Read-at-Home Mom Report: November 2024 Wrap-Up

November Favorites

Lord of the World by Robert Hugh Benson
My book club read this and though I didn't have much to say in the discussion, I really loved the writing, especially in the final scene. 

A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter 
We listened to this as a family in the car going back and forth to Mass this fall. It took us a long time to finish, but I was captivated by every word, and even my four-year-olds seemed to get something out of it. This is more of a YA book, but it wasn't so YA that my tweens didn't appreciate it. 

Another Chance to Get It Right: A New Year's Eve Anthology, edited by Nicole Frail 
This one makes the favorites list because I have a story in it that I'm really proud of. I'm still eagerly awaiting my author copies, but I had an e-ARC to tide me over. Not every story will appeal to my readers, but there are some good ones in there. Nicole is also fantastic to work with, and I'm looking forward to 

...And Ladies Of The Club by Helen Hoover Santmyer 
This is the longest book I have ever read. I started in September and finished a few days before my birthday. It follows a group of women in a literary society over their entire adult lives, from college graduation just after the Civil War until most of their deaths in the 1930s. It's been a couple weeks, and I'm still thinking about these characters.  

The Day I Became an Autodidact and the Advice, Adventures, and Acrimonies That Befell Me Thereafter by Kendall Hailey
My husband recommended this light, funny memoir, reflecting on the author's decision to leave school early and teach herself. Lots of funny anecdotes and snappy lines in this one. 

Broken Harbor by Tana French 

This is not as good as The Likeness, but it was still so good. Tana French has such a distinctive writing style. She makes even ordinary things appear interesting. 

Read-Aloud and Homeschool Books

The Family That Prays Together Stays Together by Fr. Willy Raymond (all) (4 stars)

Choristers' Cake by William Mayne (older girls) (4 stars)

 Beatrix Potter books (twins)

Series and Sequels 

• What Katy Did (Carr Family Book 1) by Susan Coolidge (3 stars)
• Staged (Busybodies Collection Book 1) by Elle Cosimano (4 stars)
• The Reunion Dinner (Busybodies Collection Book 2) by Jesse Q. Sutanto (3 stars)
• Crime of Fashion (Busybodies Collection Book 3) by Emma Rosenblum (3 stars)
• The Nosy Neighbor (Busybodies Collection Book 4) by Nita Prose (5 stars)
• One Lucky Subscriber (Busybodies Collection Book 5) by Kellye Garrett (3 stars)
• A Classic Case (Busybodies Collection Book 6) by Alicia Thompson (5 stars)
• One Perfect Day (Romeo Family Romance Book 1) by Jennifer Youngblood (4 stars)
• Fatal Fried Rice (A Noodle Shop Mystery Book 7) by Vivien Chien (3 stars)
• Miss Buncle's Book (Miss Buncle Book 1) by D.E. Stevenson (4 stars)
• Cruel Winter with You (Under the Mistletoe Collection Book 1) by Ali Hazelwood (4 stars)
• Merry Ever After (Under the Mistletoe Collection Book 2) by Tessa Bailey (2 stars)
• Mallory Hates Boys (and Gym) (The Baby-Sitters Club Book 59) by Ann M. Martin (4 stars)
• Livid (Kay Scarpetta Book 26) by Patricia Cornwell (4 stars)

Stand-Alone Books 

• Legal Briefs: A Collection of Short Stories by G. Lynn Brown (4 stars)
• Misshelved Magic by S.R. Crickard (4 stars)
• An Abundance of Katherines by John Green (5 stars)
• The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin (4 stars)
• Jemima Shore's First Case: And Other Stories by Antonia Fraser (4 stars)
• Just Listen by Sarah Dessen (5 stars)
• Mystery & Mayhem: Twelve Deliciously Intriguing Mysteries, edited by Katherine Woodfine (3 stars)
• The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America's Broken Education System--and How to Fix it by Natalie Wexler (4 stars)
• Do-Gooders: How Liberals Hurt Those They Claim to Help by Mona Charen (4 stars)
• Booked for the Holidays by Liz Maverick (4 stars)
• The Stolen Princess by Sandralena Hanley (4 stars)
• A Very Chapel Falls Christmas by Amanda Lauer (4 stars)
• Very Sincerely Yours by Kerry Winfrey (5 stars)

Family Reading Lists

M. (girl, age 11)

• When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead 
• Traveling Man by James Rumford

C. (girl, age 9 years, 2 months)

• from the You Choose series: 
• Spies of World War I
• World War I
• The Sinking of the Lusitania
• At Battle in World War I 
• Angel on the Square by Gloria Whelan 

E. (girl, age  7 years, 1 month)

• King Oberon's Forest by Hilda van Stockum 

R. (boy, age 4 years, 8 months)

• Reptiles Do the Strangest Things by  Leonora Hornblow
• Three Tales of My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett

A. (girl, age 4 years, 8 months)

• Pig Wig Can Hit by Barney Saltzberg

My husband 

• What Katy Did by Susan Coolidge
• The Tournaments of the Lions by Jay Williams 
• Shadow Hawk by Andre Norton
• The Emperor's Arrow by Burke Boyce
• The Day I Became an Autodidact and the Advice, Adventures, and Acrimonies That Befell Me Thereafter by Kendall Hailey
• Ravensgill by William Mayne
• Brother Dusty-Feet by Rosemary Sutcliff
• The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America's Broken Education System--and How to Fix it by Natalie Wexler 

Homeschool Update: October 2024

All Grades

Latin

We continued working through Keep Going with Latin, and the girls created their own sentences to translate.

Poetry  

E. worked on memorizing "Merry Are the Bells," C. memorized "In Flanders Fields," and M. worked on "The Highwayman." 

Catechism

E. received her First Holy Communion at the Latin Mass. She and C. and M. worked on memorizing questions and answers about angels and sin.  

Art 

In October, we studied these works of art:

• The Peaceable Kingdom by Edward Hicks
• Tiger in a Tropical Storm by Henri Rousseau
• Improvisation 31 (Sea Battle) by Wassily Kandinsky
• Wallpaper & Patterned Fabric by William Morris

We also went on a field trip to the Walters Art Museum. 

Music

M., C., and E. finished watching Orchestra!, the 1991 documentary miniseries with Dudley Moore. They continued practicing a four-part arrangement (with dad) of Skye Boat Song on recorder in preparation for a recital. M. and C. did music theory every week, and all three did ear training on the computer. 

5th Grade (M., girl, age 10)

Social Studies

M. completed the first book in the Medieval & Early Modern World series from Oxford University Press and moved into the second, which focuses on Africa. She watched related Great Courses videos and answered workbook questions daily. 

