Bliss on the Hill

Book Giveaway Winners

2012-01-20T18:58:00.001-05:00

This week during Nancy Carpentier Brown's talk on Chestertonian humor at the MidWinter Refresh Virtual Conference, we sponsored a book giveaway of Nancy's books.

55 people entered the drawing and here are the 3 winners: Maria Nielsen, Kris Ward, and Colleen Arsenault.

Thanks to all who attended Nancy's talk and all who entered the giveaway!

Check out the conference to see the other presentations in which you can participate!

Great New Title for kids- new Mass translation

2011-11-14T17:23:00.000-05:00

The Mass Illustrated for Children

by Susan Bateman

!!! NEW !!!

This is an incredible coloring book/illustrated storybook of the Mass. It contains the text of the Mass (Ordinary - new translation) as well as some explanatory text. Perfect for First Communion prep or any study of the Mass. Children can take it to Mass and follow along as well.

I really like it because it fits with the way I teach First Communion prep classes. For example, on the Confiteor page, the text is accompanied by illustrations (to color) of the story of the Prodigal Son. The cover image features the Good Shepherd carrying the lamb on his shoulders. (I have placed on this page the image of the previous cover of this coloring book but will load up the revised cover as soon as I can scan it.) The back cover text says "Jesus is inviting you to share in his life through the Mass. Let the Good Shepherd carry you on his shoulders into the mystery of his love."

5.5 X 8.5 softcover
published by Second Spring and Thomas More College

You can purchase it HERE!

We're having a big sale!!

2011-11-01T20:00:00.000-04:00

I mean a REALLY BIG sale!! Please pass the word along.

We've never had a sale this BIG! Everything in our online store is on sale with savings from 20-50%. Please visit our website soon as some quantities are limited. Check out some of the specials below.

ALL NOVELS 50% OFF

CROSS AMONG THE TOMAHAWKS AND SHIPS BOY WITH MAGELLAN BY MILTON LOMASK

SWORD OF CLONTARF AND THE KING'S THANE BY CHARLES BRADY

WORD TO CAESAR BY GEOFFREY TREASE

CITY OF THE GOLDEN HOUSE,

CHILDREN OF THE RED KING,

AND CHUIRAQUIMBA AND THE BLACK ROBES

ALL HOMESCHOOL CULTURE RESOURCES 40% OFF

    HAYSTACKS FULL OF NEEDLES: A CATHOLIC HOME EDUCATOR'S
    GUIDE TO SOCIALIZATION BY ALICE GUNTHER

IN HIS IMAGE: NURTURING CREATIVITY IN THE HEART OF YOUR
HOME BY MARY GILDERSLEEVE

A LITTLE WAY OF HOMESCHOOLING: THIRTEEN FAMILIES
DISCOVER CATHOLIC UNSCHOOLING BY SUZIE ANDRES

Much more!! All on sale now!!

Our newest title!!

2011-09-01T02:07:00.001-04:00

Children of the Red King

by Madeleine Polland

Now available!!

This was Mrs. Polland's first novel for children, and it is excellent! In her usual beautiful storytelling style (City of the Golden House, Beorn the Proud, Chuiraquimba and the Black Robes), she tells the story of the last Irish chieftain to hold out against King John and the English conquest of Ireland. While his children are held captive by a Norman knight, Cormac of Connacht battles to keep the land free and retain his kingship against conspirators.

Exciting historical fiction set in early 13th century Ireland.

Cover art by Sean Fitzpatrick; cover design by Ted Schluenderfritz.

Website Down

2011-08-24T11:35:00.000-04:00

I'm sorry, but our website has been down for a day or two as the cart server owner migrates to a new server. It will be another day, I think, and all will be up and running again.

Thanks for your patience!
I am not able to access it to see what orders were placed over the weekend, but I will get the orders out as soon as possible once the servers are back up.
God bless
Margot

End of Summer

2011-08-23T15:13:00.000-04:00

Wow- my last post was in May! I didn't realize that I hadn't posted something in so long. But that's probably a good thing since one goal I had for the summer was to spend less time on the computer and more time looking in my children's faces.

And now . . . summer is at an end (almost)!

I wanted to post a long and rambling tract about my impressions after the Catholic Marketing Network trade show, but I just haven't had time. I will say, however, that the show never ceases to inspire me and make me feel part of something great and glorious.

Here are a few new things I saw that I think homeschoolers will find interesting:

Lisa Hendey's new book is due out this fall.

This new DVD series will also be ready this fall:

I saw a little clip of it, and it is a beautifully filmed wide overview of the Church photographed all over the world. I will be doing a more indepth review of it for the magazine and love2learn.net after I have had a chance to view the whole thing.

Lastly the Didache religion course series has now come out with semester courses which focus on particular aspects of the catechism. Some of them are condensed versions of the full year courses and some have new information. There is one just on the Sacraments and one on the Blessed Trinity. I think having the option for a smaller book will be great for homeschoolers, both for the pocketbook and for the schedule.

Hillside news in the next post!!

Catholic Summer Reading Program

2011-05-30T12:26:00.000-04:00

The folks at Aquinas and More are sponsoring a Catholic summer reading program. Click on the green widget to your right to go to the page. Several of our books are in the finals for the voting, so hop on over and cast your votes! You will see some other great books listed.

Here are the books of ours that are nominated: City of the Golden House by Madeleine Polland (one of my all time favorites) and Word to Caesar by Geoffrey Trease (adventure story set in Roman empire).
I agree that they are both wonderful for summer reading!

Conference Schedule

2011-04-27T18:24:00.000-04:00

Here are the conferences we have booked so far:

April 29-30th
ARCH in Houston
http://www.arch-homeschool.org/index.php?page=curriculum-fair
You can meet Cindy Kelly, one of the authors featured in A Little Way of Homeschooling, at our table on Friday night. Then chat with Maria Rioux, regular contributor to mater et magistra magazine on Saturday.

April 30
CHAPLET in Southern NJ (I will be attending this one)
http://www.chaplet.org/Conference.html

May 20-21
Buffalo Catholic Home Schooling Conference
http://www.quietwatersproductions.com/index.cfm?load=page&page=7

May 27-28
North Texas
http://www.ihmconference.org/northtexas/
Visit with Charlotte Williams

June 10-11
IHM in Virginia (I will be attending this one)
http://www.ihmconference.org/national/

June 24 and 25
We would attend the Cleveland OH conference if we could find someone to cover the table.
http://www.ihmconference.org/cleveland/

July 22-23
Tampa, Florida
http://www.ihmconference.org/tampa/

New Titles

2011-03-05T17:57:00.000-05:00

We are please to announce that our latest title, A Little Way of Homeschooling: Thirteen Families Discover Unschooling by Suzie Andres is available for preorder. Please visit the Hillside Education website for more information.

People often ask me what "program" I use, or whether Hillside provides a full curriculum. Well, we don't provide a full curriculum, we publish resources that we think will bring enlightenment and beauty to home education. But the answer to the first question is more complicated. What program I use is not as important as the program that YOU use and that you have found to work with your particular children and your particular situation. I believe in supporting home educators no matter what style of teaching they employ. I fell in love with this book because the stories related by the homeschooling moms are given honestly and humbly and Suzie's connection with St. Therese is irresistible. I think you will be uplifted and refreshed by reading it.

We also have reprinted a version of Fabiola by Cardinal Wiseman that was originally published by the Daughters of St. Paul. This is the version recommended for MODG families. It has taken us years to bring this to print, so I heave a great sigh as I announce it. Please visit the What's New page on the website to see all of our new releases.

We have a few more books in production that will be available for the next school year. We'll post them as we finish them.
Blessings,
Margot

Winter weather causing delays

2011-02-01T09:23:00.000-05:00

I heard from the printer that the winter issue of the magazine (boy-themed) has been delayed because of winter weather. This weather system is affecting all of us in one way or another. We're snowed in here today with promises of accumulating ice overnight (I hate ice!). I've been so impatient to get this issue out and God in His wisdom has other plans -- for me keeping me depending upon Him and teaching me humility, and for you, giving you yet another way to practice charity by sticking with us even though our issues are late. Thanks for sticking with us!!

The good news is that we are well ahead on our spring issue and it will be mailed in advance of Easter. That issue has ideas for the Liturgical Year celebrations of Easter as well as the theme of "relationships" in homeschooling. It will also include the first part of an article on motivation by Andrew Pudewa (second part to come out in the summer issue). Thinking about Easter being later--really in spring here--is helping me get through this winter slog.

Feast of St. Brigid February 1

2011-01-22T18:19:00.000-05:00

The Feast of St. Brigid is coming up! I find it so satisfying that her feast falls within the Christmas season, the last feast before the feast of Candlemas on February 2, since St. Brigid is said to have mystically visited the manger in Bethlehem to see the Christ Child. You can read Amy Steedman's telling of it in this narrative. The symbol of fire has also been associated with St. Brigid, again, so fitting to be honored so close to the feast of Candlemas.

You can celebrate the feast with Irish treats and the making of St. Brigid's cross (directions here). You might also like to read Brigid's Cloak with your children. You will also find some other ideas at the the Catholic Culture site.

Chuiraquimba and the Black Robes

2010-11-23T11:41:00.000-05:00

by Madeleine Polland

Now in print!!

