Read-at-Home Mom's Top 23 Books of 2023

It's that time of year again! In 2023, I read 294 books, and from those I have chosen a top 23 plus a bonus list of my favorite children's and teens books I read this year. Books that were published in 2023 are marked with *. 

My Writing Community 

This year, several of the friends I have made through Flash Fiction Magic on Instagram have published novels. Though these are not necessarily in my preferred genres, it was wonderful to be able to read their work and share my thoughts with them in real time. 

Unleashed* by Amber Kirkpatrick is a fantasy romance with a grumpy coffee-addicted hero, Fen, who lives in a futuristic world where some people have super powers and are persecuted (and sometimes killed) because of it. There is great Catholic representation in this book, and Fen is a beloved favorite character in my writing group who stole my heart right along with everyone else's. 

Glass Helix* by Katee Stein is a young adult dystopian romance also set in a fascinating futuristic world. I fell in love with Mae and Khai and I was completely invested in the world of the story from beginning to end. There is darkness in this book,  but also so much light and hope. 

Where Darkness Dwells* by Andrea Renae is the first book in a fantasy trilogy set in a world immersed in darkness. A variety of points of view give us glimpses into different aspects of this world, and there is something for every reader, including family dynamics, romance, and adventure. I'm excited for book two!

Favorite Nonfiction 

I didn't realize how much nonfiction I was enjoying this year until I sat down to make this list and found so many five-star ratings.

The Habit of Being by Flannery O'Connor is the best book I read this year, and probably in my top three books of all time. These letters about her writing, her friendships, and her faith are such a treasure, especially for a Catholic writer. I felt as though I was getting to know this beloved author intimately, and I wanted to highlight every single bit of writing advice. I will definitely be re-reading this at some point. 

These Precious Days by Ann Patchett has stuck with me for months. It's an essay collection, and the most memorable piece in it is the essay she writes about quarantining with a friend who had cancer during the pandemic. There is a lot of Covid-related stuff I can't stomach even nearly four years later, but this managed to capture both the personal and universal experience of 2020 and I don't think a more perfect piece of writing about that time period exists.

The Nineties by Chuck Klosterman was a great nostalgic throwback to many of the fads and pop culture figures of my late childhood and teen years. It was interesting to view all these things with the benefit of hindsight and to look at how certain phenomena shaped the lives of people my age. 

It Was an Ugly Couch Anyway* by  Elizabeth Passarella is ostensibly the story of how the author and her husband nearly lost their minds trying to buy an apartment in New York City, but it's also just a memoir of New York City living that I really enjoyed. 

The Mind of the Maker by Dorothy L. Sayers is a book I'll need to reread to get the full impact, but it's a beautiful, philosophical reflection on how we, creatures made by God, ought to create. I read this with the Literary Life podcast, and it has converted me to a full-time listener. 

A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders is a college-level short story writing class in a single volume. I had a set of book darts on hand when I read this one, and I ran out and had to switch to post-its. There is so much valuable insight in every section, and I know I will want to revisit it. 

Times Three by Phyllis McGinley is a poetry collection by a 1950s housewife who enjoyed being a housewife. Her poems are very funny, and this collection is a Pulitzer winner. 

Finally, Credo* by Bishop Athanasius Schneider was a gift from my husband. It's a great explanation of the teachings of the Catholic faith explained in a no-nonsense and straightforward tone. 

Mysteries 

I feel like I didn't read that many mysteries this year at all, but these two were excellent. 

The Likeness by Tana French involves an undercover investigation, which I always love. 

The Appeal by Janice Hallett is told entirely in documents and I was so pleased with myself because I figured out one aspect of the story before the characters did. 

Romance 

I wrote a lot of romance this year, and I read a lot of romance to keep me in the right mindset. 

Yours Truly* by Abby Jimenez stood out because of its believable male protagonist whose introversion and social anxiety felt very real. 

The Road to Roswell* by Connie Willis is a hilarious sci-fi romance involving an alien and a road trip. It was delightful.  

Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other* by Bethany Turner is an enemies-to-lovers small-town romance with an important message about the price of fame. 

The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley* by Courtney Walsh features a quirky heroine who struggles to make friends but finds love when she begins to step out of her comfort zone. 

Arabella by Georgette Heyer is a Regency romance that made me laugh out loud with clever turns of phrase. 

Faking Christmas* by Kerry Winfrey is a hilarious and festive holiday romance that I loved almost as much as my favorite by this author, Very Sincerely Yours. 

Other Fiction 

The Optimist's Daughter by Eudora Welty has stuck with me for months after reading it with Close Reads. I love the way Welty observes and comments upon human nature. 

Tom Lake* by Ann Patchett is a beautifully written family story set during the pandemic and involving a mother, her daughters, and stories of her past. The audiobook narration by Meryl Streep is impeccable. 

A Lot Like Christmas by Connie Willis is a wonderful collection of Christmas short stories that I will definitely revisit in future holiday seasons. 

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Volume 1 by Beth Brower is a delightful historical novel told in diary entries and the last book I read in 2023. I can't wait to read the rest of the series!

Top Ten Favorite Children's & YA Books  

• Seven Percent of Ro Devereux* by Ellen O'Clover 
• Borrow My Heart* by Kasie West 
• Roland West, Loner by Theresa Linden 
• ...And Now Miguel by Joseph Krumgold 
• Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
• Shadow of the Hawk by Geoffrey Trease 
• The Labors of Hercules Beal* by Gary D. Schmidt 
• My Family and Other Skaters* by Fiorella de Maria 
• The Lost Library* by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead 
• Squished* by Megan Wagner Lloyd 

Reading plans for the new year are coming in a day or two! 

Read-at-Home Mom Report: December 2023 Wrap-Up

December Favorites 

I'm late with this month's post, so I'm going to skip adding book covers or commentary so that I can get this done quickly and jump into a new year of reading! These were all five star reads: 

• A Lot Like Christmas by Connie Willis 
• The Appeal by Janice Hallett 
• Credo by Bishop Athnasius Schneider 
• Gifts: Visible & Invisible by Catholic Teen Books 
• The Holiday Stand-In by Kortney Keisel 
• The Mind of the Maker by Dorothy L. Sayers 
• Date with Death by Julia Chapman
• Pop Sonnets: Shakespearean Spins on Your Favorite Songs by Eric Didriksen
• 4:50 from Paddington by Agatha Christie 
• The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Volume 1 by Beth Brower 
• The Catechism of the Catholic Church 

Read-Aloud and Homeschool Books

• The Ancient Egyptian World by Eric H. Cline 
• The Lion in the Box by Marguerite de Angeli 

Sequels and Series Books

• Jeeves and the Yule-Tide Spirit by P.G. Wodehouse (from The World of Jeeves)
• The Christmas Appeal (The Appeal book 1.5) by Janice Hallett 
• We Grant You a Merry Christmas (Save the Date short story sequel) by Morgan Matson 
• Solo for the Season (Gift Wrapped Romance) by Martha Keyes 
• Merry Kismet (Gift Wrapped Romance) by Anneka Walker 
• Cabin Crush (Gift Wrapped Romance) by Kasey Stockton
• The Clause in Christmas (Poppy Creek book 1) by Rachael Bloome
• It Happened One Christmas Eve (Museum of Literature Romance Book 3) by Jenn McKinlay

Standalone Books

• Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
• So This is Christmas by Tracy Andreen 
• A Christmas Legacy by Anne Perry 
• Bright Lights, Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews
• A Cross-Country Christmas by Courtney Walsh 
• Leaf by Niggle by J.R.R. Tolkien 
• On Fairy Stories by J.R.R. Tolkien 
• Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow 
• The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman by Louise Plummer 
• The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson
• The Christmas Joy Ride by Melody Carlson
• Christmas in Winter Hill by Melody Carlson 
• The Christmas Spirit by Debbie Macomber 
• You Make It Feel Like Christmas by Toni Shiloh 
• Starstruck by Amy Clipston
• The Velvet Room by Zilpha Keatley Snyder  

