Read-Aloud Revival ®

Chances are good that you’re already familiar with the picture book sensation turned childhood classic, Bear Snores On. But do you know the woman who wrote it? Karma Wilson has come up with some of her best ideas while eating ice cream or visiting the zoo. She was saved as a child, in a way, by C.S. Lewis’s Narnia.  And… she homeschooled her own kids for many years as a way to ensure that they wou...

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

I t’s Victorian London in the late 1800’s… and it’s been five years since the Sweep disappeared. Orphaned and alone, Nan Sparrow has no other choice but to work for a ruthless chimney sweep named Wilkie Crudd. She spends her days doing dangerous work–sweeping out chimneys. The job is thankless, but with her wits and will, Nan has managed to beat the deadly odds time and time again. This time, thou...

Have you ever REALLY worried about one of your kids? What should you do if you don’t feel like you read aloud well? What’s the point of poetry memorization? What would you tell a mom who is confused about all the different homeschooling philosophies and methods? How do I know that I’m doing enough? What about homeschooling high school? These are all questions you might have…  I’ve had them too. An...

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

I t’s time! It’s time! It’s time! 🥳 We are SO excited to open pre-orders for our first release at Waxwing Books.  It’s a story about seeing and being seen for readers who love Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney or The Library by Sarah Stewart and David Small. Find the rest of the show notes here https://readaloudrevival.com/kickstarter/ .

Way back in August 2018, I was fortunate to spend a morning with the author of The Penderwicks , Jeanne Birdsall. It was a glorious morning, truly, and something surprising came of it. A little idea popped into my head, and it just sort of… rooted itself. Actually… the idea that popped into my head didn’t just stay an idea.  It became something much bigger resulting in our biggest, newest project...

When I ask experienced homeschool parents what they wish they had done more often or focused more on, they never–not ever–say anything academic.  Nope. Reminiscing homeschool parents tell me something else entirely. And do you know what they say? Relationships. They always, always talk about something related to the relationships nurtured during their homeschooling years.  Relationships & Read...

In today’s Special Edition of the Read-Aloud Revival podcast, you’ll meet the man behind Make Way for Ducklings . Robert McCloskey was the first to win two Caldecott Awards, and his books are arguably among the most celebrated picture books of all time. His most popular picture book wouldn’t stay on the page, either. His ducks became permanent sculptures fixed in Boston Public Garden, and even mad...

Here at Read-Aloud Revival, we’re in the thick of getting a huge project together for you. We are launching our own publishing imprint, Waxwing Books.  Our first release is a picture book, written by me, and illustrated by none other than the gorgeously talented artist, Breezy Brookshire.  It’s called A Little More Beautiful: The Story of a Garden . August 10th is the big day. That’s the day you’l...

Early on, pretty much everyone in my world told me we were making a huge mistake in homeschooling. It was weird, it was unknown to them, and of course, we are afraid of things that are weird and unknown.  I actually didn’t know anyone in my personal life who was homeschooling. I read some blogs and books (of course!), but I just had a very strong hunch that we should do this home education thing....

When I was a kid, I read voraciously. I could lose myself for hours in stacks and stacks of books. The reading wasn’t that high quality, mind you. I could usually be found reading The Babysitter’s Club or a Christian historical romance, though I also loved Roald Dahl and Lois Lowry (anyone else remember the Anastasia Krupnik series?) and nonfiction, too.  Then I became a mom, and reading felt deca...

Do you want to teach your kids Shakespeare? Do you want to them to carry a love for The Bard in their hearts, and remember passages from the most famous plays ever written? Maybe your answer is YES!  BUT …  Shakespeare seems overwhelming. And adding it feels stressful. So today , RAR Community Director Kortney Garrison and I are breaking down how to teach Shakespeare in a simple, low-pressure way...

