What's Wrong With That Newbery Guy?

We are reading Island of the Blue Dolphins as a read aloud. At dinner tonight I told the boys that we will finish it tomorrow. Nick said "I hope something happy happens by the end of the book!" We were talking about how so many of our readers and read alouds are depressing. Orphaned kids, parents die, spiders die, dogs die, families lose everything to natural disasters. Charlotte's Web, Sign of the Beaver, Johnny Tremain, Across Five Aprils, Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, Old Yeller, Heidi, The Big Wave. All great books, but all filled with tragedy. The boys wanted to know why we read so many sad books, and I told them that people overcoming adversity makes for a good story. Then I added, "Most of the books we read are Newberry award winners." Zack's immediate response was "What's wrong with that Newbery Guy!?! Is he depressed?"

Snuggling on the couch with the kids reading great books is one of my favorite parts of homeschooling. OK, the older boys don't exactly want to snuggle on the couch anymore, but the books are still fabulous. I am now knee deep in researching curriculum for next school year. Maybe it makes me kind of nerdy, but I love it. It would be nice if we had unlimited funds so I could buy all the history, science, writing, math, and language programs I wanted. There are so many neat ones out there.

I'm leaning toward Middle Ages, Reformation, and Renaissance for Nick, with Rainbow Science, and Jacob's Algebra. Zack will study American History, Teaching Textbooks math, and I'm not sure what for science. Michael will learn about World History and stick with Math U See and informal science topics. I do know that we will be reading some great books along the way.