Read-at-Home Mom Report: December 2025 /January 2026

I fell a bit behind with reading updates, so I combined two months for this one. 

December Favorites

Joyride by Susan Orlean

This memoir of Susan Orlean's writing life was so interesting and so well written. It made me want to seek out the books of hers that I have not yet read.

Mint to Be by Katie Cicatelli-Kuc
This was a really sweet YA romance for the holidays.

The Kindness Challenge: A Christmastime Novella by Melissa Cate

Melissa is a fellow Nicole Frail Books author and I had the opportunity to endorse this novella about a grieving family doing acts of kindness in memory of their deceased father and husband during Christmas. This was an uplifting and hopeful holiday read.

12 Knights of Christmas: A Sleigh Full of Love Stories by Button Hall Publishing 

This is a wonderful Christmas collection with a variety of contemporary and historical romance stories that were extremely well written and well edited. 

January Favorites

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans 

I absolutely loved this epistolary novel. I will probably want to read it again someday. 

December Read-Alouds

Greenglass House by Kate Milford 
The Smugglers by Iain Lawrence (audiobook in the car)

January Read-Alouds

The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson (read-aloud with twins)
The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper (audiobook at lunchtime)
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling (read to E. by dad)

Family Reading Lists

M. (girl, 12 years, 2 months) 

December:

• A Dog on Barkham Street by Mary Stolz
• The Bully on Barkham Street by Mary Stolz
• The Explorer of Barkham Street by Mary Stolz 
• Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo

January:

• Fair Wind to Virginia by Cornelia Meigs
• Early Thunder by Jean Fritz

C. (girl, 10 years, 4 months)

December:

• A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L'Engle
• Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling 
• Oddkins by Dean Koontz

January:

• The Magic Finger by Roald Dahl
• Danny: The Champion of the World by Roald Dahl
• The Ramayana by Elizabeth Seeger
• The House with a Clock in its Walls by John Bellairs
• Louisiana's Way Home by Kate DiCamillo

E. (girl, 8 years, 3 months)

December:

• Fire on the Wind by Geoffrey Trease
• Witchcraft of Salem Village by Shirley Jackson
• The Matchlock Gun by Walter D. Edmonds
• The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh
• Benjamin West and his Cat Grimalkin by Marguerite Henry

January:

• Catherine the Great by Katharine Sherman

R. (boy, 5 years, 10 months)

December: 

• The Trees Kneel at Christmas by Maud Hart Lovelace 
• Adventures of the Wishing-Chair by Enid Blyton
• The Wishing-Chair Again by Enid Blyton
• More Wishing-Chair Stories by Enid Blyton
  
• Mystery Behind the Wall (Boxcar Children #17) by Gertrude Chandler Warner
• Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine by Jay Williams 

January: 

• Redwall by Brian Jacques
• Betsy and Billy by Carolyn Haywood 
• Betsy's Little Star by Carolyn Haywood 
• Snowbound with Betsy by Carolyn Haywood 
• The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden 
• The Spartan Twins by Lucy Fitch Perkins 

A. (girl, 5 years, 10 months)

• Adventures of Sophie Mouse Book 1: A New Friend by Poppy Green
• New Kid on the Block by Jack Prelutsky
• Something Big Has Been Here by Jack Prelutsky
• It's Raining Pigs and Noodles by Jack Prelutsky
• Selections from the Read-To-Me Storybook
• Selections from McGuffey's Second Eclectic Reader

Dad

December:

• Toliver's Secret by Esther Wood Brady
• The Smugglers by Iain Lawrence 
• Early Thunder by Jean Fritz 

January: 

• The Drummer Drives! Everybody Else Rides: The Musical Life and Times of Harry Brabec, Legendary Chicago Symphony Percussionist and Humorist by Barbara Brabec
• Tree of Freedom by Rebecca Caudill 

Read-at-Home Mom Report: November 2025

November Favorites

A Ferry Merry Christmas by Debbie Macomber

This was just very classic Debbie Macomber, which I love.

Hearts in Circulation by Sarah Monzon
The writing in this series is delightful. I really liked the hero, Levi, whose sensory processing disorder added an interesting layer to the story. 

The Book Club Boyfriend by Kendall Ryan
This is a new author for me. Her books are not 100% clean, but I still enjoyed this one, and I only had to skip a scene or two. 