Science

M. watched John Long's Great Courses videos about robotics and did Arduino activities from Arduino for Beginners. 

English 

M. made progress in Editor in Chief, Sentence Diagramming Level 2, Easy Grammar, and Vocabulary from Classical Roots B. 

Math

M. has done one challenging word problem each day, as well as 30 minutes of Khan Academy. She is 77% done with Algebra I. She is also still working through Life of Fred: Pre-algebra 0 with Physics.

3rd Grade (C., girl, age 9)

Social Studies

C. has been studying World War I using World War I for Kids as her spine. She watched several videos and wrote a narration about Franz Ferdinand. 

English

C. continued working on Sentence Diagramming Level 2, Daily Grams, and Vocabulary from Classical Roots 6. 

Science 

We changed C.'s schedule so that she works on both her birds curriculum and her Snap circuits curriculum every week. She read and did workbook pages for two chapters in The Book of Birds and we have nearly completed Lesson 3 in Snap Circuits. 

Math 

C. continued working in Singapore Primary Mathematics 4B and did four chapters in Life of Fred: Honey. She finished Khan Academy Sixth Grade Math and moved on to 7th grade. 

1st Grade (E., girl, age 7)

Social Studies

E. listened to several chapters in Story of Civilization Volume 3. She read Irish Pilgrim, Our Little Frankish Cousin of Long Ago, and Viking Settler and wrote narrations about St. Patrick and Charlemagne. 

Science

We read Let's Read and Find Out books about fossils and dinosaurs, rocks and volcanoes, nocturnal animals, and weight and weightlessness. We watched a video tour of the International Space Station and a Reading Rainbow episode about dinosaur fossils. 

English

E. continued working in Sentence Diagramming Beginning and Easy Grammar Workbook 34. 

Math 

E. continued working on  Singapore Primary Mathematics 2B. We discovered that Life of Fred was really easy for her, so we decided to move more quickly through each book, doing two chapters per day. She finished Apples and moved into Butterflies. She finished fourth grade math on Khan Academy and is now about halfway through fifth. 

Pre-K (R., boy, age 4 & A., girl, age 4)

R. and A. listened to the Let's Read and Find Out read-alouds. We also read aloud Halloween picture books and some other classic picture books. R. slowly began to move from easy readers to very basic chapter books. A. read Pig Wig. 

Read-at-Home Mom Report: October 2024 Wrap-Up

Coming Soon...My Book!

For me, the most exciting reading experience of October was reading through my own book for the final time and scheduling its release on Amazon. The Bennetts Bloom publishes January 14, 2025. You can learn more in this FAQ about the book, and pre-order the Kindle version on Amazon. 

October Favorites

My other favorites from October were an interesting mix. 

Stoking the Flames by Ash Keller
This is a short novella that is part of a series of romances involving the members of a fire department. I love shorter stories like this, and I especially like this author's writing. 

Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith
All I ever do while I'm listening to this series is say over and over again, "J.K. Rowling is such a genius." But truly, she is just an excellent writer, and this was dark, but still so good. I have the next book of the series in paperback and I can't wait to dive in. 

Vipers' Tangle by Francois Mauriac
I read this with Close Reads, and my first impression was that this author is just like Graham Greene. Turns out, Mauriac is kind of known as the French Greene. I really loved this and would read it again. 

Some Like It Cold by Elle McNicoll 
It's not often that you find a unique voice like this in YA, but this author's writing is so clever and different. The audiobook narration really brought this one to life for me. 

Read-Aloud Books

• The Kellyhorns by Barbara Cooney (4 stars)
• The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling (3 stars)

Series and Sequels

• The Body in the Library (Miss Marple Book 2) by Agatha Christie (4 stars)
• Christmas in the Castle Library (In the Castle Library Book 2) by Ann Swindell (4 stars)
• Happy Birthday, Dear Beany (Beany Malone Book 7) by Lenore Mattingly Weber (3 stars)

Stand-Alone Books

• The Christmas Inn by Pamela M. Kelley (3 stars)
• We Are Experiencing a Slight Delay by Gary Janetti (3 stars)
• Nora, Nora by Anne Rivers Siddons (3 stars)
• Salvation Is from the Jews by Roy H. Schoeman (4 stars)
• The White Coat Diaries by Madi Sinha (4 stars)
• One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery (3 stars)
• A Christmas Duet by Debbie Macomber (4 stars)
• Tree. Table. Book. by Lois Lowry (4 stars)
• Mistletoe Season: Three Christmas Stories by Sheila Roberts, Pepper Basham, and Kathleen Fuller (4 stars)
• A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley (3 stars)
• Lies My Liberal Teacher Told Me by Wilfred Reilly
• Sweet Boo by Sophie Sweet (4 stars)

Family Reading Lists

M. (girl, 10 years, 11 months)

• Knight Crusader by Ronald Welch

C. (girl, 9 years, 1 month)

• Thunder in the Sky by K.M. Peyton 
• The Hotel Balzaar by Kate DiCamillo 
• The Good Master by Kate Seredy 
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

E. (girl, 7 years)

• Our Little Frankish Cousin of Long Ago by Evaleen Stein 

R. (boy, 4 years, 7 months)

• Arthur's Halloween Costume by Lilian Hoban
• Oliver and Amanda's Halloween by Jean van Leeuwen
• Walpole by Syd Hoff
• Sleeping Ugly by Jane Yolen
• Detective Mole by Robert M. Quackenbush
• Detective Mole and the Halloween Mystery by Robert M. Quackenbush
• Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
• Play Ball, Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish 
• Babar and the Ghost by Laurent de Brunhoff

A. (girl, 4 years, 7 months)

• Pig Wig 

Twins' Readalouds

• The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
• The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin by Beatrix Potter
• The Tailor of Gloucester by Beatrix Potter
• A Tiger Called Thomas by Charlotte Zolotow
• Witches Four by Marc Brown

My husband 

• A Passion Play by Brian Rabey
• Minstrels in the Gallery by David Rees

Homeschool Update: September 2024

All Grades

Latin

We reached Lesson 60 in Keep Going with Latin, which we started over the summer. Once a week, the girls created their own English sentences to translate into Latin. 

Poetry

E. memorized "Nothing Gold Can Stay" by Robert Frost and began to memorize "Merry are the Bells." C. memorized "A Song of Sherwood" by Alfred Noyes. M. worked on "The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes, but has not yet finished memorizing it. 

Catechism

M., C., and E. memorized assigned questions and answers from the first two lessons in the New Saint Joseph Baltimore Catechism. 

