What if I told you there’s an Icelandic Christmas tradition where the whole point is to spend an evening sitting around, sipping hot cocoa, and reading books? Sign me up, right? Today, we’re talking about Jolabokaflod, which loosely translates to “Yule Book Flood,” how it started, and how you can bring the magic of this bookish tradition into your home this Christmas. In this episode, you’ll hear: * Where the Icelandic Yule Book Flood first began * How Jolabokaflod is an invitation to slow down and connect with each other during the busy Christmas season * The only three things you need for your Jolabokaflod, plus tips from RAR members on how they celebrate Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie: * Read-Aloud Revival * Waxwing Books * Subscribe to the Newsletter Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/icelandic-christmas

We all know there is no shortage of Christmas picture books out there. But for a book to make it onto my kids’ Christmas stack or onto a Read Aloud Revival Christmas Book List, it has to be excellent. And the books we choose for Christmas School? Those are the ones that go above and beyond excellent and are some of our most treasured, tippy-top favorite Christmas read-alouds. Today, I have the author-illustrator of one of my all-time favorite Christmas picture books, Red and Lulu, with me. You might recognize Matt Tavares from his beloved books Zachary's Ball, Becoming Babe Ruth, or Growing Up Pedro or from his delightful Christmas books in the Dasher series. He’s here to tell us all about his writing and illustrating process, why he loves writing Christmas picture books, and how he created the enchanting journey of Red and Lulu. In this episode, you’ll hear: * How he sets the mood for creating snowy, winter scenes even in the middle of summer * What Matt always keeps in mind about his audience when writing picture books * The inspiration behind the tale of Red and Lulu and their journey to New York City Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie: * Read-Aloud Revival * Waxwing Books * Subscribe to the Newsletter Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/matt-tavares

Hey hey, it's Sarah Mackenzie! I am here with a bonus episode. I host another podcast — it's called Circle with Sarah— and it's a short, weekly podcast that helps all of us become the peace-filled, joyful mamas we're called to be. It goes up at RAR Premium every Monday during the school year. Recently, I recorded an episode for that podcast called "God is Not Disappointed in You." And not only did it really resonate with RAR Premium members, but we got several requests from members to please post this on the Read-Aloud Revival podcast so they could share it with their friends even if their friends weren't inside RAR Premium. Here's the episode: In our recent Circle with Sarah Retreat, you were all invited to submit questions about maintaining peace in your homeschool, because of course that was our theme, and so many of you did! It has been just a complete joy to read through those and consider them. Almost 120 questions came in actually, and we were only able to touch on a few during the retreat, and then we touched on a few more in our last Circle with Sarah Live. But as I was reading through your questions and just prayerfully considering how to answer them, one thing jumped out at me over and over again. I mentioned it, actually, at the very end of the September Circle with Sarah Live. It's this pervasive fear that so many of us have that really feeds into our anxiety about our homeschools and our kids and our parenting and our worry that we're not doing a good enough job with any of it. And the underlying belief that is a problem here is that we believe that God is disappointed in us as homeschooling moms, that we're failing Him, and He's disappointed. And I think this fear is probably exaggerated somewhat for us if we had a father or really any authority figure over us at any point in our lives who did express chronic disappointment in us. I think then it's very easy to translate that into feeling like God must also be feeling disappointed in us. That seems like the easiest thing to believe, like the truest thing. But listen to me, God is not disappointed in you. He is not surprised by anything you are facing in your life, your motherhood, your homeschool, your marriage, any of it. He's not surprised by any of it. On your absolute worst days, He's not surprised by how you acted or reacted. He already knows the worst and hardest and most challenging things that you are facing right now, and He loves you and He's calling you to this work anyway. He actually never asks us to be good enough. And He never asks us to get this just right. And I think it's worth remembering that He didn't actually think you would do a better job than you're doing. He's all knowing. He's sovereign. He didn't think you'd do a better job than you're doing at anything, in any part of your life. And He's not disappointed in you. I wonder if you can sit with that for just a second, like really sit with it? I want to read from Psalm 103: "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love." Later in that same psalm we read, "For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust." So He knows who we are. He knows our capabilities, He knows our limits, He knows our frame, and He remembers that we are dust. And yet He is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love. I wonder if you can say that out loud to yourself. God is not disappointed in me. Try it. How did that feel? Did it feel true? Did your voice wobble? Did you feel choked up? Did you feel like, I don't know if that's true? Listen, this is what you can say to yourself and know it is true. God is not disappointed in me. He is not disappointed in my kids. He is not disappointed in my homeschool. He is not disappointed in how I cook or how badly I cook. He is not disappointed in how clean I keep the house or how much laundry I got done this week, or whether I even touched it at all. Whether I ever follow through on teaching my kids chores or following up on that character issue or taking care of the parenting issues that are screaming at us in the face. He is not disappointed in how often I read aloud or how much homeschool we got done, or how many activities my kids are in, or whether my kids are still in their pajamas at 4:00 PM. None of this is a disappointment or a surprise to Him. He loves me. He loves you. And He promises us peace that transcends all understanding. That's a big one so I'm just going to leave us here today. We're going to come back to it again next week. But I wonder if at different points during your week, you can remind yourself, God is not disappointed in me. Write it on a post-it. Put it in a few different places. Put it wherever you brush your teeth. Put it where you wash your dishes, put it in the car when you're getting in the car to take your kids to activities or run an errand. Put it by your coffee pot in the morning. God is not disappointed in me. Write it down. See if you can maybe start to believe that this week and we'll circle back to it next week. You have everything you need to teach with peace that transcends with all understanding. You were made for this life. I'm praying for you. --- If you want a podcast episode like this to start each week on the right foot, you probably want RAR Premium—that's where you get access to the CWS podcast. Find out more at rarpremium.com or circlewithsarah.com.

