2017 Reading Resolution: January Book Recommendations

I'm not one for public declarations of New Year's resolutions.  

For some reasons they always feel pressure-filled and somewhat hollow to me, almost like promises that I know will be broken.

What I did come up with LAST year, however, was a commitment to myself to READ. I don't mean reading aloud to my kids (which is important), or encouraging my children to read (which is also important). I mean ME reading (is that grammatically correct?).  

For pleasure. For enjoyment. For learning.

As a homeschooling mom I had fallen into the trap of self neglect.  I was neglecting feeding my heart, soul, and mind.  For me, reading is such a wonderful way to escape the daily grind and also enrich my life at the same time. 

I had to be intentional about time to read. Sometimes I gave up other things (like a clean house or even - gasp - reading to my own children!) to read, but it was always worth the sacrifices I had to make.

Just as I'm providing a list of literature for your children each month, I will also provide you -- the ADULTS -- with a list of recommended books for the month.  

They are books that I have read and loved and can wholeheartedly recommend to you.

Enjoy!

---

Books For Escape and Enjoyment

The Secret Keeper: A Novel

By Kate Morton

Love Walked In

By Marisa De Los Santos

Belong to Me: A Novel

By Marisa de los Santos

A Man Called Ove: A Novel

By Fredrik Backman

The Blue Castle

By L.M. Montgomery

---

Classics

I am growing in this area.

The classics used to scare me - but I am truly learning to enjoy them and am easing myself into them a little at a time. I have two to recommend for you this month, and I think they are both a GREAT place to start.

Hannah Coulter

By Wendell Berry

Rebecca

By Daphne Du Maurier

---

Historical Fiction

This is admittedly my favorite genre to read... so there will always be more of these recommended I'm afraid!

Orphan Train

By Christina Baker Kline

Between Shades of Gray

By Ruta Sepetys

The Nightingale

By Kristin Hannah

The Invention of Wings

By Sue Monk Kidd

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

By Rebecca Skloot

---

Books for Self Education

The books in this category help me develop my skills as a homeschooling mom, small business owner, a child of aging parents, and just awareness of the world at large.  

Some of these were done as audio books on long car trips, while folding laundry, or while waiting for kids at their various activities.

Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End

By Atul Gawande

Teaching from Rest: A Homeschooler's Guide to Unshakable Peace

By Sarah Mackenzie

Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis

By J. D. Vance

* a disclaimer on this book - it was probably one of the BEST books I've listened to in a long time, but - because of the subject matter - there is a huge amount of cursing. I wouldn't let that stop you from reading/listening to the book, but it is fair warning.

Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World

By Cal Newport

---

& 

---

I'd love for you to join me in a resolution to READ this year!  

What are you currently reading, and can you recommend a book for me? 

Children's Literature for January

Weekly memory work, math lessons, handwriting practice, spelling lessons… these are all parts of our homeschool.  They each are important and bring their own kind of rhythm and beauty to our days.

But good children’s literature makes our homeschool days so enjoyable.

I use children’s literature to bring history, science, art, math, and English grammar to life. I use it to teach them about current events, why we celebrate certain holidays, etc.

We visit our local library weekly and, thanks to Amazon Prime, frequently order books from Amazon to bring good children’s books into our homeschool.

I’m sharing my children’s literature selections for January with you in hopes some of these children’s books will help you on your homeschool journey.

This list of children’s literature for January includes picture books and chapter books:

• Books that coincide with Classical Conversations memory work

• Books related to the Presidents, the Inauguration, the White House, and the Supreme Court

• A book about clocks and calendars to discuss as we begin a new calendar year

• Books about Martin Luther King, Jr.

• Books about kindness to encourage good character

• Chapter books for independent reading like the Bible stories that are retold in the The Passages series of Adventures in Odyssey chapter books. My ten year old is enjoying this series already.

While I would love to just sit down and read all of these books with my children, I don’t have that much time.

I do plan to read many of these books alongside my children, as read-alouds, primarily in our morning basket time. But others will be books they read independently. Others will be reference type books that we refer to as we are discussing our CC memory work, events and holidays, etc. Still others might inspire projects that we complete this month.