Art

The works of art we studied this month were: 

• The Blue Vase by Paul Cezanne 
• Roma by Anne Whitney 
• Wisconsin Landscape by John Steuart Curry 
• Plate No. 85, American Robin—Turdus migratorius by John James Audubon

Music

M., C., and E. have been watching Orchestra!, the 1991 documentary miniseries with Dudley Moore. They are also learning a four-part arrangement (with dad) of Skye Boat Song on recorder. 

5th Grade (M., girl, age 10)

Social Studies

M. completed the first 8 chapters in the first book of the Medieval & Early Modern World series from Oxford University Press. She wrote paragraphs comparing the Romans to the Germanic people and explaining the impact of viking invasions on Alfred, King of Wessex and Hugh Capet.  She watched supplemental videos from The Great Courses.

Science 

M. watched videos on the history of computers and finished the Arduino unit on programming. 

English 

M. made progress in Editor in Chief, Sentence Diagramming Level 2, Easy Grammar, and Vocabulary from Classical Roots B. She also wrote an explanation of Otzi the ice man using guidelines from Write Source 2000.

Math

M. has done one challenging word problem each day, as well as 30 minutes of Khan Academy. She is 63% done with Algebra I. She did not pass her most recent bridge in Life of Fred: Pre-algebra 0 with Physics and is in the process of correcting her answers and making a second attempt. 

Field Trips

M. went to the National Museum of Health and Medicine for a forensics class, and to the National Cryptologic Museum for a class on cryptoanalysis. A docent at the Cryptologic Museum was impressed with her and spent an extra hour with her after the tour. 

 

3rd Grade (C., girl, age 9)

Social Studies

C. read about Teddy Roosevelt, The Boxer Rebellion, The San Francisco Earthquake, Marie Curie, the Panama Canal, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, and the Titanic. She wrote one narration each week. 

Science 

C. read the first two chapters in The Book of Birds and completed the accompanying workbook pages. She did all of the first lesson in Student Guide for Electronic Snap Circuits and the first two sections of the second lesson. 

English

C. made progress in Sentence Diagramming Level 2, Daily Grams, and Vocabulary from Classical Roots 6. 

Math 

C. worked on division in Singapore Primary Mathematics 4B and did four chapters in Life of Fred: Honey. She is still working her way through  Khan Academy Sixth Grade Math. 

1st Grade (E., girl, age 6)

Social Studies

E. listened to the first four chapters of Story of Civilization Volume 3. She read A Medieval Monk. 

Science

Our first four topics covered by books in the Let's Read and Find Out series were: the sun and moon, the human body (bones, heart, blood, skin, and lungs), spiders, ants, and cockroaches, and trees and leaves. E. wrote narrations about the heart  and about the sun. 

English

E. made progress in Sentence Diagramming Beginning and Easy Grammar Workbook 34. 

Math

E. worked on fractions and time in Singapore Primary Mathematics 2B. She did the first four chapters in Life of Fred: Apples and has completed more than 60% of 4th grade Khan Academy. 

Pre-K (R., boy, age 4 & A., girl, age 4)

R. and A. joined in on the Let's Read and Find Out About Science read-alouds.

R. has read over 200 easy readers total. A. has read Rag and Dad and Sam. 

Read-at-Home Mom Report: September 2024 Wrap-Up

September Favorites 

• Shadows: Visible & Invisible by Catholic Teen Books
  This is another excellent collection from the Catholic Teen Books team, this time about Hallowtide. This is one of my favorite parts of the liturgical year, and I love that the stories all drive home the true Catholic meaning of Halloween.  
  
  
• Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor
  I loved this novel, which I read with the Close Reads podcast. It's a melancholy book, but also very funny in many ways. I will definitely want to re-read at some point. 
  
  
• Wake of Malice by Eleanor Bourg Nicholson 
  Another amazing Catholic novel from Chrism Press. This one is a historical mystery with some supernatural/horror elements handled with Catholic sensibilities. The dialogue is amazing in this one, and I loved the Irish setting. 
  
  
• To Be Where You Are (Mitford Years Book 14) by Jan Karon 
  I was putting off reading this because I didn't want the series to end, but then the author announced she's writing another book, so it was safe to read this one. It was excellent. Now I'm just sad that John McDonough, the audiobook narrator, passed away, because no one else will ever be the voice of these characters for me.

Read-Aloud Books

• The Well-Wishers (Tales of Magic Book 6) by Edward Eager (4 stars)

Series and Sequels 

• Making a Play (The Field Party Book 5) by Abbi Glines (3 stars)
• Game Changer (The Field Party Book 6) by Abbi Glines (3 stars)
• One Happy Summer (Falling for Summer Book 6) by Becky Monson (5 stars)
• Nothing Better Than You (Better than the Movies Book 1.6) by Lynn Painter (5 stars)
• A World of Curiosities (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache Book 18) by Louise Penny (3 stars)
• Make A Wish For Me (Beany Malone Book 6) by Lenora Mattingly Weber (3 stars)
• Storybook Romance (The Heart of Main Street, #4) by Lissa Manley (4 stars)
• Easy as Pie (Sweater Weather Book 5) by Carina Taylor (2 stars)
• A Not So Fictional Fall (Sweater Weather Book 6) by Savannah Scott (3 stars)
• On the Shelf (The Men of Engine 17 Book 2) by Ash Keller (4 stars)
• The Sequel (The Book Series Book 2) by Jean Hanff Korelitz (4 stars)
• But He's My Grumpy Neighbor (But He's a Carter Brother Book 1) by Annah Conwell (3 stars)

Stand-Alone Books

• Waiting for Christmas by Lynn Austin (4 stars)
• The Rancher Next Door by Betsy St. Amant (4 stars)
• The Christmas Tree Farm by Melody Carlson (4 stars)
• Ring Out, Bow Bells! by Cynthia Harnett (4 stars)
• The Holiday Cottage by Sarah Morgan (4 stars) 

Family Reading Lists

M. (girl, 10 years, 10 months old)

• Knights Besieged by Nancy Faulkner
• Knight Crusader by Ronald Welch 

C. (girl, 9 years old)

• Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders by Henry Castor
• The Boxer Rebellion by Irving Werstein 
• Shaken Days by Marion Garthwaite 
• The Story of Madame Curie by Alice Thorne
• The Panama Canal by by Robert Bernard Considine
• The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire by Elaine Landau
• War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
• August the Fourth by Penelope Farmer 

E. (girl, 6 years, 11 months old)

• Redwall by Brian Jacques
• Mischievous Meg by Astrid Lindgren

R. (boy, 4 years, 6 months)

• Amazing Sharks 
• When an Animal Grows
• Hidden Animals
• Hattie Be Quiet, Hattie Be Good
• Biscuit 

A. (girl, 4 years, 6 months)

• Dad and Sam 

Twins' read-alouds:

• Bedtime for Frances
• A Baby Sister for Frances 
• Five Minutes Peace
• Make Way for Ducklings
• Curious George Gets a Medal
• Goodnight Moon 
• No Roses for Harry 
• Millions of Cats
• The Red Carpet 

My husband 

• Crossbows and Crucifixes by Henry Garnett
• Ring Out Bow Bells by Cynthia Harnett 
• The Well-Wishers by Edward Eager 

Homeschool Curriculum and Schedule: 2024-2025

Our sixth official year of homeschooling has begun! This year, I have three school-age kids. According to Maryland they are in 5th grade (M., girl, almost 11), 3rd grade (C., girl, almost 9), and 1st grade (E., girl, almost 7), though they all vehemently disagree with these classifications. I also have two four-year-olds (R., boy and A., girl) who are doing Pre-K stuff from September to January and kindergarten stuff from January on.

