Heirloom Audio Productions: Captain Bayley's Heir- A Review

Every time we hear that Heirloom Audio Productions is working on a new drama, we stalk their Instagram and Facebook accounts waiting on the new release! Captain Bayley's Heir was no different! We counted down the days to its release! You can imagine the excitement when we heard that we were given the privilege to review a copy! 
Heirloom Audio Productions focuses on bringing real history to life through audio dramas. So much of the history that I learned in school left out the main point: God and how His story was woven together. Daddy T and I love that we have this amazing resource from Heirloom to help teach our children history while keeping God where He belongs, right in the center!
Classical Conversations is studying Cycle 3 this year which focuses on Us History. Imagine my delight to receive a copy of Captain Bayley's Heir which takes place in America's Old West! Thus adding even more detail to our current studies.
Our story begins as Mr. George is heading West in America researching his next story. He and his guide begin talking over dinner that night. Opportunity lends itself for Mr. George to tell his travel guide one of his great tales. His tale introduces us to 3 cousins: Frank, Fred and Alice who seem to always be together. They are related to Captain Bayley, who's only daughter ran off with a man that he did not approve of long ago, and he has not seen her since. This is a bit of information that few know about. 
One day the cousins meet a young boy named Harry, whose dog has fallen through the ice on a pond. Frank rushes to the scene eager and willing to risk his own life to save the dog. Harry in returns the favor later by warning Frank of his fellow schoolmate being ambushed by rival schoolboys. We get an inside look at the loyalty and genuine goodness of Frank. A bit later, Frank is wrongly accused of theft at school. When he can't find anyway to clear his name of the theft, he decides that his only hope is to flee to America leaving behind his friends and family. 
Of course, America is filled with hardships that young Frank never thought he'd have to deal with as a privileged boy in England. But through the trials his genuine goodness holds fast. We discover he has more integrity than we ever imagined. Through storms and Indian attacks, Frank is deemed a hero more than once.
Frank makes his way further west to California. Through trial after trial, God's grace is woven together beautifully to remind us just how amazing His grace really is! The long lost daughter, the drowning dog, and a young boy who flees half-a-world-away all come together in an ending that will leave you in awe!
After Mr. George finishes his tale (I will not ruin the ending for you) his travel guide begins to understand God's grace in regards to his own life.  In a story filled with hurt feelings and false accusations it is a great reminder that we serve a very graceful God!

We love that Heirloom includes a study guide to helps to ensure that my kiddos are really understanding what they are listening to. The guide includes three sections for each tract. They are:
1. Listening Well- This is a series of comprehension questions that help me know that the kids were listening. They are usually simple questions like 'What does Frank do with the money?' Just enough to know that they were actually listening to the story.
2.Defining Words- These are words that the kids will hear during that specific tract that they may not know the meaning of. This allows me to define these words, if needed, for better understanding of the story. 
3. Thinking Further- These questions cause the kids to think more in depth about the story and characters. There are questions about what each kid 'thinks' is the reason for certain reactions by the characters in the story. These are good to help the kids begin to think beyond the story. 
The Study Guide also includes a Bible Study section. There are 3 parts to this section: God's Grace, Becoming a Christian, and Honoring Your Parents. I love this part. It is a great way to make God even more the center of the story that they are listening to by talking about their role!
With the new Live the Adventure by Heirloom Audio Productions, you get so many extras! There are printable posters, ebooks, the study guide, an official sound track and downloadable wallpaper. I love all the extras! 

Captain Bayley's Heir was a fantastic addition to our home library, one that we will enjoy listening to again and again! I think any family that is looking for a great audio drama or to get their kids to fall in love with history would love this one!



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Other members of the Crew received a copy of Captain Bayley's Heir also! You can read what they thought about it by clicking the link below: