Saturday, June 8, 2019

Summer Reading Challenge 2019

But first: Ordinary Lovely is  a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.  

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It's our third year of holding a Summer Reading Challenge... which isn't really as monumental as it sounds.  

The two-second explanation is "Kids read books.  Kids earn sugary cereal." 




My kiddos have 30 minutes of daily mandatory silent reading to do in the summer months, but they're rewarded for books they finish (as opposed to the Sept - May school months when it's 20 minutes and there are no rewards other than the stories themselves...)  The idea of the challenge is to keep up the silent reading momentum throughout the summer and to encourage additional reading outside of the required time.  So far it's been successful.  The kids have enjoyed it, have been motivated to read perhaps more than usual, and everyone always enjoys the reward - choosing a "personal" box of cereal that does not have to be shared with siblings.  It's usually a box of what's essentially a dessert but is thinly disguised as a cereal because it's pictured near milk.  Something like chocolate peanut butter puffs or fruity rice crispies.  The benefit to eating mostly plain oatmeal throughout the rest of the year is that it makes cheap boxes of cereal a highly coveted prize that is easy on the budget when the summer book count starts adding up ;)  It also requires very little extra effort on my part :)  So we have boxes of crazed sugar pops floating about the breakfast table for a few months.  It's a small price to pay for reading enthusiasm. 

I have been in on all the conversations that reprimand moms and teachers and librarians and decent people for rewarding reading.  I get it - - Reading should be its own reward.  Great literature IS the prize.  To incentivize reading is to cheapen the accomplishment.  I might have used these arguments myself at one time (it sounds like melancholic me, doesn't it?)  But it turns out I actually love the Summer Reading Challenge.  It's just plain fun!  And I appreciate having the opportunity to give that to my kids during the summer months... with the bonus of having it linked to... reading!  

Like other summers, I've chosen the books for the kids.  They can pick from among those titles or can suggest/request other titles.  This summer, pretty much each book = a box of cereal, though last summer I used a point system which allowed me to included shorter/easier books that were worth reading, but weren't worth a whole box of cereal :)  

I have not personally read all of the books listed here, but I try to be pretty discerning  (ahem... picky) with what I give the kids to read.  As always, my kids' reading levels will differ from your kiddos', and my criteria for "worthwhile books" will differ from yours, but I've put a lot of thought and research into our lists, so I feel like they're good ones :)  If you're in the market for good reads, I hope you find something here :)  If you've read the previous years' lists, you'll recognize some repeats, either because they weren't read, or because they've been passed down to the next reader!  It's really neat when one of the younger kids picks up a book, and one of the older ones sees it and gives it an enthusiastic thumbs up!  


Oh.  And we read a lot of historical fiction,  Like, a lot.  :)   


For Aaron, 13, going into 8th grade

Aaron has said he might consider re-reading the Lord of the Rings Trilogy and some of the Chronicles of Narnia books this summer.  Fine by me.  If he does these, I doubt he'll get to any of the others I've chosen, but we'll see :)  (The particular editions I just linked to there I like because they are larger editions.  I'm so sick of thick "pocket size" editions of books that are hard to hold and hard to read.  So these bigger sizes are perfect.  Except the Narnia books are in the wrong order.  Argue with me.  I dare you.)  

The Eagle of the Ninth, Rosemary Sutcliff - I honestly have no idea why we had this (a hand-me-down, no doubt!) but Aaron found it on our shelves and asked to read it because we've just finished an ancient history year and also because he enjoyed the other books he read by Sutcliff  (Black Ships Before Troy and The Wanderings of Odysseus are on my list because Aaron enjoyed them so much.)  He's already finished The Eagle, and we're tracking down the movie now.   

Detectives in Togas, Henry Winterfeld - because even though Aaron read The Mystery of the Roman Ransom by the same author four years ago, he couldn't help but listen in as I read it to Ruth and Dominic last month :)  And we had this one on our shelf too.  Sort of random.

Gettysburg, MacKinlay Kantor

Treegate's Raiders, Leonard Wibberley - basically I will let my kids read anything age appropriate from Bethlehem books without previewing it.  

Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, Jean Lee Latham 

Escape from Warsaw, Ian Serraillier 

The Borrowed House, Hilda von Stockum - I read this myself a few months ago; one of her books that I somehow missed as a child.  I thought it was excellent and highly recommend it as a work of historical fiction to work into a unit on World War II.  (5th grade and up, maybe?)  

Race for the Prairie, Aeileen Fisher 

Red Planet, Robert Heinlein - I don't know much about this book at all (except that the 1967 edition we have does not have the idiotic cover of the Amazon edition linked to....)  My mom recommended Heinlein's Rocket Ship Galileo to Aaron a couple years ago, which he enjoyed, and followed up with this one, and I trust my mom, so... 


For Dominic, 11, going into 7th grade:

I've discussed this before, but since Dominic is dyslexic, I put a lot of concentrated effort into choosing his book stack.  I love the special challenge I have of finding books that he is able to read that also hold his attention.  His comprehension obviously surpasses his reading level.  But his reading is always improving (ask me how persevering this kid is and I'll gush about him for hours!)  This summer, Dominic is *reading* some of this selections and is using a voice-text reader for some of his other selections.  I'm hoping that he'll become very familiar with using both his new Bookshare and Learning Ally accounts so that he's comfortable with them come fall when many of this seventh grade text books will be on there.  

So, on voice-text readers he has these titles lined up:

The Edge of Extinction: the Ark Plan, Laura Martin - I had this book, and it's sequel, Code Name Flood, out from the library a few months ago.  The week everyone was sick and immobile, Aaron lay on the couch and read both of these in less than two days.  So everyone else realized they must be good.  Ruth is reading it now, Dominic's got his sights on it for summer, and then it's mine.  We ended up buying our own copy, hehe ;) 

Icebreaker, Lian Tanner - I'm not entirely sure what this books is about, but Aaron read it and said there was nothing inappropriate in it, and that it was just an intense sci-fi-fantasy-thriller.  So if you're willing to take a 13 year-old's word for it, your own kid might enjoy it too.  But again, I haven't read it....

The Ides of April, Mary Ray - a murder mystery in ancient times.  This is another one Dom wants to read at Aaron's recommendation.  That year of ancient history and the accompanying literature really left it's mark...  

As for book books, here's what I chosen for Dominic:

Lost on a Mountain in Maine, Donn Fendler - a terrifying and amazing true life survival story of a 12 year old boy!  This is another favorite that made the rounds here --  Aaron read it, then passed it on to my dad, then Russ read it, then I read it, Dominic just finished it, and Ruth is sure she'll have her hands on it next.  Needless to say, we recommend it!

Snow Treasure, Marie McSwigan - who can resist a good WWII adventure involving kids.  Not us, apparently!

Cabin in the Snow, Deborah Hopkinson  (a bit below Dom's reading level, but I think he'll like the story)

The Shadow of His Wings, Max Temescu - highly recommend this graphic novel about the life of Fr. Gereon Goldman, a man who kept his priesthood secret in Nazi Germany, but was then drafted into the SS!  A truly remarkable story.  Half the book is the graphic novel, and the second half is photographs and a narrative of Goldman's life after the war.  

Mr. Lincoln's Drummer, G Clifton Wisler

The Whipping Boy, Sid Fleischman 

A Lion to Guard Us, Clyde Robert Bulla

Toliver's Secret, Esther Wood Brady


For Ruth, 9, going in to 4/5th grade (poor girl has one of those homeschool grade identity crisis issues...)
Ruth's stack is so fun to put together because she's quite the bookworm and she loves a variety.

Matilda, Roald Dahl - Oh!  Such fun!

Henry and the Clubhouse, Beverly Clearly - Ruth's a big time Henry, Beezus, Ramona fan but this is one she hasn't read yet, so onto the pile it goes :) 

The Year of Miss Agnes, Kirkpatrick Hill - I've actually started reading this one myself.  What a delightful book! And I'm even learning some stuff about life in Alaska, imagine that!  It's the best kind of historical fiction <3 

The Little Riders, Margaretha Shemin - again, because WWII, kids, adventure.