---

All Grades 

All school-age children will be memorizing poems, geography, and Catechism questions and answers. They will also also participate in Latin exercises from Keep Going with Latin by William Linney. P.E. will be a combination of bike riding, running laps, and playing at the park. They also swam all summer. For art, we are using an elementary art curriculum from Concordia University. The school-age kids also use Typing.com to practice typing, and they review their math facts using online flashcards. 

---

5th Grade

Social Studies

• Medieval & Early Modern World series (with workbooks) from Oxford University Press 
  Daily, plus two narrations per month 

Science

• Arduino for Beginners from Udemy; Robotics from The Great Courses
  At least twice a week, with Dad  

English

• Editor in Chief Level 1
  Friday
  
  
• Write Source 2000
  Monthly writing assignment
  
  
• Sentence Diagramming Level 2
  Monday 
  
  
• Easy Grammar
  Five pages every Thursday 
  
  
• Vocabulary from Classical Roots B
  Monday and Thursday

Math

• Life of Fred: Pre-algebra 0 with Physics
  Friday, with Dad
  
  
• Elementary Algebra by Harold W. Jacobs; Khan Academy Algebra
  daily, taught by Dad 
  
  
• Singapore Challenging Word Problems 4
  one problem daily 

Health 

• The Care and Keeping of You: Body Book for Girls 2 
  monthly or less

Music 

• Denes Agay Book 3 ; The Soprano Recorder by William M. Weiss
  daily practice of piano and recorder 

---

3rd Grade 

Social Studies

• The Century by Peter Jennings and other 20th century resources
  daily, with Dad

Science

• The Book of Birds (and workbook) and Student Guide for Electronic Snap Circuits
  alternating weeks, Tuesday and Thursday, and sometimes Friday

English

• Sentence Diagramming Level 2
  Friday
  
  
• Daily Grams
  daily
  
  
• Vocabulary from Classical Roots 6
  Tuesday and Thursday

Math

• Singapore Primary Mathematics 4B
  daily
  
  
• Life of Fred: Honey
  Friday 

• Khan Academy Sixth Grade Math
  daily 

Health 

• The Care and Keeping of You: Body Book for Girls 1
  monthly or less

Music 

• Denes Agay Book 2; 50 Graded Studies for Recorder, and Recorder Time
  daily practice of piano and recorder

---

1st Grade

Social Studies

• The Story of Civilization Volume 2
  Monday 
  
  
• supplemental picture books
  weekly 

Science

• Let's Read and Find Out About Science series 
  grouped weekly by theme, one book per weekday 

English 

• Sentence Diagramming Beginning
  daily
  
  
• Easy Grammar Workbook 34
  daily 

Math

• Singapore Primary Mathematics 2B
  daily 
  
  
• Life of Fred: Apples
  Friday 

Music

• Denes Agay Primer and Hands on Recorder
  daily practice of piano and recorder  

---

Pre-K

• Let's Read and Find Out About Science series 
  grouped weekly by theme, one book per weekday 
  
  
• The Ordinary Parents' Guide to Teaching Reading
  A. only, daily 
  
  
• Liberty's Kids history video series
  several times per week
  
  
• Other skills: riding a bike, cutting with scissors

Read-at-Home Mom Report: August 2024 Wrap-Up

August Favorites

This was my biggest reading month of the year because of the Sealey Challenge, for which I read one poetry collection every single day of the month. The first few favorites on my list are the best of the 31 poetry volumes I read.

Andalusian Hours: Poems from the Porch of Flannery O'Connor by Angela Alaimo O'Donnell
I was really skeptical about these sonnets written in the voice of Flannery O'Connor, and they completely blew me away. I teared up at the end of the book. This book is every Flannery fan's dream.  

Someone Somewhere Maybe by Sophie Diener
These poems reminded me of everything I like about my favorite YA novels. 

Goldenrod: Poems by Maggie Smith

There wasn't a word out of place in a single poem in this collection. 

In a Time of Distance: And Other Poems by Alexander McCall Smith
I thought I didn't like this author because his detective series didn't appeal to me, but these poems were so interesting and readable. 

Jupiter Rising by Gary D. Schmidt|
This sequel to Orbiting Jupiter is so emotional, and so satisfying. I'm convinced Gary D. Schmidt can't write a bad book.

Love in the Eternal City by Rebecca W. Martin
This is the Catholic romance novel of my dreams. It was an honor to be on the launch team.

Better than the Movies by Lynn Painter
This is my second book from this author, and the second one I gave five stars. There's some language but it didn't bother me. I loved the characters.

Mother to Mother: Spiritual and Practical Wisdom from the Cloister to the Home by Mary Elizabeth Cuff
I reviewed this for Catholic Mom. You can read what I loved about it in my review over there.

Going Short: An Invitation to Flash Fiction by Nancy Stohlman
This is one of the most inspiring writing craft books I've ever read. 

Sealey Challenge 

• Break Your Glass Slippers by Amanda Lovelace (2 stars)
• Ten Poems for Difficult Times by Roger Housden (4 stars)
• Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets by Kwame Alexander (4 stars)
• Everything Comes Next: Collected and New Poems by Naomi Shihab Nye (5 stars)
• Pessimism for Beginners by Sophie Hannah (4 stars)
• Questions About Angels by Billy Collins (5 stars)
• How to Fly in Ten Thousand Easy Lessons by Barbara Kingsolver (4 stars)
• A Piece of Good News: Poems by Katie Peterson (4 stars)
• Summer Snow: New Poems by Robert Hass (3 stars)
• Dearly by Margaret Atwood (4 stars)
• Cautionary Verses by Hilaire Belloc (4 stars)
• Celebrations: Rituals of Peace and Prayer by Maya Angelou (4 stars)
• American Melancholy: Poems by Joyce Carol Oates (2 stars)
• You Are Only Just Beginning: Lessons for the Journey Ahead by Morgan Harper Nichols (4 stars)
• Some Things I Still Can't Tell You: Poems by Misha Collins (5 stars)
• Aimless Love: New and Selected Poems by Billy Collins (5 stars)
• When the Pie Was Opened by Jean Little (4 stars)
• The sun and her flowers by Rupi Kaur (4 stars)
• The Knopf National Poetry Month Collection (4 stars)
• Love Poems by Pablo Neruda (4 stars)
• Carver: A Life in Poems by Marilyn Nelson (4 stars)
• Harbinger: Poems by Shelley Puhak (4 stars)
• Classic Poems for Girls by Naxos Junior Classics (3 stars)
• Classic Poems for Boys by Naxos Junior Classics (4 stars)
• Zoom Rooms: Poems by Mary Jo Salter (4 stars)
• Swimming Lessons: Poems by Lili Reinhart (4 stars)
• The Milk Hours by John James (4 stars)
  

