October and November 2024 Book Reports

Peace Like a River by Leif Enger - This was our book club read for the month, and I absolutely loved it. I read it at the airport and on a couple of flights, finishing it in just over 24 hours. I will definitely be reading it again. (purchased copy)

The 272: The Families Who Were Enslaved and Sold to Build the American Catholic Church by Rachel L. Swarns - Kansas Dad recommended I read this book. "In 1838, a group of America's most prominent Catholic priests sold 272 enslaved people to save their largest mission project, what is now Georgetown University." It echoed many of the themes in The History of Black Catholics in the United States, but with even more modern sources. It is good to be aware of the sins of the past and to think deeply about how we can be a part of the reconciliation process. (Kansas Dad's purchased copy)

Gaudy Night by Dorothy Sayers - This is one of the novels recommended for Level 6 Year 2 (twelfth grade) in the Mater Amabilis English plans. I read it a little ahead of First Daughter. I haven't read any other Peter Wimsey novels, but I enjoyed this one. As I neared the end, I certainly neglected some of my chores because I was eager to read more. First Daughter loved it and promptly checked out every Peter Wimsey book she could find at the library. (shared by a member of PaperBackSwap.com)

Paul for Everyone: Romans Part One by N. T. Wright - I read the older version of Romans for Everyone, and am not entirely sure I should count it as its own book since there's a Part Two. (I'll get to that one, too.) I'll quote what I wrote about a different book in the Paul for Everyone series:

N. T. Wright is an Anglican priest and an expert on Paul. Using his own translations, he provides Scripture in short selections (but with nothing missing) and then thoughtfully reflects on them, always including a relevant story from his own life. For the most part, Wright's commentaries have nothing contrary to the Catholic faith, but it is good to have a knowledge of the major differences between Anglican and Catholic beliefs when reading, like the differences between the recognized books of the Bible and those of Jesus' immediate family. (purchased used)

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Bookshop and Amazon are affiliate links.

September 2023 Book Reports

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, written by Himself - This classic of American history is now one of our assigned books in American history. (You could also include it in civics readings.) I assign it in Level 5 Year 2 (tenth grade) in addition to the Mater Amabilis readings. (purchased used)

The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm: Tales from Alagaesia by Christopher Paolini - I'm a new Inheritance Cycle fan and had to check this book out from the library. The stories are fun little dips back into Eragon's world. (library copy)

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens - I love Dickens! David Copperfield is an orphan who seeks his own fortune, sometimes making mistakes, but always meeting interesting people, some of which turn out to better or worse friends than you might first suspect. This book is assigned in the Mater Amabilis lesson plans in Level 6 Year 1 (eleventh grade). My daughter and I both got so invested in the story we couldn't limit ourselves to the assigned readings. (purchased used) (The inked copy is not the one I own, but is probably a safe edition. Be cautious in your edition; many of the reprints are poor quality.)

Seek that Which is Above by Pope Benedict XVI - This is one of the recommended spiritual reading books for Mater Amabilis in Level 6 Year 1 (eleventh grade). It's the shortest of the recommended books and a good option for a student that wants to complete the readings at adoration. (purchased used)

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links.

August 2022 Book Reports

 

River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile by Candace Millard - link to my post (purchased copy)

The Skeptic's Guide to American History by Mark A. Stoler (Great Courses) - This is one of the honors selections for high school history in the Mater Amabilis lesson plans. It's a good kind of myth-busters course, with plenty of context and background in each lecture. It's a 24 lecture course that is assigned over a couple of years (interspersed with lectures on British history and world history). I wouldn't use it instead of our textbook (Land of Hope), but it's a useful supplement if you have a student eager and willing for an honors course. (It's not really harder than the other resources we use. It's honors because it's more.) (published audiobook)

Nordic Gods and Heroes by Padraic Colum - This is one of the books of myths and legends added recently to Mater Amabilis's Level 3 lesson plans. This particular edition has the same style of illustrations by Willy Pogany as Colum's The Children's Homer, one of my favorites. In this book, Colum introduces children to the tales of Loki, Thor, and other Norse myths, names many might already find familiar from a series of recent movies. Thoroughly enjoyable. (purchased copy)

Searching for and Maintaining Peace: A Small Treatise on Peace of Heart by Father Jacques Philippe - link to my post (received as a gift from my son)

Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links. I have received nothing in exchange for this post.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links.

A Chapter Book on Sequoyah: Talking Leaves

Talking Leaves

by Joseph Bruchac

I was chatting in one of my Facebook groups about how much I love James Rumford's picture book Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing when someone told me I should read Talking Leaves. (The group is Living Books for All Peoples, and I have learned a tremendous amount there; I highly recommend it.)

The book is written from the perspective of Sequoyah's teenage son. When Sequoyah returns to Uwohali's village, they had been separated for many years. Before long, Sequoyah's papers and scratchings bring him under suspicion for witchcraft, a dangerous charge within the community. Uwohali is drawn to his father, but is wary of the peculiar symbols. 

Uwohali's relationships with family members are important aspects to the story. I love when stories are woven around such strong bonds.

That brings a smile to my mother's face, in spite of her concern. If you want to make your mother happy, tell her that you like the food she has made for you. (p. 102)

The book shows how Sequoyah convinces his family and a few key people that the Cherokee can benefit from the power of the written language, just as white people do. Then, they must convince the village.

Joseph Bruchac is an author I trust to portray Native American characters and communities with accuracy and compassion. Not only is this a wonderful book of family and the astounding creation of a syllabary for the Cherokee language, but it reveals the world of the Cherokee at the time of Sequoyah in a valuable way.

It's a chapter book written at a late elementary or middle school reading level, a good choice for independent reading. I plan to assign it to my youngest, Second Son (sixth grade, Level 3 Year 1), as he studies American history this year.

There are some violent scenes (especially when Sequoyah describes a battle) and quite a bit of tension. If you have a sensitive child, you may want to pre-read or read aloud so you can adjust if necessary.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Bookshop and Amazon are affiliate links. I borrowed this book from our library, but then found a copy at a recent library sale.

