September Must Reads

   

It's that time again.

Last month, I added some of my all-time favorite parenting books to my must read list . Now that September is here we're deep into school and I haven't picked up many new books so I wondered what I could suggest this month.

Just so happens I came across an interesting blog, Aslan's Library, that focuses on beautiful and sound theological books for children. I am excited indeed!

Twaddle Thought

A friend of mine let me borrow the out-of-print book, Let the Authors Speak, by Carolyn Hatcher. It is a guide for parents in choosing twaddle* free books.

Here are a few quotes from her introduction:

"Many parents are ready and willing to help their children, we just need to know what has worked in the past, and we also need a good dose of confidence in our own abilities."

"Ideally education involves growth over a lifetime. We are born with a desire to know, but if a child's first years of insatiable curiosity and thirst for knowledge are neglected or fed only junk food, these desires weaken, atrophy begins and apathy results. Just as the body needs the proper nourishment, exercise, and rest, so does the mind."

"Most children begin school with a strong, healthy curiostiy. They want to know- they're full of questions. Within two or three years, sometimes less, many have lost interest in learning. We are either not feeding them properly or we're giving them junk food. Even children get tired of a steady diet of junk food. If ideas are nourishment, then how do we present them and where do we find the best?"

*English educator Charlotte Mason (1842-1923) used this term to describe junk food books. I'd love to know what she found to be twaddle in her time. I think she's roll over in her grave if she could see what this generation is injesting!

July Must Reads

Summertime, summertime!

Ooh, I cannot wait to share what I've been reading!

Let's get to it.

The Core: Teaching Your Child the Foundations of Classical Education - Think of this book as a fresh guide to a timeless topic. If you are new to classical education, this book is far less intimidating than The Well Trained Mind and Teaching the Trivium which both have more than 600 pages. Some of the chapter titles include -

• What's Wrong with Education Today?
• Why we need Classical Education
• Schedules and Resources for a Classical Education
• How a Classical Education Gives Us Skills We Need as Adults

It's an easy read, but have your highlighter ready since there is an invaluable nugget of wisdom on every page!


Ina May's Guide to Breastfeeding - Why would I need to read a book on breastfeeding as I near weaning my fourth (and probably last) child?

Good question. And I'm glad you asked.
 

This book was published in 2009 and is authored by the same Ina May Gaskin that wrote the all-time favorite, Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. I cannot help but wonder what took so long to have a book like this written and published.

It is the very FIRST book I have ever read on breastfeeding wisdom. It is vastly more than a "how-to" guide on breastfeeding basics or why "breast is best". Yes, it addresses these topics, but discusses nursing in a way that you feel you have hundreds of generations of breastfeeding advice at your fingertips.


War of Words: Getting to the Heart of Your Communication Struggles - I began a book study at church two weeks ago and this topic is definitely where I feel convicted right now. Some quotes that stand out are:

"You do not really understand the significance of words until you realize that the first words that human ears ever heard were not the words of another human being, but the words of God!... When God chose to reveal himself that way, he raised talk to a place of highest significance as his primary vehicle of truth."

"He is a God who can be known because he is a God who speaks."

"Every word we speak is rooted either in the truth or in a lie."

"I realized that I had never taught my boys how to argue or fight. I had never taught themhow to wound each other with words... Yet my sons fenced with confidence and skill. They had a natural talent to use words to do exactly what their angry hearts desired."

"The Word became flesh because there was no other way to fix what is broken in us."


The Hiding Place - Imagine that God is using every situation in your life, both trials and triumphs, to bring glory to Himself.

Funny thing is, that's true. Sadly, most of us don't know this or live like we don't know this.

I'm currently listening to Corrie Ten Boom's life story on audio CD and it is powerful. Would you be able to pray for and show the true love of Christ to the German soldiers that imprisoned you and your family during the Holocaust?

Corrie's faith is tested numerous times and makes me really hate how watered down the Gospel has become in our culture.

To end on a lighter note, Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation is a book that takes a look at our punctuation gone awry. This is without doubt one of my weakest areas in writing (I'm sure you've noticed) and I hope this no-nonsense, comical approach will get me headed back in the right direction. There are also versions for children that I hope to read as well.  

