RAR Round-Up: Start the School Year Simply


Hey Reader,

Free Resource of the Month

As many of us begin a new school year, we're looking for ways to keep our goals simple and attainable. This read-aloud habit tracker is a great way to track and measure those little wins each day!


The Latest Podcast

Over the past few months on the podcast, we’ve talked a lot about how reading aloud benefits kids academically, how it develops their resilience, empathy, and virtue, and even reduces physiological stress. In this episode, Sarah and Audrey talk about some of the many reasons to invite your kids—and yourself—to write. They also share a few of their favorite exercises and tips for getting everyone’s creativity flowing.


On Social

Recently on Instagram we shared all about one of the pivotal roles in the book-making process: the Art Director! Cara Llewellyn is the brilliant mind behind all of our beautiful books at Waxwing, and we're delighted to get to share a glimpse into her incredible work!

What's Happening in Premium

We're jumping into the new school year with a Member Preview of our winter season's book selections — there will be giveaways!

We're also thrilled to welcome LeUyen Pham, the illustrator of our September Family Book Club title, The Man Who Didn't Like Animals!

Join us live!

Read-Aloud Revival

For homeschooling mamas who want their whole family to fall in love with books. Join 135,000 email subscribers, and get Sarah Mackenzie's best tips and book recommendations in your inbox each week.

Read more from Read-Aloud Revival

Hey Reader, Why do we write, anyway? Over the past few months on the podcast, we’ve talked a lot about how reading aloud benefits kids academically, how it develops their resilience, empathy, and virtue, and even reduces physiological stress. Today on the show, we’re diving into the flip side of reading: writing. Without writing, we’d have no stories to read. But creating books to share with others isn’t the only reason why writing is so important. In this episode, Audrey and I talk about...

Hi Reader, Books are so much more than just a collection of words. They are lanterns that illuminate our lives in so many incredible ways. Today, I want to share a story with you about a group of women who also believed in the power of books to transform lives. So much so, that they were willing to endure quite a lot of hardship to get books into the hands of people who otherwise wouldn’t have had access to them during a difficult period of American history. In this episode, I’m talking with...

Sarah with her big kids

Hi Reader, In the email I sent you earlier this week, I mentioned that when I first heard the phrase "teach from a state of rest," I was equally intrigued and skeptical. The idea that it might be possible to homeschool with unshakable peace and real, true, joy sounded...thrilling. Also: impossible. 😅 I'll remind you of what life looked like for me back then: Nothing about my life reminded me of "rest" or "peace." So let's define some terms, shall we? REST, for example. Ever heard of it? 😆...