Kindle Deals for September 4, 2019
Sociology of homeschooling, award-winning history and YA fiction, and a rip-roaring pirate adventure in today’s Kindle deals.
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.)
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The Where, the Why, and the How, by Jenny Volvoski, Matt Lamothe, and Julia Rothman, $2.99. I squealed when this book came up on Amazon’s deals page; it is just that cool. There are 75 short chapters, each a scientific question like “Where will the next pandemic come from?” or “What triggers puberty?” Each question is answered by an expert in the field and is illustrated by a different artist. Some of the illustrations are technical, others are more conceptual. If you like the art, it’s easy to find more, as each question gives contact information on the artist.
The Confidence Code for Girls, by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman, $2.99. This is another book that had me hopping up and down. My daughter LOVES this book. She has highlighted portions, rereads certain chapters when she is having a rough time, and recommends it to all the kids in her age bracket. This book aims to stop the cycle of self-doubt in tweens and teens by encouraging them to embrace their whole selves and try things even when success is not guaranteed. The text is broken up with fun illustrations, quizzes, and more. My favorite 9 year old says, “Basically this book has become my bible. It has helped me through emotional and physical problems with friends, screentime, puberty, overthinking, not taking risks, and more. I strongly recommend this book for girls who need a source to help them with these struggles.”
The Storm Runner, by J. C. Cervantes, $0.99. Rick Riordan has been endorsing other middle grade authors who are writing interesting stories based on world mythology. My family has particularly enjoyed the Aru Shah series, based on the Hindu Mahabharata. The Storm Runner draws on Mayan mythology to tell the story of 12-year-old Zane, who discovers a gateway to another world through a New Mexican volcano. Page-turning hijinks and interesting mythological details will engage readers young and old.
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, by Susanna Clarke, $1.99. I have started this book more times than I can remember, and it is great. It’s a doorstop of a book, so you’ll get a lot of reading time for your $2. Just don’t be like me and read 350 pages before setting it down long enough that you can’t remember all the details when you pick it up again. This book is worth the sustained effort to get to the end. In an alternate Austenian England, magic is still alive — but barely. Two magicians, with decidedly different abilities and opinions about magic, rise to power, and their friendship and eventual conflict will define the future of English magic. You know we love a good Jane-Austen-plus-magic mashup, and this one delivers, with fictional footnotes to boot. (The miniseries adaptation is also pretty good!)
STILL ON SALE
Piecing Me Together, by Renee Watson, $5.03. This Newberry and Coretta Scott King award winner is going to become a classic of high school literature curricula. Jade attends a private school outside of her own poorer community, and she feels like an outsider. The well-meaning people around her offer her opportunities for “at-risk” students, but these do not make her feel accepted or understood. This is the story of Jade finding her own voice and channeling that energy into making a difference for others around her. School Library Journal describes it as a “nuanced meditation on race, privilege, and intersectionality.”
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, by Dee Brown, $4.99. Here is what we said about this book in our Great Books for Studying Native American History article: Brown’s incisive, authoritative account of the systematic 19th century destruction of Native American populations by the United States illuminates the perspective of the Dakota, Ute, Sioux, Cheyenne, and other tribes who lived through it. This is not an easy book to read, but it’s an important one.
Home Is Where the School Is, by Jennifer Lois, $1.67. Homeschooling moms, this one is for you. Sociology professor Jennifor Lois has researched homeschooling culture for a decade to discover the tremendous variety in why people homeschool, what that work looks like, and the emotional strains faced by the homeschooling parent. I haven’t read this yet, but it was recommended by a few other homeschooling moms in my orbit. I loved all my sociology classes in college, and I’m looking forward to considering my everyday life through another lens.
Raymie Nightingale, by Kate DiCamillo, $4.55. Kate DiCamillo is back with a middle grades novel about a Little Miss pageant that forges a bond between three lonely girls. The New York Times Book Review said it better than I can: “With its short, vibrant chapters and clear, gentle prose, this triumphant and necessary book conjures the enchantments of childhood without shying away from the fraught realities of abandonment, abuse and neglect.”
The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History, by Elizabeth Kolbert, $2.99. In addition to being a “compelling and enlightening report [that] forthrightly addresses the most significant topic of our lives” (that’s what Booklist says!), it’s part of the spine of Build Your Library’s 9th grade reading list.
Hemingway Didn’t Say That, by Garson O’Toole, $0.99. Are you a person who likes to know stuff and be right? Garson O’Toole is such a person (as am I). O’Toole discovered that many quotations are attributed to the wrong people or are remembered incorrectly. With the help of extensive internet searches and lots of patience, he has tracked down the origins of phrases you have likely heard. Each section includes a portion about his process and about how the errors came to be. This book will thrill word nerds and anyone who enjoys a little literary detective work.
Stuff Matters, by Mark Miodownik, $2.99. This is one of my favorite types of books — the ones that provide explanations for all the elements of everyday life. Why is glass see-through? Why is metal reflective? Miodownik is a materials scientist who can discuss each of the 11 topics with scientific detail and a good deal of humor. Occasional illustrations help make the science more accessible.
Moxie, by Jennifer Mathieu, $2.99. Amy adored this book about a girl whose underground zine accidentally starts a feminist revolution at her Texas high school. (It was one of our favorite books of 2017!)
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate DiCamillo, $2.94. This book is heartbreakingly beautiful, both in story and in the illustrations. Edward Tulane is an emotionally distant china rabbit who falls overboard on an ocean journey. This begins his tremendous adventure, from the bottom of the ocean to a hobo’s pack to a sick child’s bedside. I’m not going to lie, this book is really sad in parts (there are parallels to The Velveteen Rabbit), but the story is worth it.
The Girl Who Drank the Moon, by Kelly Barnhill, $3.66. We studied this book as part of Brave Writer’s Arrow program last year, and it’s the kind of lyrical, moving book that lingers in your mind. From Amy’s review: “I thought this little middle grades fantasy was just lovely—a worthy precursor to authors like Gaiman and LeGuin. Barnhill has a knack for telling a complex story in deceptively simple, lyrical fairy tale language, and the way she teases the individual threads of this story together—the brave boy, the magical girl, the witch’s forgotten history, the mad mother—is brilliant. The characters—minor and major—live and breathe; the world of the story feels sturdy enough to stand on its own.”
The Complete Poetry, by Maya Angelou, $4.99. Maya Angelou is one of the greatest writers in American history. This comprehensive collection of her poetry includes Still I Rise, On the Pulse of Morning (recited at the Clinton inauguration), and Amazement Awaits (commissioned for the 2008 Olympics).
Leah on the Offbeat, by Becky Albertalli, $2.99. I haven’t read this sequel to Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (made into a movie as Love, Simon), but I’m eager to find out more about what happens with Simon’s best friend. Leah on the Offbeat was the Goodreads YA book of the year! From the flap: When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat—but real life isn’t always so rhythmic. An anomaly in her friend group, she’s the only child of a young, single mom, and her life is decidedly less privileged. She loves to draw but is too self-conscious to show it. And even though her mom knows she’s bisexual, she hasn’t mustered the courage to tell her friends—not even her openly gay BFF, Simon.
And Then You’re Dead, by Cody Cassidy and Paul Doherty, $4.99. This book is fascinatingly morbid. There are so many things that can kill you, but HOW do they kill you? If you get swallowed by a whale, do you die from stomach acid, being crushed, asphyxiation? These nightmare scenarios are explained with lots of dark humor and solid scientific information. My daughter and several of her tween/teen friends can’t get enough of this book, and it’s easy to see why. Don’t you also need to know what would actually happen if you were sacrificed to a volcano?
The Cloudspotter’s Guide, by Gavin Pretor-Pinney, $4.99. Learn more about morning glory, cumulus, nimbostratus, and all those other clouds in this odd but awesome little book about the science, history, art, and pop culture significance of clouds.
The Game of Silence, by Louise Erdrich, $2.99. My daughter has listened to the audiobook of The Birchbark House (oddly, not available on Kindle) more times than I can count. We’ve loved hearing about Omakayas’s adventures in her Anishinabeg, or Ojibwe tribe. The Game of Silence picks up shortly after that book. Omakayas’s family meets a group of fellow tribespeople who have been displaced by white settlers. Over the course of the book, she discovers that she, too, will have to move away from her home. Erdrich’s deft touch makes this an enjoyable read, even through some tough subject matter.
Jackaby, by William Ritter, $3.59. I was so taken by Amy’s review last year that I immediately bought the whole series. Here’s what she had to say: This first in the series (of which I am a fan) introduces the supernatural Sherlock Holmes and his new assistant, runaway young lady (who’d rather be a paleontologist) Abigail Rook. Amy says, “Abigail, who’s very much a Watson in the Martin Freeman vein — smart, stout-hearted, and adventurous — needs a job, and R.F. Jackaby, supernatural consulting detective, needs an assistant. Abigail is not put off by the fact that Jackaby’s former assistant is now a duck living on the mysterious third floor of his haunted mansion, and she determinedly follows her new boss on his investigation of a mysterious serial killer, matching her keen observation and logic skills to Jackaby’s otherworldly knowledge. The serial killer plot is fine, but the real charm in this book — and trust me, there’s lots of charm — is the world Ritter has created.”
How We Got to Now, by Steven Johnson, $4.99. Steven Johnson is one of those people who sees all the hidden connections that shape the world. This book looks at six major areas of discovery and development to show all the effects set in motion by each development in technology. The very first section, on the history of glass, had me hooked. Full-color illustrations will grab the attention and keep your reader turning the pages.
Watch Us Rise, by Renee Watson and Ellen Hagan, $2.99. I haven’t read this yet, but the concept is great and so many of my favorite authors have blurbed it! When Jasmine and Chelsea are unhappy with situations at their NYC high school, they start a Women’s Rights Club. School Library Journal says, “this thought-provoking novel explores ideas of body-shaming, racial stereotypes, and gender inequality.” The story unfolds in prose, poetry, blog articles, and more. I can’t wait to read it.
