Ann's Fifty Fav Kids Books

One of the great things about being a library rat is getting to know the library clerks. They're not only helpful at solving problems, but often have great book recommendations. When I mentioned to my dear library friend Ann (who, btw, is mentioned in the Appreciation of LOL) that I've begun work on a new book, she offered her help. She put together a list of her Fifty-Plus Favorite Kids Books. She sat down in front of her bookshelves at home and wrote down the following for me:

Actual Size, Steve Jenkins
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, Judith Viorst
A Bad Case of Stripes, David Shannon
Bedtime for Frances, Russell Hoban, illus. Garth Williams
Believe, Paintings, N. A. Noel & John Wm. Sisson
Brown Paper Teddy, Neil Reed
Callie Cat Ice Skater, Eileen Spinelli
Children of the Earth Remember, Schim Schimmel
Coat of Many Colors, Dolly Parton, illus. Judith Sutton
Comet’s Nine Lives, Jan Brett
Corduroy, Don Freeman
Dear Children of the Earth, A Letter from Home
The Empty Pot, Demi
Fancy Nancy, Jane O’Connor
Gingerbread Baby, Jan Brett
Goodnight Moon, Margaret Wise Brown
Harold and the Purple Crayon, Crockett Johnson
Honey Paw and Lightfoot, Jonathan London, illus. Jon Van Zyle
How I Became a Pirate, Melinda Long, illus. David Shannon
I Love You the Purplest, Barbara Jousse
I’m Sorry, Sam, McBratney, illus. Jennifer Eachus
If You Give a Moose a Muffin
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
If You Give a Pig a Pancake
If You Take a Mouse to the Movies, Laura Joffe Numeroff, illus. Felicia Bond
Imagine a Day
Imagine a Night, Sarah L. Thomson, illus. Rob Gonsalves
The Land of Colors, Margaret Lundell
The Legend of Mackinac Island
The Legend of Sleeping Bear
The Legend of the Loon, Kathy Jo Wargin
M is for Mitten, a Michigan Alphabet, Annie Apple Ford and Kathy Jo Wargin, illus. Michael G. Monroe
Mama Do You Love Me, Barbara M. Joose, illus. Barbara Lavalle
McDuff Comes Home
McDuff Moves In, Rosemary Wells, illus. Susan Jeffers
The Midnight Unicorn, Neil Reed
Miss Spider’s Tea Party, David Kirk
Nighty-Night, Wendy Lewison, illus. Giulia Orecchia
Not Just Tutus, Rachel Isadora
Olivia, Ian Falconer
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, Dr. Seuss
One Grain of Rice, Demi
The Polar Express, Chris Van Allsburg
Priscilla McDoodlenut Doodle McMay, Jane Sinke
Sophie Skates, Rachel Isadora (author of Lili at Ballet)
Stellaluna, Janell Cannon
Swimmy, Leo Lionni
The Trellis and the Seed, Jan Karon
Today I Feel Silly & Other Moods That Make My Day, Jamie Lee Curtis, illus. Laura Cornell
Up North at the Cabin, Marsha Wilson Chall, illus. Steve Johnson
The Valentine Box, Maud Hart Lovelace, illus. Ingrid Fetz
What’s Heaven?, Maria Shriver, illus. Sandra Speidel
The Willow Umbrella, Christine Widman, illus. Catherine Stock
Wings, Jane Yolen and Dennis Yolen

I wonder if Ann realizes the extra work she's created for herself. I'm now off to the library's website to read reviews and place lots of holds for Ann to pull for me.

Thank you Ann!!!!

Another POV on California and HSLDA

Melissa Wiley recently wrote to me with another point of view on the homeschooling situation. She's given me permission to post it here. It's good to hear all sides to the story!

Thanks so much for passing this on. Laura offers some very helpful information here, but I would strongly disagree with her recommendation to join HSLDA posthaste, especially her statement that this is imperative for CA hs'ers. I would advise anyone to do a great deal of digging and research about the things HSLDA lobbies for before making a decision whether to give them money and support. This organization's push for writing homeschooling into federal legislation could, many people believe, wind up having negative ramifications for all homeschoolers down the road.

(Additionally, Michael Farris, who heads HSLDA, is also the founder and president of Patrick Henry College, an institution which requires faculty members to sign a statement of faith whose wording makes it impossible for a Catholic to sign. Faithful Catholics are not welcome on the staff there. But that is a secondary issue, offered only as background regarding the point of view held by this person who has gained a great deal of political influence in his role as head of HSLDA and who purports to represent the best interests of all homeschoolers. I do not believe he represents *my* best interests.)

The CA statewide homeschooling associations are recommending against signing the depublish petition, but that again is a decision we should all read up on (both sides) before making.

I heartily agree with Laura that prayer is important right now! But I would urge everyone not to be overly alarmed about this situation. There has been a LOT of sensationalism in the media. It is important to know that NO LAW HAS BEEN CHANGED or overturned here; this court's ruling (a bad ruling, no doubt about it) interprets the law differently than has been the case in CA for decades. According to this court's ruling, I and thousands of parents like me are homeschooling illegally right now--but this ruling is unlikely to be enforced at a local level, and it will almost certainly be overturned if the case goes to the state Supreme Court; or it will be depublished, as Laura describes.

I haven't done all the research yet myself as to the wisdom of signing the depublish petition, so I can't speak to that recommendation. But I do strongly disagree with the notion that joining HSLDA is "imperative."

I very much appreciate the concern and prayers of all of you as this bizarre situation unfolds!

Thank you Lissa.

Addendum: Click on the Comments to read Melissa's additional thoughts on signing the depublishing petition.

Virtues Reading List Continued

I continue to get good suggestions for the Virtues Reading List Project. It's not too late to put your two cents in as it's going to take me a while yet to get it pulled together. Or, just go check it out to get some new ideas for your next library visit.

Homeschooling, California, and the Terminator

I have been receiving a ton of email on the recent California court decision on homeschooling. On the off chance that you have no idea what I'm talking about, here is a letter sent by Laura Berquist. Her Mother of Divine Grace home study school is located in CA. I urge your to sign the petition she speaks of, no matter where you live. If this decision is not knocked down, it could have a snowball affect across the rest of the country.

Recently, as most of you probably know, a California Appellate Court handed down a very bad decision regarding homeschooling (and distance learning) in CA. We don’t yet know the impact of this decision, but it is a seriously wrong decision, and one we should all react to, in order to maintain our right to teach our children at home. The opinion of the court is that no one in California is legally able to teach their own children unless they qualify as a private tutor by having a state recognized teaching credential.

Home School Legal Defense Association is monitoring the situation and their website is a good source of information about it. They report that the family involved is appealing the decision to the State Supreme Court, and they will be filing an amicus brief in that appeal. I am including some links to their information here. The first gives you the original court opinion, and the second is HSLDA’s own opinion of what constitutes legal home schooling in CA. You can see that they do not agree.

Pacific Justice Institute is the organization that is actually filing the appeal to the CA Supreme Court.

There are three things that we can do now to help this situation. First, we can pray, and we need to. I have confidence in God, and I have a really strong sense that God is going to bring good out of this evil. I know He always does, but I think the position of parents teaching their children in CA and the rest of the nation will be strengthened as a result of this decision. I think that right now we are being called to trust and to pray together. Below I have included a novena that I would like to have you all join me in saying.

Second, HSLDA has asked us all to sign a petition to have the court’s decision depublished. They say that we can help stop this threat to home teaching by signing an online petition to depublish the Court of Appeal opinion. Please sign this petition, and get everyone else you know to sign it, too. Send this information to any homeschooling e trees you belong to, and be sure your local and state homeschool leaders are aware of it.