DNF

• My True Love Gave To Me: The Costa Family Christmas Romance Series Box Set by Ellie Hall 
• Baggage Claim by Juliana Smith

Family Reading Lists

M. (girl, 10 years, 1 month)

• Call of the Wild by Jack London 

C. (girl, 8 years, 3 months)

• The Flight and Adventures of Charles ll by Charles Norman
• Fire on the Wind by Geoffrey Trease
• The King's Day by Aliki
• William Penn, Quaker Hero by Hildegarde Dolson
• The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo
• The Explorations of Pere Marquette by Jim Kjelgaard

E. (girl, 6 years, 2 months)

• Lysis Goes to the Play by Caroline Dale Snedeker
• The Spartan Twins by Lucy Fitch Perkins
• The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner 
• Our Little Athenian Cousin of Long Ago by Julia Darrow Cowles
• Our Little Spartan Cousin of Long Ago Julia Darrow Cowles
• Archimedes Takes a Bath by Joan Lexau 

R. and A. (boy and girl, 3 years, 9 months)

• Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Life (mostly R.)
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss 
• Mercy Watson series by Kate DiCamillo 
• The Kingfisher Young People's Book of Oceans
• The Lorax by Dr. Seuss 
• Oliver Elephant by Lou Peacock
• The Lost Gift by Kallie George 

My husband

• Mara of Old Babylon by Elizabeth P. Witheridge  
• The Animals' Christmas by Anne Thaxter Eaton 
• The Lion in the Box by Marguerite  de Angeli 
• Christmas by Alice Dalgliesh 
• The Flying Classroom by Erick Kastner  
• Anson's Way by Gary D. Schmidt

2023 Reading in Review

Stats

This year, as has become the tradition, I tracked mainly novel-length books, with a handful of short stories and novellas thrown in (but no picture books). My Goodreads goal was originally set to 100, but I changed it to 200 fairly early on, and then read 294 books total. 

I read an average of 24 books per month. I read the most in April (36) and December (37) and the least in June (18) and August (18). 

I read 200 books written for adults, 27 written for teens, and 67 children's books. 

The adult books included: 15 literary fiction, 61 romance, 13 nonfiction, 23 mystery, 7 classics, 5 poetry collections, 1 play, 13 fantasy, 6 sci-fi, 8 historical fiction, 5 comics and graphic novels, 10 women's fiction, and 8 general fiction. 

Among these 294 books, there were: 

• at least 197 audiobooks
• 14 books from my Kindle library
• 82 books from our home library 
• 16 books from Netgalley 
• 32 read-alouds 
• 49 books from Hoopla 
• 37 from Scribd/Everand 
• 12 from Kindle Unlimited 
• 15-rereads

The breakdown of star ratings was as follows: 

• 5 stars: 102 books
• 4 stars: 121 books
• 3 stars: 62 books
• 2 stars: 9 books
• 1 star: 0 books 

I had 32 DNFs.

Goals Review 

My big goal for the year was to focus on writing first and reading second, and I think I did quite well with that. By giving myself permission to prioritize writing, I was able to put the work in on a longer short story without feeling guilty, and obviously my reading life has not suffered. 

I had originally planned to do more analog tracking of my books in 2023, but I only made it through half the year because the system I was using wasn't working for me. I have a new set-up established for 2024, and I think I will have more success.

Another goal I had for the year was to read more with my eyes. I can't tell whether I did this or not because I didn't come up with a method for tracking it. I did still listen to an awful lot of audiobooks so this may not have been a success. 

I also wanted to read short stories throughout 2023, but I didn't have a plan, so I didn't read as many as I could have. I will have a new short story goal in 2024. 

The other two reading goals I had were to use seasonal TBRs to choose some of my books, and that worked great, and to read the Catechism of the Catholic Church with the Catechism in a Year podcast, and I did that as well. 

At the start of the year, I did choose some reading challenges, but I decided two weeks to just abandon them and I have no regrets. 

