October Authors: Books and Stories to Read During the Fall

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For many, the month of October means that they will be getting out their scary books to read but not so much for this homeschool mom anymore. At one time, I really enjoyed reading scary books like those written by popular, mainstream authors. Today, I find that I shy away from those authors and books more and more. But it is nice to be able to read a few books and stories that fit the typical theme of October. 

What Would You Consider a Classic Scary Story? 

What scares people today seems to be very different from years past. Maybe it is because of the technology we have at our fingertips. Or perhaps people are too jaded. Maybe it is the chronological snobbery where people believe that what came before them is no longer relevant. Personally, I think there is still much horror to be found in the works of Mary Shelley, Edgar Allan Poe, Oscar Wilde, H.P. Lovecraft, Gaston Leroux, Robert Louis Stevenson, and others. 

The common themes in many of these works include: 

• Premature death
• Loss of loved ones
• Loss of freedom
• Loss of control
• Revenge 
• Defying natural order 
• Insignificance of man 
• Current events 

Some of these authors base their works on historical events like The Phantom of the Opera and The Pit and the Pendulum, while others – like Lovecraft – created their own pseudo-mythology named "Cthulhu Mythos" (named after Lovecraft's death). We may find in these stories traditional horror or supernatural tropes such as vampires, ghosts, and werewolves, or we read of scientists, handsome men, or orangutans. There is no right or wrong when it comes to the character at the heart of these tales. Each theme and character offers something different to scare us.

How Does Science Connect Scary Stories? 

One final thread between many of these authors and stories is that of science. It is very obvious in both Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde how scientific discoveries and events of the day inspired the authors. Other works might need to be examined more closely as they may be less familiar, but we do see science impact Poe in The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar. This work was even published in a medical journal. At the time, people were fascinated with mesmerism. Many horror or supernatural stories walk the line with science fiction. 

Making Movies 

Many are familiar with these classic books and stories because of the movies. I would argue that many of these classic stories will continue to hold their importance in pop culture – even if with lesser and lesser numbers – because many have been turned into movies. Previously, I shared a number of posts that examine the works of Edgar Allan Poe on the silver screen, including those featuring Vincent Price. But he isn't the only author who inspired Hollywood. In fact, I have three versions of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde sitting next to me as I prepare this post. (I am currently watching the 1941 one with Spencer Tracy at present.) 

But just as Poe's work was very popular, Frankenstein continues to be a popular source of inspiration for movies from the Universal 1931 classic with Boris Karloff to more recent ones with Kenneth Branagh, Sting, and the creature's appearance in Van Helsing with Hugh Jackman. Some are more accurate and stick to the original plotline of Mary Shelley's book more than others, but that goes for any movie based upon a novel or story. At the heart of all of them, though, we do see a scientist who has gone too far. 

Another tale that has inspired movies, books written years later as sequels, and a musical is The Phantom of the Opera. Whether you want to focus upon the crimes of the Phantom or see him as a sad, lost soul seeking love, the story is intriguing. A young and upcoming opera singer disappears to the depths of the Paris Opera House, and her fiancée and a mysterious man known as the Persian must find her. They must rescue her from the Phantom. Whether the role is played by Lon Chaney, Claude Rains, Charles Dance, Michael Crawford, Gerard Butler, or Ben Lewis, he loses his love – Christine – and becomes a horror figure in pop culture.

What Books or Stories to Read? 

I would challenge you to find time in October each year to read the classic scary stories. You can pick one or two novels or read a handful of short stories if that fits your schedule better. I'll list them here plus share the list as a graphic, so you can save it for future reference. Have fun reading! 

Short Stories by Edgar Allan Poe 

• The Fall of the House of Usher 
• The Murders in the Rue Morgue 
• The Masque of the Red Death 
• The Pit and the Pendulum
• The Tell-Tale Heart 
• The Black Cat 
• The Cask of Amontillado 
• Hop-Frog 

Novels and Stories 

• The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux 
• The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson 
• The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
• Dracula by Bram Stoker 
• Frankenstein by Mary Shelley 
• The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving 

Blogging Through the Alphabet: C is for Civil War Books

 

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There are so many books to choose from if you wish to read more about the American Civil War. You could start with The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies (all 127 volumes!), also called Official Records (OR), to read primary source material and then jump into history books, biographies, fictional books, edited diaries, compilations of weird but true stories, and more! What are a few books about the American Civil War that sit on my bookshelf? First, let me admit that I have not read through each book I am going to share with you. To pick which ones I wanted to share, I simply took a handful off the shelves, snapped a few photos, and dug into the books. 

