Tuesday, October 1, 2024

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

September Favorites 



  • Shadows: Visible & Invisible by Catholic Teen Books
    This is another excellent collection from the Catholic Teen Books team, this time about Hallowtide. This is one of my favorite parts of the liturgical year, and I love that the stories all drive home the true Catholic meaning of Halloween.  

  • Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor
    I loved this novel, which I read with the Close Reads podcast. It's a melancholy book, but also very funny in many ways. I will definitely want to re-read at some point. 

  • Wake of Malice by Eleanor Bourg Nicholson 
    Another amazing Catholic novel from Chrism Press. This one is a historical mystery with some supernatural/horror elements handled with Catholic sensibilities. The dialogue is amazing in this one, and I loved the Irish setting. 

  • To Be Where You Are (Mitford Years Book 14) by Jan Karon 
    I was putting off reading this because I didn't want the series to end, but then the author announced she's writing another book, so it was safe to read this one. It was excellent. Now I'm just sad that John McDonough, the audiobook narrator, passed away, because no one else will ever be the voice of these characters for me.


Read-Aloud Books

  • The Well-Wishers (Tales of Magic Book 6) by Edward Eager (4 stars)


Series and Sequels 

  • Making a Play (The Field Party Book 5) by Abbi Glines (3 stars)
  • Game Changer (The Field Party Book 6) by Abbi Glines (3 stars)
  • One Happy Summer (Falling for Summer Book 6) by Becky Monson (5 stars)
  • Nothing Better Than You (Better than the Movies Book 1.6) by Lynn Painter (5 stars)
  • A World of Curiosities (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache Book 18) by Louise Penny (3 stars)
  • Make A Wish For Me (Beany Malone Book 6) by Lenora Mattingly Weber (3 stars)
  • Storybook Romance (The Heart of Main Street, #4) by Lissa Manley (4 stars)
  • Easy as Pie (Sweater Weather Book 5) by Carina Taylor (2 stars)
  • A Not So Fictional Fall (Sweater Weather Book 6) by Savannah Scott (3 stars)
  • On the Shelf (The Men of Engine 17 Book 2) by Ash Keller (4 stars)
  • The Sequel (The Book Series Book 2) by Jean Hanff Korelitz (4 stars)
  • But He's My Grumpy Neighbor (But He's a Carter Brother Book 1) by Annah Conwell (3 stars)


Stand-Alone Books

  • Waiting for Christmas by Lynn Austin (4 stars)
  • The Rancher Next Door by Betsy St. Amant (4 stars)
  • The Christmas Tree Farm by Melody Carlson (4 stars)
  • Ring Out, Bow Bells! by Cynthia Harnett (4 stars)
  • The Holiday Cottage by Sarah Morgan (4 stars) 


Family Reading Lists


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

  • Knights Besieged by Nancy Faulkner
  • Knight Crusader by Ronald Welch 

C. (girl, 9 years old)

  • Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders by Henry Castor
  • The Boxer Rebellion by Irving Werstein 
  • Shaken Days by Marion Garthwaite 
  • The Story of Madame Curie by Alice Thorne
  • The Panama Canal by by Robert Bernard Considine
  • The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire by Elaine Landau
  • War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
  • August the Fourth by Penelope Farmer 

E. (girl, 6 years, 11 months old)

  • Redwall by Brian Jacques
  • Mischievous Meg by Astrid Lindgren

R. (boy, 4 years, 6 months)

  • Amazing Sharks 
  • When an Animal Grows
  • Hidden Animals
  • Hattie Be Quiet, Hattie Be Good
  • Biscuit 

A. (girl, 4 years, 6 months)

  • Dad and Sam 

Twins' read-alouds:

  • Bedtime for Frances
  • A Baby Sister for Frances 
  • Five Minutes Peace
  • Make Way for Ducklings
  • Curious George Gets a Medal
  • Goodnight Moon 
  • No Roses for Harry 
  • Millions of Cats
  • The Red Carpet 

