Books and other things I’m loving lately!

[@bw918t8y]

Our library has heaps of dodgy stuff. There were even some picture books that we borrowed at one point that had themes subtly embedded in them so parents wouldn’t notice. So I typically put holds on specific books and then we just pick up those books from the holds shelf. That’s helped minimise the random books that I haven’t vetted from coming home.

[@MommyBee1589]

I read my kids Poppy by Avi it was their favorite read aloud of 2023! It was such an excellent book! We have since read others in the series

[@madeforthis1558]

Thanks for bringing up The Daily Grace Co. Your video introduced me to that company about a year ago and now i recommended it to everyone. Such a wealth of content and it’s all so amazing!

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

That’s so awesome!! Makes me happy to hear that! Glad you’ve found it a blessing ☺️

[@RosalindReloj]

I love that you got this great haul! It's wonderful to have a home library!!! I was just talking with my friend about books at the library having more and more things I would not endorse even in board books!😢 We too go and grab arm fulls and have been burned by some of the content. She encouraged me through saying, libraries buy what people rent. So if there are authors that you LOVE and are clean--RENT them. Otherwise, they may disappear from the shelves. Rent them and rent them again! Those algorithms are exactly what your library need to know what to purchase. Make recommendations for your library to purchase! They will!!! It's incredible! Don't be discouraged. There was a mom in TX who accidentally changed the shelves of her library by the sheer amount of books she rented! You're doing an incredible job with your stunning family! I hope my kids are such avid readers! Blessing to you, Lauren! You're an amazing Mama!

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

That’s encouraging to hear…I hadn’t realized that! We certainly do clean out the shelves it feels like sometimes 😅 thanks for sharing that!! ❤️

[@kimberlygoudzwaard2811]

We love World Watch news! We just got a subscription to it a few weeks ago.

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

The kids can’t miss a day!

[@BaileyAcademy]

I love the idea of a book lot because i love sorting through books!

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

Same 🥰

[@lisaroper421]

Oh, the Howladay Inn is awesome! You have a couple from the series: it's a Bunnicula book. Very funny series.

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

My middle daughter wanted to read those haha

[@Svargasc3]

I listened to dumbing us down and loved it. So I can’t answer about the footnotes lol. I highly recommend his other book weapons of mass instruction. So good.

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

Ok I’ll check it out!

[@amandab.6815]

I listened to both. Personally I had the same issue with both books, I felt the claims he was making weren't substantiated with data, so I couldn't really take any of it as fact.

[@darkxwolf17-r2q]

The new outfits are so fun and pretty! I had to go to the website and check it out for myself! A children's author that I like is Gloria Whelan, I love her book, Listening for lions, It's such a precious story. My 8 year old daughters devours Erin Hunters graphic novels.

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

Thanks for sharing those book recs! ☺️

[@melanieturner5665]

My 12 year old loves the author Erin Hunter who wrote Seekers, Survivors, and Warriors, each is in a stand alone series. We did Frindle and Lemonade War as read aloud. Yes, pre-read Judy Blume books, they didn't make it to our shelf.

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

That one made it to our discard pile too. There are literally THOUSANDS of good books out there, we are ok skipping the questionable ones 😅

[@sarasali3077]

Loved this video! Fun stuff!’

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

Thank you!! ☺️

[@DebBeePlus3]

I didn’t realize Last Chance Detectives was a book, I remember loving those movies.

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

Didn’t realize they were movies 😄

[@DebBeePlus3]

@@thepracticalhomeschooler made by Focus on the Family. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Chance_Detectives

[@myraphillips827]

Last Chance Detectives books are so good they are christian mystery books and they also have audio drama and movies

[@lanaslantern5969]

I enjoyed your favorite things blog! Thanks for sharing!

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

Ok good to know, thanks! ☺️

[@amandamendoza4181]

I love overalls too!👏 I never find great deals on books like you and your girls do! Taking all the tips! Best deals I get are at half price books for about $4 a book.

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

That’s still not a bad deal! I also typed in classic chapter book lot and I’ve gotten a few that way too!

[@MargotBrown]

Are there any book series you stay away from in general? We are getting into chapter books!