One Summer: America, 1927, by Bill Bryson, $1.99. I’m still new to this recommendation gig, so you haven’t gotten sick of my praise of Bill Bryson yet. You’ll be hearing about him often; his conversational tone makes his densely packed nonfiction seem like a casual chat with your smartest friend. In One Summer, Bryson shows a snapshot of all the things happening in 1927, many of which still impact our lives today. You’ll visit with Babe Ruth, Charles Lindbergh, Al Capone, and many more.
Countdown, by Deborah Wiles, $1.99. Most history classes run out of time before they get to the last 50 years or so. This interesting novel tells the story of a tween living near D.C. during the Cuban Missile Crisis. She is navigating family and school issues while also worrying and wondering about the likelihood of a Russian attack. What really makes this book great is the “documentary” style: it is peppered with magazine clips, news quotes, and song lyrics that will bring the ‘60s to life for your upper elementary or middle school reader.
How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, by Ken Ludwig, $4.99. I’ll be perfectly honest. I’m an English major who skillfully avoided Shakespeare for all four years of her undergraduate degree. He’s not my favorite. That said, Shakespeare is an important part of the literary landscape, both in unique language and important plot references. When we are ready to work Shakespeare into our language studies (beyond a discussion of The Lion King being a retelling of Hamlet), this is my go-to book. Carrie Pomeroy mentions the book in her article about trying to share her love for the Bard with her kids.
I Scream! Ice Cream!, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, $1.99. What’s a wordle, you ask? A wordle is a set of words that sound exactly the same but have different meanings. “Heroes” and “he rows,” “reindeer” and “rain, dear.” The puns only get more elaborate from there. The hilarious wordplay and adorable illustrations will entertain readers of all ages.
The Monster at the End of this Book, by Jon Stone, $3.03. Beware! Grover doesn’t want you to read this book! There’s a monster at the end! The delightful illustrations bring the Sesame Street characters to life. You’ll want to make sure you have a color display to get the most out of this charming read aloud.
The Witch’s Boy, by Kelly Barnill, $4.51. Kelly Barnhill’s modern fairy tales are effortlessly complex, and I love them all. From the publisher: “When Ned and his identical twin brother tumble from their raft into a raging river, only Ned survives. Villagers are convinced the wrong boy lived. Across the forest that borders Ned’s village, Áine, the daughter of the Bandit King, is haunted by her mother’s last words: “The wrong boy will save your life, and you will save his.” When the Bandit King comes to steal the magic Ned’s mother, a witch, is meant to protect, Áine and Ned meet. Can they trust each other long enough to cross a dangerous enchanted forest and stop the war about to boil over between their two kingdoms?
The Princess Bride, by Williams Golding, $3.49. This book is in our Middle School Reading List and our Summer Reading list for fans of The Phantom Tollbooth. Golding’s novel might poke fun at some of the traditional fairy-tale elements in epic adventures, but the story of Buttercup and her Westley is an unabashed literary delight. (Golding was inserting wry narrator notes long before the trend took off in children’s literature.)
Kindle Deals for September 3, 2019
Sociology of homeschooling, award-winning history and YA fiction, and a rip-roaring pirate adventure in today’s Kindle deals.
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.)
It’s the first day of school in my part of the world! Here are some great books to enjoy as you watch the school buses roll by.
Seafire, by Natalie C. Parker, $2.99. Occasionally, someone in my life will rush up to me and start telling me all about a wonderful book and why I simply must read it. I always put the book on my list — anything that inspires that much enthusiasm is worth a look. Seafire is one of those books. It’s the story of Caledonia, a teenage girl turned Pirate Captain leading an all-female crew against the warlord who killed her family. Booklist describes it as “Mad Max by way of Davy Jones, a high-energy, breathless adventure [about] a group of damaged girls who find home in one another.” My teenage reader friend Teaghan says, “Caledonia is very relatable, which makes the story very easy to get immersed in and helps understand the severity of the situations she gets put in while also seeing them as cool pirate fights.”
Piecing Me Together, by Renee Watson, $1.99. This Newberry and Coretta Scott King award winner is going to become a classic of high school literature curricula. Jade attends a private school outside of her own poorer community, and she feels like an outsider. The well-meaning people around her offer her opportunities for “at-risk” students, but these do not make her feel accepted or understood. This is the story of Jade finding her own voice and channeling that energy into making a difference for others around her. School Library Journal describes it as a “nuanced meditation on race, privilege, and intersectionality.”
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, by Dee Brown, $2.99. Here is what we said about this book in our Great Books for Studying Native American History article: Brown’s incisive, authoritative account of the systematic 19th century destruction of Native American populations by the United States illuminates the perspective of the Dakota, Ute, Sioux, Cheyenne, and other tribes who lived through it. This is not an easy book to read, but it’s an important one.
Home Is Where the School Is, by Jennifer Lois, $1.67. Homeschooling moms, this one is for you. Sociology professor Jennifor Lois has researched homeschooling culture for a decade to discover the tremendous variety in why people homeschool, what that work looks like, and the emotional strains faced by the homeschooling parent. I haven’t read this yet, but it was recommended by a few other homeschooling moms in my orbit. I loved all my sociology classes in college, and I’m looking forward to considering my everyday life through another lens.
STILL ON SALE
Raymie Nightingale, by Kate DiCamillo, $4.55. Kate DiCamillo is back with a middle grades novel about a Little Miss pageant that forges a bond between three lonely girls. The New York Times Book Review said it better than I can: “With its short, vibrant chapters and clear, gentle prose, this triumphant and necessary book conjures the enchantments of childhood without shying away from the fraught realities of abandonment, abuse and neglect.”
The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History, by Elizabeth Kolbert, $2.99. In addition to being a “compelling and enlightening report [that] forthrightly addresses the most significant topic of our lives” (that’s what Booklist says!), it’s part of the spine of Build Your Library’s 9th grade reading list.
Hemingway Didn’t Say That, by Garson O’Toole, $0.99. Are you a person who likes to know stuff and be right? Garson O’Toole is such a person (as am I). O’Toole discovered that many quotations are attributed to the wrong people or are remembered incorrectly. With the help of extensive internet searches and lots of patience, he has tracked down the origins of phrases you have likely heard. Each section includes a portion about his process and about how the errors came to be. This book will thrill word nerds and anyone who enjoys a little literary detective work.
Wayside School is Falling Down, by Louis Sachar, $2.99. I was just talking to my nieces about how much they love this book series about an extremely unusual elementary school. Each of the 30 chapters in this book is another short story about the wacky students and staff of Wayside. Homeschoolers need not worry, it’s not a story focused on the nitty gritty of being at school. It’s jam packed with puns, non sequiturs, and unexpected anarchy. Your kids will either love it or hate it. Amy discusses the first book in the series here.
Stuff Matters, by Mark Miodownik, $2.99. This is one of my favorite types of books — the ones that provide explanations for all the elements of everyday life. Why is glass see-through? Why is metal reflective? Miodownik is a materials scientist who can discuss each of the 11 topics with scientific detail and a good deal of humor. Occasional illustrations help make the science more accessible.
Moxie, by Jennifer Mathieu, $2.99. Amy adored this book about a girl whose underground zine accidentally starts a feminist revolution at her Texas high school. (It was one of our favorite books of 2017!)
Emma (Marvel Illustrated), by Jane Austen, Nancy Butler, and Janet Lee, $4.99. I hope you were all excited by the comic book Pride and Prejudice, because today I found comic book Emma! The illustrations are not as polished as in P&P, but the story is still great. Butler and Lee capture the most significant dialogue and plot points. Austen’s classic story of a misguided matchmaker is a good time in any format, including the Gwyneth Paltrow movie and, of course, Clueless.
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate DiCamillo, $2.94. This book is heartbreakingly beautiful, both in story and in the illustrations. Edward Tulane is an emotionally distant china rabbit who falls overboard on an ocean journey. This begins his tremendous adventure, from the bottom of the ocean to a hobo’s pack to a sick child’s bedside. I’m not going to lie, this book is really sad in parts (there are parallels to The Velveteen Rabbit), but the story is worth it.
Pride and Prejudice (Marvel Illustrated), by Jane Austen, Nancy Butler, and Hugo Petrus, $4.99. It’s the story you know and love, but told in a very different way. This is a full color Marvel comic version of Jane Austen’s classic. The art is good, and most of the dialogue is there. This is perfect for both the Jane Austen completionist (that would be me) and the skeptic (who can use this book as a study guide or — gasp — substitute for the real thing).
From the Forest: A Search for the Hidden Roots of our Fairy Tales, by Sara Maitland, $2.99. This book is a lot of things, but it manages to succeed on all fronts. Maitland studies the role that forests play in fairy tales. The book combines literary analysis of classic tales, a travelogue of her trips through ancient forests in Europe, and thought-provoking retellings of 12 common stories. Photos taken in the ancient forests bring the settings to life.
The Girl Who Drank the Moon, by Kelly Barnhill, $3.71. We studied this book as part of Brave Writer’s Arrow program last year, and it’s the kind of lyrical, moving book that lingers in your mind. From Amy’s review: “I thought this little middle grades fantasy was just lovely—a worthy precursor to authors like Gaiman and LeGuin. Barnhill has a knack for telling a complex story in deceptively simple, lyrical fairy tale language, and the way she teases the individual threads of this story together—the brave boy, the magical girl, the witch’s forgotten history, the mad mother—is brilliant. The characters—minor and major—live and breathe; the world of the story feels sturdy enough to stand on its own.”
The Complete Poetry, by Maya Angelou, $1.99. Maya Angelou is one of the greatest writers in American history. This comprehensive collection of her poetry includes Still I Rise, On the Pulse of Morning (recited at the Clinton inauguration), and Amazement Awaits (commissioned for the 2008 Olympics).
