5 Recent Library Finds

Atlantis (secular middle grade)... I'm super into the story of Atlantis. A always crushes my Bigfoot dreams ("He's not real," pshhhh) but he wonders about Atlantis and the Bermuda Triangle so there's hope for him yet! 😉 

Meet Grace Marie (secular middle grade)... This American Girl book takes place in 1853 New Orleans. I didn't connect with the main character as much as I have in other American Girl Books but it was fine and I'll be checking out the next in the series. 

Rosa Takes a Chance (Christian middle grade)... This is a Sisters in Time book, a series where each book is about a different girl and a different time period. 

Unbroken (secular movie with strong faith values)... I read the young reader edition of the book a few years ago and it was a bit much for me at times but very moving. I knew Ryan would love the story so we finally watched the movie version. I was so disappointed that the beautiful faith story was completely glossed over! But it turns out there's a part 2 so maybe that's the faith part. 

Vincent Comes Home (secular picture book)... This is such a sweet picture book about a cat finding his version of home. My girls were very into it. 

Christian new releases

All the Places We Call Home* (picture book)... This is a sweet picture book about a little girl who currently lives in America but used to live in Africa. I think this is a really great and simple way of exploring all the different cultures that make up our home and all the different places that make up our world. This is published by a Christian imprint but is not a heavily Christian book.

Fatal Code* (romantic suspense)... Romantic suspense is not my genre and I wondered at first if I would be able to make it through the main characters bold personality quirks (like saying "bruh" all the time) but this is a really fascinating thrill ride centered around the Los Alamos project, which I had never heard of before, and SNAP agents which I was not at all familiar with. If you like romantic suspense I think this one will make you very happy.

A Hole in the World* (nonfiction)... This is a beautiful work designed to help you through grief. This is not an easy subject to write about but the author handled it with grace and allows her readers the ability to process their grief and hurt while also maintaining their dignity. I am grateful to have this one on the shelf for the next season of grief because we all know that is part of life that we will all experience multiple times.

Love You S'more* (picture book)... This picture book is published by a Christian imprint but does not actually contain any Christianity references or themes aside from love. This is a very sweet parent-and-child raccoon eating s'mores while explaining in fun rhyming sentences why each loves the other "s'more."

The Path to Peace* (devotional)... I really appreciated Ann Swindell's writing here. There are a good variety of stories straight out of scripture mixed with her own applicable real-life anecdotes to help you bridge the gap between a Bible story and its relevance in your Modern Life.

Uniquely You* (picture book)... This picture book by Joyce Meyer was a big hit and even my nine-year-old said he enjoyed it though he is too cool for most picture books these days. This is a lovely message about the fact that God gave each of us unique gifts and created us all so individually, and that we can use our unique gifts for the greater good. A message I think every child (and adult!) needs to hear! 

* I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Homeschool Lately

There is so much beauty in the fluidity of our homeschool routine. As these precious little souls grow- on the outside and on the inside- their needs and interests change. Different weaknesses pop up or are strengthened and different strengths make themselves known. 

Homeschool means we move at our own pace and we savor all the season's. There are slow seasons where lots of review and practice is needed. There are fast seasons where everything clicks and a child plows ahead, ravenously gobbling up all the knowledge set before them. 

I love it. I can't even express how much i love watching them learn. 

Here's what we've been doing lately. 

3rd grade... For 3rd grade we've been doing TGTB's math with a homemade Brave Writer Lifestyle language arts curriculum, art projects and music, computer and typing lessons, TGTB handwriting (cursive!), Story of the World history, geography, government & economics basics, birdwatching, nature study, and chemical reactions using the National Geographic Science Magic kit + all kinds of chemistry books and videos. A loves math and consistently wants more so he's also loving 30 More Math Mysteries. 

1st grade... We've been doing TGTB's math with a homemade Brave Writer Lifestyle language arts curriculum, art projects and music, occasional computer lessons, TGTB handwriting, Story of the World history, light geography, nature study, and chemical reactions using the National Geographic Science Magic kit + all kinds of chemistry books and videos. 

Kindergarten... For kindergarten we've been doing TGTB's math with a homemade Brave Writer Lifestyle language arts curriculum, art projects and music, occasional computer lessons, TGTB handwriting, Story of the World history, very light geography, nature study, and chemical reactions using the National Geographic Science Magic kit + all kinds of chemistry books and videos. 

