The Blackbird Girls by Anne Blankman

Title: The Blackbird Girls

Author: Anne Blankman

Publisher: Viking 2020

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

Pages: 345

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR

On a spring morning, neighbors Valentina Kaplan and Oksana Savchenko wake up to an angry red sky. A reactor at the nuclear power plant where their fathers work--Chernobyl--has exploded. Before they know it, the two girls, who've always been enemies, find themselves on a train bound for Leningrad to stay with Valentina's estranged grandmother, Rita Grigorievna. In their new lives in Leningrad, they begin to learn what it means to trust another person. Oksana must face the lies her parents told her all her life. Valentina must keep her grandmother's secret, one that could put all their lives in danger. And both of them discover something they've wished for: a best friend. But how far would you go to save your best friend's life? Would you risk your own?

Told in alternating perspectives among three girls--Valentina and Oksana in 1986 and Rifka in 1941--this story shows that hatred, intolerance, and oppression are no match for the power of true friendship.

Another middle grade March selection that was really fantastic. I really enjoyed this beautiful tale of survival and friendship. Right away we are thrust into a difficult situation for both Oksana and Valentina and follow them as they grow more and more independent in their thinking and lives. I loved to see the interaction between the girls as they create a bond of friendship. The Soviet Union of the 1980s is not an era that I know much about but I feel like I learned so much through their eyes. We will definitely have to revisit this one when we get to that era in our history study.

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Next up on the TBR pile:

How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu

Title: How High We Go in the Dark

Author: Sequoia Nagamatsu

Publisher: William Morrow 2022

Genre: Speculative Fiction

Pages: 304

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR List

For fans of Cloud Atlas and Station Eleven, a spellbinding and profoundly prescient debut that follows a cast of intricately linked characters over hundreds of years as humanity struggles to rebuild itself in the aftermath of a climate plague—a daring and deeply heartfelt work of mind-bending imagination from a singular new voice. In 2030, a grieving archeologist arrives in the Arctic Circle to continue the work of his recently deceased daughter at the Batagaika Crater, where researchers are studying long-buried secrets now revealed in melting permafrost, including the perfectly preserved remains of a girl who appears to have died of an ancient virus. Once unleashed, the Arctic plague will reshape life on Earth for generations to come, quickly traversing the globe, forcing humanity to devise a myriad of moving and inventive ways to embrace possibility in the face of tragedy. In a theme park designed for terminally ill children, a cynical employee falls in love with a mother desperate to hold on to her infected son. A heartbroken scientist searching for a cure finds a second chance at fatherhood when one of his test subjects—a pig—develops the capacity for human speech. A widowed painter and her teenaged granddaughter embark on a cosmic quest to locate a new home planet. From funerary skyscrapers to hotels for the dead to interstellar starships, Sequoia Nagamatsu takes readers on a wildly original and compassionate journey, spanning continents, centuries, and even celestial bodies to tell a story about the resilience of the human spirit, our infinite capacity to dream, and the connective threads that tie us all together in the universe.

I’m not exactly sure how to review this book. I do know that I loved it and have been talking about it nonstop. There are some very heavy themes in here and it’s definitely not for HSPs. There are many parallels to our current pandemic that made me think about our future and how people have responded to events. I imagine that I will be thinking about this book for many days to come. I’m participating in a zoom conversation at the beginning of April. Maybe I will solidify my thoughts by that time. Overall, I found this collection of connecting stories to be absolutely amazing.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Lion of Mars by Jennifer L. Holm

Title: The Lion of Mars

Author: Jennifer L. Holm

Publisher: Random House 2021

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

Pages: 259

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Bell has spent his whole life--all eleven years of it--on Mars. But he's still just a regular kid--he loves cats and any kind of cake, and is curious about the secrets the adults in the US colony are keeping. Like, why don't they have contact with anyone on the other Mars colonies? Why are they so isolated? When a virus breaks out and the grown-ups all fall ill, Bell and the other children are the only ones who can help. It's up to Bell--a regular kid in a very different world--to uncover the truth and save his family...and possibly unite an entire planet.