What Kind of Woman: Poems by Kate Baer 
I always enjoy Kate Baer, and this was a great collection. 

Grace & Henry's Holiday Movie Marathon by Matthew Norman
I loved this holiday romance so much. This will be on my favorites list this year.

Family Reading Lists 

M. (girl, 12 years)

• With Clive in India by G.A. Henty

C. (girl, 10 years, 2 months)

• My Friend Flicka by Mary O'Hara 
• Hittite Warrior by Joanne Williamson 

E. (girl, 8 years, 1 month)

• Puritan Adventure by Lois Lenski 
• Witch Dog by John and Patricia Beatty 

R. and A. (boy and girl, 5 years, 8 months)

The twins had some false starts and unfinished books this month. R. abandoned a collection of haunted house stories that was too hard for him, and A. read a couple of Carolyn Haywood books, but decoded without comprehending, so needed to try something else. 

R. also read these: 

• The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton
• The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton
• The Folk of the Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton
• Snowbound with Betsy by Carolyn Haywood
• Betsy and Billy by Carolyn Haywood

Book Review: Finding Flannery by Christina Brajkovich, Karen Anne Mahoney, and Roxane B. Salonen (ARC)

Any time I meet a Flannery O'Connor fan, I find myself feeling that I have found a kindred spirit. I encountered three such women in Finding Flannery: A Travel Memoir Exploring the Mystique of Flannery O'Connor and the Legacy She Has Left Us All. In this unique memoir told in three voices, Christina Brajkovich, Karen Anne Mahoney, and Roxane B. Salonen shared the story of their trio's visit to Flannery's home, Andalusia, and surrounding landmarks in Flannery's hometown of Milledgeville, Georgia. Each chapter of this book focuses on a different aspect of Flannery's legacy: her faith, her writing, her perseverance in the face of illness, her relationship with her mother, her friendships, etc. Within every chapter, each of the authors has a section marked by individual birds they chose to represent themselves, and each one reflects on the theme of that chapter. The result of this three-part narration is the sense that the reader is in conversation with fellow travelers, all of whom love and appreciate Flannery.

I have long wished I could visit Andalusia, but this book is truly the next best thing. I loved experiencing Flannery's world vicariously through these three writers' eyes and I enjoyed hearing how they discovered Flannery and became so interested in her. I've read a lot about Flannery, so a lot of what they discussed was familiar ground for me, but there were little tidbits here and there that were new to me, and some fresh perspectives I had not considered. I think my favorite part was the chapter focused on Flannery's relationship with her mother, Regina, and on Regina herself as a mother. I have always found their dynamic fascinating, and it was interesting to see each writer reflect on it.

Flannery fans will adore this book, but I think it might also win over some Flannery skeptics, who, even if they struggle with her fiction, won't be able to resist her personality and strong faith after spending time with these devoted fans. I'm grateful to Roxane for the review copy. It's going on my Flannery shelf!

Read-at-Home Mom Report: October 2025

October Favorites

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway

I love Hemingway's writing. This was really sad, and I didn't love it as much as The Sun Also Rises, but I still really enjoyed it. I also loved learning that he wrote so many different endings before deciding on one. 

A Merry Little Lie by Sarah Morgan
I always enjoy Sarah Morgan's holiday books. This was a perfect blend of family drama and romance.

The Shock of Holiness: The Romance of Everyday Life by Michael Pakaluk 
I reviewed this excellent essay for Catholic Mom. Read my review for my full thoughts.

Ordinary Jack: Being the First Part of the Bagthorpe Saga by Helen Cresswell
This was a hilarious and entertaining read aloud. The kids loved it, and so did I. 

Family Reading Lists

M. (girl, 11 years, 10 months)

*She provided the star ratings.

• Invincible Louisa by Cornelia Meigs ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinneli ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Jo's Boys by Louisa May Alcott ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

C. (girl, 10 years, 1 month)

• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle 
• Lost Evangeline by Kate DiCamillo
• When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead 
• The Rescuers by Margery Sharp
• Veronica Ganz by Marilyn Sachs 

E. (girl, 8 years)

• This New Land by G. Clifton Wisler
• The Man Who Was Don Quixote by Rafaello Busoni (selected sections)
• The Adventures of Don Quixote by Leighton Barret and illustrated by Warren Chappell  (selected sections)
• Homes in the Wilderness: A Pilgrim's Journal of Plymouth Plantation in 1620 by William Bradford

