September 2022 Book Reports

Talking Leaves by Joseph Bruchac - link to my post (library copy)

The Foundations of Western Civilization by Thomas F. X. Noble (Great Courses audiobook) - This is one of the honors selections for high school history in the Mater Amabilis plans for Level 5 and Level 6. It provides an overview of the history of Europe from the flourishing of Mesopotamia through the beginning of the modern world. (The history plans then introduce a few other audiobooks for more recent history.) I listened to these lectures relatively slowly alongside my student and enjoyed them. (purchased audiobook)

Works of Mercy by Sally Thomas - link to my post (purchased copy)

Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe - I didn't assign this book to my older three kids, but decided to assign it to my youngest in Level 3 for one of his classic books. (We recommend three a year in Level 3.) Most of the book was rather slow, compared to more modern books, but there was value in reading it. (copy received from another member of PaperBackSwap.com)

Herodotus and the Road to History by Jeanne Bendick - I read this aloud to my kids back in 2016. I never assigned it for independent reading, so I read it aloud once more for the benefit of my youngers. (purchased copy)

Post Captain by Patrick O'Brien - This is the second in the Captain Aubrey series, which begins with Master and Commander. Sometimes I think I miss half of what goes on in these novels, but I love them. They're exciting and funny, though certainly not for young ears. (copy received from another member of PaperBackSwap.com)

Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment by Daniel Kahneman, Olivier Sibony, and Cass R. Sunstein - This book points out all the ways our judgment is flawed, and not just for the kinds of biases you anticipate. Despite finding it a bit repetitive at times, I am glad I listened to it and definitely think about how my current state of mind or circumstances can make a difference in how I'm making decisions. It's a worthwhile book to check out. (purchased audiobook)

The Pink Motel by Carol Ryrie Brink - This book by the author of Caddie Woodlawn was recently republished. I saw it shared on Facebook and asked our local library to buy a copy, which they did! It's a fun little story with a fair bit of excitement and adventure, parents who are a bit flakey, and kids who discover all the answers. There is a black character depicted in a way that is friendly, but not up to modern standards. The publishers have a little explanation and warning in the publisher's note before the story. I enjoyed this little book and encouraged my younger kids to read it on their own. (library copy)

Walking the Nile by Levinson Wood - Mr. Wood wrote this book about his attempt to walk the length of the Nile from its source to the Mediterranean Sea. His struggles with the weather, the terrain, and the people remind the reader that traveling in Africa still presents difficulties to the earliest European explorers. It's riveting. At first I was considering including it in the geography supplemental reading for my high school students, but by the end I decided the violence and griefs were a little too real. There is also a documentary, but I haven't watched it. (library copy)

Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare (No Fear Shakespeare edition) - I read this ahead of the school year because I decided to assign it to my younger daughter (eighth grade, Level 4). It was a nice change from our usual selections. (purchased copy)

Grace Can Lead Us Home: A Christian Call to End Homelessness by Kevin Nye - link to my post (library copy)

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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.

October 2021 Book Reports

Henry IV Parts One and Two by William Shakespeare - Kansas Dad helped choose these two plays for First Son's senior year of high school (along with King Lear). He reads them with his college students and thought they'd be a good complement to what First Son had already read. I love that our kids read so many Shakespeare plays. First Son read eleven plays in high school and three plays in earlier years. There are some great themes in Henry IV, though I wouldn't read it younger than high school and maybe not with all ninth graders (as First Daughter was this year). Falstaff is a bit...mature in his humor. I like the No Fear Shakespeare series for older kids. Use with caution with younger ones because they do make the mature jokes quite clear. (purchased copy)

How to Become a SuperStar Student by Michael Geisen (Great Courses) - I listened to this just a little ahead of First Son. I'd heard it recommended for homeschooled students as a way to prepare them for classroom work. It has some useful parts, some information and advice for working in teams and with teachers, that may be helpful for First Son, but the course probably works best for younger students. I think it would be perfect for a late elementary or middle school student preparing to go to a brick-and-mortar school for middle school or high school. In fact, I put it on First Daughter's list for the year, though I don't think she had time for it. There are a few lectures where the teacher mentions some more mature topics, so you would definitely want to pre-listen for a younger student. The course was recorded as a visual course, so there are some parts that might be slightly confusing if you only have the audio version. I think the main point was generally clear, though.  (purchased audiobook)

John Henry Newman: Snapdragon in the Wall by Joyce Sugg - link to my post (purchased copy)

The Anglo-Saxon World by Michael D. C. Drout (from the Modern Scholar series) - link to my post (purchased copy)

Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry - This is not my favorite Wendell Berry book. I always find Jayber's relationship with Mattie Chatham weird and possibly not really acceptable. And it's all a little bit sad. But this was my second time reading it, and I appreciated it more this time around. (library copy)

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

April and May 2021 Book Reports

The Sacraments: Discovering the Treasures of Divine Life by Fr. Matthew Kauth - link to my post (purchased copy)

Facing the Lion: Growing Up Maasai on the African Savanna by Joseph Lemosolai Lekuton - link to my post (library copy)