Third, I urge anyone who does not belong to HSLDA to join. If you live in California this is imperative, and if you live in another state, I think that it would be both prudent and kind to join. You will be protected should this decision have a negative impact where you live, and you will be helping others like yourselves across the nation. HSLDA has experience defending families who are teaching their children at home. Mother of Divine Grace families receive a discount for membership in Home School Legal Defense Association. To receive the discount on your membership include the Mother of Divine Grace membership number (299598) when you renew or join. HSLDA has payment plan options available. For more information on HSLDA and on joining HSLDA, please contact them on their web-site or by phone at: 540-338-5600.

The time for the Divine Mercy Novena is coming up (starting on March 22 and ending on Divine Mercy Sunday, March 30th). This is the novena that I would like us to all say together. Let us petition God for a quick decision in favor of the right of parents to choose how to educate their children, free from fear of reprisal from state authorities.

St. Faustina, pray for us.

We have a faithful God, One who is with us through all our afflictions.

"If you aspire to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for an ordeal. Be sincere of heart, be steadfast and do not be alarmed when disaster comes. Cling to Him in that trial and do not leave Him so that you may be honored at the end of your days. Whatever happens to you, accept it and in the uncertainty of your humble state, be patient, since gold is tested in the fire and chosen men in the furnace of humiliations. Trust the Lord and He will help you; make straight your ways and hope in Him."

Lord, we trust in you. Please answer our petition through the powerful intercession of St. Faustina.

God bless you all. Thank you for your prayers.
Laura M Berquist
Director, Mother of Divine Grace School

Laura followed up with this letter:

Dear MODG Families,

We just wanted to pass on a piece of encouraging news regarding the homeschooling situation in California:

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today issued the following statement regarding the recent Second District Court of Appeals ruling on home schooling:

"Every California child deserves a quality education and parents should have the right to decide what's best for their children. Parents should not be penalized for acting in the best interests of their children's education. This outrageous ruling must be overturned by the courts and if the courts don't protect parents' rights then, as elected officials, we will."

Please continue to pray.

God bless you all,
Laura M Berquist
Director, Mother of Divine Grace School

Addendum: Another POV

Catholic Blog Awards

This year's Catholic Blog Awards are up and running. I recommend visiting the website and checking out the wide array of Catholic blogs available to you. I like to set aside a couple of hours to peruse all the choices. I save voting until after I've done this. Sometimes I discover a new favorite blog. You do have to register to vote, but it takes less than a minute, even with my dinosaur dial-up.

I'm up for Best Individual Blog and Teen Son is up for Best New Blog. I have to admit utter surprise that I didn't get nominated for Best Designed Blog. Don't you all just love my simple, clean template that I borrowed from Blogger? One of these days, I'll get around to jazzing up my blog.

That is one category where I always check out every single nominee -- Best Designed Blog. I'm surprised by how many blogs with borrowed templates get nominated. I make sure to vote for a blog that has an original design -- something that is unique and attractive.

Now go vote.

Lewis on Writing

Don't use words too big for the subject. Don't say 'infinitely' when you mean 'very'; otherwise you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite.
-- C. S. Lewis

In My Inbox

From a reader of For the Love of Literature:

It is a wonderful resource and just what I was hoping to find for my family. This will help me with my older son who is a voracious reader. I can't keep up with him, so it is good to have a guide to help me make appropriate selections for him.

Thank you!

Chesterton at the Library

While we're on the subject of Nancy Brown and G. K. Chesterton, have I got a neat little tidbit for you. Nancy has started a new Yahoo Group devoted to getting G. K. Chesterton into your local public library. Go now and join!

It's very much like the Pope St. Nicholas V and Homeschool Library Connection groups. Nancy sends out the occasional email giving all the information you need to put in a purchasing request at your library.

It's a very cool idea and so easy to do. Most libraries allow you to put in purchasing requests at their websites. Librarians put a lot of importance on customer suggestions. You can have a big impact on what books go on the shelves of your own library, especially if you can get friends and family to also put in requests. Don't pass up this easy, yet effective, tool to evangelize the world!

Just click on any of the links above to learn more.

Gilbert on Storytelling

Thank you Nancy Brown for sending this quote. Imagine, Nancy sending a Chesterton quote. The mind boggles.

The truth is, in other words, that there never was a scheme nearer to the deepest reality of life than that of the old romance of chivalry. If we must have a merely elementary statement of essential religion, that is the right outline of the story: that Man is sent forth by an authority that is good, like King Arthur or a fairy godmother, into a world that is wonderful, but contains dangers and temptations, like dragons and wizards; that he is sent upon a quest or trial; that is, that he is judged by the same authority that sent him forth. That is the story at the heart of all healthy life and literature; and it is quite true that people who are healthy can sometimes act on it without arguing it out. But if they argue it out, they will find it implies certain dogmas; as that there is a design, that it is a benevolent design, but that it does allow of free will, and makes the good a matter of choice. Those who thought they could hold that healthy romance for ever, merely by being healthy and without holding any of the dogmas that justify it, are more and more finding out their mistake. Hence, when they are asked to state what they really do believe about life, they become "desperately vague." And they have now reached the point where it is not only more and more difficult to state a creed, but even more and more difficult to tell a story.
--G. K. Chesterton

If you have a favorite literature-related quote, send it to me. If I like it, I'll post it on the blog. Hey, it may even make it's way into the new book.

The Wanderer LOL Review

For those of you who have been just absolutely dying to know how The Wanderer review went, I have it here for you:

For the Love Of Literature
Pete Vere

Maureen Wittmann is a name known to many Catholic home­schooling parents. Maureen has written and edited several practi­cal works on Catholic home­schooling. (Full disclosure: I au­thored the canon law chapter of The Catholic Homeschool Com­panion, a compilation of home­schooling essays she edited with Rachel Mackson for Sophia Insti­tute Press.) Maureen’s most recent offering is For the Love of Literature: Teaching Core Subjects With Lit­erature (ISBN 978-0-9797609-0­9). This 253-page book helps home-schooling parents build a reading curriculum for their chil­dren in a diversity of subjects — including art and music apprecia­tion, math, history, science, and building a reading library.

The first few chapters offer nu­merous tips on where to find good home-schooling resources. From the local library to the Internet to small publishers catering to the home-school market, Maureen has amassed a number of resources in her 12 years as a home-schooling mother. She is also experienced at adapting these resources to her own children, turning books into learning plans. These experiences are the basis for several practical suggestions Maureen shares with the reader.

Yet the bulk of the book is bib­liography. There are hundreds of titles listed that parents may find useful in building a home- school­ing curriculum. Each entry pro­vides the book’s name, approxi­mate age category, and two or three sentences describing its con­tent. Also noted is whether the book is Catholic or contains ob­jectionable content.

For the Love of Literature re­tails for $ 12.95 and is published by Ecce Homo Press, a small pub­lisher of Catholic home-schooling materials based out of La Grange, Ky. (http://www.eccehomopress.com/).

Thank you Pete and Wanderer editors.

Chesterton on Books

There is a great deal of difference between an eager man who wants to read a book and a tired man who wants a book to read.
-- G.K. Chesterton

Prayers for Regina Doman

Please pray for author Regina Doman who had emergency surgery for appendicitis.