Another delightful middle grade adventure story. I read this one in one sitting on a rainy morning. We get to follow Bell as he lives life on the Mars colony, experiences challenges and mysteries, and ultimate finds his place and home. There is death in this book, but it’s done very gently. There is a mystery, but it’s not very scary. And there’s a bunch of interesting side character. I really loved Flossy! I got to the last page and immediately pressed it into Arthur’s hands to read next.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #5

Reading: The Blackbird Girls by Anna Blankman, so far a very stressful but good story about two girls in the aftermath of the Chernobyl meltdown.

Watching: We started Severance S1 and it is so weird.. We love it!

Listening: Really I’m just listening to the usual podcasts. Nothing that exciting.

Making: March is almost over. That means that I’m making plans for my April reading. I really really need to read from my shelves, but I keep getting distracted by shiny new library books.

Feeling: I’m doing okay right now. Feeling a bit of a lull.

Planning: We’re over halfway through the semester. It’s about time to do a survey to start planning our next year.

Loving: We ordered a lemon cake for J’s birthday (a week earlier), and it was incredibly delicious.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Homeschool W26: We Had a Week...

What We Studied

So… we had a week. Overall, it was that exciting, but we made it through the week with a few fun outings.

Literature and Poetry

We started a new read aloud and do a few literature studies this week. A fairly normal week when it came to language.

City of the Plague God by Sarwat Chadda
Poetry for Young People: Robert Frost by Gary D. Schmidt
Me… Jane by Patrick McDinnell
Sally Jean, Bicycle Queen by Cari Best
Superworm by Julia Donaldson
Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens

Math

Arthur covered Unit 11: Data Analysis for math. It was a short unit,. but we worked through all the problems.

Logic Countdown

Social Studies

This chapter of History Quest focused on the Renaissance. We covered a lot of the art and architecture and compared to the earlier Medieval period. Arthur was very focused on Brunelleshi’s cathedral in Florence.

DK Timelines of Everyone
When on Earth
DK History
DK Timelines of Everything
Human World
Leonardo da Vinci by Stephen Krensky
Leonardo da Vinci by Mary Pope Osborne
Renaissance by Alison Cole

Arthur Independent Time

To allow for one-on-one time with Quentin, I have added an hour of independent work time for Arthur. Each week, he will have a mix of packet work (mostly grammar and math review), independent reading time, and special projects. Many of his projects will be aligned with our literature selections (some taken from B&R Language Arts curriculum) and history.

Science and STEAM Coop

For coop, we talked about first responders and had talk from a local wildlife rescue group. I learned a lot, but the boys were a bit more interested in the crafts we did. Beyond that, we did read some other books and chatted about a variety of first responders.

Show Me Community Helpers by Clint Edwards
Helping Hospital by Lindsay Ward
Real Superheroes by Julia Seal
First Responders by Allan B. Cobb
Itty Bitty Kitty Firehouse Fun by Joan Holub

Art/Music

None this week

Quentin

I have scheduled at least four 1-hour time blocks for one-on-one time with Quentin. I bought Blossom and Root’s Early Years Volume 2 curriculum to use as our base. I love the variety of activities and some of the bigger projects included. Q finished Sh, Ch, and Th digraphs and started moving into Level 1 readers. We kept working on math skills and pencil control.