Heavenly Hosts: Eucharistic Miracles for Kids, K Swegart, OSF - seemed like the thing to get after her first Holy Communion this spring <3 

Emily's Runaway Imagination,  Beverly Cleary

Indian Captive: the Story of Mary Jemison, Lois Lenski

More Stories from Grandma's Attic, Arleta Rishardson - Ruth read the first book, Stories from Grandma's Attic, last year, and enjoyed it enough that I picked up this one in a "free" book bin :) 

Frindle, Andrew Clements - another family favorite!

McBroom's Wonderful One Acre Farm, Sid Fleischman - a bit short to count for a whole box of cereal, but a funny read :)  


For Clare, 7, going into 2nd grade, and James, 5:

Clare's making her way through all the early-reader classics that have been favorites in our home and basically every other home in universe.  Can there be too much Arnold Lobel?  I don't think so.  Our well-worn, well-loved copy of Owl at Home finally fell to pieces when Clare was half way through (I bought it at a yard sale 10 years ago!)  The big kids are excited for her to get into their favorites: Mouse Soup and Mouse TalesAnd of course, Frog and Toad are on deck as well.  

Clare is also reading some of the later books in the Flyleaf Publishing Emergent Reader series, as well as some of the first books in their Decoable Literature Books to Remember series.  Of all of my homeschooling-related purchases, these are among those I'm so happy I made early on.  The have been worth every penny.  You can read my reviews here and here.  

James is also using the Emergent Readers series as well as the level 1 books from All About Reading.  In general, I don't start formally teaching my kids until they're closer to 6, but James showed an earlier interest and ability in math and reading than my other kids, so I'm following his lead.  Incidentally, he earned the first box of cereal this summer :)  


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Let me know if you have any questions about my book choices or about the challenge.  And please let me know what your kids are reading this summer!  I'm always looking for new ideas!  You know me, I love a good book list!

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Monday, March 4, 2019

Favorite Sweater Granny Stripe Blanket



March is National Crochet Month, believe it or not.  It's also National Celery Month.  I'm pretty sure you can just make up whatever celebration or awareness event you want and call it a National event.  I mean, do you think it's a coincidence that someone very dear to me is having his first colonoscopy soon and it just so happens to be National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month???  

I've been so enamored of knitting lately, that it had been a while since I'd taken on a large crochet project.  But I started and finished a large blanket recently (back in February, when it was National Bird Feeding Month and Great American Pies Month... not sure if that last one is about dessert or Don McLean...)  I shared in my Instagram stories that the inspiration for the blanket was from a girl's Old Navy sweater I bought about five years ago.  The sweater colors and color scheme are so cheerful, and I love stripes!!!, I just knew that I had to adapt the sweater into a blanket for our home.  Also, since Clare wears a size 7 and is still squeezing into this size 4/5 sweater, we may have to retire the favorite sweater soon (someone suggested a pillow cover!)  It will be nice to have the blanket in its place :) 




Quite a few people asked about the specifics for the project, and you know I'm always happy to chat about yarn and craftiness!  So here are the details.  Please let me know if you have any questions, and if you make your own, or a spin off, I'd love to see your finished product - tag me @ordinarylovely on Instagram :)  And link back to here if you write about it!



* For the basic pattern and granny stripe technique, I used crochet superstar Lucy's tutorial from her blog, Attic 24.  You can get it here.  Out of respect for her work, I will not discuss specific pattern construction here.  

* I used a 4mm crochet hook.  My absolute favorites are Clover Amour hooks <3   (I used a 5mm for the starting chain)



* I used all worsted weight yarns.  The light brown yarn is Big Twist Sincerely Yarn, from Joann, in Oatmeal Heather.  I believe I used 6 skeins.