In terms of writing, nothing went according to my plan, but it all turned out for the best. I did keep up with Flash Fiction Magic every single week without missing, and I submitted to Havok twice and Spark three times. But I did not write a long short story every quarter (I only wrote one, in the fall), and I determined this was not the season in which I want to write a novel, if I ever do. I have something new in the works for 2024 that I hope will go better. 

Favorite books of the year and 2024 goals are coming soon!

7 New Picture Books for Christmas 2023

Advent is here, and I am excited about new Christmas children's books! I have received 7 Christmasy review copies this year. 

Two are in board book format. 

Be My Reindeer by Jeffrey Burton and Anna Hurley asks who will pull Santa's sleigh. Dinosaurs? Kittens? Robots? Each turn of the page reveals the face of a newly suggested character, and antlers glued onto the back cover appear to grow from each one's head. The silliness is perfect for the toddler age group, and I would have loved this for holiday story times at the library. We are sort of growing beyond the board book stage here, so I think Saint Nicholas is bringing everyone picture books this year, but we'll be sure to pass our copy along.

In the Holly Jolly North Pole by Joel Stern and Nancy Leschnikoff is a rhyming pop-up book designed in landscape format so that the book has to be turned sideways to be read. It's a pretty generic peek into life in Santa's workshop, but the fun pop-ups and cartoonish figures will appeal to little ones all the same.

The rest of these are picture books.

Merry Christmas, Strega Nona is a reprint of a 1986 Tomie dePaola favorite. During Advent, Strega Nona has so much to do to get ready for her annual feast, but while she depends on Big Anthony to help her, he schemes with the neighbors to find a way to give back to Strega Nona. I love that this book mentions the Advent wreath and Mass. I plan to give this one to my eight-year-old from St. Nicholas.

In We Disagree About This Tree housemates Bear and Mouse are getting along mostly fine until they get a Christmas tree. By turns,  they each decorate the tree the way they believe it should look, each irritating the other until the tree finally falls down. This book has a grammar error, in which a singular hypothetical referee that Bear believes would help mediate their disagreement is referred to as "they." The rhyme is also a little bit awkward in parts. Still, it's a funny odd-couple style story that will make kids laugh. St. Nicholas isn't bringing this one to anyone, I'll probably just sneak it into the stack at some point. 

The Christmas Doll by Amy Sparkes and Katie Hickey is based on an episode of a British television show I've never seen or heard of, The Repair Shop. Evie and great-grandma Sue bring an old doll named Lizzy to the Repair Shop. Great-grandma tells the history of the doll from her own childhood, and then the "Teddy Bear Ladies" restore her so that Evie can have the doll. It's a really sweet story, and my 6-year-old who shares the doll's name will receive this one from St. Nicholas. 

Dasher Can't Wait for Christmas by Matt Tavares is a sequel to Dasher from a few years ago. On the eve of  Christmas Eve, Dasher wanders off, takes flight and has a little adventure with a human friend, and then has the opportunity to bring gifts to that child on Christmas Eve. The appeal of this book is the beautiful use of light in the illustrations. It creates a similar magical feel to The Polar Express. My oldest daughter received Dasher when it was first released, so this one is going to her.

Finally, How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen is a surprisingly sweet book from this duo. It explores all the various silly ways Santa might have of entering our homes on Christmas Eve. My 3-year-old daughter, who has been asking a lot of questions about how Santa gets into our house, will receive this one. 

Thank you to Candlewick Press and Simon & Schuster for the review copies!

Read-at-Home Mom Report: November 2023 Wrap-Up

November Favorites

I had a great reading month in November, and a lot of favorites. All of these were five-star books. 

Unleashed by Amber Kirkpatrick

My friend Amber wrote this fantasy romance, and I read the ebook from Hoopla before my paperback pre-order even shipped. I love the characters and the setting, and most especially the dialogue. There is some real sadness and brutality in the world of the story (many of the characters have superpowers and are persecuted for it), but the love story between grumpy, wounded Fen and bright, young Sara manages to be sweet and cozy even against such a backdrop. I also love the friendship between Fen and Marcel, and the fact that Marcel and his family are Catholic. I'm really excited for book two of the series! 