November and December 2021 Book Reports

Calvary Hero: Casimir Pulaski by Dorothy Adams (American Background Series) - I picked this book up used at a big sale because my grandmother was Polish. I remembered stories she would tell about celebrating Casmir Polaski Day at her Polish school (in Illinois) when she was a little girl. This book is from an older series, well-written and enjoyable, though his life story has many tough times. It's a good supplemental book for a Revolutionary War study, if you happen to be particularly interested in Polish war heroes. (purchased used)

Anthony Burns: The Defeat and Triumph of a Fugitive Slave by Virginia Hamilton - I'm not sure where I heard about this book, but I wanted to add it to Second Son's history reading for the year (Level 2 Year 2, when he was still reading This Country of Ours, because I rearrange our history). It provides an interesting perspective of a slave's life in the years before the Civil War, when the patchwork of laws in different states were confusing to everyone, especially to the enslaved. (purchased used)

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison - This book is on the Mater Amabilis high school schedule for English in Level 6 Year 2 (twelfth grade). First Son was starting his senior year, but because he started high school on the beta plans and was taking a college writing course in the spring, I adjusted his English assignments. I pre-read this book, planning to assign it to him. It's a tough read, because the language is sometimes fluid and fast, the action is alternatively slow and shocking, and the subject matter is difficult to absorb. It's a masterpiece, but in the end I decided not to overwhelm First Son's schedule by adding it. (He did a semester of English with me in the fall in addition to a whole credit's worth of writing in the spring at a local college.) I feel like most high school students would be overwhelmed by this book without a wise teacher to walk through it with them, and I am probably not that teacher. If First Son continues in the seminary, he will read it in college, and that's probably a good plan. (Kansas Dad's course copy)

Lights in a Dark Town: A Story about John Henry Newman by Meriol Trevor - link to my review (purchased copy)

30 Poems to Memorize (Before it's too Late) edited by David Kern - link to my review (purchased copy)

Rainbow Valley by L.M. Montgomery - I've read this book many times, of course, but it's been decades. I think I enjoyed this book more now that I'm a mother; I found it easier to keep the children separate in my head. I encouraged Second Son to read it, even though he hadn't read the books between this one and Anne of Green Gables. He's always on the search for relaxing bedtime reads. He laughed at all the words they considered bad. There are a number of funny stories. If you're reading aloud to younger kids, this is a good book to follow Anne of Green Gables. (gifted copy)

Home by Marilynne Robinson - This is a slow gentle book I found a bit more depressing than Gilead by the same author, but still beautifully written. (library copy)

Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad by Ann Petry - I can't remember where I first found this book, either, but it was a good fit for Second Daughter's American History study in seventh grade (Level 3 year 2). I wanted something on the Underground Railroad. This is a well-written biography for middle grade readers that covers Harriet Tubman's life in slavery and freedom. (purchased copy)

Woman and the New Race by Margaret Sanger - link to my review (available free online)

My Man Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse - I wanted something funny and light-hearted to listen to while riding in the van with First Son. Neither of us had read or heard any Wodehouse. This had some truly hilarious moments, and we both enjoyed it in our little thirty minute increments. (purchased audiobook)

King Lear by William Shakespeare - This was First Son's final Shakespeare play. He read all three of his senior year plays in the first semester (to finish them before his college writing class in the spring), so it was a quicker read than we usually do. King Lear is an excellent choice for twelfth grade; it's one of the more referenced Shakespeare plays, and therefore a good one to read before going to college, but it's also grim and depressing. So, read it, but save it for your older high school students. (purchased copy)

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon, Bookshop.org, and PaperBackSwap are affiliate links.

What they Mean: The Federalist Papers

Books that Matter: The Federalist Papers
by Joseph L. Hoffmann

First Son used the Mater Amabilis beta government plans, which included lots of primary source reading like some of the Federalist Papers. Sometimes he seemed to struggle to understand the context of the essays, especially ones in response to other essays. He would have benefitted from a lot more structure and support around them. He was reading other books, but they were more things read side-by-side with the primary sources rather than anything to hold them all together. At some point, I bought this audiobook (probably during a sale), thinking it would be just the thing.

This series of twelve lectures of about thirty minutes discusses many of the Federalist papers, the reason they were written, clearly explains what some of the more complicated language meant, and applies the arguments to the ongoing conversations of modern government.

The current Mater Amabilis government and civics plans have been revised, but now that I have this audiobook and The Birth of the Republic, I think I'm going to make a course focusing on the Constitution for a semester of government credit for First Daughter. I'm not sure she needs it, because she has already read extensively on the Constitution, but she'll love it. If she has time later one, I'll follow it up with a modern government course focused on current issues.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. I purchased this audiobook. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links.

Difficult Primary Source Reading: Woman and the New Race

Woman and the New Race

by Margaret Sanger

This book is included in the primary source reading in the Mater Amabilis high school history plans for Level 6 year 1. It should be clear that the faithful Catholics who collected the list of resources for our history plans do not agree with Margaret Sanger's views, but they did feel it important for students to read her actual words and grapple with them. 

I printed this short book for our history binder from the Bartleby website. It came to about 80 pages, single spaced, which is too long for a single day's history assignment. I did not read it ahead of my son, so I just asked him to read for thirty minutes, then narrate what he'd read. After reading it myself, I decided on some chapters to assign for my future students.

I'm going to assign (for a single day's reading) chapters I-VI, XIV, and XVIII. The other chapters will be optional. (My second child might read them, though I'm not sure any of the others will be interested enough.) These chapters are:

I. Woman's Error and Her Debt, pp. 3-5

II. Woman's Struggle for Freedom, pp. 6-12

III. The Materials of the New Race, pp. 13-17

IV. Two Classes of Women, pp. 18-20

XIV. Woman and the New Morality, pp. 59-64

XVIII. The Goal, pp. 79-81 

Chapter XIV (Woman and the New Morality) includes references to the Catholic Church's view of marital intimacy. Though her description of the baptismal rite is not strictly correct, the idea that the marital act itself was somehow tainted, even within marriage, was indeed widely believed within the church. Pope St. John Paul II's Theology of the Body was a turning point in our understanding. It is essential for students to be introduced to these ideas before encountering arguments like Sanger's in college and the wider world. Though they may not be able to convince their friends, they should be armed with such knowledge for their own soul's protection.

I also made a note at the beginning of the reading reminding my student medical knowledge has grown since 1920, when Margaret Sanger wrote this book. A familiarity with the reproductive system is recommended and should be addressed before a student graduates from high school, at the very least.

