Read-Aloud Revival ®

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 Caroline Starr Rose, author of our newest Waxwing Books release, Books Up the Mountain: A Packhorse Librarian Story. Caroline is an author and editor of middle grade and picture books, and in our conversation she talks about the real-life program that inspired Books Up the Mountain, the scavenger hunt process of researching historical fiction, and writing stories that honor children and their experiences.

In this episode, you’ll hear: 
About the Great Depression-era librarians whose work and communities inspired Caroline to create The Book Woman
Why Caroline finds writing for children such lifegiving and compelling work 
The challenges presented by writing historical novels versus picture books, and what makes “picture book alchemy”

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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/becoming-a-book-woman

How long is your to-do list? 

What if you added in all the extra shoulds and supposed-tos that you are in your head but you don’t even write down because that would be too overwhelming? How long is it then?

It might feel a little cliché to talk about how busy we are. But I think it’s helpful to acknowledge that most of us are at least a little bit (or more) fried. 

So why do we do this to ourselves? Why do we keep piling things onto our to-do lists?

If you take a closer look at your list, I think you’ll find that underneath that busyness, the reason is relationships. Your list is long because you love your kids, and you want them to feel loved and supported by the things you do for them, from teaching to cooking to cleaning to working outside the home. 

But a hard truth I’ve learned in nearly 25 (!!) years of motherhood is that restless busyness can make it harder to do the things that actually allow us to nurture our kids, develop fruitful relationships with them, and model God’s love.

Today on the show, I want to help you find some rest in the mess so you can show up in all of your relationships with more peace and even, dare I say it… joy. 

To do that, I’m going to let you in on some of our favorite moments from Circle With Sarah over the last year. Circle With Sarah is one of our Read-Aloud Revival Premium members' favorite features. It’s a private podcast, live virtual events, and biannual virtual retreats all designed to support you in the journey you’ve chosen as a mom.

In this episode, you’ll hear: 
Shifting your focus to how far you’ve come from how far you have left to go
A simple exercise for getting to the root of worry and learning to trust that what we do is enough 
Tips for reframing interruptions, prioritizing rest and connection

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:
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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/finding-rest-in-the-mess

Here at the Read-Aloud Revival, we’ve been asked more times than I can count to create virtue-based book lists. And I always say no.
Today, our Creative Director (and my eldest daughter) Audrey is back with me to talk about why we don’t make lists of books that specifically set out to teach kids about kindness, honesty, or other virtues. 
The reality is, all good books have a powerful capacity to inspire us towards virtue, and the ones that are the most effective are the ones that don’t set out to teach. They just set out to tell a good story. Good stories, by their nature, form us in virtue.
We’re going to talk about what makes a story formational, and of course, share some of our favorite books that have been formative in our family.
In this episode, you’ll hear: 
Why learning virtue doesn’t need a lesson plan or bullet points, and can even be delightful
How stories invite us into the experiences of others, with all their human strengths and weaknesses
The guiding question behind every book recommendation we make at RAR

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:
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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/books-forming-virtue

When you think about the various work that goes into making a children’s book, research probably isn’t at the top of your list. 

It might not make it on your list at all!

But research is often an essential part of the process. And I can tell you from personal experience that research can be a time-intensive, sometimes overwhelming, but often the most delightful task. 

Today on the show, we’re hearing from some incredible authors and illustrators about the research that goes into children’s books. Whether you’re an aspiring author or a curious reader, you’re in for some surprises.

In this episode, you’ll hear: 
Two big reasons why authors do research, whether they’re writing a biography, historical fiction, or even fantasy!
How every research question can be a doorway, from talking with subject matter experts to primary sources to searching your own heart and mind
The challenges and opportunities in having too little or too much information available about a person or topic

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:
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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/sparking-creativity-with-research

When I mention Shakespeare, a lot of people immediately conjure up visions of high school English class, struggling through Julius Caesar line by line.
Which is an absolute shame, because Shakespeare’s plays are meant to be experienced–performed, seen, heard, felt. 
And experiencing Shakespeare with your kids is truly one of the most joyful things you can do together.

Today, I’m returning to my conversation with one of my favorite Shakespeare lovers, Ken Ludwig.
Ken is the author of How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare and one of our most celebrated, widely-performed playwrights. His plays are performed every single night of the year, and his enthusiasm for Shakespeare is utterly contagious and in this episode, we not only nerd out about our favorite plays, but share how to make teaching Shakespeare a true delight for you and your children.
In this episode, you’ll hear: 
Easy tips for breaking down passages for young kids to make them fun and memorable
Why Shakespeare is the best way to introduce children to complex, inventive, and beautiful language  
How Shakespeare’s work informs all of the English literature (and plays and TV and movies!) that followed it

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:
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Waxwing Books
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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/joy-of-shakespeare