I love to read and have multiple books going at the same time. While I do love reading about homeschooling topics, my pile of books shows broader interests like faith, business, history, home decor, or entrepreneurship. Once in a while I like to give you a peek into my recent favorites and also give you a chance to win a box of free books! Keep reading for the details.
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So before we dive in with my five recent recommendations, I want to let you know that I’m giving away a box of books from my shelf for FREE to the one reader who wins the giveaway below. Scroll to the end of the post to enter.
In no particular order, here are five books that I’ve read in the past few months that you might want to add to your bedside reading stack.
The Dyslexic Advantage
With one child in my home that probably has dyslexia, this book is just what I needed to shift my mindset. The prevailing attitude toward dyslexia is that it’s a big detriment with no positive characteristics. But the authors of The Dyslexic Advantage disagree. Combining neuroscience and education, Brock L. Eide, M.D., M.A., and Fernette F. Eide, M.D. share inspiring stories of massively successful people with dyslexia who have embraced their unique strengths that dyslexia brings. Every homeschool mom who thinks she may have a dyslexic child should read this book early on! I am finding this later in my journey and really wish I knew this information years ago. Here’s another point about dyslexic education – as a certified teacher, I never once was taught about dyslexia or ways to engage students that had it. As a homeschool parent, I feel more equipped than I know most teachers in the public school arena are with this topic. Reading this book will give you the knowledge, mindset shift, and tools necessary to craft a unique educational experience for your dyslexic kids – an education that will allow them to thrive in their strengths instead of being called out because their struggles don’t lend well to traditional school expectations.
The Devil in Pew Number Seven
This book is a true story, but it reads like a fictional book because you just can’t believe the plot line! I do know from personal experience as a pastor’s wife that truth is indeed stranger than fiction, and my husband and I say all the time, “We could never make this up! It’s so crazy what people do and say!” A friend had this book and I asked to borrow it. One evening after my kids had gone to bed and the house was quiet, I decided to just read a chapter or two. Well, after staying up way past my bedtime (and I’m a night owl!), I finished the entire book because I just couldn’t put it down. The best thing of all about this story is that while it’s almost unbelievable in its horror, Rebecca Nichols Alonzo shows a beautiful spirit of forgiveness, which only God can give. No one would have blamed her for bitterness, but her response will amaze you.
Cozy Minimalist Home
I’ve been following The Nester, or Myquillyn Smith, online for several years, but this is the first book of hers that I purchased. It was a bit of a risk, because while I love home decor and reading about decorating, most decorating books are too over-the-top for me. This one, however, did not disappoint. I love the philosophy of Cozy Minimalist Home and it was a super practical read with steps that anyone can implement – whether you are a home decor diva or not! It’s a hardcover book with beautiful photography throughout and Myquillyn writes with an approachable style. This is a fun book to buy, then share with a girlfriend.
A Hobbit, A Wardrobe, and a Great War
When I heard Joseph Loconte interviewed on Listening In podcast, the premise of his book intrigued me, and I knew I needed a copy! Most homeschoolers have read or are very familiar with C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien’s works, but many have not explored their lives prior to becoming prolific authors. This book explores their experiences as soldiers in the trenches during World War I and how their faith and writings were indelibly marked by this worldwide cataclysm and their suffering on the front lines. If you are a history or literary buff, you will love this book. This would also make a great companion to your high schooler’s history or literature courses if they’re studying either WWI or Lewis’ and Tolkein’s writings.
A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23
I read this tiny little book more than a decade ago, but after recently recommending it to friends, I pulled it out again. It does not disappoint. While Psalm 23 is one of the most widely known Psalms of David, many of us lack a deep understanding of the meaning of this Psalm because we don’t understand the life of a shepherd or the qualities and characteristics of sheep! But W. Phillip Keller has been a shepherd and a pastor and he beautifully unfolds each of the phrases in the Shepherd Psalm.
The Mystery Box Giveaway #1 was so much fun that I decided to do it again!
As I was decluttering my bookshelves recently, I began to pile up quite a nice stack of books. These books have been read and enjoyed and now need to find a new home. I thought it would be fun to offer a mystery box of 4-6 of my recent favorites to a reader. If you are also a book nerd who likes to read widely, then enter the giveaway below and I’ll ship a Mystery Box to you for FREE. There’s absolutely nothing to lose – if you love the books, you’ll have a nice stack to work through in the next several months. If you don’t care for the books, I’m sure you can find a friend or a library that would be glad for them. Now, you probably won’t receive the titles from this post, but who knows what gems will be included? So, who’s up for a surprise package in the mail? Enter below!