Leah on the Offbeat, by Becky Albertalli, $2.99. I haven’t read this sequel to Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (made into a movie as Love, Simon), but I’m eager to find out more about what happens with Simon’s best friend. Leah on the Offbeat was the Goodreads YA book of the year! From the flap: When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat—but real life isn’t always so rhythmic. An anomaly in her friend group, she’s the only child of a young, single mom, and her life is decidedly less privileged. She loves to draw but is too self-conscious to show it. And even though her mom knows she’s bisexual, she hasn’t mustered the courage to tell her friends—not even her openly gay BFF, Simon.
Truly Devious, by Maureen Johnson, $2.99. From our summer 2018 reading list: “Ellingham Academy is one of the most competitive private schools in the country—and also the scene of one of the country’s most notorious unsolved mysteries. New student Stevie Bell is determined to put her true crime obsession to work on Elligham’s famous cold case, but the murderer may not be ancient history after all.” My caveat: This is the first in a series, so if you can’t stand cliffhangers, buy it cheap but wait to read it until the series wraps — this first book has a particularly frustrating cliffhanger ending.
And Then You’re Dead, by Cody Cassidy and Paul Doherty, $4.99. This book is fascinatingly morbid. There are so many things that can kill you, but HOW do they kill you? If you get swallowed by a whale, do you die from stomach acid, being crushed, asphyxiation? These nightmare scenarios are explained with lots of dark humor and solid scientific information. My daughter and several of her tween/teen friends can’t get enough of this book, and it’s easy to see why. Don’t you also need to know what would actually happen if you were sacrificed to a volcano?
The Cloudspotter’s Guide, by Gavin Pretor-Pinney, $4.99. Learn more about morning glory, cumulus, nimbostratus, and all those other clouds in this odd but awesome little book about the science, history, art, and pop culture significance of clouds.
The Game of Silence, by Louise Erdrich, $2.99. My daughter has listened to the audiobook of The Birchbark House (oddly, not available on Kindle) more times than I can count. We’ve loved hearing about Omakayas’s adventures in her Anishinabeg, or Ojibwe tribe. The Game of Silence picks up shortly after that book. Omakayas’s family meets a group of fellow tribespeople who have been displaced by white settlers. Over the course of the book, she discovers that she, too, will have to move away from her home. Erdrich’s deft touch makes this an enjoyable read, even through some tough subject matter.
Jackaby, by William Ritter, $3.59. I was so taken by Amy’s review last year that I immediately bought the whole series. Here’s what she had to say: This first in the series (of which I am a fan) introduces the supernatural Sherlock Holmes and his new assistant, runaway young lady (who’d rather be a paleontologist) Abigail Rook. Amy says, “Abigail, who’s very much a Watson in the Martin Freeman vein — smart, stout-hearted, and adventurous — needs a job, and R.F. Jackaby, supernatural consulting detective, needs an assistant. Abigail is not put off by the fact that Jackaby’s former assistant is now a duck living on the mysterious third floor of his haunted mansion, and she determinedly follows her new boss on his investigation of a mysterious serial killer, matching her keen observation and logic skills to Jackaby’s otherworldly knowledge. The serial killer plot is fine, but the real charm in this book — and trust me, there’s lots of charm — is the world Ritter has created.”
How We Got to Now, by Steven Johnson, $4.99. Steven Johnson is one of those people who sees all the hidden connections that shape the world. This book looks at six major areas of discovery and development to show all the effects set in motion by each development in technology. The very first section, on the history of glass, had me hooked. Full-color illustrations will grab the attention and keep your reader turning the pages.
Watch Us Rise, by Renee Watson and Ellen Hagan, $2.99. I haven’t read this yet, but the concept is great and so many of my favorite authors have blurbed it! When Jasmine and Chelsea are unhappy with situations at their NYC high school, they start a Women’s Rights Club. School Library Journal says, “this thought-provoking novel explores ideas of body-shaming, racial stereotypes, and gender inequality.” The story unfolds in prose, poetry, blog articles, and more. I can’t wait to read it.
State by State, by Matt Weiland and Sean Wilsey, $1.99. This book has an excellent concept — find excellent, famous writers and have them write about a state that they know. You’ll hear from Jhumpa Lahiri, Jonathan Franzen, Alison Bechdel, and more. The stories are funny, touching, odd, and wonderful, and they come together to create a unique snapshot of the US. Note: not all of the stories are suitable for all ages, so don’t just hand this over to a tween.
One Summer: America, 1927, by Bill Bryson, $1.99. I’m still new to this recommendation gig, so you haven’t gotten sick of my praise of Bill Bryson yet. You’ll be hearing about him often; his conversational tone makes his densely packed nonfiction seem like a casual chat with your smartest friend. In One Summer, Bryson shows a snapshot of all the things happening in 1927, many of which still impact our lives today. You’ll visit with Babe Ruth, Charles Lindbergh, Al Capone, and many more.
Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes, trans. Edith Grossman, $1.99. I’m sure there are free versions out there, but this translation by Edith Grossman is the best I’ve read. Try it with your middle schooler, and you may be surprised — Suzanne’s middle school literature class totally fell in love with this funny, tragic tale of a self-created knight and his faithful squire.
Countdown, by Deborah Wiles, $1.99. Most history classes run out of time before they get to the last 50 years or so. This interesting novel tells the story of a tween living near D.C. during the Cuban Missile Crisis. She is navigating family and school issues while also worrying and wondering about the likelihood of a Russian attack. What really makes this book great is the “documentary” style: it is peppered with magazine clips, news quotes, and song lyrics that will bring the ‘60s to life for your upper elementary or middle school reader.
How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, by Ken Ludwig, $4.99. I’ll be perfectly honest. I’m an English major who skillfully avoided Shakespeare for all four years of her undergraduate degree. He’s not my favorite. That said, Shakespeare is an important part of the literary landscape, both in unique language and important plot references. When we are ready to work Shakespeare into our language studies (beyond a discussion of The Lion King being a retelling of Hamlet), this is my go-to book. Carrie Pomeroy mentions the book in her article about trying to share her love for the Bard with her kids.
I Scream! Ice Cream!, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, $1.99. What’s a wordle, you ask? A wordle is a set of words that sound exactly the same but have different meanings. “Heroes” and “he rows,” “reindeer” and “rain, dear.” The puns only get more elaborate from there. The hilarious wordplay and adorable illustrations will entertain readers of all ages.
I Contain Multitudes, by Ed Yong, $2.99. This book absolutely fascinated and disturbed me. Ed Yong’s extensive book is a guide to the millions of microbes that live in and on all creatures. You will learn about how microorganisms improve the lives of their hosts — making squid invisible, leading mice right to the cats who want to eat them, and defending humans from disease. This will change your outlook on the many lives around you.
York: The Shadow Cipher, by Laura Ruby, $1.99. This book is smoldering on my daughter’s shelf, just waiting for one or both of us to pick it up. Set in an alternate history New York, three kids must search the city to find clues to a mysterious cipher that will prevent developers from destroying the city as they know it. The book is packed with steampunk details, tantalizing puzzles, and engaging characters. The sequel was just released this summer, so there’ll be no anxious waiting for the next installment.
The Monster at the End of this Book, by Jon Stone, $3.03. Beware! Grover doesn’t want you to read this book! There’s a monster at the end! The delightful illustrations bring the Sesame Street characters to life. You’ll want to make sure you have a color display to get the most out of this charming read aloud.
The Witch’s Boy, by Kelly Barnill, $4.51. Kelly Barnhill’s modern fairy tales are effortlessly complex, and I love them all. From the publisher: “When Ned and his identical twin brother tumble from their raft into a raging river, only Ned survives. Villagers are convinced the wrong boy lived. Across the forest that borders Ned’s village, Áine, the daughter of the Bandit King, is haunted by her mother’s last words: “The wrong boy will save your life, and you will save his.” When the Bandit King comes to steal the magic Ned’s mother, a witch, is meant to protect, Áine and Ned meet. Can they trust each other long enough to cross a dangerous enchanted forest and stop the war about to boil over between their two kingdoms?
The Princess Bride, by Williams Golding, $3.49. This book is in our Middle School Reading List and our Summer Reading list for fans of The Phantom Tollbooth. Golding’s novel might poke fun at some of the traditional fairy-tale elements in epic adventures, but the story of Buttercup and her Westley is an unabashed literary delight. (Golding was inserting wry narrator notes long before the trend took off in children’s literature.)
I love science, but I’m also a social science person; I applied to college as a biochemistry major and graduated with an English degree. Periodic Tales, by Hugh Aldersey-Wiliams, $2.99, is the best of both world. Aldersley-Williams explains not just what an element does, but how it got discovered and what roles it has played in history and modern society. This is a great companion for a high school chemistry course. The writing feels like Bill Bryson’s A Brief History of Nearly Everything, another science book that I can’t recommend enough.
The Odyssey is also on sale today for $1.99. This Lattimore translation is near and dear to my heart; it’s the very first book freshmen read in Columbia’s core curriculum. Not the easiest read, as it stays fairly close to the original Greek, but the ultimate in epic poetry and a great choice for flexing those literary analysis skills.
My daughter can’t get enough of the Vanderbeeker family! The second book in the series, The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden, is on sale today for $3.49. You’ll enjoy getting to know the large and somewhat chaotic Vanderbeeker family in their Harlem brownstone. In this book, the girls are working to create a secret garden for a beloved neighor. This series has hints of the All-Of-A-Kind family series and is perfect for Penderwicks fans.
Think Like a Freak, $2.99, is kind of a self-help book for people who hate self help. You may know Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner from the excellent Freakonomics podcast. They take economic principles and apply them to everyday situations. This is a great read for an older teen who wants to know more about why the world is the way it is, or for a parent to pick and choose sections to share with younger kids. There are a few heavier topics.
Sabriel, $1.99, is the first book in the Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. This is a fantasy classic featuring a strong female lead, an epic quest to save the world, and a feline companion who is more than it seems. Get ready to dig deep into Nix’s impressive world building. I devoured these in my late teens.
