Read-at-Home Mom Report: March 2025

March Favorites

Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith
I'm binge-reading the rest of this series so I can read the new one when it comes out this fall. Each book is better than the last!

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis 
I read this for book club, and it was so good! I don't know how I went so long without reading it. 

The Serendipity by Emma St. Clair 
This new rom-com series with a hint of magic is so fun! This first book was really entertaining, and has made me want to read all the rest.

Northargyle Abbie by Janelle Leonard

I was on the launch team for this new royalty romance retelling of Northanger Abbey, and it was an absolute delight. 

Seeking Space and Time by Amy Schisler 
This book came onto my radar before the others in the series, so I started here. I definitely would have gotten a bit more out of it if I'd read the earlier books, but I enjoyed it so much on its own as well. I plan to read a lot more by this author. I loved that this book followed a child prodigy trying to live like a normal teen after graduating college at seventeen, and I loved how the story connects faith and science. 

The Second Skater of the Apocalypse by Fiorella de Maria
I'm working on a review of this middle grade book for Catholic Mom. It's the second in a series, it's set during the early days of Covid, and both I and my nine year old loved it.  

Alphabet Sweethearts series by Susanne Ash
I am loving this series of very short novellas. I've read three so far: Apple Pie Promises, Blossoms and New Beginnings, and Coffeehouse Confessions. 

Read-Aloud

• Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink 

Family Reading Lists 

M. (girl, 11 years, 4 months)

• Meet the Austins by Madeleine L'Engle 
• Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
• Moon over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
• Carry on, Mr. Bowditch by Joan Lee Latham
• The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis
• A Gathering of Days by Joan W. Blos
• Holes by Louis Sachar 
• See You Around, Sam by Lois Lowry (read aloud to R.)

C. (girl, 9 years, 6 months)

• Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr 
• The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
• Pancakes-Paris by Clare Huchet Bishop
• The Ark by Margot Benary-Isbert
• The Impossible Journey by Gloria Whelan  
• Ben-Gurion and the Birth of Israel by Joan Comay
• Up and Down the River by Rebecca Caudill (read aloud to A.)
• Eliza and the Flower Fairies by Megan McDonald (read aloud to A.)

E. (girl, 7 years, 5 months)

• The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder 
• Good Masters, Sweet Ladies! by Laura Amy Schlitz
• The Borrowers by Mary Norton 
• Dr. Dolittle's Zoo by Hugh Lofting 
• The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson 
• Emily's Runaway Imagination by Beverly Cleary

R. (boy, 5 years)

• Captain of the City Streets by Esther Averill 
• Tim Alone by Edward Ardizzone 
• Shark Frenzy by Flying Frog Publishing 
• Meet Robert E. Lee by George Swift Trow 
• Here Comes the Bus by Carolyn Haywood 
• Happy Birthday from Carolyn Haywood 
• Away Went the Balloons by Carolyn Haywood
• Meet John F. Kennedy by Nancy Bean White

A. (girl, 5 years)

• When Andy Met Sandy by Tomie dePaola
• Andy & Sandy's Anything Adventure by Tomie dePaola
• Andy & Sandy and the First Snow by Tomie dePaola
• Andy & Sandy and the Big Talent Show by Tomie dePaola
• Snow by Roy McKie
• Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss 
• Love is in the Air by Jonathan Fenske
• Come and Have Fun by Edith Thacher Hurd

My husband

• Galen and the Gateway to Medicine by Jeanne Bendick
• What Time the Sexton’s Spade Doth Rust by Alan Bradley
• The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet by Eleanor Cameron (read aloud)

Picture Book Review Copies 

To Keep (For Now)

Review copies rarely become permanent parts of our collection, but these are the ones that will linger for an extended stay. 

• The Pollinator Count by Susan Edwards Richmond and Stephanie Fizer Coleman (4/15/25). The Pollinator Count is a follow-up to a family favorite, The Bird Count. Though the setting is a classroom, it models backyard science for anyone who wants to try it, and works great for homeschooling as well. The story has a lot of information embedded within it, but there is also some nice back matter for further reading. 
• So Tortoise Dug by Emmy Kastner. This book is similar to The Mitten, except that a tortoise keeps having to dig more rooms for all the creatures who want to move into his underground burrow while his roommate, Mouse, is away. The artwork is bold and colorful and there are a lot of fun fonts that make up the text. It's a little busy to look at, but a fun read-aloud. 
• In the Desert by David Elliott, illustrated by Gordy Wright. We have all of these nonfiction poetry titles by David Elliott, and this latest one doesn't disappoint. Elliott reminds me of another favorite poet, Douglas Florian, who also writes clever poems about animals. R. was very pleased to see a number of creepy and/or disgusting creatures in here, including a deathstalker scorpion. 
  
