how we do history

Homeschooling is an ever-evolving find-what-fits process, isn't it? There is no perfect, one-size-fits-all curriculum. I have used and loved one curriculum one year that would be a disaster the next. I have taught one child using one method and realized with the next child it simply won't work.

The teaching of history in the little yellow house is one of those subjects that has evolved quite a bit over the years.

A good deal of the why behind its constant-morphing is that I love history and I love finding new ways to keep it fresh, both for the kids and for me. I realized about my 3rd year into homeschooling that if I had to cover early American history every year with every K or 1st grade student, I would probably go crazy.

The other reason why our study of history has changed a good deal is that I keep adding students (we're up to 4 and hurdling toward 5!) and I couldn't bear the thought of trying to do 4 different history lessons every single day.

(Let me be even more honest: I couldn't bear the thought of trying to do 2 different history lessons every single day!)
 
There's not really any way around 4 different math lessons-- although even with that I've delegated quite a bit of the hands-on-teaching by purchasing Teaching Textbooks math for my 3 oldest children and letting them operate fairly independently-- but I am a firm believer in my need to find a way to make most every other subject something we work jointly through.

A little over a year ago as I was writing out IHIPs, I simply and without much fanfare decided I wasn't going to buy a history curriculum, but that I would develop one as we went. I'm not sure why the planner in me wasn't a bit alarmed: I just knew it was what we needed to do.

The thing is, there isn't a prepackaged curriculum (at least that I've found) that allows me to teach the same basic substance to both a 10-year-old avid reader/articulate writer and a 6-year-old struggling reader who still needs to work on her fine motor skills, but I just knew that-- at least for now-- I wanted us all learning together anyway. And I believed it's possible!

Here's how I approach history:

For the past 3 semesters, my kids have been fortunate enough to be part of a collaborative literature study group with a handful of other families. We read through books together and meet once a week on Thursday afternoons for an hour or two to discuss the book(s), hand in and read aloud writing assignments, listen to music and look at geography and take note of historical events that are referenced in the book(s), etc.

This literature study has been my springboard.

Once I know the book(s) we'll be reading in literature group for the next 6-week segment, I look online for lists of books for children set in whatever time period our literature study will be taking place in. I look up significant events (that may or may not be mentioned in the book) and make timelines so that we can study each one a bit. I check pinterest and often find project inspiration, already-planned book studies, maps, coloring pages, and more. It is amazing how much easy information is available through the internet!

I request lots of books through our library loan system. Our librarian is very gracious with me and lets me borrow books for as many weeks as I would like them.

We read. We read and read and read, and listen and watch and read. I borrow a good bit of historical fiction for the older kids to read independently that will reinforce what we're studying together, I borrow children's story books about different events (like the building of the Brooklyn Bridge and Amelia Earhart's fateful flight and Teddy Roosevelt's childhood and Dorothea Lange's life and what sunk the Titanic-- do you know how many books have been written for children on how many subjects???) that we read aloud together, I borrow art and photography books that link to our time period, I borrow music and movies.

our "history" basket-- 99% of which came from the library

I assign research topics to each child each week, expecting results appropriate for their age and ability, and make sure we have plenty of grade-level-appropriate books for them to use in their study. "Gabriel, I want a report on Thomas Edison. Bronwyn, I want a report on fashion in 1912..."

We share our findings with one another. The older children read to the younger ones (even 4-year-old Claire must sit through The Gardener and Camille and the Sunflowers). I read aloud to them all. We make dioramas, we paint and sketch and color, we build models and we draw maps, we cook and bake, we watch Ken Burns' documentaries and period-appropriate movies, we cut out period-appropriate paper dolls, and we have a blast doing it all.

I love that we learn history together. I love that from Gabriel down to Claire, we can sit around the dinner table and discuss our studies together. I love that I am not trying to change gears from kid to kid, switching hats four different times every single day, because we are together.

Can I say what I also love?

Because I don't use a curriculum, I am not tempted to let the curriculum be my task-master. I tell it what we will study, what we will cover, and what we will research. Certainly, at the beginning of the school quarter when I make my timeline and request books and catalog events, I always think we'll get to more than we actually do-- there is so much to study about every time period in history!-- but there is no guilt, no condemnation, and no discouragement when we don't, because nobody but me said we should.

