Read-Aloud Revival ®

The Long Winter is the sixth book in the Little House on the Prairie series. It was first published in 1940, and is an autobiographical novel. Laura Ingalls Wilder based the series on her actual life as a child, settling the west. This particular story, The Long Winter, was set in the southwestern Dakota Territory during the severe winter of 1880-1881 when Laura was 14 years old. Even if you haven’t read the rest of the Little House books, I think you want to read this one. You can read any of the Little House books as stand-alones, but I’m betting that if you give your kids a taste of any of them, they’ll want to keep reading more stories from Laura.And truly, it’s no wonder why. Laura Ingalls Wilder is, to my mind, unparalleled as one of the finest novelists in children’s literature, ever alive.In this episode, you’ll hear: How Ingalls Wilder creates an immersive experience with deceptively simple writingWhy re-reading can be the best kind of reading, for us and for our kidsHow to handle troubling or problematic content in books with your kids, and why I believe we need to have those discussionsBut there is an elephant in the room with the Little House on the Prairie books and we need to talk about it. Today, we’re talking about what makes The Long Winter so gripping and so beloved, as well as how we handle problematic texts with our kids and why I believe that scenes and language we may find troubling aren’t reasons to leave great books on the shelf.Find the rest of the show notes at: https://readaloudrevival.com/219/ Order Flora and the Jazzers by Astrid Sheckels!

In this bonus episode, you'll hear:How Sarah's Jolabokaflod really wentCan we actually fall in love with the homeschooling lives we already have?All-new for 2023 -- Circle with Sarah: RAR Premium Homeschool CoachingFor the full show notes, head here.   Order Flora and the Jazzers by Astrid Sheckels!

What if I told you that there’s an Icelandic Christmas tradition where you spend an entire day (or evening) reading books and sipping hot cocoa? And it’s what you’re SUPPOSED to be doing.Yes, this is a real thing!It’s called Jolabokaflod, and in this episode, you’ll hear: Where the tradition came from3 super-simple steps to your own JolabokaflodHow other mamas just like you have made the tradition their ownDuring Jolabokaflod, you gift members of your family with new books, and everyone drinks hot cocoa and spends the whole of Christmas Eve reading. If I didn’t get your attention before, I’ve got it now.Today, I’m talking about when and how this tradition started, and how your family can make Jolabokaflod part of your Christmas traditions.Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/218/. Order Flora and the Jazzers by Astrid Sheckels!

By now, most of us are knee deep in our homeschool year.And no matter how far into your year you are, and no matter what’s happened that you either did, or didn’t, expect to happen, I’m willing to bet that something funny has happened: You’re carrying around a lot of pinecones.What on earth do I mean by that?In this episode, you’ll hear: All the ways we end up with a metaphorical 56-pound backpack of homeschool curriculumWhat are these pinecones (and why do I keep picking them up?)How to decide which homeschool curriculum you really need for the rest of the school yearFind the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/217/ Order Flora and the Jazzers by Astrid Sheckels!

Is it really possible to teach from rest? Even if you’re teaching a lot of different ages? And even if you feel a bit underwater, pretty much every single day in your homeschool?Let’s talk about it. This fall in Circle with Sarah, we’re diving deep into the principles of Sarah’s first book, Teaching from Rest: A Homeschooler’s Guide to Unshakable Peace… and today we’re sharing some of it with you.So let’s get nitty gritty.Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/216/. Order Flora and the Jazzers by Astrid Sheckels!

Chances are good that you’re already familiar with the picture book sensation turned childhood classic, Bear Snores On.But do you know the woman who wrote it?Karma Wilson has come up with some of her best ideas while eating ice cream or visiting the zoo. She was saved as a child, in a way, by C.S. Lewis’s Narnia. And… she homeschooled her own kids for many years as a way to ensure that they would love reading as much as she felt they deserved to love it.Find the rest of the show notes here https://readaloudrevival.com/215/. Order Flora and the Jazzers by Astrid Sheckels!

Have you ever asked yourself, “Am I doing enough?”I think we’ve all asked that question.If you’re homeschooling your kids, you might ask it every single day. It might even wake you up at night and feel like an elephant sitting on your chest. 🐘Today, we’re going to talk about it.Find the rest of the show notes https://readaloudrevival.com/214/. Order Flora and the Jazzers by Astrid Sheckels!

It’s Victorian London in the late 1800’s… and it’s been five years since the Sweep disappeared.Orphaned and alone, Nan Sparrow has no other choice but to work for a ruthless chimney sweep named Wilkie Crudd. She spends her days doing dangerous work–sweeping out chimneys.The job is thankless, but with her wits and will, Nan has managed to beat the deadly odds time and time again.This time, though, she gets stuck in a chimney fire.She wakes to find herself unharmed in an abandoned attic. And she is not alone. Huddled in the corner is a mysterious creature—a golem—made from soot and ash.The golem we’ll come to know as Charlie. He’s large and lovable, and Nan, our heroine, will raise him almost like her own child. He is, after all, her protector. Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her MonsterThis book, written by Jonathan Auxier, won the 2019 Sydney Taylor Book Award. And it has won a place in my all-time tippy top favorite books. It’s a Charles-Dickens-like adventure about the everlasting gifts of friendship and wonder.In this episode, I want to introduce you to the book… and to the man who wrote it.Find the rest of the shownotes at https://readaloudrevival.com/213/. Order Flora and the Jazzers by Astrid Sheckels!

Have you ever REALLY worried about one of your kids?What should you do if you don’t feel like you read aloud well?What’s the point of poetry memorization?What would you tell a mom who is confused about all the different homeschooling philosophies and methods?How do I know that I’m doing enough?What about homeschooling high school?These are all questions you might have… I’ve had them too.Andrew Pudewa and I answered questions just like these at all five Great Homeschool Conventions in 2022. Today on the podcast, we’re sharing a recording of that session with you. Find the rest of the show notes here https://readaloudrevival.com/212/. Order Flora and the Jazzers by Astrid Sheckels!

Last time on the Read-Aloud Revival, I told you about the inspiration for the creation of Waxwing Books and our first book,  A Little More Beautiful: The Story of a Garden. In this episode, I’ll take you on the rest of the adventure, from connecting with illustrator Breezy Brookshire to bringing on editor Michael Green, and finding art director Cara Llewellyn.Find the rest of the show notes here https://readaloudrevival.com/211/. Order Flora and the Jazzers by Astrid Sheckels!