The books we would be enjoying if we were actually reading

I know how much I say I love reading with my kids, but let's be real... reading is slim pickings these days. I'm not quite sure how it happened, but with the start of home school this past Fall, reading kind of took the back burner. That feels a little opposite of home schooling to me and is something I want to better incorporate into our school day. Oh yea, and we just had a baby, so there's that. Needless to say, reading is just not happening near as much as I'd like to pretend that it is.

Buuuuut, we are reading a tiny bit. And as one who always loves to give and receive book recommendations, I wanted to share the things our family is loving right now. Please share your favorite books with me too because we are always looking for new reads.

 In no particular order, here are the books I am loving reading with my boys:

 

Yum! Yuck! by Linda Sue Park. An endearing read that teaches how different kids from around the world say various people sounds. Our boys have a blast hearing me try to pronounce the different languages presented in this book and they squeal with laughter when we they discover the English word that is being said. A super fun & engaging read for both my 2 and 5 year olds. Plus, it's written by a Korean American author. Score.

The Hello Atlas by Ben Handicott. Okay, this book is amazing. I am old fashioned and nerdy and am not one to typically use a whole lot of technology with my kids, but I soaked up this super engaging book + app pair. The book looks at kids from all over the world and if you use the accompanying app you can listen to and learn how to say common greetings in over 100 different languages. What's even better than me trying to pronounce the languages in Yum! Yuck!? Actually hearing how they are said and using them correctly thanks to The Hello Atlas app. We may be a tad partial, but we had the most fun listening to the Korean child's greetings. Duh.

This Is How We Do It by Matt Lamothe. Confession: I actually have not read this one with my kids, despite the fact that it is sitting in plain daylight in our library bin. I'll blame Baby #3. But me and DJ did look through it on our library date (nerd alert) and we both commented on how awesome it was and how we actually wanted to read it sans kids. It looks at the lives of seven real life kids from around the world and in the end shows how similar and united we are with all of humanity despite having different languages, cultures, traditions, and daily rhythms. I loved getting a glimpse at the lives of real kids from around the world. This is a neat read for sure.

God's Very Good Idea by Trillia Newbell. Oh my goodness, me and Moses are loving this book. The gospel is clearly presented all the while including a diversity angel that is often left out of other children's books on the gospel. The illustrations are stunning and beautiful and so clearly depict the author's intent. We have soaked up this precious read a lot over the past few weeks.

My ABC Bible Verses by Susan Hunt. A really great little devo that we have been enjoying as a family. I have loved watching DJ read this with our boys and lead them into scripture memory. What a stud.

Found by Sally Lloyd Jones. If you love The Jesus Storybook bible by Sally Lloyd Jones, then you will love this gem of a read. It's based on Psalm 23. The words and illustrations are beautiful and captivating. My boys have been going to bed with crazy energy lately and this book seems to calm the room before tucking them in for the night. Just like Psalm 23 is intended to do, right?

What Do You Do With A Problem? by Kobi Yamada A cute read that helps you to see the potential and opportunities that can come from the problems and upsets that life will inevitably bring. Plus, the author and main character are both Asian. Bonus.

My New Baby by Annie Kubler. I read this book for Jones as we anticipated the arrival of Henry True. Never underestimate a book without words. Jones is only just now getting to the point where he wants to sit and read a book, but he would stop and listen to this one with such diligent intent and concentration as I explained to him the story behind each picture. He truly soaked up the illustrations and I could watch his eyes and face and mind as he sought to comprehend all that the book was preparing him for. In fact, I see it more even now--- with Henry here in the flesh, Jones continues to refer back to this little book and all that it prepared him for. It's pretty neat to see how a book without words can truly teach so much.

And, here is a book we don't have but I want so bad for Jones. Good theology on a toddler's level? And beautiful pictures? Yes please:

Here are a few audio books that Moses is loving lately:

Disney's Pete's Dragon. Though the movie is geared towards kids 7+, we had Moses listen to the book several times before deciding to watch it as a family. I love getting to watch stories come to life for him and it is pretty incredible to see how much his little brain comprehends and absorbs spoken word. He was able to articulate what the story was about and when we sat down to watch the movie together, he was basically our little spoiler alert who told us everything that was going to happen moments before it did. Also, I loved the new version of this story. I remember loving this movie as a kid, but the modern version is even better than I remember.

 

The Magic Tree House Knight At Dawn by Mary Pope Osborne. Moses loves the Magic Tree House series and they has been a fun way to continue introducing themes he has learned in school this year... from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War to Abraham Lincoln, Mary Pope Osborne incorporates these historical events and figures into fun stories that he enjoys. She has also been the one to teach him about all things Knights and Ninjas and Dragons because I am not a boy and don't know squat about those things. I got this title specifically because I saw that the North Texas Performing Arts Center in Plano was putting on a production of this book and I wanted him to see the characters come alive. We go next Saturday if anyone wants to join us!

Lastly, he has been listening to the second book in the Rush Revere series. Here's the deal: I actually don't know anything about Rush Limbaugh other than that he is pretty controversial and people either love him or hate him. I have zero opinion because I don't know who he is, but the reviews I've seen on his children's series have been positive and it sounds like a sweet story that leaves out the tone and controversy that he is otherwise often critiqued for. What I like about this series is that they seem to be helping Moses connect the dots with things he has learned at school- from the pilgrims to the Boston Tea Party and other things that sparked the American Revolution. Bonus.

I might not be reading much with my kids, but I'm making sure I read on my own because I like my sanity. Here are my first few reads of the year:

Different by Sally and Nathan Clarkson. I basically have a woman crush on Sally Clarkson and while her and her son, Nathan, claim this isn't really a parenting book, there are a ton of little nuggets that I took away and have implemented in my momming since reading it. Sally's words of wisdom always leave me thinking and encouraged and challenged.

A Mother's Reckoning by Sue Klebold. You guys. I just finished this book and it was so good. For some reason I wasn't expecting much from it, but I really enjoyed it as a memoir and it's one of the better books I have read in a while. I was fascinated and heart broken as I read the story of Sue's grief in the aftermath of her son's participation in the Columbine school shooting. Highly recommended. 

Small Great Things by Jodi Piccoult. I had a few people recommend this one to me and though I am only just now starting it, I am already really enjoying it and am eager to see what happens. 

Last but not least and while we are on the subject of books, I just became an Usborne consultant! I have loved learning more about this company, and as a home school momma am super impressed with the quality of their educational reads and how closely they correspond with the curriculum I am doing with Moses. They have some really great products that are super engaging and informative for little minds! If anyone has made it this far down in my post and would like to host an online party in January, you can receive double the free and half priced books that hostesses normally get at any other point in the year. My first party was super easy and fun and I earned $240 in free books that I got to use to stock up our home library. It's really simple-- you just invite your family and friends into the party and participate the night of the event, and I do the rest! Text or message me if you are interested and feel free to follow along in my personal VIP page for Usborne news, updates, and promotions! 

Happy reading!
courtney