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman 

I already knew I loved Fredrik Backman's writing, and this book just further confirmed that opinion. This is such a hopeful story, despite how broken Ove is, and it points out the importance of community without becoming saccharine. 

A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr.

This is a fascinating Catholic science fiction novel that I know I will need to read again to fully appreciate. I especially loved the first and last sections. 

Crowns anthology edited by Brittany Eden and Brigitte Cromey

I have a story in this collection, which is full of unique voices and beautiful prose, poetry and artwork. It's an honor to be included. 

Essays of E.B. White 

I listened to this essay collection, and I was just blown away by White's writing. It was interesting to view the issues of the day (1950s to 1970s) from his point of view, and also to hear his reflections on nature, farm life, and New York City, as well as on William Strunk. 

A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders

This was on my winter TBR, but I didn't pick it up until mid-November. I listened to the audiobook and read along in the hardcover, marking all my favorite passages with post-its and book darts. It was like taking a creative writing class, and made me feel inspired for my own writing.

 

Times Three by Phyllis McGinley 

I found this Pulitzer prize winning vintage collection of light verse by Catholic housewife Phyllis McGinley at the used bookstore, and it turned out to be such a gem. I love the author's wit, and her poems about saints were among my favorites.

Faking Christmas by Kerry Winfrey

This was my first Christmas romance of the season, and it was delightful! Just like this author's Very Sincerely Yours, this felt like it was written just for me. I laughed out loud multiple times listening to the audiobook, and I fell in love with the characters. I really want to own a copy of this one. 

Mind of the Maker by Dorothy L. Sayers 

I read this with the Literary Life podcast, and I loved the way Sayers thinks about the creative life in light of Christianity. This is one I would like to read again and annotate next time.

Read-Aloud and Homeschool 

• The Ancient Near Eastern World by Amanda H. Podany (4 stars)
• Mist on the Mountain by Jane Flory (4 stars)
• Bread and Butter Journey by Anne Colver (3 stars)

Series Books

• Fourth Wing  (The Empyrean Book 1) by Rebecca Yarros (4 stars)
• The Parfit Knight (Rockliffe Book 1) by Stella Riley (4 stars)
• The Horse and His Boy (Chronicles of Narnia Book 5) by C.S. Lewis (4 stars)
• The Magician's Nephew (Chronicles of Narnia Book 6) by C.S. Lewis (5 stars)
• The Firm (The Firm Book 1) by John Grishman (4 stars)

Stand-Alone Books

• Awake, Not Woke by Noelle Mering (5 stars)
• A Slipping-Down Life by Anne Tyler (4 stars)
• Hey, Hun by Emily Lynn Paulson (4 stars)
• Tenth of December by George Saunders (5 stars)
• And So This is Christmas by Brian Bilston (5 stars)
• The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass (5 stars)

DNF 

• Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
  I just couldn't sign on for more of this series. The book was so long, and I couldn't handle all the sexual content. 

Family Reading Lists 

M. (girl, age 10)

• My Family and Other Skaters by Fiorella De Maria
• Staying Nine by Pam Conrad
• Journey of the Eldest Son by J. G. Fyson
• Hittite Warrior by Joanne Williamson
• The Lost Queen of Egypt by Lucile Morrison
• Fog Magic by Julia Sauer
• Boy of the Pyramids by Ruth Fosdick Jones

C. (girl, 8 years, 2 months)

• My Family and Other Skaters by Fiorella De Maria
• This New Land by G.Wisler
• The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis
• Ghost Light in the Attic by Pat Thomson
• The World of Captain John Smith by Genevieve Foster 
• The Puritan Revolution by C. Walter Hodges
• Witch Dog by John and Patricia Beatty 

E. (girl, 6 years, 1 month)

• Hickory by Palmer Brown 
• Beyond the Paw Paw Trees by Palmer Brown
• The Silver Nutmeg by Palmer Brown
• Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne 
• Ralph S. Mouse by Beverly Cleary
• Carbonel, The King of the Cats by Barbara Sleigh

R. (boy, 3 years, 8 months)

*R has started sounding out words and has begun reading the Hooked on Phonics readers.