Look! Look! Look!, $0.99, is an adorable picture book that is also a great introduction to looking at art. Three tiny mice have discovered a fine art postcard. Follow them as the discover patterns, textures, and shapes. Don’t miss the activity guide at the end! Note, you’ll want to read this one on a color screen or you will lose out on some of the details.
Kindle Deals for September 2, 2019
Literary detectives, award-winning science, and a middle grade National Book Award finalist in today’s deals.
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.)
Raymie Nightingale, by Kate DiCamillo, $4.55. Kate DiCamillo is back with a middle grades novel about a Little Miss pageant that forges a bond between three lonely girls. The New York Times Book Review said it better than I can: “With its short, vibrant chapters and clear, gentle prose, this triumphant and necessary book conjures the enchantments of childhood without shying away from the fraught realities of abandonment, abuse and neglect.”
The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History, by Elizabeth Kolbert, $2.99. In addition to being a “compelling and enlightening report [that] forthrightly addresses the most significant topic of our lives” (that’s what Booklist says!), it’s part of the spine of Build Your Library’s 9th grade reading list.
Hemingway Didn’t Say That, by Garson O’Toole, $0.99. Are you a person who likes to know stuff and be right? Garson O’Toole is such a person (as am I). O’Toole discovered that many quotations are attributed to the wrong people or are remembered incorrectly. With the help of extensive internet searches and lots of patience, he has tracked down the origins of phrases you have likely heard. Each section includes a portion about his process and about how the errors came to be. This book will thrill word nerds and anyone who enjoys a little literary detective work.
STILL ON SALE
Wayside School is Falling Down, by Louis Sachar, $2.99. I was just talking to my nieces about how much they love this book series about an extremely unusual elementary school. Each of the 30 chapters in this book is another short story about the wacky students and staff of Wayside. Homeschoolers need not worry, it’s not a story focused on the nitty gritty of being at school. It’s jam packed with puns, non sequiturs, and unexpected anarchy. Your kids will either love it or hate it. Amy discusses the first book in the series here.
Stuff Matters, by Mark Miodownik, $2.99. This is one of my favorite types of books — the ones that provide explanations for all the elements of everyday life. Why is glass see-through? Why is metal reflective? Miodownik is a materials scientist who can discuss each of the 11 topics with scientific detail and a good deal of humor. Occasional illustrations help make the science more accessible.
Moxie, by Jennifer Mathieu, $2.99. Amy adored this book about a girl whose underground zine accidentally starts a feminist revolution at her Texas high school. (It was one of our favorite books of 2017!)
Emma (Marvel Illustrated), by Jane Austen, Nancy Butler, and Janet Lee, $4.99. I hope you were all excited by the comic book Pride and Prejudice, because today I found comic book Emma! The illustrations are not as polished as in P&P, but the story is still great. Butler and Lee capture the most significant dialogue and plot points. Austen’s classic story of a misguided matchmaker is a good time in any format, including the Gwyneth Paltrow movie and, of course, Clueless.
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate DiCamillo, $2.94. This book is heartbreakingly beautiful, both in story and in the illustrations. Edward Tulane is an emotionally distant china rabbit who falls overboard on an ocean journey. This begins his tremendous adventure, from the bottom of the ocean to a hobo’s pack to a sick child’s bedside. I’m not going to lie, this book is really sad in parts (there are parallels to The Velveteen Rabbit), but the story is worth it.
Pride and Prejudice (Marvel Illustrated), by Jane Austen, Nancy Butler, and Hugo Petrus, $4.99. It’s the story you know and love, but told in a very different way. This is a full color Marvel comic version of Jane Austen’s classic. The art is good, and most of the dialogue is there. This is perfect for both the Jane Austen completionist (that would be me) and the skeptic (who can use this book as a study guide or — gasp — substitute for the real thing).
From the Forest: A Search for the Hidden Roots of our Fairy Tales, by Sara Maitland, $2.99. This book is a lot of things, but it manages to succeed on all fronts. Maitland studies the role that forests play in fairy tales. The book combines literary analysis of classic tales, a travelogue of her trips through ancient forests in Europe, and thought-provoking retellings of 12 common stories. Photos taken in the ancient forests bring the settings to life.
The Girl Who Drank the Moon, by Kelly Barnhill, $3.71. We studied this book as part of Brave Writer’s Arrow program last year, and it’s the kind of lyrical, moving book that lingers in your mind. From Amy’s review: “I thought this little middle grades fantasy was just lovely—a worthy precursor to authors like Gaiman and LeGuin. Barnhill has a knack for telling a complex story in deceptively simple, lyrical fairy tale language, and the way she teases the individual threads of this story together—the brave boy, the magical girl, the witch’s forgotten history, the mad mother—is brilliant. The characters—minor and major—live and breathe; the world of the story feels sturdy enough to stand on its own.”
The Complete Poetry, by Maya Angelou, $1.99. Maya Angelou is one of the greatest writers in American history. This comprehensive collection of her poetry includes Still I Rise, On the Pulse of Morning (recited at the Clinton inauguration), and Amazement Awaits (commissioned for the 2008 Olympics).
Leah on the Offbeat, by Becky Albertalli, $2.99. I haven’t read this sequel to Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (made into a movie as Love, Simon), but I’m eager to find out more about what happens with Simon’s best friend. Leah on the Offbeat was the Goodreads YA book of the year! From the flap: When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat—but real life isn’t always so rhythmic. An anomaly in her friend group, she’s the only child of a young, single mom, and her life is decidedly less privileged. She loves to draw but is too self-conscious to show it. And even though her mom knows she’s bisexual, she hasn’t mustered the courage to tell her friends—not even her openly gay BFF, Simon.
Truly Devious, by Maureen Johnson, $2.99. From our summer 2018 reading list: “Ellingham Academy is one of the most competitive private schools in the country—and also the scene of one of the country’s most notorious unsolved mysteries. New student Stevie Bell is determined to put her true crime obsession to work on Elligham’s famous cold case, but the murderer may not be ancient history after all.” My caveat: This is the first in a series, so if you can’t stand cliffhangers, buy it cheap but wait to read it until the series wraps — this first book has a particularly frustrating cliffhanger ending.
And Then You’re Dead, by Cody Cassidy and Paul Doherty, $4.99. This book is fascinatingly morbid. There are so many things that can kill you, but HOW do they kill you? If you get swallowed by a whale, do you die from stomach acid, being crushed, asphyxiation? These nightmare scenarios are explained with lots of dark humor and solid scientific information. My daughter and several of her tween/teen friends can’t get enough of this book, and it’s easy to see why. Don’t you also need to know what would actually happen if you were sacrificed to a volcano?
The Cloudspotter’s Guide, by Gavin Pretor-Pinney, $4.99. Learn more about morning glory, cumulus, nimbostratus, and all those other clouds in this odd but awesome little book about the science, history, art, and pop culture significance of clouds.
The Game of Silence, by Louise Erdrich, $2.99. My daughter has listened to the audiobook of The Birchbark House (oddly, not available on Kindle) more times than I can count. We’ve loved hearing about Omakayas’s adventures in her Anishinabeg, or Ojibwe tribe. The Game of Silence picks up shortly after that book. Omakayas’s family meets a group of fellow tribespeople who have been displaced by white settlers. Over the course of the book, she discovers that she, too, will have to move away from her home. Erdrich’s deft touch makes this an enjoyable read, even through some tough subject matter.
Jackaby, by William Ritter, $3.59. I was so taken by Amy’s review last year that I immediately bought the whole series. Here’s what she had to say: This first in the series (of which I am a fan) introduces the supernatural Sherlock Holmes and his new assistant, runaway young lady (who’d rather be a paleontologist) Abigail Rook. Amy says, “Abigail, who’s very much a Watson in the Martin Freeman vein — smart, stout-hearted, and adventurous — needs a job, and R.F. Jackaby, supernatural consulting detective, needs an assistant. Abigail is not put off by the fact that Jackaby’s former assistant is now a duck living on the mysterious third floor of his haunted mansion, and she determinedly follows her new boss on his investigation of a mysterious serial killer, matching her keen observation and logic skills to Jackaby’s otherworldly knowledge. The serial killer plot is fine, but the real charm in this book — and trust me, there’s lots of charm — is the world Ritter has created.”
How We Got to Now, by Steven Johnson, $4.99. Steven Johnson is one of those people who sees all the hidden connections that shape the world. This book looks at six major areas of discovery and development to show all the effects set in motion by each development in technology. The very first section, on the history of glass, had me hooked. Full-color illustrations will grab the attention and keep your reader turning the pages.
Watch Us Rise, by Renee Watson and Ellen Hagan, $2.99. I haven’t read this yet, but the concept is great and so many of my favorite authors have blurbed it! When Jasmine and Chelsea are unhappy with situations at their NYC high school, they start a Women’s Rights Club. School Library Journal says, “this thought-provoking novel explores ideas of body-shaming, racial stereotypes, and gender inequality.” The story unfolds in prose, poetry, blog articles, and more. I can’t wait to read it.
State by State, by Matt Weiland and Sean Wilsey, $1.99. This book has an excellent concept — find excellent, famous writers and have them write about a state that they know. You’ll hear from Jhumpa Lahiri, Jonathan Franzen, Alison Bechdel, and more. The stories are funny, touching, odd, and wonderful, and they come together to create a unique snapshot of the US. Note: not all of the stories are suitable for all ages, so don’t just hand this over to a tween.
One Summer: America, 1927, by Bill Bryson, $1.99. I’m still new to this recommendation gig, so you haven’t gotten sick of my praise of Bill Bryson yet. You’ll be hearing about him often; his conversational tone makes his densely packed nonfiction seem like a casual chat with your smartest friend. In One Summer, Bryson shows a snapshot of all the things happening in 1927, many of which still impact our lives today. You’ll visit with Babe Ruth, Charles Lindbergh, Al Capone, and many more.
Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes, trans. Edith Grossman, $1.99. I’m sure there are free versions out there, but this translation by Edith Grossman is the best I’ve read. Try it with your middle schooler, and you may be surprised — Suzanne’s middle school literature class totally fell in love with this funny, tragic tale of a self-created knight and his faithful squire.
Countdown, by Deborah Wiles, $1.99. Most history classes run out of time before they get to the last 50 years or so. This interesting novel tells the story of a tween living near D.C. during the Cuban Missile Crisis. She is navigating family and school issues while also worrying and wondering about the likelihood of a Russian attack. What really makes this book great is the “documentary” style: it is peppered with magazine clips, news quotes, and song lyrics that will bring the ‘60s to life for your upper elementary or middle school reader.
How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, by Ken Ludwig, $4.99. I’ll be perfectly honest. I’m an English major who skillfully avoided Shakespeare for all four years of her undergraduate degree. He’s not my favorite. That said, Shakespeare is an important part of the literary landscape, both in unique language and important plot references. When we are ready to work Shakespeare into our language studies (beyond a discussion of The Lion King being a retelling of Hamlet), this is my go-to book. Carrie Pomeroy mentions the book in her article about trying to share her love for the Bard with her kids.
I Scream! Ice Cream!, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, $1.99. What’s a wordle, you ask? A wordle is a set of words that sound exactly the same but have different meanings. “Heroes” and “he rows,” “reindeer” and “rain, dear.” The puns only get more elaborate from there. The hilarious wordplay and adorable illustrations will entertain readers of all ages.
I Contain Multitudes, by Ed Yong, $2.99. This book absolutely fascinated and disturbed me. Ed Yong’s extensive book is a guide to the millions of microbes that live in and on all creatures. You will learn about how microorganisms improve the lives of their hosts — making squid invisible, leading mice right to the cats who want to eat them, and defending humans from disease. This will change your outlook on the many lives around you.
York: The Shadow Cipher, by Laura Ruby, $1.99. This book is smoldering on my daughter’s shelf, just waiting for one or both of us to pick it up. Set in an alternate history New York, three kids must search the city to find clues to a mysterious cipher that will prevent developers from destroying the city as they know it. The book is packed with steampunk details, tantalizing puzzles, and engaging characters. The sequel was just released this summer, so there’ll be no anxious waiting for the next installment.
The Monster at the End of this Book, by Jon Stone, $3.03. Beware! Grover doesn’t want you to read this book! There’s a monster at the end! The delightful illustrations bring the Sesame Street characters to life. You’ll want to make sure you have a color display to get the most out of this charming read aloud.
The Witch’s Boy, by Kelly Barnill, $4.51. Kelly Barnhill’s modern fairy tales are effortlessly complex, and I love them all. From the publisher: “When Ned and his identical twin brother tumble from their raft into a raging river, only Ned survives. Villagers are convinced the wrong boy lived. Across the forest that borders Ned’s village, Áine, the daughter of the Bandit King, is haunted by her mother’s last words: “The wrong boy will save your life, and you will save his.” When the Bandit King comes to steal the magic Ned’s mother, a witch, is meant to protect, Áine and Ned meet. Can they trust each other long enough to cross a dangerous enchanted forest and stop the war about to boil over between their two kingdoms?
The Princess Bride, by Williams Golding, $3.49. This book is in our Middle School Reading List and our Summer Reading list for fans of The Phantom Tollbooth. Golding’s novel might poke fun at some of the traditional fairy-tale elements in epic adventures, but the story of Buttercup and her Westley is an unabashed literary delight. (Golding was inserting wry narrator notes long before the trend took off in children’s literature.)
I love science, but I’m also a social science person; I applied to college as a biochemistry major and graduated with an English degree. Periodic Tales, by Hugh Aldersey-Wiliams, $2.99, is the best of both world. Aldersley-Williams explains not just what an element does, but how it got discovered and what roles it has played in history and modern society. This is a great companion for a high school chemistry course. The writing feels like Bill Bryson’s A Brief History of Nearly Everything, another science book that I can’t recommend enough.
The Odyssey is also on sale today for $1.99. This Lattimore translation is near and dear to my heart; it’s the very first book freshmen read in Columbia’s core curriculum. Not the easiest read, as it stays fairly close to the original Greek, but the ultimate in epic poetry and a great choice for flexing those literary analysis skills.
My daughter can’t get enough of the Vanderbeeker family! The second book in the series, The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden, is on sale today for $3.49. You’ll enjoy getting to know the large and somewhat chaotic Vanderbeeker family in their Harlem brownstone. In this book, the girls are working to create a secret garden for a beloved neighor. This series has hints of the All-Of-A-Kind family series and is perfect for Penderwicks fans.
Think Like a Freak, $2.99, is kind of a self-help book for people who hate self help. You may know Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner from the excellent Freakonomics podcast. They take economic principles and apply them to everyday situations. This is a great read for an older teen who wants to know more about why the world is the way it is, or for a parent to pick and choose sections to share with younger kids. There are a few heavier topics.
Sabriel, $1.99, is the first book in the Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. This is a fantasy classic featuring a strong female lead, an epic quest to save the world, and a feline companion who is more than it seems. Get ready to dig deep into Nix’s impressive world building. I devoured these in my late teens.
Look! Look! Look!, $0.99, is an adorable picture book that is also a great introduction to looking at art. Three tiny mice have discovered a fine art postcard. Follow them as the discover patterns, textures, and shapes. Don’t miss the activity guide at the end! Note, you’ll want to read this one on a color screen or you will lose out on some of the details.
Kindle Deals for September 1, 2019
Wayside School, Moxie, and the secrets of everyday materials in today’s deals.
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.)
September is bringing you some great new deals. I can’t wait to share them all with you!
Wayside School is Falling Down, by Louis Sachar, $2.99. I was just talking to my nieces about how much they love this book series about an extremely unusual elementary school. Each of the 30 chapters in this book is another short story about the wacky students and staff of Wayside. Homeschoolers need not worry, it’s not a story focused on the nitty gritty of being at school. It’s jam packed with puns, non sequiturs, and unexpected anarchy. Your kids will either love it or hate it. Amy discusses the first book in the series here.
Stuff Matters, by Mark Miodownik, $2.99. This is one of my favorite types of books — the ones that provide explanations for all the elements of everyday life. Why is glass see-through? Why is metal reflective? Miodownik is a materials scientist who can discuss each of the 11 topics with scientific detail and a good deal of humor. Occasional illustrations help make the science more accessible.
Moxie, by Jennifer Mathieu, $2.99. Amy adored this book about a girl whose underground zine accidentally starts a feminist revolution at her Texas high school. (It was one of our favorite books of 2017!)
STILL ON SALE
T.S. Eliot: The Complete Poems and Plays, 1909-1950, by T.S. Eliot, $3.99. Fall is a good time to build up a reference library, and this volume of T.S. Eliot works is a great addition. This collection contains The Waste Land and Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats (which inspired the musical Cats, coming to theaters in December).
Emma (Marvel Illustrated), by Jane Austen, Nancy Butler, and Janet Lee, $4.99. I hope you were all excited by the comic book Pride and Prejudice, because today I found comic book Emma! The illustrations are not as polished as in P&P, but the story is still great. Butler and Lee capture the most significant dialogue and plot points. Austen’s classic story of a misguided matchmaker is a good time in any format, including the Gwyneth Paltrow movie and, of course, Clueless.
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate DiCamillo, $2.94. This book is heartbreakingly beautiful, both in story and in the illustrations. Edward Tulane is an emotionally distant china rabbit who falls overboard on an ocean journey. This begins his tremendous adventure, from the bottom of the ocean to a hobo’s pack to a sick child’s bedside. I’m not going to lie, this book is really sad in parts (there are parallels to The Velveteen Rabbit), but the story is worth it.
Pride and Prejudice (Marvel Illustrated), by Jane Austen, Nancy Butler, and Hugo Petrus, $4.99. It’s the story you know and love, but told in a very different way. This is a full color Marvel comic version of Jane Austen’s classic. The art is good, and most of the dialogue is there. This is perfect for both the Jane Austen completionist (that would be me) and the skeptic (who can use this book as a study guide or — gasp — substitute for the real thing).
From the Forest: A Search for the Hidden Roots of our Fairy Tales, by Sara Maitland, $2.99. This book is a lot of things, but it manages to succeed on all fronts. Maitland studies the role that forests play in fairy tales. The book combines literary analysis of classic tales, a travelogue of her trips through ancient forests in Europe, and thought-provoking retellings of 12 common stories. Photos taken in the ancient forests bring the settings to life.
Sweep, by Jonathon Auxier, $2.99. This Victorian adventure has been on my To Be Read list for a while now. It is the story of Nan, an 11-year-old chimney sweep who is great at what she does, until she gets caught in a chimney fire. She wakes up to realize that a strange creature has saved her life. Sweep is the story of these two getting to know each other. The publisher calls it “heartrending adventure about the everlasting gifts of friendship and hope.”
The Girl Who Drank the Moon, by Kelly Barnhill, $3.71. We studied this book as part of Brave Writer’s Arrow program last year, and it’s the kind of lyrical, moving book that lingers in your mind. From Amy’s review: “I thought this little middle grades fantasy was just lovely—a worthy precursor to authors like Gaiman and LeGuin. Barnhill has a knack for telling a complex story in deceptively simple, lyrical fairy tale language, and the way she teases the individual threads of this story together—the brave boy, the magical girl, the witch’s forgotten history, the mad mother—is brilliant. The characters—minor and major—live and breathe; the world of the story feels sturdy enough to stand on its own.”
The Complete Poetry, by Maya Angelou, $1.99. Maya Angelou is one of the greatest writers in American history. This comprehensive collection of her poetry includes Still I Rise, On the Pulse of Morning (recited at the Clinton inauguration), and Amazement Awaits (commissioned for the 2008 Olympics).
