Hey, I'm not posting this on the last day of the month-- way to go, me! Here's a peek at what we've been reading and enjoying lately. These Reading Roundups are some of my favorite posts to write - I love taking the time to reflect on what the girls are enjoying, and it's lovely to have a record of some of what we've read all year. I hope you find some new favorites or inspiration here!
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The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
I've been so anxious to introduce the girls to some of the best children's literature series out there like Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings othert good stuff. The "Narnia" series is certainly on that list, and I decided to go ahead and start them as read alouds. Will they understand the Christian allegory? No. But they're great stories even without the allegory, and I'm sure we'll read through them several times over the years. As the girls get older we can discuss the meaning. So far we've finished The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe and we've just started Prince Caspian. We may not do them all in a row, but so far the girls love them and are begging for more read aloud time, so we'll see!
A House In The Woods by Inga Moore
This book is darling. My mom found it when getting books at the library for the girls, and loved it so much that she encouraged me to check it out myself. So we got our own copy from the library!
In the story, two little pigs, a bear, and a moose decide to have a house built so that they can all live together. They hire the beavers (naturally) who ask to be paid in peanut butter sandwiches. The message of friendship and teamwork is nice, and there are lots of fun little things to notice in the sweet illustrations.
Children Just Like Me by DK Publishing
We got a copy of Children Just Like Me to use as part of our geography curriculum- Expedition Earth from Confessions of a Homeschooler. It features bright and colorful images of children and their families from around the world. You get to see their clothing, some of the activities they enjoy, their favorite foods, and much more.
Since we are raising children with plenty of toys, drawers full of clothes, and a healthy variety of foods to eat, it's extra important to me that they realize how materially fortunate they are compared to many children around the world. It's also nice to put some real faces to the places we're studying about for geography instead of just looking at maps.
Since we are raising children with plenty of toys, drawers full of clothes, and a healthy variety of foods to eat, it's extra important to me that they realize how materially fortunate they are compared to many children around the world. It's also nice to put some real faces to the places we're studying about for geography instead of just looking at maps.
Last Stop On Market Street by Matt de la Pena
Last Stop On Market Street reminded me so much of books by Ezra Jack Keats that I actually double checked the author several times the first time I read it! A little boy takes a bus with his grandmother. They see different people on the bus and move through different parts of the city. It's not until the end of the book that we learn that the boy and his grandmother are going to a homeless shelter to help serve a meal, just like they do every Sunday after church. My girls are young and the concept of homelessness hasn't come up with us very often, but this book was a gentle way to start a coverstaion about it. They've even asked what they can do to help the homeless population in our town, and we've been busy brainstorming!
Ada Twist Scientist by Andrea Beaty
Just in case you haven't heard, Andrea Beaty has written a new book in her series that features best-sellers Iggy Peck, Architect and Rosie Revere, Engineer. We had Ada Twist, Scientist on pre-order from Amazon for months before it was released, so it arrived on our doorstep on publication day. The girls love it just as much as the others, and it has definitely been their favorite read aloud this month! Young Ada is curious about everything and her parents support her wacky experiments and investigations! These books are such a great way to introduce children to STEM careers, and to encourage them to follow their dreams!
A Beatle Is Shy by Dianna Hutts Aston
This series of non-fiction books by Dianna Hutts Aston is amazing! A Beetle Is Shy features the beautiful colors, shapes, sizes, and patterns of (surprise!) beetles. My girls tend to like insect things, so they have loved pouring over the illustrations in this book.
The colors are just so bright and vibrant that ANY child would love this book! And it doesn't hurt that they get to learn quite a bit as they listen!
Mirette On The High Wire by Emily Arnold McCully
This story had my girls playing circus! Mirette is a young girl in France 100 years ago. When a world famous wire walker stays at her family's boarding house, Mirette begins to learn his trade. Even though Mirette struggles in learning how to walk the tightrope at first, her perserverance pays off and she eventually becomes very good! At the end of the story, Mirette is able to help her mentor overcome his fears and the two tour the world together! The dreamy style of illustrations are lovely.
War Brides by Helen Bryan
I've been reading War Brides by Helen Bryan. It's the story of a group of women living in small-town England during WWII. They come from diverse backgrounds, and struggle through the war together with their families. I like the character development, and (as always) like a little history mixed in with my fiction!