We like to have a few chapter books going for our read-aloud time so that we can read a little of this and a little of that rather than just having one book for a long stretch of time (although … Continue reading
In her first children’s picture book, Dream Big, Little Pig!, figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi introduced a persistent pig named Poppy who tried to figure out what she was good at. Eventually she stumbles on figure skating and works hard until she’s … Continue reading
All of the organized moms got ahead of me on the library hold lists for Thanksgiving books, so we just picked up our favorites this weekend. That’s OK, we’ll enjoy them for a week. It’s nice to see our old … Continue reading
I was interested to read The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes because I have dealt with perfectionism throughout my life and I am starting to see some of those tendencies in my children. This book tells the story of a … Continue reading
“Well,” said Hannah, age five, “I think you should put James and the Giant Peach on the blog because other kids might like to know about him too.” We’ve enjoyed reading several chapter books this summer, especially since the sun … Continue reading
Last week I mentioned a read-aloud for girls that boys will like too, so this week I thought I should mention a read-aloud for boys that girls will like too. When I’m picking chapter books to read to the kids … Continue reading
If you’re looking for a great read-aloud book I recommend Dorothy Canfield Fisher’s excellent Understood Betsy. I can’t believe I didn’t read this book as a child. We read one chapter per night and I always had to restrain myself … Continue reading
I enjoy reading books about children’s literature, so I was happy to borrow my mother-in-law’s copy of Inside Picture Books recently. The author, a lecturer at Stanford, studies art, culture, and psychology, so her approach to books is interesting. She … Continue reading
We usually have a read aloud chapter book going in addition to reading picture books. I think it’s good for the kids’ attention spans and they like a longer more involved story sometimes. Recently we read a fantastic book that … Continue reading
Although I don’t generally use unit studies in our homeschool, I do like them for occasional study, and I like how unit studies integrate subjects. With summer coming up, if you’re looking for something fun to do with your kids … Continue reading
Hi, I'm Catherine Gillespie and A Spirited Mind is where I post about reading, writing, and parenting and the lessons I'm learning as a result. Thanks for stopping by!