This approach surely won't work for everyone and in every season, but it has been an amazingly good fit for us. I'm thankful for a mom who led the way in such approaches (not every year, but increasingly often as the years went by), I'm thankful for a community around me that neither laughs at or scorns the idea that such an approach would work, I'm thankful for the Holy Spirit helping me be free and relaxed enough to do what my children need me to do, and I'm thankful for the opportunity to discover and explore and learn from generations past with my children!

thinking about::

:: how funny Elliot is first thing in the morning when everyone else is still asleep. This is his happiest time of day and, more and more, his sense of humor is appearing. He likes to make me laugh.

:: the grocery budget that I keep blowing. I can't quite figure out if it's my poor management, the rising cost of food, or the realities of a growing family. Realistically? It's probably a bit of everything!

:: World War I, which is what our focus these past few weeks in school has been on. I can't believe how little I knew about this war before now. I also can't believe how much I still get to learn everyday, thanks to homeschooling. Here's what every bit of history and geography and science teaches me every single day: God is good, God is faithful, God is eternal, and God cares. I feel sad to think that this Theme isn't present in many children's studies.

:: how long it's been since I vacuumed the upholstered furniture. I am working on a way to systematically tackle some monthly tasks so that hopefully I won't be thinking this again-- at least for a while, anyway.

:: the many wonderful children's books that are out there. I am mystified as to why so many silly books are published when there is such a plethora of delightful books to be enjoyed-- many of which are out of print and harder to find? I firmly believe that writing and illustrations ought to appeal to the adults who are reading the books, as well as the children who are being read to. I don't care if you're 3 or 93, a story isn't good unless it draws you in.

:: getting our guest room finished. We are on the home stretch. We've been at a standstill for quite some time in there, but our energies and resources are being funneled in that direction once more. It's been almost four years since I had a guest room and I can't wait to have one again! Having a place readily available for guests is such a pleasure to me.

:: apple pie. Or banana cream pie. I really wish I had some right now.

 

Heart of Dakota review

I began "officially" homeschooling in 2008. That first year, Gabriel was in kindergarten and I pretty much just pieced our curriculum together (a little bit of this, a little bit of that). I didn't totally know what I was doing so while some of it was great, some of it was... well... not so great.

[For the record, I think the not-knowing-what-I-was-doing is somewhat par for the course, and if I could tell new homeschooling moms one thing, it would be that it's okay if you always feel a bit in over your head, especially in the first year(s)!]

By the end of that first year, I was glad to celebrate our beginning attempts together, my boy's and mine-- we MADE it!-- but I looked ahead to the coming school year when I would have to actually report our work to the local school district, and I felt overwhelmed. Due to my pieced-together approach, I didn't have the sense that first year that I could really measure our accomplishments. There weren't any clear objectives and, consequently, in the end I wasn't really sure how we did.

This works for some people, but for me, it left me feeling a bit floundering and uncertain.

Not to mention, I was going to have two students and not just one that next year, and I wanted to make sure I had clear targets we were aiming for so that I didn't just have a constant sense of being lost.

I began looking at Sonlight and My Father's World because I knew they are complete curriculum options with laid-out lesson plans, but beyond the cost of those options not being practical for me, I wasn't sure how either would work to combine both Gabriel & Bronwyn's work as much as possible, which was something I was really looking to do.

My friend then introduced me to Heart of Dakota. I was sold almost immediately! I purchased Little Hearts for His Glory, which Gabriel worked through as a 1st grader and Bronwyn worked through as a kindergartener. It worked flawlessly, gave me the confidence as a young homeschooling mom that I needed, and the kids enjoyed it.

The next year, I used Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory which I liked even better!

Here are my pros and cons:

Cons

1. The website is terrible. Request a free catalog ASAP and don't go to the website again until you understand the curriculum and want to place an order.
2. The curriculum is set up in 34 5-day lessons, a system that can easily make you feel like you're falling behind (if you're prone to that).
3. We didn't love the devotionals from either year, so we quickly abandoned them and used our own Bible story books and devotionals.
4. I didn't love the textbooks they chose for science or the way they assigned the use/reading of the books.