Let's Hear About Frodo and the Ring

"Still, I wonder if we shall ever be put into songs or tales. We're in one, of course; but I mean: put into words, you know, told by the fireside, or read out of a great big book with red and black letters, years afterwards. And people will say: 'Let's hear about Frodo and the Ring!' And they'll say: 'Yes, that's one of my favorite stories."'
-- The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings) by J. R. R. Tolkien

LOL Reviews at Amazon

Alicia Van Hecke and Mary Ellen Barrett both have written their take on For the Love of Literature over at amazon.com. Thank you Alicia and Mary Ellen for the 5 star reviews!

If you prefer ordering from Amazon, the books are available there now. Though they're not discounted there -- I don't know why. However, they do have it bundled with Nancy Brown's The Father Brown Reader which I find very cool.

If you prefer autographed author copies, you can order For the Love of Literature (as well as The Catholic Homeschool Companion) directly from me. Just click on the Add to Cart button(s) in the sidebar. If you'd like a book personalized, please leave a comment for me with your order. (Autographed books are so fun!)

Happy Endings

Okay, I admit it. I've never read The Princess Bride, but I love the movie!

Look. (Grown-ups skip this paragraph.) I'm not about to tell you this book has a tragic ending, I already said in the very first line how it was my favorite in all the world. But there's a lot of bad stuff coming.

-- The Princess Bride by William Goldman

Google Lit Trip

My friend Lisa forwarded the following to me. ClickSchooling always has neat stuff and I thought this perfect to share with you since literature is the hot topic of the day:

Recommended Website:
Google Lit Trips
http://www.googlelittrips.com/

Age Range: 5-17 (Grades K-12)

A teacher came up with the unique idea to take a digital book from children's literature and plot out the characters' travels with the digital mapping tools of Google Earth, providing a multidimensional learning experience. Students can take a virtual field trip in real time to visit the places mentioned in the book, making it even more relevant and meaningful.

When you get to the website you'll see a welcome message and featured highlights. Frankly, if this is your first visit, the home page can be confusing. Your best bet is to click on "Getting Started" on the menu and listen to the interview with the teacher who developed this concept. Then, watch the video tutorial that explains how to use Google Earth and how to use Google Lit Trips. All of the tools you need can be downloaded for FREE at the site.

Once you understand how to use Google Lit Trips, select the grade range appropriate for your child. Then get ready to experience the Google Lit Trips that have been created by various teachers for their favorites children's books.

Grades K-5 - You'll find "The Yellow Balloon," "Paddle To The Sea," "Make Way for Ducklings," and "By The Great Horn Spoon."

Grades 6-8 - Includes "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants," "The Slave Dancer," and "My Brother Sam is Dead."

Grades 9-12 - Get the "Aenid" by Virgil, "Candide" by Voltaire, "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck, "Night" by Elie Wiesel, and more.

Click on the title to access the Google Lit Trip complete with the digital book, text and illustrations, and a virtual journey that will bring it all to life.

This is a new venture, but as it catches on more and more titles for Google Lit Trips will be added. The potential is exciting!

Diane Flynn Keith
for ClickSchooling
Copyright 2008, All Rights Reserved
http://www.homefires.com/
http://www.carschooling.com/
http://www.universalpreschool.com/

Note: We make every effort to recommend websites that have content that is appropriate for general audiences. Parents should ALWAYS preview the sites for suitable content.

Click Schooling (Clickschooling) is a Federally Registered Trademark.

Homechooling a preschooler? For FREE activities visit:
http://www.universalpreschool.com/

Shortcut URL to this page:
http://www.yahoogroups.com/community/ClickSchooling

I would have chosen a different book title or two, like Around the World in 80 Days, but hey it's still cool!

The Training of Virtues

Charlotte Mason advocated the training of habits. She recommended focusing on one habit for 4 to 6 weeks before moving onto the next.

The idea of putting together a reading list to teach virtues made me think about Miss Mason's recommendation. As a parent, I can focus on one virtue at a time and arrange our reading schedule accordingly.

Virtues Reading List

For the Love of Literature is all about teaching core subjects through fun and interesting literature. However, I would like to put forth that there are more important things to learn in this world than math, science, history, etc.

I'd like to talk about teaching virtues through literature. And I would like your input.

Here are the seven virtues:

Humility (modesty)
Kindness (admiration)
Forgiveness (composure)
Diligence (zeal/integrity/labor)
Charity (giving)
Temperance (self-restraint)
Chastity (purity)

What books would you recommend to go with one or more of these virtues? Let's get a list going for everyone in the family -- preschool, grade school, middle school, high school, and adult.

I'll take all of your suggestions and pull them together into one great list. I'll post it here and at my Catholic homeschooling website for free download.

This Little Light of Mine

Natalie, 16, and Lorraine, 12, are sisters and wrote about their 2008 March for Life experience together:

Seeing as I’ve never been farther than Indiana, going to D.C. was a new but cool experience. It helped to actually be out in the world without someone making sure I knew what I was doing (no offense Mom and Dad). I think uniting against a common evil also drew us closer together as a group. And, as a paper deliverer, I’m one of the first to read of the latest murder or any other violent occurrence and when I see all the reports, I think of how many more should be on the front page; stories on all the murdered babies. So, seeing how many people are willing to give up a few days’ pay (or anything else) was a welcomed and inspirational sight.

It was a powerful sight, seeing the multitudes of people gathered in D.C. I was moved to tears, thinking about how we, as God’s children, could commit such brutality against our fellow man. I recall the song This Little Light of Mine. It may be a simple song, but the words ring true for every ear. We are all like little lights of hope which still shine out amidst the darkness. It is by the grace of God that we have the courage to take a stand against one of the greatest evils of all time. I pray that one day we may all come together united in love with Christ who is the way, the truth, and the life.

Natalie & Rain

Quote of the Day

In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, and in all things charity.

-- Pope John XXIII, Ad Petri Cathedram and popularly attributed to St. Augustine

Faith Magazine Gets LOL

My new issue of Faith: The Magazine of the Catholic Diocese of Lansing came in the mail Saturday. I was very pleasantly surprised to find a blurb about For the Love of Literature:

A new book for home-schooling moms
Maureen Wittman (sic) is a home-schooling mom of seven children. She is also a well-established author and editor in the world of Catholic literature. Her most recent work, For the Love of Literature, has received much praise. The book is meant to help other home-educating Catholic moms but is a valuable resource to any parent. For the Love of Literature contains a lifetime reading plan, easy-to-implement tips and ideas, top picks by grade for every subject and literary guides for every family member. For more information, contact Joan Stromberg at Ecce Homo Press, call 868-305-8362 or visit www.eccehomopress.com.

Thank you Faith Magazine. Thank you very much!

Books Carrying the Whole World

"What on earth have you packed in here? Bricks?" asked Mo as he carried Meggie's book box out of the house.

"You're the one who says books have to be heavy because the whole world's inside them," said Meggie, making him laugh for the first time that morning.

-- Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, page 19

PSN5: A Picture Perfect Childhood

To read past library recommendations, or to join the email list, visit: Pope Saint Nicholas V.

Check to see if this title is already in your library's catalog. If it is, put a hold on it and check it out. If not, fill out a patron request form right away. This can usually be done online at your library's website.

This book would also be good for librarians to keep on their personal resource shelves as well as the lending shelves for the public.

Title: A Picture Perfect Childhood: Enhancing Your Child's Imagination and Education in 15 Minutes a Day
Author: Cay Gibson
Publisher: Literature Alive!
Date Published: January 2008
ISBN-10: 0615179819
ISBN-13: 978-0615179810
Price: $21.99
Comments: Great resource for parents in choosing great picture books for their children. If you enjoyed Honey for a Child's Heart, you'll love A Picture Perfect Childhood!