The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare (No Fear Shakespeare edition) - I wanted a short fun Shakespeare play for First Daughter's third term in eighth grade, when she was hoping to audition for our local Shakespeare in the Park company. This play fit the bill. It's silly and ridiculous, often making me laugh out loud. Two sets of twins, each identical pair sharing a name, meet as adults. Despite the travelers (one of each set of twins) being on their journey for the purpose of searching for the other pair, it never occurs to them the local townspeople might be confusing them with the twins who live in the town. Almost complete nonsense from beginning to end, but fun nonsense. It's optional for First Daughter, as she read two plays and Doctor Faustus already this year, but she loves Shakespeare so she might make time for it. I'll probably assign it to Second Daughter in the next couple of years. She loves Shakespeare, too, but reads quite a bit more slowly, so shorter plays for the middle school years are good options for her. (purchased copy)

Little Leap Forward: A Boy in Beijing by Guo Yue and Clare Farrow - link to my post (library copy)

The Reckless Way of Love: Notes on Following Jesus by Dorothy Day, edited by Carolyn Kurtz - link to my post (requested from  PaperBackSwap)

Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World by Anand Giridharadas - link to my post (library copy)

My Heart Lies South: The Story of My Mexican Heritage (Young People's Edition) by Elizabeth Borton de Treviño - link to my post (purchased copy)

The Ghost Keeper by Natalie Morrill - link to my post (purchased copy)

Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones by James Clear - link to my post (purchased copy)

The Saint Makers: Inside the Catholic Church and How a War Hero Inspired a Journey of Faith by Joe Drape - This book reveals a bit of the process of completing the research, interviews, and paperwork for telling the story of a person's life in order to prove to the Vatican offices and the Pope that a person deserves to be called a blessed or a saint. Mr. Drape followed that process for Servant of God Emil Kapaun, a military chaplain from rural Kansas and our own home diocese. I am interested in anything about Servant of God Emil Kapaun, but I found the book a bit difficult to read. The author, despite being raised Catholic, began the exploration with a rather limited understanding of the faith and the process, which is fine, but he didn't seem to understand his faith any better by the end of the book, continuing to make statements that were out of step with the catechism and liturgy. After all his investigations, interviews, and reading, he came to believe very strongly that Emil Kapaun deserves to be a blessed (and also a saint), but I did not believe his own faith in God or the trustworthiness of the Church was any stronger for the example. (borrowed copy)

A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat - link to my post (library copy)

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

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.

July and August 2020 Book Reports

Heavenly Hosts: Eucharistic Miracles for Kids by Kathryn Griffin Swegart - link to my post (purchased copy)

How to Be a Hero: Train with the Saints by Julia Harrell - link to my post (purchased copy)

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare - I hadn't read this book since I was a little girl. I wanted to pick just one book in the time period for Second Daughter so decided to read it again to see if was as good as I remember. It was! So it's on her list. (library copy)

The Taming of the Shrew by Shakespeare (No Fear Shakespeare edition) - First Son (eleventh grade) and First Daughter (eighth grade) will both be reading this play this year. I imagine First Daughter will be mighty displeased by much of the play, especially Katherine's speech in Act V at the end of the play, but I hope she will learn a little about enjoying what we can from a work of literature, even if it doesn't conform to our ideas of equality. First Son will find it hilarious from beginning to end. I have to admit, though, I'm still a little confused about why we need Christopher Sly. (purchased copy)

Discernment Do's and Don'ts: A Practical Guide to Vocational Discernment by Fr. George Elliott - link to my post (purchased copy)

Broken and Blessed: An Invitation to My Generation by Fr. Josh Johnson - link to my post (purchased copy)

Of Bells and Cells: The World of Monks, Friars, Sisters and Nuns by M. Cristina Borges - link to my post (purchased copy)

The American Cause by Russell Kirk - link to my post (purchased copy)

A Socratic Introduction to Plato's Republic by Peter Kreeft - link to my post (purchased copy)

Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West by Stephen E. Ambrose - link to my post (copy from PaperBackSwap)

Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution by Ji Li Jiang - link to my post (library copy)

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

March and April 2020 Book Reports

Strangers in a Strange Land: Living the Catholic Faith in a Post-Christian World by Charles J. Chaput - link to my post (inter-library loan copy)

The Collected Tales of Nikolai Gogol by Nikolai Gogol, translated and annotated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky - link to my post (Kansas Dad's copy)

Why Buddhism Is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment by Robert Wright - This book would probably be better titled "How Successful Mindfulness Meditation Practices Seem to be Explained by Recent Scientific Research" but that's not quite as catchy. While the author takes some time to explain Buddhist philosophy, he's really only interested in the aspects of it that define and direct mindfulness meditation. Anything "religious" (Buddhist/Christian/etc.) is set aside, though respectfully. The supporting relationship between recent research and scholarship and mindfulness medication practices is fascinating. Kansas Dad (who was the first to listen to the book) was immediately asking questions about the Truth found in this modern research and how it might be related to what we know is True through our Catholic faith. He also found interesting lines of thought in considering past failures and potential successes in evangelizing amongst those who follow Buddhist philosophies. I am still thinking about this book and its implications. (purchased Audible book)

The Stand by Stephen King - Believe it or not, I didn't seek this book out in the midst of the impending pandemic. It literally just happened to be next on my list. I enjoyed reading it and found some scenes presented in unexpected ways. Overall, however, my view of the great battle between Good and Evil varies considerably from that of King which led directly to a feeling of dissatisfaction with the ending of the novel. I also know just enough biology and genetics to be distracted by what are probably inaccurate predictions of how such a deadly epidemic would happen. Of course, he didn't have the "luxury" of coronavirus in his past at that point. (library copy)

Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life by Steve Martin - I picked this book up at our library sale. I thoroughly enjoyed it, though it's certainly not for the young or sensitive reader. I was surprised at how thoughtful Steve Martin is and at the honesty with which he shared some of the difficulties in his life while still being respectful of the privacy of some of those closest to him. It was a good read. (purchased used)

Something Beautiful for God by Malcolm Muggeridge - This book is Mr. Muggeridge's comments on Mother Teresa and his interviews and television recordings with her. It's more a collection of thoughts than a focused book. It was interesting to read as a glimpse into how St. Teresa of Kolkata was viewed and understood in her own lifetime, but it's not a comprehensive book on her life or her philosophies. I enjoyed it, but it will not be the book I offer to my Level 4 student next year. (library copy)

The Last Whalers: Three Years in the Far Pacific with a Courageous Tribe and a Vanishing Way of Life by Doug Bock Clark - link to my post (library copy)

The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare (No Fear Shakespeare) - This is one of the recommended Shakespeare plays for high schoolers in the Mater Amabilis™ curriculum. (See the English course here.) While this play is much lighter-hearted than Hamlet, which First Son and First Daughter just finished reading, it still surfaces questions about marriage, fidelity, trust, and responsibility toward children. I'm not sure I'd consider it one of the top ten plays a student should study in high school, but if you've already read many of the more common ones, it's a good option. It's not too long and contains one of the most unusual stage directions of all time: "Exit, pursued by bear." (purchased copy)

Mother Teresa of Calcutta: A Personal Portrait by Fr. Leo Maasburg - link to my post (library copy)

It's Not What It Looks Like by Molly Burke - This was one of the better Audible originals offered free to members. I've never watched the author's YouTube channel, so her story was entirely new to me. I enjoyed her youthful voice and her ability to speak authentically for the blind and other disabled people. Her story includes some tough struggles with depression, anxiety, and suicide ideation, which could be difficult for some people to hear, but are shared to support and encourage others. (offered free to Audible members in August 2019)

Theatre of Fish: Travels through Newfoundland and Labrador by John Gimlette - I read Gilmette's Wild Coast and requested this because I enjoyed that one so much. Theatre of Fish is a little more depressing overall, though it has similar moments of witty remarks and insight. There are quite a few references to multiple instances of terrible abuse at the hands of priests or religious. (requested from PaperBackSwap.com)

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez translated by Gregory Rabassa - link to my post (requested from PaperBackSwap.com)

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

February 2020 Book Reports

Mother Teresa: An Authorized Biography by Kathryn Spink - link to my post (from PaperBackSwap.com)

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr - This is a beautifully written book with a dissatisfying ending. I felt only sadness for the characters at the end. Endings don't have to be happy, but if unhappy, they must be meaningful. I suppose it might work as a commentary on war, but I felt only disappointment. (library copy)

How We Decide by Jonah Lehrer - I was considering adding this to our health reading for high school, which First Son is doing right now in tenth grade. It covers some useful information about how emotions and intuition can be beneficial when making decisions and when to set them aside and focus instead on more mathematical or logical considerations. The later chapter on morality was more problematic, mainly by discounting the possibility of natural law and an absolute truth. While not unexpected, it makes the book incomplete. Much of the earlier information is covered by other books and readings I have already scheduled, so we'll skip this one for school. (library copy)

The Merchant of Venice (No Fear Shakespeare) by William Shakespeare - First Daughter is reading this play now (seventh grade) and I wanted to refresh my memory by reading it again, if I ever read the whole thing. I do remember seeing it performed when I was in middle school. I think First Daughter will (mostly) love Portia. Shylock remains a baffling character. (purchased copy)

To Say Nothing of the Dog: Or How We Found the Bishop's Bird Stump at Last by Connie Willis - This may be my favorite audiobook of all time. I enjoyed every single minute of it, invented chores so I could listen to it, and was both delighted with the ending and sorry it was over. It's a quirky tale of time-travel, Victorian England, the Blitz, and romance, "to say nothing of the dog" (and cat). (purchased from Audible during a sale)

A Mind of Her Own by Paula McLain - This was one of those free audiobooks Audible offers to members each month. It is the fictionalized tale of Marie Curie as a struggling student in Paris. Frankly, I found it frustrating to listen to the narrator tell me how Marie Curie was feeling rather than showing me through action. I have no idea what it was really like for Curie in Paris as she met and finally married her husband, but I rather hope it wasn't like this book describes it. (free Audible book in March 2019)

Come and See: A Photojournalist's Journey into the World of Mother Teresa by Linda Schaefer - This photographer is more talented at photography than writing. While the pictures are a fascinating peek into Mother Teresa's work in India, the book overall falls short of what I would want to give my children for the Level 4 twentieth century biography. (library copy)

West with the Night by Beryl Markham - link to my post (library copy, then requested from PaperBackSwap.com)

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

September 2019 Book Reports

Look at the Sky and Tell the Weather by Eric Sloane - link to my post (purchased copy)

Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare (No Fear Shakespeare) - Apparently, this is one of the Shakespeare plays most read in high school, but I'd missed it. Lots of blood and famous lines. First Son is reading this in tenth grade, but I'll assign it to the others in ninth grade (matching up with our study of ancient Rome in history). (purchased copy)

Out of Africa and Shadows on the Grass by Isak Dinesen - link to my post (copy from PaperBackSwap.com)

Hamlet by William Shakespeare (No Fear Shakespeare) - Both my tenth grader and my seventh grader will be reading this play. It's quite long so they won't read an entire act each week. We're right in the midst of memorizing lines from the play using How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare so I thought it was an appropriate choice for the year. (purchased copy)