Pros

1. It is so. easy. to. use. I would open the teacher manual in the morning as I sat down with the kids and start working through the assignments with no prior thought or planning on my part. Everything is laid out in the two pages you're open to and categorized very plainly. It also felt easy to elaborate on certain things while slashing others as I felt appropriate from day to day-- and if I felt comfortable doing that, anybody will!
2. Combining grade levels is really very simple, especially if they're back-to-back grades (like Gabriel & Bronwyn's). Being able to do the majority of our work together (and even involving Jack & Aubrey) was exactly what I was looking for.
3. The books they use for history and daily read aloud are wonderful. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.
4. I loved that I could choose from handwriting programs, various grades of math, and phonics from what they offer-- or even just use something altogether different (which was exactly what I did for teaching reading). It's easy to swap things in and out and find what fits your child best, while still taking advantage of easy and ready-to-go lesson plans (alternative math assignments, etc. are in the appendix pages of the book).
5. Scripture memorization is included in the weekly lessons and that was so helpful at keeping it a priority with the kids. I love that.
6. The Rhymes in Motion from Little Hearts for His Glory seemed cheesy to me and so I wasn't using them until one day the kids asked why. We tried it and they loved it. They memorized the days of the week, continents, etc. so painlessly through these!

We didn't ever purchase the music portion of the curriculum because the kids get plenty of music through daily family devotions, weekly piano lessons, Friday Program, and church, so I can't comment on that.

So, with all that said, if anybody ever wants to look through the teacher manuals for either Little Hearts for His Glory or Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory, let me know! I own both and have no plan on getting rid of them any time soon because I can very easily see myself using them with some of the younger kids at some point.

 

School plans

The other day, my friend Michelle wrote about her 2011-2012 curriculum choices. I thought that was a great idea-- I know that as a homeschooling mom I always appreciate hearing about what other moms are using-- so I thought I would join in. (Lisa, you're next, right???)

For the past 2 years, I've used Heart of Dakota programs, and I have loved them. I hope to do a review on both of the programs we've used sometime soon, as I think they are a great fit for new homeschooling families or for families with fewer students in the younger elementary grades. This year I will have a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grader here at home, so finding programs that allowed for easy combining of grades or programs that run without heavy involvement on my part were key in my search and necessitated a transition away from Heart of Dakota.

 

History/Literature: Beautiful Feet Early American History* for all 3 kids

I chose this because it is a time period I love for younger learners, recommended for K-3rd grade (perfect for us!), very flexible in its schedule (which will come in handy since the majority of our Fridays are already committed to the CFA Friday Program), and includes a whole host of books that I've been looking for a reason to purchase anyway (I love the D'Aulaire books!).

 

Science: Science in Colonial America, A Pioneer Sampler, and Keeping a Nature Journal for all 3 kids

These books are not standard science textbooks, which is exactly why I chose them! (To be fair, I strongly considered using one of the Apologia elementary grade science programs, but decided against it in favor of books that will better coincide with our history studies. I do hope to try out some of the Apologia programs in the next few years, though, because I've heard wonderful things about them.) I am excited to lay a foundation-- and hopefully inspire curiosity and interest-- through nature and home-centered explorations, hopefully making science in the early years more about discovery and less about reading.

 

Reading: Beautiful Feet Early American History Intermediate Literature Pack* for Gabriel & Bronwyn, A Home Start in Reading & an old set of A Beka readers for Jack

Gabriel & Bronwyn are both easily reading at a 5th-6th grade level so I knew we could supplement our core history/literature program with extra reading, and since Beautiful Feet has an intermediate book list covering the same time early American time period, it made sense to do so. I've already started accumulating books from the list used through amazon and ebay, and they look great.

 

Handwriting: Getty & Dubay Italic Handwriting Book D for Gabriel & Bronwyn, Getty & Dubay Italic Handwriting Series Book B for Jack

I started using this program on a whim when Gabriel was in 1st grade (it was kind of an eeny-meeny-miny-moe type of thing). I don't know if it's the program or just that my children inherited some of my OCD tendencies, but their handwriting is progressing well, so we're continuing with the series. It's painless and seems to work.

 

Grammar: English from the Roots Up* for Gabriel & Bronwyn

I think I'm more excited about this than anything else I'm purchasing! I have a feeling it will not only be useful for the kids, but for me, too! I love that it is great for students of all ages, is flexible in its scheduling, and will provide a great foundation.