Most of Sanger's proponents today would explicitly disavow her eugenic arguments, but there are real struggles in the world she was attempting to address. I think it's important to recognize and acknowledge those. These sorts of primary readings are therefore essential.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. This text of this book is in the public domain.

The Chiefest of these is Love: Charis in the World of Wonders

Charis in the World of Wonders

by Mary Youmans

My friend, Sally Thomas, recommended this book repeatedly, so I put it on my wish list and was thrilled to receive it for Christmas. It was the perfect book to read as I recovered from Covid, when I was tired of all the streaming videos, but not yet focused enough for anything beyond a delightful novel.

It's a beautifully evocative book set in Puritan New England as Charis wanders alone through a world of horrors and wonders, mystery and assurance. 

The world was fallen, broken to shards like a clay pitcher. No, it was not the throne of an unchangeable will but the cross that hung in my mind with a glimmering, drowned light--the arms-out image of wide embrace that declared we were not alone in our sufferings. (p. 176)

I read it quickly, eager to know Charis's experiences and fate, and under the influence of illness, so I hope to read it again more slowly in the future.

To be quite honest, my recovery from Covid is not complete, and my ability to put my feelings about this novel into adequate words is entirely lacking. I loved every page of it, but here are some more reliable reviews if you want to know more before investing a few days of your time to read it yourself:

• The Catholic World Report: 2020’s Best-kept Literary Secret
• DarwinCatholic: Charis in the World of Wonders, by Marly Youmans: A Review
• The Wine-Dark Sea: Charis in the World of Wonders (This one has some spoilers, so you may want to wait until after you read the book yourself.)

There are allusions to mature romantic themes, but I intend to put this on First Daughter's list of optional supplemental reading for early American history (which I think she'll start in tenth grade; her plan will be a little different than First Son's was).

God fashioned the waters and their salt, changeable secrets out of joy and pleasure, and likewise he formed me, and all he longer for me in my life was that I be alive, all the way alive and whole like the sea, doing what I was intended to do, being all of what I was meant to be--a woman rejoicing in creation and sensing another, better world next to our own, a mother and wife, a wielder of the needle, an apprentice to a goldsmith and a candle on fire. (pp. 313-314)

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Bookshop are affiliate links. I received this book as a gift.

An Illustrated History of the Pilgrims: The Mayflower

The Mayflower: The Perilous Voyage that Changed the World

by Libby Romero

illustrated by Olga Baumert

This is a lovely new book on the Pilgrims made with the collaboration of Plimoth Plantation. The illustrations are beautiful, depicting details about life on board the Mayflower and on land in vibrant colors. Native Americans are portrayed with dignity. Some acts of the Pilgrims, like confiscating corn they found in empty villages, is described. They later make restitution by paying for the supplies.

It's more than a picture book, so you would have to read it aloud to younger children. A Level 2 or Level 3 student would be able to read it independently and narrate it.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Bookshop are affiliate links.

The Story of American Government: The Birth of the Republic

The Birth of the Republic, 1763-89

by Edmund S. Morgan

First Son is studying American Government this year, working roughly from the new Mater Amabilis™ high school American Civics and Economics. He had already done some reading based on the previous beta plans so I was mixing and matching a bit. I have been thrilled with all the primary sources selected and scheduled in the MA plans, but I found I was having trouble putting them all in context, so I have been looking for a more narrative text telling the story of American government. 

This book was mentioned in one of the linked articles early in the course. Our library had a copy. Once I'd read enough to know I liked it, I requested a copy from PaperBackSwap.com. (My copy is the third edition; I read online the only difference in the fourth edition is the new introduction.)

It's a thorough but readable account of the events, debates, speeches, and essays leading to the development of the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. It describes prominent people in both Britain and America, allowing their voices to speak out more clearly in the primary sources we were reading. The author is not afraid to share his personal opinions, but he does a decent job of revealing conflicts and blind spots of the founding fathers while still respecting and admiring the dedication they had to the founding of a new country and the substantial contributions they made to our country.

First Son will not reap the benefits of this book. He's doing the readings and narrating them adequately, if not necessarily understanding as well as he might. He's not particularly interested in government, and I don't want to add to his current load. My younger three kids will definitely read this book. First Daughter will love it!

I am hoping to pair this with an additional supporting text just on the Federalist papers. I believe First Daughter will start this course her sophomore year, so I have a year in between to solidify in my mind what I'd like to create. I really just want to add this to what is in the MA plans, but I am cognizant of the need to balance civics and government with all the other things, so there might be some adjustments on other readings to make room for it.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. The link to Bookshop is an affiliate link.

November and December 2020 Book Reports

The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey by Candice Millard - link to my post (copy from PaperBackSwap.com)

Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe - link to my post (copy from PaperBackSwap.com)

The Great Quake: How the Biggest Earthquake in North America Changed Our Understanding of the Planet by Henry Fountain - link to my post (library copy)

Who Gets in and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions by Jeffrey Selingo - link to my post (library copy)

Richard III by William Shakespeare - I read this just ahead of my eleventh grader. Richard III has few redeeming qualities, though some wonderful lines. I thought the most dramatic scene must be one in which ghosts of Richard's victims file across the stage in the dark of night, condemning him and comforting his rival for the throne. It's fairly long, so I split some of the acts over two weeks. (purchased copy)

The Beginning Naturalist by Gale Lawrence - I grabbed this book at a library sale to read aloud as our nature study book. The book follows a year in New England with essays of 2-3 pages on a variety of topics. More than once I was delighted by Second Daughter's discoveries on our land to match the topic of essays in the book. (purchased used)

The Captain's Dog: My Journey with the Lewis and Clark Tribe by Roland Smith - This book is on my younger son's historical fiction list for the year (fourth grade) and I think he's going to love it. Seaman's perspective is a doggy one, which is fun. The author also manages to show some of the events and actions of the Lewis and Clark Expedition as ones we'd find unacceptable today. (purchased used)

The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien (first book: The Fellowship of the Ring) - I read this trilogy when I was in middle school but knew it deserved another read. I invested in the audiobooks and enjoyed every minute of them. (purchased from Audible)

The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai - link to my post (purchased Audible audiobook)

Zikora by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - I follow this author on Amazon because I saw her amazing TED Talk. This short story was available to borrow for Kindle and, somehow, the Audible book was available for free as well for listening. (I'm not able to download it on my laptop, but I could listen on the app.) It was beautifully written and provided a look into a completely different life than my own. The ending was rather abrupt, almost not an ending at all. (borrowed Audible audiobook)

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Bookshop, Amazon, and PaperBackSwap.com are affiliate links.

