Back to School Picture Books
Is it back to school time already? Depending on which part of the country you live in, some schools will be starting up in the next couple of weeks! Whether it’s your child’s first year in school, your child’s first year in a new school, your first year teaching in a classroom, or just plain…
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*Watership Down by Richard Adams
Watership Down, a modern classic, employs noble themes of vision, courage, and sacrifice among some of the most humble and ordinary of animals in their quest for a home.
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*Wild Things and Castles in the Sky from Square Halo Books
40 different authors write eloquently about children’s literature, faith in Christ, and shepherding imaginations in Wild Things and Castles in the Sky. *Wild Things and Castles in the Sky: A Guide to Choosing the Best Books for Children, edited by Leslie Bustard, Carey Bustard, and Théa Rosenburg. Square Halo Books, 2022. 272 pages. Reading Level:…
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Are Your Books Burdens or Blessings? (How to purge your home library collection to benefit others)
“How many bookshelf feet do you need?” This was my husband’s question after I requested some more bookshelves. My response: “I can fill whatever you give me.” Limits are useful, aren’t they? Unless they’re curtailing my book collection. I have books stacked on top of each other, books perched precariously on nightstands, books in my…
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Bestselling YA: A Look at the 2022 Market
Aside from one graphic novel romance series, novels about death and murder dominate the current YA scene. Where’s hope?
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What do you have in your hand? Eight simple enrichments for homeschool or life in general
The truth is, Betsy and I are both busy moms. We always have greater aspirations that we can EVER accomplish, more so when we read blogs about how to enrich our children’s lives. How DO we find that tender balance between giving them plenty of time to play while expecting them to develop good habits…
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Favorite Gardening Books for Kids
Spring has officially begun, and the garden beckons. Do you garden with your kids? If they’re not interested, try a gardening book just for kids: invite them into this marvelous experience! Initially, everything seems a mess of dry, dead-looking twigs. Clear away the old growth, though, and signs emerge everywhere, revealing new life that’s been…
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Back Porch Book Chat: Karina Yan Glaser, author of the Vanderbeekers series
Our series of Back Porch Book Chats are casual conversations with book-lovers like ourselves: authors, booksellers, reviewers, bloggers, moms and dads. Today we’re delighted to welcome Karina Yan Glaser, whom we met over her first novel, The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street! Met virtually, that is, although I (Janie) had the pleasure of meeting her in…
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The Velveteen Rabbit Turns 100: A Bunny Booklist
The Velveteen Rabbit turns 100 There was once a velveteen rabbit . . . Once upon a time, there were three little rabbits and their names were. . . In your head did you just hear “Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, and Peter? (If your head is like mine, it was probably with a nice British accent!)…
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Ukraine: Lessons in Liberty and Compassion, Part 1
This post was originally published in 2014, shortly after Ukraine’s Maidan Revolution. Emily’s reflections and application are still timely today. From Emily: As my kids are solidly in the middle of Medieval History in our home schooling, they haven’t had many opportunities to hear the the words, “Cold War.” But with the events unfolding over…
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