I am a great fan of Madeleine Polland - in fact, I think I am her greatest fan. I would love to reprint every one of her books for children!

Chuiraquimba and the Black Robes is the latest installment in what I hope to someday call our "Polland library." Set in 1600s Paraguay, it tells the story of the Jesuit missions there and the incredible faith and devotion of the Guarani people. In addition to being a beautiful story about finding the Faith, it sensitively portrays the Guarani and the exploitation of them by the colonizing Spanish and Portuguese. It's a great addition to any historical study of the age of exploration and colonization. Original cover art by Sean Fitzpatrick and cover design by Ted Schluenderfritz.

Visit the website for ordering information.

The next book by Madeleine Polland that we plan to publish is Children of the Red King, her first book for children.

Now Available !!

2010-11-06T16:38:00.000-04:00

The sequel to Father Brown: Stories from Chesterton, this adaptation features 4 murder mysteries. Follow Father Brown and the now-reformed Flambeau as the they cleverly solve puzzling deaths. Please visit our website to place an order

Don't forget we have all picture books and Windeatt titles on sale!

New Items on the Website!

2010-10-16T11:35:00.000-04:00

I have finally uploaded to the website a lot of new books that we have for sale. And . . . most are now on sale. I had acquired a batch of Mary Fabian Windeatt books from another book dealer and we finally have those for titles in both new and used condition on the website.

We also are selling the saint stories that are being reprinted by Mary's Books from the popular Dujarie publishers of the past.

We're pleased to offer two new books from Catholic Artworks: Mary and the 50 States and St. John Neumann.

AND, as a pre-Christmas special, we have all of our picture books on sale now!!

And finally . . . be on the lookout for the sequel to the very popular Father Brown Reader! Here is a sneak peak at the cover for The Father Brown Reader II: More Stories from Chesterton adapted by Nancy Carpentier Brown and illustrated by Ted Schluenderfritz. Coming soon!!!

More on the Catholic Writers' conference: Chance for Free Book

2010-07-09T09:20:00.000-04:00

I saw a pretty neat promo video for the conference at this website. You can also win a free book from Karina for helping to promote the conference.

I'd like to make the same offer Karina makes. If you advertise the conference on your blog, facebook, etc, I'll put your name in a drawing for a free book from Hillside Education. So send me a link to where you've posted about it and I'll enter your name. Here is the most important info you should post:

Minimum Post (140 characters): Catholic Writers! The Catholic Writers Conference Live is Aug 4-6 at King of Prussia, PA. Info/Register http://catholicwritersconference.com/

Please see my previous blog post for a little more information if you want to say more.
We appreciate your help in getting the word out about this wonderful conference.

Catholic Writers Conference

2010-07-06T20:40:00.000-04:00

Press Release!!

Catholic Writers to Hold Conference In Valley Forge, PA

The second annual Catholic Writers Conference LIVE will be held August 4-6, 2010, at the Scanticon Hotel Valley Forge in King of Prussia, PA. Sponsored by the Catholic Writer's Guild and the Catholic Marketing Network (CMN), and held in conjunction with CMN's annual retailer trade show, the Catholic Writer's Conference LIVE provides Catholic authors with a prime opportunity to meet and share their faith with editors, publishers, fellow writers, and bookstore owners from across the globe.

This year's conference will feature presentations on such topics as market tips and time management for busy writers, poetry, creating evil characters (by Regina Doman), working with an editor, creating winning proposals, journaling, dealing with "rejection" and negative criticism (by Susie Lloyd), and much more. Keynote speaker Michelle Buckman will be present a talk entitled "The Wonder of Expresing Catholicism in Faith."

#

Even though I am a pipsqueak in the Catholic publishing world, I will be speaking on a publishers' panel.

One of the best features, in my opinion is the rare opportunity to present, or "pitch," your book idea to publishers. There will be four publishers hearing pitches--you can discuss your ideas and get immediate feedback. So if you have an idea that's been needling you, or a manuscript underway, consider attending!! The atmosphere of the CMN trade show is just plain exhilarating.

Please visit the conference website for registration details.

New Titles

2010-05-16T20:16:00.000-04:00

I've scaled back my ambitions for this summer after having a very tough winter and feeling like I need a break. However, there are a few things on the horizon:

1. Mother of Divine Grace 8th grade titles Discussion Guide available June 15th. At last!! I have had notes for this one for 3 years . . . in 4 different notebooks. Finally getting it together!! Simple discussion topics and writing prompts for Fingal's Quest (Polland), Augustine Came to Kent (Willard), Son of Charlemagne (Willard), The Story of King Arthur and His Knights (Pyle), Door in the Wall (D'Angeli), Adam of the Road (Gray), Black Arrow (Stevenson).

We also have study guides for Hidden Treasure of Glaston and I, Juan dePareja nearing completion.

2. Chuiraquimba and the Black Robes by Madeleine Polland

Due out this summer. This story set in Paraguay in the early 1600s, deals with the Jesuit missions among the Guarani. As usual Polland tells a very moving story within the historical backdrop--this one a tale of conversion and loss and hope. (This another of the books from the Clarion series that we are reprinting.)

Here is a preliminary sketch for the cover art from Sean Fitzpatrick.

2. My husband and I are currently writing a study companion for Bennett's America: The Last Best Hope for use by high school American history students. We will have a "beta" version (for anyone who wants to try it) available by September, and then after we use it for the 2010-11 school year, we'll put out a final version next summer.

3. We hope to have The Father Brown Reader, More Stories from Chesterton adapted by Nancy Carpentier Brown out this year, the sequel to her The Father Brown Reader, Stories from Chesterton. These stories feature murder mysteries that have to do with appearances, sight, and seeing.

We have a wish list of other books we want to reprint . . .we'll see!!

On the Conference Trail - UPDATED

2010-05-03T13:55:00.000-04:00

Once again, we will be attending a few homeschool conferences this summer.

Please visit us at the following conferences in May:

Pere Marquette, Chicago IL May 7 and 8
http://www.nichejmj.com/

Northwest Catholic Family Education Conference May 21 and 22
http://www.nwcatholicconference.com/

In addition to our own products, we will also have the newest titles from Catholic Artworks
as well as Lift Up Your Hearts: Rediscovering the Mass and the Celebration of Our Faith published by Treasures of the Church Press.

If the mail system comes through, we'll also have copies of the new book by Danielle Bean and Elizabeth Foss, hot off the presses: Small Steps for Catholic Moms.

So please visit our tables if you are attending these shows!

In June we will be at the

New England Catholic Homeschool Conference (newly added to our schedule!)
June 5
http://wmch.stblogs.com/

and

IHM conference in Chantilly, VA
http://www.ihmconference.org/national

and

Sacred Heart Convention in Orange, NJ
http://www.heartconvention.org/

New Book Arrived at Last!!

2010-02-20T15:39:00.000-05:00

We have been struggling to get this book to print, but at last we can advertise it and offer to our customers!!

Young Pedro escapes his uncle who is planning to kill him in order to gain the family title and fortune. His escape route takes him around the world . . . literally, as the cabin boy on Magellan's flagship the Trinidad. Lomask tells a tale of great adventure as Pedro experiences the joys and perils of the fleet Armada de Maluca These include mutinies and battles with native people as well as with the sea herself. Pedro is one of the few who survive the voyage, and he returns to Spain to claim his birthright.

Recommended for grades 4-7.
$14.95

This title is another from the Clarion Series originally published in the 1950s and 60s. Other titles in that series that we publish are: Sword of Clontarf, City of the Golden House, and The King's Thane. We will be publishing another from this series later this year: Chuiraquimba and the Black Robes by Madeleine Polland.

Until February 28, we are offering Ship's Boy at the introductory price of $12.00.

Visit the Hillside Website to order!!

Advent 2009

2009-11-28T14:52:00.000-05:00

We've posted Cay's first meditation on this page on the Hillside website. This week's meditation features the children's picture book Angela and the Child Jesus by Frank McCourt. This is a true story adapted for children from the stories about the author's mother and beautifully illustrated by Raul Colon. The free meditation is intended for you, the adult reader, but the picture book can then be shared with your family. We have limited copies of each book featured in Cay's meditations available on the website as well.

Check back each week to download the new meditation!

Little Advent Treat from Cay Gibson

2009-11-20T11:14:00.000-05:00

Please hop over to Cay's blog and check out what she has planned as a gift for moms and families this Advent. She will be offering for free a set of meditations to accompany four Advent/Christmas-themed picture books. We will make the meditations available for free download from the Hillside website starting the first week of Advent. (First week available now! Nov. 25)

Wishing you a blessed Advent as you prepare for the coming of the King.
Margot

Thoughts on Literature and the Publishing Business

2009-10-23T17:50:00.000-04:00

I've been taking a class to maintain my teacher certification in the state of PA, and it has been so interesting. It's on children's literature and looks at all the cultural and social factors in books for children. This week we're focusing on commercialization and what it does to the content of children's books. And you know, it's something I've always known, but to be hit with it so explicitly has been somewhat startling. How much of what is "sold" as children's literature is merely advertising for other things (like movies)? How many books are based purely on what will sell or will encourage sales of other things instead of on ideas that are good for children to think about? Some people in education circles call these commercialized books "twaddle," but to my mind that's not half a strong enough word to describe the insipid diet of consumerism we feed our children through licensed characters and inane stories.