The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt (Landmark Books) by Elizabeth Payne and The Riddle of the Rosetta Stone: Key to Ancient Egypt by James Cross Giblin - link to my post (purchased copies)

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury - This classic was different than I remembered it, a little less exciting, a little more depressing, and a little more contrived. I think I skimmed over a lot of the "boring" conversations when I read it as a teenager. Those same conversations strike me as disturbingly prescient today. Though it was easy to pick apart the inconsistencies and the instances where the plot seems unlikely, there was something, as always, lovely just in listening to Bradbury's language: lyrical and powerful. (purchased Audible book)

Stanley: The Impossible Life of Africa's Greatest Explorer by Tim Jeal - link to my post (library copy)

Lady Susan and The Watsons by Jane Austen - These two books, one Austen never published and a second she never finished, were recommended by Audible because they know I love all things Austen. I enjoyed listening to the stories, though obviously they are not her best. Lady Susan is written as a series of letters and sometimes it was more difficult in an audiobook to tell who was writing each one. (purchased on Audible)

Not So Fast: Parenting Your Teen Through the Dangers of Driving by Tim Hollister and Pam Shadel Fischer - link to my post (library copy)

The Creed in Slow Motion by Ronald Knox - link to my post (purchased copy)

After Anatevka: Live by Alexandra Silber - This is an Audible original offered as one of the free books of the month. Ms. Silber created this stage performance melding readings from her book, After Anatevka, and performances of songs from Fiddler on the Roof and new compositions written to complement her book. It was enjoyable with some delightful music. (free from Audible in October 2018)

The Rise and Fall of the British Empire (The Great Courses) by Patrick N. Allitt - link to my post (purchased audio book)

Elizabeth II: Life of a Monarch by Ruth Cowen - This was another Audible original offered as a free book of the month to members. I thought it would be interested as a supplement to my recent audiobook on the British Empire. It was kind of an interesting take on Queen Elizabeth's life, but it wasn't a complete biography. There were quite a lot of lurid details of the other royals' love lives. (free from Audible in April 2019)

In Ethiopia with a Mule by Dervla Murphy - link to my post (purchased copy)

Folsom Untold by Danny Robins - This audio book on Johnny Cash and his Folsom album is a little melodramatic, but it was interesting to hear something about the album, how it came about, and what happened later. It looks like it's no longer available on Audible, but if you're interested in all things Johnny Cash, you may want to see if you can find it elsewhere. (free from Audible in February 2019)

I have received nothing in exchange for these posts. All opinions are my own. Links to Amazon, PaperBackSwap, and RC History are affiliate links.

Shakespeare for Everyone: How to Read and Understand Shakespeare

How to Read and Understand Shakespeare, one of the Great Courses audiobooks, with Professor Marc C. Conner

Over the past few years, I have been purposefully reading and studying Shakespeare, both as an aid to teaching my children and for my own personal enjoyment. We've been reading and memorizing using How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare (highly recommended) and I've read many plays directly using editions like Shakespeare Made Easy and No Fear Shakespeare. I listened to Peter Saccio's course, "William Shakespeare: Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies," (mentioned here) and found it helpful.

My sixth grader and my ninth grader are both reading three plays each this year and I've read them all myself in preparation. (Realizing I never studied any Shakespeare in college, I decided to expose my children to as large a number of his plays as I can before they leave home just in case it's all they get.)

I picked up this course, How to Read and Understand Shakespeare, in order to continue my Shakespearean education, especially as my oldest started high school. Now that my children are older, I listen to audiobooks using bluetooth headphones while I'm washing dishes and folding laundry and they've practically changed my life. I love doing chores!

In this course, Professor Conner, explores the themes of twelve of Shakespeare's plays over a series of 24 lectures.

• A Midsummer Night's Dream
• Romeo and Juliet
• Twelfth Night
• Richard II
• Henry IV, Part I
• Henry IV, Part II
• Henry V
• Macbeth
• Hamlet
• The Merchant of Venice
• Measure for Measure
• The Tempest

As he introduces each play, he teaches "tools" for understanding Shakespeare like the order characters are introduced or the contrasts between characters or places in the plays. These tools can be applied to many different plays and he showed connections between them I had not recognized before.

The PDF included with the audiobook contains all the tools and extensive notes on the lectures.

Despite the tools being introduced and explained in a particular order, I do think a student could listen to just the lectures on a particular play. Be aware that some of the lectures touch on mature themes. One of the Macbeth lectures in particular, if I remember correctly, touched on events in Othello I would not want my young children to hear.

Of all the books, plays, and lectures I've listened to in the past few years, this one was the most helpful. If I could recommend just one resource for a homeschooling mother hesitant to read and assign Shakespeare, this would be it. (Followed closely by How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, which you'll need once you've listened to this course and are looking for a place to begin.) One of the best aspects of this course is how it's focused not on the specialized Shakespearean student, but on showing how anyone can read and enjoy Shakespeare. Professor Conner wants to encourage everyone to read more Shakespeare and it shows in his lectures.

I would really like to assign this course to my high school student, but I think I may wait until junior or senior year, mostly because some of the mature content that is touched upon. There's nothing that's not also in the plays, but I don't intend to assign Othello (for example) for the same reason.

I purchased this course, probably during a 2-for-1 Great Courses sale, as a member of Audible. Links above are affiliate links. I did not receive anything for writing this honest review.

