Today, I am excited to introduce you to my favorite read-aloud for Lent and Easter.

Amon’s Adventure is a wonderful adventure story that will leave your kids begging for just one more chapter.

Amon is a 13 year-old boy during the time of Christ’s persecution, and in this fictional tale, his father has been accused of a terrible crime. It’s up to Amon to navigate the tension in his local community and clear his father’s name. 

If you want to breathe some life into your family’s experience of Lent and Easter… this story is a great way to do just that. I highly recommend it as a family read-aloud for kids 8+.

It’s intense, so I suggest previewing each chapter if you’re reading it aloud to kids younger than that.

The author, Arnold Ytreeide, is visiting with me today on the newest episode of the Read-Aloud Revival, and learning more about where this book came for was such a delight!

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Where this book (and those in his Jotham’s Journey series) came from
• Ideas for how best to use this book during Lent
• How (and why) he tells a story we all know… in a brand new way

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/123/.

Join us for Shakespeare Summer!

What’s the best way to introduce your kids to the lives and ideas of those who’ve gone before? In this episode of the Read-Aloud Revival podcast, the RAR Team is talking about using picture book biographies with kids of all ages.

And of course, we don’t just give you the why… we also share dozens and dozens of excellent picture book biographies in this new booklist!

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• why picture books are for all ages (no really… all ages)
• what makes pictures books special (Hint: it has to do with being an invitation)
• how picture books can help us learn history, research a new subject, discuss difficult topics, and more

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/122/.

I ‘ve got a new favorite episode of the Read-Aloud Revival podcast. It’s no wonder, because in this episode, I’m having a conversation with Kate DiCamillo on reading aloud for connection.

There is so much packed into this conversation.

In this episode, you’ll hear: 

• what Kate really thinks when we ask our kids “what did the author mean?”
• how books help us jump into the Great Conversation (“unwittingly”, as she says)
• that stories are smarter than their authors… and what that means for readers

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/121/.

Today I’ve got a bonus episode of the Read-Aloud Revival podcast—a conversation with Douglas Gresham. Douglas is the stepson of C.S. Lewis, author of The Chronicles of Narnia.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• what C.S. Lewis was really trying to do with The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
• what he wishes more people knew about his stepfather
• Patti Callahan’s new book, Becoming Mrs. Lewis–what he thinks and about its accuracy

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/bonus-narnia/.

I ‘m willing to bet you’re like me, and relationships with your kids matter more to you than just about anything else.

But we’re all pulled in a million directions. We’re all short on time.

You know what, though?

I think it’s easier than we think to focus on what matters most.

Today I am sharing 3 simple ways to strengthen your relationships with your kids this year. Not one of these is complicated, cumbersome, or expensive.

Because nurturing our relationships with our kids is within reach this year, no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in.

In this episode, you’ll hear: 

• 3 simple ways to focus on what matters most this year
• how to get out of your own way
• some wonderful resources that will make it easy for you to build meaningful connections with your family ⬅︎ (you want to hear about these)

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/120/.

Reading books together as a family is the best way to connect. We connect with each other, with the books we read, and with the big ideas we encounter there.

In fact, there are four steps I like best when it comes to sharing books with our kids:

1. Read aloud
2. Share an experience around the book
3. Talk about it
4. Meet the author or illustrator

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

Would you like to read more in the new year? I don’t mean reading to your kids. I mean reading for you.

Many of us want to read more, but we’re not sure how to make that happen. We feel like we can’t fit it in, or maybe we even feel guilty when we sit down to read something just for fun.

This episode is just what you need! I’m chatting with Anne Bogel from Modern Mrs. Darcy, author of I’d Rather Be Reading.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• why it’s OK to prioritize your reading life
• how to read more (hint: we all have a bit more time than we think)
• why it’s just fine to quit a book that is causing a block

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/119/.

Join us for Shakespeare Summer!

January is one of the most exciting months of the year here at RAR. Why? Because it’s time for our 31-Day Read-Aloud Challenge, our most popular event of all.

Participants tell us that this simple challenge transforms their kids’ relationships with reading.

I know. That sounds like an exaggeration. But…well…see for yourself!

It’s kind of hard to believe something this simple can make such a huge difference, so you’ll have try it to believe it.

And there’s no reason not to: this is a Challenge for your kids (not for you, which means nothing is being added to your to-do list, cue the hallelujah chorus), and… it’s FREE.

The 31-Day Read-Aloud Challenge will nurture family relationships while helping your kids fall in love with books.

Your kids will start their brand new year by connecting with ideas, books, and (best of all!) each other.

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/31-days-2019/.

In today’s episode of the Read-Aloud Revival, I’m answering your questions.

In this episode, you’ll hear: 

• What to read after the Little House on the Prairie books
• My teen daughters’ favorite books
• Whether re-reading/re-listening is OK
• How to make sure younger kids don’t miss out on childhood classics
• Tips for sharing books with Dads
• How I track the books we read

… and more.

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/118/.

You’ve been asking for one, and this year, we made it for you: a booklist of Christmas novels to read aloud.

If you’re looking for stories that will shape and form your Advent and Christmas season, you’re in exactly the right place.

On this brand new podcast episode, I’m sharing my favorite Christmas novels (and short stories, too) to read with your kids.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• which books to read with your kids all through December
• books that will appeal to the youngest kids and the “biggest kids” (you? Grandpa?) ;)
• one absolute favorite series that you should just grab right this minute

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/117/.