education/parenting

Children of Israel: Our Book List of Jewish Life, History, and Culture

The terrifying attack on Israel on October 7 has brought new awareness to the ancient phenomenon of antisemitism. Though small in number (and reduced by ...
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5 Ways to Encourage Art Appreciation with Picture Books

When are children old enough to begin appreciating quality art? As soon as they start looking at picture books. Note: even though this post references ...
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Teaching the Faith: *The Illustrated Westminster Shorter Catechism

A new edition of the Westminster Shorter Catechism uses cartoon illustrations as an aid to understanding and discussion. *The Illustrated Westminster Shorter Catechism in Modern ...
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Books and Schoolhouse Battles

Those of us who homeschool admire the one-room schoolhouse model of previous centuries. With simple resources, a wide-range of ages, and a school year that ...
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cover of Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel

Gladys Hunt on Re-issues: Good, Bad, and Ugly

A story betrayed Originally published on the Tumblon website January 29, 2010 It’s sometimes like wandering into unknown territory if you’ve had favorite books in ...
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Gladys Hunt on Starred Reviews

Editor's Note: "Starred reviews" are a guideline for librarians figuring how to spend the budget for the children's section. (We take particular notice of them ...
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Gladys Hunt on Personal Libraries

Editor's Note: As we head into the last month of our Honey for a Child's Heart Read-along, we share the late Gladys Hunt's further thoughts ...
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*Land of Hope by Wilfred McClay

Land of Hope offers a balanced, positive, and often inspiring view of American history--now available in student workbook, teacher's guide, and young-reader editions! *Land of ...
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Gladys Hunt on Stellar Historical Fiction

Editor's Note: We're wrapping up our Honey for a Child's Heart Read-along with Chapter 19, on historical novels. Sarah, Plain and Tall Series Originally published ...
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High School World Literature: A Thematic Approach

High School World Literature: What to Cut? "World literature" can mean literally any book ever written. The hard part of planning a world literature class ...
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Gladys Hunt on Pop-up Books

Editor's Note: Pop-up books could be one of those "Fresh Ways to Read" we're considering in our Honey for a Child's Heart Read-along this month. ...
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Gladys Hunt on the Magical Tool of Language

The Power of Words Originally published on the Tumblon website, April 14, 2009 “If you know how to use words, you don’t have to be ...
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Gladys Hunt on an Exaggerated Demise

Editor's Note: "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated," wrote Mark Twain, in response to a mistaken obituary. Likewise the reports of the death ...
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Gladys Hunt on Diversity

“Teacher, do you have any books with pictures of kids that look like me?” Originally published on the Tumblon website, October 10, 2009 Probably more ...
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Gladys Hunt on Disappearing Mothers

Where are the Mothers? Originally published on the Tumbln website, April 8, 2009 Sometime when you are with people who like children’s books, try out ...
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Gladys Hunt: In Praise of Mothers

Mothering Day Originally published on the Tumblon website, May 10, 2009 The British call it “Mothering Day”—the day they honor mothers. Adding that ing gives ...
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Gladys Hunt on “Improving” the Classics

Editor's Note: Our Honey for a Child's Heart Read-Along this month takes us to Chapters 8 ("Who Influences Your Children?") and Chapter 21 ("Young Adult ...
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Gladys Hunt on Getting Them to Sleep

Go to Sleep Books Originally posted on the Tumblr Website, June 23, 2009 A new mother told me that her baby received four copies of ...
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Gladys Hunt on Developing a Sympathetic Heart

Editor's Note: This month's Honey for a Child's Heart Read-Along looks at Chapter 23, "Nourishing Your Child's Spiritual Life." This must include a sympathetic heart ...
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Gladys Hunt on Taking Notice

Editor's Note: The Honey for a Child's Heart Read-Along is focusing this month on Chapter 7 ("Honey from the Rock") and Chapter 23 ("Nourishing Your ...
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How to lead a book discussion without really trying, part 2: The book club

Often the best way to do discuss books effectively is to not plan it all out ahead of time. Megan's family started with a motif ...
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Gladys Hunt on Library Blessings

Editor's Note: The American Library Association may be a perpetrator of much mischief in children's publishing, but we can be grateful for libraries! In praise ...
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How to lead a book discussion without really trying, part 1: The motif journal

Often the best way to do discuss books effectively is to not plan it all out ahead of time. Megan's family started a motif journal ...
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Gladys Hunt on Simplicity

Editor's Note: Bored with reading the same picture books over and over? Hang in there--you're teaching little ones to turn pages as well as exercise ...
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Gladys Hunt on Pigs and Possibilities

