READ ALOUD CHOICES 2023-2024 // TBR BOOKS // ELEMENTARY & MIDDLE GRADE FICTION // SECULAR HOMESCHOOL

[@OdetoAbode]

😎📚☕ New year, new TBR stack, who dis? What are you most excited to read with your kids (or on your own!) in the next homeschool year??

[@mamainthewoods]

I love this stack so much. Some of these are our favorites and you’ve inspired me to add a few others to our list this year. We own the new illustrated version of The Hobbit which is STUNNING, but I’d highly highly recommend listening to the audiobook for this one. There is a version by Andy Serkis (who plays Golem in the movies) and it is absolutely incredible. There is singing in the book and the way he reads/sings is chillingly beautiful. Audio is the way to go for those reads even though I’m a huge fan of reading aloud.

[@fancyflamingo123]

Plan with Me videos‐‐Yes, please! :)

[@paulas.4537]

You might want to pre-read The Midwife's Apprentice to decide if there are certain elements of this story that may too difficult for your younger children to stomach.

[@OdetoAbode]

Thanks for the tip!

[@megancunningham9471]

Did you ever read the Midwife’s Apprentice? I pre-read it before reading it to my kids, and I really didn’t love it. I am curious about what you thought of it…

[@mtrend1800]

Ohhh so many of these are on our list!!! Never read The Hobbit either! 😂 We LOVED the Heartwood Hotel. Read them ALL this past year per seasons!!! They wanted more and so did I. ❤ I’m excited to do The Very Far North it’s on my list. I’ll probably add more now seeing your video 😬😅

[@SevenInAll]

I have been reading LOTR this year for myself and loving it. I was one of those that had seen the movies but never read all the books, and I have appreciated the books a lot. We have a literature guide for Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky--our lit guides are very 'light', mostly focusing on background knowledge to help understand the story, comprehension, and a little bit of writer's craft. I take the 'light' approach because the all-encompassing literature guides tend to be 'too much' more my homeschool style.

[@OdetoAbode]

I've been meaning to check out your lit guides! Maybe Tristan is the perfect opportunity ☺️

[@liljdw1]

This is what we are soing for reading/literature this year along with the Mud books from MCT. We are basing our read alouds on types of books my daughter likes and GH Geography. Also will try out Reed Novel Studies and a Brave Writer guide for the first time for a lighter study. We did that Hobbit study last year and really enjoyed it. My daughter didn't really like The Hobbit but loved the activities. LOTR is one of my favorite book series.

[@angiescustoms]

Theres a book a librarian suggestioned based on my daughter loving the Wonder series called Out of My Mind. Reminds me of the wild book premise kind offff lol

[@prettybusygirl5635]

Thanks for all the time you’ve spent in putting together such great homeschooling content. 👏🏻📚 We are definitely book lovers in our school, too. It’s our biggest expense. 😂 As a side note: We used to subscribe to the ‘Land of Storybook’ boxes (before they stopped their business) and received both The Hobbit and Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. After looking into both, I ended up donating both boxes as each book specifically included forms of mysticism. 🔮🐉 Popular books, especially in the secular homeschool community, but perhaps do your own deep-dive into why some faith-based moms have skipped these titles? Either way, enjoy your homeschool year with your girls! ❤🎉

[@OdetoAbode]

Thank you so much for that heads up!

[@agrowingtime]

I, too, had never read any Tolkien books. Reading the Hobbit with my son was SUCH a joy! Here's my unsolicited advice: You may want to take August and September for the Hobbit. It was so long! Also, September 22nd is Hobbit Day because it's Bilbo's birthday. So, so fun to align that. We celebrate with friends every year.

[@noelmedici2296]

We LOVED our Heartwood Hotel study we did last year. My older one wasn't bored and my younger one adored it.

[@OdetoAbode]

What resources did you use?

[@madisonnapolitano7531]

Have you ever filmed anything about how you plan/organize? I would love to see your literal thought process when you are planning a year lol! We have so much GREAT material and books this year (buying some of your recs above as well!), but how do you plan out what you'll read and when? I would love to integrate our reading to somewhat match up with history and science like you mentioned.

[@OdetoAbode]

I went over some of this in my recent dream planner setup video. I'll do a more in depth one soon ☺️

[@madisonnapolitano7531]

@@OdetoAbode thanks I’ll check that out and keep an eye open for the new one!

[@brandyo3751]

Love these choices!! Definitely going to add these to my wishlist for our read aloud choices.

[@leahroper8484]

We have several of these books on our TBR list this year!

[@hannahhensley8497]

Oh I hope your girls enjoy the hobbit!! My husband’s class read it as a read aloud at age 10 and he still talks about it! 🥰 love when you get one of those lifetime memories from a good book!

[@OdetoAbode]

Wow, that's amazing 🤩

[@sadiemiller1780]

We read the audiobook version of The Hobbit and my oldest daughter loved it! Definitely check that out if reading it out loud gets kind of arduous lol 😆 Love your choices!

[@OdetoAbode]

Thanks!!

[@HeatherDeMeter]

I love how you’ve added in science and history themes within your read alouds! I also appreciate the foresight to plan longer books with shorter books alternating. That sounds like an excellent way to keep momentum and stamina up! I’m looking forward to your planning videos as the year unfolds. Your planning for this year seems really well thought out and realistic! Do you have a video regarding your process this year or maybe some tips? I’d love to do something similar to get started on the right foot this year.

[@OdetoAbode]

Thank you! Yes, I'm really trying to be realistic this year! I think I covered a little of this upfront year prep in my recent "dream planner" video. I might make a more thorough video to go in more depth 🤔

[@HeatherDeMeter]

@@OdetoAbodeOoh, I’ve been meaning to watch that, I will definitely check it out! And also am very much for the in depth planning vid! I want to say “Maybe it will be nice to have for your own reference in future years if it’s a good method!” but really I’m like… send help!! 😅😜

[@OdetoAbode]

@@HeatherDeMeter got it!! I'm on it 😁💪🏼