My husband 

  • Crossbows and Crucifixes by Henry Garnett
  • Ring Out Bow Bells by Cynthia Harnett 
  • The Well-Wishers by Edward Eager 

Tuesday, September 10, 2024

Homeschool Curriculum and Schedule: 2024-2025

Our sixth official year of homeschooling has begun! This year, I have three school-age kids. According to Maryland they are in 5th grade (M., girl, almost 11), 3rd grade (C., girl, almost 9), and 1st grade (E., girl, almost 7), though they all vehemently disagree with these classifications. I also have two four-year-olds (R., boy and A., girl) who are doing Pre-K stuff from September to January and kindergarten stuff from January on.


All Grades 

All school-age children will be memorizing poems, geography, and Catechism questions and answers. They will also also participate in Latin exercises from Keep Going with Latin by William Linney. P.E. will be a combination of bike riding, running laps, and playing at the park. They also swam all summer. For art, we are using an elementary art curriculum from Concordia University. The school-age kids also use Typing.com to practice typing, and they review their math facts using online flashcards. 


5th Grade

Social Studies

  • Medieval & Early Modern World series (with workbooks) from Oxford University Press 
    Daily, plus two narrations per month 

Science

English

  • Editor in Chief Level 1
    Friday

  • Write Source 2000
    Monthly writing assignment

  • Sentence Diagramming Level 2
    Monday 

  • Easy Grammar
    Five pages every Thursday 

  • Vocabulary from Classical Roots B
    Monday and Thursday

Math

  • Life of Fred: Pre-algebra 0 with Physics
    Friday, with Dad

  • Elementary Algebra by Harold W. Jacobs; Khan Academy Algebra
    daily, taught by Dad 

  • Singapore Challenging Word Problems 4
    one problem daily 

Health 

  • The Care and Keeping of You: Body Book for Girls 2 
    monthly or less

Music 

  • Denes Agay Book 3 ; The Soprano Recorder by William M. Weiss
    daily practice of piano and recorder 

3rd Grade 

Social Studies

  • The Century by Peter Jennings and other 20th century resources
    daily, with Dad

Science

  • The Book of Birds (and workbook) and Student Guide for Electronic Snap Circuits
    alternating weeks, Tuesday and Thursday, and sometimes Friday

English

  • Sentence Diagramming Level 2
    Friday

  • Daily Grams
    daily

  • Vocabulary from Classical Roots 6
    Tuesday and Thursday

Math

  • Singapore Primary Mathematics 4B
    daily

  • Life of Fred: Honey
    Friday 
  • Khan Academy Sixth Grade Math
    daily 

Health 

  • The Care and Keeping of You: Body Book for Girls 1
    monthly or less

Music 

  • Denes Agay Book 2; 50 Graded Studies for Recorder, and Recorder Time
    daily practice of piano and recorder


1st Grade


Social Studies

  • The Story of Civilization Volume 2
    Monday 

  • supplemental picture books
    weekly 

Science

  • Let's Read and Find Out About Science series 
    grouped weekly by theme, one book per weekday 

English 

  • Sentence Diagramming Beginning
    daily

  • Easy Grammar Workbook 34
    daily 

Math

  • Singapore Primary Mathematics 2B
    daily 

  • Life of Fred: Apples
    Friday 


Music

  • Denes Agay Primer and Hands on Recorder
    daily practice of piano and recorder  

Pre-K

  • Let's Read and Find Out About Science series 
    grouped weekly by theme, one book per weekday 

  • The Ordinary Parents' Guide to Teaching Reading
    A. only, daily 

  • Liberty's Kids history video series
    several times per week

  • Other skills: riding a bike, cutting with scissors


Thursday, September 5, 2024

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

August Favorites

This was my biggest reading month of the year because of the Sealey Challenge, for which I read one poetry collection every single day of the month. The first few favorites on my list are the best of the 31 poetry volumes I read.




