Random Book Reviews

All of these books are currently overdue at the Steiner Library.  That place has got just about every waldorfy book I've wanted.  Let me know if you have a book you've really wanted to look at but haven't been able to find.  I don't mind looking it over and seeing if it seems worth the money, etc. 

Learning about the world through modeling: Sculptural ideas for school and home by Arthur Auer comes very highly recommended as being indispensable.  I've checked it out twice, but honestly I haven't really used it much.  I think this may be because my children are young, it is likely it will be more useful to me in the future.  My recommendation is that it could wait until third grade, especially if you are fairly comfortable with modeling and understandwhy it's important for children.  The book is divided up into two main parts: doing and pondering.  The Doing section talks about material choices and gives a series of ideas for 1st to 8th grade, all closely tied to the typical Waldorf curriculum.  It also includes an extra set of exercises and ideas.  The second section, Pondering, is basically a compilation of different essays regarding waldorf education, modeling and the importance of using the hands.  As I type this up and relook at the book, I'm starting to wonder that I wasn't more impressed with it before, but somehow it just hasn't impacted me in a major way.  Educating the Will by Michael Howard had more of an effect on me, and I've checked it out several times.

Waldorf Inspired Watercolor Painting with Children by Anita Briggs and Nadia Tan is by far my favorite book on the subject.  If you are looking for a painting book to help you move beyond just playing with paint on paper this would be a good choice.  That said, it would also be appropriate for your first painting experience, although it doesn't give directions for mixing Stockmar paint (this seems tough to figure out at first).  It has a great introduction on working with color with children and a useful chart called "Colors, Their Moods and Meanings".  The book also gives several color verses to use while painting. 

The painting exercises are laid out in a pattern that could be started with kindergarten aged children, all the way through the grades.  Keep in mind that this is almost a booklet, coming in at about 30 pages, but I have learned quite a bit of technique from this book. Most of the exercises also have a corresponding color picture found in the back.  I like that most of the examples are children's work - albeit the children of women who wrote a book on painting.

To Dance With God: Family Ritual and Community Celebrationby Gertrud Mueller Nelson.  Now seriously, before you read anymore, click over to Amazon and check ou the price on this book.
A penny?  $2.99 with Prime free shipping? I'm ordering it right now.  There, done.  Now, you know I've been way downsizing our books, so that should tell you how good this book is.  I'm surprised I've never seen it mentioned anywhere.  Even Bill Moyers loves this book! "To Dance with God has been an important book in my life for some time now" says he.  This book is also divided up into two sections.  Part One looks at the importance of ritual and celebration in the lives of adults and children.  Part Two follows the calendar of the Christian year with a focus on Advent, The Christmas Season, Carnival and Lent, Holy Week and Easter, Pentecost and The Feast of Assumption.  This section includes discussion of the deeper aspect of the holiday, celebration ideas, recipes, activities and blessings.  This makes it sound kind of like All Year Round (Lifeways), but it is deeper in the adult explanations and lighter in the children's activities.  Even if you don't observe Christian holidays, this book is worth a read for the first section alone.  

Next up?  Math books.