ELA

Song of the Wild: A First Book of Animals by Nicola Davies
Biscuit Feeds the Pets by Alyssia Satin Capucilli (Q reads)
A Snowy Day in Bugland by David A. Carter (Q reads)
Summer Story by Jill Barklem
Autumn Story by Jill Barklem
High Five April 2018
High Five September 2018
Farming by Gail Gibbons
Night on the Farm
In! Over! and On! (The Farm) by Ethan Long
Spring on the Farm by MJ York
Go to Sleep, Little Farm by Mary Lyn Ray
On the Farm by David Elliott
Poo on the Farm by Emilie Dufresne
On the Farm, At the Market by G. Brian Karas
Old MacDonald had a Farm by Jane Cabrera

Math

Lollipop Logic Book 1

Other

I Spy Learn and Go
Smart Start Beginning Coding Grade 1

Field Trip

On Monday we took the morning for errands and also hit the park for about an hour or so. It was a bit chilly, but not bad at all. The boys really needed some time to run.

Wednesday was a nature hike at Schramm with some coop friends. We did the 3 mile loop, had a picnic, played at the playground, and looked for fossils. It was a glorious 4 1/2 hours out in nature.

Documentary Selection

I have carved out a one hour time block each week to watch a documentary related to our studies.

Misc. Picture Books Read

Turtle Pond by James Gladstone
The Little Piggy Went Dancing by Margaret Wild
Cecil the Pet Glacier by Matthea Harvey and Giselle Potter
15 Things NOT to Do with a Puppy by Margaret McAllister
Anzu the Great Kaiju by Benson Shum

High

The hike through the woods on Wednesday was absolutely amazing! The boys had a great time with friends and so did I!

Low

We didn’t get around to our earth science lesson this week and now we’re slightly behind. I don’t like being behind. Thankfully, we have a “break week” next week. I have very glad that I built in breaks in our scheduled lessons to catch up when we get behind.

Next Week

Starting 3B Unit 12 for geometry
Continuing reading City of the Plague God
Finishing up first responders for coop
Diving into rocks and minerals for science
Covering the Kiev Russia for history
Taking Thursday off after coop
Looking forward to a nature hike on Friday

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Bad Omens "Like a Villain"

I cannot get this song out my head. So very good.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Winter Bucket List Finish

After taking a bit of a break from bucket lists in 2021 (seriously, that year was a trash fire), I’m back this year. We have a variety of projects that we want to accomplish this coming year and I want to make some intentions for each season. For winter:

Check off 150 hours of our 1000 hours outside project - Fail. The weather was really against me here. We did manage to get over 25 hours this season, but no where near my goal.
Have a birthday day out for my 40th! ✓ - It was glorious!
Weekend trip to Chicago
Read 50 books ✓
Day trip to Des Moines
At least 6 zoo visits (3/6)
Trip to see the frozen waterfall at Platte
Movie Month February ✓
Weekly Game Day/Night with Arthur ✓
Make winter crafts
Design board for future kitchen renovation
Make Valentine’s ✓
Have a monthly (indoor) picnic
Finish one craft project ✓
Monthly bingo/trivia nights ✓
Go sledding
Buy a new Nebraska State Park permit ✓
Do a donation drop - I’ve done a toy cleanup, just need to gather some more things before doing the drop.
Take the kids bowling
Dye my hair purple - Fail for this season, but I do have an appointment for next week!
Log 50 miles on the treadmill
Learn to knit
Replace 50% of my socks ✓
Make homemade cinnamon rolls
Complete 3 television series ✓

Up Next on the TBR:

Spring Bucket List

After taking a bit of a break from bucket lists in 2021 (seriously, that year was a trash fire), I’m back this year. We have a variety of projects that we want to accomplish this coming year and I want to make some intentions for each season. For spring:

Check off 150 hours of our 1000 hours outside project - Winter was a fail due to the weather. Here’s hoping spring cooperates at least a little bit!
Two Lincoln Excursion Days - We know we want to hit Morrill Hall again and maybe the zoo.
Three State park Visits - Trying to use that pass!
Read 50 books
Day trip to Des Moines - Carrying this over from last season.
At least 6 zoo visits
Design board for future kitchen renovation
Monthly bingo/trivia nights
Do a donation drop - Carry over from last season
Take the kids bowling or mini golfing
Log 50 miles on the treadmill
Make homemade cinnamon rolls
Plan out curriculum for next year
Plan out the Bookish Retreat!
Plan an Indiana trip for summer complete with Indianapolis mini trip
Weekend trip to Kansas
Plan a redo for our homeschool space / playroom
Do a Closet Cleanout for Me
Do a Closet Cleanup for the Kids
Work on a Craft Project