When Mandy called in to ask about her daughter, who likes to be read to , but doesn’t really enjoy reading herself, I was all ears. If you can relate, consider: when your child was 2, 3, 4 … did he/she like being read to?  Most small children LOVE being read to. They climb right into your lap and relish every minute. It’s about the story, yes, but it’s also about the connection.   We really, reall...

We get many questions about how I organize books in my home library, and today we’re talking all about it. I’m going to break down my system and hopefully help spark ideas for how to best organize books at your house.  Here’s the thing: Your home library should serve your family’s reading life. And that might mean organizing it in a different way than you think. It also means the organization isn’...

Do your kids read for fun in high school?  According to Dr. Daniel Willingham in Raising Kids Who Read , the average high schooler reads 6 minutes per day for pleasure. What that really means, he explains , is that a few kids read for pleasure quite a lot… and most don’t read for pleasure at all. Karen recently called in to ask me what my own kids read for fun in high school… and I’ve got lots of...

If you have a child who struggles with sad stories… a child who gets really uncomfortable when bad things happen and wants you to stop reading (or wants to stop reading themselves)… then this episode is for you. And actually, it’s for them, too! In fact, it’s an episode you might like to listen to with your kids. In this episode, you’ll hear: What to do if your kids get upset while reading sad sto...

Are you or your kids feeling overwhelmed by a long book list? Today I’m sharing how reading fewer books (yup!) can help our kids love books more. Yep. We’re going to talk about reading fewer books.  What could it mean for your kids’ reading lives (and yours too!), to focus on reading fewer books and making the time spent reading them more enjoyable and richer ? Maybe even to have a reading life th...

We’re just a little excited here at RAR this week. First, it’s our 200th episode! 🥳 And second, it’s March, which here in the northern hemisphere meets *melting*. It also means a new season, and it’s a great time to name what matters, and set some intentions for how we want to finish out this homeschool year. This week, the whole team will walk you through a simple process we’ve been using here a...

Every year, our Read-Aloud Revival Team watches the American Library Association Youth Media Awards together. These are the official awards of ALA. Some you’ll recognize, like the Caldecott, the Newbery and the Coretta Scott King Awards. But others are not quite as well known … The ALA Youth Media Awards honor books that have been published in the previous year, so this year’s awards ceremony in J...

“Which curriculum should I use?” It’s the question I get asked most often.  I suspect there’s another layer just underneath the surface of that question. A layer that sounds a bit like, “I’m tired. I’m overwhelmed. I don’t want to screw this up. Can you just tell me which curriculum is the best, so I don’t mess this really important thing up?” At least, that’s the kind of thing that went through m...

If you’re reading this, I’m guessing you want to read more, but are struggling to do it as much as you’d like. It can be a real challenge to find time to read for pleasure in your already busy day. I get it! On today’s episode of the Read-Aloud Revival, I’m sharing all my best tips to help you read more, ditch the guilt (this is part of your job, right?), and fall back in love with your own readin...

Shouldn’t helping our kids love reading be the point of literature education?  So why is it that most kids enjoy reading less and less, the further they get into their school years? And why do we insist on using literature curriculum when we know it doesn’t help our kids fall more in love with books?  Today I want to share an easier, simpler, more delightful (and less expensive!) path to giving ou...

Stressed about getting to all the books you want to read? Wondering how you can possibly read as many books as you’d like to with your kids?  On today’s episode of the Read-Aloud Revival, I’m talking about that all-too-familiar feeling of “So many books, so little time!” If you’ve ever felt that way, this one is for you! In this episode you’ll hear… how many books should we be aiming for, anyway?...

If your inbox is anything like mine, you might be experiencing a little “you-need-to-buy-this-for-Christmas” fatigue. I always like to remind myself that Christmas will come and the Baby King will be born, no matter what I buy or don’t. No matter what I get checked off on my merry-making list . . . . . . or don’t. No. Matter. What. Goodness, what good news that is. 🥰 Find the rest of the show not...