  
  
  
  
• Stalactite and Stalagmite by Drew Breckmeyer. This book introduces the concept of natural history by following two characters, a stalactite and a stalagmite, as they grow together into a column over a period of thousands of years. The text is written as dialogue without any quotation marks, so the speaker of each line is indicated by the color of the words, which is a little confusing, but I enjoyed it, and so did the kids who read it. There is just the right amount of back matter in the book to contextualize the story.
• Are We There Yet? The First Road Trip Across the USA by Stacy McAnulty, illustrated by Elizabeth Baddeley. I really like this one, even though the text is too small. The pictures are really fun and engaging, and it's neat to see how old cars operated and all the challenges of making a road trip before the roads were equipped to handle that kind of travel over long distances. Elementary readers interested in vehicles and transportation will like this a lot. 
• You're a Poet by Sean Taylor, illustrated by Sam Usher. This is a fun introduction to writing poetry with a little piglet in overalls as the star. The pig is seriously adorable, and the suggestions for writing poetry inspired by everyday life really resonated with C., my budding poet. 

To Donate 

These aren't a fit for us and will be added to the next round of donations.

• Hap-Pea Easter by Keith Baker. The rhythm of the rhyming text in this one is off compared to other books from this series. It's also a very secular Easter book, and it seems to conflate Easter with the first day of spring. The pictures are very cute, and there is some talk of dying eggs, but it feels empty without the true meaning of the holiday. 
• Can't Stop Kissing that Baby by K.L. Going and Fiona Lee. The author of this book is from my hometown. The text reminds me a lot of More More More said the Baby, but it was somewhat awkward to read aloud. The illustrations include a family with a mom and a dad and a family with two moms. 
• Chicka Chicka I Love Mom and Chicka Chicka I Love Dad
  It's so strange to me that alphabet books would be so bad at introducing letter sounds. In both of these books, the rhythm and rhyme don't quite work, and almost none of the letters are associated with their sounds. The Mom version lost me when it used the abbreviation "j/k," and the Dad one reuses about half of the text from the Mom one, but it has its own poor use of those same letters. These will be donated. 
• River's Journey by Sally M. Walker and Kim Smith and Rock's Journey by Sally M. Walker and Kim Smith.  My kingdom for a preschool science book that isn't too simple or too complicated. These are board books, and their rhyming text is decent, but they're too short and simple for what I wanted to use them to teach. I would have loved these when I was doing story time, especially since the River one has a repeated refrain kids can join in on, but I don't have kids at this level anymore. I might pop these into a Little Free Library, though. They are well-done, just not for us anymore. 
• If I Could Choose a Best Day: Poems of Possiblity by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, illustrated by Olivia Sua. This collection of poems explores the power of imagination. A couple of the poets were familiar, but most are new to me. The pictures use mixed media, include cut paper, so those are fun to look at. There weren't many poems that stood out as a memorable, but it wasn't bad either.

Homeschool Update: January/February 2025

All Grades

Latin

After weeks of drilling the first and second declensions, we returned to daily lessons in Keep Going with Latin. 

Poetry

M. memorized "The Highwayman" -- finally. C. memorized "The Destruction of Sennacherib" by Lord Byron and "Pied Beauty" by Gerard Manley Hopkins, and now she is working on  "The Ballad of William Sycamore" by Stephen Vincent Benet. E. is working on "Casabianca" by Felicia Hemans.

Catechism

The girls continued memorizing a few questions each from the Catechism lessons.

Art

In January, we studied: 

• A Strawberry Girl by Joshua Reynolds
• The Banjo Lesson by Henry Ossawa Tanner
• George Washington, The Athenaeum by Gilbert Stuart 
• Follow The Leader by Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel

In February, we studied: 

• Abraham Lincoln (the Lincoln Memorial) by Daniel Chester French 
• The Stone Breakers by Gustave Courbet
• Little Miss Muffet by Jessie Wilcox
• The Horse Fair by Rosa Bonheur

Music 

The girls have continued watching Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts on Wednesday evenings, as well as some additional musical performances. All three continue to practice recorder and piano daily. C. is also practicing ukulele. 

5th Grade (M., girl, age 11)

Social Studies 

M. finished The Asian World and The Age of Empires in her Oxford textbook series and started The Age of Voyages. She watched related Great Courses episodes and completed workbook pages daily. 

Science 

M. continued watching John Long's Great Courses videos about robotics and did Arduino activities from Arduino for Beginners. 

English 

M. made further progress in Editor in Chief, Sentence Diagramming Level 2, and Easy Grammar, and she moved into Vocabulary from Classical Roots C. 