Read-Aloud Books 

• Spider Sparrow by Dick King-Smith (4 stars)
• The Little Grey Men by BB (4 stars)
• Mystery at Witchend by Malcolm Saville (3 stars)

Series and Sequels 

• Beany Has a Secret Life (Beany Malone Book 5) by Lenora Mattingly Weber (3 stars)
• Plotting Summer (Falling for Summer Book 3) by Jess Heileman (4 stars)
• Beauty and the Beach (Falling for Summer Book 5) by Gracie Ruth Mitchell (5 stars)
• Rebel Summer (Falling for Summer Book 7) by Cindy Steel (3 stars)
• The Silkworm (Cormoran Strike Book 2) by Robert Galbraith (4 stars)

Stand-Alone Books

• Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis (5 stars)
• The Destiny Thief: Essays on Writing, Writers and Life by Richard Russo (4 stars)
• Guilty Creatures: Sex, God, and Murder in Tallahassee, Florida by Mikita Brottman (4 stars)
• My Life Begins! by Patricia Maclachlan (5 stars)
  
• Stella & Marigold by Annie Barrows (3 stars)
• The Zebra's Great Escape by Katherine Rundell (3 stars)
• Not Nothing by Gayle Forman (4 stars, but parents should screen content)
• The Children Who Lived in a Barn by Eleanor Graham (3 stars)
• Cue the Sun by Emily Nussbaum  (4 stars)
• Girls Who Burn by M.K. Pagano (4 stars)

Family Reading Lists 

M. (girl, 10 years, 9 months old)

• Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson 

C. (girl, 8 years, 11 months old)

• Andrew Carnegie and the Age of Steel by Katherine Binney Shippen
• Disaster at Johnstown: The Great Flood by Hildegarde Dolson
• The Story of Thomas Alva Edison by Enid Lamonte Meadowcroft
• Felicia the Critic by Ellen Conford
• The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis 

E. (girl, 6 years, 10 months old) 

• She is diligently working her way through Redwall, but not yet finished. 

R. (boy, 4 years, 5 months old)

Independently, he read these easy readers: 

• Harry by the Sea
• Frog and Toad 
• Dragons Love Tacos
• Chicken said Cluck
• Woodchuck
• What Have I Got?
• Let's Get Turtles 
• Seeds and More Seeds
• Benny's Animals
• Nate the Great 
• Happy Jack
• Terry and the Caterpillars
• Emmett's Pig
• Big Max 

He also looked at/listened to:  

• Mr. Men series by Roger Hargreaves 
• Mr. Putter and Tabby series by Cynthia Rylant 
• I Spy Fantasy by Jean Marzollo and Walter Wick 
• The Foggy, Foggy Forest by Nick Sharatt 
• Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin 

A. (girl, 4 years, 5 months, old)

Independently, she worked on sounding out the words in Rag. 

She also looked at/listened to:  

• Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin 
• I Spy Fantasy by Jean Marzollo and Walter Wick
• Picture My World by by Séverine Cordier (Illustrator), Cynthia Lacroix

My husband 

• Hill of Little Miracles by Valenti Angelo
• Spider Sparrow by Dick King-Smith 
• Paula by Marguerite Vance 
• Seeing Past Z: Nurturing the Imagination in a Fast-Forward World by Beth Kephart

Read-at-Home Mom Report: July 2024 Wrap-Up

July Favorites

Voyage to Alpha Centauri by Michael D. O'Brien
This fantastic Catholic sci-fi novel is a real page-turner. I almost chose not to read it for book club due to the length, but then I couldn't put it down. It felt like the perfect mix of The Sparrow and Canticle for Leibowitz. 

Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O'Nan 
This novella about the last night at a closing Red Lobster was recommended by Ethan Joella when he appeared on the Book Bumble podcast. I really enjoyed the writing style. 

Abominations: Selected Essays from a Career of Courting Self-Destruction by Lionel Shriver
I admire Lionel Shriver because she has the courage of her convictions even when they're unpopular, and because I think her concerns about first amendment rights are valid and important. 

The Feather Star by Patricia Wrightson 
My husband recommended this vintage Australian middle grade coming-of-age novel, and it was the perfect summer read. I really loved the introspective, descriptive style.  

Read-Aloud and Homeschool Books

• Hitty, Her First Hundred Years by Rachel Field (with E., age 6) (4 stars)
• Over the Blue Mountain by Conrad Richter (5 stars)
• Katie John by Mary Calhoun (4 stars)
• Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White (with C., age 8) (5 stars)
• No Boats on Bannermere by Geoffrey Trease (5 stars)

Sequels and Series Books

• At First Spark (The Spark Brothers Book 4) by Liwen Ho (4 stars)
• An Extra Spark (The Spark Brothers Book 5) by Liwen Ho (4 stars)
• Murder at the Lakeside Library (Lakeside Library Mystery Book 1) by Holly Danvers (3 stars)
• Summer Ever After (Falling for Summer Book 1) by Kortney Keisel (3 stars)
• Beachy Keen (Falling for Summer Book 2) by Kasey Stockton (4 stars)
• Summer Tease (Falling for Summer Book 4) by Martha Keyes (4 stars)
• Love is a Roller Coaster (Sunkissed Summer Book 1) by Marie Soleil (4 stars)

Stand-Alone Books

• Not If You Break Up with Me First by G.F. Miller (4 stars)
• The Summer Book Club by Susan Mallery (3 stars) 
• The Same Bright Stars by Ethan Joella (3 stars)
• No Way of Telling by Emma Smith (4 stars)
• The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians: True Stories of the Magic of Reading by James Patterson and Matt Eversmann (3 stars)
• The Unbearable Likeness of Bean by Dianne R. Thomas (4 stars)
• Hearts Overboard by Becky Dean (4 stars)

Family Reading Lists

M. (girl, 10 years, 8 months)

• The Black Riders by Violet Needham
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling 