Andalusian Hours: Poems from the Porch of Flannery O'Connor by Angela Alaimo O'Donnell
I was really skeptical about these sonnets written in the voice of Flannery O'Connor, and they completely blew me away. I teared up at the end of the book. This book is every Flannery fan's dream.  

Someone Somewhere Maybe by Sophie Diener
These poems reminded me of everything I like about my favorite YA novels. 

Goldenrod: Poems by Maggie Smith
There wasn't a word out of place in a single poem in this collection. 

In a Time of Distance: And Other Poems by Alexander McCall Smith
I thought I didn't like this author because his detective series didn't appeal to me, but these poems were so interesting and readable. 



Jupiter Rising by Gary D. Schmidt|
This sequel to Orbiting Jupiter is so emotional, and so satisfying. I'm convinced Gary D. Schmidt can't write a bad book.

Love in the Eternal City by Rebecca W. Martin
This is the Catholic romance novel of my dreams. It was an honor to be on the launch team.

Better than the Movies by Lynn Painter
This is my second book from this author, and the second one I gave five stars. There's some language but it didn't bother me. I loved the characters.

Mother to Mother: Spiritual and Practical Wisdom from the Cloister to the Home by Mary Elizabeth Cuff
I reviewed this for Catholic Mom. You can read what I loved about it in my review over there.

Going Short: An Invitation to Flash Fiction by Nancy Stohlman
This is one of the most inspiring writing craft books I've ever read. 


Sealey Challenge 

  • Break Your Glass Slippers by Amanda Lovelace (2 stars)
  • Ten Poems for Difficult Times by Roger Housden (4 stars)
  • Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets by Kwame Alexander (4 stars)
  • Everything Comes Next: Collected and New Poems by Naomi Shihab Nye (5 stars)
  • Pessimism for Beginners by Sophie Hannah (4 stars)
  • Questions About Angels by Billy Collins (5 stars)
  • How to Fly in Ten Thousand Easy Lessons by Barbara Kingsolver (4 stars)
  • A Piece of Good News: Poems by Katie Peterson (4 stars)
  • Summer Snow: New Poems by Robert Hass (3 stars)
  • Dearly by Margaret Atwood (4 stars)
  • Cautionary Verses by Hilaire Belloc (4 stars)
  • Celebrations: Rituals of Peace and Prayer by Maya Angelou (4 stars)
  • American Melancholy: Poems by Joyce Carol Oates (2 stars)
  • You Are Only Just Beginning: Lessons for the Journey Ahead by Morgan Harper Nichols (4 stars)
  • Some Things I Still Can't Tell You: Poems by Misha Collins (5 stars)
  • Aimless Love: New and Selected Poems by Billy Collins (5 stars)
  • When the Pie Was Opened by Jean Little (4 stars)
  • The sun and her flowers by Rupi Kaur (4 stars)
  • The Knopf National Poetry Month Collection (4 stars)
  • Love Poems by Pablo Neruda (4 stars)
  • Carver: A Life in Poems by Marilyn Nelson (4 stars)
  • Harbinger: Poems by Shelley Puhak (4 stars)
  • Classic Poems for Girls by Naxos Junior Classics (3 stars)
  • Classic Poems for Boys by Naxos Junior Classics (4 stars)
  • Zoom Rooms: Poems by Mary Jo Salter (4 stars)
  • Swimming Lessons: Poems by Lili Reinhart (4 stars)
  • The Milk Hours by John James (4 stars)

Read-Aloud Books 

  • Spider Sparrow by Dick King-Smith (4 stars)
  • The Little Grey Men by BB (4 stars)
  • Mystery at Witchend by Malcolm Saville (3 stars)