* The colored yarns are all I Love This Yarn, from Hobby Lobby.  When I'm making something with basic acrylic yarn, I Love This Yarn is my go-to stuff because the color selection is practically unparalleled. (Ok, maybe it's rivaled by Stylecraft's or Paintbox's color selection, but I can't buy either of those brands locally, but I can GO to Hobby Lobby and choose exactly what I want from their large, LARGE selection.  Oh, and, Dear Paintbox, Stylecraft, and Hobby Lobby, I accept free yarn in exchange for honest reviews ;) ) Hobby Lobby's I Love This Yarn is also very soft and makes a comfortable acrylic blanket, not a scratchy one (you know I'm talking about you, Red Heart SuperSaver yarn...).  It also washes very well.  One thing about Hobby Lobby that I don't love -- and I hate that I even have to admit there is one thing -- they only accept one coupon at a time.  So, that really stinks when you need a lot of yarn at one time.  HOWEVER, this yarn is on sale right now, so run, don't walk, to your neighborhood HL (or hop on over to their website) and pick up your colors now.  You'll get a good discount on every skein.  (Sorry, I don't know how long the sale is on for.  But if you go, let me know and I'll give you my list of what I want ;) ) 


* Here are the specific I Love This Yarn colors I used to match the sweater as closely as possible (which was practically exactly!  Thanks, Hobby Lobby!)  I only needed one of each skein.

350 - Hot Rose
210 - Antique White
113 - Mango
111 - Hot Orchid
40 - Red 
357 - Keylime
364 - Glacier
110 - Turquoise 
80 - Royal 



* I started with the Oatmeal Heather and alternated it every row with a color.  I did three rows of color in each "stripe", except white, which I kept to two rows just because I didn't want it to stand out much.  So, I started with an Oatmeal Heather granny cluster row, then a row of Hot Rose, then Oatmeal, Hot Rose, Oatmeal, Hot Rose.  Then on to the next color section, so, Oatmeal row, then White, Oatmeal, White.  
So, knowing that every other row would be an oatmeal heather row, and all colors (except white) would repeat for three rows per "stripe" (is this confusing?????) here's the color order I used:

rose
white
mango
orchid
red
rose
white
glacier
orchid
rose
red
keylime
turquoise
mango
orchid
white
mango
keylime
glacier
turqouise
keylime
turquoise
royal
turquoise
glacier
royal
keylime

The border is one round of granny clusters, one round of half double crochets, and then a round of reverse single crochet to add a sturdy, textured edge.  



The final dimensions are approximately 60'" x 75".  




This blanket is so colorful and cheerful!  It just makes me smile!  (Plus, granny stripe is so mindless, it's great for working on while watching Netflix, or listening to a book on Audible as I did!  It worked up so quickly, I've already started another one!)  I hope you've found this info helpful and I hope you  get to make one!




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Sunday, December 9, 2018

Ukulele for Enjoyment, for Everyone (Tips for Aspiring Beginners from an Actual Beginner)

This post contained affiliate links.  Please read the fine print in the "affiliate" page above.
*and a big generous hug of thanks goes out to you if you make a purchase through my links*

**I have enjoyed sharing bits of my #dailyukulele goal on my Instagram account (@ordinarylovely , in case we're not already connected there!) and I've gotten several messages about good "starter" ukuleles and which books we use, etc...   This post came out of those questions, annnnnnd, it's just in time for last minute Christmas gift ordering.  I seriously think the gift of music in the home is a perfect one for you, your kiddos, and relatives!** 

Last November we got a ukulele.  I figured it would be easy to pick up since I have a bit of a music background.  My primary instrument is the cello, so I picked up the ukulele, another four stringed instrument, ready to play my heart out, and was utterly flummoxed.  I couldn't figure it out.  I put it down in frustration until this past Spring.  Ukulele is supposed to be the instrument that anyone can play and I was determined to finally figure it out!

I figured it out.  And the ukulele has brought a lot of enjoyment to our our family.  I highly recommend it as an instrument for a family who would like to get some more music into their home quickly without having to rent or purchase expensive instruments or even pay for lessons.  I decided to hop on this old blog to share some of what I've learned over the past several months in the hope that you'll be inspired to start a new musical tradition in your family <3  

CHOOSING A UKULELE

We have 4 different brands of ukulele now, 3 of which were bought off of Amazon, without hearing or playing them first.  I'm happy to share what I've found so that you too can feel confident about buying a musical instrument "sound unheard" as well. 