C. (girl, 8 years, 10 months) 

• Lincoln: A Photobiography by Russell Freedman
• The Perilous Road by Willam O. Steele 
• Kathleen, A Yankee Girl at Gettysburg by Alice Turner Curtis
• The Wound of Peter Wayne by Leonard Wibberley

E. (girl, 6 years, 9 months) 

• Clover's Luck by Kallie George 

R. (boy, 4 years, 4 months) 

Independently, he read these easy readers: 

• Father Bear Comes Home
• Barkley 
• A Fly Went By
• The Happy Birthday Present
• And I Mean It, Stanley
• This Is the House Where Jack Lives
• I Am Better Than You!
• Little Bear’s Visit
• More Tales of Oliver Pig
• Johnny Lion’s Bad Day
• Johnny Lion’s Book
• Johnny Lion’s Rubber Boots
• Chester
• Little Chick's Big Day
• Red Tag Comes Back
• Robber Raccoon
• Love is in the Air 
• Who's a Pest?
• Stop, Stop 
• What Have I Got? 
• Mr. Pine's Purple House
• Mr. Pine's Mixed-Up Signs 
• The Last One In is a Rotten Egg 

He also looked at/listened to:  

• The Bustletown series by Rotraut Susanne Berner 
• Big Stuff: Dozer, Excavator, Mixer & More! by Joan Holub 
• Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Life by Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan
• An Anthology of Aquatic Life by Sam Hume
• An Anthology of Intriguing Animals by Ben Hoare 
• Little Miss/Mr. Men series by Roger Hargreaves 

A. (girl, 4 years, 4 months)

She has started reading consonant-vowel-consonant words grouped into families.

She looked at/listened to these books: 

• The Cats' Museum by Viviana Falleti 
• Bubble Trouble by Margaret Mahy
• Baby Dear by Esther and Eloise Wilkin 
• Mercy Watson series by Kate DiCamillo 

My husband 

• The Feather Star by Patricia Wrightson 
• Conversations with Maurice Sendak by Peter C. Kunze
• Lands End by Mary Stolz

Homeschool Update, March-June 2024

Group Activities 

Geography/Art 

From The Complete Book of Marvels by Richard Halliburton, Dad read these sections, and the girls watched accompanying videos: 

• Parthenon, Temple of Athena [video]
• Mt. Athos, Country of Men [video]
• Moscow, Heart of Russia [video]
• Santa Sophia, Mother of Churches [video]
• Ephesus, City of Ancient Temples [video] 
• Halicarnassus [video]
• Colossus, Statue of Helios [video]
• Pharos, Towering Lighthouse [video] 
• Pyramids, Huge Man-Made Wonders [video]
• Knossos, Buried Cretan City [video]
• Timbuctoo, Desert City [video]
• Victoria Falls, Sounding Smoke [video]
• Mecca, Sacred Moslem City [video]
• Petra, Enchanted City [video]
• Dead Sea [video]
• Jerusalem, Rock of Abraham [video]
• Baalbek, City of Marvelous Ruins [video]
• Palmyra, Zenobia's Domain [video]

We also used historical and current world maps to locate different countries that came up in our reading in other areas.

Latin 

We finished Getting Started with Latin: Beginning Latin for Homeschoolers and Self-Taught Students of Any Age by William E. Linney. We spent some time reviewing some of the translation exercises by translating from English to Latin, then started Keep Going with Latin. 

Shakespeare

We read a children's version of As You Like It and the girls watched the animated adaptation.  We will soon watch a version of the play as well. 

Read-Alouds

Dad read aloud these historical fiction titles:

• Children of the Fox by Jill Paton Walsh 
• Hostage to Alexander by Mary Evans Andrews 
• The Eagles Have Flown by Joanne Williamson
• Runner for the King by Rowena Bastin Bennett 

I read aloud these titles: 

• A Swarm in May by William Mayne 
• Noodlehead Stories (excerpts) by M.A. Jagendorf
• The Cottage at Bantry Bay by Hilda van Stockum
• The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge 
• Mystery of the Roman Ransom by Henry Winterfeld
• Swallowdale by Arthur Ransome 
• Magic or Not? by Edward Eager 
• The Whale People by Roderick L. Haig-Brown 
• Barefoot Days by Anna Rose Wright 
• Over the Blue Mountain by Conrad Richter 

We listened to these books on audio: 

• James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl 
• The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare
• When Marnie Was There by Joan G. Robinson 

Catechism 

We continued practicing questions and answers in our Catechism books.  

Science 

C. and E. listened to me read aloud The First Book of Trees by Margaret Wiliamson and Here a Plant, There a Plant, Everywhere a Plant, Plant: A Story of Luther Burbank by Robert M. Quackenbush, and they finished science for the year with the Green Planet documentary series.

M. and I finished reading Secrets of the Universe. 

The Van Cleave experiments started getting old, so she wrote up her last few lab reports on demonstrations from ExperimentArchive that were too dangerous to try at home. 

Health

Both M. and C. visited the orthdontist. M. visited the pediatrician and also accompanied A. to several appointments after she broke one arm, and a month later, the other. 

History 

C. read The Year of the Horseless Carriage and Abraham Lincoln's World. 

M. read The Ancient Greek World, The Ancient Roman World, and The Ancient American World and completed related pages in the accompanying workbooks. 

E. continued reading A Child's History of the World by V.M. Hillyer through the Fall of Rome. She started listing to The Story of Civilization Volume 1 for review of this year's history topics. 

All three girls went in period dress on a field trip to a one-room schoolhouse. 

English

In Critical Thinking Co.'s Sentence Diagramming program, M. completed level 1 and level 2. C. finished the beginner level and moved on to level 2.  E. did some adjective worksheets to help her practice. 

M. finished Vocabulary from Classic Roots level 6 and started level B. 

R. finished reading all but the last of the Hooked on Phonics readers. A. started reading consonant-vowel-consonant words.

Math 

M. continued working on Challenging Word Problems 3 and finished Singapore Primary Mathematics 6B. In Life of Fred, she continued with Decimals and Percents and she worked on 7th grade math and Algebra 1 on Khan Academy. She is working on Algebra this summer. 

C. finished Singapore Primary Mathematics 4A and made significant progress in 4B, as well as in fifth grade math on Khan Academy.  

E. finished Singapore Primary Mathematics 1A and started 1B. She finished early math and is worked quickly through 2nd grade math on Khan Academy and is now making significant progress in third grade math. 

Music 

M. and C. continued working on the music theory exercises in Practical Theory by Sandy Felstein. All three girls practiced piano and recorder daily. C. started learning ukulele and M. started guitar. 