Up Next on the TBR:

The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis

Title: The Magnolia Palace

Author: Fiona Davis

Publisher:Dutton 2022

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 340

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Eight months since losing her mother in the Spanish flu outbreak of 1919, twenty-one-year-old Lillian Carter's life has completely fallen apart. For the past six years, under the moniker Angelica, Lillian was one of the most sought-after artists' models in New York City, with statues based on her figure gracing landmarks from the Plaza Hotel to the Brooklyn Bridge. But with her mother gone, a grieving Lillian is rudderless and desperate—the work has dried up and a looming scandal has left her entirely without a safe haven. So when she stumbles upon an employment opportunity at the Frick mansion—a building that, ironically, bears her own visage—Lillian jumps at the chance. But the longer she works as a private secretary to the imperious and demanding Helen Frick, the daughter and heiress of industrialist and art patron Henry Clay Frick, the more deeply her life gets intertwined with that of the family—pulling her into a tangled web of romantic trysts, stolen jewels, and family drama that runs so deep, the stakes just may be life or death.

Nearly fifty years later, mod English model Veronica Weber has her own chance to make her career—and with it, earn the money she needs to support her family back home—within the walls of the former Frick residence, now converted into one of New York City's most impressive museums. But when she—along with a charming intern/budding art curator named Joshua—is dismissed from the Vogue shoot taking place at the Frick Collection, she chances upon a series of hidden messages in the museum: messages that will lead her and Joshua on a hunt that could not only solve Veronica's financial woes, but could finally reveal the truth behind a decades-old murder in the infamous Frick family.

I’ve enjoyed Davis’s books in the past and had to pick up her newest one this week. We get a study of the Frick Mansion in NYC with our two timelines. I’m not a huge fan of dual timelines when one is in the present, but thankfully this one has two historical timelines: one in post WWI and one in the 1960s. Lillian and the cast of characters in 1919 were fascinating. I loved peeking into the Frick family at the height of their wealth and privilege. The storyline set in the 1960s was less exciting, but we get the perfect plot to wrap up the mysteries from the earlier timeline. Overall a good historical fiction centered on a real place, but I imagine that I will forget this in a few months.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris

Title: The Magic Misfits (Magic Misfits #1)

Author: Neil Patrick Harris

Publisher: Little, Brown Books 2017

Genre: MG Fantasy

Pages: 256

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

When street magician Carter runs away, he never expects to find friends and magic in a sleepy New England town. But like any good trick, things change instantly as greedy B.B. Bosso and his crew of crooked carnies arrive to steal anything and everything they can get their sticky fingers on.

After a fateful encounter with the local purveyor of illusion, Dante Vernon, Carter teams up with five other like-minded illusionists. Together, using both teamwork and magic, they'll set out to save the town of Mineral Wells from Bosso's villainous clutches. These six Magic Misfits will soon discover adventure, friendship, and their own self-worth in this delightful new series.

Oh this was such a delight! Right away we’re pulled into Carter’s story of identity and found family all wrapped up in magic. As soon as Carter meets Mr. Vernon, we know that the story is going to get moving fast. And move it does. This story in one nonstop action and adventure story full of mystery, tricks, and possibly real magic. I loved that Carter finds his place in Mineral Wells and the beginnings of a real family. We get a few clues into the larger history of Mr. Vernon and his compatriots. And we get one heck of a final act with Bosso and his gang. Immediately after I read it, I put it into Arthur’s hands and he devoured it and asked for the next one. Guess we’re adding to the library holds.

