Octobers are for reading, aren’t they? Reading has always been a joy for me, and that joy has only grown the older I’ve grown. Since time is limited, I’ve become more intentional about what I want to learn and who I will read. I thought I’d share some of the books I’ve been reading as of late and a short little synopsis for the curious. I’ll include some of our family read alouds as well since we read every single day in our home.
Books on Education
I try to read a book or two on educating every month. This exposes me to different ideas and firms up what I’ve already learned.
The Three R’s by Ruth Beechick
The Way They Learn by Cynthia Tobias–These two books were new to me but I discovered them through a live broadcast by Chrystal Evans Hurst. Ironically, she was cleaning out her homeschool closet at the time and found these books. They have been so helpful and are both easy reads. The Three R’s along with Sally Clarkson’s Awaking Wonder will free you up if you’re considering home educating and are completely overwhelmed.
Poetry
I think poetry gets a bad rap which is so sad to me. Maybe it was the analysis we had to do in high school and college that stripped the loveliness and magic away from poems? I don’t know. But when we had our sweet kiddo, I was determined to read lots and lots of poetry to her. For one, the sing-songy rhythms and word pictures of poetry are wonderful for babies and young children. They are stories in themselves. We have a shelf-full of children’s poetry that we read often. Here are some we are feasting on this month:
When We Were Very Young by A.A. Milne
Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne–I’m not sure why, but I only recently picked up these two classics by A.A. Milne. Thankfully, one never outgrows sweet poetry. I read these aloud but also include them in my daughter’s afternoon quiet time for her to peruse.
Very Young Verses by Barbara Peck Geismer and Antoinette Brown Suter–If you can find this book in a used book store, you’re in for a treat! These poems and darling illustrations cover the seasons, animals, and everyday happenings in childrens’ lives. We love this book and reference it often.
Read Alouds
We read aloud daily, so I’m only going to list the main read alouds we are reading or have recently finished for the sake of space!
Heidi–What a precious book. This is one of those books we will read again and again. Since it takes place in Switzerland, we googled some facts about the country. We also looked up flower names that are unfamiliar to us as well as the mountains that were named in the story so we could see them. I love the story of redemption in this story, and we all decided we would love to live in a cabin in the Alps and live off of cheese and bread by the time we finished this book.
Pollyanna–If you’ve only seen the movie for this book (like I had), then read the book! To be a “Pollyanna” often means someone who is ridiculously happy for no reason . . . However, the book is clear that Pollyanna is making a choice to be glad. Yes, she is naive and literal (which makes for some hilarious moments), but she also has much to teach us, especially in these days of cynicism.
Ben and Me–A hilarious read about Benjamin Franklin and a mouse that lives in his home. We read this book for a segment we are doing on our country’s history before the Revolutionary War. It shared Franklin’s inventions in a comical way, which certainly made them memorable. When we read fiction like this, we follow it up with reading a bit about what really happened. We also add important historical figures such as Benjamin Franklin to our timeline.
The Imagination Station: Revolutionary War series (Books 13, 14, and 15)–My daughter is reading these to me, and they remind me of the Magic Treehouse series except with a Christian twist. I don’t agree with all of the viewpoints of the author (especially in the Pilgrims book, where there were some obvious historical facts left out,) but it is historical fiction and does a good job with starting the conversation. We look up the main historical figures as we read and in so doing, have “met” some interesting characters such as Sybil Ludington, who was another one of the midnight riders who warned the Patriots of the British coming.
For Personal Enrichment and For Fun
Oneness Embraced by Dr. Tony Evans–What with racial tension as it is right now, I believe it’s important to learn all I can as well as take a stand. I appreciate Dr. Evans’ story and his very practical take on what the church can do to eradicate systemic racism. His practicality makes it a standout in books I’ve read on social injustice as it shows there are many things we can do.
Book Girl by Sarah Clarkson–Such a great book about reading that includes list after list of books I need to read stat! I love a good book list, but I especially love one that includes books I already know and love. Reading Sarah’s insights on reading and descriptions of books to read made me want to grab pen and paper and write a list of all the books I needed to check out or buy.
Our 24 Family Ways by Clay Clarkson–Finally, we are reading through Our 24 Family Ways for morning devotions, and I love it so much. Part character building, part “this is what our family believes”, and part devotion, it is the perfect length for even littles. You can go deeper if you’d like. Since these are life-long principles for every believer, even Mom and Dad will benefit!
Okay, I need to stop now! As I was typing this out, I kept on thinking of more and more books to share with you, but realized less is probably more. 🙂 I truly hope these resources are an encouragement to you wherever you are on the journey. I hope your October is filled with beautiful moments and books!
Have a lovely {and creative} day!
