Like most homeschool parents, there are many things I want to teach my son about reading, math, history and more. But my overarching goal is to give him the tools to, hopefully, someday become a man of faith and integrity. Walk This Way by Anne Marie Gosnell is a great resource for starting many important conversations and pointing him to the ultimate authority--the Bible.

The book is available in softcover for $21.00 and the digital edition costs $19.00. All lessons and teacher's notes are included and there are no other teacher's manuals or workbooks needed. Each of the twenty lessons follows a similar format with an object lesson, bible lesson, life application section and coloring page. Most of the items needed for the object lessons are easily found around the house or classroom. A link is provided for any needed photos, videos, or other online resources. And for the teacher, the lessons have background information, teaching tips and a space for reflection on how the lesson went and areas for improvement. The subjects and lesson length were well suited for the targeted ages of five to twelve. The coloring pages feature the scripture focus verse for the lesson and are from a variety of translations.

What I liked best when using the book were the conversations that followed. Children, even homeschoolers, face difficult and challenging situations regularly. I find it hard to know when and how to start discussions to help guide my seven-year-old son through these times. These topics are often brought up after a negative event or behavior which puts everyone on the defensive. Going through these lessons allowed us to learn and discuss in a non-emotional way. Using examples from the lives of well-known and more obscure Biblical figures, the lessons deal with topics like self-control, temptation, friendship, cooperation, and jealousy. It was surprisingly refreshing to introduce my child to people and events not often covered in Sunday school or vacation bible school such as King Rehoboam or Moses' snake on a pole.  

Walk This Way was written with both church and home use in mind. One problem we did run into a couple of times was that the object lessons needed a small group or partner. Because we just have one child, we either had to modify or have mom and dad fill in to make it work. I do not see this as being an issue with larger families. Because there is no student text or worksheets, this is not the best fit for kids who learn best through reading or writing for themselves.  

This book ended up doing exactly what I hoped it would...start good conversions and show my son that the bible can be part of your everyday life, even today.

-Product review by Crystal Lavadour, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, February 2019