Tuesday, July 9, 2024

Homeschool Update, March-June 2024

Group Activities 

Geography/Art 

From The Complete Book of Marvels by Richard Halliburton, Dad read these sections, and the girls watched accompanying videos: 

  • Parthenon, Temple of Athena [video]
  • Mt. Athos, Country of Men [video]
  • Moscow, Heart of Russia [video]
  • Santa Sophia, Mother of Churches [video]
  • Ephesus, City of Ancient Temples [video
  • Halicarnassus [video]
  • Colossus, Statue of Helios [video]
  • Pharos, Towering Lighthouse [video
  • Pyramids, Huge Man-Made Wonders [video]
  • Knossos, Buried Cretan City [video]
  • Timbuctoo, Desert City [video]
  • Victoria Falls, Sounding Smoke [video]
  • Mecca, Sacred Moslem City [video]
  • Petra, Enchanted City [video]
  • Dead Sea [video]
  • Jerusalem, Rock of Abraham [video]
  • Baalbek, City of Marvelous Ruins [video]
  • Palmyra, Zenobia's Domain [video]
We also used historical and current world maps to locate different countries that came up in our reading in other areas.

Latin 

We finished Getting Started with Latin: Beginning Latin for Homeschoolers and Self-Taught Students of Any Age by William E. Linney. We spent some time reviewing some of the translation exercises by translating from English to Latin, then started Keep Going with Latin

Shakespeare


We read a children's version of As You Like It and the girls watched the animated adaptation.  We will soon watch a version of the play as well. 

Read-Alouds

Dad read aloud these historical fiction titles:
  • Children of the Fox by Jill Paton Walsh 
  • Hostage to Alexander by Mary Evans Andrews 
  • The Eagles Have Flown by Joanne Williamson
  • Runner for the King by Rowena Bastin Bennett 
I read aloud these titles: 
  • A Swarm in May by William Mayne 
  • Noodlehead Stories (excerpts) by M.A. Jagendorf
  • The Cottage at Bantry Bay by Hilda van Stockum
  • The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge 
  • Mystery of the Roman Ransom by Henry Winterfeld
  • Swallowdale by Arthur Ransome 
  • Magic or Not? by Edward Eager 
  • The Whale People by Roderick L. Haig-Brown 
  • Barefoot Days by Anna Rose Wright 
  • Over the Blue Mountain by Conrad Richter 

We listened to these books on audio: 
  • James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl 
  • The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare
  • When Marnie Was There by Joan G. Robinson 

Catechism 

We continued practicing questions and answers in our Catechism books.  


Science 

C. and E. listened to me read aloud The First Book of Trees by Margaret Wiliamson and Here a Plant, There a Plant, Everywhere a Plant, Plant: A Story of Luther Burbank by Robert M. Quackenbush, and they finished science for the year with the Green Planet documentary series.

M. and I finished reading Secrets of the Universe

The Van Cleave experiments started getting old, so she wrote up her last few lab reports on demonstrations from ExperimentArchive that were too dangerous to try at home. 

Health

Both M. and C. visited the orthdontist. M. visited the pediatrician and also accompanied A. to several appointments after she broke one arm, and a month later, the other. 

History 

C. read The Year of the Horseless Carriage and Abraham Lincoln's World

M. read The Ancient Greek World, The Ancient Roman World, and The Ancient American World and completed related pages in the accompanying workbooks. 

E. continued reading A Child's History of the World by V.M. Hillyer through the Fall of Rome. She started listing to The Story of Civilization Volume 1 for review of this year's history topics. 

All three girls went in period dress on a field trip to a one-room schoolhouse. 

English

In Critical Thinking Co.'s Sentence Diagramming program, M. completed level 1 and level 2. C. finished the beginner level and moved on to level 2.  E. did some adjective worksheets to help her practice. 
M. finished Vocabulary from Classic Roots level 6 and started level B. 

R. finished reading all but the last of the Hooked on Phonics readers. A. started reading consonant-vowel-consonant words.

Math 

M. continued working on Challenging Word Problems 3 and finished Singapore Primary Mathematics 6B. In Life of Fred, she continued with Decimals and Percents and she worked on 7th grade math and Algebra 1 on Khan Academy. She is working on Algebra this summer. 