One of the articles I read this week traced the history of book publishing and it's track to "fast" capitalism. It explains why publishing houses no longer keep rich backlists, why some of the best books for children are out of print and most likely to stay that way: they have no cross product potential. The 5 largest children's book publishers are now owned by huge media conglomerates who no longer have the "Idea" as the main criteria for whether a book gets published, but the dollar value instead. No longer is literature held aloft from the market and so able to pursue and debate ideas. The market now rules literature and naturally this has limited what gets published. (Of course there are still some great books being published, but look at any bookstore and you'll see what's really being promoted.) I heard that publishers must attend expensive conferences put on by one of the big bookstores chains just to get books on their shelves. A small, very small, publisher like me doesn't stand a chance in a system like that.

This has made me reflect seriously on what we are doing at Hillside. We began just publishing study guides for different time periods in history. But when I couldn't find books for particular historical periods in print, I decided to jump into publishing out-of-print novels. It has been an incredibly creative and exciting process. I love every single one of the books we have published. They are all great stories . . . and they are not part of some multinational corporation's scheme to make money by any and every means conceivable. They have great ideas for kids to think about and leave open the possibility for hope. And yet, I can hardly stay in business; 2009 was a particularly difficult year.

Nevertheless, stupid though it may be, or certainly outside of conventional business sense, I have 3 novels scanned and almost ready to print, and I'm reading 3 others that I hope to prepare as well. What is the matter with me? Am I crazy? How can I possible stay in business much less compete with Sponge Bob Squarepants or everything Harry Potter? How can I get a business loan when my business plan shows that huge sales are not likely? And yet, how can I walk away from these truly great books that have been discarded by the market?

My only hope is that other people out there are looking for something other than the diet the mega-publishers put out. And if I can't compete in a crazy market, at least in my little corner of the publishing world, we'll still have great things to talk about.

Lingua Mater Americana

2009-07-29T01:36:00.000-04:00

AKA Lingua Mater 8, is now available. We decided to keep costs down by just offering it as a 3-hole punch copy that you can pop into a binder.

We are printing it on-demand and have just a few copies in stock right now. All copies ordered at conferences will go out this week.

For details on what's in it, visit the Hillside website.

Michigan Conference

2009-07-16T16:29:00.000-04:00

If you placed an order at the Michigan conference June 19 and 20, please contact us at

sales@hillsideeducation.com.

We've filled orders for all conferences except a few remaining from the SCCHE conference (Alhambra, CA), and those who ordered Lingua Mater 8 at the IHM conference. So, if you ordered something at a conference and haven't received it yet - please do contact us!

We will have a table at the Tampa, FL conference this weekend and the Dallas, TX and Lancaster PA conferences next weekend. See you there!!

It's been an incredible summer getting to (or orchestrating a Hillside/mater et magistra presence at) almost every conference! I have enjoyed meeting people and hearing about heroic home educating adventures. But, I am now ready to kick back and can 50 quarts of beans and make 20 loaves of zucchini bread! Sitting in the sun with a glass of lemonade (well, I'd probably really be drinking water, but lemonade sounds more romantic) while the kids play softball sounds pretty good, too.

Happy summer!

Margot

In His Image

2009-05-27T19:30:00.000-04:00

We're pleased to announce the publication of our latest title:

In His Image: Nurturing Creativity in the Heart of Your Home

by Mary C. Gildersleeve.

Mary explains that by letting our children and ourselves "create" we participate in the life of Our Divine Creator and cultivate many positive skills and habits. In addition, the book is full of resource recommendations and project ideas.

From the back cover:

Nurturing creativity in our children and in ourselves is a critical need today. We all know that research has shown that art and music are good for fostering healthy brain development, but they are good for our souls, too. Through creativity, we imitate the Divine Creator and practice the skills needed to battle the despair produced by a pre-made, manufactured, cookie-cutter world.

Made in the image of God, there is a creative desire placed in all of us. Nurturing this desire in our children is not only thoroughly satisfying, but an essential part of our parenting duty. By instilling in our children a love for the good, the true, and the beautiful, we can help to reshape our world for the good of all.

From the foreword by Elizabeth Foss

Education in the arts is no less important than academic education. Creativity will launch our children beyond the boundaries of their intelligence. A creative child knows how to think outside the box—to seek fresh approaches and novel ways of understanding things. More importantly, a creative child will have a greater, deeper, truer understanding of God. There can be no understanding of philosophy or theology without imagination and creativity.

You can preorder this book now. Ship date is approximately June 15.

Conference Season

2009-04-08T19:44:00.001-04:00

The homeschool conference season has begun!!! Last week Cay Gibson represented Hillside and mater et magistra magazine for us at the Louisiana conference in Covington last weekend, and she had a great time meeting folks and hearing what everyone is up to for the coming school year.

We look forward to meeting you all in the coming weeks, so if you live in any of these areas, please check out our table at the following conferences:

Acworth/Atlanta April 17 and 18

Harrisburg, PA April 18

CHAPLET in Berlin NJ April 25

ARCH in Houston TX April 24 and 25

GMCHE in Milwaukee, WI April 24 and 25

Northwest (Tukwila, WA) May 1 and 2

Chicago May 8 and 9

Minnesota May 29 and 30

Kansas City June 5 and 6

New England (Chicopee, MA) June 6

IHM in Chantilly, VA June 12 and 13

Lansing, MI June 19 and 20

Sacred HEART in Orange NJ June 20

Cleveland, OH June 26 and 27

SCCHE (Southern California) June 25, 26, 27

Tampa FL July 17 and 18

Family Centered Conference July 25

Dallas/Fort Worth July 24 and 25

We will have samples of all the Hillside products, samples of the magazine, and some things for sale!

Hope to see you!

Margot

It's Spring

2009-04-08T19:41:00.001-04:00

We welcome the coming of spring with a big sigh!! It's been a long hard winter, but in the midst of the commemoration of Our Lord's passion, we get slivers of hope in the light (and warmth) to come. We hope you and your families have a Blessed Triduum and Holy Easter!!

Margot

Important Errata Notice for Haystack Full of Needles

2008-09-14T17:41:00.000-04:00

For everyone who wants to try the scone recipe in the back of Alice's book Haystack Full of Needles, please take note: There is a typo.

Sigh!

The recipe ought to list 2/3 cups of sugar.

Please keep in mind as well, that you add the buttermilk gradually, only as much as is needed (which will vary based on the humidity and the kind of flour you use). You may not need all that is listed.

Haystack Stories

2008-09-06T09:02:00.001-04:00

I have been amazed and edified by the range of stories that I'm hearing from people who have read Alice Gunther's Haystack Full of Needles. We have found out that socialization for the moms is very important!!! People are sharing how their groups work and what true charity can do in a community of homeschoolers. We are also hearing how people have been inspired by the book to try and heal their groups that fell apart either because of lack of charity or lack of interest. I'm sure we'll hear more!!! Please feel free to respond in the comment section of this email if you want to share a story about your homeschool friendships.

I want to share one of mine. When I first moved to our present house, I was expecting number 5 and number 1 had just turned 7. I was a bit apprehensive about the move: one more time we moved to a totally new area where I knew no one, one more time I left behind a kindred spirit, and one more time I would have to try and put aside my introvert tendancies and reach out to other people.

Our new parish had many homeschoolers but a recent falling out had splintered the group and bad feelings abounded. I was content to be pregnant and hunker down with the family and not try to get in the middle of the divisiveness. When I took my children to CCD, there was a group of moms who hung out during CCD time, and I got to know a few of them. I was astounded when one of them, who had from the beginning been encouraging me to call and come over to her house for a visit, brought me a dinner when I had the baby. She didn't really even know me!! It was so sweet, and she was so generous and laid back about it. It still took me two months to get the courage to call her and say, "Hey, I'd like to take you up on your offer to bring the kids over and visit." Her enthusiastic response was a balm to me.

Since that time there have been many chances for mutual generosity, (my number 5 is now 8 years old and she now has 10 children) but it was that simple reaching out by her that turned the tide for me and helped me to come out of myself a bit. I've been thinking a lot about that with regard to Haystack Full of Needles. It doesn't take much to make someone feel like an outsider, and not much to make her feel welcome as well. I am filled with gratitude for this friend of mine . . . and I thought I better tell her:

Happy Birthday, Kathleen, and thanks for being a great friend over the years, opening your home and heart to whomever you meet!
Love,
Margot

Fenestrae Fidei

2008-08-09T20:48:00.000-04:00

Revisiting this gem . . .

I found this lovely idea for using Fenestrae Fidei . . . and it reminded what a delightful book this is.

Margot

Haystacks Full of Needles

2008-07-20T18:23:00.000-04:00

We've been getting a lot of absolutely lovely reviews of this book. Please visit the author's blog to read them all.

Unfortunately, we have had yet another setback at the printers and the book will be delayed about another two weeks. We appreciate the patience of those of you who have placed preorders. Please pray with us that whatever obstacles remain can be overcome quickly. We are so anxious to get it out, and we have never had as many delays getting a book printed. I hate to be so Catholic (well not really, I actually love it), but perhaps the devil isn't so happy about this book.

It's a book about charity, first and foremost, and being open to the friendships in Christ that God has planned for us.