Leah on the Offbeat, by Becky Albertalli, $2.99. I haven’t read this sequel to Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (made into a movie as Love, Simon), but I’m eager to find out more about what happens with Simon’s best friend. Leah on the Offbeat was the Goodreads YA book of the year! From the flap: When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat—but real life isn’t always so rhythmic. An anomaly in her friend group, she’s the only child of a young, single mom, and her life is decidedly less privileged. She loves to draw but is too self-conscious to show it. And even though her mom knows she’s bisexual, she hasn’t mustered the courage to tell her friends—not even her openly gay BFF, Simon.
Truly Devious, by Maureen Johnson, $2.99. From our summer 2018 reading list: “Ellingham Academy is one of the most competitive private schools in the country—and also the scene of one of the country’s most notorious unsolved mysteries. New student Stevie Bell is determined to put her true crime obsession to work on Elligham’s famous cold case, but the murderer may not be ancient history after all.” My caveat: This is the first in a series, so if you can’t stand cliffhangers, buy it cheap but wait to read it until the series wraps — this first book has a particularly frustrating cliffhanger ending.
And Then You’re Dead, by Cody Cassidy and Paul Doherty, $4.99. This book is fascinatingly morbid. There are so many things that can kill you, but HOW do they kill you? If you get swallowed by a whale, do you die from stomach acid, being crushed, asphyxiation? These nightmare scenarios are explained with lots of dark humor and solid scientific information. My daughter and several of her tween/teen friends can’t get enough of this book, and it’s easy to see why. Don’t you also need to know what would actually happen if you were sacrificed to a volcano?
The Cloudspotter’s Guide, by Gavin Pretor-Pinney, $4.99. Learn more about morning glory, cumulus, nimbostratus, and all those other clouds in this odd but awesome little book about the science, history, art, and pop culture significance of clouds.
The Game of Silence, by Louise Erdrich, $2.99. My daughter has listened to the audiobook of The Birchbark House (oddly, not available on Kindle) more times than I can count. We’ve loved hearing about Omakayas’s adventures in her Anishinabeg, or Ojibwe tribe. The Game of Silence picks up shortly after that book. Omakayas’s family meets a group of fellow tribespeople who have been displaced by white settlers. Over the course of the book, she discovers that she, too, will have to move away from her home. Erdrich’s deft touch makes this an enjoyable read, even through some tough subject matter.
Jackaby, by William Ritter, $3.59. I was so taken by Amy’s review last year that I immediately bought the whole series. Here’s what she had to say: This first in the series (of which I am a fan) introduces the supernatural Sherlock Holmes and his new assistant, runaway young lady (who’d rather be a paleontologist) Abigail Rook. Amy says, “Abigail, who’s very much a Watson in the Martin Freeman vein — smart, stout-hearted, and adventurous — needs a job, and R.F. Jackaby, supernatural consulting detective, needs an assistant. Abigail is not put off by the fact that Jackaby’s former assistant is now a duck living on the mysterious third floor of his haunted mansion, and she determinedly follows her new boss on his investigation of a mysterious serial killer, matching her keen observation and logic skills to Jackaby’s otherworldly knowledge. The serial killer plot is fine, but the real charm in this book — and trust me, there’s lots of charm — is the world Ritter has created.”
How We Got to Now, by Steven Johnson, $4.99. Steven Johnson is one of those people who sees all the hidden connections that shape the world. This book looks at six major areas of discovery and development to show all the effects set in motion by each development in technology. The very first section, on the history of glass, had me hooked. Full-color illustrations will grab the attention and keep your reader turning the pages.
Watch Us Rise, by Renee Watson and Ellen Hagan, $2.99. I haven’t read this yet, but the concept is great and so many of my favorite authors have blurbed it! When Jasmine and Chelsea are unhappy with situations at their NYC high school, they start a Women’s Rights Club. School Library Journal says, “this thought-provoking novel explores ideas of body-shaming, racial stereotypes, and gender inequality.” The story unfolds in prose, poetry, blog articles, and more. I can’t wait to read it.
State by State, by Matt Weiland and Sean Wilsey, $1.99. This book has an excellent concept — find excellent, famous writers and have them write about a state that they know. You’ll hear from Jhumpa Lahiri, Jonathan Franzen, Alison Bechdel, and more. The stories are funny, touching, odd, and wonderful, and they come together to create a unique snapshot of the US. Note: not all of the stories are suitable for all ages, so don’t just hand this over to a tween.
One Summer: America, 1927, by Bill Bryson, $1.99. I’m still new to this recommendation gig, so you haven’t gotten sick of my praise of Bill Bryson yet. You’ll be hearing about him often; his conversational tone makes his densely packed nonfiction seem like a casual chat with your smartest friend. In One Summer, Bryson shows a snapshot of all the things happening in 1927, many of which still impact our lives today. You’ll visit with Babe Ruth, Charles Lindbergh, Al Capone, and many more.
The Calculating Stars, by Mary Robinette Kowal, $2.99. I am so excited to share this book with you! The Calculating Stars is a story of the early space program, but it takes place in a slightly alternate universe where a meteoroid strike is rapidly changing the environment and NASA is rapidly trying to colonize space. The biggest change? In the rush, it’s all hands on deck and women are active participants in all fields. This thrilling novel is the story of Elma York, a former WASP pilot and mathematician who has a shot to become the first woman in space. Readers will appreciate the diverse characters, who represent races, religions, and disabilities not always found in modern sci fi.
Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes, trans. Edith Grossman, $1.99. I’m sure there are free versions out there, but this translation by Edith Grossman is the best I’ve read. Try it with your middle schooler, and you may be surprised — Suzanne’s middle school literature class totally fell in love with this funny, tragic tale of a self-created knight and his faithful squire.
Countdown, by Deborah Wiles, $1.99. Most history classes run out of time before they get to the last 50 years or so. This interesting novel tells the story of a tween living near D.C. during the Cuban Missile Crisis. She is navigating family and school issues while also worrying and wondering about the likelihood of a Russian attack. What really makes this book great is the “documentary” style: it is peppered with magazine clips, news quotes, and song lyrics that will bring the ‘60s to life for your upper elementary or middle school reader.
How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, by Ken Ludwig, $4.99. I’ll be perfectly honest. I’m an English major who skillfully avoided Shakespeare for all four years of her undergraduate degree. He’s not my favorite. That said, Shakespeare is an important part of the literary landscape, both in unique language and important plot references. When we are ready to work Shakespeare into our language studies (beyond a discussion of The Lion King being a retelling of Hamlet), this is my go-to book. Carrie Pomeroy mentions the book in her article about trying to share her love for the Bard with her kids.
I Scream! Ice Cream!, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, $1.99. What’s a wordle, you ask? A wordle is a set of words that sound exactly the same but have different meanings. “Heroes” and “he rows,” “reindeer” and “rain, dear.” The puns only get more elaborate from there. The hilarious wordplay and adorable illustrations will entertain readers of all ages.
I Contain Multitudes, by Ed Yong, $2.99. This book absolutely fascinated and disturbed me. Ed Yong’s extensive book is a guide to the millions of microbes that live in and on all creatures. You will learn about how microorganisms improve the lives of their hosts — making squid invisible, leading mice right to the cats who want to eat them, and defending humans from disease. This will change your outlook on the many lives around you.
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 1: Cosmic Avengers, by Brian Michael Bendis, $3.99. As a culture, we may have reached peak Avengers, but I still have a special place in my heart for the Guardians of the Galaxy. This comic collection finds the Guardians (and Iron Man) fighting off bad guys and quipping their way around the universe. The first in a new series, this book provides useful backstory for new comic readers.
York: The Shadow Cipher, by Laura Ruby, $1.99. This book is smoldering on my daughter’s shelf, just waiting for one or both of us to pick it up. Set in an alternate history New York, three kids must search the city to find clues to a mysterious cipher that will prevent developers from destroying the city as they know it. The book is packed with steampunk details, tantalizing puzzles, and engaging characters. The sequel was just released this summer, so there’ll be no anxious waiting for the next installment.
The Monster at the End of this Book, by Jon Stone, $3.03. Beware! Grover doesn’t want you to read this book! There’s a monster at the end! The delightful illustrations bring the Sesame Street characters to life. You’ll want to make sure you have a color display to get the most out of this charming read aloud.
The Witch’s Boy, by Kelly Barnill, $4.51. Kelly Barnhill’s modern fairy tales are effortlessly complex, and I love them all. From the publisher: “When Ned and his identical twin brother tumble from their raft into a raging river, only Ned survives. Villagers are convinced the wrong boy lived. Across the forest that borders Ned’s village, Áine, the daughter of the Bandit King, is haunted by her mother’s last words: “The wrong boy will save your life, and you will save his.” When the Bandit King comes to steal the magic Ned’s mother, a witch, is meant to protect, Áine and Ned meet. Can they trust each other long enough to cross a dangerous enchanted forest and stop the war about to boil over between their two kingdoms?
Magical Miniature Gardens & Homes, by Donni Webber, $2.99, is a great book for adding a little bit of enchantment to your homeschool this fall. Webber gives you all the details you need to make your own fairy gardens. The gorgeous projects include a fairly rendition of Hobbiton, for the Tolkien fans among us. The projects use fairly basic crafting materials (definitely have a glue gun handy) and natural objects. Start spreading that pixie dust!
The Princess Bride, by Williams Golding, $3.49. This book is in our Middle School Reading List and our Summer Reading list for fans of The Phantom Tollbooth. Golding’s novel might poke fun at some of the traditional fairy-tale elements in epic adventures, but the story of Buttercup and her Westley is an unabashed literary delight. (Golding was inserting wry narrator notes long before the trend took off in children’s literature.)
I love science, but I’m also a social science person; I applied to college as a biochemistry major and graduated with an English degree. Periodic Tales, by Hugh Aldersey-Wiliams, $2.99, is the best of both world. Aldersley-Williams explains not just what an element does, but how it got discovered and what roles it has played in history and modern society. This is a great companion for a high school chemistry course. The writing feels like Bill Bryson’s A Brief History of Nearly Everything, another science book that I can’t recommend enough.
