Sometimes in homeschooling our children we lose sight of our goals in the day to day work. On the other hand, we also tend to overlook the importance of each small lesson in our eagerness to see results. Charlotte Mason encouraged us to spread a feast before our children, to give them a taste of a wide variety of… Read More The Tortoise and the Hare
Suspecting many of you share this mother’s concerns, I have decided to quote her letter in full here: Dear Liz and Emily, “I want to first say how much I appreciate your blog and your vision (I’d like to call it a ministry!). My 10 year old daughter is the only reader child in our house… Read More There is a Time for Reading
“I have four children and will be studying the Civil War with my two oldest, boys who are 8 and 6 years old. We will mostly read the books together aloud; however, my 8 year old is a voracious reader so some longer chapter book recommendations for him will be helpful as well. Our family… Read More Top Picks: The Civil War
“I’d love some additional book ideas on volcanoes, dams, bridges, and the human body to read aloud to my 7 year old son…he’s still learning how to read!” -Kelly [Don’t forget, we’re taking requests for recommendations. Details here.] Kelly, Here’s some of our suggestions for your first topic (Volcanoes), we hope your son likes them! -Emily, Living Books Librarian Volcanoes… Read More Top Picks: Volcanoes
I have a clear memory of my grandmother at a Fourth of July picnic commenting to the family that summer was half over when we celebrated that holiday. My young heart rejected this idea. Summer was just getting rolling. Hadn’t I just gotten used to school being out and weren’t there many, many weeks till Labor Day turned us… Read More Dog Days of Summer
“I’m looking for a living book about . . . for my child who is . . . ” Many such inquiries come our way, mostly within the physical space of our library, but also through this site. Knowing just which living book at just the right moment is a challenge for anyone. If we… Read More Ask the Librarians…
Casey Over There by Staton Rabin This picture book chronicles the wait of a young boy at home in Brooklyn whose brother is sent “over there” to fight in The War. Through correspondence and harmonic events in the two brothers lives, readers glimpse the feelings of family waiting for their brothers, sons and fathers to… Read More Top Picks: World War One
For as long as I have been homeschooling, just the last twenty-five years or so, summer has meant all the usual seasonal activities–change of routine, vacations, swimming, family visits and outings, gardening, and leisurely reading. Even if we continue formal school lessons, the pace is relaxed. However, as the teacher, school is never far from the back of my… Read More Marking Time or Making History?
I know you’ve been gone from this earth nearly forty years and some will think it silly of me to write to you now, but I am pretty sure that you would not. I am writing to share how much your stories have meant to me, and will continue to, and also to disagree with your self-mocking remark: “I… Read More Dear Kate,
Virginia Kahl’s Picture Books Many of this author/illustrator’s stories feature “A long time ago there lived over the waters a Duchess, a Duke and their family of daughters.” Though they have 13 daughters, don’t neglect reading these to your boys too. Not only will they love the medieval knights, castles and feudal life, they will… Read More Top Picks: Middle Ages Historical Fiction