Physical Education

Now that pool season is here, our main focus is swimming at the pool. The girls played freeze tag and other group games with friends in the neighborhood. M. and C. learned the basics of baseball from their aunt while watching Mets games on our visit to NY. 

Read-at-Home Mom Report: June 2024 Wrap-Up

June Favorites

Theology of Home: Finding the Eternal in the Everyday by Carrie Gress and Noelle Mering 
This looks like an interior decorating book, but it's not! I loved this look at the concept of home from the Catholic perspective, and now I want to read the others in this series.  

The Summer Book by Tove Jansson
The writing in this was beautiful, and it was a great way to ring in the summer season.  

Cole and Laila are Just Friends by Bethany Turner 
I loved these characters, the New York City setting, and all the pop culture references. 

The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center
I have seen mixed reviews of this book, which was a surprise to me. I loved the characters and the peek into the screenwriting life. 

Somehow: Thoughts on Love by Anne Lamott
I don't agree with Anne Lamott on everything, but boy do I love her writing.  

The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh 
This is my new favorite book by this author - her best yet. I love that it's a friendship story that fuels two love stories.  

Read-Aloud and Homeschool Books

• The Whale People by Roderick L. Haig-Brown (with all five kids) (4 stars)
• Barefoot Days by Anna Rose Wright (4 stars)
• Secrets of the Universe: Discovering the Universal Laws of Science by Paul Fleisher (with M.)(4 stars)

Sequels and Series Books

• Silver on the Tree (The Dark is Rising Book 5) by Susan Cooper (3 stars)
• Beany and the Beckoning Road (Beany Malone Book 4) by Lenore Mattingly Weber (3 stars)

Camp Bookstagram

My friend Kris hosted a great camp-themed reading challenge on Instagram in the middle of the month, and it was so much fun. I read seven books total! 

• Summer at Squee by Andrea Wang (4 stars)
• Camp Echo by Paul Theroux (3 stars)
• The Counselors by Jessica Goodman (3 stars)
• Baby-Sitters' Summer Vacation by Ann M. Martin (4 stars)
• Burnt Mountain by Anne Rivers Siddons (3 stars)
• The Summer of Songbirds by Kristy Woodson Harvey (3 stars)
• Hail, Hail, Camp Timberwood by Ellen Conford (2 stars)

Stand-Alone Books

• Domestic Extremist: A Practical Guide to Winning the Culture War by Peachy Keenan (5 stars)
• Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte (4 stars)
• Funny Story by Emily Henry (4 stars)
• George by Agnes Sligh Turnbull (3 stars)
• Miss Morgan's Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles (3 stars)
• Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan (4 stars)
• The Editor: How Publishing Legend Judith Jones Shaped Culture in America by Sara B. Franklin (4 stars)

Family Reading Lists

Audiobook in the Car

• When Marnie was There by Joan G. Robinson 

M. (girl, 10 years, 7 months)

[M. did a lot of school reading, but didn't finish any books in June] 

C. (girl, 8 years, 9 months)

• Maida's Little Shop by Inez Haynes Irwin
• Florence Nightingale by Ruth Fox Hume 
• Curious Missie by Virginia Sorensen 

E. (girl, 6 years, 8 months) 

• The Story of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting 
• The Third Planet from Altair (Choose Your Own Adventure Book 7) by Edward Packard
• George by Agnes Sligh Turnbull
• The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum 
• The Trouble with Jenny's Ear by Oliver Butterworth

R. (boy, 4 years, 3 months)

Independent reading: 

• The Fire Cat by Esther Averill 
• Robert the Rose Horse by Joan Heilbroner 
• Chester by Syd Hoff
• Thunderhoof by Syd Hoff
• Cowboys: What Do They Do? by Carla Green 
• The Whales Go By by Fred Phleger 
• Love is in the Air by Jonathan Fenske
• Father Bear Comes Home (first two stories) by Else Holmelund Minarik

Read-alouds: 

• The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle 
• Spectacular Spots by Susan Stockdale 
• A Piglet Named Mercy by Kate DiCamillo 

A. (girl, 4 years, 3 months)

Read-alouds: 

• Bubble Trouble by Margaret Mahy 
• When Grandma Came by Jill Paton Walsh
• One Lighthouse, One Moon by Anita Lobel
• Richard Scarry 

My husband

• The Whale People by Roderick L. Haig-Brown 
• George by Agnes Sligh Turnbull
• Curious Missie by Virginia Sorensen
• Runner for the King by Rowena Bastin Bennett
• Barefoot Days by Anna Rose Wright 
• Bandit's Moon by Sid Fleischman

Read-at-Home Mom Report: May 2024 Wrap-Up

May Favorites 

Summer Sweethearts edited by me and Rachel Lawrence
My friend Rachel and I put together this collection of sweet romances written by friends from our flash fiction writing community, and we're giving it away free in our newsletters on June 10th! This was such a fun experience, and everyone's stories are so adorable. (You can subscribe to my writing newsletter on Substack if you want to receive the book in your email on Monday.)

The Critic's Daughter: A Memoir by Priscilla Gilman
This author was my professor in college, and I really enjoyed her previous book about her son, so I wanted to try this one as well. The writing is beautiful, and I enjoyed hearing the author narrate the audiobook. 

To Crown with Liberty by Karen Ullo
I was on the launch team for this amazing Catholic historical fiction novel, and I am still thinking about it. What a wonderfully well-researched, beautifully-written novel. Highly recommended.

Because of You by Hannah Currie
I was also on the launch team for this YA novel about missionary work, and I loved this one too! All the details of travel to Thailand and interacting with orphaned children were so interesting, and I loved the main character. 

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
Abby Jimenez continues to amaze me with her excellent romance writing. I think this might be her best book yet. 

Hallelujah Anyway: Rediscovering Mercy by Anne Lamott
I had some theological issues with this book, but the writing is beautiful, and I think the overall message about showing mercy to others is important. 

