Some of us love ancient literature, especially the great Homeric epics. Others shudder at the thought. I’m in the former camp, but I haven’t always been. I dreaded reading ancient literature in high school, especially Homer’s Iliad. I remember very little other than being unimpressed. Now, as I plan to teach not only The Iliad, but The Odyssey and The Aeneid to high school students this school year, I’m girding my loins, so to speak. To date, I’ve taught Shakespeare to hundreds of students, Beowulf to a hundred or so, and countless “hard” works of poetry to my own three teenagers. There’s no magic formula, but here’s what’s worked for…

Stuff Kids Should Know draws from a popular podcast to detail the fascinating histories behind some everyday realities. Stuff Kids Should Know: The Mind-Blowing Histories of (Almost) Everything by Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant. Henry Holt, 2023, 208 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 12-15 “The world is so full of a number of things,/ I’m sure we should all be as happy as kings,” wrote Robert Louis Stevenson in a Child’s Garden of Verses. I’m always reminded of that line when paging through a book like this: a compendium of bet-you-never-thought-about-this facts from our amazing world. From the origins of Mr. Potato Head (which was,…

Gumluck the Wizard is a charming chapter-book character with some humorous misapprehensions. The Story of Gumluck the Wizard (Book One) by Adam Rex. Chronicle Books, 2023, 133 pages. Reading Level: Chapter Book, ages 6-8 Recommended for: ages 4-8 as a read-aloud, 7-10 for independent readers On Mondays, Gumluck receives visitors from town asking for help. One needs a new dress and another wants a muscly physique, and the little wizard uses magic to grant their wishes. But they’re never grateful because Gumluck always grants wishes in his own peculiar way. Not on purpose–he’s just a noodlehead. Or that’s the opinion of Helvetica, the Raven telling his story. Helvetica, readers might…

A missionary daughter in the 20th century and a pagan-born woman of ancient Israel offer two inspiring examples of faithfulness in difficult circumstances. *Pilipinto: The Jungle Adventures of a Missionary’s Daughter by Valerie Elliot Shepherd, illustrated by Jim Howard. P&R Publishing, 2023, 63 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-10 Recommended for: ages 6-10 as a read-aloud, or independent readers ages 8-12 Valerie Elliot was ten months old when her father, Jim Elliott, was murdered by men of the Waorani tribe in the Ecuadorian rain forest. Two years later, two Wao women left their violent tribe and eventually connected with Valerie’s mother Elisabeth. As she got to know them and…

Poems about nail clippings, sausages, and page numbers?! Yes, and many more. My Head Has a Bellyache and More Nonsense by Chris Harris, illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi. Little, Brown and Company, 2023. 192 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, Ages 10-12 Recommended For: Ages 10-12 This morning I offered my boys “Mom bucks” to see how many poems they could recite out of the many we’ve reviewed over the years. They each got a handful, or at least a couple, out of the collection in my binder. What were they MOST eager to recite? Poems by Chris Harris. They’ve been stealing his new book off my desk before I had a…

An excellent introduction to P. G. Wodehouse via his short stories and one delightful novella. The Most of P.G. Wodehouse by P. G. Wodehouse, Touchstone, 2000.  672 pages.  Reading Level:  Young Adults, Ages 12-adultRecommended For: Ages 14-up In this collection, you will find Bertie Wooster, the none-too-clever British aristocrat, and his brilliant valet, Jeeves. Encounter hapless members of The Drones Club. Sit down with Mr. Mulliner (always ready with a relevant story about some relation). Meet the enterprising Stanley Ukridge, and the eccentric Lord Emsworth of Blandings Castle. And in addition to this plethora of characters, don’t forget the golf stories. (I don’t play golf, but still remember chuckling over the stories included…

A new edition of the Westminster Shorter Catechism uses cartoon illustrations as an aid to understanding and discussion. *The Illustrated Westminster Shorter Catechism in Modern English, illustrated by Paul Cox. P&R Publishing, 2023, 123 pages Reading Level: Middle grades ages 8-10 Recommended for: ages 6-10 as a read-aloud, ages 8-12 for independent study and memorization “Catechizing” is a time-tested method of teaching that came into its own during the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther, Zacharias Ursinus, and Philipp Melanchthon all wrote or contributed to catechisms, but the “Westminster Divines,” called together in 1646 to compose a comprehensive confession, wrote not one but two catechisms for the instruction of the people. The…

Fascinating, familiar specimens of insects AND arachnids are found in this lovely guide for young naturalists. A Kid’s Guide to Backyard Bugs by Eliza Berkowitz, illustrated by Nicole LaRue. Gibbs Smith, 2023. 96 pages. Reading Level: Picture Books, Ages 8-10 Recommended For: Ages 8-10 Forty fascinating, familiar specimens of insects AND arachnids are found in this lovely, kid-friendly guide. Each page spread features an illustration, the common name, family or scientific name, description, food, life-cycle, habitat, size, and fun (or not so fun) facts about small creatures that may be found in many parts of the United States. The book begins with how to build a bug hotel with an…

Those of us who homeschool admire the one-room schoolhouse model of previous centuries. With simple resources, a wide-range of ages, and a school year that fit the needs of the community, one male or female teacher reigned in the classroom. …Unless there were “big boys” whose sole purpose in showing up seemed to be disturbing the peace. Thankfully my older sons are not seeking to physically throw me out (they do challenge my authority on occasion, but they don’t storm the aisle while pushing up their sleeves), but over the years I have found it curious how many literary classics include a schoolroom battle, either physical or psychological. Usually the…