RAR #273: Imagining the Childhood of C.S. Lewis, with Judith McQuoid
Many of you will already know that I am a huge fan of The Chronicles of Narnia. Today, I want to introduce my fellow Narnia lovers to a new book that jumped right off the shelf as soon as I saw it. Giant is a middle-grade novel by debut author Judith McQuoid where we meet Davy, a fictional working class boy from East Belfast, Ireland who is sent to work in the wealthy Lewis household in 1908. There, he forges a friendship with Jacks–as C.S. Lewis was known to his friends and family–over books, stories, and building worlds of imagination and adventure.Giant is a must-read for Narnia fans that adds a whole new depth of experience to C.S. Lewis’s world and will help you read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in a fresh way. And today, I’m chatting with the author about what inspired her to write the book, how much of the story is fictionalized, and how the process of writing the book shaped her identity. And you’re going to love her Irish accent! In this episode, you’ll hear: The way her dad’s love of Narnia and Lewis’s Belfast heritage inspired Judith to write this story How Judith started with a “skeleton” draft and added layers of detail and depth with revisionsThe faith that carried Judith through the ups and downs of creating GiantLearn more about Sarah Mackenzie:Read-Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the NewsletterFind the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/judith-mcquoid
Order Flora and the Jazzers by Astrid Sheckels!
--------
39:15
--------
39:15
RAR #272: Giving Flora Her Voice with Astrid Sheckels
Astrid Sheckels continues the wit and whimsy of childhood through her marvelous and magnificent illustrations and storytelling. You might recognize her from the Hector Fox and Friends series or Sea Dog and Sea Dog Rescue, and she created the gorgeous cover and interior illustrations for Beyond Mulberry Glen by Millie Florence. Today we’re chatting about her new book, Flora and the Jazzers, which Kirkus called “sumptuously illustrated” in their starred review and I couldn’t agree more. This jazz-age Cinderella story starring a ferret named Flora and set in a 1920s New York hotel is going to blow you away, I just know it. Astrid is a New Englander who loves to paint animals in clothes, so clearly she is a woman after my own heart, and I just know you’ll fall in love with her too.In this episode, you’ll hear: How childhood family read-alouds instilled a love for stories in AstridThe way one of Astrid’s earliest childhood drawings became the inspiration for FloraWhy a sketchbook is an ideal tool for budding creatives Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:Read-Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the NewsletterFind the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/astrid-sheckels
Order Flora and the Jazzers by Astrid Sheckels!
--------
47:46
--------
47:46
Best of RAR: What Do We Mean by Peace?
Peace. It sounds lovely, right? It’s what so many of us want more than anything else in our homeschools. We long for peace, even if it often feels unattainable.But what does peace actually look like in the midst of a real, chaotic homeschool day?Last month in Circle with Sarah–my mentoring program for homeschool moms inside RAR Premium–we had a retreat. And our theme? Maintaining Peace in Your Homeschool.Over four sessions, we walked through practical tips for letting go of guilt and holding onto peace when your day doesn’t go as planned–which we all know is basically every hour of every day, right? Today, I’m sharing the first session of the retreat, called “What Do We Mean by Peace?”I hope you find encouragement for maintaining peace within the everyday rhythms of homeschooling and that you get a better picture of the peace that’s available to you right here, right now, regardless of the circumstances you find yourself in.And if you want to check out the rest of the retreat, all of the sessions are available now as part of RAR Premium (Join us right here!).In this episode, you’ll hear: The real definition of peace (hint: it’s not always calm and quiet!) Our primary responsibility as moms and homeschoolersHow our fears cause us to lose hold of peaceLearn more about Sarah Mackenzie:Read-Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the NewsletterFind the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/peace
Order Flora and the Jazzers by Astrid Sheckels!
--------
1:00:58
--------
1:00:58
Best of RAR: 5 Habits of Happy Homeschoolers
What does having a happy homeschool mean to you? How would you describe it? What would you be doing?Our homeschools are all unique. We have different kids, different spouses, different resources, different homes, different demands on our time and energy. And yet I have a hunch that when we think about what having a happy homeschool means, our answers would be remarkably similar.As many of us are getting into the swing of a new school year, I want to revisit a topic that I think is incredibly important to keep in mind so that you can actually enjoy your homeschool this year.In this episode, you’ll hear: The one word we want our homeschools to emulate Why your peace and contentment as a homeschool mama matters more than curriculumThe five things moms told us again and again about having a happy homeschool (with a handy acronym!)Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:Read-Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the NewsletterFind the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/homeschool-habits
Order Flora and the Jazzers by Astrid Sheckels!
--------
53:33
--------
53:33
RAR #271: An Inside Look at Writing & Illustrating a Picture Book with Katie Wray Schon
Today, I have a very special treat for you! This spring, our publishing imprint here at RAR, Waxwing Books, celebrated the release of Painting Wonder: How Pauline Baynes Illustrated the Worlds of C. S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien at one of my favorite bookstores, Fabled Bookshop in Waco, Texas.I had so much fun talking to Painting Wonder’s incredibly talented author and illustrator, Katie Wray Schon, about this picture book biography of the fascinating woman behind the iconic illustrations in the works of C. S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. We knew this conversation would be too good to keep to ourselves, so we recorded it, and now we’re sharing it with you!In this episode, you’ll hear: Why Katie wanted to write and illustrate a picture book about Pauline Baynes Katie’s process for writing, illustrating, and revising a page-turning book What Katie would go back and tell her younger self, plus her favorite resources for aspiring authors and illustratorsLearn more about Sarah Mackenzie:Read-Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the NewsletterFind the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/painting-wonder-launch
Order Flora and the Jazzers by Astrid Sheckels!
Ireland