Reviews:
Nancy Brown
Karen Edmisten
Love2Learn

Amazon.com Link

Hillside Education Gets LOL

Hillside Education is now carrying For the Love of Literature. Hillside publishes Catholic Mosaic, The Father Brown Reader, literature guides, and historical fiction. It's an honor to have LOL added to their catalog even though they aren't my publisher.

The Wanderer Gets LOL

If you get The Wanderer, make sure to look in today's edition to read Pete Vere's review of For the Love of Literature. I haven't seen it myself yet but I'm hoping it's a good review.

As a side note: back in my heathen days, someone subscribed to The Wanderer for me. I got it for several years. Back then, they ran excerpts of C. S. Lewis' Screwtape Letters. Though it would be a number of years before I came fully home to the Catholic Church, those excerpts had a profound affect on me. It's interesting to me, all the little things that work together in bringing about a person's conversion.

New Blog for Little Flowers

My daughters are in the Little Flowers Girls Club (R). It's really been a blessing to our family and I so appreciate the efforts of our local leaders in putting it together and running the program (alongside Blue Knights Boys Club).

If you do Little Flowers too, or are thinking about starting the program, there is a new blog in town to check out: Growing a Little Flowers Club.

There is also a Little Flowers Girls Club Leaders Yahoo Group if you'd like to share in a discussion about the club.

PSN5: The Father Brown Reader

To read past library recommendations, or to join the email list, visit: Pope Saint Nicholas V.

Check to see if this title is already in your library's catalog. If it is, put a hold on it and check it out. If not, fill out a patron request form right away. This can usually be done online at your library's website.

Title: The Father Brown Reader
Author: Nancy Brown
Publisher: Hillside Education
Date Published: October 2007
ISBN: 0976638673
Price: 12.95
Comments: G. K. Chesterton's Father Brown Mysteries adapted for the 9- to 12-year-old set. An excellent way to introduce children to Chesterton, the most quoted author of the 20th century.

Reviews:
Love 2 Learn
Karen Edmisten
Danielle Bean
The Curt Jester

Amazon.com link

Life of Fred Comes Clean

Quite some time ago, I wrote about the Life of Fred algebra textbook and some questionable passages. It's come to my attention that some of these passages have been changed in the new edition.

A reader writes:

I checked my book against the instances you listed and here is what has changed in my book:

Pg 23: they still talk about poker, but the reference to strip poker has been removed.

Pg 165: the tv show name has been changed to "I Love Shopping"

Pg 165: it still says "This truck was carrying grass ... the lawn kind. Maybe that's why it was operating during the day."

Pg 167: the bag of white powder has been changed to a bag of jewels

Pg 250: it still says "An empty beer can flew out of the window, and in several seconds it was quiet again."

Pg 272: the maid was changed to a robot-maid, but the rest of the sentence reads the same

Pg 273: the reference to lab manuals and a drug lab have been removed

Scarlet Fever and the Wittmanns

Super Boy has scarletina. Or, as they used to say in the days of old, scarlet fever. It's no big deal, the doctor reassures me. Ten days of antibiotic and he'll be fine.

Of course, being Wittmanns, we can't help but think of all our literary friends who dealt with scarlet fever (before Amoxicillin). There was poor Mary Ingalls who went blind in By the Shores of Silver Lake. How could any of us forget Beth in Little Women. Poor Beth appears to recover, but the fever progresses to rheumatic fever and she dies of congestive heart failure four years later. And what about the little boy in The Velveteen Rabbit. All his toys are set to be burned once he recovers. Fortunately, the velveteen rabbit is saved by the nursery fairy who makes him real. Then there is Sydney Taylor's All of a Kind Family. Four of the five sisters come down with scarlet fever, the house is quarantined, and everyone is okay in the end. In The Witch of Blackbird Pond, a young girl is accused of giving scarlet fever to others through witchcraft. The list goes on.

Super Boy's first question for the doctor was, "Will I go blind like Mary?" Of course, he was reassured, that it is not a big deal these days and he'll be a-okay.

The Family-Centered Learning Conference

This looks like a great conference in PA! I love the potluck picnic idea and the speakers are great! Michele Quigley of Family-Centered Press sponsors it. If you're not familiar with Michele she creates those lovely Catholic planners for moms, dads, and students. Michele is also one of the founders of Mater Ambilis, a free online Charolette Mason curriculum.

One of these years, I'd love to go to the Family-Centered Learning Conference.

Thank You MM

Margaret Mary Myers (I suppose I should call her MMM) has some nice things to say about For the Love of Literature in an email to me earlier and on her blog:

I want to tell you that I've been doing something with your book For the Love of Literature that I never usually do with a non-fiction book: reading it from beginning to end. I am especially enjoying the history section, where I am getting a timeline in my head, seeing who lived at the same time as whom, and meeting old authors whom I knew from one book or two and getting excited that they've written so many. The book is an education in itself and I can't wait to start getting the books that are on the lists.

Kristen McGuire has a Secret!

Before I share Kristen's secret with you, I'd like to share her recent comment about For the Love of Literature:

Experienced homeschoolers might think they don’t need another compendium of the “right books to buy.” But, Maureen’s lists are very user-friendly for distracted moms shepherding big broods to the library. In addition, she lists quite a few books in the math and science areas that I had not seen before. Furthermore, some of her practical teaching tips paid off in a big way at Casa McGuire…within days of reading her book! Kudos to you Maureen! Thanks for inspiring the rest of us!

Thank you Kristen! For those of you who may be unfamiliar with Kristen McGuire, she is a Catholic author, speaker, and homeschooling mom of eight children. She is also wife to Dan McGuire, retired marine, theologian, and creator of the awesome Blue Knights (my boys are members).

Kristen also has a brand new website and is offering her online newsletter Secretum Meum Mihi for FREE – this is sooooo exciting! It is very user-friendly and, dare I say, chic website.

Secretum Meum Mihi translated is My Secret is Mine and comes from Blessed Edith Stein. Visit Kristen's website to lean more.

Shouting Out Our Message

Anna is such a mature young lady that I forget she's only 11-years old. She was a joy to have on the March:

Hi, my name is Anna, and I was one of the thousands of people who were at the March for Life rally in Washington, D.C. this year. I just wanted to tell you what I enjoyed the most about going on the trip: being with my friends, praying, going to Mass, visiting the Basilica and Franciscan University. Of course, the best part was being able to shout out a message to all those people who think abortion is “okay” and that don’t know what really is happening. Of all the pro-life signs I read at the March, my favorite one was, “A person is a person no matter how small.” That says it all!

Human Bonding and Reading Aloud

Reading aloud together is important for all the reasons that talking together is important -- inspiration, guidance, education, bonding, communication, understanding, and sharing. When people read together, they give each other a piece of their mind and a piece of their time, and that says a good deal about human worth. If your family doesn't read together already, why not start reading to them? Find something wonderfully funny, interesting, or beautiful and read it aloud to them. You'll come to know them in a new way.

-- Gladys Hunt, Read for Your Life, page 15

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Strengthening My Soul, and My Compassion

Some of the most important people in making the March for Life happen, didn't even attend the event. Today's reflection is written by one of those people. My good friend Linda S. stayed home while sending her daughter in the care of other moms. Linda provided babysitting services for moms who had to leave littles behind and she provided a ton of fresh fruit for the hungry travelers. Most importantly, she was a prayer warrior :

“Hi, Mom,” said the sweet voice over a 1,000 miles of cyberspace. My heart was touched by those two words, and my mind raced to many thoughts ... she’s safe, how much she sounded like her older sister, and how much I missed her. The voice was of my second daughter on her first trip to the March for Life.