Have you ever worried that you’re not meeting all of your child’s needs—academically, emotionally, spiritually, or even socially? Pretty much every day, right? You’re not alone. Most of us have asked ourselves if we are giving our kids everything they need at one time or another. In this episode, I’m sharing a replay from one of our Circle with Sarah live sessions where RAR Community Manager Kelsey Murphy and I dug into what education is really for, because if we know what it’s for, we’re better able to answer if we’re meeting our children’s needs. I hope this conversation helps you reimagine your kids’ education in a way that eases your worries and reminds you that education is about relationships, not checklists, and that is very good news. Circle with Sarah is my homeschool mentoring program within RAR Premium. Every Monday, members get a quick five to ten minute podcast with just the encouragement they need to be the peace-filled, joyful homeschool mom they’re called to be. Learn more here. In this episode, you’ll hear: * Why education is not about meeting all of your child’s potential needs, but about love and relationships * The three pillars of connection that form the bedrock of our homeschools * Simple, practical ways to weave those three pillars into your daily life Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie: * Read-Aloud Revival * Waxwing Books * Subscribe to the Newsletter Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/education-is-for-love

Many of you will already know that I am a huge fan of The Chronicles of Narnia. Today, I want to introduce my fellow Narnia lovers to a new book that jumped right off the shelf as soon as I saw it. Giant is a middle-grade novel by debut author Judith McQuoid where we meet Davy, a fictional working class boy from East Belfast, Ireland who is sent to work in the wealthy Lewis household in 1908. There, he forges a friendship with Jacks–as C.S. Lewis was known to his friends and family–over books, stories, and building worlds of imagination and adventure. Giant is a must-read for Narnia fans that adds a whole new depth of experience to C.S. Lewis’s world and will help you read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in a fresh way. And today, I’m chatting with the author about what inspired her to write the book, how much of the story is fictionalized, and how the process of writing the book shaped her identity. And you’re going to love her Irish accent! In this episode, you’ll hear: * The way her dad’s love of Narnia and Lewis’s Belfast heritage inspired Judith to write this story * How Judith started with a “skeleton” draft and added layers of detail and depth with revisions * The faith that carried Judith through the ups and downs of creating Giant Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie: * Read-Aloud Revival * Waxwing Books * Subscribe to the Newsletter Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/judith-mcquoid

Astrid Sheckels continues the wit and whimsy of childhood through her marvelous and magnificent illustrations and storytelling. You might recognize her from the Hector Fox and Friends series or Sea Dog and Sea Dog Rescue, and she created the gorgeous cover and interior illustrations for Beyond Mulberry Glen by Millie Florence. Today we’re chatting about her new book, Flora and the Jazzers, which Kirkus called “sumptuously illustrated” in their starred review and I couldn’t agree more. This jazz-age Cinderella story starring a ferret named Flora and set in a 1920s New York hotel is going to blow you away, I just know it. Astrid is a New Englander who loves to paint animals in clothes, so clearly she is a woman after my own heart, and I just know you’ll fall in love with her too. In this episode, you’ll hear: * How childhood family read-alouds instilled a love for stories in Astrid * The way one of Astrid’s earliest childhood drawings became the inspiration for Flora * Why a sketchbook is an ideal tool for budding creatives Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie: * Read-Aloud Revival * Waxwing Books * Subscribe to the Newsletter Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/astrid-sheckels