C. finished Singapore Primary Mathematics 4A and made significant progress in 4B, as well as in fifth grade math on Khan Academy.  

E. finished Singapore Primary Mathematics 1A and started 1B. She finished early math and is worked quickly through 2nd grade math on Khan Academy and is now making significant progress in third grade math. 

Music 

M. and C. continued working on the music theory exercises in Practical Theory by Sandy Felstein. All three girls practiced piano and recorder daily. C. started learning ukulele and M. started guitar. 

Physical Education

Now that pool season is here, our main focus is swimming at the pool. The girls played freeze tag and other group games with friends in the neighborhood. M. and C. learned the basics of baseball from their aunt while watching Mets games on our visit to NY. 

Read-at-Home Mom Report: June 2024 Wrap-Up

June Favorites


Theology of Home: Finding the Eternal in the Everyday by Carrie Gress and Noelle Mering 
This looks like an interior decorating book, but it's not! I loved this look at the concept of home from the Catholic perspective, and now I want to read the others in this series.  

The Summer Book by Tove Jansson
The writing in this was beautiful, and it was a great way to ring in the summer season.  

Cole and Laila are Just Friends by Bethany Turner 
I loved these characters, the New York City setting, and all the pop culture references. 

The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center
I have seen mixed reviews of this book, which was a surprise to me. I loved the characters and the peek into the screenwriting life. 

Somehow: Thoughts on Love by Anne Lamott
I don't agree with Anne Lamott on everything, but boy do I love her writing.  

The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh 
This is my new favorite book by this author - her best yet. I love that it's a friendship story that fuels two love stories.  


Read-Aloud and Homeschool Books

  • The Whale People by Roderick L. Haig-Brown (with all five kids) (4 stars)
  • Barefoot Days by Anna Rose Wright (4 stars)
  • Secrets of the Universe: Discovering the Universal Laws of Science by Paul Fleisher (with M.)(4 stars)


Sequels and Series Books

  • Silver on the Tree (The Dark is Rising Book 5) by Susan Cooper (3 stars)
  • Beany and the Beckoning Road (Beany Malone Book 4) by Lenore Mattingly Weber (3 stars)


Camp Bookstagram

My friend Kris hosted a great camp-themed reading challenge on Instagram in the middle of the month, and it was so much fun. I read seven books total! 

  • Summer at Squee by Andrea Wang (4 stars)
  • Camp Echo by Paul Theroux (3 stars)
  • The Counselors by Jessica Goodman (3 stars)
  • Baby-Sitters' Summer Vacation by Ann M. Martin (4 stars)
  • Burnt Mountain by Anne Rivers Siddons (3 stars)
  • The Summer of Songbirds by Kristy Woodson Harvey (3 stars)
  • Hail, Hail, Camp Timberwood by Ellen Conford (2 stars)

Stand-Alone Books

  • Domestic Extremist: A Practical Guide to Winning the Culture War by Peachy Keenan (5 stars)
  • Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte (4 stars)
  • Funny Story by Emily Henry (4 stars)
  • George by Agnes Sligh Turnbull (3 stars)
  • Miss Morgan's Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles (3 stars)
  • Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan (4 stars)
  • The Editor: How Publishing Legend Judith Jones Shaped Culture in America by Sara B. Franklin (4 stars)

Family Reading Lists


Audiobook in the Car

  • When Marnie was There by Joan G. Robinson 


M. (girl, 10 years, 7 months)

[M. did a lot of school reading, but didn't finish any books in June] 


C. (girl, 8 years, 9 months)

  • Maida's Little Shop by Inez Haynes Irwin
  • Florence Nightingale by Ruth Fox Hume 
  • Curious Missie by Virginia Sorensen 


E. (girl, 6 years, 8 months) 

  • The Story of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting 
  • The Third Planet from Altair (Choose Your Own Adventure Book 7) by Edward Packard
  • George by Agnes Sligh Turnbull
  • The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum 
  • The Trouble with Jenny's Ear by Oliver Butterworth


R. (boy, 4 years, 3 months)

Independent reading: 
  • The Fire Cat by Esther Averill 
  • Robert the Rose Horse by Joan Heilbroner 
  • Chester by Syd Hoff
  • Thunderhoof by Syd Hoff
  • Cowboys: What Do They Do? by Carla Green 
  • The Whales Go By by Fred Phleger 
  • Love is in the Air by Jonathan Fenske
  • Father Bear Comes Home (first two stories) by Else Holmelund Minarik