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

Great question…I just kind of look at it like if it’s been published fairly recently and it hasn’t been recommended by a personal friend or something like the good and the beautiful or on the Sonlight reading list, then I look up the reviews for it. There are Facebook groups with TONS of book reviews too!

[@lisaroper421]

I've just had to go ahead and teach my kids what is appropriate for us to be reading. Then I tell them to let me know if they come across anything, and we can discuss it, and decide if it's a deal breaker. I totally hear you on not being able to keep up with vetting all the books! It's awesome they read so much, but also tough as a parent. 😅

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

Yes I’m trying to do that too so they can discern too…it’s a joint effort. But I’m trying to do more legwork up front

[@lisaroper421]

@@thepracticalhomeschooler It's such a battle! I think fondly of the days when my parents were parenting 😅

[@amandab.6815]

I felt the same way about Dumbing Us Down- I didnt see the supporting data for what he was saying.

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

It’s definitely important that even if we agree with a topic that it’s based on facts and data and not just opinion and one person’s experience. But I really hope there is data to back up his statements!

[@Taralynn.Wilson]

I immediately went to ebay and bought a book lot! 😂

[@Taralynn.Wilson]

@@liveraw1 I skipped through the parts about books she had read. She also mentioned in the beginning of the video that she won a bid for a lot of book.

[@BaudelaireOrphan1]

I've never Looked Into the Judy Blume books. What's the story in those?

[@BaudelaireOrphan1]

Ugh this time we are living is very scary for our children I totally understand

[@stephaniebryan9470]

I read the golden compass series as a child and they are honestly some of the best teenage fiction I have ever read. Yes they deal with some difficult issues but they are so well written. Just one to consider if your daughters ever want to read them when they are older.

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

A friend of mine said they’re the atheist version of chronicles of narnia (?)

[@stephaniebryan9470]

@@thepracticalhomeschooler They are only similar in that they are about children going into a fantasy world and having an adventure but the golden compass series is about the power of friendship and overcoming adversity by themselves. Probably wouldn't want to read till 13+ as it does touch on child kidnapping in the first book.

[@jenniferf.1601]

I agree with them being well written. I read them as a young adult and they turned into my favorite series of books for a very long time. I think I would still put them in my top 5 series. As far as atheists…I don’t know if that is what the author intended, but that is not how I read them. One of the main themes of the book is the battle between what is good and true and what is counterfeit…told in a fantasy setting. To me that is the mark of a great book, a willingness to discuss what truth is and how to find it. For instance…one of the major questions this book dares to ask is whether Eve’s choice in the Garden of Eden was inspired or detrimental and sinful. I have my own thought on this based on my beliefs, but a willingness to explore that question was really compelling to me. I know this series is marketed as a “children’s series” and maybe for fantasy aspect ( talking animals, exciting settings, etc.) but there is a lot of thought provoking themes that I don’t think anyone should miss in this series. I would encourage you to read them yourself first and then decide if and when your children should read them. You got the first two books in this haul btw😊 The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife. The last book is called The Amber Spyglass.

[@rebeccawells4444]

The golden compass gave me a crisis of faith that lasted for years. I highly recommend you do not allow your kids to read the series. It is a good series, but seriously made me question my faith for a long time!

[@NikkiBrewer-c5h]

Agree with reading it vs listening as I was having to pause it too

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

Glad it wasn’t just me! Definitely one that required active listening and thought

[@TitaAguirreGarcia]

Wow your eyes looks quite amazing today❤😊

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

Really? Aww why thank you!!

[@HomeschoolMom515]

The Lemonade War is very good.

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

Yes I’ve been eying that one for a bit ☺️

[@hollybeth3525]

Is your middle daughter back to homeschooling this year?!!

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

Yes ☺️

[@Hookhamhomestead]

Super curious why you didn’t care for m is for mama

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

I think probably just personal preference…I know many moms enjoy it, it just wasn’t up my alley. Lots of emphasis on semantics and I just don’t put too much stock into that

[@srb218]

Have you kids read/listened to any Jenny L. Cote’s Epic Order of the Seven books? My 10 year old loves them (she listened to the audiobooks). They’re really long and keep her entertained for hours. It’s a Christian-based series with animal characters.

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

I haven’t! I’ll have to check them out, thanks! 😊