We'll post again when we have the book in hand.
Blessings,
Margot

Lingua Mater Americana

2008-07-12T20:22:00.000-04:00

I was so gratified to read this post and learn that I am not the only one who takes on too much and then can't get it all done. Last December I posted a pretty ambitious publishing schedule. Of the items listed, we have only brought 2 to complete fruition. One more is ready to go this week and the rest . . . well, who knows what I will be able to accomplish. We are still working on these projects in various stages of production:

Lives of Plutarch: The Modern Edition of Twelve Lives edited and abridged with an introduction by John W. McFarland. This is a reprint of a version recommended in the MODG syllabus for 7th grade. It has been out of print for quite some time and can be very costly to buy used. We are sending it to the printer this week. Hooray!!

The King's Thane by Charles Brady. This is by the same author as Sword of Clontarf and was part of the Clarion series published by Doubleday in the 1960s. We have it typeset and will perhaps have it to the printer by end of the summer.

Mass Book for Children. Originally published by Benzinger Bros, this little gem includes stories and devotional explanations of the parts of the Latin Mass. We hope it have it done by Christmas time . . . . we'll see!

And now that brings me to Lingua Mater Americana, which is the follow up to Lingua Mater 7 and can be used for 8th or 9th grade. I have been working on this one in my head since the day that Lingua Mater 7 was published and at least 10 people wrote and said, "Don't you have one for 8th grade?" That was 3 years ago. Since then I have been listening to what people/users have said about Lingua Mater and what they think is best for language arts for the bridge to high school. I think I finally have a handle on the approach I want to take with it and have found an answer to my quandary over including grammar in it. Will it be done by the 2008-2009 school year? . . . sadly no.

However, I will be completing the writing of it this year as I work with a group of 8th graders who did Lingua Mater in 7th grade last year. They are my experiment group. If you'd like to participate, we can arrange to get you the lessons about a week ahead (oh sometimes a day ahead since I usually prepare for the week on Sunday night or early Monday morning). Actually, the first unit will be done before the first day of school. Please email me at sales@hillsideeducation.com if you are interested in getting the lessons by pdf as I go along. I only ask that you give me feedback at the end of the week or unit on how the lesson went and if everything made sense or got results. There were a few families who did this with me on Lingua Mater 7 and I am deeply grateful for their honest feedback.

So, what's in this volume?
The first nine weeks is a review of Lingua Mater 7 (modes of writing, basic grammar). The second nine weeks is work on sentence combining and voice, the third nine weeks focuses on the expository essay, and the last nine weeks is a kind of short story unit - many lessons based on one short story. The grammar lessons will be on that which is important to the writing BUT we will also have a really unique grammar supplement . . . mysterious, heh? More details on that will be revealed as we go along.

It's called "Americana" because it is meant to integrate with studies of American history which are done in 8th or 9th grade depending on what curriculum you follow. So all the literature pieces are written by American authors, all the paintings are by American painters, and all the poems are by American poets. It features the work of two contemporary authors: Elaine Woodfield and Suchi Myjak. Elaine is the author of the Stories of the Saints series from Catholic Heritage Curricula, and she has written two original stories about American saints for the book. Suchi is the author of Behold and See, also published by Catholic Heritage curricula, and she contributes two essays on science topics particular to America: the beaver and the life of Thomas Edison. The short story we use in Unit 4 will be reproduced in full in the book.

Perhaps by working through it during the year I will have it ready for printing next summer - depending on the length of the editing process. Lingua Mater 7 took one year to write and one year to edit (and it still had many mistakes).

Thanks to all those who have been patiently accepting my "it's not ready yet" answer every year. I'm sorry to have to say it again. But I think I have finally found a way to make it happen. Best wishes for a restful and rejuvenating summer.

Haystack Full of Needles

2008-06-05T21:34:00.001-04:00

We are close enough to take preorders on this new title:

Haystack Full of Needles

A Catholic Home Educator's Guide to Socialization

by Alice Gunther

Please visit the website for all the preordering details.

From the Foreward by Laura Berquist:

"I love this book and I don’t say that lightly. It is truly wonderful."

Conference Update

2008-05-31T15:02:00.000-04:00

Next weekend, you may view Hillside materials and subscribe to mater et magistra magazine at Mary Gildersleeve's table at the Rocky Mountain Catholic Home Educators conference. (RMCHEC) Mary will be showcasing her knitting book and taking orders for all of our products. Be sure to attend her talk on handcrafts in the home school!! She will also have an article on handcrafts in the next issue of mater et magistra.

The following weekend I will be attending the IHM Conference in Chantilly, VA.
Please stop by my table and say hello.

Finally, I'll be speaking and vending at the Family Centered Conference in beautiful Lancaster, PA. The topic of my talk is authentic literature study: making good readers great thinkers. Alice Gunther will be the main speaker. See our next blog entry for information about her new book Haystack Full of Needles, A Catholic Home Educator's Guide to Socialization.

I hope you will consider attending one of these conferences in your area. I've found that it's so wonderful to meet other homeschoolers and feel recharged in our efforts to provide the best for our children.

A New Beginning

2008-04-29T21:07:00.000-04:00

Hillside is the new publisher for Heart & Mind magazine. Please visit our new magazine website.

We have renamed the magazine:

mater et magistra

Educating the Heart and Mind in the Catholic Home.

If you had a subscription with Heart & Mind your subscription will continue. If you didn't, now is a great time to subscribe!! All the great features of Heart & Mind will continue in the new magazine including the unit study pull-out section, resource reviews, and columns on literature, science, the Liturgical Year, and more. There are lots of opportunities for readers to contribute, so please visit and see what's coming up!

Margot

Spring Cleaning SALE

2008-04-23T16:04:00.000-04:00

We're having a sale!

All picture books that accompany Catholic Mosaic or Christmas Mosaic are now on sale. You will also find most of the books in the category "Books of Interest" on sale as well.

Help us clean our shelves and make way for our new titles.

Another New Title

2008-02-22T16:34:00.000-05:00

Even though we got about 8-10 inches of snow today, it certainly feels like spring here at Hillside!

We have another new book to announce, and I can't help feeling it's something bright on the horizon of winter, like the slowly lengthening days, full of promise.

Introducing:

Great Yarns for the Close-Knit Family,

Over two dozen original hand-knit designs
inspired by one dozen fantastic family read-alouds

By Mary C. Gildersleeve

The book will be available March 12th and we're now accepting preorders on the website. Each preorder will receive a pair of birchwood knitting needles that can be used for some of the hand-knit projects.

So what are these projects and why is Hillside doing a knitting book?

Well, this book features knitting projects that accompany great works of children's literature:

Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi

Canadian Summer by Hilda van Stockum

The Hobbit By J.R.R. Tolkein

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Little House in the Highlands By Melissa Wiley

The Lost Island by Eilis Dillon

Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers

Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater

Otto of the Silver Hand by Howard Pyle

Redwall by Brian Jacques

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

The Wheel on the School by Meindert de Jong

While your family enjoys reading aloud these great "yarns" you and/or your children can be knitting the projects. All the projects are original designs by Mary, the knitting guru.

Visit the Hillside website to find out more about the preorder.

The Mystery Revealed At Last

2008-02-12T12:40:00.000-05:00

In our closing-for-Christmas post we alluded to a homeschooling resource book that we would be publishing this year. I'm very happy to announce this book to you now!

Haystack Full of Needles,

A Catholic Home Educator's Guide to Socialization

by Alice Gunther

Most of us at one time or another have had to wrestle with the issue of socialization, either in dealing with friends and family members who question our decision to home educate, or from our own hearts as we worry about our children's hopes for friendship. In this book Alice shows that "Socialization is not the weakness of home education—it is its strength and joy."

Alice chronicles her own path from skepticism about home educating's ability to provide sufficient social experiences for her children, to the flowering of a local home school group that provides its members with meaningful social experiences within the context of home educating.

Full of examples and practical suggestions, this will be an extremely uplifting addition to your cache of home education resources. We'll post more details as the book nears publication. We expect to release this book in the spring.

(Cover design by Ted Schluenderfritz)

Conference Schedule 2008

2008-01-29T11:25:00.000-05:00

Here are the conferences where you can view Hillside material and ask questions (and meet me!):

Memphis, TN March 14 and 15

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania April 5

IHM, Chantilly, VA June 13 and 14

Family-Centered Learning, Lancaster, PA July 25 and 26
(new dates)

As dates are added we will update this post.
Margot

Book Giveaway

2008-01-23T14:01:00.000-05:00

Visit the love2learn blog today for a chance to win some Hillside titles.

All the novels are up for grabs as well as Stories with a View.

We have found a new printer for Stories with a View and now the pages are more sturdy, the images sharper, and the cover is double laminated for greater durability. It's a beautiful version!!!

Hope you win!!

Only a few days left of the great love2learn book giveaway. So visit today!

Loving Literature as the Basis for Literature Study

2008-01-05T12:57:00.001-05:00

Part 1
Explanation in progress for Purposeful Literature Study: Making good readers great thinkers.

Believe it or not, there is a way to do literary analysis without killing the love of reading for a child/student! My experience has been that by discovering deeper and more meaningful levels in a story, a reader/student falls more in love with a story. By creating an atmosphere of wonder, questioning and discussing, relating your experience with the text, predicting and sharing your prediciton, the story comes to life. Notice that each of the activities mentioned above is done with someone. Reading is a social event. That sounds shocking. "No, it's not," you say. "It's an isolating event where everyone has his own nose is his own world." I would object and say that we long to share what we are reading with someone. If we're reading a great book, we're talking about it. (Just ask my husband!!) "Conversing about a text deepens our understanding of virtually everything we read (Keene/Zimmermann, Mosaic of Thought, page 7)."