Editor's Note: Are there any animal lovers in the family? Gladys Hunt can recommend nine--count 'em, nine--recommendations for a classic story involving not one, but ...
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Gladys Hunt on Shared Adventures

Editor's Note: This month's Honey for a Child's Heart Read-along chapters are "The Pleasure of a Shared Adventure" and "Animal Lovers." Here's Gladys Hunt with ...
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Gladys Hunt on the Music (and Magic) of Words

Editor's Note: The universe began with spoken words ("And God said . . .") and in a sense, so do we. We wrap up this ...
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Gladys Hunt on Raising Readers

Editor's Note: "Literacy" begins long before a child can read for herself. Here, Gladys Hunt muses about how to take those first steps. How do ...
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Gladys Hunt on Enjoying Poetry with Children

Editor's Note: This month we're reading the two chapters in Honey for a Child's Heart that address poetry. Do you enjoy poetry? Would you like ...
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Gladys Hunt on Choosing Mother Goose

Editor's Note: It's a new month--meaning a new chapter in our Honey for a Child's Heart Read-along. Or actually, two chapters: #5: "Poetry" and #22: ...
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2023 Newbery Buzz #3: Northwind

Might Gary Paulsen's last novel be a sentimental favorite for Newbery recognition? The State of Nature Betsy: Janie, this is only the second Paulsen book ...
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2023 Newbery Buzz #2: The Door of No Return

Back for our second buzz, Janie and Betsy talk over a troubling but moving verse novel. Out of Africa Janie: Kwame Alexander scored a gold ...
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Gladys Hunt on Reading Together

Editor's Note: Most of us don't need persuading, but how do you find the time to read together as a family? Glady Hunt has some ...
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Gladys Hunt on Book-Gifting

Editor’s Note: We assume that most Redeemed Reader readers love books, and love to give them. But you may wonder, how can I choose for ...
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Gladys Hunt on Christmas Books

Editor's Note: Is reading aloud beside the Christmas tree one of your family's holiday traditions? If so, you'll want to copy & paste this list ...
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Gladys Hunt on Enjoying Picture Books–at Any Age

Editor's Note: I hope everyone enjoyed a happy Thanksgiving with family and good food. Everybody knows what happens next: Christmas! And, as it's still Picture ...
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Gladys Hunt on The Scent of Thanksgiving

Editor's Note: Are the smells of sage and pumpkin spice already wafting through the house? In this post, Gladys Hunt finds wonderful smells in the ...
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Gladys Hunt on Literary Excellence

Editor's Note: This month, our "Honey for a Child's Heart Read-Along" partners are thinking about Chapters 3, 13, and 14. The latter two chapters are ...
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Are Cozy Animal Stories Cozying up to Gay Ideology?

One of our readers alerted us to Katherine Applegate’s latest book, as it seemed to her to feature a lesbian relationship. Odder, picturing a beyond-cute ...
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Gladys Hunt on Nursery Rhymes

Editor's Note: Our Honey for a Child's Heart Read-along readers are thinking about Chapter 15: "First Books for Readers." Beginning readers should be primed with ...
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truth and story

Truth and Story

(Note: Betsy and I are indebted to Ethan Pettit, librarian and Children's Literature professor from Covenant College, who enlightened us so much in seeing Christ ...
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Gladys Hunt on Recognizing the Good

Editor's Note: In our Honey for a Child's Heart Read-Along this month, we're considering Chapter 15: "First Books for Readers." Settle in for some good ...
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Our Hymns, Our Heritage by David and Barbara Leeman

The Leeman’s excellent student hymnal has been republished by Moody Press, with additional songs and supplements. *Our Hymns, Our Heritage: A Student Guide to Songs ...
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Gladys Hunt on Your Family’s “Honey Ratio”

Editor's Note: During this month's Honey for a Child's Heart Read-Along, we'll consider Chapter 2: "Milk and Honey," and Chapter 15: "First Books for Readers." ...
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Gladys Hunt on the Very Earliest Readers

Editor's Note: In our Honey for a Child's Heart Read-along this month, we're looking at four chapters, including Chapter 12: "A Child's First Books." What ...
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Gladys Hunt on Longing for Home

Editor's Note: Four years ago, Redeemed Reader obtained the rights to republish several original blogs by the late Gladys Hunt, author of the classic children's ...
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The Visible Hand by Matthew Hennessey

The Visible Hand introduces teens to basic free-market economics in a way that’s accessible and entertaining. The Visible Hand: A Wealth of Notions on the ...
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High School British Literature: A Lively Approach

High School British Literature: Dull and Difficult? When I arrived at college, I was absolutely, 100% convinced that British lit was my jam. But it's ...
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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 ...
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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? What are kids reading these days? As ...
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2022 caldecott watercress

The 2022 ALA Youth Media Awards

Egg on our faces? Last year we accurately predicted that When You Trap a Tiger was a contender for Newbery recognition, and it won top ...
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The Adventure of Christmas by Ed Drew

The Adventure of Christmas offers short, 10-minute family devotions based on the biblical narrative of the first Christmas. The Adventure of Christmas: A Journey Through ...
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What about the Tuttle Twins?