This is a small sampling of the books one can read to learn more about the American Civil War. You could narrow down your approach to picking books if you wanted to specialize in one topic or another. For example, you could research and read books that only discuss slavery, the 13th-15th Amendments, Northern or Southern generals, one specific battle, one specific regiment, or other topics. When it comes to studying history, there are so many wonderful options. 

Sickles The Incredible by W. A. Swanberg 

"A problem child for all his 94 years" -- "A diplomat who insulted Queen Victoria" -- "The genius who smashed Jay Gould's railroad conspiracy" -- from the back of the book describing Daniel Sickles 

Daniel Sickles was usually surrounded by gossip. Before his nomination for brigadier general, he found out that some felt he would march his brigade to Jefferson Davis' side. So, he went out to win over the opposition. Sickles always put his whole heart into any project. 

Any purchases you make through links to the books may provide me with a small commission at no cost to you.

The Preacher's Tale: The Civil War Journal of Rev. Francis Springer, Chaplain, U.S. Army of the Frontier edited by William Furry 

Reverend Francis Springer served in Arkansas during the American Civil War and through to the beginning of Reconstruction. In this book, Springer not only wrote about the events but also reflected upon them. This is extremely helpful as it helps people understand life as it was during the time period the journal or diary was written. For example, On November 7, 1863, at Fort Smith in Arkansas, he wrote of "The Two Societies." He explained that Civil Society was one where men were at home with their family, and everything was subject to their own will and desire. Military Society was one in which the men were not free to do what they wanted. There was always the "clatter of arms, rumbling of wagons, the roll of the drum" that was the background noise to their loss of freedom (95).

Jeff Shaara's Civil War Battlefields: Discovering America's Hallowed Ground 

You may recognize the name, Jeff Shaara. He is the New York Times bestselling author of Gods and Generals and The Last Full Measure, which complete the trilogy his father, Michael Shaara, began with The Killer Angels. With these books, father and son bring the history of the American Civil War to life. With this book, readers will learn tidbits of history they might not be familiar with, may find conclusions they disagree with, and help you take away "something enormously valuable" when you visit these sites. 

The book looks at the following battles (to learn about the battles, please click through the links): 

• Shiloh
• Antietam
• Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville
• Gettysburg
• Vicksburg
• Chickamauga
• The Wilderness and Spotsylvania
• New Market
• Cold Harbor
• Petersburg

Two More Books 

I also want to briefly mention two more books from two individuals whose works can found on multiple shelves in my home. James M. McPherson, who I have referenced and quoted previously, wrote Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam to describe the events that led up to this pivotal battle on September 17, 1862, the battle itself, and its aftermath. If you are interested in the American Civil War, McPherson has a variety of books that might suit your needs. 

The Second Day at Gettysburg is a series of essays on Confederate and Union Leadership edited by Gary W. Gallagher. If you are looking to dive into one specific day, it is always interesting to find books and essays on Civil War battles. Part of the reason why I picked up this book is that I read the letters of a Civil War soldier from Pennsylvania who died on the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg. The other reason is that I thoroughly enjoyed the lecture series by Professor Gallagher on the American Civil War and other works he has authored and edited. 

As a student and teacher of history, I love delving into all the different aspects of different time periods. Looking at the military events, famous and not-famous individuals, the locations of the battles, and specific battle details hour by hour is very enjoyable and educating. I love flipping to the end of many of these books and reading through the endnotes to discover more books to read. There is so much to learn! 

 

If you want to join Blogging Through the Alphabet, please visit: 

Desiree @ Our Homeschool Notebook

Chareen @ Every Bed of Roses

Book Club: Christmas-Themed Books for Children

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I love sharing holiday-themed books on my blog, A Mom's Quest to Teach. Children's Christmas-themed books can provide a mixture of stories. One can find stories that focus upon the birth of Jesus to those that share about Santa, Charles Dickens' The Christmas Carol, or spending the holiday with ones' family. Personally, I love that there is such a great variety because we then make many happy memories reading Christmas-themed books in the weeks leading up to Christmas. 