Peace. It sounds lovely, right? It’s what so many of us want more than anything else in our homeschools. We long for peace, even if it often feels unattainable. But what does peace actually look like in the midst of a real, chaotic homeschool day? Last month in Circle with Sarah–my mentoring program for homeschool moms inside RAR Premium–we had a retreat. And our theme? Maintaining Peace in Your Homeschool. Over four sessions, we walked through practical tips for letting go of guilt and holding onto peace when your day doesn’t go as planned–which we all know is basically every hour of every day, right? Today, I’m sharing the first session of the retreat, called “What Do We Mean by Peace?” I hope you find encouragement for maintaining peace within the everyday rhythms of homeschooling and that you get a better picture of the peace that’s available to you right here, right now, regardless of the circumstances you find yourself in. And if you want to check out the rest of the retreat, all of the sessions are available now as part of RAR Premium (Join us right here!). In this episode, you’ll hear: * The real definition of peace (hint: it’s not always calm and quiet!) * Our primary responsibility as moms and homeschoolers * How our fears cause us to lose hold of peace Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie: * Read-Aloud Revival * Waxwing Books * Subscribe to the Newsletter Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/peace

What does having a happy homeschool mean to you? How would you describe it? What would you be doing? Our homeschools are all unique. We have different kids, different spouses, different resources, different homes, different demands on our time and energy. And yet I have a hunch that when we think about what having a happy homeschool means, our answers would be remarkably similar. As many of us are getting into the swing of a new school year, I want to revisit a topic that I think is incredibly important to keep in mind so that you can actually enjoy your homeschool this year. In this episode, you’ll hear: * The one word we want our homeschools to emulate * Why your peace and contentment as a homeschool mama matters more than curriculum * The five things moms told us again and again about having a happy homeschool (with a handy acronym!) Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie: * Read-Aloud Revival * Waxwing Books * Subscribe to the Newsletter Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/homeschool-habits

Today, I have a very special treat for you! This spring, our publishing imprint here at RAR, Waxwing Books, celebrated the release of Painting Wonder: How Pauline Baynes Illustrated the Worlds of C. S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien at one of my favorite bookstores, Fabled Bookshop in Waco, Texas. I had so much fun talking to Painting Wonder’s incredibly talented author and illustrator, Katie Wray Schon, about this picture book biography of the fascinating woman behind the iconic illustrations in the works of C. S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. We knew this conversation would be too good to keep to ourselves, so we recorded it, and now we’re sharing it with you! In this episode, you’ll hear: * Why Katie wanted to write and illustrate a picture book about Pauline Baynes * Katie’s process for writing, illustrating, and revising a page-turning book * What Katie would go back and tell her younger self, plus her favorite resources for aspiring authors and 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/painting-wonder-launch

One of the all-time most useful things I’ve implemented in my homeschool is Quiet Reading Time. I did Quiet Reading Time with my three eldest kids, who are now in college and beyond, during the most hectic years when I had all six at home (three of whom were babies at the time!), and I still do it with those younger three today. It has made a bigger difference in our homeschool than almost anything else. It isn’t always quiet. And it isn’t always reading, in the most traditional sense. But it is incredibly effective, and it’s still my kids’ favorite part of the day. In this episode, I’m going to talk all about how to bring Quiet Reading Time into your homeschool. In this episode, you’ll hear: * Why and how Quiet Reading Time can simplify your curriculum * What Quiet Reading Time does for your kids (and for you!) * How to manage reading time with littles underfoot Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie: * Read-Aloud Revival * Waxwing Books * Subscribe to the Newsletter Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/quiet-reading-time