Deep in the Jungles of South America: River of Doubt

River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey

by Candice Millard

This is a fascinating book about the mapping and exploration of an unknown river in Brazil in 1914. A thrilling tale of danger, it's also a balanced presentation of the historical context of Theodore Roosevelt after his failed presidential race, the expansion of governmental control (or the lack thereof) in the Brazilian rainforest, and the environment surrounding the river. 

While on land, the members of the expedition could not sit, step, lean, or stand without entangling themselves in the predatory ambitions of some creature or, more often, hundreds of creatures of the Amazon.

It is thoroughly researched by the author, including numerous interviews with family and tribal members, including some who recount an oral history of the first contact with those from outside the rainforest on this expedition. 

In the dark, liana-draped trees that towered on all sides around the tiny wooden shack in which the men fell off to sleep, the warriors of the Cinta Larga--with painted bodies, hard bark belts, and poison-tipped arrows--slipped away as silently and invisibly as they had come. Obeying the timeless calculus of survival in the rain forest, they disappeared on swift bare feet into endless dark halls of leaf and vine. For their own reasons, and on their own terms, they would let these enemies live. 

Roosevelt and the other expedition members never glimpsed the people of the forest. Only in these later interviews was it revealed how greatly those in the forest debated what do to with the intruders and how easily they might have been killed. 

In addition to chapters bursting with historical and scientific details, the book shares stories of the real people on the journey. Theodore Roosevelt, of course, is the main focus. He didn't have the same skill set as many others, but was always willing to do his part and more. George Cherrie, a naturalist in the party, wrote:

"There was no camp duty that the Colonel shirked...It is the only time I have ever had my clothes washed by an ex-President of the United States!"

There are plenty of mature themes in the book, as well as descriptions of violence, destructive and immoral behavior, and unpleasant and sometimes disgusting physical maladies. It is definitely best reserved for older students or adults. I intend to offer it as an option for our high school geography course on South America; I think it provides a great link between the United States and Brazil. I thoroughly enjoyed it myself and recommend it.

I have received nothing for this post. I received a copy of this book from a member of PaperBackSwap.com (not an affiliate link). Links to Bookshop and Amazon are affiliate links.

Across a Continent: Undaunted Courage

Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West
by Stephen E. Ambrose

This book is on the extracurricular reading list for the Mater Amabilis™ high school plans, which you can find linked from the main high school page. It fits well with American history and North American geography. I picked this book up when our library wasn't open and I was reading from the shelves. At almost 500 pages, it supplied plenty of reading material.

Despite its length, it never dragged. Ambrose's prose is lyrical. He is able to coalesce mountains of research into a coherent story. I most appreciated his ability to write eloquently of Lewis and Clark's courage, perseverance, and other virtues, while always gently but clearly acknowledging their failings, in particular in their relationships and treatment of Native Americans and slaves. Every now and then, Ambrose describes some obscure location on the journey and you remember he's literally traveled in their footsteps, in some places more than once.

The book is best for mature readers as there are numerous references to intimate behavior most of us would deem immoral. There are also a few derogatory comments recorded from Lewis about Roman Catholics and other missionaries, though very few. 

This is really a magnificent book. It explains the historical context of the Lewis and Clark journey, provides a detailed description from beginning to end, delves into the personalities of Lewis (and somewhat into the other members of the party), and explores the immediate and long-term ramifications of the exploration and later publication of the journals. Ambrose provides a balanced story, revealing the faults as well as admiring the accomplishments.

It is a long and dense book, one that requires an investment of time and focus many high schoolers may lack. For First Son, I have assigned excerpts of  the journals in his American History course, but decided this book would simply take too much time. My second child, First Daughter, will most certainly read and love it when she is in high school.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. I requested this book from another member at PaperBackSwap.com (affiliate link). Links to Bookshop and Amazon are affiliate links.

A Challenging but Worthwhile History: This Country of Ours

This Country of Ours

by H. E. Marshall

This Country of Ours is the first option on the Mater Amabilis™ Level 1B syllabus for History, the first year in a three year course of study that continues through Level 1A (first grade through third grade). I started to read it aloud to First Son when he was in first grade and...it was a bit of a disaster. A lot of reasons for our struggles were at play: First Son was not a strong narrator. I was new at homeschooling and at narration myself. I had an exhausting two-year-old. I also had a demanding infant. The book was published in 1917 and is written with an attitude toward Native Americans we now recognize as racist, though it was not intended as such, but I was uncomfortable dealing with that attitude as we read. This Country of Ours is a challenging text, and the early chapters are in some ways the most difficult. 

We had barely scratched the surface when I decided to switch to Stories of Great Americans for Little Americans by Edward Eggleston, one of the suggested alternatives. This was a much better book for First Son at that age and for me, too. 

There are a lot of discussions in the Mater Amabilis™ Facebook group about This Country of Ours and the American history options in Levels 1-3. I heard stories from other families that loved the book and from those that used it in later years. So a couple of years ago, I decided to revisit it. First Daughter and Second Daughter have read the whole book. Second Son just started it in Level 1A Year 2 (third grade).

One of the aspects of the book I really wanted to address was the change in attitude toward Native Americans between Marshall's time and our own. I also wanted to give my readers a more concrete grasp of where these events were taking place. So I wrote a study guide, one that could be printed with a little introduction to each chapter saying everything I would say if I were sitting down to read it aloud to them. I included some maps to study before and as they read. As the girls used the study guide, I fixed errors and expanded it. Over the past few weeks, I added a list of people for each chapter. (My children explained they were having trouble telling people apart, especially in remembering which country or army someone represented.)

Over the past three years, I have read This Country of Ours two or three times, and I have come to love it. The people described are real, with their faults and virtues. The stories are exhilarating, and yet encourage further study. The language is full of rich descriptions. As a teacher of children at multiple levels, I can see myriad connections with This Country of Ours and other books in the Mater Amabilis™ syllabi like A Book of Discovery. These are not explicit, as they would be in a series that referred to early books or chapters, but are there because they exist in reality.