July and August 2018 Book Reports

The Power of Silence: Against the Dictatorship of Noise by Robert Cardinal Sarah with Nicolas Diat - link to my post. (library copy)

In the Steps of the Master by H. V. Morton - link to my post. (purchased used)

Calde of the Long Sun by Gene Wolfe - I'm reading this series again and enjoying it more the second time around I think. Sometime in the past few years, the library copy of the last book was damaged or lost so here's hoping they buy another one for me. (library copy)

Echoes by John Ciardi - I picked this book out of the library catalog when I was searching for poetry books for the children. (How to Tell the Top of the Hill is delightful.) This book is beautifully printed on lovely paper. Many of the poems seemed melancholy or dispirited to me, but a few near the end of the book appealed to me. I liked Ten Minutes my Captive in which he describes a turtle he allows to escape "into the green flecked edge of water and home." (library copy)

Joan of Arc by Hilaire Belloc - link to my post. (purchased Kindle version)

Ember Rising by S.D. Smith - We started listening to this audiobook with Kansas Dad, but he asked us to finish it without him because he found it upsetting that the main characters seemed to suffer worse and worse fates as the book progressed. I'm going to have to go against the current on this series and admit I often find the writing almost painful. There's far too much alliteration and minute descriptions; I'm always thinking there should have been more editing. The story is reasonably good, though, and the children enjoy it. I bought it thinking it would be the last of the trilogy, but it's not. I suppose I'll buy the rest of the books for the children to read but I think I'll pass on the audiobook. (Audiobook received from our contribution to the funding page.)

Mission: Jimmy Stewart and the Fight for Europe by Robert Matzen - This incredibly researched book tells Jimmy Stewart's wartime story based on extensive interviews and governmental reports. It gives detailed accounts and descriptions of life for bombers living in England and flying missions over Europe. Stewart's life in Hollywood (with all his exploits) is described just as openly as the often graphic scenes of carnage and struggle in war, so this is a book for mature readers, but it could be a fascinating read for anyone interested in World War II. (borrowed from my dad)

The Blood-Red Crescent by Henry Garnett - link to my post. (purchased used on Cathswap)

Mara, Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw - One of the historical fiction books recommended by RC History for Connecting with History volume 1, this is an exciting story of an inadvertent double spy in the time of Queen Hatshepsut. There's a Novel Inquiries guide for the novel which I own, but I haven't decided if we'll use it. First Daughter (sixth grade) is going to read this for independent reading and I might not ask her to do anything in particular other than reading it. It's a good choice for a middle schooler or older student as there is some violence and romance. It's exciting and I enjoyed the story, but I was a little upset at some of the scenes where she flirts with a guard (to get him to let her out of the gate) or her love interest because they reaffirm stereotypes, but First Daughter hears me talk about those things enough for me not to be concerned about her reading them here and there. (purchased used)

Baptism of Fire by Andrezej Sapkowski - This is the third book in the Witcher series. After I read the second book, I wrote that I wouldn't recommend them due to the use of the rape myth in the plot line. Of course, I kept reading them myself and discovered this book has a surprising pro-life message. Entertaining fantasy and moral questions for a mature audience. (library copy)

Crosstalk by Connie Willis - This is a light-hearted science fiction book set in the near future when the instant messaging and texting creates a constant bombardment. I read this book in the twenty-four hours before and during my daughter's surgery. It was nothing major, just pins in a broken finger, but I was worried and this book was the perfect companion as I tried to relax and waited for the results. (library copy)

The Burgess Seashore Book for Children by Thornton W. Burgess - link to my post. (purchased used)

Much Ado about Nothing by Shakespeare - First Son is reading this as his first Shakespeare play of high school so I read it to help myself be prepared. I read the No Fear Shakespeare version (linked) and the one he will read. It helps a lot to have the modern translation and some editorial helps to understand the references. It doesn't include any essays on the meaning, but I found a Cliff's Notes with a bit of information for him to read after he reads the play. (I just requested whatever was available on PaperBackSwap.com.) Reading even those short notes gave me some added dimensions for understanding the play, the characters, and the themes. I am absurdly excited to be reading Shakespeare with First Son and First Daughter this year. (They'll be reading different plays.) I've scheduled three plays for each of them this year, but even if we only make it through two of them, I'll be thrilled. Realizing I didn't encounter Shakespeare at all in college, I've decided this must be a priority for us in middle school and high school. It might be their only experience with the Bard. (purchased book for the play, requested book for the supplementary reading from
PaperBackSwap.com)

The Sea Around Us by Rachel Carson - link to my post. (purchased used)

Usually here I list all the books I'm reading, but that would take too long because I'm reading everything First Son is reading for high school. Yikes! It's a lot.

Proverbs, Shakespeare, and an Education of Connections

I was feeling disappointed toward the end of our school year, when I realized my grand plans for Shakespeare would not be realized. We would not read Henry V. We would not even read As You Like It. Instead, we would barely finish memorizing the passages from Henry IV, Part I from How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare.

First Son surprised me in the last weeks of school, though. We were reading through some passages of conversation between Falstaff and Prince Hal quoted in How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare where Prince Hal says:

Thou didst well, for wisdom cries out in the streets and no man regards it.

Immediately, First Son announced, "That's in Proverbs."

And we all learned on the following page:

And here we have another one of those remarkable epigrams that Shakespeare drops into the dialogue like an extra piece of candy that we didn't expect. It is an allusion to Proverbs, 1:20:

Wisdom cries out in the streets and no man regards it.

