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Creating Books with Children – CD Book and 2-Disc DVD Set Combo Package
$24.00

This new CD book edition of Creating Books with Children includes two versions of the original paperback book: An updated version entitled Creating Books with Children, in printable PDF files, which leads parents and teachers through making a 24-page book, as well as an abridged version entitled Creating Short Books with Young Children, in printable PDF files, which leads parents and teachers through making an 8-page book.

The books produced in this course are of a professional, handmade quality. They are hardbound, hand-sewn, cloth-covered, typed, illustrated in full color, and enveloped in decorative book jackets. The books are 24 pages, or 8 pages long, and the dimensions are 8 1/2”x11”. Included in this guide are complete instructions and diagrams to lead parents and teachers successfully through the bookmaking process. Pages from over 50 books by homeschooled children are reproduced as well to inspire young authors and illustrators. Reluctant children will no longer have reason to say, “I can’t write and I can’t draw.” Instructions are given to accommodate very young authors and illustrators too. This is a project for the entire family to enjoy.

Bonus material on the CD includes templates for making the books as well as sample books made by children in PDF files. This combo package also includes the Creating Books with Children 2-Disc DVD Set, which is an audio-visual companion to Creating Books with Children. This professionally produced, 2-disc DVD set includes:

DISC ONE: 1 hr. 9 min.

WORKSHOP

Valerie’s popular workshop "Making Memorable Books with Children." This workshop will get your children excited about making books while studying about children’s authors and illustrators.

DISC TWO: 1 hr. 12 min.

MAKING A MEMORABLE BOOK

A step-by-step, instructional DVD featuring highlights of the bookmaking process.

Topics covered include...

  • Making a mock-up book
  • Laying out the book pages
  • Creating decorative book jackets
  • Developing the skeleton pages
  • Making hardbound cloth book covers
  • Binding the books

Lori Margo

4-30-02

Dear Valerie,

Well … we did it! We are the homeschool group in Watsonville, California that ordered 20 of your "Creating Books" from you. We started in January and ended March 1st with a big author's party. 47 children participated! We met once a week for a lesson and work time – including 2 weeks of art instruction by an artist. The kids would then work at home to complete assignments, etc.
It was an extremely unifying project! Everyone was successful! Thank you for your creativity and influence in my life. I seem to connect with your philosophy and your books have been so beneficial! You have definitely touched a group of moms on the coast of California in a unique way! God bless you in all your ministry endeavors!
Love,
Lori Margo

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If there has been one unit study that has had a lasting impact in our writing and language arts skills, I would say it has been Valerie Bendt’s unit study book called CREATING BOOKS WITH CHILDREN. – Amy Ringger
Here are some sample pages from Amy’s children’s books, which are available as e-books on her website! http://www.Aplushomeschooling.com/

Eli’s Book – The Roaming Cat

Eli's Book

Gideon’s Book – Pumpkin Patch Surprise

Gideon's Book

Jasmine’s Book – Little Brother Follows Me

Jasmine's Book

Serenity’s Book – Girl Cat Wanted

Serenity's Book

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The Old Schoolhouse MagazineReviews: http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/

Creating Books with Children

Creating Books with Children, by Valerie Bendt, is a six week book- making unit study that will get the whole family involved! Week One covers Pre-Writing Activities such as selecting books, reading books aloud together, and completing copy or dictation exercises. Week Two dives into writing stories, how to decide what you want to write about, assisting our children develop their stories, having children dictate their stories, penmanship and rough drafts. Week Three covers text layout and editing. This is so much fun, making a mock up book, and laying it all out.

Week Four covers illustrating your book! This week you study observing other's illustrations, drawing techniques, tracing, borders, making picture books, and more! Week Five is developing the beginning and ending pages and book jackets. Valerie gives a wealth of suggestions for books you can easily locate in the public library, to assist in our book making. Calligraphy, illustrating, writing, sketching, and more! Week Six focuses on assembling our books. Making the book covers, putting sketch pad pages together and sewing the pages together, wrapping them in their custom designed jackets and even ideas for 'commemorating' the books.

Valerie has put together a wonderful resource on book making, which is a favorite at our house. It has encouraged writing, illustrating, story telling, and I can't peel my seven year old away from the books she's working on! Valerie makes learning so much FUN, together! -Product Review by: Lisa Barthuly & Family, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine

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Dear Valerie,
We had a great time doing the books and we very much enjoyed reading Benjamin West and His Cat Grimalkin and also Bill Peet's Autobiography and also some books about Laura Ingalls Wilder and The Boy on Fairfield Street: how Ted Geisel grew up to become Dr. Seuss. Doing the dictation also improved my son's writing skills significantly.
Our main struggle was that my son was not happy with his illustrations. He is not artistically gifted and he kept wanting to crumple his pictures, so I showed him some of Jamie Lee Curtis' books with the childish drawings and also a book called The Magic Bed. That helped him to see that his pictures did not have to be realistic looking.
My son's book was entitled "The Fishing Trip", he is seven. My daughter, who is five, titled her book "The Girl Who Turned into a Princess".

Thanks again,
Diane

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Valerie,
We wanted to say thank you for writing Creating Books with Children. Kassandra, Richard II, Mandy (Kassandra’s best friend), Tyler and Nike (my niece and nephew) have something that they will always cherish—the book they wrote, illustrated and put together during the summer of 2007. The children had a lot of fun making the books and this evening we celebrated with a “Young Author’s Dinner.” The kids read their books to their parents and Grandparents who were very impressed with their accomplishments. Then we had dinner and dessert! God bless you and your family!
In Him,
Sherry Taveras

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Creating Books with Children – CD Book and 2-Disc DVD Set Combo Package
$24.00
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