Though I address Native Americans in the study guide, I found a book for Second Son to read from before he started This Country of Ours and to intersperse in his readings to give a completely different perspective on events concerning Native Americans. First People: An Illustrated History of American Indians by David C. King seems to be an even-handed description of life before Europeans arrived and the consequences that followed interactions between Europeans and Native Americans.

Second Son was nine years old before he even started third grade and is a fantastic reader and narrator, so he could handle a little more difficulty than just This Country of Ours. Even so, I let him tell me if I'd assigned too much. If he wanted to only read half a chapter, I let him. Because I knew he was such a strong reader, I knew he'd be able to handle adding First People in addition to This Country of Ours.

I encourage all Mater Amabilis™ families to explore the many different ways to teach American history in Levels 1-3. The website has many options and the Facebook group has lots of people willing to share their own experiences. Here are just a few ideas:

• Read This Country of Ours over three years starting in Level 1B as on the original Mater Amabilis™ syllabus (first, second, and third grades). Use the study guide and read aloud to your student. Divide the early chapters into as many readings as you need so your student doesn't get overwhelmed.
• Read This Country of Ours over three years starting in Level 1A Year 2 and going through both years of Level 2, as Second Son will, with readings from First People interspersed (third, fourth, and fifth grades). Or spread This Country of Ours over these three years but without any reading from First People.
• Read This Country of Ours over two years in Level 2, as Second Daughter did, using the study guide (fourth and fifth grades). (She did not read First People.)
• Read This Country of Ours over two years in Level 3, as First Daughter did, with First People as an independent reading book (sixth and seventh grades). 

As you can see, my own four children have each read (or not read) This Country of Ours on a different schedule.

The study guide I wrote is available in the Mater Amabilis™ Facebook group for families to download and print or to use on a tablet and would be appropriate for reading aloud with children in Levels 1B and up, or printing for children to use independently in Levels 2 or 3. I hope it provides some support for families who might otherwise hesitate to use This Country of Ours.

Incorporating First People with This Country of Ours (perhaps most appropriate for Levels 2 or 3)

Start the year with First People. For This Country of Ours, read about a chapter a day (perhaps increasing to two chapters nearing the end of the third year as the chapters get shorter). Some of the First People readings might need to be broken up as well, depending on your student.

• First People
• Introduction pp. 6-11
• Chapter 1: The Beginning pp. 15-19 (The Ice Age and the Land Bridge, Adapting to the Environment)
• Chapter 2: The Emergence of Indian Cultures pp. 28-33 (The Mound-Building Cultures, Monk's Mound)
• This Country of Ours (TCOO)
• Chapters 1-12
• First People
• Chapter 2: The Emergence of Indian Cultures pp. 68-71 (The Southeast, The Cherokee)
• Chapter 3: First Encounters with Europeans pp. 75-77 (Europeans Explore the Southeast)
• Chapter 4: The European Impact pp. 88-89 (Changes in the East)
• Chapter 5: The Contest for a Nation pp. 118-119 (The Virginia Frontier)
• TCOO
• Chapters 13-21
• First People
• Chapter 2: The Emergence of Indian Cultures pp. 60-67 (The Northeast Woodlands, The Iroquois, The Ojibwe)
• Chapter 3: First Encounters with Europeans pp. 78-79 (First Meetings in the Northeast)
• TCOO
• Chapters 22-31
• First People
• Chapter 5: The Contest for a Continent pp. 120-121 (The Conflict in New England)
• TCOO
• Chapters 32-49
• First People
• Chapter 5: The Contest for a Continent pp. 122-123 (The Conflict Moves West)
• TCOO
• Chapters 50-66
• First People
• Chapter 2: The Emergence of Indian Cultures pp. 42-46 (The Great Plains, The Sioux: Before European Contact, Made from Bison)
• Chapter 2: The Emergence of Indian Culture pp. 48-51 (The Plateau, The Great Basin)
• Chapter 4:  The European Impact pp. 94-98 (Changes on the Plains, The Sioux: After European Contact, Weapons of the Plains)
• Chapter 2: The Emergence of Indian Cultures pp. 54-59 (The Pacific Northwest, The Haida: Before European Conflict, Totem Poles)
• Chapter 3: First Encounters with Europeans pp. 84-85 (Encounters on the West Coast)
• Chapter 4: The European Impact pp. 108-113 (Changes in the Northwest, The Haida: After European Contact, The Kwakwaka'wakw)
• TCOO 

• Chapters 67-72
• First People
• Chapter 5: The Contest for a Continent pp. 126-131 (Last Conflicts in the East, Write it in Cherokee, The Trail Where They Cried)
• TCOO
• Chapters 73-74
• First People
• Chapter 5: The Contest for a Continent pp. 124-125 (Other Indian Struggles to Survive)
• TCOO
• Chapter 75
• First People
• Chapter 3: First Encounters with Europeans pp. 80-82 (The Spanish in the Southwest)
• Chapter 4: The European Impact pp. 100-107 (Changes in the Southwest, The Navajo: After European Contact, The Apache)
• Chapter 5: The Contest for a Continent pp. 134-135 (Indian Losses in the Southwest)
• TCOO
• Chapter 76
• First People
• Chapter 2: The Emergence of Indian Cultures pp. 52-53 (California)
• Chapter 5: The Contest for a Continent pp. 132-133 (The Impact of New Developments)
• TCOO
• Chapters 77-91
• First People
• Chapter 5: The Contest for a Continent pp. 136-143 (War for the Great Plains, What's in a Headdress?, Final Victories, Final Defeats)
• TCOO
• Chapters 92-99
• First People (spread over many days)
• Chapter 6: The Struggle to Survive
• Chapter 7: A People's Revival

Second Son also read some of the supplemental reading during his independent reading time over the course of the year.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links. I have also often purchased books directly from Yesterday's Classics because their reprints are consistently good and the myriad of options on bookseller sites are often impossible to evaluate before purchasing.

