Do you feel it in the air? The seasons are a-changing…and it’s just about the best time of year for reading with a cup of cocoa, next to a crackling fire. (I suppose in the Southern Hemisphere it’s lemonade and beach reading… but there’s no bad season for reading, right?)We think you’re going to be very excited about what we have coming up in RAR this winter, plus a brand new addition to RAR Premium – Christmas School! Listen in while I tell you all about it.In this episode, I’m sharing:an invitation to slow down and simplify this season (yes, please!)all about the first-ever RAR Christmas Schoola preview of what’s coming in 2021 Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/167/. To join us for the "Reading as Refreshment" Retreat on 1/31-2/1, sign up at circlewithsarah.com!

In today’s episode, we’re talking about how to talk with your kids about books. Specifically, we’re talking about open-ended questions, which you’ve probably heard us talk about before here at Read-Aloud Revival.Open-ended questions are key to having conversations with your kids about anything they read, and anything you read together.But what exactly qualifies as an open-ended question, and why do they work?In this episode, I’m breaking down:How to make book conversation a habitHow open ended questions are a form of narrationHow to talk about books even if you haven’t read them yourselfFind the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/166/. To join us for the "Reading as Refreshment" Retreat on 1/31-2/1, sign up at circlewithsarah.com!

It happens to all of us at one point or another: reading shifts in our kids’ lives from being principally about joy and delight into something that needs to be done for school.A lot of us notice a significant drop in how much our kids are reading for pleasure once the school year is well underway.This is a problem. According to the National Literacy Trust, those who enjoy reading are better, more confident readers who spend less time online, and are more motivated by interest and achievement. (source)In fact, we know that no single literacy activity has a more positive effect on comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, writing ability, or overall academic achievement than free voluntary reading. (source)Not assigned reading. Not reading for school. Free voluntary reading.I want to sit on this for a moment because the emphasis here is on reading for pleasure. Simply being ABLE to read, or reading because you are told to does not confer the same benefits as reading for pleasure.That’s what we’re tackling today on the podcast. We also get to hear from one of my favorite authors about his newest book release! In this episode, I’m breaking down:How less can actually be more when it comes to your child’s reading lifeWhy we want our kids to be friendly and affectionate with the books they’re reading A list of books that are just plain fun--my recommended reads if reading has hit a slump in your house (or if you’re just ready for a good time!)Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/165/. To join us for the "Reading as Refreshment" Retreat on 1/31-2/1, sign up at circlewithsarah.com!

In this very special episode of the podcast, the RAR team is discussing our favorite way to study history: through picture book biographies.We’re also sharing a brand new FREE resource – a huge list of our favorite picture book biographies, organized by time period and category.In this podcast episode, you’ll hear:what makes picture books special and unique learning toolsthe best ways to read them and use them in your homeschoolhow picture book biographies help us answer the so what questionFind the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/164/. To join us for the "Reading as Refreshment" Retreat on 1/31-2/1, sign up at circlewithsarah.com!

A tranquil mind. Any chance you want one of those? I know I do. Today on the Read-Aloud Revival podcast, we’re talking about how readers can give themselves the gift of a tranquil mind by reading old books.Wait, did I just say “by reading old books?”I did. And I have a feeling this episode will challenge and expand your expectation for what reading old books can do for us in the here and now. I like to describe Alan Jacobs as one of my favorite thinkers……and if you listen in to this episode, you’ll know why. He’s an accomplished author and a Distinguished Professor in the Humanities at Baylor University, and in this episode he’s talking about why we can benefit from reading old books right now more than ever. His reasons might just surprise and delight you — especially if you’re feeling a little frayed by everything in the world demanding your attention.I’m not gonna lie, folks, a conversation with Alan Jacobs is always, always worth the time. I think you’re going to love this one! In this episode:our own tranquility vs our own twitchinesshow to read books that contain troublesome and problematic ideas (because old books tend to do that… a lot!)what it means to read with generosityI also answer a listener question about whether we should let our kids do their own independent reading instead of listening to the group read-aloud.Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/163/. To join us for the "Reading as Refreshment" Retreat on 1/31-2/1, sign up at circlewithsarah.com!

