Most seven-year-olds would agree that reading is work. Those among them who love reading, having had many pleasurable hours in company with books, nevertheless, tackle the task with gusto. Few pleasures in life come to us without some effort—even experiencing nature takes deliberate preparation, time, and attention to be fully enjoyed. Still, with reading, I… Read More The Labor of Reading
As my son and I put his schoolbooks away together yesterday, I was telling him about my own seventh grade year. He was amazed at the differences. That I went off to school and shared classrooms with two dozen other students and had a different teacher for each subject, wasn’t surprising news to him; rather,… Read More A Living Difference
My 30-year-old son found out yesterday he probably has cancer, had surgery this morning, and while I was talking with him in the recovery room, he mentioned staying up very late the night before. He wasn’t worrying, he was writing. It seems he once read a book where a dying father with many young children… Read More Living the Tales Told (Ps. 90:9)
Like it or not, school is in session or nearly so. Homeschooling moms all over the country are scurrying to make final book choices. The last question turned in for my summer reading input concerns books for mom: “What should we moms be reading? How many books and on what subjects?” Good question. I am… Read More What About Mom’s School Books?
At the 2016 CMI conference, a mother approached me to share her reaction to my lecture the preceding year. I was awed and humbled, once again, to realize the tremendous impact that story has on our lives as persons—my story on her, and stories in general on her family. I asked her if she would… Read More Vision for Children—Or Parents?
The long, hot month of July has flown by in a blur of constant activity. Summertime is when we are busiest in the library, preparing for a new year by processing new books and new members, consulting with moms to help them prepare for the coming school year, and recording podcasts for the fall. I… Read More July’s Reading
The long-awaited day has arrived. After years of dreaming, we are proud to announce that we have reprinted our first book! Our library is packed with books most families cannot use because they are old, out of print, expensive, or unavailable. Families interested in using living books for their curriculum especially desire good non-fiction titles.… Read More Men, Microscopes and Living Things
The question this week comes from a mom of two teen boys. “They are both good readers,” she explains, “but do not read for pleasure, only if required. Part of the problem, I’m sure, is the way they spend too much time with electronic entertainment. Do you have any ideas how to wean them off… Read More Electronics and the Unreading Habit
Here is the question of the week: “My daughter wants to read the books her friends are reading. I have not read these and am suspicious that they are not worthy books. How can I encourage her to read excellent literature when she is wanting to read the things her friends are talking about?” The… Read More What’s a Mother to Do?
A mother wrote me about her eight-year- old son who is crazy about books. He has piles next to his bed, a basket full in the car, and walks around with a book in his hand. This is thrilling, but her concern is that he often peeks at the end first. I know adults who… Read More Is It Cheating to Read the Ending First?