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...
12 days 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...
26 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader! What comes to mind when you think of C. S. Lewis’s Narnia and J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings? There’s a good chance we're seeing similar pictures: images that swept us into the whimsical world of wonder beyond the wardrobe (and into the Shire). But it’s likely we don’t know much about the woman who created the iconic illustrations of the White Witch, Mr. Tumnus and Lucy, and the Pevensie children having tea with Mr. and Mrs. Beaver. Her name was Pauline Baynes. In this...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader, Did you know that Sarah recommends a book almost every week on the Read-Aloud Revival YouTube channel? That's right—almost every week, Sarah highlights a favorite read-aloud on video, just for you! Some recent Books of the Week include: An Illustrated Treasury of Scottish Folk and Fairy Tales Freddy Goes to Florida Narwhal: Unicorn of the Arctic Beyond Mulberry Glen And that's not all . . . The Read-Aloud Revival podcast is now available in video format on YouTube, so you can...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, This week, I’m thrilled to share a peek at the riches inside RAR Premium, our online community that helps you make meaningful and lasting connections with your books and helps homeschool mamas become the peace-filled, joyful mamas they’re called to be. Last summer, our Family Book Club selection was On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, the first book in the Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson. And we were lucky enough that Andrew agreed to join us to answer kids’ questions...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Is March Madness a thing at your house? 🏀 I'll admit—mine is not the sportiest family [cough, cough]. (That may be the understatement of the year. 😏) But we're gearing up for our own March Madness, all the same. March Madness is a national tournament wherein college basketball teams battle to be the last one standing. Here at RAR, we’re doing it with books! Which is way better, just saying. 😇 Use our FREE Bookish March Madness to decide which books are champions in your home....
2 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Have you ever read a book and felt like you’d actually been to that place? Once, I met a couple who told me they were visiting from Maine. And I almost said, “Oh, I was just in Maine!” I’ve never actually been to Maine. I had just read a book that was set in Maine, and it was so immersive, it felt like I’d been there. That’s the power of books. They take you places. Books give us a taste of places and people we might not otherwise encounter. Reading can enhance our real travel...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Once upon a time, Reader,a little girl grew up to draw pictures. Her pictures would be held in millions of hands. From India to England, from Narnia to Middle-earth, these pictures winged their way around the world to faraway places on the pages of books. High mountains and hidden lakes, waterfalls that fall up, winged horses, fluting fauns, and talking animals having tea . . . Most of us grew up with the images of Narnia firmly rooted in our minds. But who was the woman behind those images?...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader, Lately here at RAR we’ve been talking about reading for refreshment—reading for the pure joy of it—and how our own reading lives can be a source of energy and joy even in the throes of the busiest seasons of motherhood. This week on the podcast, we're revisiting an episode that dives into why reading isn’t just good for us and our kids, but why reading for fun is also an important part of our jobs. In this episode, we talk about why it’s so important and what it does for our kids...
3 months ago • 1 min read