In April, Juliana was our only winner.

In May, Parent at the Helm is going to have TWO lucky winners!

PARENT’S BOOK

Home, The First School: A Homeschooling Guide to Early Childhood Education

by

Barbara Blake Hannah

The winner of one May giveaway will receive a copy of Barbara Blake Hannah’s Home: The First School: A Homeschooling Guide to Early Childhood Education. This softcover book was published in 2009 by JaMedia Productions, and is further subtitled, “A Jamaican Handbook.”

Barbara’s and my paths first crossed while I was writing Homeschoolers’ Success Stories. I’d found a tiny newspaper write-up on Makonnen Blake Hannah and his role as a consultant to Jamaica’s minister of technology and commerce. It didn’t escape my attention that Makonnen was homeschooled – and 14 years-old at the time! Needless to say, Makonnen became one of the collection of success stories, and I found a new friend in Barbara, an author, film maker, cultural consultant, and former Independent Senator in the Jamaican Parliament. While working in Britain, in 1968 she became the UK’s first black TV journalist.

A review of the book that appeared in Jamaica Gleaner in November, 2009, states:

The book is the story of an idea, demonstrated successfully by a woman about her own personal experiences of home-schooling her son, Makonnen.

Books and the computer were the most important tools that enabled Makonnen to grow and practise self-learning. The Internet became a whole new way of life.

The book is enriched with a chapter on the role of culture in education. The knowledge of the rich culture and history of Egypt provided a different – from the traditional Eurocentric – view of Africa. Reading lists and other helpful ideas keep the reader informed and educated.

Running like a scarlet thread through the book is the theme that education has to take a different path from the chalk and talk of the traditional classroom. The book represents a challenge to the educational system and discusses whether home-schooling is possible and could be considered for any young parent.

The book contains some writing from yours truly, as well as frequent Parent at the Helm contributor, Mary McCarthy, too!

If you’d like to add this unique book to your shelf, here’s your opportunity to go for it!

CHILDREN’S BOOK

The Waterstone

by

Rebecca Rupp, Parent at the Helm’s Resources Resources Mom!

In Rebecca Rupp’s The Waterstone (Candlewick, 2005), the world is drying. Twelve-year-old Tad — who is only a few inches tall — doesn’t even notice it at first. Busy practicing with his new spear, arguing with his sister, Birdie, and living the normal life of a youngling of the Fisher Tribe, he thinks little of a stream slowed to a trickle here, a pond suddenly dwindling there.

But then Tad begins to have strange flashbacks — glimpses of a past that he knows can’t possibly be his own. With these “rememberings” haunting him, he and Birdie begin an adventure marked by great sorrows, fierce battles, and unbreakable friendships. In this remarkable rite of passage, Tad grows to know who he really is and what his destiny holds. For only he can restore the water and save the forests and animals and Tribes.

Only he can retrieve the Waterstone.

“The well-crafted tale and careful attention to detail will have young readers forgetting that the characters are only a few inches tall, as they submerge themselves in Tad’s amazing adventure. An amazing journey of surprising proportions.” Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Get your entry in today for this enjoyable read!

Contest Details

CONTEST DEADLINE: May 31, 2010; 11:59PM (EDT)

NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER THE PARENT AT THE HELM GIVEAWAY!

HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS CONTEST: To enter, submit a comment on the PARENT AT THE HELM May Giveaway blog article. PLEASE STATE WHICH BOOK YOU WOULD LIKE TO WIN! If you would like to win both, please leave a comment regarding each one separately (thank you)!

You are allowed one entry per book, with the exception of BLOGGERS: I know your pain! [g]! Blog about this giveaway, include the link to your post in your comment, and you will receive an extra entry in the contest as a thank you for all of your hard work! PARENT AT THE HELM is not responsible for errors, omissions, interruptions, deletions, defects in part or whole, delays in operations or transmission, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to or alterations of entry materials, or for any technical or non-technical network, telephonic, electronic, computer, hardware or software malfunctions of any kind, or inaccurate or partial transmission of or failure to receive entry information by PARENT AT THE HELM on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet, at any Web site or at any combination of these.

WINNER SELECTION: The winner shall be selected using Random.org’s “Randomizer” on the morning of June 1, 2010.

ODDS OF WINNING: You’ve got great odds! Odds are determined by the number of entries received.

OBTAINING YOUR PRIZE: We will contact winner by email only. PARENT AT THE HELM will make a reasonable effort to contact you on the day you are determined as winner, but we are not responsible for misdirected notification because of problems with the e-mail address you provide to us. If we cannot reach you, you may be disqualified, with an alternate winner selected. In addition, a winner who does not comply with the Official Rules will be disqualified and an alternate winner will be selected. Return of any prize or prize notification as “undeliverable” will result in disqualification and an alternate winner will be selected.

CONDITIONS: Your participation binds you to these official rules. By participating, you waive any right to claim ambiguity of said rules. All decisions regarding this contest, including, but not limited to, selecting winners, will be made by PARENT AT THE HELM. That decision is final. As winner you are solely responsible for any applicable federal, state and local taxes.

ANNOUNCING THE PRIZE WINNER: We’ll let you know who won on this blog after the June 1, 2010, drawing.

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