Read-alouds: 
  • The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle 
  • Spectacular Spots by Susan Stockdale 
  • A Piglet Named Mercy by Kate DiCamillo 


A. (girl, 4 years, 3 months)

Read-alouds: 

  • Bubble Trouble by Margaret Mahy 
  • When Grandma Came by Jill Paton Walsh
  • One Lighthouse, One Moon by Anita Lobel
  • Richard Scarry 


My husband

  • The Whale People by Roderick L. Haig-Brown 
  • George by Agnes Sligh Turnbull
  • Curious Missie by Virginia Sorensen
  • Runner for the King by Rowena Bastin Bennett
  • Barefoot Days by Anna Rose Wright 
  • Bandit's Moon by Sid Fleischman

Thursday, June 6, 2024

Read-at-Home Mom Report: May 2024 Wrap-Up

May Favorites 


Summer Sweethearts edited by me and Rachel Lawrence
My friend Rachel and I put together this collection of sweet romances written by friends from our flash fiction writing community, and we're giving it away free in our newsletters on June 10th! This was such a fun experience, and everyone's stories are so adorable. (You can subscribe to my writing newsletter on Substack if you want to receive the book in your email on Monday.)

The Critic's Daughter: A Memoir by Priscilla Gilman
This author was my professor in college, and I really enjoyed her previous book about her son, so I wanted to try this one as well. The writing is beautiful, and I enjoyed hearing the author narrate the audiobook. 

To Crown with Liberty by Karen Ullo
I was on the launch team for this amazing Catholic historical fiction novel, and I am still thinking about it. What a wonderfully well-researched, beautifully-written novel. Highly recommended.



Because of You by Hannah Currie
I was also on the launch team for this YA novel about missionary work, and I loved this one too! All the details of travel to Thailand and interacting with orphaned children were so interesting, and I loved the main character. 

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
Abby Jimenez continues to amaze me with her excellent romance writing. I think this might be her best book yet. 

Hallelujah Anyway: Rediscovering Mercy by Anne Lamott
I had some theological issues with this book, but the writing is beautiful, and I think the overall message about showing mercy to others is important. 


Read-Aloud and Homeschool Books

  • Swallowdale (Swallows and Amazons book 2) by Arthur Ransome (5 stars) 
  • Magic or Not? (Tales of Magic book 5) by Edward Eager (5 stars)


Sequels and Series Books

  • Leave It To Beany (Beany Malone book 3) by Lenora Mattingly Weber (4 stars)
  • Juniper Bean Resorts to Murder (Happily Ever Homicide book 1) by Gracie Ruth Mitchell (4 stars)
  • The Kiss Thief (Echo Ridge Romance Book 2) by Rachelle J. Christensen (3 stars)
  • Fatal First Edition (Library Lover's Mystery book 14) by Jenn McKinlay (4 stars)


Stand-Alone Books

  • Tartuffe by Moliere (4 stars)
  • Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman (4 stars)
  • The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure by Jonathan Haidt (4 stars)
  • The Monarchs of Winghaven by Naila Moreira (4 stars)
  • Better Left Unsent by Lia Louis (4 stars)
  • How to Plot a Payback by Melissa Ferguson (3 stars)

Family Reading Lists

Audiobook in the Car

  • The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare 

M. (girl, 10 years, 6 months)

  • Roman People by Olivia Coolidge 


C. (girl, 8 years, 8 months)

  • A Violet for Bonaparte by Geoffrey Trease
  • Andrew Jackson by Clara Ingram Judson
  • The California Gold Rush by May Mcneer 


E. (girl, 6 years, 7 months) 

  • Rip-Roaring Russell by Johanna Hurwitz 


R. (boy, 4 years, 2 months)

Independent reading: 
  • Where is Zot? by Sandra Carlton 
  • Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman 
  • Flap Your Wings by P.D. Eastman 
  • Bears on Wheels by Stan Berenstain 
  • Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik and Maurice Sendak 
  • from Tales of Oliver Pig by Jean van Leeuwen and Arnold Lobel: "Baking Day" and "A Bad Day"
  • Ten Apples Up on Top by Dr. Seuss 
  • Go Dog Go by P.D. Eastman 
  • One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss 
Read-alouds: 
  • Construction Site: Taking Flight! by Sherri Duskey Rinker and A.G. Ford
  • Construction Site: Road Crew, Coming Through! by Sherri Duskey Rinker and A.G. Ford
  • excerpt from Where Are You Going, Baby Lincoln? by Kate DiCamillo 