The Magic Misfits

#1 The Magic Misfits
#2 The Second Story
#3 The Minor Third
#4 The Fourth Suit

Next up on the TBR pile:

Lost Cities, Ancient Tombs edited by Ann R. Williams

Title: Lost Cities, Ancient Tombs: A History of the World in 100 Discoveries

Edited by: Ann R. Williams

Publisher: National Geographic 2021

Genre: Nonfiction - History

Pages: 512

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Blending high adventure with history, this chronicle of 100 astonishing discoveries from the Dead Sea Scrolls to the fabulous "Lost City of the Monkey God" tells incredible stories of how explorers and archaeologists have uncovered the clues that illuminate our past. Archaeology is the key that unlocks our deepest history. Ruined cities, golden treasures, cryptic inscriptions, and ornate tombs have been found across the world, and yet these artifacts of ages past often raised more questions than answers. But with the emergence of archaeology as a scientific discipline in the 19th century, everything changed. Illustrated with dazzling photographs, this enlightening narrative tells the story of human civilization through 100 key expeditions, spanning six continents and more than three million years of history. Each account relies on firsthand reports from explorers, antiquarians, and scientists as they crack secret codes, evade looters and political suppression, fall in love, commit a litany of blunders, and uncover ancient curses. Pivotal discoveries include: King Tut's tomb of treasure Terracotta warriors escorting China's first emperor into the afterlife The glorious Anglo-Saxon treasure of Sutton-Hoo Graves of the Scythians, the real Amazon warrior women New findings on the grim fate of the colonists of Jamestown.

I picked this one up off the new books shelf on a whim. I’m always up for a good book about archaeology and discovery. This one details 100 amazing discoveries starting all the way back in prehistoric times with a line of footprints. I enjoyed flipping through the pages and stopping when a topic caught my eye. I knew about most of these discoveries, but it was still nice to remind myself. This collection is perfect to those new to the topic of archaeology and those that are already steeped in it.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste

Title: The Jumbies

Author: Tracey Baptiste

Publisher: Algonquin Books 2015

Genre: MG Fantasy

Pages: 240

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Corinne La Mer claims she isn’t afraid of anything. Not scorpions, not the boys who tease her, and certainly not jumbies. They’re just tricksters made up by parents to frighten their children. Then one night Corinne chases an agouti all the way into the forbidden forest, and shining yellow eyes follow her to the edge of the trees. They couldn’t belong to a jumbie. Or could they?

When Corinne spots a beautiful stranger at the market the very next day, she knows something extraordinary is about to happen. When this same beauty, called Severine, turns up at Corinne’s house, danger is in the air. Severine plans to claim the entire island for the jumbies. Corinne must call on her courage and her friends and learn to use ancient magic she didn’t know she possessed to stop Severine and to save her island home.

I’ve heard about this one from multiple sources and finally picked it up for Middle Grade March. I loved the dive into Caribbean myths and culture. We get to meet Corinne and the various inhabitants of the island, including the non-human inhabitants. We dive right into the story and immediately encounter the danger from Severine. I loved following along as Corinne makes new friends and then finds a way to return peace and order to her island. Beautiful middle grade horror.

The Jumbies

#1 The Jumbies
#2 Rise of the Jumbies
#3 The Jumbie God’s Revenge

Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

I just figured out how to combine multiple curriculums together for Quentin. Now I need to start working on Arthur’s stuff.
Thinking it’s survey time for the coop. Working on the topics and questions this week.
Somehow dinner last night was a disaster. The rolls burned and the pork roast turned out incredibly dry. I gave up and we got takeout.
Added five shirts to my spring and summer wardrobe. Finally.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Hansel and Gretel by Neil Gaiman and Lorenzo Mattotti

Title: Hansel & Gretel

Author: Neil Gaiman

Artist: Lorenzo Mattotti

Publisher: Toon Graphics

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

Pages: 56

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Best-selling author Neil Gaiman and fine artist Lorenzo Mattotti join forces to create Hansel & Gretel, a stunning book that's at once as familiar as a dream and as evocative as a nightmare. Mattotti's sweeping ink illustrations capture the terror and longing found in the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale. Gaiman crafts an original text filled with his signature wit and pathos that is sure to become a favorite of readers everywhere, young and old.