The underpinning keys to good literature study then are: 1.) a good book with rich layers of meaning; 2.)shared reading in a community of readers who are talking to each other about the story--that is, discussion; 3.)a study designed so that the student is lead to discover and/or construct the meaning; 4.) quality over quantity, that is: not every book the child reads should be analyzed. Many other books can be read and discussed, but 3 or 4 per school year is sufficient for in-depth study.

The goal of literature study is a search for meaning, the discovery of a story, and the appreciation for the craft of the author. The most important teaching technique for this is modeling behavior. Children need to see us read, they need to hear us ask questions about a text or predict something in a text. The study is divided into three parts: Before Reading: Anticipating Meaning, During Reading: Constructing Meaning, and After Reading: Reconstructing and Extending Meaning. While all of the Hillside study guides have these three sections, this is not something I made up myself. It is well-accepted, long-practiced, and heavily researched method for teaching almost any subject, even found in the Ignatian method of education.

More to come in further posts:
Research on reader behavior
Levels of interpretation and critical thinking
Writing as part of literature study

Family Centered Learning Conference

2008-01-02T16:16:00.000-05:00

Hillside will be attending this conference and I will be giving a talk there entitled: Purposeful Literature Study: Making Good Readers Great Thinkers.

Many people have asked me over the years about the literature guides we write and how to do literary analysis, even, "What is literary analysis?" I will be posting a series of articles to this blog over the next few months in which I sort out some of the ideas for my talk and present my vision for literature study. I'll be talking about levels of interpretation, recent research on reader behavior, and tips for growing your good readers into great thinkers.

Book Giveaway

2007-12-11T11:46:00.000-05:00

Maureen Wittmann, author of the newly released For the Love of Literature, is hosting a series of book giveaways. Some of our Hillside titles will be included in the promotion. But there are also a lot of other great books up for grabs.

See the details at Maureen's blog . . . and check out her new book!

Website Closing for Christmas

2007-12-10T12:07:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

This year we will be closing our website for the Christmas season. We will close from December 20 to February 2 (Candlemas). During this time we will be spending time with our families and taking a long needed breath. The last few years at Hillside Education have been a non-stop race, so we'd like to step off the track for a few minutes and reassess our game plan. During this break we will still accept wholesale orders. If you have an emergency, a damaged product, or any other questions, please email us at sales@hillsideeducation.com. We will also continue to post translations for Olim Erat at the translation blog. We'll post updates to this blog and may reopen sooner if we accomplish all that we'd like to during this break.

We're working on the following new projects for 2008:

Great Yarns for the Close-Knit Family: Over two dozen original hand-knit designs inspired by one dozen fantastic family read-alouds by Mary Gildersleeve. We hope to have this book available at the end of February.

Fireside Folktales for All Hallows Eve written and illustrated by Sean Fitzpatrick

The King's Thane by Charles Brady (This is one of the "Clarion" books published in the 1960s as part of the same series as Sword of Clontarf and City of the Golden House.)

Mass Book for Children. This is reprint of an old Mass book that includes stories and devotional explanations of the parts of the Latin Mass.

Lives of Plutarch: The Modern American Edition of Twelve Lives edited and abridged, with an introduction by John W. McFarland (This is a reprint of a version recommended in the MODG syllabi.)

Novel Inquiries, Volumes I-A, II-A, III-A. These literature guides will correspond with the time period following the original Novel Inquiries. So they cover Augustus Caesar to the year 1056. In February we will post a list of the novels covered in each volume. As a byproduct of this work, we will offer a discussion guide for MODG titles for grade 8.

And last, but not least, a resource book for homeschoolers written by a home educating mother of 7 children. We'll update this post with more information as the details are sorted out. But we feel it will be an uplifting, much appreciated treat!

We keep all of our Hillside customers and benefactors in prayer before the Child Jesus as Christmas approaches. We hope you will all receive the blessings of His peace in your lives.

In Christ,

Margot

Chance of a Lifetime!

2007-12-03T10:10:00.000-05:00

Calling all fans of Father Brown . . .

Ted Schluenderfrtiz, the illustrator of our recently released The Father Brown Reader is offering his original cover artwork for sale on e-bay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150191101584

What a great gift this would make for the Chesterton lover on your list!

Shipping Information for Christmas Mosaic

2007-11-01T14:09:00.001-04:00

Thanks to all who placed a preorder with us for Christmas Mosaic. The preorder period has expired!

We had so many preorders that I had to order another print run before I had even received the first one . . . so thank you!

I will now be shipping the books in the order I received the preorders. It may take me a few days to get through the huge pile of invoices. I've enlisted the help of some local elves to scoot me along, but please be patient with me! You'll definitely receive your order by the end of next week, (considering that it takes longer to get to you if you live on the west coast).

We hope you will be pleased with the book.

The booklist of over 200 Christmas titles and Cay's annotations of about 75 of them will be available for purchase as a pdf download on the website sometime later this weekend.

Happy Feast of All Saints to everyone!!!

Blessings

Thanks to the Infant of Prague for continued protection of Hillside Education.

Christmas Mosaic Book Package

2007-10-26T21:42:00.000-04:00

Many people have been asking about the book package we will offer for the Christmas Mosaic titles. These books will be included in the package:

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski
The First Christmas Stocking by Elizabeth Winthrop
An Orange for Frankie by Patricia Polacco
Father and Son, a Nativity Story by Geraldine McCaughrean
The Christmas Donkey by Gillian McClure (this is an out-of-print book and will be a used copy)

Book Package Price $65.99
All are hardback books except The Christmas Donkey

You may preorder this now, but they will not ship until November 2.

Updates on the new Titles

2007-10-26T21:32:00.000-04:00

The Father Brown Reader has hit the streets! Thanks to all of you who placed preorders. If you ordered both Christmas Mosaic and the Reader, you will receive them all together when Mosaic is ready.

Speaking of that, we have had some delays at the printer. Our new ship date for Christmas Mosaic is November 2 or 3. To thank you for your preorder and to make up a little for the delay, we will be including a copy of one of the featured books with your order. Be sure to order by November 1 to receive this special gift.

God bless you and your families as Advent approaches.
Margot

New Titles this Fall

2007-10-16T14:59:00.000-04:00

Well, all the projects we had hoped to have completed last spring are slowly coming to fruition, somewhat fittingly, in this season of harvest. Two new books will be released later this month, both very special projects at Hillside.

The first is the long awaited Father Brown Reader, a set of four Father Brown mysteries adapted for young readers by Nancy Carpentier Brown and illustrated by Ted Schluenderfritz. Perfect for the 8 to 10-year-olds in your life . . . and you might enjoy them, too!

The second is the long awaited Christmas Mosaic by Cay Gibson. ("Long awaited" seems to be a theme around here!) Sequel to the popular Catholic Mosaic, this books features study guides for 30 Christmas-themed picture books. Cay has also compiled a list of over 200 Christmas picture book titles and annotated quite a number of them. We've included Christmas poetry and recipes from our readers. A special highlight is a series of essays contributed by Karen Edmisten, Kathryn Faulkner, Elizabeth Foss, Alice Gunther, Dawn Hanigan, Jennifer Miller, Gwen Wise, and yours truly. We hope you find it a treasure worth adding to your Christmas observances/celebrations.

Both are available to preorder on the Hillside website. Check the "What's New" page.

Saint Collage Contest

2007-10-02T07:25:00.000-04:00

Please visit the Arma Dei website to find out about a really neat poster contest.

It would be a great way to prepare for the upcoming Feast of All Saints.

Christmas Recipes Needed

2007-08-28T13:18:00.000-04:00

We are including recipes in the forthcoming Christmas Mosaic! I need help finding a few authentic recipes that go with some of the picture books, recipes that you or your family use at Christmas time. For example in the story The Christmas Miracle of Jonathon Toomey, the widow brings Mr. Toomey a plate of molasses cookies. We are including "Grandma Maher's Molasses Cookies" contributed by Julie (nee Maher) of Julie's Stuff. This "Grandma" happens to be my husband's Grandma, too!

Here is what we need:
1. A good reliable fruitcake recipe FOUND
2. Lebanese "Nest of a Bird" or "Eat and be Grateful;" failing that, a good baklava FOUND
3. Oyster stew FOUND
4. Currant cakes FOUND
5. Wibele (cookie) Found out this cookie is only made by one company in Germany and there is no recipe. Please email me if you know otherwise!
6. Your favorite Christmas cookie Thanks to all who contributed recipes!!

I could find some of these online (or in my "wall" of cookbooks), but I want to include recipes that people have as part of their family Christmas traditions. Please email me (sales@hillsideeducation.com) if you want to contribute. Include the recipe, directions, and any tidbit about the history of the recipe or how you use it as part of your family's Christmas traditions.

Thank you!!!
Margot

Changes on the website

2007-08-10T21:26:00.000-04:00

We've had a facelift!

While our content is the same, we have changed the look and functions of our website.
Please bear with us as we figure out the new way things work and load up all the essential information.

Special thanks to Michelle, webmaster extraordinaire!