Math

M. continues to do a Challenging Word Problem each day. She is still working on Algebra I on Khan Academy (around 90% complete). She finished Life of Fred: Pre-algebra 0 with Physics and moved on to Pre-Algebra 1 with Biology. 

3rd Grade (C., girl, age 9)

Social Studies

C. studied WWI and WWII. She watched Wartime Farm (her favorite), Dunkirk, Sink the Bismarck, Station X, The Battle of the Bulge, and The Longest Day. 

English

C. continued working on Sentence Diagramming Level 2, Daily Grams, and Vocabulary from Classical Roots A. 

Science 

C. continued working independently on The Book of Birds. We worked together on Snap Circuits, but started to find that it was too much, so we switched gears. She watched the first episode of The Mystery of Matter and we tried reading Romance of Chemistry, but it was too much for her, so we switched to Mystery of the Periodic Table by Benjamin Wiker, and that's going well. She is still doing a few Snap Circuits projects the last week of each month.

Math

C. continued working on Singapore Primary Mathematics 4B, including correcting past incorrect answers. She finished Life of Fred: Honey and moved onto Life of Fred: Ice Cream. She finished Khan Academy 7th grade math and moved on to 8th grade math. 

1st Grade (E., girl, age 7)

Social Studies 

We jumped ship with Story of Civilization because it was disorganized and tedious and picked up with A Picturesque Tale of Progress beginning with the Renaissance. We started reading about Marco Polo as February ended. 

Science 

Let's Read and Find Out About Science was too easy, so we switched to Isaac Asimov's How Did We Find Out About series. We have read about earthquakes, volcanoes, coal, and oil so far. 

English

E. continued working in Sentence Diagramming Beginning and Easy Grammar Workbook 3-4. 

Math

E. finished Singapore Primary Mathematics 2B and Singapore Primary Mathematics 3A part 1, and she finished Life of Fred: Dogs. She is now 40% through 6th grade math on Khan Academy.

Pre-K (R., boy, age 4 & A., girl, age 4)

We started reading aloud The Golden Book of Cavemen. 

A. read many Hooked on Phonics readers and some other easy readers. 

Both twins worked on Early Math Review in Khan Academy and practiced with the soroban. 

R. is reading chapter books. 

Read-at-Home Mom Report: February 2025

I'm realizing that, with the number of books I'm reading (over 50 already in 2025), listing every single one, along with its author and star rating, is going to take up more time than I really want to spend on a blog post. So starting this month, I'm just going to highlight a few favorites, and the rest will be on Goodreads if you'd like to see them. I will continue to share what my family is reading in its entirety (they read a lot less than I do!) At the end of this post, I've also added brief thoughts on a bunch of picture books I've received for review from publishers over the past few months. 

February Favorites 

An Overdue Match by Sarah Monzon
I really enjoyed this romance in which the main character is a match-making librarian who has alopecia, and the hero is her co-worker's cousin. I had to suspend my disbelief a bit when the story was talking about patron check-out records because librarians don't keep those, and definitely couldn't share them or use them for anything if they did. But the writing is impeccable, and so was the audiobook narrations. 

Back After This by Linda Holmes

Linda Holmes's writing never fails to engage me. I was hooked on this book from the first word to the last and could not stop laughing at so many clever lines. There are some spicy scenes, but none were so explicit that I had to skip them. 

Three Days in June by Anne Tyler

I love Anne Tyler's amazing ability to make everyday people and their lives interesting. The socially-awkward 60-something main character of her latest novel was someone I related to very strongly, and I actually cheered at the end of the book. I will probably read this again before too long. 

The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie by Rachel Linden

I was looking for a romance involving magical realism for a romance reading challenge, and Jennifer from @sweet.cleanreads on Instagram recommended this one. It was so good! There was the right amount of magic for my non-fantasy brain, and there were some every bittersweet moments. There is a Hallmark movie based on this, and I want to watch it now!

Valentine on Palmar Island by Suzanne Ash

Jennifer also recommended this author, and I was so impressed by the atmospheric writing. She writes a lot of short romance, and I plan to binge-read more of her books this spring. 

Between the Pages by Jamie Kleinkauf 

Looking up Suzanne Ash led me to this romance involving a letter and a bookstore. Again, I was totally impressed by the writing, and I can't wait to read more! 

Lethal White by Robert Galbraith 

I love this series so much. I was originally not worried about catching up in time to read the new one when it's published this September, but then I found a podcast that spoils all the books that I really want to listen to, so now I'm binging the books I have left so I can get going on that.  

The Rival by Emma Lord 
I loved the writing in this YA college romance. I don't always love the content in this author's books, but I always learn something as a writer when I read her work.  