R. (boy, 5 years, 7 months)

• Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary
• Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary
• White Bird by Clyde Robert Bulla 
• Summer Magic by Ruth Chew 
• The Hidden Cave by Ruth Chew 
• Halloween Treats by Carolyn
• The Little Leftover Witch by Florence Laughlin 

A. (girl, 5 years, 7 months)

She read a ton of easy readers, including: 

• The Tortoise's Gift by Lari Don
• Never Trust a Tiger by Lari Don
• I Wish I Was a Wolf by Jennifer Bove
• I Wish I was a Llama by Jennifer Bove
• I Wish I Was a Gorilla by Jennifer Bove
• I Wish I was a Kangaroo by Jennifer Bove
• I Wish I was a Monarch Butterfly by Jennifer Bove
• The Witch Who was Afraid of Witches by Alice Low
• Gus Gets Scared by Frank Remkiewicz
• Hoot, Owl! by Shelby Alinsky
• Slither, Snake! by Shelby Alinsky
• Emmett's Pig by Mary Stolz
• Railroad Engineers and Airplane Pilots: What Do They Do? by Carla Greene
• Hidden Animals by Millicent E. Selsam
• Edgar the Super Dolphin by Nathaniel Benchley
• George the Drummer Boy by Nathaniel Benchley
• Monkey Friends by Edward W. Dolch 
• Tony's Birds by Millicent E. Selsam
• Woodchuck by Faith McNulty
• Happy Jack by Malcolm Carrick
• The Bug that Laid the Golden Eggs by Millicent E. Selsam
• This is the House Where Jack Lives by Joan Heilbroner 
• Warton and Morton by Russell E. Erickson
• Who's a Pest by Crosby Bonsall
• Tom and the Two Handles by Russell Hoban 
• Abu Ali by Dorothy O. Van Woerkom
• Baltimore Orioles by Barbara Brenner
• Elephant Seal Island by Evelyn Shaw
• Steven and the Green Turtle by William J. Cromie
• Seahorse by Robert A. Morris
• Flap Your Wings by P.D. Eastman 

My husband 

• American Sons: The Untold Story of the Falcon and the Snowman by Christopher Boyce
• Scoop by Evelyn Waugh
• The Haunted Bookshop by Christopher Morley
• Bilgewater by Jane Gardam

 

Read-at-Home Mom Report: September 2025

September Favorites

Overdue by Stephanie Perkins
The romance in this is not completely closed door, but the descriptions are tame compared to a lot of what's out there. I gave it five stars despite a few things I didn't like because the writing was impeccable, I loved the library setting, and I was deeply invested in the slow burn romance.  

Becoming a Writer by Dorothea Brande 
My writing friend Jenn recommended this to me, and I listened to the audiobook. I will never write in the morning as the author suggests, but a lot of her other advice was very practical and no-nonsense. I would read this again. 

Pumpkin Patch Proposal by Susanne Ash
I especially liked this cozy little fall romance from the Alphabet Sweethearts series.

Family Reading Lists 

M. (girl, 11 years, 10 months)
*she provided the star rating 

• We Alcotts by Aileen Fisher and Olive Rabe ⭐⭐

C. (girl, 10 years)

• The Moved-Outers by Florence Crannell Means 
• Staying Nine by Pam Conrad 

E. (girl, 7 years, 11 months)

• The King's Beard by Leonard Wibberly 
• The Patchwork Girl of Oz by L. Frank Baum

*The twins have been reading so many books, I can't keep track of them all. But here are some highlights.  

R. (boy, 5 years, 7 months)

• Elisa series by Johanna Hurwitz
• Tree House Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner 
• Snowbound Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner 
• Caboose Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner 

A. (girl, 5 years, 7 months)

• Arnold Lobel easy readers
• Mildred and Sam easy readers
• Johnny Lion easy readers 

My husband 

• A Few Fair Days by Jane Gardam 

Homeschool Summer Session 2025

Because we moved right at the end of the summer, I am behind on homeschool updates, so there will be a few posts in a row as I play catch-up. 

Our summer session this year ran from June to mid-August, and it included history, science, math, Latin, reading, writing, and P.E. 

For history, each of the three older girls had an assigned American history book or series to read. M. (11) read Story of America by John A. Garraty, C. (9) read the Drama of American History series by Christopher Collier and James Lincoln Collier and E. (7) read the American Story picture book series by Betsy and Giulio Maestro. Together with me they watched Early American History: Native Americans Through the Forty-Niners with Linwood Thompson from the Great Courses.

