Review~ Adventures in Odyssey CDs~ Take it From the Top

My kids were very excited to receive the Adventures in Odyssey "Take it From the Top" CD set from the Tyndale Blog Network to listen to for review purposes. The set includes 4 CDs with over 5 hours of audio, and 12 stories on Serving God and more....

The stories on these CD's include humorous looks at characters that my kids can identify with.
The stories and lessons with a few "notes" from me:

• The Inspiration Station~ "Inspiration"
• Clutter~ "Storing up treasures in heaven" (My kids could identify with this family a little too much, perhaps...)
• Game for a Mystery~ "Procrastination"(Hmmm.. not sure RJP and JDP1 got the point the first time listening, but I'm hoping it will sink in.. :) )
  
• Target of the Week~ "The folly of revenge"
• For the Birds~ "Responsibility"
• When You're Right, You're Right~ "Pride"
• Grandma's Visit~ "The importance of family"
• Finish What You.....~ "Responsibility"(And time-management)
• The Jubilee Singers~ "Perseverance" (This one may be a little too intense for the younger kids. My 9 yo thought it was a little scary. My 12 yo thought that it was really good tho', so perhaps that gives you a little insight~)

We had some Adventures in Odyssey stories from YEARS ago that I wasn't overly thrilled with, due to the usage of words (like "boring") and "name-calling" that were not promoted, but seemed somewhat gratuitous(ie, didn't have anything to do with the story line). I was interested to see how things have progressed, and I think there is a combination of fewer unwarranted "attitudes" on the CD, and maturity on the part of my kids~ They've "grown into" Adventures in Odyssey. ;)

This set gets a thumbs up, 5 star rating with a note from mom that it is probably most appropriate for ages 6-12, with the Jubilee Singers possibly requiring a "preview" to see how it fits with your family. (My children are admittedly a little more "sensitive" than some, so that is the "lens" I am looking through.)

Take it from the Top (Adventures in Odyssey) CD's retail for $24.99, but can be purchased from Amazon for $16.49, and may be available for less at sites like CBD....:)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this/these item(s)/service for free as part of the Tyndale Blog Network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Skeeter and the Mystery of the Lost Mosquito Treasure~ It's About Being Unique By Max Lucado's Hermie & Friends

Well, it’s taken us a little while to get to viewing this DVD, simply because we don’t spend a lot of time in front of the TV screen. As a result, I am fairly selective about what my children view. Because we had recently seen a Hermie movie at our AWANA club, I was pretty sure that Skeeter and the Mystery of the Lost Mosquito Treasure would be A-OK!

The story has to do with two brothers, Skeeter and Sinclair. Sinclair is debonair and something of a world traveler with a distinguished reputation. Skeeter is… a “homegrown” mosquito with a crooked stinger… lovable, but with a penchant for getting lost. The moral of the story has much to do with the fact that God created each one of us, just the way we are. We each have strengths and weaknesses, but if we focus on the strengths and work together to overcome our challenges, we are much more likely to reach a common goal.

My children* enjoyed the story, from the 21-month old(The animations kept his attention) to the 8 and 11 year olds(Who ended up thinking about the "Message", and it left us (Mom and Dad) with smiles on our faces as well. If you are looking for “Family viewing” that will entertain a variety of ages, including the littlest in the family, this could be a good choice for you.

*My kids are very happy that we were afforded the opportunity to review this DVD as a member of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program http://brb.thomasnelson.com/