       

What's in your mailbox?

I'm a sucker for mail, particularly catalogs. I admit in the past I fixated on Pottery Barn and the like, or 'Porn'ery Barn, as my friend's husband calls it. It's seriously a woman's lustful downfall!

Now that I'm homeschooling I love to find great resources and while this too can become an addiction I just had to share some of my favorites. Just click the links below to request a copy for yourself.

Timberdoodle - How would I describe Timberdoodle? They sell curriculum but oh-so-much-more! Their descriptions of items are in-depth and written so you feel like you are receiving advice from a friend.

Veritas Press - Probably my favorite catalog to date. Even if you have no plans to homeschool, the resources and readers in here are phenomenal. A must-have for sure! Their website has lots of resources as well so check it out.

Classical Conversations - Someone over at CC has been doing their job well since this year's catalog is fantastic. It explains it all - Classical. Christian. Community. Their catalog is more of a resource than a list of products that I go back to time and time again throughout the year. I once let someone borrow my copy and never got it back. I'll not make that mistake again - go order your own!!! :)

Rainbow Resource - When this catalog arrives in your mailbox you'll know it. It's 1,300 pages. I am not exaggerating. Larger than most phone books, Rainbow Resource has it all and for usually the best price. Since Rainbow Resource doesn't charge shipping if you order from them at a homeschool conference, their booth is usually jam-packed and for good reason. They've got it ALL.

Sonlight - If you'd like suggestions on readers, Sonlight has them. I find their site harder to navigate which is why I like a print copy of their catalog to mark for my wish lists.


Okay, that's a few of my favorites. Any others to add???

May's Must Reads

May is a crazy month around here, but reading never completely goes by the wayside.

Most of these are my picks, but here are two that Jackson is enjoying:

Amazing Places (Childrens Encyclopedia)- It has tons of wonderful pictures and descriptions of locations around the world. A world map is also on each page that highlights the location of each place for reference. For some reason, Amazon lists the price at $94.99. I found it at Marshalls for $7.99 so either Amazon's price is a typo or I scored a seriously great deal!!

Missionary Stories with the Millers- I love how Rainbow Resource describes this book: "Stories based on actual experiences in the lives of Christian missionaries. Excellent and realistic view of God’s foot soldiers as they face extreme conditions and angry people. Some are saved, some are martyred, all are victorious!"


What have I been enjoying?

God's Great Covenant, Old Testament 1: A Bible Course for Children- I've been looking for a new resource since we finished our last devotion book and this is going to hit the spot. It focuses on the big picture of the bible - presenting God's solid covenant promises and how even the Old Testament points to the coming Savior, Jesus Christ. I'll be using the Teacher's Edition as well (found at Classical Academic Press).


The Backyard Homestead: Produce all the food you need on just a quarter acre! - No, I don'think I'll ever be a purist homesteader, but this is an enjoyable read. It's easy to pick up and put down since it is divided up into short sections and gives a great overview of lots of topics such as grinding wheat, gardening, canning, making dandelion wine (who knew??) etc.


The Core: Teaching Your Child the Foundations of Classical Education - This is the much anticipated second book of Classical Conversations founder, Leigh Bortins. It won't be released until next month, but you better believe I've preordered it. Despite having been an aerospace engineer, her writing is very down to earth. Believe me, there was a time even as a homeschooling parent that I ran as fast as I could from a classical model of education, so for me to embrace it now is a big deal. Please, whether or not you ever intend to educate at home, GET YOUR HANDS ON THIS BOOK when it debuts in June!


Redeeming Love - Yes, I'm reviewing this one last partly because I'm not sure how to put it into words. It's been a long time since I've read fiction and it was only at the strong recommendation of a friend who actually put the book in my hands that made me sit down and read it. It was a horrible/wonderful/gut wrenching/suck-you-in-and-ignore-the-whole-world-around-you kind of book. Even though I finished it a week ago, I still feel like I'm coming up for air.

In my opinion you can read this book in one of two ways: You can read it as fiction - a made up time, a made up place, a made up person with sin you wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. Or, you can choose to read it for the reality of the depths of our own sin and the cost it took to redeem it. The latter is the tougher option, but what makes it worth the read.