January 2020 Book Reports

Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II by Robert Matzen - This book tells the experiences of Audrey Hepburn under Nazi occupation for five formative years in the Netherlands. It's a fascinating description of life for the average person during the war and shows how Hepburn's feelings and actions during her adulthood as a Hollywood star and celebrity were shaped by that time. (library copy)

Food: A Cultural Culinary History (The Great Courses) by Ken Albala - link to my post (purchased from Audible)

Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland - This book of short stories highlights important moments in the "life" of a hidden Vermeer painting, moving backwards in time. Parts of it were lovely. (library copy)

Golden Gate by Valenti Angelo - This is a sequel to Nino. Nino travels with his mother and grandfather to join his father in California. I believe it's based on his own experiences as a child so there are some episodes that might seem jarring or inappropriate for children in today's culture. For example, Nino and his friend discover the body of a deceased Chinese man on his boat, a man they considered a friendly neighbor if not actually a friend. There are also many descriptions of Native Americans and immigrants that don't conform to modern standards. All that being said, I just love the voice of the story and the delightful illustrations. I would happily read it aloud to my children and will allow them to read it on their own. We have lots of discussions that would address anything inappropriate. (purchased copy)

Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo - link to my post (library copy)

Burmese Days by George Orwell - link to my post (copy from Paperbackswap.com
PaperBackSwap.com)

Doomsday Book by Connis Willis - The young historian, Kivrin, is mistakenly sent back to the time of the Black Death in the environs of Oxford. Her experiences illuminate the extraordinary in ordinary lives. This was my second time reading it and it was just as wonderful (and sorrowful) as the first time. (library copy)

An Introduction to the Universe: The Big Ideas of Astronomy by Brother Guy Consolmagno - link to my post (purchased from Audible)

I have received nothing for this post. All opinions are honest and my own. Links to Amazon or PaperBackSwap are affiliate links.

History, Geography, Culture...Life: Food: A Cultural Culinary History

Food: A Cultural Culinary History (The Great Courses)

by Ken Albala

Professor Albala attempts to cover all of human history through food. His focus is Western culture and Europe, but there are survey lectures for areas in Asia and Africa as well. In the later lectures, there is a definite bias toward local food and the kind of farm and table philosophy espoused by Wendell Berry and others, a bias that happens to coincide with my own. The last lecture, where Professor Albala predicts future movements in food, was my least favorite. Perhaps that's just because I don't want all his predictions to come to fruition.

In the video version of this series, he makes a few recipes. These are less interesting on audio, though they tended to be small parts of the lectures. I think all of the recipes are included in the PDF of the course guidebook. (These seem to be available on only some phones or apps, but they should always show up in your library on the actual Audible website.)

As I was listening, I found many connections and relationships with the high school coursework we are using, including that from Mater Amabilis™. I think a high school student (there are some references to mature themes, though none I remember being central to the ideas) could listen to this course from beginning to end as part of a high school course. It's a little short by itself to be an elective, not quite enough hours even for a quarter-credit.

Many of the lectures, however, would be a fun addition or supplement to other courses. Here are some ideas I had while listening.

European History - Many of these would be enjoyable and give a welcome respite from the heavy reading of Europe: A History.

• LECTURE 2: What Early Agriculturalists Ate
• LECTURE 3: Egypt and the Gift of the Nile
• LECTURE 5: Classical Greece—Wine, Olive Oil, and Trade
• LECTURE 6: The Alexandrian Exchange and the Four Humors
• LECTURE 9: Dining in Republican and Imperial Rome
• LECTURE 11: Europe’s Dark Ages and Charlemagne
• LECTURE 13: Carnival in the High Middle Ages
• LECTURE 15: A Renaissance in the Kitchen
• LECTURE 17: 1492—Globalization and Fusion Cuisines
• LECTURE 18: 16th-Century Manners and Reformation Diets
• LECTURE 19: Papal Rome and the Spanish Golden Age
• LECTURE 20: The Birth of French Haute Cuisine
• LECTURE 21: Elizabethan England, Puritans, Country Food
• LECTURE 22: Dutch Treat—Coffee, Tea, Sugar, Tobacco
• LECTURE 26: Eating in the Early Industrial Revolution

British History

• LECTURE 21: Elizabethan England, Puritans, Country Food
• LECTURE 25: Colonial Cookery in North America (or American History)
• LECTURE 26: Eating in the Early Industrial Revolution
• LECTURE 30: Food Imperialism around the World

Geography of Africa

• LECTURE 3: Egypt and the Gift of the Nile
• LECTURE 23: African and Aboriginal Cuisines

Geography of Asia

• LECTURE 4: Ancient Judea—From Eden to Kosher Laws
• LECTURE 7: Ancient India—Sacred Cows and Ayurveda
• LECTURE 8: Yin and Yang of Classical Chinese Cuisine
• LECTURE 12: Islam—A Thousand and One Nights of Cooking
• LECTURE 24: Edo, Japan—Samurai Dining and Zen Aesthetics

Geography of the Americas

• LECTURE 16: Aztecs and the Roots of Mexican Cooking
• LECTURE 25: Colonial Cookery in North America

Geography of Australasia

• LECTURE 23: African and Aboriginal Cuisines

Health

• LECTURE 27: Romantics, Vegetarians, Utopians
• LECTURE 29: Big Business and the Homogenization of Food
• LECTURE 32: War, Nutritionism, and the Great Depression
• LECTURE 33: World War II and the Advent of Fast Food

Economics

• LECTURE 29: Big Business and the Homogenization of Food
• LECTURE 32: War, Nutritionism, and the Great Depression

I have received nothing in exchange for this post of my honest opinions. Links to Amazon are affiliate links. I purchased this audiobook from Audible.

Context for All the Books: The Rise and Fall of the British Empire

The Rise and Fall of the British Empire (The Great Courses)

by Patrick N. Allitt

We've been immersed in Mater Amabilis™ for over ten years now. Repeatedly in that time, there have been issues raised with recommended books and Charlotte Mason herself regarding attitudes toward non-Western people and the history of England. This course has helped me put vast amounts of those readings in context. Professor Allitt came of age as the British Empire disintegrated and therefore is able to provide a personal story alongside the historical context. He touches on all aspects of the Empire, including the American colonies, the spread of cricket, and two lectures on some of the relationships between British literature and the Empire. (He pointed out some details in Jane Austen's novels I would never have connected with the Empire. Guess I'll have to read them again!) Many of the lectures touch on important milestones and attitudes that continue to impact world relations today. Quotes from primary sources intersperse all the lectures.

I think you could substitute this lecture series for Churchill's A History of the English-Speaking Peoples in Level 5 (the abridged one). You would lose the early British history and Churchill's sardonic wit, but it would probably be easier than reading Churchill. You might also read Churchill to the end of his book, then pick up this lecture series to follow just the decline of the Empire. If you wanted an honors level course, I think Churchill and this series would fit marvelously together.