Intermediate Language Lessons

2007-07-22T23:57:00.000-04:00

Many people have written to the website email asking about the release date of Intermediate Language Lessons by Emma Serl.

We will be sending it to the printer tomorrow and it should be ready within two weeks. So I predict August 6th as a ship date. We will post a preorder button on the website in the next few days.

Thank you all for interest in this work and I hope you will find it worth the wait. We're heading off to go camping this week. When I return, I will post more information about what you will find in our revised text.

New Conference Date!!

2007-06-13T16:22:00.000-04:00

We've added another date to our conference calendar:

August 11, Real Learning Conference in Manassas, VA
See the link below for registration form and more information

4Real Learning Forum

Fenestrae Fidei

2007-05-28T19:32:00.000-04:00

Fenestrae Fidei

(Windows of Faith)

by Sean Fitzpatrick

We are proud to announce the publication of a completely unique new coloring book. Please visit our website to see sample pages and a table of contents.

The best part is that Mr. Fitzpatrick and his wife just had a new baby this week (Eve Ruth), and the coloring book was done just days after. So we have much reason to rejoice!!

The coloring pages follow the Liturgical Year and complement our publication Catholic Mosaic. Mr. Fitzpatrick designed the coloring pages to be like stained glass windows and have enough detail to keep an older child well occupied, yet can still be enjoyed by a younger child.

Happy Feast of the Pentecost!

Conference Schedule 2007

2007-04-16T22:50:00.000-04:00

We're getting ready to hit the road for a few conferences this spring. If you are attending any of these conferences, please visit our table and say hello!

April 21 - Harrisburg, PA

April 26-27 - Milwaukee, WI

June 8-9 - Chantilly VA (IHM Conference)

June 15 - Kansas City

June 28-30 - Baltimore MD, Catholic Family Expo

We'll be premiering our new coloring book Fenestrae Fidei.

You can see a listing of other Catholic homeschooling conferences at this website.

Easter books in Catholic Mosaic

2007-03-17T21:11:00.000-04:00

So many people have had trouble finding Hosanna to You Jesus! and Petook from the Mosaic booklist, we decided we had better find some in-print books for people to use during Holy Week and the Easter season. So you can find guides for these three books for free on our website:

Easter is for Me! by Dandi Daley Mackall (for preschool age children)
The Jesus Garden by Antoinette Bosco
The Easter Story by Brian Wildsmith

(We have the Wildsmith book for sale on our website.)

Eventually we will place these guides in Catholic Mosaic and remove them from the website.

We hope they add some joy to your coming Eastertide!
Blessings
Margot

New for the Spring

2007-02-16T16:07:00.000-05:00

We have a lot of books in the works right now, but these four are in production now.

The Father Brown Reader
The first one coming out by April is a book with 4 short story adaptations of Chesterton's Father Brown mysteries. It is intended for a middle grade reader (ags 8-11) or to be read aloud to younger children. Author Nancy Carpentier Brown adapted "The Blue Cross," "The Queer Feet" (called "The Strange Feet" in our version), "The Flying Stars," and "The Absence of Mr. Glass." Ted Schluenderfritz has provided the illustrations. This will be a great book for gift giving!

Intermediate Language Lessons
Yes, we are finally moving ahead with this text. We hope to have it ready for the coming school year. (Please continue to check this blog for updates.) Our version is aligned with the Mother of Divine Grace Syllabi for 4th and 5th grade and includes a completely revised Part 3 that can be used in 6th grade.

Christmas Mosaic
Cay Gibson is at work again, this time preparing a mosaic for experiencing the Advent and Christmas seasons through picture books. The book will include study guides for 20 featured children's books as well as a comprehensive annotated list of other Christmas book resources. Available this summer, possibly sooner.

Sacerdos: The Story of Sir Melchisedech and the Knight of the Holy Mountain
This fairy tale written and illustrated by Sean Fitzpatrick is an allegory of the Mass. It is intended as a middle grade reader or to be read aloud to younger children; available by Christmas time (or sooner!).

We also have a few other things that we are working on, but it may take longer to find the "resources" to get them in print:

Fabiola (edited version recommended in the Mother of Divine Grace Syllabus)
Lives from Plutarch: The Modern American Edition of Twelve Lives by John McFarland
The King's Thane by Charles Brady
The Mass for Children (reprint of a 1925 Mass book)

We appreciate your continued interest in Hillside Education!
Margot

A Spirit of Gratitude

2007-02-13T19:23:00.000-05:00

It's tax time across America and as I wade through piles and piles of the stuff of this last year, I am struck with a great sense of gratitude. I know, I know, I should feel frustrated with organinizing it and satisfying Uncle Sam, but I keep thinking of how much we accomplished in 2006 and the incredibly generous and talented people who made it happen.

So I'm inspired to make a list . . . and it's a good thing I'm not on some award show because I would never make the time limit.

#1 Infant of Prague for continuous support
#2 Husband and children: We are on a grand adventure with lots of twists and turns! I love you!

Partners: Matt and Diane Kuplack. They saved Hillside when it most needed saving.
Donors: Thank you is not enough!!! (Anonymous and incredibly generous!)
Lay-out and gracious, indispensible support: Mary Jo Loboda
Artists: Ted Schluenderfritz, Sean Fitzpatrick, Maureen Van Nostrand
Authors: Cay Gibson, Nancy Carpentier Brown, Madeleine Polland, the family of Charles Brady, the family of Geoffrey Trease
Editor par excellence: Rose Decaen
Proofreading: Jane Elliot
Printers: Katie Luzzi at RR Donnelley in Allentown, Rose Marie at PDQ in Scranton, Amy at Smart Design in Wyoming
Retailers: Theresa Johnson at CHC, Paola Ciskanik at Emmanuel Books, Mark and Anna Hackett at Fountain Resources in Australia, Linda Nelson at Sacred Heart Books and Gifts, Mark Bonds at All Catholic Books, Tom Heldridge at Adoremus Books

Thanks also to the ladies at love2learn.net (Favorite Resources for Catholic Homeschoolers).
Thanks to the person, who wishes to remain nameless, who first suggested that I write literature study guides and English books, and who still supports me and pumps me up out of insecurity when I feel like I'm in over my head.

Thanks to all those who have used our products! There is a great line in a prayer that I say to the Infant of Prague every day and I think of you all when I say it:

"Give me the necessary grace to use my temporal goods according to Your will, to employ myself usefully after Your pleasure, and to give joy to my neighbor through love of You . . ."

2006 was an incredibly creative and adventurous year. In my next post, I'll tell you what we're working on for this spring and summer. It all depends of the will of God. Please keep us in your prayers. We have greater ambition than we have resources.
God bless
Margot

Mosaic Book Packages

2006-11-28T22:29:00.000-05:00

Thanks to all those who purchased book packages for Advent/Christmas! We have three left with just a few days until Advent begins.

People who ordered the package got one of the these three books as the "surprise" in the Advent/Christmas package: The Night of Las Posadas by Tomie DePaola, Lucia Morning in Sweden by Ewa Rydaker, and Baboushka, A Christmas Folktale from Russia by Arthur Conley.

We had hoped to include a cookie press for the Feasts of St. Nicholas and St. Lucy in the book packages, but we didn't order them in time.
They will be posted for sale on the website in a few days. These are fun and easy to use with children and reasonably priced.

We will be putting together a package for January if you want to start planning for that now. It will include the 5 books for January featured in the Mosaic, plus a set of Marian coloring cards from Illuminated Ink. More details to come!
Blessings
Margot

Hillside in the news!

2006-11-22T21:50:00.000-05:00

Here are the parts of an article about the author of Sword of Contarf which appeared in the Buffalo News last week. In the print version these three parts were all on one page.

Main article

side bar 1

side bar 2

Congratulations to the Brady family!
Margot

Advent and Christmas Book Package is now available!

2006-10-04T10:25:00.000-04:00

Check our website to see the complete package. It includes all the books featured in the Mosaic for December (7 titles) as well as a little surprise as our gift to you.
You can also purchase the books individually and request a substitution if you already own one of the books in the package.

We're trying this as an experiment to see if people are interested . . . if so we will offer other packages for other times of the year. We never really imagined ourselves a retail bookstore and were secretly hoping some well established bookstores would make this kind of package available. But we're willing to try it!

The new Liturgical Year begins the First Sunday of Advent, December 3,2006.
Many blessings to you and your family as you prepare for the new year with the Church!
Margot

Sword of Clontarf

2006-10-02T12:55:00.000-04:00

It has arrived!!! You will love Charles Brady's story set at the time of the Irish victory over the Norse at Clontarf weir outside of Dublin in 1014 A.D. Sword of Clontarf is full of the romance and poetry of the "warrior bard" and laced with a beautiful look at Catholic Ireland in the Middle Ages. This book is my favorite of the Clarion book series published in the 50's and 60's.

Niall, a boy of fifteen who lives in Iceland, finds out in one moment that his father has been murdered and that his mother, who had never spoken in his entire life, can speak and is in fact the daughter of an Irish Chieftan. The reason she never spoke is that when she was first captured by Norse raiders, she had a treasured talisman of the Norse and hid it in her mouth. Niall is charged with delivering the talisman (Thor's ring) to Brian Boru, High King of Ireland and finding his Irish grandfather. Many adventures intervene, but eventually Niall is presented to Brian Boru and takes part in the Battle of Clontarf. The story draws out the virtues of courage, loyalty, compassion, honor and integrity, and forgiveness.