Betrayal by Harold Pinter
My favorite actor, Robert Sean Leonard (Wilson on House, MD) is acting in this play right now and I listened to him talk about it on a podcast and he made it sound so interesting, I read the ebook on Everand. It's one of those plays where it feels like not much happens, but then it sticks with you for days. 

Read-Alouds

• The Drum Goes Dead by Bess Streeter Aldrich
  We read this Christmas story very late, but I really loved the writing style and the message. The kids enjoyed it. 
• The Open Gate by Kate Seredy
  This was a re-read for me, but the first time reading it aloud. The girls laughed a lot at the grandmother in the story, and they were interested in the impact of the bombing of Pearl Harbor on ordinary Americans. 
• The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye
  I loved this clever, fun little fairy tale based on the rhyme "Lavender's Blue." C. (age 9) clapped when the couple fell in love, which was very cute. 

Family Reading Lists 

M. (girl, 11 years, 3 months)

• Bowman of Crecy by Ronald Welch
• The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
• The View From Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg
• Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
• The Second Mrs. Giaconda by E. L. Konigsburg
• Henry Reed, Inc. by Keith Robertson 

C. (girl, 9 years, 5 months) 

• Caterpillar Hall by Ann Barrett  
• Katie's War by Aubrey Flegg
• Katie Parker and the House That Cried by Margaret Mulligan 
• Doodlebug Summer by Alison Prince
• The Story of D-Day by Bruce Bliven 
• 26 Fairmount Avenue by Tomie dePaola 
• Here We All Are by Tomie dePaola
• On My Way by Tomie dePaola
• What a Year! by Tomie dePaola
• Things Will Never be the Same by Tomie dePaola
• I'm Still Scared by Tomie dePaola
• Why? by Tomie dePaola
• For the Duration by Tomie dePaola
• Twenty and Ten by Claire Huchet Bishop 
• Number the Stars by Lois Lowry 
• The Ballet Family by Jean Estoril
• The Lost Umbrella of Kim Chu by Eleanor Estes 
• The House of Sixty Fathers by Meindert de Jong 

E. (girl, 7 years, 4 months) 

• Mossflower by Brian Jacques 
• Miss Hickory by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey 
• The Finches' Fabulous Furnace by Roger Wolcott Drury
• The Apple and the Arrow by Conrad and Mary Buff 
• Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum

R. (boy, 4 years, 11 months)

• Meet Thomas Jefferson by Marvin Barrett
• Jenny and the Cat Club by Esther Averill 
• The School for Cats by Esther Averill 
• Jenny's Moonlight Adventure by Esther Averill 
• Jenny's Birthday Book by Esther Averill 
• Dan Frontier, Sheriff by Willam Hurley 
• Dan Frontier Goes Exploring by William Hurley 

A. (girl, 4 years, 11 months)

• Ann's Hat 
• Pop Fox
• The Fog
• Pom Pom
• The Big Log
• Tub Fun 
• Dog Bug 
• Mutt and Pup 
• Pig Fun 
• Mittens by Lola M. Schaefer 
• Follow Me, Mittens Lola M. Schaefer 

Picture Book Review Copies

Meet the Mini-Mammals by Melissa Stewart, illustrated by Brian Lies

Structured as a tour through a natural history museum led by a ferret, this informational book highlights the world's ten tiniest mammals, showing them at actual size and depicting them in their natural habitats. The twins - and especially my son, R. - really enjoyed this. 

L is for Love by Atinuke, illustrated by Angela Brooksbank
This is the latest in a series from this author/illustrator duo starring the same family. In this book, focused on the letter L, they travel from their home to Lagos, where they shop and spend the day. A. enjoyed this one because she could read many of the words, and because there is a baby in the pictures. 

Cold by Tim McCanna, illustrated by Ramona Kaultizki 

This rhyming book describes the cold and the reaction of different animals to wintry conditions. It's not especially memorable, and it ends with a long lecture on climate change that doesn't feel appropriate for a children's book. (I didn't read that part aloud when I read it to A.) We probably won't keep this one. 

The Keeper of Stories by Caroline Kusin Pritchard, illustrated by Selina Alko
I read this historical picture book about the 1966 fire at the Jewish Theological Seminary Library in New York to myself. It was a solid story showing how the community surrounding this library came together to save its stories. I liked the pictures, and as a librarian, I related to the sadness and difficulty surrounding such a disaster. It didn't feel necessary to read this to my kids, and they didn't select it from the pile, so I didn't push. 

Follow Your Heart by Emma Dodd
We have had several Emma Dodd books over the years, and they're all essentially the same. They highlight the relationship between parent and child using animals and their behaviors. I requested this one because my son loves ocean animals, and both R. and A. enjoyed it. 