• Rag by Barney Saltzburg 
• Dad and Sam by Leslie McGuire 
• The Animals' Santa by Jan Brett 
• All About Alfie by Shirley Hughes
• I Love You, Little Shark by Jeffrey Burton 
• In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
• Truckery Rhymes by Jon Scieszka 

A. (girl, 3 years, 8 months)

• All About Alfie by Shirley Hughes 
• Truckery Rhymes by Jon Scieszka

My husband

• Mist on the Mountain by Jane Flory 
• Heartsease by Peter Dickinson 
• The Blood-Red Crescent by Henry Garnett 
• The Winged Girl of Knossos by Erick Berry (read aloud)
• The Winged Cat and Other Tales of Ancient Civilizations by Deborah Nourse Lattimore

Homeschool Update: October 2023

Group Activities

Geography/Art 

From The Complete Book of Marvels by Richard Halliburton, Dad read the sections about the Boulder (Hoover) Dam, Niagara Falls, New York City, and Washington, DC. Then we watched these videos: 

• America's Most Powerful Dam
• Thundering Waters
• New York, the Wonder City
• District of Columbia

Latin 

We continued working our way through Getting Started with Latin: Beginning Latin for Homeschoolers and Self-Taught Students of Any Age by William E. Linney. After we learned a few verbs and how to conjugate them, we took a break from the book to make sure all three girls were solid in their understanding of how to identify and translate each verb. E. took a bit to catch up. C. is our strongest Latin student right now. 

Shakespeare

The girls spent October memorizing some of the three witches' lines from Macbeth. They recorded a performance on Halloween. 

Read-Alouds

In October, Dad read aloud The Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis Mcgraw and Egyptian Adventures by Olivia Coolidge. I read aloud A Lemon and a Star by E. C. Spykman and we played the audiobook of The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury. 

Catechism

M. and C. continued to memorize answers to questions in the New St. Joseph Baltimore Catechism Volume 1 and E. continued to memorize the answers to questions in  The St. Joseph First Communion Catechism. 

Poetry

We are reading Poem-making: Ways to Begin Writing Poetry by Myra Cohn Livingston on Fridays. 

Science 

C. and E. read about birds and insects in The Golden Treasury of Natural History. In Secrets of the Universe, M. and I read three chapters: "Planetary Motion," "Pendulums and Falling Objects - Galileo's Laws of Motion," and "Newton's Three Laws of Motion." She watched several demonstrations by Julius Sumner Miller, and did two experiments from Janice VanCleave's Physics for Every Kid, one about buoyancy and one about gravity. 

Health 

E. watched the episodes of How the Body Works about the tongue and the nervous system. M. visited the orthodontist. 

History 

E. and I read about Egypt in A Child's History of the World by V.M. Hillyer. We also read Pharaoh's Boat by David Weitzman and The Great Pyramid by Elizabeth Mann. On her own, she read: 

• Mummies Made in Egypt by Aliki
• Pepi and the Secret Names by Jill Paton Walsh 
• Hatshepsut, His Majesty, Herself by Catherine M. Andronik
• Zekmet, the Stone Carver: A Tale of Ancient Egypt by Mary Stolz
• Seeker of Knowledge by James Rumford 
• The Shipwrecked Sailor: An Egyptian Tale with Hieroglyphs by Tamara Bower
• Sokar and the Crocodile by Alice Howard 

She also acted out an Egyptian burial using a homemade paper mummy and a shoebox sarcophagus she decorated herself using drawing instructions from Ralph Masiello's Ancient Egypt Drawing Book. 

M. and I finished The Early Human World and read most of The Ancient Near Eastern World. She watched most of the episodes of the Great Courses class, Between the Rivers. She wrote a narration about Hammurabi and read The Three Brothers of Ur by J. G. Fyson. 