Christmas in the Big Woods 

To experience a typical Christmas in the early 1870s in Wisconsin, Christmas in the Big Woods is the perfect book to read with your children. The story is adapted from the Little House Books by Laura Ingalls Wilder and illustrated by Renee Graef. The simple story certainly gets one in the mood for a family-focused Christmas. There are cookies to bake, molasses candy to make, and even snow angels to make outside. And the simple gifts in the stockings provide a perfect talking point for appreciating the small gifts we are given and what we can gift to others. 

It's Christmas 

An "I Can Read" book for reading alone, It's Christmas by Jack Prelutsky and pictures by Marylin Hafner, is a mixed bag in my opinion. I had great hopes for this slim book as the chapters are short and they rhyme, which makes reading it aloud easy, but as I read more and more of it, I found myself wanting to put it down. The child has a LONG list of wants for Christmas, the father refuses to pay for a tree so they go hunting for one in a forest, Santa Clauses abound as the family goes from place to place, and Auntie Flo buys her niece and nephew underwear. I wish I had read the book before reading it to our children. I learned again the importance of previewing materials we share with our children. 

On Christmas Eve 

Having enjoyed Goodnight Moon and Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown, I was happy to check out On Christmas Eve from the library. This lovely tale about children sneaking downstairs on Christmas Eve was illustrated by Nancy Edwards Calder. I really like that the children snuck downstairs, saw the beautiful tree, and did not touch anything. While we were reading On Christmas Eve, our daughter kept saying, "No, they should not go downstairs. They are going to get in trouble." I love that she was worried about them doing right or wrong.

Christmas in Italy 

One of my goals for homeschooling our children is for them to learn about different cultures and customs. Reading Christmas in Italy by Jack Manning allowed us to talk about how important the birth of Jesus is to the celebration of Christmas in Italy. There were even directions to make an ornament at the of this short non-fiction book.

The 12 Bugs of Christmas 

Our children have seen a few episodes of Mac Lucado's Hermie & Friends. So, I thought maybe they would enjoy reading The 12 Bugs of Christmas (especially since they love the traditional version of the Christmas song). This is a cute little board book where each day brings more bugs joining in the story. By the end, 12 caterpillars join the story and are praying. This is a fun sing-along-song for the whole family.

From Christmases of the past to singing Christmas songs, there are many options to include Christmas-themed books into your homeschool day. I think it is a wonderful idea to read one Christmas book a day leading up to Christmas with children. What a great way to spend time together and spread some Christmas cheer! Does your family have any favorite Christmas-themed books that you read every year? Or perhaps you have another tradition involving Christmas stories? I would love to read about them!

Summer Reading Plans 2020

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Ordinarily, we take advantage of the summer reading program offered by our library. Our children love being able to track their reading progress on the booklets distributed and receive stickers or pencils as they share with the librarians. I do not know if our library will be holding the summer reading program this year as we still don't have an opening date for our public library. So, this year we may have to do something different.


There are many options online if you wish to track your children's reading. In fact, I downloaded one from HelpTeaching.com which we will be reviewing soon. Our son was very excited to read the selection of books suggested. It lists 15 suggestions including reading a poem, reading a magazine, and reading a book your parents read when they were a kid. So, for our younger son, we will be using these two pages to track his summer reading progress.

We also have the opportunity to Read Across the USA with Timberdoodle. As you may remember, I have reviewed products for Timberdoodle in the past including two items that are part of their upcoming 2020-2021 curriculum packages (Djeco Artistic Patch Cosmos and 1000-Piece Periodic Table Puzzle). This summer they are offering a cool bundle which includes the Across the USA 2020 Summer Reading Challenge Ebook and the Build a Giant Poster Coloring Book: United States Map. The Ebook has one page of book suggestions for every state as well as a map and reading log to track your children's books. If your family reads books representing 20 or more states, you can also receive Timberdoodle reward points on their website. Be sure to check out all the information and purchase your bundle here: Across the USA.

What Are We Reading This Summer?

I seem to have trouble following a specific to-read list as has been evidenced by that I still haven't read all the books on my 2018 to-read list (you can read that list here: Book Club: Reading List for 2018). I would like to finally read the Flight of the Raven as I received it last year for my birthday and it has been sitting and waiting for me on my coffee table. I also have a number of books to review that should be arriving soon. And each summer I like to read at least one biography of an individual from the American Civil War.