There are different sizes of ukulele, but the most common are the soprano size (the small ones, usually 21" longs) and concert size (usually 23" long).  We have both.  The soprano instruments are easier for the little kids to use because the frets on the neck are smaller. My husband prefers the concert size because the frets are a bit bigger and fit his fingers more comfortably.  The body of the concert ukulele is also a bit bigger and may feel less awkward for an adult.  I like both and do not have a preference based on size.  I enjoy playing both sizes and often switch back and forth.  

In my experience, at least as far as our Amazon purchases are concerned, the quality of the sound is definitely linked to the price.  A cheap "toy" ukulele is difficult to tune and often sounds "tinny."  (I have not heard a nice-sounding $20 ukuele.  Maybe they exist, but I haven't heard one.)  The more expensive ukuleles have a lovely richer, warmer tone.  This is not to say you have to spend a fortune to get a good ukulele.  I recommend any of the 3 ukuleles that we've purchased from Amazon (as well as the fourth one we have which was a gift purchased at a local music shop).  Here are the links as well as a video in which I play each instrument back-to-back to help you understand the difference in sound between the soprano and concert size instruments, as well as the price/quality relationship.  I'm including this audio-visual comparison because it's something that I wish I had been able to find when I was first shopping around.  I hope it's helpful to you and of course, please let me know if you have any questions regarding any of the instruments.




(The Tom Concert ukulele bundle here was a gift my siblings and I purchased for my dad one year.  I do not have it to demonstrate in the video, but it's also a great instrument with a bright sound.)




  WHERE TO START AND WHAT TO LEARN FIRST

The first thing to learn is how to tune your ukulele.  My first attempt at tuning one made me give up in frustration because it wasn't like tuning the other four-stringed instruments I was used to (violin, cello, etc...)  It wasn't until I watched a YouTube tutorial that I realized the strings weren't tuned in ascending fifths, but in their own wacky ukulele pattern.  Many ukulele "bundles" include a clip-on auto tuner, but if you end up buying an instrument that doesn't include one, I definitely recommend spending a few extra bucks to get one!  Here's one ;) 

Finally, I can't recommend the learn-to-play-ukulele books from Jenny Peters and Rebecca Bogart highly enough.  They are easy to read, easy to understand.  The visuals for the chords used in each song are fabulous.  Their method starts you out playing songs with one chord and then they add more chords as you progress.  You progress quickly!  So you feel like you're playing "real" music in short order :) They also instruct in various strumming patterns and how to read ukulele TABs.  I'll link here to all the books they have available.  We have all of them and use them the most of any books.  If they ever publish any more you bet I'll be all over them.  The bottom line is - get these books and don't bother with other intro methods!!  







Finally, I have humbled myself immensely by posting this next video... but here are a few songs played from the the Christmas book linked to above.  I just want to illustrate what a relative "beginner" can play using the ukulele sisters' books.  I play and sing imperfectly, but I sure do enjoy myself :)  And it's really in keeping with my point that anyone can pick up a ukulele and the books I mentioned and play "real" music in the home!




Once you begin playing through other song books, you might want to consider adding a chord chart to your collection.  It's nice to have a quick easy reference on how to play something when a new or unusual chord shows up in your music.





Don't forget, please let me know if there are other ukulele-related questions I can answer for you!  It's a wonderful instrument to share with the whole family, kids and adults alike.  In fact, I'm willing to guarantee that playing your ukulele for just 30 minutes a day will boost your mood and add years to your life.  Years of enjoyment, at least!  Play on!  And when you do, share about it on Instagram by tagging me @ordinarylovely and #dailyukulele :)   


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Friday, May 25, 2018

Summer Reading Challenge 2018 (with BOOK LISTS!)



(but first - a friendly disclosure that there a lot of Amazon affiliate links dropped here.
If you click through and buy any of my recommendations I get a few pennies.
Your generosity allows me to continue buying good books (umm... and nerf bullets...) for my family.  Thank you <3)

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Also, gone are the days of lovely and edited photos here.  The pics here are straight from my ghetto phone.  It was either that or edit and beautify photos and publish this post in September.  I chose bad pics and post now!

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It's that time of year again where we're transitioning into our "summer school" months of homeschooling.  Since the beginning we've been year-round homeschoolers.  It's because I'm often lax and my kids are not child prodigies and so we're always a bit behind in some subject or another.  And it's also because we all benefit from a having some daily expectations and tasks that have to be done each morning before enjoying the busyness or laziness of the summer day ahead.  

Even though we "school" in the summer, it looks very different than the way things are the rest of the year.  The Summer Reading Challenge is one of those differences.  Last year was the first year I proposed the Challenge and it was wildly successful.  The three big kids read more than I ever imagined they would! Dominic (who has dyslexia) gained an enormous amount of confidence and pride in himself as well as a growing enjoyment of reading, and Ruth improved by leaps and bounds and became a "real reader" - the kind that reads even when it's not required ;)  




In last summer's Challenge, the kids got to choose a box of cereal for each book they completed.  They read a lot and we had boxes of sugary cereal flying everywhere.  It was a bit crazy.  But it really was a key motivator and a real treat for the kids to have a special breakfast cereal that was entirely their own.  I kept the same reward for this summer but instead of a box of cereal for each book, I'm using a point system.  I've written in the front covers whether the books are worth 1,2,3, or 4 points.  They can choose a box of cereal for every 3 points they earn.   I'm happy with this change because it allowed me to choose books of varying lengths and difficulties for each child and assign the points accordingly.  Without the point system, I may have skipped some titles that are entirely worth reading but are not quite worth a whole box of cereal ;)  




Like last year, I chose the books again.  I chose more this year, giving each kiddo a wider variety to choose from.  They get a basket full of their options.  I sit down with each of them one on one and go through the titles, often reading the summary and teasers on the back, and chatting about which books they think they'll pick and what they might want to read first.  I sometimes encourage them to read the first few pages of a book they're unsure about and I always let them set a book aside if it's not grabbing them.  It is supposed to be fun after all :)




I'm always happy to share book lists and recommendations here, so of course I've got the Summer Reading Challenge lists for you!  I spend a lot of time previewing books and reading reviews for content.  I'm pretty particular.  Ok, I'm downright picky about what they read.  A lot doesn't get past my filters.  I have not personally read  every book that I've given to my kids to read, but if I haven't read it, I've done everything else possible to assess it's appropriateness (in terms of themes, language, behavior of characters, etc... as well as reading level).  I feel pretty confident recommending all the titles here, but as in everything, parents have to determine what meets their own standards and what's ok for their own kids, right?!    




In terms of reading level, I know how maddening it can be trying to figure out if your "3rd grader" is reading what another mom's "3rd grader" is reading and what the *bleep* is a 3rd grade reading level anyway!?!?!!?! Anyway, your 3rd grader might be (probably is) reading what my 6th grader is reading now (remember, we have no advanced geniuses here...) There truly is no common standard among publishers and reviewers and you never know what you're going to get when you see something is a "___ grade reading level."  (My blood pressure is rising steadily even as a  write this...)  Add into the mix my Dominic, who is obviously a bit behind in his reading abilities but who doesn't want to read content intended for "little kids."  It's sometimes a crazy (but such fun) challenge finding reading material that fits his age, interests, and ability.  So, we're all over the board here in terms of reading levels and books that I'll "allow."  But here's a quick point of reference so you can better understand who the lists have been tailored for and how they might be able to work for you:

Aaron is 12, going into 7th grade.  He most recently finished the Tolkien Lord of the Rings trilogy and On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, (Andrew Peterson.)

Dominic is 10 1/2, going into 6th grade (dyslexic, improving in reading with his great, great tutor, Miss Lynn!)  He's most recently read  Frindle  (Andrew Clements), and a couple Boxcar Children mysteries.  

Ruth is 8, going into 3rd grade.  She's been blowing through the Ramona series as  her read-upstairs-in-bed books, and she recently finished Little House in the Big Woods as her "downstairs" book.  