 

Math: Teaching Textbooks 4 for Gabriel, Teaching Textbooks 3 for Bronwyn, The Complete Book of Math Grades 1-2 for Jack

Gabriel has used Singapore Math for the past two years and Bronwyn used it her first year. It's been a good fit for Gabriel, but it wasn't a great fit for Bronwyn (which was why she used The Complete Book of Math Grades 1-2 this past year), and while it worked well for Gabriel, I do feel that some of its less-than-standard American progressions/explanations have put him at a disadvantage when it comes to recognizing standard arithmetic equations, not to mention that it's required that I sit with him through almost every lesson because the textook doesn't do a great job of explaining the concepts. Teaching Textbooks has been highly recommended to me, especially by moms of several homeschooling children, so I'm excited to try it!

When it came to choosing a math program for Jackson, I felt like it was a no-brainer. The Complete Book of Math gave Bronwyn (my less than mathematically oriented child) such a solid foundation in such a straight-forward manner that I couldn't think of any reason to try something else with Jack!

 

* I anticipate using these programs for 2 years since they are designed to be flexible and I want to get as much out of them as possible. Depending on how things go, I may try to use the science books for 2 years, as well, so that we can best coordinate the things we study in science with our history lessons.

 

Creating

I don't know how many of you are subscribed to or stop by Mom And Us. If you are/do, you may have read my book review on The Hidden Art of Homemaking and already know that I was very challenged by my re-read of that book. As a result, I have been purposing this week to incorporate more creativity into our days here at home.

It doesn't come naturally to me. I am, after all, the sort who doesn't sew, doesn't paint, doesn't craft, doesn't draw, etc. But there are ways to be creative that go far beyond what I "classify" as such. For example, how do I set the table, arrange the cleaning products, store the children's art supplies, put the baby dolls away, orchestrate family time, spend an evening? These are all opportunities to express creativity right where I am. And, sure, even though I've given attention to these sorts of things, I haven't been good at making a concerted effort to do something (even if it's small) creative in every moment that lies before me.

My week is concluding, and it has been great. This whole Creative Outlook thing is sort of addicting! I find myself, as I scour the sink, wondering what I can do to leave it looking more cared for (not just cleaner) than I found it. And when it's time to put the kids to bed, I think to myself, "How can I make bedtime more special than usual?"

I have had some wonderful moments in the past several days: the kind I think I may never forget. And even though our floors may be a little stickier and the tables a little more dusty, there are more touches of love and family and thoughtfulness in our home and hearts than there were before, and that's what I think really counts.

Here are some glimpses of our week:

One of the kids' "Love" books: illustrations of some of the people they love and are thankful for.



Before Bed Train Time, orchestrated by this tired mama who was sorely tempted to just plop them in front of a Little Bear dvd. Instead, I helped them build this track and then lounged on the floor with them while they played their hearts out.



An awkward snapshot attempting to capture our-- complete with soft gingerbread cookies (Raleigh Tavern Bakery style) and milk in Bronwyn's tea set-- Tea Party.



Costumed by yours truly and then loaded up with a blanket, small pack of food, and water for a game of Make Believe.

Still more food for thought

This excerpt is somewhat along the lines of the one I shared yesterday, but is actually taken from the other book I'm currently working through. Good stuff that I am really being freshly challenged and inspired by-- and I hope it blesses you, too!

This is the day of the 'TV frozen dinner,' stuck in an oven, served on a tray in front of the TV set, no conversation, no blessing being said, no Person being thanked, because there is no-one in the universe to thank. It is the day of 'grabbing a bite' and going on to the next engagement. The art of living together, of being a family, is being lost... And in this need to get back to 'gracious living,' to real communication among people living together, it seems to me one place to start could be the meal-time moments, and the careful prepartion of the background for conversations at that time.

...There is a 'togetherness' in sharing a prepared table that even very small children feel, although they cannot express it verbally. Instead of saying, "Oh it doesn't matter; it's only the children," when you are alone with children for a meal, it is important to say the opposite to yourself... It can be something that takes very little time indeed, but when the children are alone, do not let that be the moment to sit down at a bare table, or not to bother sitting down at all. Even the little one in the high chair will like to smell a single rose and look at it for a few minutes. Imagination not only provides the background of beauty to daily life, but also a realization that love, thought and preparation has been given to that 'together' time of eating.

food for thought

So the other book I'm reading right now is Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. I'm on chapter 9, which puts me a little less than halfway through it. Here are some brief and random thoughts on the book so far:

1. It's long (352 pages long, to be exact). If you like memoirs, you'll love this book. If you're like me and want to get the point a little faster, it gets tedious at times. That said, the writing style does allow for getting to know the author and her family pretty well, which is fun. They seem like pretty terrific people. I like that they enjoy being and working with one another. I appreciate their realization that something is missing from the average family, although I do wish they knew that something is actually someOne.

