The now-classic Asterix comic series receives an American gloss in a new edition. Astrix Omnibus #1, 2, and 3 by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. Papercutz (American edition), 2020, 152 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 8-up Back in 1959, a feisty, pint-sized character with superhuman strength hit the European comics market. This was before comic books became “graphic novels”; otherwise the book-length adventures of a ca. 50 B.C. Gaul would qualify as a graphic novel, though a distinctly unserious one. The series was launched as a European answer to an art form developed around American superheroes and villains. But Asterix was an unusual superhero: with…

Are You Homeschooling in 2020? This school year is starting off like no other, isn’t it? My husband and I both grew up attending private schools. I earned a teaching degree in college (and later a school library degree), and I’ve worked in both public and private institutions. I love school: the traditional calendar, the hubbub of teachers and students, the pep rallies, the clubs, the classes…. I also swore I’d never homeschool. But the Lord has a way of steering our lives in different directions, doesn’t he? Five years ago, we made the decision to homeschool mid-year, with one week’s notice. We were moving across the country, didn’t know…

This is a dangerous post. If you’re like me, you’ll see the resources that our family has chosen and think “Ooh, THAT’s what I need to improve my life!” I can’t promise you that, any more than an instant pot cookbook will revolutionize your meal planning. But I can show you a few resources that have enriched us over the years. These are some of my favorites, the ones I have NEVER regretted spending money on. My goal is to just serve dinner. I long to spread a feast of music, art, and literature before my children. I wish I could inspire their souls with sensory excellence, but reality falls…

Wink, a highly-praised novel for middle-graders, offers a realistic yet engaging look at coping with cancer. Wink by Rob Harrell. Dial, 2020, 314 pages Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 12-15 Ross Maloy’s summer was going along as usual when he suddenly developed an abnormal swelling above his left eye. Turns out, it’s a tumor. Turns out, it’s malignant. Turns out, Ross has to begin 7th grade with umpteen radiation treatments ahead of him and a host of gross side effects. These include a permanent squint, leaky eye goop, and mandated wide-brimmed hats to protect his ultra-sensitive vision. And oh yes, he might go blind. Or even…