A. (girl, 4 years, 4 months)

Read-alouds: 
  • Truckery Rhymes by Jon Scieszka
  • Richard Scarry's Best Story Book Ever 
  • excerpt from Where Are You Going, Baby Lincoln? by Kate DiCamillo  


My husband 

  • The Giant Rat of Sumatra: or Pirates Galore by Sid Fleischman

Tuesday, May 21, 2024

Book Review: Because of You by Hannah Currie (2024)

It's been a long time since I read a YA novel that wasn't a omance, but Because of You is like a breath of fresh air.

From the publisher: Sixteen-year-old Chloe Gabriels has dreamed of going on an overseas mission trip for as long as she can remember, so when the opportunity arises for her to go to Thailand with Teen Missions International she jumps at the chance. Working at an orphanage, learning new skills, experiencing a different culture, making lifelong friends—what better way could there be to spend her summer vacation?

Of course, the trip will have its challenges—living in close quarters with seventeen other teens out of their comfort zones has a way of doing that—but it will be worth it. She’ll finally be serving God in a practical way.

But while the orphans and their stories break her heart, it’s someone unexpected who has the biggest impact on Chloe’s summer and leaves her wondering if maybe there are just as many people who need her love back home as there are overseas.

Chloe is such a believable protagonist, with flaws that many teen girls have and can relate to. It was really rewarding to be inside her head as she took in aspects of a new culture and also came to new understandings of the other teens on the trip alongside her. I loved learning all the missionary lingo, including the many acronyms, and it was so interesting to take an armchair trip to Thailand. I also really loved getting to know all the supporting characters through Chloe's eyes, especially the young orphans.

A summer read with substance, this is the perfect book to give to teens going on mission trips, or to those who one day plan to go. It's also a great opportunity for any Christian teen to understand missionary work and to think about how he or she might better serve others.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.


About the Author, Hannah Currie


Hannah Currie has loved royals—both real and fictional—for as long as she can remember and has always been fascinated by their lives. They started making their way into her writing somewhere around first grade and never stopped.
Hannah Currie has loved royals—both real and fictional—for as long as she can remember and has always been fascinated by their lives. They started making their way into her writing somewhere around first grade and never stopped.

While she never dreamed of being a princess for real (way too many expectations and people watching), she certainly wouldn’t say no to the gorgeous gowns, endless wardrobes, chefs, and cleaners that come with the job. A crown or two wouldn’t go astray either. Or Belle’s library. Where she’d just sit and stare at the books with a giddy smile on her face for hours.

Hannah lives with her husband and three kids in Australia, where they proudly claim Queen Elizabeth II and the royal family as their own. She is very honored to be one of the launching authors for the new WhiteCrown Publishing line with her Crown of Promise series full of faith, romance, and—of course—royals.


Follow Hannah online


Book Review: To Crown with Liberty by Karen Ullo (2024)

If you're looking for authentically Catholic historical fiction, To Crown with Liberty is the book you need to have on your bookshelf. This well-researched, beautifully written tale by Karen Ullo follows Alix de Morainville Carpentier, a former lady-in-waiting to Marie Antoinette, across two timelines. 

From the publisher: New Orleans, 1795. In the wake of the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror, Alix de Morainville Carpentier—a former lady-in-waiting to Marie Antoinette, now married to her gardener—seeks peace and security in the Spanish colony of Louisiana. But her journey into the man-eating swamp called Attakapas reopens the wounds of her old life in France. Alix is forced to reckon with the choices that saved her life at the cost of her honor—and perhaps her soul.

In revolutionary France, the Old World is dying; the quest for liberty, fraternity, and equality has become a nightmare where the price of dissent is blood. In the wilderness of Spanish Louisiana, a new civilization is beginning to emerge—but in this budding New World, the slave trade perpetuates the systems of oppression that sparked the revolution. Caught between old and new, scarred by trauma and grief, will Alix ever find a home where she can truly be free?

