel artist Alfred, this evocative story celebrates the playful wonder of childhood.

This Is My Treehouse is a book about...a treehouse. The book covers all the imaginative ways that the child plays in the treehouse. The child imagines kingdoms and pirates. The weather changes from season to season and weather changes, the treehouse provides sanctuary and imaginative play. The illustrations are beautiful. The colors are bold and change through the seasons, weather, and imaginings. The pictures are loose enough that a child can imagine however much or however little they want to make things their own. I can't picture a child reading this book and not immediately wanting to go out and build their own treehouse where they can have the same experiences as what is described here in This Is My Treehouse. This Is My Treehouse gets 4 Stars. Have you read This Is My Treehouse? What did you think? Let me know!

My First Prayer and Gratitude Journal - Review

My First Prayer and Gratitude Journal: Daily Blessings and Bible Verses for Kids

By: Pia Imperial

Publication: January 9, 2024 by Grosset & Dunlap

80 pages

Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction, Religious, Christian, Devotional & Prayer

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--The perfect first journal for young ones beginning their journey of faith.

Complete with devotional prayers and daily bible verses, this thoughtfully designed journal encourages kids to be grateful for all the blessings in their life.

I started homeschooling my two oldest children this year. And one of the things I want to work with them both on is being grateful. In our home, we are blessed far above what we deserve. We don't deserve all that much. And yet, because we don't lack much of what we need or want, we often take for granted the blessings of life that God has given us. I want my children to be mindful and aware of all they have. So when I saw My First Prayer and Gratitude Journal, I knew I wanted to grab it for my kids to try out. My daughter is 8, and my son is 6. He's only in kindergarten right now, so doing this gratitude journal is a lot of writing for him. I ultimately decided that he doesn't have to fill it in yet, but it will be something I want him to do in the future. My daughter has been doing it every day.

There's a place for the date, a range of smiley-frowny faces the child can choose from for their mood of the day, and a section that says "I'm thankful for _____ because ________________." The gratitude journal also has a section for three blessings the day has brought and a Bible verse for the day or a moment of reflection with a question to be answered.

My daughter doesn't always enjoy filling this in, but as with children, they don't always know what's best for them. And even adults don't always want to do the things that are good for us either. I require her to continue to fill it in even if she doesn't want to. But for the most part, she's learned that this is just a part of her day, and she doesn't fight it. I've been interested in seeing what she's thankful for. It's also allowed us to discuss doing a task to the best of our abilities versus just trying to complete it so we can mark it off the list of things to do. But again, even adults don't always do their tasks at level 100 every time. Some days she impresses me with what she writes that she's thankful for that particular day.

I do hesitate to call this a prayer journal. We certainly should make sure not only that we're noting the things we're grateful for, but that we're also thanking God for those things in prayer. Yet, I don't see much in the way of prompting the child to do so. There are prompts in the moments of reflection that ask the child questions to make them think, and sometimes it tells them to write about an experience or how we can show our love to God. I wish there was a little more prompting to pray and offer thanksgiving to God in the daily layout. But I also understand they have limited space to utilize.

My First Prayer and Gratitude Journal is a good starting place for creating a daily habit in your child's life of looking for things to be grateful for. I like Scripture included in every other day's format. Every day would be even better. I do wish there was a more directed approach to guiding the child in prayer prompts. But as I said, this is a good first step. I would love to see this company offer a step up in the process as a second book option which would be a little more detailed. I see big benefits from doing this, and I love starting the kids young. I would recommend My First Prayer and Gratitude Journal for others starting their kids in this habit. I give My First Prayer and Gratitude Journal 4 Stars. I would give it 5 if there was more prompting to pray or guidance for the children in that area. Have you read or used My First Prayer and Gratitude Journal? If so, what did you think? Let me know!