2. Kingsolver and her family pour their heart and soul into food: growing, preparing, and eating it. In many ways, mealtime and all it consists of is what they worship. They have found great good in eating locally and healthy and together, which I think is awesome and worth gleaning from. That said, I'm afraid my worship belong exclusively to One, and to be perfectly frank, I could never justify spending as much time as Kingsolver does gardening, growing, and cultivating.

3. Contrary to the author's insinuation at times, I don't think the government should be held responsible for Americans' terrible eating habits or the food industry's deceptive marketing. (I do think the government needs to be challenged on the enormous amount of funding that goes straight into the food industry, but I don't think those funds need to be re-distributed as much as I think they need to go right back into working people's wallets.) People-- men and women-- are intelligent beings and we can bear the blame for our ignorance and lack of self-control.

4. Overall, I really like this book and I'm glad I'm reading it. Kingsolver is candid and at times brutal in her assessment of the average American's relationship to food, but I think she's also right for the most part. There are some excerpts that I want to print out and post in my kitchen, just to keep me on track in my quest to make sure the food I serve my family is true to my desire to give them love and health.

Here is one bit I read today that I liked:

When my generation of women walked away from the kitchen we were escorted down that path by a profiteering industry that knew a tired, vulnerable marketing target when they saw it. "Hey, ladies," it said to us, "go ahead, get liberated. We'll take care of dinner." They threw open the door and we walked into a nutritional crisis and genuinely toxic food supply. If you think toxic is an exaggeration, read the package directions for handling raw chicken from a CAFO. We came a long way, baby, into bad eating habits and collaterally impaired family dynamics.

...When we traded homemaking for careers, we were implicitly promised economic independence and worldly influence. But a devil of a bargain it has turned out to be... We gave up the aroma of warm bread rising, the measured pace of nurturing routines, the creative task of molding our families' tastes and zest for life; we received in exchange the minivan and the Lunchable. (Or worse, convenience-mart hot dogs and latchkey kids.)

It was good

Earlier this week, when I considered where to tackle my 2009 reading list, I felt like I ought to begin by re-reading The Hidden Art of Homemaking. This is a wonderful book that every homemaker ought to have on her shelf (in my opinion... but you don't have to take my word for it!), and as I've been feeling rather, um, unmotivated as a homemaker, I thought it would be a good place to start.

Already, I've had to take long, hard looks at myself.

I love how the author, Edith Schaeffer, begins by laying the foundational understanding that we have been created by a Creator, in the image of Himself, which means that we, too, have creative abilities and desires within us. I must confess, though, that as I read about the individual who daydreams of expressing herself in certain arenas but fails to share her creative talents where she is planted, I wondered if there was any hope for me. I mean, I've gotta be honest here: I don't daydream about creating or expressing anything; I dream about sleep, and I dream about not doing a single thing for a whole uninterrupted two hours.

But it's good to be challenged, to confess, to be re-inspired.

I need the reminder that He made me in His image, and He is a Creator. How that creative ability comes forth varies from person to person and from season to season in our lives, but I need to remember that I am not just making a table look nicer, I am walking in His design and I will find fulfillment in that. Putting forth the effort and the discipline to create isn't just something I do to serve my family or others around me, it is good for my soul. After all, isn't that what He said after He had created?

"And it was good."

Reading goals

I've never made a book list for the year before, but as I looked back over 2008, I realized how much I neglected reading (to be perfectly frank, I barely cracked any covers beyond the books I read with the kids). Not only did I attempt far fewer books than in the past, I don't think I finished a single one. Pretty sad.

So this year I've made myself a book list. At 25 titles, it isn't long; after all, I do want a realistic goal (and one must leave plenty of room for "bonus books"!). I tried to pick a variety, including one or two off of the New York Times Bestsellers List, in an effort to keep things moving along. There are also a few books on my list that I've read before, but feel compelled/inspired to read again.

