Some of you will remember the Homeschool Librarians Conference we were privileged to host here in Virginia last June. I wrote on how that conference came about and afterward shared some of the highlights of that event. Because of the increasing interest of homeschool families to offer their book collections to other homeschoolers in their own communities, the general lack… Read More Speaking of Libraries
I heard from a number of you when I approached the complex subject of “what” our children should be reading and intend to continue probing it. For the home educating parent, reading is undeniably crucial. Beyond the challenge of our children accomplishing the actual skill of reading the written word, there is that immense ocean of written material–making choices about… Read More More Hard Thinking about Easy Reading
The stories we hold dearest are those that have both plummeted us to the depths of anxiety and despair as we suffered through the characters’ difficulties and disappointments, sorrows and setbacks. Our hearts fill with compassion as we enter into both woes and triumphs with them, feel their excruciating pain of loss and/or deprivation, their… Read More A Thanksgiving Story
There is a comment I hear frequently from parents in our library which I have pondered quite a bit and wonder what to say when it is used in conversation. I find the response to this question not to be so easy to articulate, but am going to venture out in hopes that some brave and honest souls out there… Read More Hard Thinking About Easy Reading
We’ve posted a video tour of our library on The Library page! Please click the link above to take a walk-through of our library, see how we’ve organized our collection, what we have on our shelves, and some unique ways of catering to the families that use our library!
The best stories remind us that life triumphs over death, light over darkness, goodness over evil. History teaches us that one life matters, that the real heroes often go unnoticed by the books, and that the most tumultuous and miserable periods often give rise to those kind of individuals. These are the characters we desire our children to get to… Read More Just One Counts
There are two words I do not allow my children to say–well actually, there are a lot of words I don’t allow them to say, but the two words “I can’t” are not permitted. Those two words usually pop out when they are facing a difficult task, or try to tackle something and fail. When they say, “I… Read More Where There’s a Will There’s a Way, or, Reasons Kids Don’t Read
My grandson and my son are both learning to read. Henry is 19-months-old and loves Angus and the Cat, The Story of Ferdinand, and Katy and the Big Snow best right now. He’s a very busy boy, but always ready to discontinue any activity if someone is willing to read to him. When they’re not, he will read to himself.… Read More Learning to Read
A friend recently wondered why it is, at this crisis time of her life, she is so drawn to children’s literature. Another friend has lost a child in recent months and also is being comforted through reading children’s literature. I can only speculate. Is it that in children’s literature we often find profound joys and sorrows most clearly revealed?… Read More Unless You Become as a Little Child
Janet wrote: I am in need of some ideas for science books for my two boys 12 and 9 .. last year we did Archimedes and the Door to Science and it was so wonderful that I am in search of something similar in the following aspect: The Archimedes book included hands-on / experiments that… Read More Top Picks: More Science