The PDF included in an Audible purchase includes recommended reading for each lecture and questions to consider, some of which would make excellent exam or essay questions.

Another option might be to use a subset of the lectures either in history or geography courses.

America / The New World

Lecture Two: The Challenge to Spain in the New World
Lecture Three: African Slavery and the West Indies
Lecture Six: Wolfe and the Conquest of Canada
Lecture Seven: The Loss of the American Colonies
Lecture Eighteen: How Canada Became a Nation
Lecture Thirty-Three: The White Dominions

Africa

Lecture Three: African Slavery and the West Indies
Lecture Eleven: Abolition of the Slave Trade and Slavery
Lecture Twelve: Early African Colonies
Lecture Nineteen: The Exploration and Settlement of Africa
Lecture Twenty: Gold, Greed, and Geopolitics in Africa
Lecture Thirty-One: Israel, Egypt, and the Suez Canal
Lecture Thirty-Two: The Decolonization of Africa

Asia

Lecture Four: Imperial Beginnings in India
Lecture Five: Clive and the Conquest of India
Lecture Thirteen: China and the Opium Wars
Lecture Sixteen: India and the "Great Game"
Lecture Seventeen: Rebellion and Mutiny in India
Lecture Twenty-Seven: British India between the World Wars
Lecture Thirty: Twilight of the Raj
Lecture Thirty-One: Israel, Egypt, and the Suez Canal

Australia / New Zealand

Lecture Eight: Exploring the Planet
Lecture Ten: The Other Side of the World
Lecture Thirty-Three: The White Dominions

This is one of my favorite courses from The Great Courses. I enjoyed it immensely and would happily listen to it all over again.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post of my honest opinions. I purchased this course during one of Audible's recent two-for-one sales. Links to Amazon are affiliate links.

Explanations: The Great Crash 1929

The Great Crash 1929

by John Kenneth Galbraith

I don't know how this book ended up on my to-read list back in 2012, but I enjoyed it tremendously in 2019.

While some of the conditions creating the environment enabling the dramatic rise and fall of the stock market in 1929 have been alleviated, I was struck more than once at how we saw the same problems and problematic responses during the 2008 financial crisis.

Always, when markets are in trouble, the phrases are the same: "The economic situation is fundamentally sound" or simply "The fundamentals are good." All who hear these words should know that something is wrong.

He talks about it later as well:

Mr. Mellon was participating in a ritual which, in our society, is thought to be of great value for influencing the course of the business cycle. By affirming solemnly that prosperity will continue, it is believed, one can help insure that prosperity will in fact continue. Especially among businessmen the faith in the efficiency of such incantation is very great.

Obviously in 1929 (recounted in this book) and in 2008 (when I vaguely paid attention as an adult), these "incantations" were ineffective. It would be interesting to see if anyone can point to a time when the economy was struggling and such affirmations helped steady it before there were drastic effects.

The machinery by which Wall Street separates the opportunity to speculate from the unwanted returns and burdens of ownership is ingenious, precise, and almost beautiful.

He mentions a few of these methods like funding to customers through brokers and adjustments to margins and interest rates to keep funds available.

The purpose is to accommodate the speculator and facilitate speculation. But the purposes cannot be admitted. If Wall Street confessed this purpose, many thousands of moral men and women would have no choice but to condemn it for nurturing an evil thing and call for reform.

Mingled with the financial record is a remarkable tone of humor.

To say that the Times, when the real crash came, reported the event with jubilation would be an exaggeration. Nevertheless, it covered it with an unmistakable absence of sorrow.

One of the points Galbraith makes in the book is how most people who anticipated the 1929 crash realized there was only a little hope of avoiding it, mainly they realized it could not be stopped. The only choices, though, were to allow it to happen "naturally" as a results of the market itself imploding or taking action toward a "deliberately engineered collapse." In hindsight, it seems obvious a slow controlled collapse would be preferable to the disaster that ensued, but it's difficult to assess. Additionally, whoever took action toward a controlled collapse would bear the unmitigated blame for the entire collapse despite protestations of a potentially greater catastrophe. The system, therefore, and one which continues today, discourages any person or entity from suggesting restrictions or constraints on the financial market as a whole.

One aspect I misunderstood before reading the book was the relatively small number of people trading on the stock market. According to Galbraith, at the peak of speculative trading in 1929, there were probably less than a million. Google tells me there were 121.8 million people in the United States in 1929. Somehow less than 1% of the population wreaked havoc on the economy and ravaged the lives of millions for a decade to come. One of the explanations Galbraith proposes is that the stock market crash disproportionately devastated the very wealthy in an economy that was heavily dependent on luxury spending. When the wealthy people stopped buying luxuries, the crash spread throughout the entire economy.

Galbraith also tackles the misconception that suicides increased, people were leaping to their doom from New York City skyscrapers. Suicides in New York were substantially higher in the months before the crash than after. The rate did rise, however, over the course of the Great Depression. I can imagine how the initial shock and optimism gradually deepened to unremitting helplessness. Galbraith suggests people remembering these later suicides mentally altered their dates to the time of the crash.

The singular feature of the great crash of 1929 was that the worst continued to worsen. What looked one day like the end proved on the next day to have been only the beginning. Nothing could have been more ingeniously designed to maximize the suffering, and also to insure that as few as possible escaped the common misfortune.

Those who survived early dips with intact capital were lured back to the market for the "bargains," companies now priced below their estimated value. The price of the stocks stabilized after November, but continued to decline over the next twenty-four months, dropping to a third or a fourth of their "bargain" price. So even those who bought "bargains" found their investments worthless over the course of the next few years.

My library only had this book in an anthology: The Affluent Society and Other Writings. I only read The Great Crash 1929 but I enjoyed his style so much I put the whole book on my to-read list. (At my current rate, I'll get to it in about ten years, when my youngest son graduates high school.)

This post contains my own opinions. I did not receive anything in exchange for it. Links to Amazon are affiliate links.

The Vietnam War for Level 4: 10,000 Days of Thunder

10,000 Days of Thunder: A History of the Vietnam War

by Philip Caputo

In the last six weeks of our year (which I have condensed a little), First Son is studying Gandhi, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and Afghanistan. Mater Amabilis™ provides some lesson plans for History in Level 4 (eighth grade) and suggested resources for these weeks, but I opted to use library books instead.