For science, everyone, including R. (5) and A. (5), listened to me read aloud Archimedes and the Door of Science by Jeanne Bendick, and we watched a series called Full Proof through a service offered by the public library.  

M. and I worked our way through some lessons from Jensen's Format Writing to help her learn to write well organized paragraphs. 

All three girls watched videos and did exercises from So You Really Want to Learn Latin? 

All five kids went to the pool a lot and everyone is now a capable swimmer. 

Read-at-Home Mom Report: August 2025

August Favorites

No images this month because we just moved, and I'm behind on everything. August wasn't a great reading month, but here are my favorites.

Light in August by William Faulkner
I always love Faulkner. I didn't understand everything in this book, but I followed a good YouTube discussion and really appreciated the excellent, if odd, writing. 

The Bicycle Messenger by Joan Elizabeth Bauer 
I was on the launch team for this beautiful Catholic novel about generational trauma. Chrism Press only publishes five-star books, and this was no exception. 

A Few Fair Days by Jane Gardam 
This vintage middle grade collection of vignettes set in England between the world wars made me laugh out loud, and it's also one of the best-written books I've read in a long time.  Just a delight. 

Kindly Penned by Susanne Ash
I really enjoyed this installment in the Alphabet Sweethearts series. This one involved notes in a Little Free Library, so of course I loved it. 

Family Reading Lists 

M. (girl, 11 years, 9 months)

(She provided the ratings, so I figured I'd share them!)

• Little Men by Louisa May Alcott ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• No Time Like Show Time by Michael Hoeye ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Little House in Brookfield by Maria D. Wilkes ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Little Town at the Crossroads by Maria D. Wilkes ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Little Clearing in the Woods by Maria D. Wilkes ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• About the B'nai Bagels by E.L. Konigsburg ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• On Top of Concord Hill by Maria D. Wilkes ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• The Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• The Black Stallion by Walter Farley ⭐⭐⭐
• The Noonday Friends by Mary Stolz ⭐⭐⭐⭐

C. (girl, 9 years, 11 months)

• Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sidney 
• Amy and Laura by Marilyn Sachs 
• The Secret of Terror Castle by Robert Arthur 
• About the B'nai Bagels by E.L. Konigsburg 
• The Number Devil by Hans Magnus Enzensberger
• The Noonday Friends by Mary Stolz 
• The Black Stallion by Walter Farley 
• Doctor Dolittle on the Moon by Hugh Lofting 
• Beyond the Heather Hills by Melissa Wiley 
• High-Rise Secret by Lois Lenski 
• The BFG by Roald Dahl 
• Fog Magic by Julia L. Sauer 
• Underground Alley by William Mayne 
• Black Beauty by Anna Sewell 
• The Gauntlet by Ronald Welch 
• Blue Willow by Doris Gates 

E. (girl, 7 years, 10 months)

• The Emerald City of Oz by L. Frank Baum
• High-Rise Secret by Lois Lenski 
• What Katy Did at School by Susan Coolidge 

R. (boy, 5 years, 6 months)

• The Happy Hollisters and the Sea Turtle Mystery by Jerry West
• The Happy Hollisters at Pony Hill Farm by Jerry West
• Danny Dunn and the Anti-Gravity Paint by Jay Williams 
• Danny Dunn on a Desert Island by Jay Williams 
• Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective by Donald Sobol 
• Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Secret Pitch by Donald Sobol
• Ribsy by Beverly Cleary
• The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner 

A. (girl, 5 years, 6 months)

• Bears on Wheels by Stan Berenstain
• Go Dog Go By P.D. Eastman
• Put Me in the Zoo by Robert Lopshire 
• Robert the Rose Horse by Joan Heilbroner 
• More Tales of Oliver Pig by Jean Van Leeuwen 
• Johnny Lion's Bad Day by Edith Thacher Hurd 
• A Fish Out of Water by Helen Marion Palmer 
• More Riddles by Bennett Cerf 
• Uncle Elephant by Arnold Lobel 
• Because a Little Bug Went Ka-Choo! by Rosetta Stone 

My husband 

• Father and I Were Ranchers by Ralph Moody  (this was an audiobook we all listened to in the car)
• A Few Fair Days by Jane Gardam