The writing portion of this slim story was delightful. Gaiman is amazing at creating those turns of phrases that delight and haunt. The illustrations were an interesting idea, but they were very hard to parse through. Still, I’m always up for a good fairy tale retelling.

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

Title: A Marvellous Light (The Last Binding #1)

Author: Freya Marske

Publisher: Tordotcom 2021

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 384

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal TBR; Unread Shelf Project - Book Bought for the Cover

Robin Blyth has more than enough bother in his life. He’s struggling to be a good older brother, a responsible employer, and the harried baronet of a seat gutted by his late parents’ excesses. When an administrative mistake sees him named the civil service liaison to a hidden magical society, he discovers what’s been operating beneath the unextraordinary reality he’s always known.

Now Robin must contend with the beauty and danger of magic, an excruciating deadly curse, and the alarming visions of the future that come with it―not to mention Edwin Courcey, his cold and prickly counterpart in the magical bureaucracy, who clearly wishes Robin were anyone and anywhere else.

Robin’s predecessor has disappeared, and the mystery of what happened to him reveals unsettling truths about the very oldest stories they’ve been told about the land they live on and what binds it. Thrown together and facing unexpected dangers, Robin and Edwin discover a plot that threatens every magician in the British Isles―and a secret that more than one person has already died to keep.

Oh this was a delight from start to finish! I got a mix of The Magicians and Jonathan Strange, but much lighter with some great romance. We get thrown into the story and slowly start to unravel the pieces along with Robin. He was such a wonderful character that you cannot help but love him. As we get thrown into the mystery, we slowly start to meet the rest of the cast of characters. Edwin comes across as a straight-laced aristocrat, but we get to peel back the layers along with Robin. I absolutely loved their burgeoning friendship and then romance. (But be forewarned that there are some very open door steamy scenes in this book. Oh, definitely needed a fan to myself a few times.) The mystery was sufficiently intriguing and dangerous. I sped through the pages not wanting the book to end. I cannot wait for the next book in the series.

The Last Binding

#1 A Marvellous Light
#2 A Restless Truth

Next up on the TBR pile:

Snow & Rose by Emily Winfield Martin

Title: Snow & Rose

Author: Emily Winfield Martin

Publisher: Random House 2017

Genre: MG Fairytale Retelling

Pages: 213

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Snow and Rose didn’t know they were in a fairy tale. People never do. . .
Once, they lived in a big house with spectacular gardens and an army of servants.
Once, they had a father and mother who loved them more than the sun and moon.
But that was before their father disappeared into the woods and their mother disappeared into sorrow.
This is the story of two sisters and the enchanted woods that have been waiting for them to break a set of terrible spells.

I’m always up for a fairy tale retelling and this one was perfect. We get a nice retelling of the Snow White and Rose Red story set in a patch of uncanny woods. We get to see two young girls navigate their new life and the dangers outside the cabin. I loved the changes in the old tale coupled with the beautiful imagery. The small watercolors added delight to the story. I sped through this beautiful novel in an afternoon.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Apollo Murders by Chris Hadfield

Title: The Apollo Murders

Author: Chris Hadfield

Publisher: Mulholland Books 2021

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 480

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

1973: a final, top-secret mission to the Moon. Three astronauts in a tiny spaceship, a quarter million miles from home. A quarter million miles from help.

NASA is about to launch Apollo 18. While the mission has been billed as a scientific one, flight controller Kazimieras "Kaz" Zemeckis knows there is a darker objective. Intelligence has discovered a secret Soviet space station spying on America, and Apollo 18 may be the only chance to stop it.