The Odyssey is also on sale today for $1.99. This Lattimore translation is near and dear to my heart; it’s the very first book freshmen read in Columbia’s core curriculum. Not the easiest read, as it stays fairly close to the original Greek, but the ultimate in epic poetry and a great choice for flexing those literary analysis skills.
Maker Dad, $0.99, is an awesome book of projects that are fun and easy to accomplish without lots of specialty tools. We own this one in print and have looked to it for inspiration many times. All of the projects are well illustrated and feel accessible for people who are not especially handy. We particularly enjoyed the Drawbot!
My daughter can’t get enough of the Vanderbeeker family! The second book in the series, The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden, is on sale today for $2.99. You’ll enjoy getting to know the large and somewhat chaotic Vanderbeeker family in their Harlem brownstone. In this book, the girls are working to create a secret garden for a beloved neighor. This series has hints of the All-Of-A-Kind family series and is perfect for Penderwicks fans.
Think Like a Freak, $2.99, is kind of a self-help book for people who hate self help. You may know Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner from the excellent Freakonomics podcast. They take economic principles and apply them to everyday situations. This is a great read for an older teen who wants to know more about why the world is the way it is, or for a parent to pick and choose sections to share with younger kids. There are a few heavier topics.
Sabriel, $1.99, is the first book in the Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. This is a fantasy classic featuring a strong female lead, an epic quest to save the world, and a feline companion who is more than it seems. Get ready to dig deep into Nix’s impressive world building. I devoured these in my late teens.
Look! Look! Look!, $0.99, is an adorable picture book that is also a great introduction to looking at art. Three tiny mice have discovered a fine art postcard. Follow them as the discover patterns, textures, and shapes. Don’t miss the activity guide at the end! Note, you’ll want to read this one on a color screen or you will lose out on some of the details.
Kindle Deals for August 30, 2019
Another Jane Austen comic, classic poetry, and an adventurous rabbit in today’s deals.
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.)
August is almost over, and many of our current deals will go away at the end of the month. If you’ve been considering some of the books in our Still on Sale list, this is the moment to get them. Of course, this also means a new slate of book deals will be coming soon, so stay tuned!
Emma (Marvel Illustrated), by Jane Austen, Nancy Butler, and Janet Lee, $4.99. I hope you were all excited by the comic book Pride and Prejudice, because today I found comic book Emma! The illustrations are not as polished as in P&P, but the story is still great. Butler and Lee capture the most significant dialogue and plot points. Austen’s classic story of a misguided matchmaker is a good time in any format, including the Gwyneth Paltrow movie and, of course, Clueless.
T.S. Eliot: The Complete Poems and Plays, 1909-1950, by T.S. Eliot, $3.99. Fall is a good time to build up a reference library, and this volume of T.S. Eliot works is a great addition. This collection contains The Waste Land and Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats (which inspired the musical Cats, coming to theaters in December).
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate DiCamillo, $2.94. This book is heartbreakingly beautiful, both in story and in the illustrations. Edward Tulane is an emotionally distant china rabbit who falls overboard on an ocean journey. This begins his tremendous adventure, from the bottom of the ocean to a hobo’s pack to a sick child’s bedside. I’m not going to lie, this book is really sad in parts (there are parallels to The Velveteen Rabbit), but the story is worth it.
STILL ON SALE
Pride and Prejudice (Marvel Illustrated), by Jane Austen, Nancy Butler, and Hugo Petrus, $4.99. It’s the story you know and love, but told in a very different way. This is a full color Marvel comic version of Jane Austen’s classic. The art is good, and most of the dialogue is there. This is perfect for both the Jane Austen completionist (that would be me) and the skeptic (who can use this book as a study guide or — gasp — substitute for the real thing).
From the Forest: A Search for the Hidden Roots of our Fairy Tales, by Sara Maitland, $2.99. This book is a lot of things, but it manages to succeed on all fronts. Maitland studies the role that forests play in fairy tales. The book combines literary analysis of classic tales, a travelogue of her trips through ancient forests in Europe, and thought-provoking retellings of 12 common stories. Photos taken in the ancient forests bring the settings to life.
Sweep, by Jonathon Auxier, $2.99. This Victorian adventure has been on my To Be Read list for a while now. It is the story of Nan, an 11-year-old chimney sweep who is great at what she does, until she gets caught in a chimney fire. She wakes up to realize that a strange creature has saved her life. Sweep is the story of these two getting to know each other. The publisher calls it “heartrending adventure about the everlasting gifts of friendship and hope.”
The Girl Who Drank the Moon, by Kelly Barnhill, $3.71. We studied this book as part of Brave Writer’s Arrow program last year, and it’s the kind of lyrical, moving book that lingers in your mind. From Amy’s review: “I thought this little middle grades fantasy was just lovely—a worthy precursor to authors like Gaiman and LeGuin. Barnhill has a knack for telling a complex story in deceptively simple, lyrical fairy tale language, and the way she teases the individual threads of this story together—the brave boy, the magical girl, the witch’s forgotten history, the mad mother—is brilliant. The characters—minor and major—live and breathe; the world of the story feels sturdy enough to stand on its own.”
The Complete Poetry, by Maya Angelou, $1.99. Maya Angelou is one of the greatest writers in American history. This comprehensive collection of her poetry includes Still I Rise, On the Pulse of Morning (recited at the Clinton inauguration), and Amazement Awaits (commissioned for the 2008 Olympics).
Leah on the Offbeat, by Becky Albertalli, $2.99. I haven’t read this sequel to Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (made into a movie as Love, Simon), but I’m eager to find out more about what happens with Simon’s best friend. Leah on the Offbeat was the Goodreads YA book of the year! From the flap: When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat—but real life isn’t always so rhythmic. An anomaly in her friend group, she’s the only child of a young, single mom, and her life is decidedly less privileged. She loves to draw but is too self-conscious to show it. And even though her mom knows she’s bisexual, she hasn’t mustered the courage to tell her friends—not even her openly gay BFF, Simon.
Truly Devious, by Maureen Johnson, $2.99. From our summer 2018 reading list: “Ellingham Academy is one of the most competitive private schools in the country—and also the scene of one of the country’s most notorious unsolved mysteries. New student Stevie Bell is determined to put her true crime obsession to work on Elligham’s famous cold case, but the murderer may not be ancient history after all.” My caveat: This is the first in a series, so if you can’t stand cliffhangers, buy it cheap but wait to read it until the series wraps — this first book has a particularly frustrating cliffhanger ending.
And Then You’re Dead, by Cody Cassidy and Paul Doherty, $4.99. This book is fascinatingly morbid. There are so many things that can kill you, but HOW do they kill you? If you get swallowed by a whale, do you die from stomach acid, being crushed, asphyxiation? These nightmare scenarios are explained with lots of dark humor and solid scientific information. My daughter and several of her tween/teen friends can’t get enough of this book, and it’s easy to see why. Don’t you also need to know what would actually happen if you were sacrificed to a volcano?
The Cloudspotter’s Guide, by Gavin Pretor-Pinney, $4.99. Learn more about morning glory, cumulus, nimbostratus, and all those other clouds in this odd but awesome little book about the science, history, art, and pop culture significance of clouds.
The Game of Silence, by Louise Erdrich, $2.99. My daughter has listened to the audiobook of The Birchbark House (oddly, not available on Kindle) more times than I can count. We’ve loved hearing about Omakayas’s adventures in her Anishinabeg, or Ojibwe tribe. The Game of Silence picks up shortly after that book. Omakayas’s family meets a group of fellow tribespeople who have been displaced by white settlers. Over the course of the book, she discovers that she, too, will have to move away from her home. Erdrich’s deft touch makes this an enjoyable read, even through some tough subject matter.
Jackaby, by William Ritter, $3.59. I was so taken by Amy’s review last year that I immediately bought the whole series. Here’s what she had to say: This first in the series (of which I am a fan) introduces the supernatural Sherlock Holmes and his new assistant, runaway young lady (who’d rather be a paleontologist) Abigail Rook. Amy says, “Abigail, who’s very much a Watson in the Martin Freeman vein — smart, stout-hearted, and adventurous — needs a job, and R.F. Jackaby, supernatural consulting detective, needs an assistant. Abigail is not put off by the fact that Jackaby’s former assistant is now a duck living on the mysterious third floor of his haunted mansion, and she determinedly follows her new boss on his investigation of a mysterious serial killer, matching her keen observation and logic skills to Jackaby’s otherworldly knowledge. The serial killer plot is fine, but the real charm in this book — and trust me, there’s lots of charm — is the world Ritter has created.”
How We Got to Now, by Steven Johnson, $4.99. Steven Johnson is one of those people who sees all the hidden connections that shape the world. This book looks at six major areas of discovery and development to show all the effects set in motion by each development in technology. The very first section, on the history of glass, had me hooked. Full-color illustrations will grab the attention and keep your reader turning the pages.
Watch Us Rise, by Renee Watson and Ellen Hagan, $2.99. I haven’t read this yet, but the concept is great and so many of my favorite authors have blurbed it! When Jasmine and Chelsea are unhappy with situations at their NYC high school, they start a Women’s Rights Club. School Library Journal says, “this thought-provoking novel explores ideas of body-shaming, racial stereotypes, and gender inequality.” The story unfolds in prose, poetry, blog articles, and more. I can’t wait to read it.
State by State, by Matt Weiland and Sean Wilsey, $1.99. This book has an excellent concept — find excellent, famous writers and have them write about a state that they know. You’ll hear from Jhumpa Lahiri, Jonathan Franzen, Alison Bechdel, and more. The stories are funny, touching, odd, and wonderful, and they come together to create a unique snapshot of the US. Note: not all of the stories are suitable for all ages, so don’t just hand this over to a tween.