The cover art is a painting by Douglas Girard called Brian Boru and can be seen with his entire collection at www.battleart.com. The cover was designed by Ted Schluenderfritz who never fails to capture the tone and flavor of a story when creating his designs. The book was laid out by my dear friend Mary Jo who is really a saint; I wish to tell her story someday.

For a great listen while you read, check out Maurice Lennon's CD Brian Boru, available from Dara Records . It features some traditional music as well as Lennon's original compositions to highlight the life of Boru. At the end there is a reading of macLiag's poem Kincora, a lament for Brian Boru. You can read the entire text of macLiag's lament here. We only print a little part of it in the book. Visit this site to read more about the artist and the production.

I am bubbling over with excitement at realizing the dream of bringing this book back in print.

A study guide will be available soon!
Margot

Book Packages for Catholic Mosaic

2006-09-03T18:21:00.000-04:00

We are going to attempt to offer books packages of the books recommended in Catholic Mosaic for Advent and Lent. If this goes well, we may offer other packages, such as monthly packages or sets of twelve books, with one from each month.

We are wondering how interested people are in this. If you would be interested, please drop us a note at

info@hillsideeducation.com

or comment to this message.

Please check the website regularly, as we will post the Advent package there in the next few weeks. The Advent package will include:

St. Francis and the Christmas Donkey
Clown of God
Miracle of St. Nicholas
Lady of Guadalupe
Legend of the Poinsettia
Donkey's Dream
The Crippled Lamb

as well as one other "surprise" book.

God bless
Margot

The Family Tree

2006-08-17T23:15:00.000-04:00

Introducing a wonderful way to get your children writing this year!

Got a great story in your family history? Did your great, great, great, grandmother live by the Susquehanna River in Central Pennsylvania and have her toddler taken by the Indians in a raid on her farm? Mine did - and it's an exciting story. Many people I've talked to recently have great stories in their past: stories of heroism and faith, stories of fortitude and triumph.

Hillside Education would like to publish a book of narratives of family histories written by students ages 18 and under.

We hope that students will be inspired to research a family story and write a compelling narrative of it. It can be a story from the country of their ancestry; it can be a story from the recent past; a story from a war; a story that shows the dearness of life and the beauty of family.

If we decide to include the story in our book, we will give the family a free copy of the book!

Please email us at info@hillsideeducation.com for a handout with guidelines.

The deadline is December 6, 2006, the Feast of St. Nicholas.
Happy writing!

Why all those difficult passages in Lingua Mater?

2006-07-30T02:00:00.000-04:00

In Defense of Real Literature

Lingua Mater, Language Lessons from Literature is an English course intended for use in 7th or as a two year course for 6th and 7th grade following the Middle Grade Lesson Plans from CHC. Each week's lesson includes a piece of literature or a painting to be studied, a writing assignment, and the study of one grammar concept.

Some people have expressed concerns about the use of the real literature pieces in the book and the method of instruction that we chose. To explain, Lingua Mater is based on a book from the early 1900's called The Mother Tongue. Most English books, all that I have seen, from that time period use real literature to teach/practice the grammar concepts. This is more difficult, but it is a really good exercise and a really good way to assess whether or not the child really gets the concept. If you look at the contrived sentences in some modern grammar programs, it is easy for the child to identify the grammar concept, so much so, as Laura Berquist has pointed out, that it is possible to do a workbook page without really getting the concept, just by figuring out the pattern in the book. Looking at a sentence that a child might actually see/read in a book in order to identify a grammar concept is harder and requires more analysis, but not only is it doable, it encourages growth in critical thinking. For example, when looking a sentence, whether it be simple or complex, a student can answer "What is the one person, place, or thing that this sentence is really about, and what is the one thing that is being said of it/him." It is possible without having advanced study to break apart a sentence to find the one thing that is predicated, especially at 7th grade, or with help in the thinking process in 6th grade. (This particular lesson comes up in Week 9.)

The pattern for introducing a grammar concept is the same in Lingua Mater as in some other popular homeschool grammar choices, but without the excess drill, that is: definition, example, and then practice sentences. While Voyages in English might introduce the objective case all in one lesson and define 3 or 4 different kinds of nouns in the objective case, we break it up over several weeks' lessons, studying one kind of objective case noun per week. One grammar concept is examined over the whole week, with a new practice experience each day, perhaps small practice, but some.

If a student is using Lingua Mater over two years, you have plenty of time to stop and focus on what is confusing or needs more work. For my son, he hit a wall at predicate nominative (confusing them with prepositions of all things!) and we had to take a lot longer with that before moving on. I scoured other grammar programs and none of them defined it or taught it in any different way. He just had to work with it a lot more before it could sink in . . . just like we had to work on long division, stepping aside of the book, for more than one or two lessons before it could sink in.

I have been thinking a lot about the grammar in LM and how it fits, how it works, why it is there, etc. I have really been scrutinizing the principles with which we set out to do LM (the CHC philosophy of gentle but thorough), mostly because I am working on LM 8 now and trying to solidify my vision of it, but also because some people have been turned away from Lingua Mater because of the use of the literature instead of contrived drill work. But we named it "Language Lessons from Literature" because we use real sentences, explore real thoughts, and encourage authentic discussion. We want the students to see, hear, and imitate good, real writing.

I am torn between two views of the study of grammar. My liberal arts background says grammar is primary to all the other arts and should be most important, but my in-the-trenches teaching experience says grammar is a tool. Understanding it is important, but its end purpose is to serve writing. You can't have a student make a more complex sentence by using a clause unless he knows what one is. And . . . good writing is the end goal of Lingua Mater.

Please feel free to post your comments on your success or struggle with Lingua Mater.
Margot

BTW - I am open to suggestions for the nature of the grammar work in LM8. Right now I am focusing on grammar that is important for writing. For those of you who have used LM 7, what do you think?

Catholic Mosaic Update

2006-06-25T22:31:00.000-04:00

We have had a great response to Catholic Mosaic! Thanks to all of you who have purchased this great resource.

If you would like to participate in a forum discussion of the book, please visit the 4REAL Learning Forum where there is a forum topic devoted entirely to the Mosaic. You can share your ideas for implementing the study guides, suggest books for further study, see how others are using the book.

The book is now available both in color and in black and white.
A booklist that corresponds to the traditional calendar will be posted soon!

Blessing to all
Margot

Why ask for donations?

2006-06-02T10:52:00.000-04:00

Isn’t it amazing how many people ask for your donations! There are so many worthy causes out there. We have hesitated, even agonized over, taking this step, but have hope that some people who are able to may help us.

When we started Hillside Education we were naïve about the ins and outs of the publishing world. We just had an idea that sounded good, and it seemed like other people liked it. And then, the more things we published, the more we wanted to publish. Hopefully our products have filled a gap for Catholic home educators. It has been an incredibly creative and adventurous time.

We are at a point where the reality of the publishing world is slamming us. It takes a lot of capital to have enough stock on hand to fill orders and create products. But we are a one-income homeschooling family. So, in hopes of keeping the projects alive, we are asking for donations. We are not a tax exempt operation and can only promise that the money will be used for the projects we have in the works and to keep our current titles in print. If we don’t have enough to pursue the projects in the hopper, we are still committed to keeping our current titles in print.

Here are the projects we have in the works that are in danger of never seeing the light of day:

Lingua Mater, Language Lessons from Literature Americana
This is the sequel to Lingua Mater 7 for 8th or 9th grade. It features American poetry, artwork, and literature and includes original pieces by Suchi Myjak (Behold and See) and Elaine Woodfield (Stories of the Saints)

Intermediate Language Lessons by Emma Serl
We finally have a lead on finding the text that we can use to update this classic in the same way we updated Primary Language Lessons. We are waiting today to hear from an archivist at the Teacher’s College where Emma Serl taught in the early 1900s.

Exercises in the Paragraph by R.L. Hale
This is a short writing course by the author of the study questions in Word to Caesar. It is intended for 9th grade.

Lingua Mater, Language Lessons from Literature 6th grade
This fills the gap between Intermediate Language Lessons and Lingua Mater 7 for those who intend to use LM7 in 7th or 8th grade.

Here are some projects that we are working on now that will be completed before the end of the summer:

Study guide by Nancy Carpentier Brown for St. Francis (a biography) by G. K. Chesterton.

Reprint of the novel Sword of Clontarf by Charles Brady (this is one of the Clarion books from the 1950-60s. It is the story of Brian Boru and the final battle at Clontarf which rid Ireland of the pagan Norse invaders. This battle took place just a few decades before the Battle of Hastings.)

Nancy Carpentier Brown’s adaptations of four of the Chesterton Father Brown stories for 8-10 year olds illustrated by Ted Schluenderfritz.

My greatest pipedream is to find a benefactor who will pay my salary so that I may continue to develop these works without having to go outside the home for work. (Might as well dream big if dreaming at all!) So if you know of anyone who might be interested in this work, please pass along this.

We have prayed a wonderful novena to the Infant of Prague through which we were able to get some relief for the current titles. (Please see the Thanksgiving prayer in the previous message.) This has emboldened us to ask for help when we might otherwise have been too proud to do so. We do have a great line of products of which we are proud, but not one of them was completed without Divine aid. There were so many human hurdles through which we persevered. We feel that we can persevere now . . . we continue to trust in God’s bounty.

