My Summer Reading List

You’ve seen my summer plan for my littles, now here’s the summer plan for me!  Between planning our CC year and having a new baby, I’m hoping to squeeze in some reading.  In no certain order, the books on my shortlist right now are…

1. Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham  This classic historical tale of Nat Bowditch occurring in the 1900s was a 1956 Newbery Award winner and is on the booklist for Challenge A.  I’ve already started & am enjoying this one! Since it’s meant for 12 year olds, it should be a quick read for me!

2. The Office of Assertion: An Art of Rhetoric for the Academic Essay by Scott F. Crider  If your littles attended a CC practicum camp, then you, like me, received a copy of this book on rhetoric at check-in.  Although my littles are in the grammar stage, I am – in most ways – well beyond it and look forward to reading more on rhetoric.

3. Saving Leonardo: A Call to Resist the Secular Assault on Mind, Morals, and Meaning by Lisa Pearcey  This book was first recommended to me by my friend Christy last year.  It made its way on to my long list, but over the year it has climbed the list as I’ve been reminded of it more and more.  I’m waiting for my copy to arrive in the mail.  If you decide to read along, there is a book group on Good Reads started by Brandy of Half-a-Hundred Acre Wood where thoughts and discussion can be shared.

4. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain  I thought this would be a good story to read aloud with my littles over the summer as we prepare to launch into American History and geography with CC this year.  Right now we’re switching between me reading the book aloud and listening to the audiobook.  As much as I enjoy reading it aloud to them, I wasn’t quite sure I was capturing all the book was offering – dialect and intonation wise, if you will. Having the audiobook also gives us the flexibility of listening at different times, like in the car.  And since the boys were always asking me to read more at each sitting, I thought this might fulfill their appetite for the story a bit easier.

5. May The Road Rise Up To Meet You by Peter Troy  This was a recent, spontaneous addition to my list.  I wanted some purely pleasure reading.  I’ve recently been selecting classics as my pleasure reading (Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre) and I wanted something a bit modern for a change.  I saw this one recommended, looked up the description on Amazon, and decided to go for it. It’ll certainly be better to read this while nursing (if I can stay awake!) then spend too many hours watching useless tv.

6. Unglued: Making Wise Choices in the Midst of Raw Emotions by Lysa TerKeurst  Well, this book I actually started in the spring or was it winter? I can’t be sure, but I’d like to finish it in the summer! It’s GREAT! I’ve learned a lot.  In fact, I’d say that’s why it’s taking me so long.  I read some and then need to put it down to digest for a while.  If you find yourself dealing with raw emotions during your days, like me, then you might also find this book helpful.

Anyway, that’s whats made my list! I’d love to hear what books made your summer reading list!  I’m a big advocate for us homeschooling mamas to not just be teachers, but learners too.  In fact, I think spending time actively learning ourselves gives us a better mindset and more excitement for teaching our littles.  Not to mention, if we want them to like reading, it is oh-so-very-good for them to see us liking reading!

My CC at Home Book Club is not organized for this summer, but I will post reviews of The Office of Assertion and Saving Leonardo when I am done reading them.  If you’ve read them or are reading them, please stop by to share your thoughts!