To Crown with Liberty is a historical novel based on riveting legends from George Washington Cable’s Strange True Stories of Louisiana (1888).

Not only does this book deal with historical realities, it confronts spiritual ones as well, raising questions of the impact of violence and darkness on the soul as well as the body. There are also lots of wonderful period details, and beautiful descriptions of Alix's emotions and innermost thoughts. I loved getting to know her and unraveling the details of her painful and mysterious past. 

Another wonderful thing about this book is the substantial back matter that helps separate fact from legend in the source material that inspired the book and identifies all the historical figures that appear in the book for easy reference. 

I truly can't recommend this novel highly enough. I'm very picky about historical fiction, but could not put this one down. Alix is a character who will stick with me for a long time. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.


About the Author, Karen Ullo 

I’m a classically trained soprano, I have a MFA in Screenwriting, and I’m a suburban housewife mother of two. I’m a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where I still swelter and sit in carpool lines. I write novels and screenplays, and I’m the editorial director of Chrism Press. Before that, I was the managing editor of Dappled Things Magazine. I’m an LSU Tiger and a USC Trojan. I’m a Cajun who married a Sicilian, so I cook pretty well, and write recipes for Catholicmom.com. I love college baseball. I went to boarding school. I can wiggle my nose like a rabbit. And if I ever tried to stop writing, the voices in my head would keep me awake at night. I’m also very glad you’re here.


Follow Karen online


Order To Crown with Liberty

Thursday, May 2, 2024

Read-at-Home Mom Report: April 2024 Wrap-Up

April Favorites

Only a few books really stood out as excellent this month, and they are an interesting mix. 


Characters of the Passion
by Fulton J. Sheen
This was my book club's pick for April. The idea was to read it during Holy Week. I did start it on Tuesday of that week (in the Confession line, which we were in for an hour), but ended up finishing it during Easter Week. As always, it was great. Bishop Sheen always makes me consider familiar things in new ways.

The Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett
I have really been enjoying this author, but I was a little wary of this book because it involved nuns, and I know the author is a lapsed Catholic. I need not have worried. I know from Patchett's nonfiction that she has some friends who are nuns, and that is probably why the characters in this book felt real and why the narrative surrounding them was respectful. There was also not a hint of discussion about abortion in the story, which I found shocking given the subject matter.

Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh 
This was my fifth time reading this book, and it's still the best. As usual, I immediately wanted to go back to the beginning and read it again, but I resisted. 

Made Glorious by Lindsay Eagar 
I had an ARC of this theater-based YA psychological thriller from Candlewick. I picked it up to read a few pages and ended up reading half the book, the finished it on audio. I wouldn't let a kid read it because there is some adult content, but the writing is excellent, and I loved all the interesting structural and point of view choices the author made. 

Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall-Street by Herman Melville 
I had never read this, and my husband told me I must read it immediately. He was not wrong. Such a great story.



A Single Spark (The Spark Brothers Book 1) by Liwen Y. Ho 
A Sudden Spark (The Spark Brothers, Book 2) by Liwen Y. Ho 
The Sweetest Spark (The Spark Brothers Book 3) by Liwen Y. Ho 

I am enjoying this clean romance series about a family of brothers. The audiobooks on Hoopla are short and sweet and perfect afternoon walk companions. 


Read-Aloud and Homeschool Books

  • The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge (5 stars)
  • Mystery of the Roman Ransom by Henry Winterfeld (4 stars)


Audiobooks in the Car
  • Ronia, the Robber's Daughter by Astrid Lindgren


Sequels and Series Books

  • Murder at Penwood Manor (The Harwood Mysteries Book 5) by Antony Barone Kolenc (3 stars)
  • Only the Good Die Young (Country Club Murders Book 1.5) by Julie Mulhern (3 stars)
  • Beany Malone (Beany Malone Book 2) by Lenore Mattingly Weber (4 stars)
  • Three Men in a Boat (Three Men Book 1) by Jerome K. Jerome (2 stars)
  • Skyward  (Skyward Book 1) by Brandon Sanderson (4 stars)
  • The Grey King (The Dark is Rising Book 4) by Susan Cooper (3 stars)
  • Loyally, Luke (Skymar Book 3) by Pepper Basham (ARC) (4 stars)