Are the much-hyped Tuttle Twins books (and curriculum) profitable for Christian families? An education in economic freedom They’re talked up by talk-show hosts and Facebook ...
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Reading Less

Reading Less … In Different Seasons of Life

Is someone at Redeemed Reader telling you to read LESS? Well, perhaps. In our small niche of websites-that-promote-reading, we love to celebrate all things reading, ...
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Banned Books 2021

What gets "banned" in today's overwrought culture conflicts? When Emily Whitten and I launched Redeemed Reader in 2011, one of our first projects was to ...
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*Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies by Marilyn McEntyre

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies makes readers think through how to be better stewards of words. *Caring for Words in a Culture ...
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Stones and Stories by Judith E. Anderson

Stones and Stories is a concise primer on literary analysis and hermeneutics, building off the intriguing extended metaphor of stones. Stones and Stories: A Primer ...
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A Bible Reading Pilgrimage in Three Parts

Bible Pilgrimage, Part 1: Reading the Bible with Young Children Almost 10 years ago (in January, 2012), before Megan and I joined the official Redeemed ...
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High School American Literature: A Better Approach

High School American Literature: Often Dark and Depressing When I arrived at college, I was absolutely, 100% convinced that British lit was my jam. American ...
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Favorite High School Video Curricula for Homeschool or Enrichment

We are fans of BOOKS here at Redeemed Reader, to be sure. But we are also interested in raising up the next generation of writers ...
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Raising Writers in Four Simple Steps

Or, the Wordsmith philosophy of teaching composition Notice I said “simple,” not “easy.”  Good writing is based on just a handful of sound principles—that makes ...
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Laid-Back Grammar

Grammar is easier to teach if you don't try to teach it too soon or too singularly. “Grammar” is a stretchy word, enclosing syntax (sentence ...
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Wordsmith Curriculum Review: A Writing Curriculum by our own Janie Cheaney

NOTE: We're taking a week off our Summer Reading Challenge to think ahead about the coming school year. Welcome to Wordsmith Week! Leading off with ...
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Ordinary Homeschooling: Reflections on just serving dinner

Resources we actually used Last summer in a post titled Just Serve Dinner, I shared some of the best resources we have enjoyed over the ...
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*American History by Thomas Kidd

Interesting and readable, American History by Thomas Kidd is an outstanding resource for high school Christian students and teachers. *American History by Thomas Kidd. B&H ...
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2021 Summer Reading: Faith & Fortitude Is Here!

2021 Summer Reading Theme We're very excited about the 2021 summer reading theme: Faith & Fortitude: the EPIC Story of God's People. Why? We're big ...
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What Is “Body Positivity”?

"Body Positivity," as a whole, tries to correct a false narrative by substituting an unreal narrative. About 15 years ago, a disturbing trend was popping ...
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Engage with Culture: Two Books for Parents

Mama Bear Apologetics and The Pop Culture Parent both aim to help parents interact with the culture surrounding their kids. Mama Bear Apologetics: Empowering Your ...
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books for teen writers

Books for Teen Writers

Books for aspiring writers abound. Books for teen writers are a little harder to track down. But many teens are aspiring authors, writing reams of ...
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Picture Books for Young Writers: My Pencil and Me and How to Write a Story

My Pencil and Me by Sara Varon. First Second, 2020, 34 pages. Reading Level: Picture Book, ages 4-8 Recommended for: ages 5-7 Every writer knows ...
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Ancient Romans, Alphamaniacs, and Incredible Jobs

Three illustrated non-fiction books share fascinating information about ancient cultures, unusual wordsmiths, and careers you might not have considered. Ancient Romans and Their Neighbors: An ...
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Have You Seen the Redeemed Reader Quarterly?