Read-Aloud and Homeschool Books

• Swallowdale (Swallows and Amazons book 2) by Arthur Ransome (5 stars) 
• Magic or Not? (Tales of Magic book 5) by Edward Eager (5 stars)

Sequels and Series Books

• Leave It To Beany (Beany Malone book 3) by Lenora Mattingly Weber (4 stars)
• Juniper Bean Resorts to Murder (Happily Ever Homicide book 1) by Gracie Ruth Mitchell (4 stars)
• The Kiss Thief (Echo Ridge Romance Book 2) by Rachelle J. Christensen (3 stars)
• Fatal First Edition (Library Lover's Mystery book 14) by Jenn McKinlay (4 stars)

Stand-Alone Books

• Tartuffe by Moliere (4 stars)
• Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman (4 stars)
• The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure by Jonathan Haidt (4 stars)
• The Monarchs of Winghaven by Naila Moreira (4 stars)
• Better Left Unsent by Lia Louis (4 stars)
• How to Plot a Payback by Melissa Ferguson (3 stars)

Family Reading Lists

Audiobook in the Car

• The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare 

M. (girl, 10 years, 6 months)

• Roman People by Olivia Coolidge 

C. (girl, 8 years, 8 months)

• A Violet for Bonaparte by Geoffrey Trease
• Andrew Jackson by Clara Ingram Judson
• The California Gold Rush by May Mcneer 

E. (girl, 6 years, 7 months) 

• Rip-Roaring Russell by Johanna Hurwitz 

R. (boy, 4 years, 2 months)

Independent reading: 

• Where is Zot? by Sandra Carlton 
• Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman 
• Flap Your Wings by P.D. Eastman 
• Bears on Wheels by Stan Berenstain 
• Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik and Maurice Sendak 
• from Tales of Oliver Pig by Jean van Leeuwen and Arnold Lobel: "Baking Day" and "A Bad Day"
• Ten Apples Up on Top by Dr. Seuss 
• Go Dog Go by P.D. Eastman 
• One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss 

Read-alouds: 

• Construction Site: Taking Flight! by Sherri Duskey Rinker and A.G. Ford
• Construction Site: Road Crew, Coming Through! by Sherri Duskey Rinker and A.G. Ford
• excerpt from Where Are You Going, Baby Lincoln? by Kate DiCamillo 

A. (girl, 4 years, 4 months)

Read-alouds: 

• Truckery Rhymes by Jon Scieszka
• Richard Scarry's Best Story Book Ever 
• excerpt from Where Are You Going, Baby Lincoln? by Kate DiCamillo  

My husband 

• The Giant Rat of Sumatra: or Pirates Galore by Sid Fleischman

Book Review: Because of You by Hannah Currie (2024)

It's been a long time since I read a YA novel that wasn't a omance, but Because of You is like a breath of fresh air.

From the publisher: Sixteen-year-old Chloe Gabriels has dreamed of going on an overseas mission trip for as long as she can remember, so when the opportunity arises for her to go to Thailand with Teen Missions International she jumps at the chance. Working at an orphanage, learning new skills, experiencing a different culture, making lifelong friends—what better way could there be to spend her summer vacation?

Of course, the trip will have its challenges—living in close quarters with seventeen other teens out of their comfort zones has a way of doing that—but it will be worth it. She’ll finally be serving God in a practical way.

But while the orphans and their stories break her heart, it’s someone unexpected who has the biggest impact on Chloe’s summer and leaves her wondering if maybe there are just as many people who need her love back home as there are overseas.

Chloe is such a believable protagonist, with flaws that many teen girls have and can relate to. It was really rewarding to be inside her head as she took in aspects of a new culture and also came to new understandings of the other teens on the trip alongside her. I loved learning all the missionary lingo, including the many acronyms, and it was so interesting to take an armchair trip to Thailand. I also really loved getting to know all the supporting characters through Chloe's eyes, especially the young orphans.

A summer read with substance, this is the perfect book to give to teens going on mission trips, or to those who one day plan to go. It's also a great opportunity for any Christian teen to understand missionary work and to think about how he or she might better serve others.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

About the Author, Hannah Currie

Hannah Currie has loved royals—both real and fictional—for as long as she can remember and has always been fascinated by their lives. They started making their way into her writing somewhere around first grade and never stopped.

Hannah Currie has loved royals—both real and fictional—for as long as she can remember and has always been fascinated by their lives. They started making their way into her writing somewhere around first grade and never stopped.

While she never dreamed of being a princess for real (way too many expectations and people watching), she certainly wouldn’t say no to the gorgeous gowns, endless wardrobes, chefs, and cleaners that come with the job. A crown or two wouldn’t go astray either. Or Belle’s library. Where she’d just sit and stare at the books with a giddy smile on her face for hours.

Hannah lives with her husband and three kids in Australia, where they proudly claim Queen Elizabeth II and the royal family as their own. She is very honored to be one of the launching authors for the new WhiteCrown Publishing line with her Crown of Promise series full of faith, romance, and—of course—royals.

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Order Because of You

• Whitefire Publishing 
• Amazon
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Book Review: To Crown with Liberty by Karen Ullo (2024)

If you're looking for authentically Catholic historical fiction, To Crown with Liberty is the book you need to have on your bookshelf. This well-researched, beautifully written tale by Karen Ullo follows Alix de Morainville Carpentier, a former lady-in-waiting to Marie Antoinette, across two timelines. 

From the publisher: New Orleans, 1795. In the wake of the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror, Alix de Morainville Carpentier—a former lady-in-waiting to Marie Antoinette, now married to her gardener—seeks peace and security in the Spanish colony of Louisiana. But her journey into the man-eating swamp called Attakapas reopens the wounds of her old life in France. Alix is forced to reckon with the choices that saved her life at the cost of her honor—and perhaps her soul.

In revolutionary France, the Old World is dying; the quest for liberty, fraternity, and equality has become a nightmare where the price of dissent is blood. In the wilderness of Spanish Louisiana, a new civilization is beginning to emerge—but in this budding New World, the slave trade perpetuates the systems of oppression that sparked the revolution. Caught between old and new, scarred by trauma and grief, will Alix ever find a home where she can truly be free?

To Crown with Liberty is a historical novel based on riveting legends from George Washington Cable’s Strange True Stories of Louisiana (1888).

Not only does this book deal with historical realities, it confronts spiritual ones as well, raising questions of the impact of violence and darkness on the soul as well as the body. There are also lots of wonderful period details, and beautiful descriptions of Alix's emotions and innermost thoughts. I loved getting to know her and unraveling the details of her painful and mysterious past. 

Another wonderful thing about this book is the substantial back matter that helps separate fact from legend in the source material that inspired the book and identifies all the historical figures that appear in the book for easy reference. 

I truly can't recommend this novel highly enough. I'm very picky about historical fiction, but could not put this one down. Alix is a character who will stick with me for a long time. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

About the Author, Karen Ullo 

I’m a classically trained soprano, I have a MFA in Screenwriting, and I’m a suburban housewife mother of two. I’m a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where I still swelter and sit in carpool lines. I write novels and screenplays, and I’m the editorial director of Chrism Press. Before that, I was the managing editor of Dappled Things Magazine. I’m an LSU Tiger and a USC Trojan. I’m a Cajun who married a Sicilian, so I cook pretty well, and write recipes for Catholicmom.com. I love college baseball. I went to boarding school. I can wiggle my nose like a rabbit. And if I ever tried to stop writing, the voices in my head would keep me awake at night. I’m also very glad you’re here.

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Order To Crown with Liberty

• Chrism Press
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