---

Children's Literature for January

You Wouldn't Want to Live Without Clocks and Calendars!The Industrial Revolution for Kids: The People and Technology That Changed the World, with 21 Activities (For Kids series)Kids During the Industrial Revolution (Kids Throughout History)My Brother Martin: A Sister Remembers Growing Up with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.Who Was Martin Luther King, Jr.?As Good as Anybody Martin Luther King and Abraham Joshua Heschels Amazing March Toward Freedom by Michelson, Richard [Knopf,2008] (Hardcover)The Story of Eli WhitneyArchie's WarThe Night FlyersWar HorseSoldier DogStubby the Dog Soldier: World War I Hero (Animal Heroes)See Inside the First World War (Usborne See Inside)World War I for Kids: A History with 21 Activities (For Kids series)World War I: An Interactive History Adventure (You Choose: History)DK Eyewitness Books: World War IWho Was Isaac Newton?Isaac Newton and the Laws of Motion (Inventions and Discovery)Newton and MeWhat Is the World Made Of?: All About Solids, Liquids, and Gases (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2)Change It!: Solids, Liquids, Gases and You (Primary Physical Science)Lazily, Crazily, Just a Bit Nasally: More About Adverbs (Words Are Categorical)If You Were a Verb (Word Fun)To Root, to Toot, to Parachute: What Is a Verb? (Words are Categorical)Slide and Slurp, Scratch and Burp: More About Verbs (Words Are Categorical)Measuring PennyMillions to MeasureRembrandt and the Boy Who Drew Dogs: A story about Rembrandt van RijnWhere is the Frog?: A Children's Book Inspired by Claude MonetThe Magical Garden of Claude Monet (Anholt's Artists Books for Children)Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary DeedHave You Filled a Bucket Today?: A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids (Bucketfilling Books)How Full Is Your Bucket? For KidsSo You Want to Be President?: The Revised and Updated EditionSmart About the Presidents (Smart About History)Smart About the First Ladies: Smart About HistoryMarshall, the Courthouse Mouse: A Tail of the U. S. Supreme CourtDemocracy's Big Day: The Inauguration of Our President, 1789-2013Our White House: Looking In, Looking OutThe White House: A Pop-Up of Our Nation's HomeBy Paul McCusker Darien's Rise (Passages 1: From Adventures in Odyssey) [Paperback]Annison's Risk (Adventures in Odyssey Passages Manuscript 3)Glennall's Betrayal (Passages 4: From Adventures in Odyssey)

& 

---

And... to make your life just that much easier, click here or on the image below to download the free printable version of this list!

As you look over this list of children’s literature for January, do you see some you could use to enrich your homeschool? 

Go ahead and put them on your library list or purchase them for your own library. 

---

Meet a New Contributor to Homegrown Learners:

I want to introduce you to my friend, Amy.... Amy will be contributing here from time to time. Specifically, Amy will be sharing book recommendations with you each month.

 I am so excited she is bringing her grace and wisdom to the blog. I know you will enjoy her!    ~ Mary

Hi! My name is Amy. I’m a homeschooling mom to two sweet kiddos, wife to the principal of our homeschool, director of a local homeschool co-op, book junkie of sorts, and Jesus-lover.

When my first child was born over 10 years ago and then my second almost four years later, I was working full time outside the home in corporate America. Those preschool years with my children were precious, but I desperately wanted to be at home with them instead of separated from them most of the day. Thankfully, God led us to the homeschool path.

I have a business degree in Economics and have held various corporate positions including IT Project Manager and Solutions Architect. Transitioning from working with adults and IT systems all day to being a full-time homeschool mom certainly brought its challenges. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Homeschooling has been an answer to prayer for our family.

Our homeschool style is primarily Classical, influenced by Charlotte Mason and plenty of good books. My goal is to provide a literature-rich, engaging, environment that inspires my children to read, to learn, and to grow in knowledge and character.

While I treasure the at-home time with my children, snuggled up reading our latest book finds, I enjoy the time we are able to connect with other homeschooling families. As the director of our homeschool co-op, one of my favorite parts of the job is fellowship and sharing encouragement with other homeschool parents.

I’m thrilled to be blogging here at Homegrown Learners sharing our homeschool journey with you. Join me in learning about good books, sharing ideas for enriching homeschool experiences, and lots of encouragement along the way.