If you need a boost of sunshine in your week, stop whatever you’re doing and listen to this podcast. Why? Because in this episode, Australian icon Mem Fox joins me to talk about the unique gift this specific time can offer us — the chance to read together, to connect, and to help our kids fall in love with books on a whole new level.Mem Fox is Australia’s most celebrated author and the creator of many too many pictures books to count.She’s a giant advocate of reading aloud, as you’ll hear, and someone I’ve been dying to talk with. On today’s show, we’re talking about how and why reading to our kids will change their lives forever.In this podcast episode, you’ll hear:the magic that happens when kids and parents curl up to read togetherwhat reading aloud does for parents too – especially right now!and of course, Mem’s favorite books to read aloudI’m also sharing the most encouraging thing I’ve read online in a long time (that happens at minute 1:13).Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/162/. To join us for the "Reading as Refreshment" Retreat on 1/31-2/1, sign up at circlewithsarah.com!

What would happen if you decided to be your child’s mentor, rather than their teacher? What if you awakened their wonder and curiosity, so that they became the kind of people who thirst for knowledge and understanding?What if you could fall in love with homeschooling your kids?In this episode, Sally Clarkson and I continue a conversation we started over on her podcast a few weeks ago. We discuss how Sally translated her own boredom with traditional education in order to find a different way for her four children… and the (rather fantastic) results of those choices. If you ever wonder whether homeschooling “works” or gets good results, you probably want to listen to this episode. 😉 …and if you’re about to set off on a year of home learning, be encouraged and inspired to have a glorious year of awaking wonder in your kids.In this podcast episode, you’ll hear:how we can raise lifelong learners who aren’t afraid to tackle big questions and obstacleshow to make your home a place of resource for your childrenthe difference between being your child’s teacher and being his or her mentor (this is BIG)Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/161/. To join us for the "Reading as Refreshment" Retreat on 1/31-2/1, sign up at circlewithsarah.com!

We need a drumroll today, because on the podcast we’re revealing all of our autumn picks for RAR Premium. I’m also answering podcast listener Corrie’s question about how to preserve her son’s love of reading. It’s easy to slip into schooly habits that kill our kids’ love of reading– so how can we help preserve our children’s love of reading even after the school year starts?Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/160/. To join us for the "Reading as Refreshment" Retreat on 1/31-2/1, sign up at circlewithsarah.com!

Recently, I posted on social media about my oldest daughter becoming our first homeschool graduate. I’ll admit to being a proud mama. I think for a lot of us homeschooling our kids, we hear that it works, we are told colleges want homeschoolers–are actively seeking out homeschoolers–but we still are a little nervous. We wonder if we’ve prepared them well, if this grand homeschooling experiment is going to work out.So when my oldest daughter was not only accepted into every single college she applied to, but received generous merit-based scholarships at each one, as well, I breathed a HUGE sigh of relief.At the end of that post about my oldest daughter graduating, I left a little note for homeschool mamas, letting them know that all the lessons, conversations, books, essays, projects, field trips, the good days and the hard days — all of the WORK of homeschooling, is completely and totally worth it. Worth it in a way you can’t really see when you’re in the middle of it, but that’s crystal clear when you’re at the end of the road, looking back.Your homeschool does not have to be impressive. You can be ordinary. So can your homeschool plans. So many of us worry that we aren’t enough, or that our families aren’t the extraordinary type. But most of the homeschoolers I know don’t feel like they’re rocking homeschooling. They don’t feel like they’re doing an amazing job. They sort of feel… ordinary.I know many of you are considering homeschooling for the first time, and I know that you don’t think you can do it. You think you’re not enough. You think it will be too hard.Maybe you did some distance learning through your school last spring, and you’re ready to throw in the towel on the idea of homeschooling.Since many of us will be home educating in one capacity or another in the coming school year, I want to share 10 homeschooling mistakes I’ve made over the years (trust me, there are plenty more- but these are the 10 that I thought would be most useful to you as you set out on a new school year.)You can learn from mistakes. In this episode, you’ll hear…why your ordinary homeschool is more than enoughthe two most powerful tools in my homeschooling tool kit10 homeschooling mistakes I’ve made (so you can avoid them)Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/159/. To join us for the "Reading as Refreshment" Retreat on 1/31-2/1, sign up at circlewithsarah.com!

This week, I’m thrilled to chat with Greta Eskridge about how we can adventure with our kids – yes, even now!Greta Eskridge and I discuss how books can be the conduit for adventuring with your kids, no matter your circumstances or your resources.In this episode, you’ll hear:all about Greta’s new book, Adventuring Togetherhow even small adventures can be impactful for our kidshow to start in the simplest way possibleFind the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/158/. To join us for the "Reading as Refreshment" Retreat on 1/31-2/1, sign up at circlewithsarah.com!