Reading Tips and Book Fair with Nicole Radigan
OUR SPEAKER- NICOLE RADIGAN
Nicole Radigan visited our group to share some reading tips and ideas, what makes a good book, and to put on a homeschool book fair for our families. She and her husband homeschool their six kids. Her husband was homeschooled all twelve years and Nicole was homeschooled during her high school years. When they married they agreed they would homeschool their children.
The Radigans have spent thousands of hours reading to their children, reviewing books, and collecting good books. Their home is full of books and they have a whole library to look through. Over the years the Radigan’s have voted on their favorites and created a 100-best books list. Nicole said that out of every 100 library books they have read, they generally feel only 5 books are really good books.
The problem with books is not finding them but discerning the good ones versus the bad ones. A good book is a classic or a living book. A classic is a book that can be read over and over again, with themes that apply across time and eras. A living book, a term by Charlotte Mason, is a book that you want to reread, with good language and that has a story of good versus evil.
“Spread a delicious feast of books.” - Charlotte Mason
WHY BOOKS AND STORIES
Nicole believes that stories are soul food. Stories are what speak to and move our hearts. The Bible is mostly stories. Jesus spoke in stories. It is what we connect with as humans and what we remember.
TIPS FOR HELPING YOUR KIDS LOVE BOOKS
Provide your child with lots of different books.
Fill your home with books.
Let kids pick their own books.
Give books as gifts. (write a memory of the child in the book cover)
Lay books on tables and other areas around the house where they are easily accessible.
Try different authors and topics when you find an author or topic of interest, get more of them.
Train them to find good stories by reading good stories
Limit screen time (tv, cell phone, tablets, etc.) if you want to encourage them to read more.
A great curriculum and means to read books is the Five in a Row method (one we offer as a class at Abundant Homes!).
RESOURCES FOR GOOD BOOKS LISTS
The Good and Beautiful Series by James Bryan Smith
Charlotte Mason's list of living books
Honey for the Child’s Heart by Glady’s Hunt
Nicole Radigan will be speaking at the CAPE Convention and sharing more about good books. She also has a regular story and craft times at her home for local homeschool families.