Preschool... We are loving The Good and the Beautiful's preschool program and preschool handwriting book, buddy reads, nature study, and tagging along for the big kids' readings and lessons. She also loves music and free-range art projects. 

We're also still enjoying four full school days and one light day we call Gameschool Day. We recently got two hand-me-down games for free from our library because they were missing a few pieces and both are such a huge hit for us- Brain Quest and Outburst Jr. 

9 powerful Christian memoirs by parents whose children faced a medical crisis

This is a very specific type of memoir and it's definitely the most painful kind I read. In this season of my life I can't imagine anything harder than seeing my children suffering through a medical condition. I learn so much from the parents of these books and their faith journey (and resilience!) is so inspiring to me. 

These books aren't for everyone and they certainly aren't light reads but if you can handle them you'll walk away with so much more than you brought in! 

Anchored... Kayla Aimee tells the story of her micropreemie daughter's long NICU journey with wisdom and a great deal of humor. 

Blessed, Blessed, Blessed... This is Missy Robertson's (of Duck Dynasty) story about her daughter's cleft lip and palate journey. Mia's attitude is also very inspiring! 

A Different Beautiful... This is a beautiful story. Courtney Westlake's daughter was born with an incredibly rare disorder which has affected both the function and appearance of her skin. Courtney has learned to navigate it all with grace and to redefine what beautiful looks like. 

Forgiving God... Hilary Yancey's picture-perfect pregnancy was quickly turned on its head when her baby was given multiple diagnoses. Craniofacial abnormalities and a missing eyeball are just the beginning of her son's struggles and Hilary had to really come to terms with what this all said about God and his love for her and her son. 

Heaven is for Real... You've likely heard of this book, or at least the movie. This is Todd Burpo's story about his son Colton's appendectomy and Colton's insistence afterwards that he spent his anesthesia time in Heaven. 

A Love That Multiplies... I know a lot of you have no interest in the Duggar family but I was really into this family back in the day. It was an appropriate show we could watch with our kiddo! This particular book is heavily focused on the NICU story of their micropreemie, Josie. 

Miracles from Heaven... This is a crazy powerful story about a young girl's gastrointestinal disease and its sudden disappearance after she fell through the trunk of a tall tree. This one was made into a movie starring Jennifer Garner. 

Through the Eyes of Hope... Lacey Buchanan has a beautiful story here about her son's journey after amniotic bands prevented the growth of his eyes during her pregnancy.  

Unreasonable Hope... Chad Veach has a very powerful story to share about his daughter, Georgia. Georgia has a rare condition called smooth brain but Chad and his wife have an incredibly powerful faith (unreasonable hope) that God will heal Georgia. 

I'd also love to take a moment to remind you of one of my books, Blessed by Birth. While most of the birth stories in this book are just fun and happy moments, a handful of them contain health struggles as well. If this type of memoir moves you, it would mean the world to me and the other contributors if you would consider checking out our book! 

43- The Christian Bookworm Podcast

This week I'm telling you about the new releases publishers just sent me, a secular book Christian readers might love, a travel memoir, and middle grade historical fiction. 

You can listen right here or through Anchor // Apple // Google // Overcast // Pocket Casts // Radio Public // RSS // Spotify // Stitcher 

*Note: Making your book purchases through our Bookshop.org shop or the Amazon links listed below costs you no additional fee yet helps support the show and our family. Thank you! 

General shownotes page 

Tyndale Reader Rewards 

New releases I haven't read yet but am about to read: The Path to Peace by Ann Swindell (nonfiction, devotional) // Fatal Code by Natalie Walters (romantic suspense) // All That Fills Us by Autumn Lytle (general fiction) // When the Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer (historical romance) // Previous Amanda Wen episode about Roots of Wood and Stone // The Songs That Could Have Been by Amanda Wen (romance, time slip) // Lifemark by Chris Fabry (novelization of new Kendrick Brothers movie) // other Kendrick Brothers movies: Courageous, War Room, Fireproof 

Fiction: Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan // The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis 

Nonfiction: We Stood Upon Stars by Roger Thompson 

Children: Boxcar Children // Bobbsey Twins // Hardy Boys // Nancy Drew // American Girl Josefina // American Girl Addy // American Girl Kirsten (out of print) // Sisters in Time series: Emma's Secret // Rosa Takes a Chance // The Good and the Beautiful Book list and they recommend Anna's Fight for Hope 

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