Hi Reader, If I had a farthing for every woman who told me she wished she loved Shakespeare as much as I did . . . Or wished she had a Shakespeare class for her kids . . . Or wished she had the time to explore Shakespeare without skipping any other homeschool subjects . . . You get the idea. 😉 This is where Shakespeare Summer comes in. Because I am 100% convinced that Shakespeare can be: Delightful Simple Oh-so-easy We decided to take what I do in my local homeschool co-op, and make a way for...
10 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, When most of us hear the name “Shakespeare,” we probably think back to a high school classroom, fluorescent lights buzzing overhead, while we struggled through Romeo and Juliet line by line—“wherefore art thou” and all that. But here’s the truth: Shakespeare was never meant to be dissected like a frog under a microscope. His work, in fact, was never meant to be read AT ALL. He meant for his plays to be experienced. To be performed, seen, heard, and felt. While Shakespeare’s...
17 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, It’s a good week here at Read-Aloud Revival. Shakespeare Summer has landed, and we're about to have a simple and utterly delightful 6 weeks. I've got a hot take when it comes to teaching Shakespeare: I don't think it's something you do for school. Shakespeare himself wrote plays to be performed on stages—for audiences and performers alike to experience the breadth of the human experience in all of its comedic and tragic glory. "Study" Shakespeare for school? No thanks. I'd rather...
24 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, Why should we read the classics? So many of us want to, but we don’t want to spend our precious free time feeling like we’re incompetent because we just don’t get it or that the internet has completely ruined our brains (is this just me?). This past winter in RAR Premium, we hosted a retreat about falling in love with your reading life, and today I’m sharing one of those sessions, called How to Read Classics (and Actually Enjoy Them). RAR Community Manager Kelsey Murphy and I...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, Are you joining us for Shakespeare Summer? If you're not sure yet how Shakespeare can add a rich, not to mention fun, dimension to your family life, we've got a few episodes of the RAR podcast for you! Turns out, we've had some great conversations about Shakespeare over the years. Give any of these a listen: RAR #06: How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, a Conversation with Ken Ludwig RAR #171: How to Introduce Your Kids to Shakespeare RAR #206: A Simple, Low-Pressure Approach...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, In this episode, RAR Community Manager Kelsey Murphy and I sat down to tackle some of your listener questions. We put our heads together to answer questions about loved ones who don’t support your choice to homeschool, curriculum overwhelm, reading aloud with older kids or a wide age range of ages, how to encourage your kids to read high quality literature, and more! In this episode, you'll hear: How to make peace with your choice to homeschool Ways to keep connecting with older...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, This spring, I took some of my kids to London and Stratford-upon-Avon. It was "research" for Shakespeare Summer. Obviously. 😏 It was also loads of fun. Wanna see a few pictures? If you haven't heard all the buzz about Shakespeare Summer yet, head here to see what we're so excited about! Give us 6 weeks, and we'll turn your whole family into Shakespeare fans! I can alllllmost guarantee it. 😏 xo, Sarah Mackenzie P. S. Here are a few quick answers to your questions about Shakespeare...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, This week, one of my very favorite authors returns to Read-Aloud Revival! You know him as the author of Sweep, The Night Gardener, The Vanished Kingdom series (Peter Nimble), and The Fabled Stables series. That’s right–Jonathan Auxier is back! This time, we’re talking about the much-awaited conclusion to The Vanished Kingdom series, The War of the Maps. We delve into the guiding questions he explores during the writing process and how each of these questions becomes a doorway for...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, One of my favorite reads of 2024 was The Myth Makers by John Hendrix. This gorgeous graphic novel tells the story of the remarkable friendship between C. S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. I thought I already knew quite a bit about these Inklings, but it turned out there was more to uncover. This week, I’m delighted to share my conversation with John Hendrix. During our chat, we dove into his research and writing process, exploring how the threads of The Myth Makers came together. Jon...
2 months ago • 1 min read