Series and Sequels 

  • Beany Has a Secret Life (Beany Malone Book 5) by Lenora Mattingly Weber (3 stars)
  • Plotting Summer (Falling for Summer Book 3) by Jess Heileman (4 stars)
  • Beauty and the Beach (Falling for Summer Book 5) by Gracie Ruth Mitchell (5 stars)
  • Rebel Summer (Falling for Summer Book 7) by Cindy Steel (3 stars)
  • The Silkworm (Cormoran Strike Book 2) by Robert Galbraith (4 stars)

Stand-Alone Books

  • Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis (5 stars)
  • The Destiny Thief: Essays on Writing, Writers and Life by Richard Russo (4 stars)
  • Guilty Creatures: Sex, God, and Murder in Tallahassee, Florida by Mikita Brottman (4 stars)
  • My Life Begins! by Patricia Maclachlan (5 stars)
  • Stella & Marigold by Annie Barrows (3 stars)
  • The Zebra's Great Escape by Katherine Rundell (3 stars)
  • Not Nothing by Gayle Forman (4 stars, but parents should screen content)
  • The Children Who Lived in a Barn by Eleanor Graham (3 stars)
  • Cue the Sun by Emily Nussbaum  (4 stars)
  • Girls Who Burn by M.K. Pagano (4 stars)


Family Reading Lists 


M. (girl, 10 years, 9 months old)

  • Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson 

C. (girl, 8 years, 11 months old)

  • Andrew Carnegie and the Age of Steel by Katherine Binney Shippen
  • Disaster at Johnstown: The Great Flood by Hildegarde Dolson
  • The Story of Thomas Alva Edison by Enid Lamonte Meadowcroft
  • Felicia the Critic by Ellen Conford
  • The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis 

E. (girl, 6 years, 10 months old) 

  • She is diligently working her way through Redwall, but not yet finished. 

R. (boy, 4 years, 5 months old)

Independently, he read these easy readers: 
  • Harry by the Sea
  • Frog and Toad 
  • Dragons Love Tacos
  • Chicken said Cluck
  • Woodchuck
  • What Have I Got?
  • Let's Get Turtles 
  • Seeds and More Seeds
  • Benny's Animals
  • Nate the Great 
  • Happy Jack
  • Terry and the Caterpillars
  • Emmett's Pig
  • Big Max 

He also looked at/listened to:  
  • Mr. Men series by Roger Hargreaves 
  • Mr. Putter and Tabby series by Cynthia Rylant 
  • I Spy Fantasy by Jean Marzollo and Walter Wick 
  • The Foggy, Foggy Forest by Nick Sharatt 
  • Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin 

A. (girl, 4 years, 5 months, old)

Independently, she worked on sounding out the words in Rag

She also looked at/listened to:  
  • Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin 
  • I Spy Fantasy by Jean Marzollo and Walter Wick
  • Picture My World by by Séverine Cordier (Illustrator), Cynthia Lacroix

My husband 

  • Hill of Little Miracles by Valenti Angelo
  • Spider Sparrow by Dick King-Smith 
  • Paula by Marguerite Vance 
  • Seeing Past Z: Nurturing the Imagination in a Fast-Forward World by Beth Kephart

    Thursday, August 1, 2024

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

    July Favorites


    Voyage to Alpha Centauri by Michael D. O'Brien
    This fantastic Catholic sci-fi novel is a real page-turner. I almost chose not to read it for book club due to the length, but then I couldn't put it down. It felt like the perfect mix of The Sparrow and Canticle for Leibowitz. 

    Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O'Nan 
    This novella about the last night at a closing Red Lobster was recommended by Ethan Joella when he appeared on the Book Bumble podcast. I really enjoyed the writing style. 

    Abominations: Selected Essays from a Career of Courting Self-Destruction by Lionel Shriver
    I admire Lionel Shriver because she has the courage of her convictions even when they're unpopular, and because I think her concerns about first amendment rights are valid and important. 

    The Feather Star by Patricia Wrightson 
    My husband recommended this vintage Australian middle grade coming-of-age novel, and it was the perfect summer read. I really loved the introspective, descriptive style.  