Being one of the parents staying behind, my heart was strengthened by prayer and blessings. I also spent time reflecting and remembering the many mothers who mourn the loss of a baby through abortion.

Letting my daughter attend the 2008 March without any of her other family members was hard for me. I worried about weather, health, and safety. I love the part of the Catholic Mass that says “and protect us from all anxiety.” So, with that said, each time an anxious thought or feeling would occur, I would pray to God. He is the only one who could help and protect. Of course, my daughter had a wonderful time and returned safe and sound, with a beautiful memory, and another stand for life.

One of the blessings of the trip was being able to watch two little friends. It was wonderful to see the two girls and my girls play dress-up for hours. Such innocent fun. Forever imprinted on my mind is the sweet three-year-old sitting in a child-sized rocking chair lovingly holding her baby doll. Another vivid image is one of the radiant smile of the seven-year-old; such joy and happiness! I could see the love of their mother, who was traveling, through those children. I know how hard it is as a parent to leave the “littles” behind, and I know how hard it is to let them go. I prayed for the parents and children staying at
home, as well as the ones traveling.

Through the years, my compassion for mothers who have had abortions has changed as my knowledge has changed. I used to have an image of an ogre of a person who would abort their own baby. But the fact is, of the women I know who have had an abortion, every one of the them have regretted it. Some of the women I know are really some of the most compassionate women to cross my path. I am not making excuses for their decision, and neither have they.

When I started finding out more about abortion statistics from Life Decisions International, I found out that 70-80% of women having an abortion, don’t really want one. I think about that. These women are in a crisis, reaching out for support; and in doing so, it is the friends and relatives who misguide them in their time of need. Even in the most horrible of cases, abortion is not the answer. The people in their lives think they are helping, but in reality they are creating a horrible error. These women live with the error for the rest of their lives. Pray for women in crisis.

I am encouraged to see so many young people on fire to end abortion. Some of these people will encounter friends, relatives, and others in their life who are considering abortion. It may be the unwed teen. It may be the woman whose baby has a birth defect (but, we are "all created in the image and likeness of God”). These young people will be friends of the unborn and friends of the mother. They will be able to stand by and be a positive support for life to a temporarily tough problem. I am proud of you! Bless you!

Books for Kids Who Love to Read

I received this email recently:

Good afternoon Maureen,

Again, I am loving For the Love of Literature. I just received two Diane Stanley books yesterday (Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci). They are beautiful, just as you said, and I think my daughter will enjoy reading them.

I was talking to a homeschooling friend recently and thought it would be wonderful to have a resource of appropriate "pleasure" reading for our kids. Don't know if that's anything you have thought of doing. My daughter goes through so many books it's difficult to keep up with content on all of them.

Anyway, thanks again. Glad the march went so well.

Take good care.

Sure, since you asked so nicely, I'd love to write this book for you!

Really. I talked with my publisher and she's given me the green light. Here's what I'm thinking. Pick 100 books: 25 for each grade level (preschool, grade, middle, and high school), and dedicate 2 to 3 pages to each book. I'd give a plot synopsis, discuss how we baptize it, and tell you what kind of reader would enjoy it. I think I'd also give recommendations on "If your child liked this book, then he'll love . . . "

My working title is Books for Kids Who Love to Read. My ispiration is a 16-year-old homeschooled boy. He once saw me reading Books for Kids Who Hate to Read and he said, "I'm tired of such books. Someone needs to write a book for kids who love to read!"

So, if I'm going to do this, you're all going to have to help me. Should I include the classics like LOTR and Narnia or should I save all my precious space for books most people might not otherwise discover on their own? What great discoveries have you made that you think I should include? What would you like to see in such a book? What would help you as a parent?

Be forewarned. This will not happen overnight. I'm estimating two years. I've got at least a hundred books to read and review.

We Can't Keep Silent

Today's reflection is written by Mary, who turned 16 today. She brings yet another perspective that many of us may not have considered:

The March 4 Life 2008, amazing as ever and as sad. Not only because of all the babies, our next generation being killed by the thousands everyday, but also because of us pro-lifers. When we were marching, I looked around and I could see all kinds of literature scattered on the ground everywhere. I saw people who are pro-life going after other pro-lifers because of different politics. Even our two best known pro-life groups, Right to Life and American Life League, fight among themselves when we should be holding on to each other as tight as possible because each other is the most important thing we've got.

The media overlooks how many people come every year to the March to stand up against abortion, so we will just have to encourage more people to come until they can't deny it any longer.

We also need to do more than just support life when we're in DC or just sending a check every month to an organization. We need to be active in our local pro-life groups in our own cities. I know we have an awesome group in Lansing and there is so much that needs to be done. Like when Jesus was being condemned he could have been saved but the people who believed and cared about him kept silent. But we can't keep silent; silence is our worst enemy, we need to raise our voice above the media and all the negativity of this culture of death, it's hurting our nation so badly but if we can turn it around and turn our country into a culture of life then maybe the rest of the world will see the awesome change and bring God's love and forgiveness back into our homes and lives.

Mary

Providing a Place to Rest for the Tired

Cecelia is a leader in our local homeschool group. She's one of those woman who just exudes the love of Jesus in all she does. I love this story:

The March for Life was memorable, to say the least. One story I promised Maureen I would pass along is that of an encounter I had with one elderly participant, who borrowed Maureen’s red, folding chair, as she paused to rest her tired body, before the March began.

She was a much older woman than I, with a thin face and a gentle smile. She wore a brown wool coat, pale, yellow scarf and a large, green hat that buttoned under her narrow chin. That she reminded me of the elderly, beggar woman, in Peter Collington’s book, Small Miracles, was due mostly to the fact that she came with hope, like the woman in Collington’s Christmas story, and she found more than she was looking for.

It began when we CHURCH Homeschoolers 4 Life had gathered west of the main stage, on the Mall, huddling together here and there, to listen to the politicians, priests and other notables who were rallying the troops before the actual march took place. After a period of time, I scoured the area a bit to find a better vantage point so the smallest ones among us could get a clearer view of the speakers. After asking Maureen and the other adults whether they wanted to move, we all proceeded about 100 yards closer to the action. In doing so, we left behind Maureen’s red chair, which she needs for her rest. Feeling badly, because I had convinced everyone to move from our original spot, I volunteered to go back and recover the red chair.

When I returned to the group 100 yards from the chair, I came back empty-handed. “I couldn’t do it,” I told Maureen, “I don’t have your chair.” Maureen looked at me and smiled, seemingly not too upset. “It’s still there,” I told her, “but a little, old woman is using it.” In the few minutes that had passed between our group’s move from one spot to the next, the left-behind chair had become a resting place for an old woman, wrinkled and vulnerable herself, who had come to take a stand for life. In doing so, she was the recipient of the charity of Maureen and the mercy of God. “It was meant to be, “ said Maureen, “that I left it there. She needs it more than I do.”

Just a small example of how God provides and will continue to provide for us all.