Ten-Word Tiny Tales of Love by Joseph Coelho and 21 Artist Friends
I loved Ten-Word Tiny Tales, in which each of a bunch of children's illustrators lent their styles to stories told in just ten words. This is the love-themed edition of that same concept. I didn't think these were quite as good, but I loved the general idea and would read more if they do more of these. 

Bouncing Bunnies by Fiz Osborne, illustrated by Tim Budgen
When I used to do story time for 100+ toddlers and nannies, I always looked for books included opportuinities for physical movement. This one is perfect for that. It goes back and forth between bunnies doing calm, quiet things and those same bunnies raucously jumping, leaping, bouncing, etc, all actions that kids can imitate. I don't love it as a book for one-on-one reading, but for those large groups, it's excellent. 

Rocket Puppies by William Joyce

I usually try to request books by well-known favorite children's authors, which is how I ended up with this weird one. It's really weird, and oddly political in at least one spot, and it basically says that all the world needs to stop being sad is a lot of puppies to fall out of the sky. Not my cup of tea. But this author's The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore is very good. 

Snow Is... by Laura Gehl, illustrated by Sonia Sanchez

This is a long litany of metaphors describing snow. Most of them didn't work for me. I did like the illustrations, but I wish there had been a story to go with them rather than vague poetry. 

Eat Like a Bear by April Pulley Sayre, illustrated by Steve Jenkins

I like this author and illustrator and they were a good match for this book. It follows a bear through various activities, including eating, drinking, hunting, and fishing, giving little kids a lot of  interesting information about bears. My son is a fan of bears, and I requested this for him. 

Vulture View by April Pulley Sayre, illustrated by Steve Jenkins 

This book is by that same pair, and it's a Geisel Honor book. It's a bit different because the text is very simple and intended to be read by an emerging reader, but the pictures are great, and they give a good sense of what vultures are like. We see a lot of vultures in our neighborhood, so this was the perfect opportunity to learn more about them. 

The Last Zookeeper by Aaron Becker 

I love this author's wordless picture book trilogy (Journey, Quest, and Return), and this is another wordless title from him. In a futuristic world, a robot called NOA must save the animals from a flood. This book gave me a weird feeling, and I just didn't care for it. I don't think it will stay on our shelves. 

Read-at-Home Mom Report: January 2025 Wrap-Up

January Favorites 

The Sons of Scandal series: 1. Memory Lane 2. Rocky Road 3. Uneasy Street 
The books in this trilogy were my top reads of the month. I loved the writing, the characters, and the way the stories combined mystery and romance with healing and reconciliation. I listened to them all on audio and the narration was excellent.  I really can't say enough good things about these. 

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
I bought this years ago and finally read it, and it was so, so good. The Close Reads podcast helped me understand it, but truly, there is nothing I like more than a 20th century American novel. I will read this again, possibly every year the way I do Brideshead Revisited. 

You Like it Darker by Stephen King 
A surprise favorite - Stephen King short stories and novellas! I loved most of these. They weren't scary, but they were very thought-provoking and the writing was excellent. My favorite was the short story that was an homage to "A Good Man is Hard to Find." 

Merritt and Her Childhood Crush by Emma St. Clair and Jenny Proctor
I read this whole trilogy (but not the connected novella yet) and enjoyed them all, but this was my clear favorite. I loved both main characters and just really enjoyed seeing how they got together. 

Review Copies

What Happened to the McCrays? by Tracey Lange (Netgalley - 4 stars)
This novel is about grief and family ties, regrets and reconciliation, small town life and a little bit of hockey. It was similar to the other book I've read by this author, We Are the Brennans, and it made me want to go back and pick up her second book, The Connellys of County Down. There is child loss at the center of this book, which normally I would avoid, but the writing was so good, and there is one scene in particular that was so touching I'm glad I didn't miss it. 

The Ballad of Darcy and Russell by Morgan Matson (from publisher)
I had this in hardcover from the publisher but listened to the audiobook. As she has in other books (especially Save the Date) Matson does a great job of introducing a lot of characters and making them all feel real and believable. I also always love her writing. 

The Happy Writer by Marissa Meyer (Netgalley - 4 stars)
This audiobook is based on Marissa Meyer's (now-defunct) podcast about being optimistic in the writing life. Some of what is in this book was a little new age and "woo woo" for me, but on the whole, I found Meyer's outlook refreshing and some of the advice, especially about beta readers, very helpful. I wasn't familiar with the podcast before the book, but I listened to an episode and plan to listen to more, even though it came to an end when the book was published. 

Uneasy Street by Becky Wade (Netgalley - 5 stars)
*releases February 14
This third book in the Sons of Scandal series was an enemies-to-lovers romance with depth and substance. I loved seeing Max and Sloane fall in love and also watching all the pieces of the overarching story of the series fall into place. I loved Sloane's relationship with her niece, Ivy, and her niece's quest to find a long-lost biological family member her deceased mom kept from her. That was my favorite side plot of the whole series. I also loved Max's interactions with Ivy and how those interactions fueled his relationship with Sloane. 