    Read-Aloud and Homeschool Books

    • Hitty, Her First Hundred Years by Rachel Field (with E., age 6) (4 stars)
    • Over the Blue Mountain by Conrad Richter (5 stars)
    • Katie John by Mary Calhoun (4 stars)
    • Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White (with C., age 8) (5 stars)
    • No Boats on Bannermere by Geoffrey Trease (5 stars)


    Sequels and Series Books

    • At First Spark (The Spark Brothers Book 4) by Liwen Ho (4 stars)
    • An Extra Spark (The Spark Brothers Book 5) by Liwen Ho (4 stars)
    • Murder at the Lakeside Library (Lakeside Library Mystery Book 1) by Holly Danvers (3 stars)
    • Summer Ever After (Falling for Summer Book 1) by Kortney Keisel (3 stars)
    • Beachy Keen (Falling for Summer Book 2) by Kasey Stockton (4 stars)
    • Summer Tease (Falling for Summer Book 4) by Martha Keyes (4 stars)
    • Love is a Roller Coaster (Sunkissed Summer Book 1) by Marie Soleil (4 stars)


    Stand-Alone Books

    • Not If You Break Up with Me First by G.F. Miller (4 stars)
    • The Summer Book Club by Susan Mallery (3 stars) 
    • The Same Bright Stars by Ethan Joella (3 stars)
    • No Way of Telling by Emma Smith (4 stars)
    • The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians: True Stories of the Magic of Reading by James Patterson and Matt Eversmann (3 stars)
    • The Unbearable Likeness of Bean by Dianne R. Thomas (4 stars)
    • Hearts Overboard by Becky Dean (4 stars)


    Family Reading Lists


    M. (girl, 10 years, 8 months)

    • The Black Riders by Violet Needham
    • Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling 


    C. (girl, 8 years, 10 months) 

    • Lincoln: A Photobiography by Russell Freedman
    • The Perilous Road by Willam O. Steele 
    • Kathleen, A Yankee Girl at Gettysburg by Alice Turner Curtis
    • The Wound of Peter Wayne by Leonard Wibberley

    E. (girl, 6 years, 9 months) 

    • Clover's Luck by Kallie George 

    R. (boy, 4 years, 4 months) 

    Independently, he read these easy readers: 
    • Father Bear Comes Home
    • Barkley 
    • A Fly Went By
    • The Happy Birthday Present
    • And I Mean It, Stanley
    • This Is the House Where Jack Lives
    • I Am Better Than You!
    • Little Bear’s Visit
    • More Tales of Oliver Pig
    • Johnny Lion’s Bad Day
    • Johnny Lion’s Book
    • Johnny Lion’s Rubber Boots
    • Chester
    • Little Chick's Big Day
    • Red Tag Comes Back
    • Robber Raccoon
    • Love is in the Air 
    • Who's a Pest?
    • Stop, Stop 
    • What Have I Got? 
    • Mr. Pine's Purple House
    • Mr. Pine's Mixed-Up Signs 
    • The Last One In is a Rotten Egg 
    He also looked at/listened to:  
    • The Bustletown series by Rotraut Susanne Berner 
    • Big Stuff: Dozer, Excavator, Mixer & More! by Joan Holub 
    • Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Life by Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan
    • An Anthology of Aquatic Life by Sam Hume
    • An Anthology of Intriguing Animals by Ben Hoare 
    • Little Miss/Mr. Men series by Roger Hargreaves 


    A. (girl, 4 years, 4 months)

    She has started reading consonant-vowel-consonant words grouped into families.

    She looked at/listened to these books: 
    • The Cats' Museum by Viviana Falleti 
    • Bubble Trouble by Margaret Mahy
    • Baby Dear by Esther and Eloise Wilkin 
    • Mercy Watson series by Kate DiCamillo 

    My husband 

    • The Feather Star by Patricia Wrightson 
    • Conversations with Maurice Sendak by Peter C. Kunze
    • Lands End by Mary Stolz



    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