C. and Dad continued reading The World of Captain John Smith by Genevieve Foster, covering these sections: 

• John Smith, Sightseer in Italy (1600)
• Galileo
• A Royal Wedding (1600 - Henry IV & Maria de Medici)
• Grand Opera and the Violin
• John Smith and the Terrible Turks (1601-1603)
• John Smith, Slave (1603)
• Cervantes and Don Quixote
• Boris Godunov
• The Queen Is Dead (1603)
• King James I
• The Globe Theater
• Ben Jonson
• Sir Walter Raleigh a Prisoner (1603)
• Sir Francis Bacon Rings the Bell
• The King James Bible (1604)
• Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot (1605)
• A Meeting in Scrooby Village
• A Frenchman Reports on New Spain (Champlain)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
• Champlain Visits Canada
• Off to Virginia (1606)
• New France, the First Colony
• The Great Chief Powhatan
• John Smith at Jamestown (1607)
• A Compass and Talking Paper
• Pocahontas and John Smith
• John Smith Draws a Map of Virginia (1608)
• Half Moon on the Hudson River
• French and Indians on Lake Champlain
• President John Smith (1608)
• Starvation and Shipwreck
• (Tobacco to the Rescue)
• A Synagogue in Amsterdam
• At Home in Leyden
• (The Telescope (1608))
• Galileo and the Planets
• Henry IV is Dead
• Galileo in Rome (1611)
• French Missionaries in Canada
• Pocahontas Is Married
• The Royal Couple
• King Gustav Adolf
• Russia's New Tsar, Michael Romanov (1613)
• The Naming of New England
• In Memory of Shakespeare (d. 1616)
• Pocahontas in England
• The Law vs. the King?
• Raleigh's Last Adventure (1616)
• The House of Burgesses (1619)
• Servants and Slaves (1619)
• They Knew That They Were Pilgrims
• John Smith, Unhappy Admiral
• The Mayflower Sails (1620)
• Anchored at Plymouth

C. also read Puritan Adventure by Lois Lenski. 

English 

M. continued working on Vocabulary from Classical Roots A and Rex Barks. E. continued working in Grammarland. C. continued working in the Beginning book of Sentence Diagramming. 

R. started sounding out consonant-vowel-consonant words. 

Math

M. continued working on Challenging Word Problems 3. She finished the reviews in Singapore 5A and moved on to 5B. She also continued with Khan Academy 6th grade math, Life of Fred: Decimals and Percents and drilling math facts with flashcards online every Friday. 

C. continued with Singapore 3B, Khan Academy 3rd grade math, and Life of Fred: Farming.

E. continued with Singapore 1A and Khan Academy early math. 

Music

All three girls practiced piano and recorder daily. 

Physical Education

The girls rode bikes and played on the playground. They also did an exercise video from the Ten Thousand method once or twice. 

Read-at-Home Mom Report: October 2023 Wrap-Up

October Favorites

A Patchwork Planet by Anne Tyler
Anne Tyler's talent for characterization never ceases to amaze me. I became totally immersed in the life of her main character, Barnaby Gatlin, and was fascinated by his every move, no matter how mundane, from beginning to end of this novel. Absolutely no one writes like Anne Tyler, and every book of hers so far has been a delight. 

The Moving Toyshop by Edmund Crispin
This was an enjoyable book not for the mystery plot, but for all the literary allusions and witty repartee between characters. I read this with Close Reads, and it's one of my favorites of the books they did this year. 

It Was an Ugly Couch Anyway by Elizabeth Passarella
I loved this memoir about the trials and tribulations the author and her husband endured trying to buy an apartment in Manhattan from an elderly woman. The author read the audiobook, and that made me feel like I was having a chat with her whenever I listened. There is also a charming interview at the end of the audiobook with the lady who sold her the apartment, and I loved hearing that. 



Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
The dark humor in this is spot-on. I figured out the big reveal at the end pretty early on, but that in no way spoiled the reading experience. Eleanor is a one-of-a-kind character and seeing her come into her own years after significant trauma was heartwarming in a quirky way. 

