Don't Make the Mistakes I Did! | Buying Books for Homeschool

[@jenaparsons]

Right now my oldest just turned 5 a few weeks ago so we’re in the homeschool lite phase but our picture book library is immense. I was a teacher before my son was born so I started by library and (starting learning some about lessons and mistakes) and I’m still learning! Some of my big ones have been: 1) Overly ambitious culling and then regretting it. Sometimes we don’t connect with a book right away and then years later I’m constantly checking it out from the library and regretting getting rid of it. I’m slowly starting to get an eye for books we may grow into. 2) Nonfiction 🤦‍♀️ This is an area where I wasn’t initially as familiar. I’ve learned not to just accept almost any donated nonfiction book I come across but to be more discerning about what we’ll actually use (or what we’ll read once and thus should just check out from the library) versus what we should own. 3) Formating matters. Sizing matters. I was so unimpressed by Kittens First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes as a picture book but loved it as a board book. Likewise I was completely unimpressed by Oliver Dunrea’s books in early reader format but found them fun, whimsical and charming in their mini hardcover edition.

[@SevenInAll]

Thank you for sharing what you have learned along the way! I appreciate your point about books we may grow into--that is one of the reasons I'm still holding onto the more advanced and longer Spanish picture books. They weren't a great fit for my sons when I first got them, but as my sons have gotten older, I can definitely see them becoming valuable in our continued journey with Spanish literacy.

[@lisaroper421]

Good tips! I am working hard to both add to our home library, and also be super intentional about it. It's a hard ballance!

[@SevenInAll]

Yes--it can be a hard balance to find. I am learning through real-life experimentation.

[@victoriabrandnewbaby7818]

I go through a curriculum read aloud list, if there are picture books, I watch a KZbin read through before committing to buying to see if my child would be interested in the book.

[@SevenInAll]

That's a good idea!

[@RachelDee]

I relate to this even when it comes to the Curious Kinder. We use 80% of it. But my kiddo was resisting most of the chapter books and meanwhile taking an interest in the Little House picture books. So I subbed in the first Little House chapter book to discuss and review weekly and he’s thrilled!

[@SevenInAll]

Yes! Like I said--I encourage everyone to adapt, even my own booklists, and I think being willing to adapt as needed and pull in books that your child especially connects with will transform the experience. :)

[@NP-ee4bc]

As a single parent, from the begining I have been very selective of the resources I have bought, my lil rereads her chapter books, so that's encouraging, a couple of 'too basic books' but well overall, I like acquiring whole series too, and I very much follow the interest of my lil. Because of it, many have been spot on. Also most of the time I have to pay Amazon prices since is the only one, that does free international shipping. But it is all been worth it. I am very proud of our growing library.

[@SevenInAll]

That's awesome that you have been so intentional and done your research along the way. Yes--a home library is something we slowly build over years--and it is so rewarding to see the stories our children grow up with on the shelves.

[@TaylorBrannan]

This was very helpful! Thank you ❤

[@SevenInAll]

Thank you for watching!

[@carlissashevalier8902]

I totally agree with your points! When I first started building our library and discovered how inexpensive secondhand children's books were, I went a little crazy! 🤣 I have learned to be much more selective. I want each book to be something we will love and I always check if our library has it before I purchase it, even if it is only $1! Another thing I regret is buying "phonics" early readers. When I began homeschooling I knew I wanted to take a phonics approach to teaching reading so I bought a couple sets of these and quickly realized that I hate them. The stories are so ridiculous! "The mother otter went over to the other father otter with a brother, he's a jumper!" 😂 They are tedious and I want my kids to see the value of reading by reading good stories from the start.

[@SevenInAll]

Yes--I have learned the same thing--to work on filling our shelves with books that I and my kids actually WANT to read and to read again vs. just because they were inexpensive. Because there are some books that I have zero desire to read again. lol! I definitely see a need for phonics-based readers but I do try to get OUT of them and into books like Frog and Toad, Little Bear, once we have the foundation of the phonetic skills. Some kids are able to get the phonics basis faster than others, but it can take a while because there are quite a few decoding skills needed for even a book like Frog and Toad. I will say that the All About Reading phonetic readers are done a lot better than many phonics readers I've seen. There have been many phonics readers that I despise because they are done poorly (and often don't make sense even from a phonics introduction perspective).

[@carlissashevalier8902]

I will have to take your word for it that there are decent phonics readers 😂 I use Bob Books to get my kiddos started and then beyond that, I avoid them! Little Bear and Frog and Toad are some of our favorites! I also enjoy a lot of the I Can Read books. There is a bind up of 4 Berenstain Bear readers that we use a lot.

[@ElisabethCope]

I felt the same way about Nature Anatomy! I think it is full of beautiful pictures, but my two young boys weren't very interested. They enjoy that water color style pictures in narrative books, but for facts and information, we prefer more photographs and realistic images. I even found this to be true with our storybook bibles. We started off this year with the Jesus Storybook Bible. I love the text, but the images didn't keep their interest. I switched to the Family-Time Bible in Pictures (after I saw it on one of your videos) and my boys are entranced with the more realistic images! They often want me to keep reading. And what mom doesn't want to hear "Read another one!!" when finishing a bible story? It's been a great book adjustment to our homeschool.

[@SevenInAll]

My boys have also connected very well with the realistic style and "drama" of the Family Time Bible in Pictures--that is the storybook bible we have read the most! Mine also ask for multiple stories.