"How did you recognize that?" I asked First Son.

"Oh, I just remembered it."

Somewhere, at some time, in our years of reading Scripture or in the hours he's spent in classes or at adoration in our parish, that bit of Proverbs nestled in his mind, ready to be sparked by a bit of Shakespeare.

We will begin next year with As You Like It and hopefully make it through that play and Henry V, but if we don't, I will console myself that my children are storing up what we do read somewhere in their hearts and minds. Perhaps someday, years from now, they will be reading or listening or watching and will recognize an allusion to Shakespeare. Perhaps they may even remember fondly the dramatic scenes re-enacted by such illustrious action figures as Darth Vader in the role of Macbeth.

Henry V in our Homeschool

This year, we're planning to read Macbeth, As You Like It, and Henry V. Of the three, Henry V was the only one I had never read. In preparation, I purchased a copy of the No Fear Shakespeare version and read through it with two main questions in addition to pure enjoyment:

1. What scenes, if any, would I be concerned about sharing with my children?
2. What scenes, if any, have plain English "translations" that will be too explicit for my children?

While my two younger children are always about and often listening, I do not explicitly include them in our Shakespeare studies, so I was focused mainly on the eighth grade boy and the fifth grade girl. Both of them have had at least some exposure to what can happen between a man and a woman so I was more interested in identifying explicit language rather than the idea of such happenings.

Here are the areas of concern I found, though none will preclude us from reading the play together. 

• Act 3, scene 3 - description of ravages of war on the people of France like mowing down virgins and infants, rape, and violent death
• Act 3, scene 4 - Princess Katherine is attempting to learn English from one of her handmaidens and believes some of the words sound too much like those in French that mean "to have sex" and "vagina." The words of Shakespeare and the translation aren't explicit, but there is a little note on the modern text page to make it clear.
• Act 3, scene 5 - "b*stard"
• Act 3, scene 7 - In this scene, the dauphin of France and one of his men are comparing mistresses with warhorses. It's quite bawdy, but probably in a way that will go over my daughter's head. My son might understand the gist of it but...he might not. My plan is just to read it without going into depth. The modern text does not make the comparison any more explicit than the Shakespearean text.
• Act 4, scene 5 - a reference to violating a daughter
• Act 5, scene 2 - In the modern text, King Henry says, "But virgins close their eyes and submit all the time, and blind love has his way." This sentence is more explicit than the Shakespearean text ("Yet they do wink and yield, as love is blind and enforces.") but I think it's acceptable for my children.

So if you are debating about reading Henry V with your children and don't have time to pre-read, perhaps you could just skim these scenes and decide on the best course for your family.

First Son and First Daughter will each have a copy of the No Fear Shakespeare Henry V as we read.

Our plan for Henry V:

• retellings: I have Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb and Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare by Edith Nesbit. Usually the kids read the retelling from these books before we dive into the play proper. However, neither of them include Henry V. I purchased The Shakespeare Stories retold by Andrew Matthews to use instead. The language does not draw from the play so is less lofty or challenging as Lamb or Nesbit, but it is a good quick retelling. We'll start with that.
• a character map
• memorization and background with How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare
• read one act each week with copies of the real play for myself and the two older kids, probably at the table with some of their toys or characters to play the parts for us
• Masterpuppet Theater, if they want

I don't think we'll watch a movie version of Henry V, but we'd do that at the end if I found an acceptable version.

School Week Highlights: Week 2

The highlights of our second week of school, because we're trying to focus on the positive, the learning that's happening instead of the book-reading that might not be happening...

1. First Daughter had her first band class last week! She's learning the saxophone, because my aunt had one we could use and First Daughter is a good sport about that. I should really have a picture of her with it, She's practiced diligently every day despite her siblings' groans.

2. Second Daughter created a paper dog for a project in her art book (Artistic Pursuits K-3 Book One). She gifted it to Second Son and the proceeded to create a menagerie (and accessories like a Santa hat for the puppy shown below) by cutting up all our construction paper and leaving bits of paper all over the living room floor. They did eventually pick all the mess up.

3. First Daughter had her first meeting with a family from our parish for whom she will be a mother's helper this year. She loves children and helping around the house and I love being able to share her with those who have more children than hands and need a bit of breathing space. They seem like a lovely family and hopefully they will find joy in being together.

4. First Son has his first PSR class. They meet on Wednesday nights, beginning with dinner together. We also have dinner as a family before he goes, so he has "second dinner" there. Sometimes "third dinner," too, if any of his friends isn't particularly hungry. He loves this time with his friends each week.

5. All the children joined me for my dentist visit this week. First Son stayed in the waiting room and focused on some lessons he brought. No cavities for me! Yay! Then we went to the zoo for nature study. First Daughter and Second Daughter are both studying Africa this term, so we visited lions and meerkats and gorillas. We were able to see the lion close-up and both daughters sketched wonderful pictures. (First Son sketched a lion, but he's more interested in finishing than artistic flourishes.)

6. Second Daughter wrote an amazing narration of her catechism reading this week. She's reading The Mass Explained to Children by Maria Montessori because I have a lovely copy I picked up at a library sale. (We used to read Faith and Life but our parish did that with them, so I dropped it. Now they've just started using the new Sophia program but I sold all our books so...not going back.) Second Daughter has no assigned written narrations, but she often decides she prefers to write a narration than wait for me to have a minute to listen to her orally narrate. I have never had a child do this before, but I like it!