But even as Kaz races to keep the NASA crew one step ahead of their Russian rivals, a deadly accident reveals that not everyone involved is quite who they were thought to be. With political stakes stretched to the breaking point, the White House and the Kremlin can only watch as their astronauts collide on the lunar surface, far beyond the reach of law or rescue.

I went into this book with very high hopes and unfortunately, this did not live up to my expectations. Inside this book is a great political thriller. I loved the bits that dealt with the politics of the space program. I loved the intrigue of spyycraft. And the various characters were intriguing to follow. But then, the actual text gets bogged down in the technical writing. I really did not need to know exactly how Cessna airplane actually works. I imagine that this could have been edited down at least 100 pages to help trim the fat. As it stands, I kept wanting to put it away and read something with a bit faster pace. There’s something here, I just don’t think It completely works as is.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - A Day to Remember feat. Mark Hoppus "Re-Entry"

A collab between A Day to Remember and Mark Hoppus is just amazing.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Homeschool W25: Midwest Weather Changed Our Plans

What We Studied

We had a schedule with a few field trips, but those changed due to the weather. After last weekend’s storm, the temperatures dropped dramatically and didn’t recover. It was cold and the wind made it even colder.

Our Book Outlet finally came! Lots of things for next year (except for the Beatrix Potter books).

Literature and Poetry

Finally finished Aru Shah this week and concluded our American Tall Tales unit. I really enjoyed both and I think Arthur did also.

Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi
Poetry Outside Your Window by Nicola Davies
When Green Becomes Tomatoes by Julie Fogliano
American Tall Tales by Mary Pope Osborne
The 12 Most Amazing American Myths and Legends by Anita Yasuda
Casey Jones by Stephen Krensky
Mike Fink by Steven Kellogg
Pecos Bill Tames a Colossal Cyclone by Eric Braun
Pecos Bill by Stephen Krensky
Pecos Bill, Monster Wrangler by Benjamin Harper
Pecos Bill Colossal Cowboy by Sean Tulien
John Henry Vs. the Mighty Steam Drill by Carl Meister
John Henry: An American Legend by Ezra Jack Keats
Ain't Nothing but a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry by Scott Reynolds Nelson
John Henry by Stephen Krensky
John Henry, Steel-Drivin' Elf by Benjamin Harper
Paul Bunyan by Steven Kellogg
The Tall Tale of Paul Bunyan by Martin Powell
The Bunyans by Audrey Wood
Paul Bunyan's Sweetheart by Marybeth Lorbiecki
Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Whale by Penelope Gruber
Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox: The Great Pancake Adventure by Matt Luckhurst
Paul Bunyan vs. Hals Halson: The Great Lumberjack Challenge! by Teresa Bateman

Both boys had successful dentist appointments

Math

We sped through Unit 10 about time. Really it was a big review while ago doing some more adding and subtracting time.

Logic Countdown

Social Studies

We ended up not actually doing our history unit this week. No big deal, we’ll just push it a week. This is why I add in “break” weeks to our schedule. Gives us a lot of flexibility.

Arthur Independent Time

To allow for one-on-one time with Quentin, I have added an hour of independent work time for Arthur. Each week, he will have a mix of packet work (mostly grammar and math review), independent reading time, and special projects. Many of his projects will be aligned with our literature selections (some taken from B&R Language Arts curriculum) and history.

Science and STEAM Coop

We didn’t have coop this week due to our scheduled break week. We’ll be back next week with our First Responders theme.

For science, we started our big Earth Science unit focusing on geography, geology, and volcanoes and earthquakes.

When Planet Earth was New by James Gladstone
Earth by Quinn M. Arnold
Home on the Earth by Laura Purdie Salas
Dirtmeister's Nitty Gritty Planet Earth by Steve Tomecek
Stickmen's Guide to Mountains and Valleys in Layers by Catherine Chambers
The Magic School Buss Inside the Earth by Joanna Cole

Art/Music

None this week

Quentin

I have scheduled at least four 1-hour time blocks for one-on-one time with Quentin. I bought Blossom and Root’s Early Years Volume 2 curriculum to use as our base. I love the variety of activities and some of the bigger projects included. Quentin started his next unit on the farm. Basically that means a ton of farm themed books, some themed ELA and math pages, and a few mini crafts and projects.