Stand-Alone Books

  • Bad Therapy: Why the Kids Aren't Growing Up by Abigail Shrier (5 stars)
  • When Love Strikes: Reading and Writing Romance by Laurelin Page (3 stars)
  • Amelia's Shadow by Marie Benedict (2 stars)
  • Fancy Free by Betty Cavanana (3 stars)
  • The Swayze Year: You're Not Old, You're Just Getting Started! by Colleen A.F. Venable (3 stars)
  • And Yet: Poems by Kate Baer (5 stars)
  • I Hope This Finds You Well: Poems by Kate Baer (2 stars)
  • Moby-Dick or, The Whale by Herman Melville (4 stars)
  • Have Space Suit—Will Travel by Robert Heinlein (4 stars) 
  • Whale Day: And Other Poems by Billy Collins (4 stars)
  • Hell, I Love Everybody: The Essential James Tate: Poems by James Tate (4 stars)
  • The Bright Side of Disaster by Katherine Center (3 stars)

DNF

  • Redemption (Redemption Book 1) by Karen Kingsbury 
    I liked the writing, but I had too many books going and had to let one go. 
  • Beach Cute by Beth Reekles
    There were too many references to TikTok. There's nothing wrong with the book, I'm just not the intended audience. 
  • Trust by Hernan Diaz 
    I could only get this on audio, and that doesn't seem to be the best format. I may try again at a later time.

Family Reading Lists

M. (girl, 10 years, 5 months)

  • Niko: Sculptor's Apprentice by Isabelle Lawrence

C. (girl, 8 years, 7 months)

  • Marie Antoinette, Daughter of an Empress by Marguerite Vance 
  • Amy Moves In by Marilyn Sachs 
  • Robert Fulton and the Steamboat by Ralph Nading Hill 
  • Laura's Luck by Marilyn Sachs 
  • The Slave who Freed Haiti by Katharine Scherman 

E. (girl, 6 years, 6 months)

  • Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren 

R. (boy, 4 years, 1 month) 

  • Reading practice: 
    • Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
    • Snow by Roy McKee and P.D. Eastman 
    • Cat and Dog by Else Holmelund Minarik 
    • Come and Have Fun by Edith Thacher Hurd 
    • Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss 
    • Mine's the Best by Crosby Bonsall 
  • Read alouds: 
    • Mr. Putter and Tabby series by Cynthia Rylant 
    • Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne
    • Little Miss and Mr. Men series by Roger Hargreaves 

A. (girl, 4 years, 1 month)

  • Read alouds: 
    • Scuffy the Tugboat by Gertrude Crampton, illustrated by Tibor Gergely 
    • Mr. Putter and Tabby series by Cynthia Rylant 

My husband 

  • Mystery of the Roman Ransom by Henry Winterfeld
  • All Sail Set: A Romance of the Flying Cloud by Armstrong Sperry
  • Ronia, the Robber's Daughter by Astrid Lindgren
  • The Shinty Boys by Margaret Macpherson
  • The Eagles Have Flown by Joanne Williamson 
  • Hostage to Alexander by Mary Evans Andrews

Thursday, April 4, 2024

Read-at-Home Mom Report: March 2024 Wrap-Up

March Favorites

I had quite a few five-star favorites in March. 



This is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett
This wasn't a memoir as the title suggests, but a retrospective collection of the author's essays, along with a couple of new ones. I disagreed with some of her thoughts on Catholicism (I bristled when she suggested divorce could be a sacrament), but I really admire Patchett's writing and there were quite a few pieces in this collection I would want to read again. 

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
I completely understand the hype for this book, and for the audio version narrated by Tom Hanks. I could not put it down. 

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Vol. 2 by Bethany Brower
I am trying to take this series slowly because I don't want it to end! I love the unique setting and characters and the diary format. 



The Confessions of St. Augustine
by Augustine of Hippo
I listened to the Catholic Classics podcast episodes which included readings from the Ascension edition of the book. I know I will get more out of it on a re-read, and I have another translation that I will try next time.

Betting on You by Lynn Painter
I had been meaning to try this YA romance author for a while, and this did not disappoint at all. This is an homage to When Harry Met Sally, and it works so well. The audiobook was also very well done.  