It's probably hard to read, so I'll type it here, just as she's written it:

When you go to mas you go inside a bilding. the bilding is called the church. once you are inside the church you will see lots and lots of benches. the benches are called puoes. you walk down a alise and kneel down on one knee and make the sign of the cross. this is called genuflecting and you do it to show respet to God. after you genuflect you go into a puoe. then you kneel down on a cushon. the cushon is called a kneeler. it is there so your knees will not hurt after you kneel becuse God dose not whant you to be uncomfertible. and you look at the alter. the alter is a table at the Front of the church. but it is not a ordinary table it is speshal becuse Jesus is on that table after every mas.

7. First Daughter made a delicious chocolate angel food cake for the Feast of the Nativity of Mary on Friday. (recipe from Marian Devotions in the Domestic Church)

8. We ate the delicious angel food cake as we settled at the park to watch a free outdoor production of Twelfth Night, from which the children have memorized many passages with How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare. We couldn't always hear everything and it's a shame there aren't more men in our area interested in performing Shakespeare (necessitating casting women in important male roles), but live Shakespeare is always a treat. Sir Toby was magnificently played.

9. Not a school highlight, exactly, but Second Son and I went on his outing on Saturday. This was an outing I'd promised we'd do as soon as the play ended...(cough) on April 1st. We had lunch, frozen custard, visited the science museum, saw a movie there (which we never do with all the kids), got something at the snack bar (which we never do), played at the park, and I let him pick a book at the used book store. He focused his energy at the park on the funky monkey bars (set at odd angles) and succeeded! An afternoon well-spent!

July 2017 Book Reports

William Shakespeare: Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies by Peter Saccio (The Great Courses) - This is a set of 36 half hour lectures that cover every major play by Shakespeare. I definitely felt like my understanding and enjoyment of the plays I was reading with the children was enhanced when I listened to the lectures focused on those plays. I happened to be actually reading Macbeth when I listened to those lectures and the connections were much more meaningful. This is not an audiobook I'd listen to with the children as there are many references to mature topics, but it was wonderful for "Mother Culture." (purchased audiobook; The Great Courses often show up on 2 for 1 sales for members at Audible, usually more quickly than I can listen to them!)

The Ground-Breaking, Chance-Taking Life of George Washington Carver and Science and Invention in America by Cheryl Harness - link to my post (library copy)
Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc by Mark Twain - link to my post (purchased used on Amazon, and then discovered again on my shelf)

Anne of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery - link to my post (a copy my dad bought for me when I was a little girl)

The Good Master by Kate Seredy - link to my post (requested through PaperBackSwap.com)

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien - link to my post (purchased audiobook)

Prayer and the Will of God by Dom Hubert van Zeller - link to my post (purchased from the publisher)

The Miracle of Father Kapaun by Roy Wenzl and Travis Heying - link to my post (purchased used)

The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Bloom with Elizabeth and John Sherrill - link to my post (library copy)

Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry by Mildred D. Taylor - I read this again in preparation for First Son's history studies next year and wrote a few journal questions. (library copy)

There's an Owl in the Shower by Jean Craighead George - I was considering this for Second Daughter, who has a great love of birds, for independent reading next year. It is the story of a family suffering when their logger father is laid off to protect spotted owls. After adopting one, they come ot respect not only owls but the devastating effects on the environment of logging. I think it would be fine if one of the kids picked it up and read it, but I didn't find it worth requiring.

The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier - link to my post (purchased used)


Books in Progress (and date started)

• Norton Anthology of English Literature Vol. 2 (sixth edition) (August 2014)
• A Century of Sonnets edited by Feldman and Robinson (May 2017)
• A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf (June 2017)
• Stories of Karol by Gian Franco Svidercoschi (July 2017)
• Redwall by Brian Jacques (July 2017), listening with the family
• The Complete Ramona books by Beverly Cleary (July 2017), listening with the kids
• History's Greatest Voyages of Exploration from The Great Courses (July 2017), listening with the kids
• Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (July 2017), listening on my own
• The Endless Steppe by Esther Hautzig (July 2017)
• If All the Swords in England by Barbara Willard (July 2017)
• Enemy Brothers by Constance Savery (July 2017)
• No Fear Shakespeare: Henry V (July 2017)
• D-Day: 24 Hours that Saved the World from Time (July 2017)
• The Scent of Water by Elizabeth Goudge (July 2017)
• The Shadow of His Wings by Gereon Goldmann (July 2017)
• Caryll Houselander: Essential Writings edited by Wendy M. Wright (July 2017)

The italic print: Links to Amazon are affiliate links. As an affiliate with Amazon, I receive a small commission if you follow one of my links, add something to your cart, and complete the purchase (in that order). Try Audible - another affiliate link.

Links to RC History and PaperBackSwap.com are affiliate links. Other links (like those to Bethlehem Books) are not affiliate links.

These reports are my honest opinions.

Shakespeare on the Range: Romeo and Juliet

Last year, we reached Passage 12 in How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet.

Just to give an idea of Shakespeare on the Range, here's what our study looked like for this play.

First, First Son and First Daughter read retellings of the play. They read independently and narrated them to me.

First Son (7th grade) read from Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb. We have the version illustrated by Leonard Weisgard. I like this version. The illustrations are fine, the pages are nice, and it smells properly of old book. I think I bought ours used on Cathswap.

First Daughter (4th grade) read from Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare by Edith Nesbit. We have the Wilder Publications version which is merely adequate. There's no Table of Contents, which can be annoying. I also bought this version used.