These are the two I've started the year with:

1. The Hidden Art of Homemaking by Edith Schaeffer
2. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver

These are the rest:

1. The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination and Nurture Family Connections by Amanda Blake Soule
2. The Shack by William Young
3. The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis
4. Gianna by Jessica Shaver
5. Honey For A Child's Heart by Gladys Hunt
6. Reforming Marriage by Douglas Wilson
7. The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith by Timothy Keller
8. Defending Life: A Moral and Legal Defense Against Abortion Choice by Francis Beckwith
9. Practicing Hospitality: The Joy of Serving Others by Ennis, Tatlock & Patterson
10. A Biblical Home Education: Building Your Homeschool on the Foundation of God's Word by Ruth Beechick
11. The Power of Words by Nancy Leigh DeMoss
12. Heaven by Randy Alcorn
13. Marley and Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog by John Grogan
14. Creating An Intimate Marriage: Rekindle Romance Through Affection, Warmth, and Encouragement by Jim Burns
15. Shepherding A Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp
16. The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian
17. Marriage to a Difficult Man: The Uncommon Union of Jonathan and Sarah Edwards by Elisabeth Dodds
18. The Elements of Style by Strunk and White
19. For the Family's Sake: The Value of Home in Everyone's Life by Susan Schaeffer Macauley
20. Raising Kids Who Hunger for God by Benny and Sheree Phillips
21. Multiple Blessings by Jon & Kate Gosselin and Beth Carson
22. Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations by Alex and Brett Harris
23. Home-Making by J. R. Miller

Do any of you have reading goals for the year? If so, what are they?

Also, if you've got any recommendations for Must-Reads, please do share! I am certainly not opposed to swapping a title or two out (or trying to add a couple more).

The Empty Cradle

I've just started reading this book, consequently I can't give it either a poor review or a hearty endorsement, but so far I am finding it interesting fodder for thought. Here are some excerpts from the first two chapters:

So it turns out that the modern, secular view of the world rests profoundly on the perception that the world will grow ever more crowded... Capitalists would wonder how they could make profits in a world of scarce labor and shrinking markets. Liberals would be at a loss to show how the welfare state was sustainable. Environmentalists would be robbed of their powerful projections showing human population exceeding the earth's carrying capacity. Feminists could no longer point to the low fertility of educated women as an obvious benefit to humankind.

...When asked how long it will take for the world's population to double, nearly half of all Americans say 20 years or less... Yet... forecasts by the United Nations and others show the world population growth rate could well turn negative during the lifetime of people now in their 40s and 50s, and is very likely to do so before today's children reach retirement age.

...These predictions come with considerable certainty. The primary reason is the unprecedented fall in fertility rates over the last generation that is now spreading to every corner of the globe.

...The global decline in fertility rates, as profound and well established as the trend may be, is hard to spot simply by observing the fabric of ordinary life... That's because, even in areas where birthrates are dramatically below the levels required to avoid population loss even in the near future, the absolute number of people is often still growing...When fertility falls below replacement levels, the population continues to increase for a while through sheer force of momentum. But this momentum is a dwindling legacy of a past effort when fertility rates were still above replacement levels.

Children's Books

b
Around here, we have a bedtime routine of reading aloud from a Chapter Book each night when my children are laying in their beds. It's a calming routine, for both them and me. So far we have read

Charlotte's Web
Sarah, Plain and Tall
All-of-a-kind Family
Stuart Little
Peter Pan
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Winnie-the-Pooh (all 4 original books)
Beatrix Potter, The Complete Tales
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

and we are about to conclude The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

Some favorites on my shelf that I look forward to reading aloud are

The Shoe books (I own 3)
Caddie Woodlawn
The Secret Garden
The Chronicles of Narnia

I also want to buy for bedtime reading

The Boxcar Children
Five Little Peppers and How They Grew
The Borrowers
The Little House Collection
The Wind in the Willows

I would love recommendations of books that were much-loved by you as a child. I plan on continuing this routine of bedtime reading for many more years and, while I anticipate repeating certain books because they're just that good, I want to have plenty of new material.

(Please keep in mind that I have both girls and boys I am reading to. I do want my boys to appreciate all sorts of literature, but don't plan on reading aloud Little Women or A Little Princess, etc., because I don't want to entirely bore them either. I figure Bronwyn and Aubrey can read those wonderful books on their own once they get a little older.)