If our library opens back up, our younger son will probably be reading The Boxcar Children series as we discovered just before the lockdown that they have an entire shelf of the books. If our library does not open soon...we have quite a number of Who Was books that he has been reading for homeschool. For example, as we were studying the state of Illinois using Hands-On Notebooking: The United States from SchoolhouseTeachers.com, he read Who Was Abraham Lincoln? to complete his work.

Our daughter and I have been reading together the Circle C Beginnings series of books that she received for Christmas. We first discovered Susan K. Marlow last year when we reviewed Goldtown Beginnings Series (you can read our review here: Learning About History While Reading Fun Children's Books). Both our son and daughter loved them so we looked at other books written by Marlow. Don't tell our son but he will be getting the next two in the Goldtown Beginnings series for his birthday in mid-June.

I am really excited to get started with the Read Across the USA Challenge from Timberdoodle and the elementary reading challenge. I think our children will have so much fun with both challenges. And the two challenges can even complement each other!

What are your summer reading plans? Do you have a list you would like to read or do you pick up whatever book interests you the most? Or perhaps you prefer to buy the latest releases and read those during the summer?

A Fantastic Resource for Homeschooling Materials: A Review of Library and Educational Services LLC

One of the joys of being a newer homeschooler is that I am still discovering great resources on a regular basis such as Library and Educational Services LLC. Our homeschooling family loves books and other educational resources (audio books, DVDs, etc.) and we recently discovered a new place that markets to libraries, schools (including homeschoolers!), churches, and other locations – Library and Educational Services LLC. We were provided with the opportunity to select a number of resources to review including one Who Was...? book, a Lifehouse Theater CD, and several other non-fiction books from the Reinforced Hardcover Library Binding Nonfiction books category that totaled $73.88.

This new-to-me company has been around for 40 years. This wholesale distributor hails from Southwest Michigan and sells to libraries, schools, churches, etc.—and ships worldwide. The materials for sale through Library and Educational Services LLC are chosen to "ensure they are not contradictory to Biblical standards and values."

I found our experience ordering to be quite simple and easy. There were no problems with our order and everything arrived in very good condition. Our kids were very excited to open the box and see all of the books.

How Did We Choose Our Books?

There is a great selection of tomes available on Library and Educational Services LLC's site. To make our selections, I perused through the options and wrote down about a dozen ideas to talk over with the rest of the family. I did, however, select an audio book on my own. I chose Rikki-Tikki-Tavi from the selection of Lifehouse Teacher CDs because I thought it would be a good choice for our younger children.

Ordering was so easy for us. Because I had a code to purchase our items to review, I was a little worried the process would be cumbersome but I found it quite simple to order the review books and the extra DVDs I wished to purchase for our homeschooling family.

Who Was... Series

Are you a fan of the popular Who Was...series? Library and Educational Services LLC has a huge selection of the books very reasonably priced. I went through the selection and narrowed it down to three books for our six-year-old to choose from, for our review: Who Was Ernest Shackleton?, Who Was Edgar Allan Poe? and Who Was Jules Verne? He picked Who Was Ernest Shackleton? to review.

We read Who Was Ernest Shackleton? as a read-aloud book over a few weeks. Having a background knowledge of Shackleton and his famous trip on the Endurance, I found the book to be a great introduction to the life of this great leader. The black-and-white illustrations in the book helped bring the story to life as did the intermittent facts pages that provide information on Robert F. Scott, the clothing worn by Antarctic explorers, and the Southern Lights.

Reinforced Hardcover Library Binding Nonfiction Books 

There are between 200-300 choices in the reinforced hardcover library binding category of nonfiction books that are perfect for homeschoolers. They are arranged by grade level and topic level which makes it easy to look through all of the great options and choices. We picked several sets and one single book for this review. 

Farmyard Friends Series

This series of six books introduces early readers to animals that live on farms. We purchased a set of three (Chickens, Cows, and Ducks) at the request of our four-year-old daughter. Because they are hardcovers, they are perfect for our children to read and carry around the house as they decide in which room they wish to read. The size of the books is also perfect for preschoolers' hands. One page of text is accompanied by one photograph of the animal that is the focus of the book. The text pages have one or two sentences which make them quite easy for an early reader to read and navigate on their own. Our daughter really likes these books.