Through this work and the trials we have come through to make it happen, the richness of our life here with the children has come sharply into focus. We enjoy the great bounty—and the bliss—He provides to those who make sacrifices in His name.

For the greater Glory of God!
Margot
Hillside

P.S. The donation button is on the website! J Prayer donations gladly accepted!!

Dearest Infant Jesus, with all my heart I cling to You.

2006-05-18T11:10:00.000-04:00

Prayer of Thanksgiving for Graces Received from the Infant of Prague

Oh generous Infant Jesus, I prostrate myself before Your miraculous image and give my thanks to You for all the graces that I have received. I shall always prasie Your infinite mercy, and I confess that You are my God, my Helper, and my Protector. From here onward I shall place my trust in You and publically proclaim Your kingship and generosity; then everybody shall realize Your great love and the miracles that You have shown through this image. They shall honor and worship Your Infancy full of grace, in increasing numbers, and their hearts will remain in never-ending gratitude toward Your holy Infancy, which be hailed and praised in eternity. Amen

Catholic Mosaic Available May 19

2006-05-08T20:47:00.000-04:00

Hillside is proud to announce the publication of

Catholic Mosaic

Living the Liturgical Year with Literature,
An illustrated book study for
Catholic children

by Cay Gibson

The book includes study guides for 52 children’s picture books and is organized by themes in the liturgical year.

But it’s much more than that . . . this book is a treasure that you can mine for years, a mosaic of great ideas and activities to make the year of the Church come alive for your children.

Here is a sample from February, the feast of Sts. Benedict and Scholastica represented by the book The Holy Twins. (There are 52 guides like this in the book!)

The Holy Twins

Written by Kathleen Norris/ illustrated by Tomie dePaola

Feast Days: February 10 and 11

Vocabulary

inseparable

opportunities

official

jealous

nobles

squabbled

competition

hermit

regulation

exasperated

ancient

rival

abbot

refuge

intertwined

harmony

factions

reputation

peasants

brethren

Discussion Questions

1. Find the town of Nursia in northern Italy and label it on your map.

2. What day of the year is the feast day of St. Benedict and St. Scholastica?

3. Why did others try to poison St. Benedict?

4. Where did St. Scholastica learn all the things her brother had learned from his travels? Why did she find this amusing?

5. Go back to the front of the book where the author and illustrator have their dedications. On the right hand side of the spread is a circular symbol with the initials “C. S. P.” and “B.” in it. Look at the bottom of the dedications on the lefthand side to find out what the letters stand for. What does the circular symbol stand for?

Copywork

One must listen to others with the ‘ear of the heart.
—Scholastica’s advice to her brother in
The Holy Twins by Kathleen Norris

Parent’s Help Page
The Holy Twins

Observation

1. Look for pictures of Saint Benedict and Saint Scholastica on each page of the book. Illustrator Tomie dePaola took special care to draw these two saints on each page.

2. Make a list of religious images found in book.

Discussion Answers

Help child locate Nursia, Italy, on globe or map and then label it on a world map.
St. Scholastica’s feast day is on February 10.
St. Benedict’s feast day is on February 11.
They were jealous of St. Benedict and wanted to get rid of him.
“. . . she had learned by trial and error in her own monastery.” She found this amusing because as she says, “Isn’t it funny, Brother, that you had to travel all over Italy to learn some of the things I discovered by staying in one place!”
The letters “C. S. P.” and “B.” stand for Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti, or Cross of the Holy Father Benedict. The symbol is the Cross of St. Benedict.

Enrichment Activities

Trace the Cross of St. Benedict on a blank sheet of paper. Then color it so that it looks like the one in the book. Place this is your Liturgical Year Notebook.

Build a simple “ladder” using popsicle sticks. Make sure there are 12 rungs on your ladder. Glue your ladder on a sheet of construction paper, and write “St. Benedict’s Ladder of Humility” at the top of the page. Then, with a pen or marker, label each rung:

Practice Fear and Remembrance of God
Follow the Example of the Savior
Obey to God and His Church
Be Patient and Endure
Confess One’s Sins
Be Content
Consider Yourself Lower Than Others
Follow the Example of the Saints
Restrain Your Tongue
Be Serious-Minded
Use Few and Gentle Words
Practice Humility of the Heart

Thanks to all those who placed pre-orders for this title! The first half will ship May 18 and the rest on May 19. The pre-order period is now closed.

Catholic Mosaic, Living the Liturgical Year with Literature

2006-04-26T07:35:00.000-04:00

We are near to printing this wonderful new resource. I will be posting little tidbits from it throughout the day today. The author, Cay Gibson, has written little study guides for 52 books for children that follow the liturgical year. Here is a little bit of the booklist. Those with cross emblems are included in the study.

FEBRUARY

First Confession
+ The Most Beautiful Thing in the World by Susan Brindle/ Ann Brindle/ Margaret Brindle

February 1
+ Brigid's Cloak: An Ancient Irish Story by Bryce Milligan/ Helen Cann

February 10
+ The Holy Twins: Benedict and Scholastica by Kathleen Norris/ Tomie dePaola

February 14
+ Saint Valentine by Robert Sabuda
Love Is... by Wendy Anderson Halperin

MARCH

March 5
St. Ciaran, the Tale of a Saint of Ireland by Gary D. Schmidt/Todd Doney

March 17
+ Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland by Tomie dePaola
St. Patrick by Ann Tompert/ Michael Garland

March 19 Feast of St. Joseph, Spouse of Mary
+ The Song of the Swallows by Leo Politi

Lenten Reading
The Story of the Cross: The Stations of the Cross for Children by Mary Joslin/ Gail Newey
+ Children's Stations of the Cross by Susan Brindle/ Joan Bell/ Miriam Lademan
+ The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

This book will be available May 19th. It will be unveiled at the Family Centered Life Conference in Lancaster, PA that weekend.

New Literature Guides

2006-03-28T14:59:00.000-05:00

Hello Everyone,
Here are the titles we have done that will be posted to our website soon:

The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare
The Ides of April and Beyond the Desert Gate by Mary Ray
The White Isle by Caroline Dale Snedeker
Eagle of the Ninth, The Silver Branch and The Lantern Bearers by Rosemary Sutcliff

Here are some others that we are working on and should have finished by the end of May:

1. A series of books for grade K-2 set at the time of the early Church, including: Cleopatra by Diane Stanley, Mary the Mother of Jesus by Tomie de Paola, Pompeii . . . Buried Alive by Edith Kunhardt, St. Christopher by Tomie DePaola, and St. Valentine by Robert Sabuda. This series coordinates with RC History's Connecting with History, Volume 2. We will also be finishing up the Novel Inquiries volumes for 4-6 grade and 7-9 grade for this time period by the end of summer.

2. A series using suggested books in the MODG 7th grade and 8th grade programs. These are discussion guides only with a synopsis for the teacher, discussion questions, and a few writing prompts.

Please make suggestions for what book titles you would like to see. The MODG series came about because someone asked me!

And, of course, the biggest treat is Cay Gibson's book Catholic Mosaic, Living the Liturgical Year with Literature: An Illustrated Book Study for Children. This beautiful book will be out in May also. We will post tidbits from it as the time approaches.

Margot

Chesterton Today!!

2006-03-19T16:54:00.000-05:00

Check out this new study guide for Chesterton's The Blue Cross. This story was the first of Chesterton's Father Brown mysteries. Nancy Carpentier Brown has written a wonderful guide to the story and we are privileged to publish it. While the story can be read by students as young as 6th or 7th grade, some of the study questions are more appropriate for high schoolers.

The entire text of the story is reprinted in the guide and features the original artwork of Sean Fitzpatrick.

We will also be publishing Nancy's guide to Chesterton's St. Francis and her adaptations of the Father Brown stories for young readers. Look for those titles this summer.

.

Newest Release Available Now!

2006-03-19T16:32:00.000-05:00

City of the Golden House by Madeleine Polland is now available at our website!

This is a moving story of two boys at the time of the burning of Rome and the subsequent martyrdom of Peter. Mrs. Polland's beautiful prose takes you to the heart of the Christian underground of Nero's Rome.

We are so honored to be able to bring this book back in print. Here is how it came about. I was working with Sonya Romens to find literature for this time period and I was not able to find anything for the middle grades in print. I saw this book, however, during a book search and was intrigued by it. When I read it, I knew it was exactly what we were looking for, but we did not want to use an out-of-print book for the sake of the families that would need to search to find it. So . . . I wrote to Mrs. Polland and asked her permission to reprint it, knowing that it was a long shot. She and her daughter were very gracious and, viola!, 8 months later we have a new book to offer. The book was originally published as part of the Clarion imprint at Doubleday in the 60's.

The beautiful cover designed and illustrated by Ted Schluenderfritz is the crowning touch. The painted birds on the wall of the boy's room are an underlying thread through the story, and I was so pleased that Ted picked up on it.

We recently received permission to reprint another of the Clarion books, my personal favorite. More news about that to come in the next few months!

Welcome!

2006-03-19T16:26:00.000-05:00

Welcome to our new Blog!
Please visit often to see our new products and find out what's up on the Hill. We are working on several new books which should be done before the next school year.