Read-Aloud Revival ®

One of the all-time most useful things I’ve implemented in my homeschool is Quiet Reading Time.I did Quiet Reading Time with my three eldest kids, who are now in college and beyond, during the most hectic years when I had all six at home (three of whom were babies at the time!), and I still do it with those younger three today. It has made a bigger difference in our homeschool than almost anything else.It isn’t always quiet. And it isn’t always reading, in the most traditional sense. But it is incredibly effective, and it’s still my kids’ favorite part of the day.In this episode, I’m going to talk all about how to bring Quiet Reading Time into your homeschool.In this episode, you’ll hear: Why and how Quiet Reading Time can simplify your curriculum What Quiet Reading Time does for your kids (and for you!) How to manage reading time with littles underfootLearn more about Sarah Mackenzie:Read-Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the NewsletterFind the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/quiet-reading-time

Joy Clarkson, author of 'Aggressively Happy', shares her insights on finding peace as a homeschooling mom. She discusses the anxiety that often accompanies summer breaks and emphasizes the importance of embracing reassurance over pressure. Joy advocates for a balanced approach to education, focusing on nurturing relationships rather than rigid standards. Listeners will gain wisdom on simplifying their homeschooling experience, prioritizing emotional well-being, and discovering meaningful learning moments for their children.

Have you ever read a book and thought, “Wow, how did the author do that?!” Or maybe you’d love to sit down with your favorite author and pick their brain about their writing process or tips and tricks for when you get stuck.Today, the Read-Aloud Revival team has compiled some of our favorite advice about getting creative from the archives of RAR Premium’s Family Book Clubs. Whether you write, draw, paint, or engage in any other creative pursuit, and whether you’re seven or seventy-seven–and every age in between–there’s something here to help you get your creative juices flowing.In this episode, you’ll hear: Tips for staying with the struggle and keeping the joy in your creativityHow to create a satisfying storyAdvice for getting ideas, when to ignore your outline, and loving the process Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:Read-Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the NewsletterFind the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/writing-advice

If you’ve been around the Read-Aloud Revival for a minute, you might know that C. S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters is one of my all-time favorite books. It’s the book I have read and re-read the most, and it’s also the source of some of my favorite read-aloud memories with my young adult son.Today’s guest has written a book in a similar style with the modern woman in mind, and in this episode we talk about how the enemy is working the hearts and minds of women today. Emily Wilson Hussem is the author of Sincerely Stoneheart: Unmask the Enemy’s Lies, Find the Truth That Sets You Free, as well as a speaker and YouTuber who shares her faith around the world. It was a delight to have her on the show. In this episode, you’ll hear: How Emily adapted C. S. Lewis’s format to get to the heart of the most common struggles in women’s livesWhy embracing friendship, connection, and community is key to thriving as women and mothersThe ways distraction, comparison, and dissatisfaction all pull us away from living in the truth of our identities as beloved daughters of God Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:Read-Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the NewsletterFind the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/emily-wilson

On the last episode of the Read-Aloud Revival, we talked about why Shakespeare is not a school subject. I hope we were able to convince you!But if we know that Shakespeare isn’t a school subject or an item on a checklist, how do we actually do it? And how do we make Shakespeare not just doable in our homeschools, but delightful?Today, we’ll talk through a simple framework your family can use to experience one of the richest and most rewarding literary treasures in the world in a way that is absolutely magical and a whole lot of fun.I'm willing to bet that if you implement the framework that we discuss in this episode, you won’t mistake Shakespeare for a school subject ever again!In this episode, you’ll hear: Why we don’t start teaching Shakespeare with the original textSimple, easy ways to build connections with Shakespeare’s works and with each otherHow incorporating performance makes Shakespeare come alive for the whole familyLearn more about Sarah Mackenzie:Read-Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the NewsletterFind the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/how-to-shakespeare