[@katie7748]

The Anatomy books are written by someone who is OK with all kinds of sick, depraved stuff anyway. (!nç3st, pèd0s, etc...) YES, *REALLY!!!!*

[@angelicaclaudio-cortes6952]

Lol, my biggest regret, "Uncle Wiggily's Story Book." We're still working through it, and it's a tough read. We laugh at the constant mention of rabbit's rheumatism and his walking stick, but we're not a huge fan.

[@SevenInAll]

haha--we read that, and I must say it was not a love for me, either. My boys did okay with it, but not one I want to re-read.

[@dinubiankween2533]

I could have written this. I just bought this and I attempted to read the first story and I could not even finish. First book from Sonlight list that’s a NO for me.

[@Gorgo800XP]

💯 I have discovered that while there are so many children’s books, there are SO MANY garbage children’s books. Not saying that the books that didn’t work for you are necessary garbage, but there is tons of lame, vapid, banal, or (even worse) agenda-driven twiddle out there. I never realized how much pre-reading I’d be doing as a mother.

[@SevenInAll]

There are lots of "lame" books for sure (sometimes I wonder how they get published because I would love to have my own work published and it's no easy task!)...and the lame & empty books often tend to be available inexpensively...which is why I don't just go for the cheapest books but for the books that are actually worth reading.

[@katie7748]

Ugh. Yes. There have also been some that I won't allow in our home because of the author (or illustrator). For example, there is a series of twaddle that I permitted because (yes, I admit) at least it got one of my children to read. I didn't care at the time what it was, as long as it was age-appropriate. But that changed when the author/illustrator showed his true colors. Since then, we refuse to give that guy another dime. To each their own, but I don't want people who have garbage values/morals on our bookshelves.

[@RockSimmer-gal4God]

Books are definitely not equal and I’ve made mistakes as well!!! Cheap books if not read becomes expensive but I’ve bought books for cheap on the masterbooks flash sales and found new awesome books!!! We’ve came to love math picture books and I wouldn’t have spent too much on them!!! We bought a book for my older daughter’s science that I later found out wasn’t good because it was on the book list so I double check books!!! The science book was from sonlight not gentle and classical or beautiful feet books for me!!! Most of my daughter’s Japanese books aren’t Japanese 1st voices yet she managed a research project on Japanese culture from them!!! Our German books start from little kid books!!! My older daughter at 4 loved Hedi!!! We love our translations of books in German!!! Dora the explorer are good books for Spanish language learning for little kids I believe!!! We used them when I was a pre school teacher!!!

[@SevenInAll]

Yes--it can be find to find a new, unknown 'gem' of a book for a steal of a deal...but sometimes they aren't worth a cheap price. :) Finding the right books is a journey.

[@KatieUlmer-x2n]

I too had a hard time with Nature Anatomy by J. Rothman. I found Slow Down by Rachel Williams a much better fit!

[@SevenInAll]

Yes--I much prefer Slow Down, the narrative is much more understandable and memorable.

[@KatieUlmer-x2n]

@@SevenInAll As far as mistakes - Do you suffer from book gluttony?

[@SevenInAll]

@@KatieUlmer-x2n hahaha--what would you consider book gluttony? My childhood dream was to have Belle's library from Beauty and the Beast. 😜 Well, that won't happen, but I grew up surrounded by good books, read every day, and I enjoyed it immensely. ♥️

[@KatieUlmer-x2n]

@SevenInAll phaha! You weren't the only one who and dreams of living in Belle's castle. I definitely find myself having to use restraint when it comes to buying books. I want them all. I use the library to vet books before buying to make sure we will love them and will want to revisit them.

[@katie7748]

She (Anatomy author) is OK with !nc3st, p3d0s, etc anyway so don't feel bad that it didn't work for you.

[@StephanieMT]

I got sent the wrong book. I ordered a picture book and got a chapter book and not even the same topic. Had to contact customer service and they sent my book i ordered. I have bought wrong size on food many times. Amazon has send me books that were clearly photocopied because no color pages when they are suppose to be.

[@SevenInAll]

Aww man, definitely frustrating when they send a completely different book from what you ordered!

[@annajohnson7139]

Do you have any advice for finding fun little kid Spanish books beyond looking for translations of books you already know of? I can find translations ok enough but I’m sure there are fun, hilarious Spanish books for toddlers and preschoolers that are written in Spanish too; authentic in their own way even if they aren’t about the author’s culture or a serious topic. I know a few people from my church whose heart language is Spanish and I was thinking about asking them what books they loved to read to their preschoolers, but do you have any other ideas? I definitely need to get some Spanish elephant and Piggy though. That sounds like it would be perfect for the way we are learning Spanish, which is through mainly learning phrases we can use in our daily life. We’ve just started using talk box.mom and I have high hopes for it, although I kind of want to add homeschool languages too so we will see.

[@SevenInAll]

I am also sure they exist--my best strategy is following people on instagram that share about Spanish books they find. I suspect it's a lot easier to find fun, lighthearted, original kids' books in Spanish if you are IN a country where these books are published. Asking people is a great idea! And Elephant and Piggy in Spanish is excellent for multiple reasons -- they're funny, but also very conversational and practical in vocabulary, and they also make good early readers once kids are able to read in Spanish themselves.