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Liberty. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways all 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence loved thee. Marilyn Boyer captured my attention in For You They Signed. This fantastic book features all 56 founding fathers; a history of their life; a handsome drawing of each signer; his signature; a Bible verse that represents that signer; a character trait; a quote from each signer; vital statistics and family information, if married; a record of their public service; questions for discussion; and insightful information to make you think.
Wow! I can't think of another educational book that is filled with so much treasure for you and your family to discover. The book even comes with a FREE bonus--a family activity guide. It is a gift that Mrs. Boyer makes available to all who purchase her truly inspiring book. The companion guide features fun quizzes so you can use them in a game format, if desired. It also has coloring pages that the little ones can enjoy as they listen and learn. There are weekly character qualities with verses written in calligraphy for memorization. These look nice hanging on the fridge, or perhaps you might use them for copy work. The book is set up so the lead teacher, parent, or even student has no prep work. Just pick the book up and begin the adventure.
 I love history. I envision each person or scene in my mind as I read. Boyer's descriptions and illustrations make that easy to do. My daughter is 13 and doesn't exactly love history the way I love it, however, she was excited to learn about one particular signer of the Declaration of Independence--a fellow from North Carolina. We have never lived in North Carolina nor have we spent much time learning about the wonderful state. Any guesses why my non-history loving teen would very much want to learn about this particular signer? I'll tell you since there is really not much chance in you guessing correctly. His name is John Penn. Our family name is Penn. My daughter LOVES learning about her family history, so anyone with our surname is sure to be a hit. It's funny how she really doesn't care much about history, but loves to learn about her family history. It is a fun and sneaky way to include history in her studies without her thinking she is actually learning history. I must say though, she is passionate about her faith and liberty.
John Penn was a peacemaker. His Bible verse is James 3:17. The New Living Translation says: "But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere." Since verses are given, the book lends itself for Bible study that ties in beautifully with the heritage lessons I want my daughter to grasp. We explored the verse and discussed why Boyer chose "Peacemaker" as Mr. Penn's character trait. Further reading of his story paints a life lesson as to why he was truly a peacemaker and a real man of God. Mrs. Boyer's discussion questions require deeper thinking. They are not simple regurgitation of facts, nor are they easy yes or no answers. The questions help you apply the Christian qualities of the founding fathers to your own life. My daughter enjoyed learning about John Penn. She also thought the book was very interesting and well written. What a blessing it was to spend time together learning quality lessons about the founding of our great nation.
For You They Signed made such a positive impact on my daughter and myself, we both decided to use it in our small co-op that begins in January. It will be exciting to share and grow with the kids as we all learn about the true Christian heritage of our beloved country and the precious liberty that was given to us by such brave, selfless, and God-fearing men.
You can obtain your copy of this valuable book at Amazon. I invite you follow Master Books and Marilyn Boyer on Facebook. If you enjoyed reading this review, please leave a comment.
Thank you for taking time to read about the fun my daughter and I enjoyed together as we perused For You They Signed.
Joyfully,
Jackie Penn 
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMx4BPFbwlY]
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