When most of us hear the name “Shakespeare,” we probably think back to a high school classroom, fluorescent lights buzzing overhead, while we struggled through Romeo and Juliet line by line—“wherefore art thou” and all that.But here’s the truth: Shakespeare was never meant to be dissected like a frog under a microscope. His work, in fact, was never meant to be read AT ALL. He meant for his plays to be experienced. To be performed, seen, heard, and felt.We tend to think of Shakespeare as a school subject. Or that we should read it as part of a rich literature curriculum in order for our children to be well-versed academically.While Shakespeare’s plays are part of a rich literary heritage, I want to make a case today that Shakespeare is not a subject at all. It’s not a thing you “should” do in your homeschool to have well-educated kids. Today, I want to talk about why experiencing Shakespeare with your kids might be one of the most joyful things you ever do together. And one of my very favorite people, Ken Ludwig, celebrated playwright, fellow Shakespeare nerd, and author of How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, joins me to help me make my case.In this episode, you’ll hear: What traditional classrooms often get wrong when introducing ShakespeareWhy Ken recommends having kids start with reciting and memorizing passages How Shakespeare provides an entry to point to learning and loving complex languageLearn more about Sarah Mackenzie:Read-Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the NewsletterFind the rest of the show notes: readaloudrevival.com/shakespeare-is-not-school

Why should we read the classics? So many of us want to read and enjoy them, but we don’t want to spend our precious free time feeling like we’re incompetent because we just don’t get it or that the internet has completely ruined our brains (is this just me?).This winter in RAR Premium, we did a whole retreat about falling in love with your reading life again, and today I'm sharing one of those sessions, called How to Read Classics (and Actually Enjoy Them). RAR Community Manager Kelsey Murphy and I talk all about how to find your way into the classics and *really* begin to relish them.Most of this translates to reading classics with your kids, but this session really is for you. We want you to discover the fun and enjoyment in classic literature because it makes your life richer and better. It also makes you a more peaceful and joy-filled mama to those sweet kids of yours. In this episode, you’ll hear: Helpful entry points to reading the classics How to approach classics as an invitation to learning and enjoyment (not like homework)Why watching the movie first will not get your Homeschool Mama card revoked (we promise!)Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:Read-Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the NewsletterFind the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/read-the-classics

In this episode, RAR Community Manager Kelsey Murphy and I sat down to tackle some of your listener questions. We put our heads together to answer questions about loved ones who don’t support your choice to homeschool, curriculum overwhelm, reading aloud with older kids or a wide age range of ages, how to encourage your kids to read high quality literature, and more!In this episode, you’ll hear: How to make peace with your choice to homeschool even when loved ones misunderstand Ways to keep connecting with older kids through reading aloud even with busy schedules The importance of “fun” books in developing your child’s reading lifeLearn more about Sarah Mackenzie:Read-Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the NewsletterFind the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/growing-in-confidence

Today, one of my very favorite authors returns to Read-Aloud Revival. You know him as the author of Sweep, The Night Gardener, the Peter Nimble series, and The Fabled Stables. That’s right–Jonathan Auxier is back!This time, we’re talking about the much-awaited conclusion to the Peter Nimble series, The War of the Maps. In our conversation, we delve into the guiding questions he explores during the writing process, and how each of these questions becomes a doorway for discovering who we are, whose we are, and what our work is here in the world.In this episode, you’ll hear: Why Jonathan often explores the tension of the end of childhood in his books How trying to solve a guiding question shapes the narrative of Jonathan’s works The best way to write a story Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:Read-Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the NewsletterFind the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/jonathan-auxier-is-back

One of my favorite reads of 2024 was The Myth Makers by John Hendrix.This gorgeous graphic novel tells the story of the remarkable friendship of C. S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. I thought I already knew quite a bit about these Inklings, but there was even more to uncover.Today, I’m delighted to share my conversation with the author and illustrator of The Myth Makers, John Hendrix. We dive into his research and writing process, exploring how the threads of the story came together. In this episode, Jon shares a better definition of myth, and illustrates the differences between a myth, a fairytale, and a story. I even make him choose which series he’d rather bring to a desert island, The Chronicles of Narnia or The Lord of the Rings. In this episode, you’ll hear: John’s creative process for creating graphic novels How choose-your-own adventure stories inspired the The Myth Makers Why John chose the Lion and the Wizard as his main characters Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:Read-Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the NewsletterFind the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/john-hendrix