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:

• Read-Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

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:

• Read Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

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:

• Read-Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/joy-of-shakespeare

How do we homeschool high school? It’s *the* question, isn’t it?

A lot of us go into homeschooling ready and excited for the younger years. Then as high school approaches, things start to feel… a little more complicated. To say the least. Navigating difficult subjects, transcripts, college applications, and alternatives to college if that isn’t a good fit for your child can be intimidating.

It’s no wonder that homeschooling high school is one of the most-asked topics here at RAR.

As many of you know, I have three kids who I homeschooled through high school who are now in college and beyond. My guest today is also an experienced homeschool mom who’s had two of her six children graduate high school and move on to college.

Rachel Kovac is a speaker, educator, and the author of the new book, Their Future is Shining Bright: A Guide to Homeschooling High School. I invited her to talk with me about the nitty gritty details of getting your kids through high school, as well as to share some big-picture encouragement as you face the challenges of the high school years.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why the high school years feel so intimidating and what you can do to support a growth mindset for your teen
• How your role shifts as your kids enter high school (and why it’s something to look forward to!)
• Balancing doing less in your homeschool with keeping doors and paths open for your kids

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

• Read-Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/rachel-kovac

One of the very best ways to travel with your children is through books.

Physically travelling as a family isn’t always possible for a variety of reasons, but by reading with our kids, we give them the gift of windows into unfamiliar worlds. Stories develop empathy and invite us to engage with another’s experiences in ways that can even go deeper than visiting a place in real life.

Today, RAR’s Creative Director (and my eldest daughter) Audrey is with me to talk about the power of books to take us places, even when we’re not able to go far from home ourselves.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How stories help us engage with creativity, community, and our Creator
• How books can give us deeper connections to the places we do travel
• How reading–and especially reading aloud!–cultivates curiosity and wonder

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

• Read-Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/books-take-us-places

What would happen if you decided to be your child's mentor rather than their teacher?

What if you awakened their wonder and curiosity so that they became the kind of people who thirst for knowledge and understanding?

Today, I’m revisiting a conversation about those very questions that I had a few years ago with Sally Clarkson. I’m lucky to count Sally as a dear friend and I know that her work has been transformational for me and for so many of you.

In this episode, Sally shares how we can inspire our kids to become lifelong readers and learners right in our own homes.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How to make your homeschool a place of resources for your unique children
• What is different about being your child’s mentor, rather than their teacher
• Why modeling curiosity and excitement about learning in your homeschool matters more than any curriculum

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

• Read-Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/becoming-your-childs-mentor

What is your calling in life?

For poet, songwriter, and academic, Malcolm Guite, it’s unequivocally clear–to be a storyteller.

Today on the podcast Audrey and I chat with Malcolm about the first volume in his new retelling of the classic King Arthur stories, Galahad and the Grail, illustrated by the incredible Stephen Crotts and published by our friends over at Rabbit Room Press.

Not only is Malcolm adapting the legends of King Arthur, he’s doing it in poetic ballad form, which means they are basically designed to be read aloud.

In our conversation, he tells us about the epic journey he and his publisher and illustrator undertook to visit sites connected to the Arthurian legends, how a childhood surrounded by books and stories led him to his lifelong love and study of literature and poetry, and the impact his own mother had on his journey to becoming a poet and storyteller.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why Malcolm chose to write this story in ballad form
• How woodland walks inspire Malcolm’s writing and why he knew it was time to “take up the tale”
• What elements and parallels of Biblical stories Malcolm wanted to restore that have often been left out of modern Arthurian retellings

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

• Read-Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/malcolm-guite

Learning to read can be hard. And when our kids are still learning to read fluently and well, helping them fall in love with books can feel impossible.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Today on the show, I’m sharing some strategies to help hook your developing reader. And of course, I have some suggestions for books that they won’t be able to resist.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why helping your kids fall in love with story is the the key to helping them fall in love with reading
• The way short, frequent phonics and reading sessions propel budding readers toward fluency and ease
• How to become a book-matchmaker for your child

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

• Read-Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/child-resists-reading