Tag: living books

13 Stories of America – Part II

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To see the first seven stories of America, visit the previous post. 

8. Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink – Ah, yes, here I am talking about Caddie Woodlawn again! I love this story because I consider it a “living book” and it touches on important players in the American pageant – Native Americans.

9. Defeat of the Ghost Riders (Trailblazer Book #23) by Dave & Neta Jackson – Ingenuity and perseverance could be called two of Americans’ greatest gifts, and Mary McLeod Bethune is a great example of both. Funding a school with homemade sweet potato pies? Oh, yes! Through the eyes of fictional Celeste, readers meet Mrs. Bethune as she is starting her school for girls in Florida. One line that especially struck me was her quoting of Lincoln’s words, “We destroy our enemies when we make them our friends.” 

10. Little Britches by Ralph Moody – America would not be what she is without her cowboys and (so far) Ralph Moody in the Little Britches series is my favorite. The escapades of this hardworking fellow – told by himself –  are sure to bring the gift of laughter to you and your family. 

11. The Adventures of the Northwoods series by Lois Walfrid-Johnson – As America stepped into the 20th century, immigrants from the world over continued to pour through her gates. Readers young and old will come to understand the lives of immigrant families who settled in the Midwest through the eyes of Irish-Swedish Katherine O’Connell, her stepbrother Anders and their friends. Questions like “What was Minneapolis like at the turn of the century?”, “What was it like to go to a one-room school?” and “What dangers did miners in the Upper Peninsula face?” will be answered. Throw in intriguing mysteries and these historical-fiction tales are a mixture of education and excitement – can’t beat that!

12. The Chicago Years by Nancy Rue – It seems that we learn a lot about the War for Independence, the Civil War, the pioneer era, the Great Depression and the World Wars, but somehow we skip the 1920s. This series by Nancy Rue is here to change all that! Rudy Hutchinson and his twin sister move to Chicago to live with their grandmother and are soon up to their earlobes in adventures. Along the way, readers will discover Italian-American culture, German-American culture, Jewish-American culture, the work of Jane Adams at Hull House, the cultural trends of the 20s and, of course, the mob! 

13. The American Adventure series by various authors – The American saga is told from the journey of the Mayflower to the end of WWII in this series that traces a family tree. While the 48 – yes, forty-eight! – books in this series are out-of-print, you can still find many copies available (inexpensively) online. The hunt is worthwhile because this series paints a portrait of America’s history in such a memorable way. Even issues like the internment of Japanese-Americans on the West Coast during WWII are faced. Another benefit of this lengthy series is the opportunity to see how one generation’s choices affect the next. If you are looking for a way to engage children in history or if you want a pleasant way to learn for yourself, I recommend this series.  

There you go! Thirteen stories of America. Do you have a different favorite on your shelf? I’d love to hear about it. Send me a message anytime here. 

A Walk in England: Steps Toward Education Reform “For the Children’s Sake”

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Elise peered out the window of her Lake District room and smiled. Overcast but dry. No need for wellies today! Spending two weeks of her summer holidays in England’s Lake District was proving to be just as wonderful as she had imagined.

Traipsing out the door sans wellies, Elise decided to explore beyond the garden and gate of her holiday home and headed toward one of the lakes that help the Lake District live up to its name.

Near the water, Elise spotted a few children and, she assumed, their mother sitting and sprawled on a blanket under a tree’s boughs. The children seemed spellbound. Elise decided not to disturb them but walked by close enough to see what was going on. Ah, yes, the mom was reading a book aloud.

Of course, Elise couldn’t help overhearing bits of the story as she stood by the water’s edge. And, of course, she couldn’t help getting curious.

Finally, she meandered over by the relaxing readers. The mom stopped reading as she drew closer. “Excuse me,” Elise said, “but I couldn’t help overhearing and getting curious, so I have to ask, what book are you reading?”

“It’s a ‘living book’!” the little boy in the golfer’s hat exclaimed.

The mom laughed. “No trouble at all. Here it is,” she said. 

Elise took the volume. Not a name she recognized. It looked new though. “Thank you. What’s a ‘living book’?” she asked as she handed the book back to the mom.

“A book that captures our imaginations,” the other little boy said with a grin.

“A book that let’s us get to know the people and places it’s about,” added the little girl.

“That’s the basic idea,” the mom said. “I guess they’ve heard me say that a few times! I got the idea from another book.” She reached into a picnic basket. “This one.”

Elise took the thin book. “For the Children’s Sake?”

“Yes. It’s an overview of an educational philosophy that grew right here in the Lake District.”

“Really? I’ve never heard of it, but I’m curious. Again,” she grinned. “I work with kids.”

“You do?” the little girl asked.

“Yes,” Elise smiled. “I do. A lot, in fact.”

“Oh, you could borrow it if you like. Are you staying nearby?” The mom asked.

“Yes. Just over there.” Elise pointed back the way she had come.

“Lovely! By all means, borrow it. We can call by for it in a week or so.”

“Do you live around here?” Elise asked.

“Oh, no. We’re just spending the summer here. My husband is working on research for one of his projects, and we all needed to get away somewhere quiet. His aunt lives in a big house over that way.”

Elise thought that an aunt who lived in the Lake District with a big house would be something she’d like to have. Out loud she said, “Oh, how nice! Well, thank you very much for loaning me the book….”

After more conversation with the little family and a good long walk, Elise curled up on a chair in her room, a cup of tea and a couple of shortbread cookies beside her. Then she opened the book. Chapter 2 caught her attention: “Children Are Born Persons”. Hmmm. This will be interesting! 

The book Elise reads in the above snippet is For the Children’s Sake: Foundations of Education for Home and School by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay. Within its pages, Susan explores the ideas of English education reformer Charlotte Mason. As teachers and parents in much of the world are making their plans for the upcoming school year, it might do us all some good to look back at this woman’s ideas, including the use (and enjoyment!) of “living books”.  (A few of my favorite “living books” were featured in last week’s post.) If not for ourselves, then for the children’s sake.