You can see our original plans in this post.

This book turned out to be an excellent choice. The author is a Vietnam veteran and a Pulitzer-prize winning journalist. His powerful introduction impressed First Son:

The war began for me on March 8, 1965, when my battalion landed at the port city of Da Nang. I was rotated home on July 12, 1966, but that is not when the war ended for me, because wars have a way of going on and on in your mind and your soul long after you've left the battlefield.

He shares how the war ended for him, through poetry and vodka with a North Vietnamese veteran.

Each two-page spread in the book has text on the left-hand side and a full page carefully selected illustration on the right-hand side. Smaller photographs and "quick facts" boxes provided additional information that range from the historical to the quirky. One quick fact sure to appeal:

Infantrymen could not wear underwear while on patrol in Vietnam. The heat and humidity were so intense that wearing underwear caused the men to develop jungle rot--skin rashes that could get so severe the men would have to be hospitalized.

Though this is an overview of the war written for young adults, it introduces every topic relevant to the Vietnam War: history of French colonialism, rise of Communism in the north, events at home in America, and the reality of life in Vietnam for soldiers and citizens of all nations and propensities. Though the author's feelings about decisions made by politicians and generals in the war are obvious, so is his desire to help readers understand the different points of view. He seems to feel like the American public would have supported the war if they had been better informed by President Johnson. I don't know enough to disagree with him, but I did assign an essay by Wendell Berry (which you can find in the original plans) which provided a counterpoint.

Caputo manages to convey compassion for the North Vietnamese, the South Vietnamese, and the soldiers caught between them. When describing some of the atrocities of the war, he explains they were committed on both sides but:

American atrocities were spontaneous and random acts in direct violation of U.S. military law and MACV directives. In contrast, North Vietnam and the Viet Cong had a written policy that sanctioned and encouraged these acts, including assassination, massacre, and torture.

Understandably, many of the photographs and descriptions in the text are of a graphic nature, but they are not unnecessarily so. The book was written in 2005 and includes information right up through the publication on the relations between Vietnam and the United States. I didn't feel like I needed to add anything to the study to cover the time between the war and the present day.

The end of the book includes an extensive bibliography, a list of web sites, and a detailed index. There is also a timeline at the front of the book.

I was satisfied with our original assignments and don't intend to change them for First Daughter. (Again, the original plans are here.) First Son also read Escape from Saigon, which is a very short easy read. I will probably provide other books during the six-week study for First Daughter, though perhaps not about Vietnam.

I checked this book out from our library. The links to Amazon above are affiliate links. I have received nothing for writing this post and these opinions are my own.

Saints to Read Aloud: Holy Friends

Holy Friends: Thirty Saints and Blesseds of the Americas

Written by Diana M. Amadeo

Illustrated by Irina Lombardo with Augusto Curreli

In the early grades, Mater Amabilis™ has lots of recommended books for saint studies. For first grade (Level 1B), they recommend Once Upon a Time Saints and More Once Upon a Time Saints. I wrote briefly about them after First Son's first grade year. After that, though, we started using them in our history studies so I have found other saint stories for first grade. Some people prefer to use alternate texts, too, because the stories aren't strictly biographical, instead including some inventive details.

First Daughter read Loyola Kids Book of Saints by Amy Welborn. We read it over two years. In kindergarten, I read aloud and she narrated. In first grade, she finished the book reading the stories independently before narrating them. I wrote about it here. Second Son might have been able to read the stories this year, but they were a little long overall and I wanted something that would last only one year.

Second Daughter read Saints Tell their Stories by Patricia Mitchell. I read the stories aloud and she narrated them. You can read about that book here.

Last year, in kindergarten, I read Saints and their Stories by Maria Loretta Giraldo to Second Son (which I wrote about here). These stories are longer than in the Mitchell book. Thinking long-term, the Mitchell book would work well in kindergarten and Saints and their Stories in first grade. Of course, as I'm writing this post in April 2018, Saints and their Stories is outrageously expensive at close to $50. So you shouldn't use it unless you or your library owns it. I was lucky enough to receive it as a review copy.

When I went looking through our first grade books, I decided to make another change. Instead of Saints Tell their Stories, which is lovely and would have worked perfectly, I decided to read Holy Friends. I bought this book used years and years ago when I cobbled together an American history study for First Son when he was in first or second grade. I just wanted a reason to read it aloud again.

In Holy Friends there are two and a half pages of text and a lovely full-page glossy illustration for each saint. There are thirty chapters, but actually more than thirty people because some chapters are about groups like the North American martyrs (St. John de Brebeuf and St. Isaac Jogues, among others). With thirty chapters, it's easy to schedule off weeks for Advent and Holy Week and still finish in 36 weeks. Or, keep reading and finish early.

They are grouped by country and, of course, only include saints from North and South America. Many of the saints were missionaries from Europe, but a few were born in the Americas. The book was written in 2005, so some of those shown as blessed in the book are now saints.

• St. Marie of the Incarnation Guyard (Canada)
• St. Kateri Tekakwitha (Canada)
• St. Andre Bessette (Canada)
• St. Junipero Serra (US)
• St. Theodore Guerin (US)
• St. Damien Joseph de Veuster (US)

The saints are organized by country and include saints from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and the United States. I appreciated a book focused on the saints of the Americas because we were able to learn about a few that are less well-known as well as some with closer connections to us in the United States. There are marvelous examples of sacrificial love for the indigenous people of the Americas (like St. Peter Claver and St. Katharine Drexel) and saints and blesseds of non-European ancestry are included like St. Martin de Porres (Spanish father and indigenous mother) and St. Kateri Tekakwitha.

Second Son is an older first grader; he turned seven before the school year began. He may have been able to read the stories independently, but I preferred to read aloud to him to help with pronounciation and understanding.

Regardless of the saint book you choose, consider adding in a calendar exercise. Second Son loved finding the month and day of the feast day so he could mark our calendar. At first, it was just a scribble; by the end of the year he would usually write the saint's first name. When the feast day came around, even if we couldn't remember the saint (remember the scribbles?), I would let the kids have a piece of candy for dessert. This addition took only a few moments, but helped us easily incorporate months into our first grade year.

I purchased this book used years ago. The opinions here are my own. The links above to Amazon are affiliate links.