Being the Voice for Those Who Cannnot Speak

Stephanie, 10-years old, proves that you you don't have to be a grown-up to see the truth, to know right from wrong. Thank you Stephanie:

I was one of 200,000 people who went on the 2008 March For Life and protested against abortion. Abortion doesn't make sense to me because if you were to kill a person who was already born you would go to jail why then should we be allowed and paid to murder unborn children? We marched passed the Supreme Court which uses its power to destroy weak, innocent, and powerless lives. I think it is horrible that we are constantly having to desperately implore our country to stop murdering our generation. I, along with many others, hope that there will be no need to go on the March next year because I hope by that time abortion will be over.

Although there are still many people having abortions today, I think that people are starting to realize just how terrible abortion really is . On the March For Life I was surprised and happy to see just how many young people stood up for life. But the battle is not yet won so please join me and many others in being the voice for those who can not speak.

Stephanie

Rejoicing In Our Suffering

There were eight mothers on our bus to Washington, D.C. Nancy is a mother of nine children and a dear friend. I first met Nancy many, many years ago when she led a mothers' Bible study I attended. A Bible study that helped me become a better Christian wife and mother. Though we don't see one another nearly often enough, she is someone I look to for wisdom:

After the March for Life one of my children wondered, "No one who was for abortion saw us. The newspapers and TV people ignored us. Our message did not get out. Were we just wasting our time? Was it worth it?"

No one saw us? I know God did. I would have missed some very beautiful things if He hadn't shown me what He saw. Because I am a mother the Lord focused my attention on three mothers. God saw a mother of seven struggling physically with daily back pain caring for children with various health problems and significant learning challenges. He saw her sacrificing her time and strength to stand for life. God helped her make the phone calls, send the emails, buy the food, charter the bus, make the arrangements and He was well pleased with her. With heartfelt prayers she asked that everything would work out so she and her teens and their friends could march for life. God assured her, "Whatever you do for the least of my brothers you do for me."

God noticed another marcher. A mother whose newborn daughter had a defective brain condition which took the baby's life. God helped this heroic mother smile and cry and love that little one till her last breath was taken. God speaks through this mother to others tempted to abort their handicapped children. He watched her march for the culture of life and for the love of His people.

The media missed a third marcher and neglected to interview her either. But God knows her very well. He pointed out a mother who has opened her home and adopted little ones from backgrounds where drug abuse and neglect scarred them from the beginning. She and her family have been instruments of His healing. God watched her march and God knew that here was a woman after His own heart.

God embraced these mothers and gave them the privilege of uniting the sacrifice of their lives, the suffering of their bodies to His own holy, infinite sacrifice. The offering of these mothers and all of us marchers won grace for the salvation of our fallen world, God's mercy on our country and for an end to the sin of abortion. St. Paul says, "I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of His body, that is the Church." (Colossians 1:24) John Paul II explained in the Gospel of Suffering that," Jesus Christ has opened His suffering to our participation in it."

The Lord is allowing us to stand for Him. To offer our lives as apostles of life and love. He doesn't have to work this way but He gives us the blessing of being His Body in this world. This is the meaning of offering our everyday and our extraordinary sufferings to Him. God invites us, "Come follow me. Save the world through My Cross, take up your own cross daily and unite yourself to Me for the salvation of your own souls and those most in need of My mercy."

Our Lady of Guadalupe Pray for Us

David, all of 13, shares some profound insights with you:

When I went to the March For Life in D.C. I saw banners of Our Lady of Guadalupe. To a lot of people that didn't mean anything but it did to me because I knew that she is the patroness of the unborn. There is a belt around her middle which meant to the Indians that she was pregnant with the baby Jesus.

At the time, the Aztecs thought that the gods wanted human sacrifices. Each day thousands were killed. Even now we are doing the exact same thing to innocent babies. When Our Lady appeared she was stood on a blackened crescent moon symbolizing the defeat of the Aztecs serpent god. Today with the help of our lady we must conquer the devil's power and stop abortion.

On our way to the march we watched Amazing Grace, a movie about the fight to end slavery in England. In our country, in 1868, the Supreme Court ruled that African slaves were not fully human. And today the court has denied that the little unborn child is a person.

There was a poster on the March that stood out for me, a quote from Dr. Seuss's Horton Hears a Who: "A person's a person no matter how small." That was significant for me because I had just memorized Horton's lines in the book. All through the book, Horton the elephant protects the Whos and at the end, with their help, proves that they exist. In order to stop abortion we too must prove that "A person's a person no matter how small."

David

Beatitudes for the March for Life

Charles, 14, has taken a different perspective of the March. He ties it all together with Scripture. I thought Sunday the perfect day to share Charles Beatitudes for Marchers:

As I reflected on my experiences at the March for Life, something hit me. Earlier that day, I was doing religion in school and I was in a section on the Beatitudes. I probably should not have been surprised but I was amazed at how closely they described the March.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Some of the people to which we are trying to be a witness are poor in spirit.

Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Everyone, whether they know it or not, knows someone who has had an abortion. It is our job to help them, to comfort them.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Who could possible be more meek than all the babies that have been aborted?

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. One of the many reasons for us going to the March was to show the politicians in Washington D.C. how many people disapprove of the laws legalizing abortions.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. I really hope that we are merciful.

Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. The aborted babies did not have any sin on their souls so the likely went straight to heaven.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Peace is defined as a mental calm. We cannot have peace until abortion is no more.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Pro-life supporters are often persecuted because we are doing things outside of “normal.”

If there is one thing I learned from this trip, it’s that pro-lifers have a great sense of humor. On our way back home on Wednesday, after we were all back on the bus and about to leave Steubenville, our bus driver got a call on his cell phone. As it turned out, earlier that day, his sister had had a baby! He looked a little mystified after we had given him three rounds of applause. To provide some explanation, Mrs. Wittmann leaned over and said, “This is a pro-life group. We get excited when this kind of thing happens!”

Here I Am, In My Mother's Womb

Catherine just turned 15 and has obviously thought deeply about this subject. It was a joy to have her join us in DC!

Here I am, in my mother’s womb, safe and sound… or so I think. It’s been 15 weeks so far; it’s not going to be too long until my mother gets to look into my eyes—until she can hold me, her little baby girl. Wait. What is that suction sound? It’s coming nearer. It can’t be anything dangerous; my mother would never let anything happen to—

And her precious life is brutally snuffed out by a Suction Aspiration abortion, within a matter of seconds, as if she was a choice and not a child—as if she was a parasite and not a gift from God. But many people, who ignore the clear facts of science, believe that’s all an unborn child—or a fetus—is: a mere “problem” consisting of a simple blob of tissue, which can be “solved” by getting an abortion. But the truth is that it’s a living human being, with hands and feet, and with as many rights as anyone else has—or at least with as many rights as anyone should have. You see, if a person is not allowed the simple right to life, then all the other rights are meaningless.

And that is why we march.

The people, like myself, who attend the March for Life in Washington, D.C., on the 22nd of January, are not only fueled by emotion and strong beliefs, but they are also fueled by the daunting facts: that a person is a person, no matter if they’ve just been conceived or if they are on the verge of natural death; that nearly 4,000 unborn babies are murdered daily; and that tens of thousands of post-abortive women are silently suffering because of the barbarous choice the pro-death culture presented them, which they took—probably not knowing about the emotional and physical consequences it could cause them. The list goes on! We, the pro-life people at the March for Life, march for truth and justice—justice for all, born and preborn. We march for all the women who unfortunately were caught in the trap and believed the lies. We march for an end to abortion, an end to the suffering, an end to this barbaric “procedure” in America—a “procedure” that literally tears thousands of lives apart, shedding not only blood but shattering women’s dignity every single day, right in our midst.

