A library should be a kind of paradise, don’t you agree? Author and illustrator Barbara Cooney certainly thought so.

Barbara Cooney was an extraordinary author and illustrator of over 100 children’s books with stories that span the world, from the shores of Greece to the mountains of Appalachia. The more I learned about Barbara, the more I wanted to tell the story of this beautiful artist who, in every aspect of her life–from raising four children to traveling to gardening to winning awards for her illustrations–was committed to capturing the beauty in (and for!) the world.

Because Barbara: Barbara Cooney Paints Her World has been nearly six years in the making. Today, I want to take you behind the scenes and introduce you to the team that made it happen, from the very first draft to the final, beautiful book you’ll hold in your hands.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• The many drafts, revisions, critiques, and edits that brought me to the throughline of Barbara’s wonderfully full and creative life
• How the art team took on the daunting task of styling and illustrating the book to echo Barbara’s style without directly imitating it
• How sound design and animation bring the audio and video books to life

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

• Read-Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/making-because-barbara

Order a copy of Beyond Mulberry Glen by January 7, 2025 to get your free gifts!

Raising creative kids is a beautiful, worthwhile endeavor, but not one that is always neat and tidy!

In today's episode, I’ve invited two of my good friends and fellow creatives—authors S. D. Smith and Carolyn Leiloglou—for a conversation on how our creative work as adults impacts our kids. We discuss everything from the challenges of nurturing creativity in our families to the influence of stories on our hearts and minds.

S. D. Smith is the author of the wildly popular and perennial Let the Kids Speak favorite Green Ember series and is a father to four imaginative children.

Carolyn Leiloglou is the author of the middle-grade fantasy series The Restorationists and a homeschool mom to four creative kids.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How connecting with the wonder in our kids fuels and enhances creativity
• The value of boredom (a best-kept creative secret!)
• The nuances of how we measure creative success

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/fostering-wonder-and-creativity

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What if I told you that your homeschool could be relaxed, bookish, and ordinary? If you’re anything like me, that’s music to your ears.

Our kids thrive–and we do too–when our day-to-day homeschool is relaxed, bookish, and ordinary. In fact, that's what over 726 experienced homeschool moms told me were the three most important qualities.

Today, I’m sharing a recording from a session I did at a series of homeschool conferences earlier this year called “Relaxed, Bookish, and Ordinary”.

If you’re hoping that your homeschool can be any or all of those things, listen in–I bet you’re closer to it than you think.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How a relaxed approach impacts your child’s ability to learn and your peace as a homeschooler
• The academic, personal, and relationship benefits of having a bookish homeschool
• Why you don’t need to strive for an extraordinary homeschool to do it well

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/relaxed-bookish-ordinary

Order a copy of Beyond Mulberry Glen by January 7, 2025 to get your free gifts!

Which of these two activities would be easier for you?

1. Describe the best life you could achieve over the next twenty years.
2. Describe the best things that have happened to you over the past twenty years.

I know that as a busy wife and mama, dreaming for the future can feel daunting. As I was reading Jon Acuff’s book, All It Takes Is a Goal this summer, I was struck by how this exercise can shift our perspectives as homeschool mamas and mentors of our children.

In today’s episode, New York Times bestselling author and speaker Jon Acuff is joining me to discuss how to actually achieve those goals amidst the busyness of daily life (hint: you’re probably already doing more than you think!).

We’ll also chat about the book he wrote with his teenage daughters, How Teens Win: The Student’s Guide to Accomplishing Big Goals, which comes out September 10, 2024.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How looking back at our best moments, big and small, can help us create a vision for the future
• Why it’s okay that your imagination for your kids is bigger than your calendar
• How auditioning small goals helps you successfully transition from optimism and realism for yourself and 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/best-moments-in-homeschooling

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Do you have a child who dreams of being a writer? Or maybe it’s your dream? How do you support those dreams and foster creativity while also raising kids and running a household?

Today, I’m delighted to welcome back author Laura Martin, who’s giving us her very best advice for how to nurture your child’s creative dreams and your own.

Laura Martin is the author of some of my very favorite page-turners for kids, including The Edge of Extinction series and Glitch, and she has a new book out, Wander Lost, that I know you’ll love too.

We talk about the importance of capturing ideas as they come, what creative writing curriculum gets wrong about being a writer, and lots more.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why Laura says that ideas are like lightning bugs
• How Laura nurtures her daughter’s creativity with time, space, and access to materials
• How Laura honed in on what she needs in order to write while juggling four children

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/nurturing-creative-dreams

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We recently took a poll in RAR Premium about favorite reading genres, and it turns out that historical fiction isn’t just my favorite genre, but it’s the favorite of many of you as well.

Today, I’ve invited historical fiction lover and award-winning author Anna Rose Johnson to join me to discuss just what it is about historical fiction that draws us in.

We’re also chatting about the inspiration for her stories, her research process, and what her parents did to support her as a budding writer. In turn, she shares a ton of recommendations for her favorite historical fiction for young readers.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How historical fiction sweeps readers through a portal to another world
• How Anna Rose breaks down her research process into stages so it doesn’t get overwhelming
• How re-reading helped Anna Rose develop her ear and voice as a writer

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/why-we-love-historical-fiction/

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If you’re a homeschooling mom, chances are good that you’re familiar with Sally Clarkson. She is one of the most beloved names in homeschooling worldwide, and it’s no wonder why.

She homeschooled her own four kids to adulthood and has been writing and encouraging homeschool moms for decades. She also happens to be one of our most frequently requested guests here at Read-Aloud Revival.

So we have a treat for you today!

A few years back, Sally Clarkson joined us in RAR Premium and shared the advice she wished she could have given to her younger self. With the gifts of hindsight and experience, she tells us what she would have said if she could rewind the clock and whisper a few sage words to her younger self. She even broke it down into the advice she wishes she’d had at different phases of parenting and homeschooling!

Now we’re sharing her valuable wisdom with all of you.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why you and your unique gifts and skills are the most essential part of your homeschool
• The key to a successful homeschool experience (hint: it’s all about you, mama!)
• How to cultivate trusting, open relationships with your teenagers that will get them through the hard times

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/advice-to-younger-self

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In the last couple of episodes, we’ve discussed the importance of fairy tales, especially in the development of the hearts and minds of our children.

And you might be wondering . . . now that you know about the Gospel connections and symbolism of fairy tales, do you need to dissect every story and present all of the details to your kids?

Experts say no. But it can be incredibly edifying for you as an adult!

Today, we’ll discuss how to bring these “truer than true” stories into your kids’ lives and how deepening our own understanding of their symbolism and meaning enriches our reading lives too.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why your children don’t need you to point out the deeper meanings and connections in fairy tales
• How fairy tales provide us an opportunity to shape our child’s loves
• Why simply reading fairy tales aloud to your kids is enough

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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

Find the rest of the show notes at: https://readaloudrevival.com/how-fairy-tales/

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