Read-at-Home Mom Report: June 2023 Wrap-Up

*I am very late in posting this! We had back-to-back trips in July, and this post has been sitting in my drafts for weeks.  But here, finally, is everything I read in June! The July round-up should be ready soon too. 

June Favorites

I Will Adventure by Elizabeth Gray Vining
I read this aloud to my girls at the same time that my 7 year old was studying Elizabethan England and Shakespeare. The story follows a teen boy to London as he takes on a position as a page for his cousin. He has several chance encounters with members of a theater troupe, including William Shakespeare himself, and he learns to overcome his homesickness and rise to the challenges of living in a new place. We all really enjoyed this one, and it was really easy and fun to read aloud. 

The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary D. Schmidt
I wasn't sure at first how I would like this latest novel from Schmidt, but it was excellent. The plot requires some suspension of disbelief as some things do come together too neatly, but the writing is so beautiful, it truly doesn't matter. I loved all of the characters, and some scenes made me tear up. 

A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler 
This book had a rocky start for me due to a bit of a red herring on the first page as to what the story is about, but it ended up being another wonderful portrait of a family from the author who is best at writing those.

No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister
This novel follows the life of a manuscript, from the imagination of the author, through the publishing process and into the lives of some of its readers. The structure of this novel seemed like it could be gimmicky, but it isn't. Each of the characters has an interesting backstory, and some of them are connected to one another. The author did a great job executing this concept without making it cheesy. 

The Spectacular by Fiona Davis 
This novel about a Radio City Music Hall Rockette dancer and a bomber in 1950s New York City was so fascinating. It's a historical fiction book, but in parts it read more like a thriller. I've read a few books by this author, and this one is my favorite so far. 

Same Time Next Summer by Annabel Monaghan
This is the perfect nostalgic beach read for summer. The writing is delightful, and I loved the characters and the looks back into their past. Annabel Monaghan is a new favorite author for me this year.

The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley by Courtney Walsh
The socially awkward science-minded protagonist of this romance is such a great character. I loved her journey toward not just romance, but toward widening her social circle and learning that she doesn't have to be alone to be happy. 

Stand-Alone Books

• Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller by Meredith Ireland (3 stars)
• The Firefly Summer by Morgan Matson  (4 stars)
• The Gauntlet by Ronald Welch (3 stars)
• The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (3 stars)
• Just the Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica (3 stars)
• The Words We Lost by Nicole Deese (4 stars)
• It's Better This Way by Debbie Macomber (4 stars)

Modern Mrs. Darcy Summer Reading Guide

• Above Ground by Clint Smith (4 stars)

Read-Alouds

• Canadian Summer by Hilda van Stockum

Series Books

• Gathering of Pearls (Year ofImpossible Goodbyes Book 3) by Sook Nyul Choi
• Perelandra (Space Trilogy Book 2) by C.S. Lewis (5 stars)

Did Not Finish

• The Museum of Ordinary People by Mike Gayle 
• Watch Us Shine by Marisa de los Santos 
• The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware
• Wait for It by Jenn McKinlay 
• If We're Being Honest by Cat Shook 
• The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry 

Family Reading Lists 

M. (girl, 9 years, 7 months)

• Ben-Gurion and the Birth of Israel by Joan Comay
• Other Sandals by Sally Watson
• The Garden by Carol Matas
• Exploring the Himalaya by William O. Douglas
• These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder
• The Ark by Margot Benary Isbert
• The Korean War by Tom McGowen
• The Korean War Soldier at Heartbreak Ridge by Carl R. Green
• The Man who made Time Travel by Kathryn Lasky
• Newton's Rainbow: The Revolutionary Discoveries of a Young Scientist by Kathryn Lasky
• The Shoes from Yang Son Valley by Yong-ik Kim
• The Year of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi 
• Echoes of the White Giraffe by Sook Nyul Choi
• Rowan Farm by Margot Benary Isbert

C. (7 years, 9 months)

• The King's Beard by Leonard Wibberly 
• Crossbows and Crucifixes by Henry Garnett
• Shakespeare: His Work and His World by Michael Rosen

E. (5 years, 8 months)

• Skylark by Patricia Maclachlan
• Caleb's Story by Patricia Maclachlan
• Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary 
• Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace 
• Betsy, Tacy, and Tib by Maud Hart Lovelace

R. (3 years, 3 months)

• Little Kids First Big Book of Dinosaurs by Catherine D. Hughes
• National Geographic Dinosaur Atlas
• The Dinosaur Book by John Woodward 
• Oceanarium 

A, (3 years, 3 months)

• Babybug magazines (old issues)
• What Shall We Do with the Boohoo Baby? by Cressida Cowell
• Eloise Wilkin Stories