Say what you may, but I believe the tide is turning. This year’s March for Life, which I proudly attended with a busload of friends, was awe-inspiring. Even though it was only my 2nd time going to the March for Life, I could tell there were tons more people there than last year, especially young adults and teens. I’m safely guessing there hasn’t ever been so many people at the March for Life. The attitude in America is slowly turning from apathy to concern over the unborn, and about giving women a better choice than the choice of whether to abort … or to abort. People are, more than ever it seems, stepping up for the 1/3 of this generation that would still be with us, working, living, and loving, if it hadn’t been for abortion.

Here’s just one experience from this year’s March for Life that was inspiring: After the March, it had started to rain, and when were just stepping off the Metro to get to the Basilica, we turned our heads to the right and looked up to behold a beautiful sight—a rainbow. It was a gigantic rainbow, with bright, vivid colors, and it started all the way from one side, over the Capitol, and then down to the other side, making it a complete rainbow.

That rainbow was a sign of hope to us—a sign that we’re not doing this on our own, through our own power, but with the help of God through the Holy Spirit. For example, when we’re out there in front of the abortion clinic, praying the rosary, and sometimes in cold weather, it’s not just our own will-power motivating us. God is on our side, pushing us along the way, guiding us.

I will never stop being the instrument of God, thus I will never stop fighting to end this terrible killing of the unborn, the most innocent in the eyes of God. I hope you’re all with me to the end of it.

God Bless,
Catherine

Sacred Heart Books and Gifts

If you haven't visited Sacred Heart Books and Gifts, it's a very nice Catholic mail order house run by a homeschool mom in Illinois. I was just at the website and I see that Linda has For the Love of Literature for only $10.15. She also has The Catholic Homeschool Companion for $21.20. And there's free shipping on orders over $20! You can't beat those prices, even at Amazon!

Flu Reflections

Super Boy, all of 5-years old, on being sick with the flu:

I can't have the flu! How will I play Playstation 2?

All of me hurts except this little part of this ear.

Being sick is boring.

I don't need medicine. If I just cuddle with you Mommy, I'll get all better.

We've been cuddling nonstop ever since!

Carrying a Mountain

It has become tradition to stop in Steubenville, Ohio on the way home from the March for Life to visit Franciscan University and attend Mass there. I love this stop. The students are so on fire with their faith. There aren't many places where multiple daily masses are offered and each filled to overflowing with enthusiastic believers. And priests too -- there were eight priests and one deacon at the Mass we attended. The one deacon was our own Deacon Jerry. Here is Deacon Jerry's reflection on that Mass:

Visiting a place like Franciscan University of Steubenville (FUS), even briefly, is not unlike the experience of Peter, James, and John at the Transfiguration, or any good retreat experience. These experiences are 'mountains' in our lives where God's presence is felt. It is those places where we, like the disciples, want to pitch tents and stay. At some point though, we accept that we have to leave the mountain and return to real life. The mountain is a place we go to recharge, but I'm not sure we have to leave it. It is there whenever we see the Holy Spirit alive in another.

I was blessed to be able to assist at Mass on our return trip. The distribution of Holy Eucharist was particularly moving. The faces of FUS students and our own crew glowed with the Holy Spirit. It made it difficult at times to announce the words "the Body of Christ." The experience was a reminder that there are plenty of people in this world who are alive with the Spirit. I don't often see that among the people in my daily work, but I was reminded that they are here among us. They carry the mountain with them. We are all called to be that alive with the Spirit. What a great sign for the world!

As a final note, the warm welcome from the Steubies (as Maureen calls them) took me by surprise. I was introduced at the Mass, and warmly welcomed by the congregation. Being new to the role of clergy, it is good to know that even people who don't encounter deacons frequently recognize our reception of the Sacrament of Holy Orders as a gift from God.

Joy is a Wonderful Thing

Emily, almost 13, was a last minute addition to our bus. I'm so glad that she was able to join us in Washington to March for Life!

Joy is a wonderful thing. Spending time with solid friends is important, especially when it brings friends together for a good cause.

The March for Life was amazing, in a sad way. I got to see thousands of Christians come together in one spot to protest something we all believe in. Although there was joy, a sense of friendship everywhere, the seriousness of the March impacted everyone.

Killing unborn babies is completely and utterly inhumane. Politicians rail against the war in Iraq because American citizens are dying, but the soldiers can protect themselves. The March for Life was hopefully an inspiration to our leaders, telling them that the American people will not be still until the defenseless have their right, a right for life. This country was founded on the principles of freedom. That same freedom should extend to all people, even the unborn.

The laughter of friendship and the sights on the March for Life only doubled my joy of being in Washington D.C., hopefully the multitude of pro-life Americans accomplished good things that day.

~Emily

Religion as a Core Subject

Someone recently wrote to me:

If there is a drawback to this book, I could only suggest that a Religion section be added to the next edition. It is my personal belief that Religion is a core subject, and I would be very interested in finding good books for my children in that area of study.

I've been waiting for this question as it is a question I asked myself over and over again as I worked to complete For the Love of Literature. I do firmly believe religion is a core subject. In fact, as stated in A Catholic Homeschool Treasury, I believe it to be the 4th 'R (religion, reading, 'riting, 'rithmetic).


However, as I wrote in the How to Use This Book chapter, I wanted the books in the other core subjects (math, art, music, science, history) to reflect our Catholicism. Instead of pulling religion out as a seperate subject I chose to make sure the books in the other subjects raised our hearts to God.

For example, books on creation found their way into the history section. Books on the spiritual lives of Renaissance artists found their way into the art section. Biographies of Catholic scientists found their way into the science section. And so on. You will find many good books in the study of religion in For the Love of Literature, but they will be intertwined with the art, music, math, science, and history books rather pooled together into one separate section.


I believe our Catholicism should be reflected in everything we do, not just church on Sunday. And so, we should teach it that way. It should be meshed with all school subjects. I want religion, for my own children, to be a natural part of their lives. Not something that is pulled out separately and kept in a box.

The problem I had with this approach was that adorable books like The Princess and the Kiss didn't make it into For the Love of Literature. But then again, I have another book in my head that would cover "literature for enjoyment" rather than "books that teach core subjects" and it would include The Princess and the Kiss, The Squire and the Scroll, The Hobbit, LOTR, etc. I may share more about that book project with you soon, but perhaps I should mention it to my publisher first.

Seeing the Wholeness of the Body of Christ

Our little pro-life club, Homeschoolers4Life, is blessed to have a great spiritual advisor. One of our member's dad was recently ordained a deacon and, though his schedule is terribly full, he volunteered to help our club.

During our 2008 March for Life trip, Deacon Jerry lead us in the Liturgy of the Hours each morning and evening. He also began each leg of our trip with a prayer and a blessing. These things truly made our trip complete.

Deacon Jerry wrote two reflections on the 2008 March for Life and so I will post one here today and the other tomorrow. I think you will find them quite moving:

One of the images that always amazed me as a youth was how scientists were able to make a movie of blood pulsing through a vein. In the image I hold in my memory you can see the cells advance, then stop, then advance, then stop. With each pulse the vein swells, then narrows again.

When I usually think of the Body of Christ, I have had a very different image. Picture a paper torn on the ground and scattered by the wind. Though we see parts of a whole, the whole isn't visible. We know that the parts belong together and form something, but cannot see that something in this other form. With each baptized Christian I encounter, I know they are a part of the Body of Christ, but the wholeness of Christ remains invisible beyond the Eucharist.

The March For Life changed that view of the Body of Christ. There we were, hundreds of thousands of people, gently bumping into each other as the march started, stopped, then started again. At times the path would narrow and we would slow. At other times the crowd hastened its pace and pushed forward into wider lanes. In that densely packed and huge crowd I could see His body. Though I couldn't see the whole crowd, from the large part I could see it was clearly a visible, single corpus. Unlike scraps of paper in the wind, there was a spiritual wholeness in that crowd that was physically visible.

Thank you Lord for showing your body to us in the faithful who marched!

Mary, Blessed Child

Ever so wise at 10-years old, Mary was our youngest marcher. What she writes here is short and sweet -- proof that we don't need to waste words to get to the point. And what a point she makes:

When I read Angela's essay I knew my heart was saying the same exact thing! I think that every child should have a chance to be someone. God has a plan for each and every child he creates! Every child has a future and when a child is aborted, that future is ended. All those marchers are trying to say exactly what Angela is trying to say! All the marchers (including me) all have the same idea, to end abortion! I know my heart is set on ending abortion and that someday, it will be!

The Flu and the Gift of Daughters

I have the flu. Bad. It has been an interesting day. I've spent most of it in bed shrivering with fever and offering up body aches for a special intention. I'm not telling you this to seek sympathy, but to share something that has been on my mind today.

My girlfriends who have adult children often tell me how much they appreciate their daughters. They love their sons, but there is something about daughters. They are the ones who keep the family connections and who look after their parents in a special way.

For example, when a friend had to have emergency back surgery, her daughter dropped everthing, flew up from New Orleans, and spent several weeks nursing her mother back to health. Her son, just an hour's drive away sent a get well card.

I often laugh at such stories but today I found myself seeing the truth in them. Teen Daughter One is also down with the flu and so Teen Daughter Two stepped up to the plate and ran the household today.

She checked on me often, bringing medication, water, food, and good cheer. She did the laundry, fed the littles, tidied the house. And she nursed me as only a mother could. I guess there is a reason one of her nicknames is The Little Mother. Though she is getting too grownup for that name.

The boys on the other hand have not seemed to notice that I am under the weather. If I shared all of their exploits of the day, this post would go on far too long to keep your attention. So, I will just share one little incident from this morning.

I pulled up a big comfy chair in front of the TV. I put in a Teaching Company DVD thinking that it would distract me from my illness and maybe learn something at the same time. (Oh how wrong was I.) Well, Buster came flying around the corner and tripped over me and the chair. He exclaimed, "Ow, that hurt!" and ran off. I'm sure that what he meant to say was, "Oh, dear Mother, I am so sorry to cause you distress by falling over you. What can I do to ease your suffering." But then, one cannot be expected to think clearly after tripping over the body of one's half-dead mother.

I love my boys in a special way, but on days like today I sure do appreciate the gift of daughters.

Kevin's Turn

Today's March for Life reflection comes from Kevin, 14, a dedicated member of the Homeschoolers 4 Life:

The March for Life was an unforgettable event. The sheer enormity of the crowds is amazing. The amount of people who make time in their lives to come and support the innocent, defenseless, unborn children who are being mercilessly slaughtered throughout the United States is overwhelming. Seeing the signs with the pictures of mutilated babies is a vision that will haunt me until the day I die. Abortion is an enormous problem in our country and if the people who oppose it continue to pray and work towards an end, someday we will win the battle.

When taken into consideration, abortion serves only to effectively wipe out entire generations of children. From the time Roe v. Wade made abortion legal in 1973 millions and millions of children have been killed. I hope to continue attending the March for Life in years to come and I hope to see an end to abortion at some point in my lifetime.

Kevin

Save Five Dollars on LOL!

I recently offered a price break for those who would like to take group orders for my new Catholic homeschooling book, For the Love of Literature. If you order 10 or more books it's only $11.50 per copy of For the Love of Literature (all autographed) plus $1.00 per book for Priority Shipping.

The regular price is $12.95 plus $4.60 s/h, so that's a savings of $5.05 per book!

I recently had a Catholic homeschooling support group purchase 20 copies with the plan for a regular mom gathering to talk about teaching through literature. I think that's a very nice idea (we do something similar in our homeschool group to discuss A Thomas Jefferson Education) and so I'd like to continue this bulk offer to others in the Catholic homeschooling community.

I can take PayPal (including credit card) or checks. Please don't hesitate to email me for the fine details.

Ginny's Determination

Ginny is 17-years old and an inspiring young woman:

One-third of my generation is gone. Dead. Killed. Murdered. There were 40 teenagers in our group—that means that we were missing 20. Twenty teenagers who might have been pro-life if they had only been given the chance at life, themselves. This is one thing that I heard on the March that has stuck with me—that as we stood there on the Capitol Mall, there were spaces in-between us that should have been filled. Filled with young adults, teenagers, and little children who were thoughtlessly martyred in the name of “choice.”

And yet there is hope. Those 40 teenagers who were given a chance at life as well as the thousands of other teens and young adults who attended the March for Life have a passion for the cause of life. I heard one mother on the trip mention that maybe once the 60’s generation is out of power, my generation will be able to step up and finally abolish Roe v. Wade. I believe it. There were so many of us that day in Washington. We are not a tiny fringe group, we are a movement—and we are strong. The teens I spent time with during our trip are all willing and ready to fight, hard, to once and for all secure the freedom to life. We are chomping at the bit to get our hands on the reins of this country and steer it in the right direction.

I can’t wait for the day when, instead of the usual March against Roe v. Wade, we have a rally celebrating its overthrow. What rejoicing will there be on that day in houses of worship all across this nation! I am so ready for that day. But until then, I think the Rock for Life T-shirt says it best, “You will not silence my message. You will not mock my God. You will stop killing my generation.”

Picture Perfect Cake Walk

Make sure to visit Cay's Cake Walk this week.

Flashlight Press donated 4 of their wonderful picture books to the next Book Walk. The editor was fascinated with Cay's new book A Picture Perfect Childhood and was eager to offer some prizes. The names going into the cake bowl (i.e. drawing) will be those who purchase Picture Perfect during this introductory month.

I got my own copy of A Picture Perfect Childhood just before leaving for the March and started reading it last night. So far, it is quite lovely -- Cay is the Picture Book Queen! I promise a more detailed review once I finish savoring it.

LOL Authentically Catholic?

I received the following inquiry recently. In case any of you have the same question, I'm posting here.

I am interested in your new book For the Love of Literature, but have a question that I hope does not offend you in anyway. Is it authentically Catholic throughout? I know that not everything I use can have the Church's stamp of approval, but I need something that has sifted out the blatantly anti-Catholic world view. I am still learning myself and trying to implant a beautiful, authentic Catholic worldview in my family. It is easy to get confused; to know something is not right, but not quite know why. I am getting an education right along with my young children, and I need help from some one who has gone before me on this path.

I really appreciated this email and was not offended at all. In fact, I greatly respect the writer's dedication to providing a truly Catholic education for her children.

To answer her question: I worked hard to sift out anti-Catholic books and focus on books that raise up our children's hearts and minds to heaven. Books that help them see the beauty of our Catholic faith as well as educate them in core subjects.

There are a few book suggestions that do require a parent's discretion due to mature topics. Those books are marked with an asterisk so that parents are forewarned.

Also, I marked all authentically Catholic books with a cross, so that a parent can easily choose good books without worry.

I left out overtly Protestant books. There are secular titles -- it's impossible to do otherwise -- but I worked to make sure they weren't titles that attacked our faith in any way.

If anyone has concerns, questions, or comments about For the Love of Literature, please don't hesitate to leave a comment here on the blog or to email me.