Remember the days of full-color, glossy-paged print magazines that would arrive in your mailbox every month? Recall that pleasant sensation of opening up the latest ...
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A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (Book Club Edition)

Good books are even better when people discuss them. In fact, we label books "discussion starters" when they offer much food for thought. A Wrinkle ...
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5 Ways to Use Redeemed Reader for School

Apples, new pencils, pumpkin spice, and the hint of a cool breeze—must be September—and a new school year! Did you know you can use Redeemed ...
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*The Roar on the Other Side by Suzanne Underwood Rhodes

Is poetry writing obsolete? It doesn't have to be, especially for Christians. *The Roar on the Other Side: A Guide for Student Poets by Suzanne ...
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Not All Stories Are Created Equal

The "Power of Story" is an article of faith among authors, librarians, and other bookish people. But beware its limitations. The “power of story” consistent ...
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Four Good Books for Littles

Young children need Truth, and it's never too early to begin. Board Books by Danielle Hitchen, illustrated by Jessica Blanchard. Baby Believer series. First Bible ...
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God Will Provide … Yes, Even the Books

My friends, have you been swapping books? Last week, I got to visit three young friends of mine (and their mother). I traded wildflowers from ...
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Homeschool Resources Worth the Money

Are You Homeschooling in 2020? This school year is starting off like no other, isn't it? My husband and I both grew up attending private ...
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Ordinary Homeschooling: Just serve dinner.

This is a dangerous post. If you’re like me, you’ll see the resources that our family has chosen and think “Ooh, THAT’s what I need ...
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Why Is Writing So Hard to Teach?

How I didn't know what I didn't know Back in the early years of the 1980s, I took up the challenge offered by Dr. James ...
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one hundred best poems

The Guaranteed, Irresistible, Effortless Introduction to Poetry for People Who Doubt That They Like It

If you or your children aren't sure how to develop a taste for poetry, especially if you haven't decided whether you ought to feel obligated ...
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Exploring the Bible Together by David Murray

Exploring the Bible Together launches families on a year-long journey through Scripture in a way that’s both practical and effective. Exploring the Bible Together: a ...
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A Family Easter

What were you doing last February? Possibly, after Valentine’s Day passed and stores cleared their shelves for St. Patrick’s, you were seeing some Easter chicks ...
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To Speak of What’s Good: Positive Developments in Children’s Publishing

Children's publishing has shown some disturbing trends recently, but there's also much to be thankful for. Recently I (Janie) had the honor of visiting with ...
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How to Raise a Reader by Pamela Paul and Maria Russo

How to Raise a Reader focuses less on the “Why” and more on the “How” of fostering a love of literature in your own children. ...
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Voyages of Discovery, or, How NOT to “Teach Reading”

Last Sunday marked the 527th anniversary of the day Christopher Columbus first laid eyes, all unknowingly, on "The New World." That discovery radically changed world ...
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Laid-Back Language Arts

Do you remember your middle and high school English classes? Did you diagram sentences? Fill in endless worksheets with "S" for sentence or "F" for ...
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The Delights of Childcraft, part 2

Yesterday I introduced a set of books that impressed me as a child, and I appreciate them more now as a parent and home educator. ...
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The Money-Smart Family System by Steve Economides

"Money smarts" begin at home in this family-oriented guide to teaching wise management. The Money Smart Family System by Steve and Annette Economides.  Thomas Nelson, ...
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Announcing: The Pilgrim’s Progress Guide from Redeemed Reader!

Over the years, we at Redeemed Reader have been dedicated followers of John Bunyan's classic, The Pilgrim's Progress. Though written to address the conflicts of ...
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Are Graphic Novels “Literature”?

When I was a kid, back in the day, “comic books” did not have a great reputation.  In fact, in 1949 a book called Seduction ...
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Kindred Retreat 2019 and a Fortitude Booklist

Megan was refreshed after a day of listening to three wise women at a one-day retreat...and she brought home another booklist. Note the fairy tale ...
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The Enchanted Hour by Meghan Cox Gurdon

In The Enchanted Hour, Meghan Cox Gurdon makes the intellectual, social, and emotional case for reading aloud, at any age, to any age. The Enchanted ...
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“Watch Your Expletives!” by Gladys Hunt

In the twelfth in our series of previously-unpublished posts, Gladys Hunt cautions about "those words" our kids pick up at school, at play--and increasingly in ...
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Gladys Hunt: Early Literacy with Preschoolers

Gladys Hunt shares some tips for encouraging early literacy in young children in this latest post. For more in our Gladys Hunt series, see The Hive. ...
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Redeemed Readers, Rejoice!

Announcing a valuable resource for our fellow "Redeemed Readers," and anyone with an interest in quality children's literature.  Hard as it is to believe, this ...
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“Building a Child’s Personal Library” by Gladys Hunt

How do you know which books you just have to own?  In her fourth post of our series, Gladys Hunt offers tips on recognizing "the ...
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The Continuing Legacy of Gladys Hunt

Announcing a series of NEW posts from Gladys Hunt, author of Honey for a Child's Heart and Honey for a Teen's Heart. Several months ago, ...
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Can You Identify the Five Nonfiction Categories?

The Juvenile nonfiction designation has exploded, especially since the push for Common Core standards was supposed to increase factual reading.  Common Core seems to be ...
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