One Writer's Beginnings by Eudora Welty
I was reading the physical book along with the audio of the original speeches that make up this book and I realized they were markedly different! I ended up counting them as two separate books and gave both 5 stars. 



The Terrible Speed of Mercy: A Spiritual Biography of Flannery O'Connor by Jonathan Rogers
This is my new recommendation for anyone wanting an excellent introduction to Flannery and her work. 

I, Julian by Claire Gilbert 
This well-researched fictional biography of St. Julian of Norwich is beautifully written and it has a gorgeous cover, too.  

Saint Maybe by Anne Tyler
This is another hit from one of my favorite authors. The family at the center of the story is one of the most memorable from any other Tyler's books. 



The Hero and the Girl Next Door by Sophie Hannah 
Hotels like Houses by Sophie Hannah
I discovered this poet through an Instagram post and looked up some of her books. She's my new favorite!


Read-Aloud and Homeschool Books

  • The Cottage at Bantry Bay by Hilda van Stockum (4 stars)
  • James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl (5 stars)
  • Getting Started with Latin: Beginning Latin for Homeschoolers and Self-Taught Students of Any Age by William E. Linney (5 stars)

Middle Grade March

  • The Kate in Between by Claire Swinarski (4 stars) 
  • Annie's Life in Lists by Kristin Mahoney (5 stars)
  • Ferris by Kate DiCamillo (4 stars)
  • Smoky the Cowhorse by Will James (4 stars)
  • Rifles for Watie by Harold Keith (4 stars)
  • Surviving the Applewhites by Stephanie S. Tolan ( 3 stars)
  • My Own Lightning (Wolf Hollow Book 2) by Lauren Wolk (3 stars)
  • Greenwitch (The Dark is Rising Book 3) by Susan Cooper (4 stars)


Sequels and Series Books

  • Meet the Malones (Beany Malone Book 1) by Lenore Mattingley Weber (4 stars)

Stand-Alone Books

  • Ashes by Anthony Mancini (4 stars)
  • Elodie's Library of Second Chances by Rebecca Raisin (4 stars)
  • Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke (3 stars)
  • What Now? by Ann Patchett (5 stars)
  • I Remember Nothing: and Other Reflections by Nora Ephron (4 stars)
  • Prayer Primer: Igniting a Fire Within by Thomas Dubay, S.M. (2 stars)
  • Love in Tandem by Becca Kinzer (4 stars)
  • Truth & Beauty: A Friendship by Ann Patchett (4 stars)
  • I Feel Bad About My Neck, And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman by Nora Ephron (4 stars)
  • Poetry Comics by Grant Snider (5 stars)


DNF

  • Just for the Summer by Melody Carlson 
  • How to Plot a Payback by Melissa Ferguson 


Family Reading Lists 


M. (girl, 10 years, 4 months old)

  • Yesterday's Daughter by Helen Fern Deringer
  • The Exploits of Xenophon by Geoffrey Household
  • The Spartan's March by Benjamin Hulme-Cross

C. (girl, 8 years, 6 months old) 

  • The Marquis de Lafayette: Bright Sword for Freedom by Hodding Carter
  • The Story of Thomas Jefferson by Earl Schenck Miers
  • The Story of Benjamin Franklin by Enid La Monte Meadowcroft
  • The Story of Martha Washington by Jeannette C. Nolan

E. (6 years, 5 months old)

  • Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill by Maud Hart Lovelace
  • Muggie Maggie by Beverly Cleary
  • Our Little Macedonian Cousin of Long Ago by Julia Darrow Cowles

R. (boy, 4 years old) and A. (girl, 4 years old)

  • One Lighthouse, One Moon by Anita Lobel 
  • The Greedy Sparrow by Lucine Kasbarian
  • Time for School, Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle
  • That's Good, That's Bad by Joan Lexau (especially A.)
  • Curious George series by H.A. Rey
  • Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site series by Sherri Duskey Rinker (especially R.)
  • Sam and the Mitt by Leslie McGuire (R. only)
  • Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss (R. only, select pages)


My husband 

  • Sailing to Cythera, and Other Anatole Stories by Nancy Willard
  • The Island of the Grass King: The Further Adventures of Anatole by Nancy Willard 
  • George Washington's World by Genevieve Foster 
  • Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace
  • Greenwitch by Susan Cooper