ELA

Winter Story by Jill Barklem
On a Farm by Alexa Andrews (Q reads)
Life on a Farm
Farmyard Beat by Lindsey Craig
Biscuit's Snow Day Race by Alyssa Satin Capucilli (Q reads)
Farm by Rebecca Pettiford
My Farm Friends by Wendell Minor
Going to a Farm by Rebecca Rissman
Dinosaur Farm by Penny Dale
Busy Bug Builds a Fort by David A. Carter (Q reads)
Song of the Wild: A First Book of Animals by Nicola Davies
Old MicMickey Had a Farm
I Like the Farm by Shelley Rotner
The Farmer by Ximo Abadia
Amara's Farm by JaNay Brown-Wood

Math

Lollipop Logic Book 1
Smart Start Beginning Coding Grade 1

Other

High Five January 2018

Field Trip

The weather was not cooperating with us this week. We again got below zero a few of the days. We did venture out to the zoo on Wednesday. It was chilly, but we got to visit the elephant babies (and they were right up front!) and warm up in the jungle and the desert dome. We also had a park day on the one slightly warmer day. The boys had fun, but more importantly, I had a lovely conversation with two coop moms. (The boys also had their dentist appointments this week.)

Documentary Selection

I have carved out a one hour time block each week to watch a documentary related to our studies.

Misc. Picture Books Read

Letters from Bear by Gauthier David
Snickerdoodle Takes the Cake by Ethan Long
A Child of Books by Oliver Jeffers
The Paperboy by Dav Pilkey
A New Green Day by Antoinette Portis
How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers
In the Half Room by Carson Ellis
If I Were the Sunshine by Julie Fogliano
The Boy with Big, Big Feelings by Britney Winn Lee

High

Getting out to the zoo on Wednesday was delightful. We got to spend 15 minutes observing the new elephant babies. They are incredibly adorable.

Low

Super cold temps cancelled our planned hike on Friday. I was looking forward to getting out into nature more. Thankfully, we have rescheduled for Wednesday.

Next Week

Starting 3B Unit 11 (Data Analysis) for math
Beginning City of the Plague God for our read aloud
Analyzing a few picture books for literature
Covering the Renaissance for history
Getting acquainted with the paintings of Rosa Bonheur
Continuing with our farm unit for Quentin
Exploring rocks and minerals for science

Next up on the TBR pile:

Wild Swans retold by Xanthe Gresham Knight

Title: Wild Swans

Retold By: Xanthe Gresham Knight Illustrated by Charlotte Gastaut

Publisher: Barefoot Books

Genre: MG Fairytale Retelling

Pages: 48

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Young Eliza and her eleven brothers' lives are transformed when a plague ravages the Kingdom of the North and kills their mother, the Queen. When their father remarries, their brilliant and "unusual" new stepmother becomes obsessed with finding a cure for the plague and protecting her new family - so obsessed that she decides to turn the boys into swans so they can fly away from the plague, and to send Eliza to a far-away village the plague hasn't touched. Years later, the Queen discovers a cure for the plague just before she dies from it herself. With the kingdom in chaos, it's up to teenaged Eliza to find her brothers, break the Queen's spell on them, return home to cure the plague - and claim her rightful place in the kingdom!

Such a gorgeous slim retelling of the 12 Swans fairy tale. The writing is great and the retelling bit was entertaining and engaging. But the real star here is the illustrations. Gastaut pairs the text with gilded images rich in detail and whimsy. I was entranced with the illustrations and had to wrench myself away from those to continue reading the text. A lovely few minutes spent on this volume.

Next up on the TBR pile: