Circle C Beginnings - Andi's Pony Trouble Book Review

Whenever a package arrives the kids get very excited. They just cannot wait to tear it open to see whats inside and this was no exception. I handed Gwyn the package when it arrived and she tore it open like she normally does except for this time she squealed with delight when she saw the horse on the front cover. She also said, "mommy the girl is little like me".

A moms review:
Circle C Beginnings is a wonderful series for children ages 6-8. In the Circle C Beginnings books children will join Andi and her friend Riley along with her "hand me down" pony Coco and new baby horse Taffy on several fun filled adventures. The stories take place on a ranch in 1874. Children will learn about farm life and history as well as a few valuable lessons from these books.                  

The books are written by Susan K. Marlow and illustrated by Leslie Gammelgaard. There are currently 6 books in the series. Each book has fun, black-and-white illustrations and easy-to-read text, for kids who are ready for first chapter books. Since Gwyn is just learning to read I sat down and read the book to her before bedtime. It took about 3 nights to get through the book.

Check out this video which is also on Circle C's website:




In Andi's Pony Trouble which is the first book in the series Andi wants a horse of her very own instead of her slow "hand me down" pony. But her mother says she is not big enough or responsible enough for a horse of her own. Stuck with riding Coco Andi sets out to show her family that she's ready for a horse of her own. In this book Andi also learns about the power of prayer and what a real prayer is. She also learns to ask God for forgiveness as well as the others she had hurt during her efforts to prove she was responsible.

If you have read past reviews from me you will know that I LOVE it when authors provide resources to go along with their books. Well Circle C has done that. Make sure you visit the website where you will find coloring pages, puzzles and activity pages.

In the front of each book is a list of new words and definitions that your children may not be familiar with. And in the back of each book your children get a peek into the past as they learn about how different life was in 1874. There are also some good discussion questions.

Not only did we receive a couple of the books to review but we also received the A Journey Through Learning lapbooks that go along with them. Both of my kids LOVE lapbooking. We are not quite done with our lapbook yet and have tailored it to be a binder book instead. But Gwyn is absolutely loving it. We print our lapbooks in black and white using our laser printer and then Gwyn colors in the various pieces. The lapbooks cost $12.00 or you can order the book and lapbook together for $15.00. I am amazed as we go through the lapbook at how much she retained from the book. She has been able to easily identify the various terms she learned throughout the book and remembers almost every details of the adventure. If you have never lapbooked don't worry there are great instructions included in every lapbook you order from A Journey Through Learning. The Andi's Pony Trouble lapbook includes mini booklets on vocabulary, manners, praying, ponies, California, ranch life and information about the book (like author, illustrator, copyright, plot, characters etc).

Gwyns review (6 yrs old):
I really like the books. they are like American Girl books. I like the baby horse that Andi gets. The lapbook is lots of fun and I like that I get to learn about the different farm animals. I think little girls would like this book. 

Links to follow:
-Circle C Beginnings website
-Coloring pages, puzzles and activity pages
-Lapbooks A Journey Through Learning
-Circle C Adventures - books for older children
-Circle C Facebook page 

Where to buy:
The books can be purchased on Amazon here Cicle C Beginnings and cost $4.99 each if you would like a signed copy you can also purchase them directly from the Circle C Beginnings website.

***Want to WIN a copy of this book? Check out the End of Homeschool Year 2012 Giveaway on here my blog. Where one winner will receive over $125 in prizes.***

*Disclaimer - I received three Circle C Beginnings books and 2 A Journey Through Learning Lapbooks in return for my honest review. Please note that prices indicated in the post are subject to change. I was not compensated for my review and all opinions are our own! Many of the links found on my side bars and in my blog posts are affiliate links. As a result, I might get paid money and I will most likely spend the money on homeschool supplies.