Clare is 6, going into 1st grade.  She's still learning some letter sounds and does bits of All About Reading's pre-reading program as well as Level 1.  Basically, she doesn't read.......


SUMMER READING CHALLENGE 2018
BOOK LISTS
(in no particular order, points in parentheses)




For Aaron:

The Stolen Train, Robert Ashley (2)
A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L'Engle (3)
The Borrowers, Mary Norton (3)
Gone-Away Lake, Elizabeth Enright (3)
Annie Moore, First in Line for America, Eithne Loughrey (2)
By the Great Horn Spoon, Sid Fleischman (3)
Escape from Warsaw, Ian Serraillier (3)
Lost on a Mountain in Maine, Donn Fendler (1)
Young Canaller, Gerry Stafford (1)
Call It Courage, Armstrong Sperry (1)
The Mitchells: Five for Victory, Hilda von Stockum (3)
The Trumpeter of Krakow, Eric Kelly (3)
The Winged Watchman, Hilda von Stockum (3) 
Nicholas Gilroy: Our Lady and the Guardian, Father Stephen and Deacon George (1)
The Borrowed House, Hilda von Stockum (3)
32 Days: A Story of Faith and Courage, Ellen Lucey Prozeller (1)




For Dominic:

Mary Jemison, Indian Captive, Jeanne LeMonnier Gardner (3)
Freedom Crossing, Margaret Goff Clark (3)
Ranger in Time, Danger in Ancient Rome, Kate Messner (2)
Here We All Are, Tomie DePaola (1)
The Secret Valley, Clyde Robert Bulla (2)
Shepherds to the Rescue (Gospel Time Trekkers), Maria Grace Dateno, FSP (1)
The Whisper in the Ruins, Lisa M Hendey (3)
The Chestertons and the Golden Key, Nancy Carpentier Brown (2)
Twenty and Ten, Claire Huchet Bishop, (2)
Cabin in the Snow, Deborah Hopkinson (1)
Farmer Boy, Laura Ingalls Wilder (4) 
Escape by Night: A Civil War Adventure, Laurie Myers (2)




For Ruth:

The Secret Soldier: the Story of Deborah Sampson,   Ann McGovern (1)
Daisy Dawson is on Her Way, Steve Voake (2)A Fine Start: Meg's Prairie Diary (My America), Kate McMullen (2)Little House on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder (4) The White Stallion, Elizabeth Shub (1/2 pt) 
The Bears on Hemlock Mountain, Alice Dalgliesh (1)
Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie, Peter and Connie Roop (1/2 pt) 
Misty of Chincoteague, Marguerite Henry (3) 
Runaway Ralph, Beverly Cleary (3)
In Aunt Lucy's Kitchen, Cynthia Rylant (2) 
Besty-Tacy, Maude Hart Lovelace (3) 
In Grandma's Attic, Arleta Richardson (3) 
The Night Crossing, Karen Ackerman (2)
26 Fairmount Avenue, Tomie dePaola (2)
Prairie School, Avi (1)
My Father's Dragon, Ruth Stiles Gannet (2)


For Clare:

Various titles from the Flyleaf Publishing Books for Emergent Readers.
You can read my review of Flyleaf's Emergent Readers and Decodable Literature here.




Finally, I have high hopes for lots of read-alouds this summer.  I've been forgoing reading out loud lately in favor of knitting, so it will take some discipline on my part ;)  I haven't decided what I'll read, but we have lots lying around the house so I have a great stack of my own to choose from.  Some contenders are:
The Family Under the Bridge,   Natalie Savage Carlson
Tumtum and Nutmeg,  Emily Bearn 
Ballet Shoes, Noel Streatfeild 
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis (this would be the first time for the girls, so that would be super fun!) 

And, we have our Audible account locked and loaded full of stuff, so lots and lots of audio favorites are on the summer book menu too :)  

What are you and your kiddos reading this summer?  


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 YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE...

Exhausted Mom Syndrome, Narnia Read Alouds, 

and Why I Was a Big Fat Crying Blubbering Mess Today


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