Read-Alouds 

These read-alouds were all re-reads for me. 

• Amahl and the Night Visitors by Frances Frost (5 stars)
• Francie on the Run by Hilda van Stockum (4 stars)
• Winter Holiday by Arthur Ransome (5 stars)

Series and Sequels

• Where There's Smoke (The Men of Engine 17 Book 4) by Ash Keller (3 stars)
• The Princess and the Pizza Man (Frostville Book 1) by Cassie Mae (3 stars)
• Cinder Luna (Once Upon a RomCom Book 1) by Marie Soleil (4 stars)
• Snowbound Heart (Sweetly Contemporary Collection Book 6) by Jennifer Blake (4 stars)
• Five Little Pigs (Hercule Poirot Book 25) by Agatha Christie (4 stars)
• Just Friends Forever (Sheppards in Love Book 2) (4 stars)
• Eloise and the Grump Next Door (Oakley Island Book 1) (4 stars)
• Sadie and the Bad Boy Billionaire (Oakley Island Book 3) (4 stars)

Stand-alone Books

• Writing Flash Fiction: How to Write Very Short Stories and Get Them Published by Carly Berg (3 stars)
• Writing Between the Sexes by Leight Michaels (5 stars)
• Frankenstein (1831 edition) by Mary Shelley (4 stars)
  *The newest Simon & Schuster edition has been edited by sensitivity readers, and I do not recommend it.
• The Long Shot by Laura Abbott (4 stars)
• A Hundred Million Francs by Paul Berna (4 stars)
• Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten (4 stars) 

Family Reading Lists

All the kids are reading independently on some level now, so for the sake of brevity, I will only be sharing the books they read on their own this year. 

M. (girl, 11 years, 2 months)

• The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetus and Steve Sheinkin 
• Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
• The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster 
• Sands of Time by Michael Hoeye 

C. (girl, 9 years, 4 months)

• Kathleen's Shaken Dreams by Tracy Leininger Craven
• Kathleen's Unforgettable Winter by Tracy Leininger Craven
• Kathleen's Abiding Hope by Tracy Leininger Craven
• Kathleen's Enduring Faith by Tracy Leininger Craven
• The Chestry Oak by Kate Seredy
• Emma on Thin Icing by Coco Simon
• Alexis and the Perfect Recipe by Coco Simon
• Mary-Mary Stories by Joan G. Robinson (read to A.) 

E. (girl, 7 years, 3 months)

• Fox's Feud by Colin Dann
• Dr Dolittle's Circus by Hugh Lofting
• The Enormous Egg by Oliver Butterworth
• A Brother for the Orphelines by Natalie Savage Carlson 

R. (boy, 4 years, 10 months)

• Eddie and the Fire Engine by Carolyn Haywood
• Meet Benjamin Franklin by Maggie Scarf
• Meet Abraham Lincoln by Barbara Cary
• Meet George Washington by Joan Heilbroner 
• All About Sam by Lois Lowry (read to him by me, M., C., and E., as well as himself)

A. (girl, 4 years, 10 months)

• Pig Wig Can Hit
• Tag
• Sam and the Mitt

My husband 

• The Fourteenth of October by Bryher 
• Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien
• A Hundred Million Francs by Paul Berna 

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

As happened last year, I jumped right into the new year without finishing off last year's reading. Whoops! Here's the latest 2024 reading update. 

December Favorites

• The Christmas Book Hunt by Jenny Colgan
  I had never read this author before, and this was a very sweet holiday story.
• Five Stolen Rings by Gracie Ruth Mitchell 
  I love the way this author combines romance with mystery. The Home Alone references were really cute. 
• The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter 
  This was so well-written and so entertaining. Also a combination mystery/romance. 
  
  
  

• The Diddakoi by Rumer Godden
  I picked this at random from our shelves to read with my husband and our friend, and we all really enjoyed it. I kept saying it was like Blubber, but with travelers. 
• The Answer is No by Fredrik Backman 
  I hadn't read any Backman in a while, and I could not get over how good this was. It's a funny commentary on our current cultural climate.