Timelines of American History Series

This series contains 12 titles. We purchased a set of six including:

• A Timeline of the Life of George Washington 
• A Timeline of the Continental Army
• A Timeline of the Life of Thomas Jefferson
• A Timeline of Congress 
• A Timeline of the Supreme Court 
• A Timeline of the War of 1812 

Our younger children have been studying the early history of America so these are perfect books to learn a bit more about famous Americans and our history in a relaxed way. The books contain illustrations, photographs, maps, and diagrams that help explain the lives and events discussed in each book. 

All About American Symbols Series 

We have also been studying American Symbols in our homeschool, so both of our younger children were excited to select a set of the books about American Symbols. They both eagerly read: 

• The Liberty Bell
• The Statue of Liberty 
• The Bald Eagle 
• Mount Rushmore 

I really like that we are able to have so many awesome history-related books in our homeschool library for our children to learn about America. These books have one or two sentences on a page with beautiful full-color photographs and illustrations. 

How Did We Use the Resources in Our Homeschool? 

I let our children look through all of the books whenever they wanted, once they arrived. The Timeline of American History series are a great fit for us and our social studies lessons. The three Farmyard Friends books are fun and fit in well as we like to visit a nearby farm during the summer and fall months. We also purchased one more book in addition to the others mentioned previously – The Battle of Saratoga by Wendy Vierow from The Atlas of Famous Battles of the American Revolution series. Our son has really enjoyed looking at the maps in this hardcover book.

I previewed the LifeHouse Theater CD before we listened to it at lunch time. The kids were enthralled with the production and wanted to know what was happening as the story of Rikki-Tikki-Tavi progressed. The cast of storytellers helped bring to life the courageous mongoose as he saved his family from cobras in the 33-minute audio adventure.

There are more LifeHouse Theater On-The-Air productions available that will entertain and educate your family. Favorite stories from classic literature, history, and the Bible are brought to life with acting, special effects, and music. 

Other Resources 

In addition to the items we selected for the review, I was also very excited to see that Library and Educational Services LLC sold Drive Thru History DVDs. We have several of them in our collection already but not the older series. We ordered Drive Thru History: Holy Land and in the future, I hope to purchase the other DVDs. I was very happy to see the Drive Thru History DVDs at such a reasonable price. 

There is a 28-page catalog available for download that offers a varied selection of books, CDs, DVDs, devotionals, fiction and non-fiction books for kids, teens, and adults, and homeschooling resources. Among the homeschooling resources you will find science and history texts, student and teacher guides, and more to help your day-to-day homeschooling lessons. I am really impressed with the variety of materials available. Some of children's favorite types of books –  Ready to Read and I Can Read! are available for purchase.

I know that we will be looking at Library and Educational Services LLC for future Christmas and birthday gifts. Books have always been one of our favorite items to give to family and friends and I love being able to support a quality company.

Do You Want to Learn More about Library and Educational Services LLC?

Website – Facebook – Instagram – Pinterest

Be sure to check out the other reviews to read about all of the awesome books, CDs, and homeschooling resources they found at Library and Educational Services LLC. 

Book Club: Mid-Year Review of Reading List 2018

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Do you enjoy reading? Do you create reading lists?

I set out with some lofty goals to read one book a month from a specific list I put together. You can read about the twelve books I chose here: Book Club: Reading List for 2018.  I haven't made it through many books on my actual list but I have read many books from the library and several that I have received to review for my blog.

The Walk Series

I started reading The Walk Series by Richard Paul Evans after having read The Christmas Box and Lost December which were recommendations from a Facebook group. I am enjoying this series about Alan Christofferson and his walk from Seattle to Key West. While I may not agree with all the twists and turns that Richard Paul Evans is taking his readers on, I am finding hope in the story of Alan and the people he meets along the way.

Reading List for 2018 Books

I have completed the following books:

Doctor Who: Twelve Doctors of Christmas: I enjoyed the majority of the tales but I think I would have been able to better appreciate all 12 stories if I was more familiar with each Doctor. I think my favorite stories included: Sontar's Little Helpers, The Red Bicycle, and Loose Wire.

A Study in Sable by Mercedes Lackey

You're Already Amazing by Holley Gerth

I am in the middle of the following books:

Choosing Gratitude by Nancy Leigh DeMoss

God Loves You by David Jeremiah

Children's Books

Here is a brief selection of some of the children's books our family read (sometimes more than once, twice, or even thrice!)