I read the chapter in How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare aloud. Sometimes I have to change the wording a bit as I read to address the children directly rather than the parent, but it's usually not a problem. Then, over the course of a few weeks, we memorized the passage in the book. Only First Son and First Daughter have to memorize it, but the younger two often know all or most of it by the time we're done. We try to have Shakespeare twice a week. Once we review only the few most recent passages as well as the current one and one day a week we review all of our Shakespeare. (It takes about ten minutes to review the twelve passages plus a few bonus passages.)

After we had the passage memorized, we spent one day a week reading aloud an act of the play, continuing to review all our passages on the other day. First Son did not want to do this at all, mostly I think because it was Romeo and Juliet. I agreed to read Romeo's part so he wouldn't have to read it. We also decided to use their Star Wars and Disney Infinity characters to play the parts on our table. First Son even did their voices: Lego Batman played Capulet, for example. You haven't seen Romeo and Juliet until you've seen Princess Leia as Juliet and Jabba the Hut as the nurse. Just what I should have expected.

For our readings, I used Shakespeare Made Easy for my copy. It shows Shakespeare's text on one page with a modern translation on the facing page. I find this helpful in understanding the text more fully and following the action, but don't recommend it for students because sometimes the translations are a bit too graphic. I got my copy from PaperBackSwap.com.


The kids both used the older version of Cambridge School Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. This is one series recommended in How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare. It has the play's text on one side and literary, dramatic, and historical notes on the facing page. We didn't specifically read any of these as my children are young and I wanted them merely to enjoy the play (as long as they could follow the main plot). It also includes photographs from actual productions, which I liked. I found, however, that some of the text was a little too explicit for little eyes. I used a post-it note to cover the top of page 74 and another one to cover pretty much all of page 50. When we came to those pages, I told the kids I didn't want them to see those pages just yet. I requested both of these copies from PaperBackSwap.com.

Finally, after finishing the play, we watched the movie version with Olivia Hussey, which was available at our library. Warning: Romeo and Juliet are naked in bed together and Romeo even gets up while we can see his backside.

I also always make our Masterpuppet Theater available for them once a new passage is memorized. It comes with a book of scenes as well as some creative additional puppets like Shakespeare himself, a robot, and a bear. Every time we get this out, the kids spend extra time playing with the puppets.

One thing I forgot to do was make a character map with the kids. I find these helpful to have in front of us while reading the play because we can quickly see who a character is and all the relationships he or she has with other characters.

With a few breaks and missed days in the spring (when we were also working on a homeschool play with our drama club), we spent twelve weeks studying Romeo and Juliet. Next up: Macbeth.

Loops for the Good, the True, and the Beautiful on the Range

I'm trying something new this year: loop scheduling. I read about it first at Amongst Lovely Things and after some consideration decided it might be the perfect solution to our Friday-problem. Our problem was that there seemed to be a day or two of the week that was always being "missed." Fridays, for example, seem to be the day-of-choice for organized field trips. Mondays or Tuesdays seemed to be appointment days. Given a few of those weeks in a row and I'd find us woefully behind where we wanted to be in something like Shakespeare (scheduled for Fridays) but comfortably moving along in other subjects.

I've developed loop schedules for my preschool student (Second Son) and my first grade student (Second Daughter), both of whom need plenty of "you-and-me" time. (The independent work seems to get done even when we're running around like crazy, so no loops for that yet.)

I call our main loops the Cultural Loop and the Listening Loop. After reading this post over at Wildflowers and Marbles (a fantastic blog, but be prepared for serious food for thought!), I realized these loops include the Good, the True, and the Beautiful of our homeschool plans. Other than our read-alouds, these are the subjects around which we gather at the dining room table, often with food or handicrafts in front of us.

Second Son not memorizing Shakespeare

The Cultural Loop
Fairy Tales
Poetry
Picture Study
Shakespeare


Every day, we begin our lesson time with morning prayer and read a psalm. Then I see what's next on our cultural loop. We started the year with Fairy Tales. On the second day we read some Poetry. On the third day we did a picture study. On the fourth day we memorized some lines from a Shakespeare play. Then, we started all over again. If we have time for our cultural loop five days a week, we double up on one of the subjects. If we have a bunch of appointments or illness or craziness, we may only get through two or three of the subjects but no single subject is suffering from a lack of attention. Or, rather, we're not suffering from a lack of any one subject week after week.

The Listening Loop (2015-2016)
Composer Study
Science Songs (not during Advent)
Making Music Praying Twice
Folk Songs (not during Advent)
Patriotic Songs (not during Advent)
Songs of the Liturgical Year (Advent, Christmas, and Lent only)
[updated later to add links to the posts for each playlist]



Using my awesome speaker, I'm able to fill our home with beautiful and sometimes playful music from my laptop, but we don't always have time for listening. On days when we're all working on chores at the same time or are all at the table with busy hands but available ears, I'll check my list to see what's next and start a playlist. If we don't finish the playlist before it's time to move on to something else, I make a note of where we stopped and we pick it up again the next day we have time. The only one that doesn't always fit into the schedule as neatly is Composer Study. If the scheduled composer study for the week is listening to the composer's music on Spotify, we often do that during dinner instead of during the school day, so we might listen to a bit of it every night.

We're a few weeks into our second term of the year, and I love the loop schedules. If we're home and at the table, we always have a bit of the Good, the True, and the Beautiful to share together. If all goes as planned, I'll share our listening loop playlists over the next week or two.