Series and Sequels

• Cotswolds Holiday (Christmas Escape Book 7) by Kasey Stockson (3 stars)  
• Christmas After All (Happily Ever After All Book 1) by Cece Louise (3 stars)
• Christmas Tree Connection (Christmas Kisses & Cookie Crumbs Book 1) by Elle Rush (4 stars)
• First Term at Malory Towers (Malory Towers Book 1) by Enid Blyton (3 stars)
• Katie and the Cupcake Cure (Cupcake Diaries Book 1) by Coco Simon (4 stars)
• Mia in the Mix (Cupcake Diaries Book 2) by Coco Simon (3 stars)
• A Merry Little Murder Plot (Library Lover's Mystery Book 15) by Jenn McKinlay  
• Booked for Murder (Old Juniper Bookstore Mysteries Book 1) by P.J. Nelson (4 stars)
• Holiday Lights and Cocoa Cookie Nights (Christmas Kisses & Cookie Crumbs Book 2) by Meg Easton (4 stars)
• Jingle Bell Jilt (Gift-Wrapped Romance Book 5) by Mindy Burbidge Strunk (3 stars)
• Cocoa Kisses (Creekville Kisses Book 5) by Melanie Jacobson (4 stars)
• The Christmas Pact (Mountain Springs Christmas Book 1) by Meg Easton (4 stars) 
• The Christmas Bet (Mountain Springs Christmas Book 2) by Meg Easton (4 stars)
• St. Nick and Me are Mint To Be (Christmas Kisses & Cookie Crumbs Book 3) by Tamie Dearen (3 stars) 
• The Christmas Clause (Mountain Springs Christmas Book 3) by Meg Easton (4 stars)
• Molasses and Mr. Christmas (Christmas Kisses & Cookie Crumbs Book 6) by Lindsey Jesionowski (3 stars)
• Tying the Knot with her Sweet Scrooge (Christmas Kisses & Cookie Crumbs Book 5) by Ginny Sterling (2 stars)
• Madeleine's Mistletoe Meet Cute (Christmas Kisses & Cookie Crumbs Book 4) by Ellie Hall (2 stars)
• His Stand-in Holiday Girlfriend (Christmas in the City Book 1) by Kasey Stockton (4 stars) 
• Season's Schemings (Cyclones Christmas Book 1) by Katie Bailey (4 stars)  
• Trapped Under the Christmas Tree (Christmas Tree, PA Sweet Romcom Book 1) by Jessie Gussman (3 stars)

Stand-Alone Books 

• A Christmas Journey by Anne Perry (4 stars) 
• Holiday Hideaway by Mary Kay Andrews (4 stars)
• So Into You by Kathleen Fuller (3 stars)
• Judith Lankester by Marjorie Hill Allee (2 stars)
• A Bit Much by Lyndsay Rush (4 stars)
• Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne (4 stars)
• Strange New World by Carl Trueman (4 stars)
• A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas (5 stars)
• Cookies, Lies, & Homicide by Angela Henry (3 stars)
• The Reed of God by Caryll Houselander (5 stars)
• Winter Dreams by F. Scott Fitzgerald (5 stars)

Family Reading Lists

M. (girl, 11 years, 1 month) 

• The Trumpeter of Krakow by Erik P. Kelly 

C. (girl, 9 years, 3 months) 

• The Singing Tree by Kate Seredy
• Katie and the Cupcake Cure by Coco Simon 
• Katie's War by Aubrey Flegg 
• Mia in the Mix by Coco Simon

E. (girl, 7 years, 2 months)

• The Marvelous Land of Oz by L. Frank Baum

R. (boy, 4 years, 9 months) 

• Penny and Peter by Carolyn Haywood 
• Mr. Putter and Tabby Pour the Tea by Cynthia Rylant 
• Mr. Putter and Tabby Bake the Cake by Cynthia Rylant 
• Poppleton in Winter by Cynthia Rylant 
• The Cozy Home by Ame Dyckman
• Construction Site: Taking Flight! by Sherri Duskey Rinker 
• Construction Site Mission: Demolition! by Sherri Duskey Rinker
• Three Cheers for Kid McGear! by Sherri Duskey Rinker
• Construction Site: Garbage Crew to the Rescue! by Sherri Duskey Rinker
• Construction Site: Farming Strong, All Year Long by Sherri Duskey Rinker
• Mighty, Mighty Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker
• Construction Site: Road Crew, Coming Through! by Sherri Duskey Rinker
• Construction Site on Christmas Night by Sherri Duskey Rinker
• Dan Frontier, Trapper by William Hurley 
• Dan Frontier with the Indians by William Hurley 
• Robert the Rose Horse by Joan Heilbroner 
• Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
• The Diggingest Dog by Al Perkins 
• I Am Not Going to Get Up Today by Dr. Seuss
• Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman 
• The Mysteries of the Universe by Will Gater

A. (girl, 4 years, 9 months) 

• More Ant and Bee (a few pages) by Angela Banner 
• Pig Wig Can Hit 
• Tag 
• The Cat Family Christmas by Lucy Brownridge
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar's 5-Minute Stories 
• Tom and Pippo and the Bicycle by Helen Oxenbury

My Top 30 Books of 2024

It has been a long time since it was this hard to narrow down my top books of the year. I was aiming for a top twenty-four, but couldn't get to a number smaller than thirty.  This year's favorites are divided into five categories: Catholic fiction, Catholic nonfiction, romance, nonfiction & poetry, and other fiction, with a bonus category for the books I was published in. 