Giraffes Ruin Everything by Heidi Schulz
I did not really like this book at all. I felt the concept of someone or something being blamed for ruining everything was not the right message to send to children.

God Made the World by Sarah Jean Collins
Sarah Jean Collins' God Made the World (A Tyndale Kids Title) is a wonderful board book depicting the first seven days of the world through clean, simple, and bright illustrations and a rhyming narrative. Young children are introduced to the history of creation as narrated in the the first book of the Bible, Genesis.

The Little Red Hen by Philemon Sturges
I really liked the retelling of this story! It was cute and sent a good message about working together at the end.

LEGO City: Heroes! Lift-the-Flap Board Book by Alana Cohen
This was another favorite of ours. In December and January, our children watched us play the game LEGO City: Undercover and this book shared a lot of similar locations from the game. We loved going through, reading the story, and lifting the flaps.




Pug Pals: Two's a Crowd by Flora Ahn 
Do you have children who love dogs? Then Pug Pals: Two’s a Crowd by Flora Ahn is a perfect story about two dogs for your family. It is not only great for dog lovers but also for siblings because it illustrates the need to cooperate and get along.

Selection of Review Books

A Pocketful of Hope for Mothers by Robin Jones Gunn
This is a great book that – if I didn't like it so much myself – I would pass along to other moms. With all of the wonderful wisdom and advice inside, it truly does offer hope for each mother in her journey.

Daily Encouragement for the Smart Stepfamily by Ron L. Deal
Daily Encouragement for the Smart Stepfamily is a great book that will remain on or near my coffee table all year. With encouragement, tips, and ideas for stepfamilies provided on a daily basis, it is a wonderful resource for families like my own.

William Penn: Liberty and Justice for All by Janet and Geoff Benge
I had several other books in the Heroes of History and Christian Heroes: Then and Now series on my to-read list that when I had the opportunity to review William Penn, I was very excited. This biography of William Penn did not disappoint and I look forward to reading others in the series.

Joey: How a Blind Rescue Horse Helped Others Learn to See by Jennifer Beakley
One of my favorite books so far that I have reviewed for a publishing company has been Joey. I even enjoyed it so much that I gave it to my mom to read and I will probably lend it out to other family members because the message is great.

Helping Your Children Become Prayer Warriors by Anne Marie Gosnell
I was very happy to read Helping Your Children Become Prayer Warriors because I found so many useful tips to assist my children (and myself) become better at praying. One of the suggestions that our family has put into practice is the Blessing Jar – we each write down one thing we are thankful for or feel blessed with that day and put it in the jar to read later. It is such a powerful exercise.

T is for Tree: A Bible ABC by Connie L. Meyer
Our family loved this book! It is a wonderful Bible ABC story book from which we created a number of crafts to help reinforce the verses being taught.

The Road Home by Beverly Lewis
This year I read my first book by Beverly Lewis and I found out why so many people read her books. She has a way of telling a story that brings characters and locations to life. I am glad I found another author whose books I will be happy to read.

You're Already Amazing: Embracing Who You Are, Becoming All God Created You To Be by Holley Gerth
I thoroughly enjoyed the wisdom offered by Holley Gerth in this easy-to-read book. We are already amazing!

Parenting Your Teen Through Chaos & Crisis by Patty Scott 

Parenting Your Teen Through Chaos & Crisis by Patty Scott is a wonderful resource for parents of not only teens but also younger children as they prepare for those teen years.

Summer Reading 

Do you find you are able to read more or less during the summer time? I used to read a lot more books during the summer when I was in high school (and not working as a camp counselor) and the few summers in college when I didn't have a 40-hour-work week.

I loved to sit outside in the backyard, listen to the birds, hear the splash of the bird fountain, and feel the warm breeze as I read books of far off places and times. Now I find myself sitting in my air-conditioned house reading while my two younger children run around, play with their toys, or sit and read alongside of me. I hope that the rest of July and August will afford me with time to get outside and read!

If you are looking for some great summer reading books for teens, check out my post, Summer Readers from Sonlight.

If you created a reading list, how far have you gotten? Do you veer off the list mid-year, or work through it methodically? I hope you continue on this reading journey with me to the end of the year!