Kindle Deals for December 31, 2019
Today's Best Book Deals for Your Homeschool
(Prices are correct as of the time of writing, but y'all know sales move fast — check before you click the buy button! These are Amazon links — read more about how we use affiliate links to help support some of the costs of the HSL blog here.)
Amazon has some great year-end deals, so I’m bringing you a larger selection today. Keep in mind most of these will end when the clock strikes 12!
The Next Great Paulie Fink, by Ali Benjamin, $1.99. This middle-grade novel is told from multiple perspectives, which is one of my favorite literary techniques. Here’s the publisher’s description: “When Caitlyn Breen begins her disorienting new life at Mitchell School--where the students take care of real live goats and study long-dead philosophers, and where there are only ten other students in the entire seventh grade--it seems like nobody can stop talking about some kid named Paulie Fink. Depending on whom you ask, Paulie was either a hilarious class clown, a relentless troublemaker, a hapless klutz, or an evil genius. One thing's for sure, though: The kid was totally legendary. Now he's disappeared, and Caitlyn finds herself leading a reality-show-style competition to find the school's next great Paulie Fink. With each challenge, Caitlyn struggles to understand a person she never met...but it's what she discovers about herself that most surprises her.”
Underground: A Human History of the Worlds Beneath Our Feet, by Will Hunt, $2.99. For thousands of years, humans have been venturing underground. Will Hunt has long been fascinated with what is happening beneath our feet, and he has collected a series of experiences that range from scientific to anthropological. With careful, beautiful prose, Hunt encourages the reader to consider the unseen mysteries underground.
Brightly Burning, by Alexa Donne, $2.99. This is Jane Eyre in space. Do I need to say more? In this YA adaptation, Stella is a governess on the spaceship Rochester, where she doesn’t have to worry about rations and is free to read the extensive library. But the ship appears to be haunted, with disturbing and mysterious incidents.
The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe, by Dr. Steven Novella, $2.99. I bought this book last year when I kept wanting to refer to my library copy after I returned it. Start the new year with a fresh look at fake news, real science, and how to tell the different. This is a perfect book to introduce teens to media awareness, critical thinking, and today’s current scientific debates (e.g., vaccines, global warming, radio waves).
Greystone Secrets: The Strangers, by Margaret Peterson Haddix, $1.99. I haven’t read this middle-grade novel yet, but it seems perfect for the long, dark evenings of winter. The publisher’s description is thrilling and chilling: “The Greystone kids thought they knew. Chess has always been the protector over his younger siblings, Emma loves math, and Finn does what Finn does best—acting silly and being adored. They’ve been a happy family, just the three of them and their mom. But everything changes when reports of three kidnapped children reach the Greystone kids, and they’re shocked by the startling similarities between themselves and these complete strangers. The other kids share their same first and middle names. They’re the same ages. They even have identical birthdays. Who, exactly, are these strangers? Before Chess, Emma, and Finn can question their mom about it, she takes off on a sudden work trip and leaves them in the care of Ms. Morales and her daughter, Natalie. But puzzling clues left behind lead to complex codes, hidden rooms, and a dangerous secret that will turn their world upside down.
STILL ON SALE
A Good Kind of Trouble, by Lisa Moore Ramee, $1.99. This middle-grade novel has been compared to The Hate U Give. Shay is a 12-year-old girl who hates trouble and doesn’t want to stand out. When a tragedy moves her to stand up for what she believes in, she finds out that some things are worth a bit of trouble.
(Don’t) Call Me Crazy: 33 Voices Start the Conversation about Mental Health, edited by Kelly Jensen, $1.99. The YA nonfiction collection of essays explores what it means to have a mental illness, how to talk about mental illness, and how to understand brain differences throughout the population. The contributors range from YA authors to musicians, actors, and more.
Put On Your Owl Eyes: Open Your Senses and Discover Nature’s Secrets, by Devin Franklin, $2.99. Get your upper elementary kid outdoors to observe! This book goes through the art of tracking and observing in nature to encourage kids to explore and document what they see. It’s full of map-making activities, journaling prompts, and inspiring photography.
The World According to Snoopy: Volume One, by Charles M. Schultz, $2.99. Because of all the holiday specials, the last months of the year always feel like Snoopy season to me. With this massive collection of Snoopy comics, you can carry a bit of the Peanuts world around with you all year.
How to Read the Constitution and Why, by Kim Wehle, $2.99. It’s been a big week for American government, and now might be a good time for a current events/civics study. Law Professor Kim Wehle goes through the Constitution to explain all the major rights and responsibilities it enshrines. The “why” is equally important; Wehle makes a strong case for why each citizen should know the Constitution and be prepared to protect it.
Laugh-Out-Loud Christmas Jokes for Kids, by Rob Elliott, $1.99. I’m not going to lie; these are not sophisticated jokes, but they will tickle the kids on your life. If you’ve wanted to know why snowmen always change their minds (they’re flaky) or why Rudolph’s nose shines at night (he’s a light sleeper), this book is for you!
We Need to Talk, by Celeste Headlee, $1.99. As we roll into the holiday season, you may find yourself interacting with people you don’t see all that often. This interesting and helpful book about communication offers tools that will improve your conversations with family, friends, colleagues, and others.
The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, $2.99. If you or your teen hasn’t read this fast-paced dystopian series yet, what are you waiting for? Join Katniss on her fight for survival in the epic, televised fight to the death. There’s lots to discuss here about politics, media, morality, and more.
Lumberjanes, Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy, by Noelle Stevenson, $3.99. My tween absolutely loves this comic series about a group of unusual girls at a summer camp. In addition to having a great time doing your typical camp activities, this gang face off with some supernatural creatures and go on a classic fantasy quest. This is girl power all the way! If you like this one, most of the other books in the series are also on sale right now.