The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo
Kate DiCamillo's latest is the perfect example of why I read everything she writes. Her prose is beautiful, and there is a depth to the story beyond just entertainment. I'm so excited to know this is the first of a trilogy because I want more! 

My Family and Other Skaters by Fiorella de Maria
I'm reviewing this for Catholic Mom, and it is a delight. It absolutely would have been my favorite book if it was around when I was 9 or 10, and my girls are eating it up as well. 

Glass Helix by Katee Stein
My friend Katee wrote this sci-fi romance, and I could not put it down. I loved the world of the story, and the way the love story unfolded within the difficulties the characters faced. 

Where Darkness Dwells by Andrea Renae
This fantasy novel by my friend Andrea is a beautiful meditation on good and evil, darkness and light. Images from this book are lingering in my mind days after I finished it.  

Read-Aloud & Homeschool 

• A Lemon and a Star by E.C. Spykman (4 stars)
• The Early Human World by Peter Robertshaw (4 stars)

Series Books

• Fool Moon (Dresden Files Book 2) by Jim Butcher (4 stars)
• The Princess Diaries (Princess Diaries Book 1) by Meg Cabot (4 stars)
• Townshipped (Getting Shipped! Book 3) by Savannah Scott (5 stars)
• In the Company of Witches (Evenfall Witches B&B Book 1) by Auralee Wallace (4 stars)
• Until the Celebration (Green Sky Trilogy Book 3) by Zilpha Keatley Snyder (3 stars)
• Losing the Field (Field Party Book 4) by Abbi Glines (4 stars)
• Can't Help Falling (Sweater Weather Book 3) by Courtney Walsh (4 stars)
• Meet Me on Love Lane (Hopeless Romantics Book 2) by Nina Bocci (3 stars)
• Grave Peril (Dresden Files Book 3) by Jim Butcher (4 stars)
• A Spoonful Of Spice (Seasons of Love Short Story 2) by Liwen Ho (4 stars)

Stand-Alone Books

• Howards End by E.M. Forster (5 stars)
• The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare by G.K. Chesterton (4 stars)
• St. Francis Society for Wayward Pets by Annie England Noblin (4 stars)
• Snow Place Like Home by Lacey Baker (4 stars) 
• Truth on Trial: Liberal Education Be Hanged by Robert K. Carlson (4 stars)
• The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic by Breanne Randall (3 stars)

Family Reading Lists 

M. (girl 9 years, 11 months)

• The Three Brothers of Ur by J. G. Fyson
• The Heir of Mistmantle by M. I. McAllister

C. (girl, 8 years, 1 month)

• Wayside School under the Cloud of Doom by Louis Sachar
• Then Came Adventure by Emma L. Brock
• The Far Side of The Loch by Melissa Wiley
• Ramona Quimby Age 8 by Beverly Cleary
• Stella Endicott and the Anything is Possible Poem by Kate DiCamillo
• Eugenia Lincoln and the Unexpected Package by Kate DiCamillo
• All-of-a-kind-family Downtown by Sydney Taylor
• Catwings by Ursula K. LeGuin
• Catwings Return by Ursula K. LeGuin
• Wonderful Alexander and the Catwings by Ursula K. LeGuin
• Jane on her Own by Ursula K. LeGuin
• Puritan Adventure by Lois Lenski
• The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden 

E. (girl, 6 years) 

• The Book of Hob Stories by William Mayne 

R. (boy 3 years, 7 months)

• The Monsters on the Broom by Annemarie Riley Guertin
• Knock Knock, Trick or Treat! by Amy E. Sklansky
• Thomas the Tank Engine: The Complete Collection by Rev. W. Awdry 

A. (girl, 3 years 7 months)

• All About Alfie by Shirley Hughes 
• Babybug magazines
• Thomas the Tank Engine: The Complete Collection by Rev. W. Awdry

My husband

• Jane on Her Own by Ursula K. Le Guin
• Past Eight O'Clock: Goodnight Stories by Joan Aiken
• The Winged Colt of Casa Mia by Betsy Byars