All of these are fantastic: https://reshelvingalexandria.com/pub/list/15-books-to-read-aloud-this-christmas Absolute favorite would be A Tree for Peter which Purple House Press has reprinted.

I use Pinterest - I love the visual overview. At the end of the year I show my son and we have a conversation about his favorites and he gets all nostalgic - "I loved that one!" :) This year: https://www.pinterest.com/sarahjokim/books-read-to-kiddo-in-2016/ Last year: https://www.pinterest.com/sarahjokim/books-read-to-kiddo-in-2015/

We have this world map hanging in our dining area: http://amzn.to/1Kc1UYB I LOVE this map because it's colorful and includes a lot of interesting things to look at. My son spends a lot of time looking and it and has learned so much just having it there. We also have this US map hanging in my son's room on his closet door. I like this map because he can draw on it - he likes to draw lines from where we are to all the places he wants to go and to places where we have family. http://amzn.to/1SLm9z3

I'm on chapter 19 of Don Quixote. I find it humorous and charming at times and also very slow going. It's interesting - usually books I enjoy I find hard to put down but this book makes me laugh and makes me fall asleep. :) I also finished listening to The Martian audiobook - definitely recommend this one!

Most of this list is picture books - they are the most frequently listed books across award winners and many homeschool curriculums. We've read and enjoyed all of these: http://www.wellreadkid.com/most-frequently-listed-books/ These were our favorites for toddlers - they might be good for English learning as well: http://www.wellreadkid.com/top-10-books-for-toddlers/

I completely agree about the critical reviews! I listened to the audiobook in December and thoroughly enjoyed it. I love Alexander McCall Smith and I heard him speak in Berkeley - he's such a funny guy in person!

So excited to find this thread - I don't usually follow the Chat board so I'm glad someone on the General board mentioned it! I love to read but these past few years my focus has been on reading to my son and primarily audiobooks for myself on my commute. This year I'm planning to be more intentionally about reading for myself and I picked up The Well Educated Mind in December. I'm 7 chapters into Don Quixote. It's more accessible than I thought but wow, it's long and I'm hoping it's not just more of the same over and over? Well I'm going to try to get into it! Here's what I did manage to read in 2015: https://www.pinterest.com/sarahjokim/books-read-in-2015/

We read picture books from around the world this past year for K. I posted all our choices on my site if you want to take a look. We did one country or region per week so they are organized that way. http://www.wellreadkid.com/category/geography/ My son's favorite book was Elizabeth, Queen of the Seas. It's a true story about an elephant seal in New Zealand.

I just got the second edition of WEM and Don Quixote is on the way. Will join the discussion too - thanks for asking the question!

The Writer's Jungle

Have you looked at Sonlight? Their American History cores (D and E) are some of the most popular. I've heard really excellent things about the books selections - so even if you don't use the whole core you could incorporate some of the books. http://www.sonlight.com/DCD5.html#included-items http://www.sonlight.com/EC5.html#included-items

They have them in many stores here in Northern California - including Whole Foods and other grocery stores.

We did geography (mostly cultural) this year - focusing on one country or region per week. I posted all of the books (mostly picture books) we read on my site if you need recommendations: http://www.wellreadkid.com/category/geography/ If you need chapter book recommendations I've noticed these ones are often well reviewed on the Sonlight Core F forum: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon A Long Walk to Water I Rode a Horse of Milk White Jade Breaking Stalin's Nose The Kite Fighters Listening for Lions When My Name Was Keoko For physical geography we really liked Geography from A to Z: A Picture Glossary. It's simple and probably more for younger kids but it's really well done. We also used Expedition Earth from Confessions of a Homeschool. It's also better for younger kids - has flags to color, passport, activity recommendations.

Psalm 100, Psalm 130, any chapter of Philippians

RughtStart songs: http://rightstartmath.com/our-curriculum/songs/

Thanks, everyone. It sounds like it would be a good idea to do the Singapore placement test when we finish RightStart B to get a better sense of where my son is. Subtraction he understands quite well conceptually since it was covered alongside addition in MEP and I forgot to mention we also read Life of Fred (we're on Edgewood).

Which version of RS did you use?

My son who is almost 6 is currently working though the newer version of RightStart B. He's about half way through on lesson 65. Before RightStart he did Singapore Earlybird A, MEP Reception and half of MEP Year 1. We also used cuisenaire rods quite a bit. He has a great foundation and I'd like to eventually move him to Beast Academy 3A. What do you recommend we do in between RightStart B and Beast 3A? We like RightStart but I understand C isn't as good. Should we use it anyway? Do Singapore 2A and 2B? Is that the best level of Singapore to follow RightStart B? Something else I should consider? Thanks!

My son is doing the Language Smarts B workbook from The Critical Thinking Co since finishing LOE C. It's much more independent and he could have started it before finishing C. It covers some grammar and writing as well and along with reading early readers for practice could definitely be enough LA for the year.

I think you can get the code by signing up for their emails or making a purchase.

I just got the free Nativity and Chanukah recordings and A Christmas Carol for 99 cents from Peace Hill Press and then got an email for 10% off. I checked and you can combine it with the 25% off deal because that doesn't require a code - yay!!

I already had The History of the Ancient World so I got: The Hundred and One Dalmatians King Arthur: History and Legend Emma: A Modern Retelling (Alexander McCall Smith) Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood The Candymakers

60% OFF all individual talks at Circe. Promo code SIXTYOFF https://www.circeinstitute.org/products

I got the Audible email as well. It says the sale starts tomorrow but for you it starts a day early. I think I got the email because one of the sale books was in my wish list. When I sign in I see that book for $4.95. It also says the sale ends Dec 2. Assuming everyone will see the sale starting tomorrow but you can try adding items to your wish list. :)

Just got an email from Maker Shed. 10% off gift certificates. Code gift10