Today, one of my very favorite authors returns to Read-Aloud Revival. 

You know him as the author of Sweep, The Night Gardener, the Peter Nimble series, and The Fabled Stables. That’s right–Jonathan Auxier is back!

This time, we’re talking about the much-awaited conclusion to the Peter Nimble series, The War of the Maps. In our conversation, we delve into the guiding questions he explores during the writing process, and how each of these questions becomes a doorway for discovering who we are, whose we are, and what our work is here in the world.

In this episode, you’ll hear: 

• Why Jonathan often explores the tension of the end of childhood in his books 
• How trying to solve a guiding question shapes the narrative of Jonathan’s works 
• The best way to write a story 

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

• Read-Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/jonathan-auxier-is-back

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 of C. S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. I thought I already knew quite a bit about these Inklings, but there was even more to uncover.

Today, I’m delighted to share my conversation with the author and illustrator of The Myth Makers, John Hendrix. We dive into his research and writing process, exploring how the threads of the story came together. 

In this episode, Jon shares a better definition of myth, and illustrates the differences between a myth, a fairytale, and a story. I even make him choose which series he’d rather bring to a desert island, The Chronicles of Narnia or The Lord of the Rings. 

In this episode, you’ll hear: 

• John’s creative process for creating graphic novels 
• How choose-your-own adventure stories inspired the The Myth Makers 
• Why John chose the Lion and the Wizard as his main characters 

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

• Read-Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/john-hendrix

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 a lot of us are seeing very similar pictures. We’re seeing images that swept us into the whimsical world of wonder beyond the wardrobe (and into the Shire). 

The beloved images of these childhood stories remain with us. 

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 is Pauline Baynes, and her artwork brought the worlds of C. S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien to life.

Today, author and illustrator Katie Wray Schon is here to share her gorgeous new book, Painting Wonder: How Pauline Baynes Illustrated the Worlds of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. This stunning picture book biography tells the story of the woman behind the pictures of Narnia that we know and love so much. You’re going to want to add it to your shelves!

In this episode, you’ll hear: 

• How Katie’s own creative journey led her to Pauline Baynes’s story 
• The joys and challenges of illustrating a book about an illustrator 
• Katie’s advice for holding onto creativity as a source of enrichment in your life, even as a busy mama

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

• Read-Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/woman-behind-narnia

Today, 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 the books.  

This episode is spoiler-free, so listen in even if you haven’t read the books yet. I’m pretty sure by the end you’ll want to! We talk about the inspiration for the Wingfeather Saga, Andrew’s ridiculous made-up words (that we actually use in my house), developing a rich fantasy world, and even which Wingfeather character is most like him!

In this episode, you’ll hear: 

• How reading aloud C. S. Lewis to his children inspired Andrew to go after his dream of writing stories for kids
• The tons of tiny, often behind-the-scenes choices that go into creating a fantasy world
• Why Andrew doesn’t write with a specific message in mind, but wants readers to connect with his books in their own way

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

• Read-Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/wingfeather

Have you ever read a book and felt like you’d actually been to that place?

Me too. Once, while standing in line at an amusement park, I met a couple who told me they were visiting from Maine. And I almost said, “Oh, I was just in Maine!” Except 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 help us experience different narratives and cultures from all over the world and throughout history. They give us a taste of places and people we might not otherwise encounter. Reading books can enhance our real travel experiences, too.

Today, I’ve invited RAR Premium Coordinator Leilani Curtis to join me to talk about how books take us places. Plus, we’ll share a very fun new booklist we’ve created and plans for a whole new series of lists that will be coming up! 

In this episode, you’ll hear: 

• How stories help us forge connections to places
• Our perspective about the way reading can inspire family adventures, big and small
• Tips for tailoring travel reading around your child’s interests and your destination

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

• Read-Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/books-take-you-places

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 and for us. I hope you’ll be inspired to ramp up the reading for fun in your own life, no matter what else you have on your plate.

In this episode, you’ll hear: 

• How modeling your own love for reading helps your kids fall in love with reading for life
• Why even short reading breaks are beneficial 
• Tools and resources to help you step away from the laundry and make time to read

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

• Read-Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/reading-for-fun

Dear Duck, Please Come! is the most fun I’ve ever had writing a book. 

But writing the words is only half the story for a picture book. Which is why today, I’m delighted to share my conversation with the illustrator of Dear Duck, Please Come!, Charles Santoso.

Charles was born in Indonesia, raised in Australia, and now lives in Singapore. He’s illustrated tons of books we love here at Read-Aloud Revival, and I was over the moon that he agreed to illustrate Dear Duck.

In this episode, we’re diving into the collaborative process of creating a picture book, the inspiration behind Dear Duck, Please Come!, and how illustrations tell a story. 

In this episode, you’ll hear: 

• How Charles decides on the tone and style of his illustrations
• The way the world of Dear Duck developed from first sketches to the final illustrations
• Charles’s best advice for aspiring illustrators 

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

• Read-Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/how-illustrations-tell-half-the-story

At the start of a new year, we are overwhelmed with the phrase “New Year, new you!” And of course, we want to be better wives, better mothers, and better people. 

This desire to improve ourselves filters into our reading lives, too. It’s easy to justify a lot of our reading if it helps us be better for our families and communities. 

But what about reading for fun? What about reading fiction? When you’re a busy mom, is it worth it to carve out time to read just for the fun of it? And how would you even make that time?

But reading for delight is like stopping for water on a long, dusty hike. It’s a lifesource for us mamas. Today, RAR Community Manager Kelsey Murphy joins me to talk about how to be refreshed by your reading life.

In this episode, you’ll hear: 

• How stories nourish us in essential ways
• Why you have to give yourself permission to quit books that aren’t working for you
• The way reframing reading for pleasure will help you make time and model a rich reading life for your kids

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

• Read Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/you-can-be-refreshed

Gather your aspiring writers and littlest book lovers for this episode. 

I am so excited to welcome back author Millie Florence to talk about the beautiful book we created together, Beyond Mulberry Glen.

Millie and I are chatting about the making of the book from inspiration to final draft with a series of fun questions from what scene was the hardest to write to what character she’d want to hang out with for an afternoon.

Beyond Mulberry Glen is a read-aloud novel for the whole family, featuring a gorgeous cover and illustrations by Astrid Sheckels. It’s Waxwing Books’s very first middle grade novel, and we can’t wait to share it with you. 

In this episode, you’ll hear: 

• Why Millie describes her inspiration for the story as a collage of influences
• The challenges of editing the novel with the perspective of age and development as a writer
• What she loves most about middle-grade fiction

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

• Read-Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/millie-florence-is-back

What do happy homeschoolers have in common?

Over the years, I’ve spoken with thousands of homeschoolers from all over the world. When I asked experienced moms what they do to cultivate peace and joy in their homeschool lives, I discovered there are five habits happy homeschool mamas often share.

The good news is that YOU can adopt these habits, no matter what kind of homeschooler you are, what method or curriculum you use, what your budget is, or how many kids you have. You don’t need a new curriculum, schedule, or homeschooling philosophy. You don’t need to become a new person. It’s possible to feel happier about your homeschool, exactly as it is right now.

Today, I’m sharing a recording of a talk I gave at several homeschool conferences last year about the five habits of happy homeschoolers and how they can help you have a happier homeschool today.

In this episode, you’ll hear: 

• Why building and nurturing relationships is central to a happy homeschool
• How getting clear on your real priorities will help you simplify and do less
• The way comparison–to others, to strangers on Instagram, to public schools–sucks the joy out of our homeschools

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

• Read-Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/five-habits-of-happy-homeschoolers