Summer break . . . It’s often not much of a break, right? Even if you find yourself with a little less on your plate, anxiety and second-guessing have a way of filling the gaps where we want rest and relaxation to fill. To find peace that lasts throughout the school year, we can’t just “take a break.” We need to break free from the stories and fears that keep us mired in anxiety. When homeschooling moms ask me for advice, they rarely need advice. What they’re really asking for is reassurance, a chance to take a breath and let go of anxiety or fear, so they can trust themselves and trust that the Holy Spirit will guide them. Today the RAR team selected some of our favorite pieces of wisdom on the theme of rest and reassurance from the RAR Premium private podcast, Circle with Sarah. Think of this episode as a little vacation for your homeschooling heart. In this episode, you’ll hear: * How acting like we know we're loved helps us let go of anxiety * What we’re actually responsible for when it comes to raising our kids * How you know when you’re doing enough in your homeschool Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie: * Read-Aloud Revival * Waxwing Books * Subscribe to the Newsletter Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/vacation-for-your-heart

Have you ever read a book and thought, “Wow, how did the author do that?!” Or maybe you’d love to sit down with your favorite author and pick their brain about their writing process or tips and tricks for when you get stuck. Today, the Read-Aloud Revival team has compiled some of our favorite advice about getting creative from the archives of RAR Premium’s Family Book Clubs. Whether you write, draw, paint, or engage in any other creative pursuit, and whether you’re seven or seventy-seven–and every age in between–there’s something here to help you get your creative juices flowing. In this episode, you’ll hear: * Tips for staying with the struggle and keeping the joy in your creativity * How to create a satisfying story * Advice for getting ideas, when to ignore your outline, and loving the process Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie: * Read-Aloud Revival * Waxwing Books * Subscribe to the Newsletter Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/writing-advice

If you’ve been around the Read-Aloud Revival for a minute, you might know that C. S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters is one of my all-time favorite books. It’s the book I have read and re-read the most, and it’s also the source of some of my favorite read-aloud memories with my young adult son. Today’s guest has written a book in a similar style with the modern woman in mind, and in this episode we talk about how the enemy is working the hearts and minds of women today. Emily Wilson Hussem is the author of Sincerely Stoneheart: Unmask the Enemy’s Lies, Find the Truth That Sets You Free, as well as a speaker and YouTuber who shares her faith around the world. It was a delight to have her on the show. In this episode, you’ll hear: * How Emily adapted C. S. Lewis’s format to get to the heart of the most common struggles in women’s lives * Why embracing friendship, connection, and community is key to thriving as women and mothers * The ways distraction, comparison, and dissatisfaction all pull us away from living in the truth of our identities as beloved daughters of God Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie: * Read-Aloud Revival * Waxwing Books * Subscribe to the Newsletter Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/emily-wilson

On the last episode of the Read-Aloud Revival, we talked about why Shakespeare is not a school subject. I hope we were able to convince you! But if we know that Shakespeare isn’t a school subject or an item on a checklist, how do we actually do it? And how do we make Shakespeare not just doable in our homeschools, but delightful? Today, we’ll talk through a simple framework your family can use to experience one of the richest and most rewarding literary treasures in the world in a way that is absolutely magical and a whole lot of fun. I'm willing to bet that if you implement the framework that we discuss in this episode, you won’t mistake Shakespeare for a school subject ever again! In this episode, you’ll hear: * Why we don’t start teaching Shakespeare with the original text * Simple, easy ways to build connections with Shakespeare’s works and with each other * How incorporating performance makes Shakespeare come alive for the whole family 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-to-shakespeare

When most of us hear the name “Shakespeare,” we probably think back to a high school classroom, fluorescent lights buzzing overhead, while we struggled through Romeo and Juliet line by line—“wherefore art thou” and all that. But here’s the truth: Shakespeare was never meant to be dissected like a frog under a microscope. His work, in fact, was never meant to be read AT ALL. He meant for his plays to be experienced. To be performed, seen, heard, and felt. We tend to think of Shakespeare as a school subject. Or that we should read it as part of a rich literature curriculum in order for our children to be well-versed academically. While Shakespeare’s plays are part of a rich literary heritage, I want to make a case today that Shakespeare is not a subject at all. It’s not a thing you “should” do in your homeschool to have well-educated kids. Today, I want to talk about why experiencing Shakespeare with your kids might be one of the most joyful things you ever do together. And one of my very favorite people, Ken Ludwig, celebrated playwright, fellow Shakespeare nerd, and author of How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, joins me to help me make my case. In this episode, you’ll hear: * What traditional classrooms often get wrong when introducing Shakespeare * Why Ken recommends having kids start with reciting and memorizing passages * How Shakespeare provides an entry to point to learning and loving complex language Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie: * Read-Aloud Revival * Waxwing Books * Subscribe to the Newsletter Find the rest of the show notes: readaloudrevival.com/shakespeare-is-not-school