Catholic Fiction

The first three books in this category were all published by Chrism Press, my new favorite publisher of Catholic fiction. Whatever the genre, this publisher hits it out of the park every time. The three titles that made my list are a romance, a mystery novel with horror elements, and a historical fiction novel.  I can't wait for more books by these writers. 

• Love in the Eternal City by Rebecca W. Martin
• Wake of Malice by Eleanor Bourg Nicholson
• To Crown with Liberty by Karen Ullo

I also loved these two "classic" Catholic novels, the first of which is a lengthy sci-fi novel that I read with my book club, and the second of which is a Graham Green-esque novel that I read along with Close Reads.

• Voyage to Alpha Centauri by Michael D. O'Brien
• Vipers' Tangle by Francois Mauriac 

The other three books in this category were, respectively, a teen romance graphic novel, a beautifully-crafted fictionalized biography of Julian of Norwich, and a short story collection that reminds readers of the true significance of the Catholic season of Hallowtide. 

• Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang
• I, Julian by Claire Gilbert
• Shadows: Visible & Invisible by Catholic Teen Books  

Catholic Nonfiction

The other four Catholic nonfiction titles on my list are an incredibly concise and well-written spiritual biography of my literary hero, Flannery O'Connor, a 2005 critique of Catholic education that explains how parishes often rob parents of their exclusive God-given right to educate their children, a book of advice from nuns to mothers raising children, and the most beautiful tribute - in poetry- to Flannery O'Connor and her legacy. 

• The Terrible Speed of Mercy: A Spiritual Biography of Flannery O'Connor by Jonathan Rogers
• Designed to Fail: Catholic Education in America by Steve Kellmeyer
• Mother to Mother: Spiritual and Practical Wisdom from the Cloister to the Home by Mary Cuff
• Andalusian Hours: Poems from the Porch of Flannery O'Connor by Angela Alaimo O'Donnell

Romance 

Not one, but two YA romances made my list! Both are amazingly well-written, and both have sequels that I am eager to read very soon. 

• Better than the Movies by Lynn Painter
• Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce

The other romances were also amazingly well-written. Three contemporary, one romantic suspense rom-com, and one sci-fi romance. 

• Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
• Cole and Laila Are Just Friends by Bethany Turner 
• The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter 
• Released by Amber Kirkpatrick 

Nonfiction & Poetry 

In this category is another favorite book by a favorite author, an entertaining look into the very interesting mind of a true independent thinker, a short but beautifully memoir of Eudora Welty's writing roots, the best craft book I've read about flash fiction, and a collection of poems I know I didn't understand, but which I loved so much I read it both my eyes and my ears.  

• This is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett 
• Abominations: Selected Essays from a Career of Courting Self-Destruction by Lionel Shriver 
• One Writer's Beginnings by Eudora Welty 
• Going Short: An Invitation to Flash Fiction by Nancy Stohlman
• Four Quartets by T.S. Eliot 

Other Fiction 

And finally, the remaining titles are a hodgepodge: 

• The Road by Cormac McCarthy
  A powerful novel that made me bawl
  
  
• Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor
  A humorous and poignant novel about loneliness and age 
  
  
• ...And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer
  A sweeping historical novel about post-Civl War middle America, which is the longest book I've ever read 

• A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton Porter 
  The best coming-of-age audiobook I've ever heard 
  
  

• Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith
  The second book in a new favorite series
  
  
• The Answer is No by Fredrik Backman
  A hilariously thought-provoking short story that snuck in just under the wire on December 30 
  
  
• The Diddakoi by Rumer Godden
  A lovely, concise middle grade novel, also sneaking in at the last minute, about a vulnerable child, do-gooders, and bullies.

My Books 

Finally, here is the list of books in which my own fiction appeared in 2024: 

• Summer Sweethearts by me and Rachel Lawrence
• Tails, Scales, & Tiaras edited by Meghan Kleinschmidt 
• Library Lovebirds by me 

• Another Chance to Get It Right edited by Nicole Frail  
• Written Tales Chapbook XV: Echoes of Ink edited by Kevin Saitta
• 12 Days of Book-Club-Mas Vol. VII from Once Upon a Book Club 

And wait for it...

The Bennetts Bloom releases in two weeks, on January 14th! You can pre-order the ebook for Kindle now. Paperbacks go on sale on release day.