One Summer: America, 1927, by Bill Bryson, $1.99. I’m still new to this recommendation gig, so you haven’t gotten sick of my praise of Bill Bryson yet. You’ll be hearing about him often; his conversational tone makes his densely packed nonfiction seem like a casual chat with your smartest friend. In One Summer, Bryson shows a snapshot of all the things happening in 1927, many of which still impact our lives today. You’ll visit with Babe Ruth, Charles Lindbergh, Al Capone, and many more.
The Calculating Stars, by Mary Robinette Kowal, $2.99. I am so excited to share this book with you! The Calculating Stars is a story of the early space program, but it takes place in a slightly alternate universe where a meteoroid strike is rapidly changing the environment and NASA is rapidly trying to colonize space. The biggest change? In the rush, it’s all hands on deck and women are active participants in all fields. This thrilling novel is the story of Elma York, a former WASP pilot and mathematician who has a shot to become the first woman in space. Readers will appreciate the diverse characters, who represent races, religions, and disabilities not always found in modern sci fi.
Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes, trans. Edith Grossman, $1.99. I’m sure there are free versions out there, but this translation by Edith Grossman is the best I’ve read. Try it with your middle schooler, and you may be surprised — Suzanne’s middle school literature class totally fell in love with this funny, tragic tale of a self-created knight and his faithful squire.
Countdown, by Deborah Wiles, $1.99. Most history classes run out of time before they get to the last 50 years or so. This interesting novel tells the story of a tween living near D.C. during the Cuban Missile Crisis. She is navigating family and school issues while also worrying and wondering about the likelihood of a Russian attack. What really makes this book great is the “documentary” style: it is peppered with magazine clips, news quotes, and song lyrics that will bring the ‘60s to life for your upper elementary or middle school reader.
How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, by Ken Ludwig, $4.99. I’ll be perfectly honest. I’m an English major who skillfully avoided Shakespeare for all four years of her undergraduate degree. He’s not my favorite. That said, Shakespeare is an important part of the literary landscape, both in unique language and important plot references. When we are ready to work Shakespeare into our language studies (beyond a discussion of The Lion King being a retelling of Hamlet), this is my go-to book. Carrie Pomeroy mentions the book in her article about trying to share her love for the Bard with her kids.
I Scream! Ice Cream!, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, $1.99. What’s a wordle, you ask? A wordle is a set of words that sound exactly the same but have different meanings. “Heroes” and “he rows,” “reindeer” and “rain, dear.” The puns only get more elaborate from there. The hilarious wordplay and adorable illustrations will entertain readers of all ages.
I Contain Multitudes, by Ed Yong, $2.99. This book absolutely fascinated and disturbed me. Ed Yong’s extensive book is a guide to the millions of microbes that live in and on all creatures. You will learn about how microorganisms improve the lives of their hosts — making squid invisible, leading mice right to the cats who want to eat them, and defending humans from disease. This will change your outlook on the many lives around you.
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 1: Cosmic Avengers, by Brian Michael Bendis, $3.99. As a culture, we may have reached peak Avengers, but I still have a special place in my heart for the Guardians of the Galaxy. This comic collection finds the Guardians (and Iron Man) fighting off bad guys and quipping their way around the universe. The first in a new series, this book provides useful backstory for new comic readers.
York: The Shadow Cipher, by Laura Ruby, $1.99. This book is smoldering on my daughter’s shelf, just waiting for one or both of us to pick it up. Set in an alternate history New York, three kids must search the city to find clues to a mysterious cipher that will prevent developers from destroying the city as they know it. The book is packed with steampunk details, tantalizing puzzles, and engaging characters. The sequel was just released this summer, so there’ll be no anxious waiting for the next installment.
The Monster at the End of this Book, by Jon Stone, $3.03. Beware! Grover doesn’t want you to read this book! There’s a monster at the end! The delightful illustrations bring the Sesame Street characters to life. You’ll want to make sure you have a color display to get the most out of this charming read aloud.
The Witch’s Boy, by Kelly Barnill, $4.51. Kelly Barnhill’s modern fairy tales are effortlessly complex, and I love them all. From the publisher: “When Ned and his identical twin brother tumble from their raft into a raging river, only Ned survives. Villagers are convinced the wrong boy lived. Across the forest that borders Ned’s village, Áine, the daughter of the Bandit King, is haunted by her mother’s last words: “The wrong boy will save your life, and you will save his.” When the Bandit King comes to steal the magic Ned’s mother, a witch, is meant to protect, Áine and Ned meet. Can they trust each other long enough to cross a dangerous enchanted forest and stop the war about to boil over between their two kingdoms?
Magical Miniature Gardens & Homes, by Donni Webber, $2.99, is a great book for adding a little bit of enchantment to your homeschool this fall. Webber gives you all the details you need to make your own fairy gardens. The gorgeous projects include a fairly rendition of Hobbiton, for the Tolkien fans among us. The projects use fairly basic crafting materials (definitely have a glue gun handy) and natural objects. Start spreading that pixie dust!
The Princess Bride, by Williams Golding, $3.49. This book is in our Middle School Reading List and our Summer Reading list for fans of The Phantom Tollbooth. Golding’s novel might poke fun at some of the traditional fairy-tale elements in epic adventures, but the story of Buttercup and her Westley is an unabashed literary delight. (Golding was inserting wry narrator notes long before the trend took off in children’s literature.)
I love science, but I’m also a social science person; I applied to college as a biochemistry major and graduated with an English degree. Periodic Tales, by Hugh Aldersey-Wiliams, $2.99, is the best of both world. Aldersley-Williams explains not just what an element does, but how it got discovered and what roles it has played in history and modern society. This is a great companion for a high school chemistry course. The writing feels like Bill Bryson’s A Brief History of Nearly Everything, another science book that I can’t recommend enough.
The Odyssey is also on sale today for $1.99. This Lattimore translation is near and dear to my heart; it’s the very first book freshmen read in Columbia’s core curriculum. Not the easiest read, as it stays fairly close to the original Greek, but the ultimate in epic poetry and a great choice for flexing those literary analysis skills.
Maker Dad, $0.99, is an awesome book of projects that are fun and easy to accomplish without lots of specialty tools. We own this one in print and have looked to it for inspiration many times. All of the projects are well illustrated and feel accessible for people who are not especially handy. We particularly enjoyed the Drawbot!
My daughter can’t get enough of the Vanderbeeker family! The second book in the series, The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden, is on sale today for $2.99. You’ll enjoy getting to know the large and somewhat chaotic Vanderbeeker family in their Harlem brownstone. In this book, the girls are working to create a secret garden for a beloved neighor. This series has hints of the All-Of-A-Kind family series and is perfect for Penderwicks fans.
Think Like a Freak, $2.99, is kind of a self-help book for people who hate self help. You may know Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner from the excellent Freakonomics podcast. They take economic principles and apply them to everyday situations. This is a great read for an older teen who wants to know more about why the world is the way it is, or for a parent to pick and choose sections to share with younger kids. There are a few heavier topics.
Sabriel, $1.99, is the first book in the Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. This is a fantasy classic featuring a strong female lead, an epic quest to save the world, and a feline companion who is more than it seems. Get ready to dig deep into Nix’s impressive world building. I devoured these in my late teens.
Look! Look! Look!, $0.99, is an adorable picture book that is also a great introduction to looking at art. Three tiny mice have discovered a fine art postcard. Follow them as the discover patterns, textures, and shapes. Don’t miss the activity guide at the end! Note, you’ll want to read this one on a color screen or you will lose out on some of the details.
Kindle Deals for August 29, 2019
Fairy tales, forests, monsters, and a Jane Austen comic in today’s deals.
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.)
Pride and Prejudice (Marvel Illustrated), by Jane Austen, Nancy Butler, and Hugo Petrus, $4.99. It’s the story you know and love, but told in a very different way. This is a full color Marvel comic version of Jane Austen’s classic. The art is good, and most of the dialogue is there. This is perfect for both the Jane Austen completionist (that would be me) and the skeptic (who can use this book as a study guide or — gasp — substitute for the real thing).
From the Forest: A Search for the Hidden Roots of our Fairy Tales, by Sara Maitland, $2.99. This book is a lot of things, but it manages to succeed on all fronts. Maitland studies the role that forests play in fairy tales. The book combines literary analysis of classic tales, a travelogue of her trips through ancient forests in Europe, and thought-provoking retellings of 12 common stories. Photos taken in the ancient forests bring the settings to life.
Sweep, by Jonathon Auxier, $2.99. This Victorian adventure has been on my To Be Read list for a while now. It is the story of Nan, an 11-year-old chimney sweep who is great at what she does, until she gets caught in a chimney fire. She wakes up to realize that a strange creature has saved her life. Sweep is the story of these two getting to know each other. The publisher calls it “heartrending adventure about the everlasting gifts of friendship and hope.”
STILL ON SALE
The Girl Who Drank the Moon, by Kelly Barnhill, $3.71. We studied this book as part of Brave Writer’s Arrow program last year, and it’s the kind of lyrical, moving book that lingers in your mind. From Amy’s review: “I thought this little middle grades fantasy was just lovely—a worthy precursor to authors like Gaiman and LeGuin. Barnhill has a knack for telling a complex story in deceptively simple, lyrical fairy tale language, and the way she teases the individual threads of this story together—the brave boy, the magical girl, the witch’s forgotten history, the mad mother—is brilliant. The characters—minor and major—live and breathe; the world of the story feels sturdy enough to stand on its own.”
The Complete Poetry, by Maya Angelou, $1.99. Maya Angelou is one of the greatest writers in American history. This comprehensive collection of her poetry includes Still I Rise, On the Pulse of Morning (recited at the Clinton inauguration), and Amazement Awaits (commissioned for the 2008 Olympics).
Leah on the Offbeat, by Becky Albertalli, $2.99. I haven’t read this sequel to Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (made into a movie as Love, Simon), but I’m eager to find out more about what happens with Simon’s best friend. Leah on the Offbeat was the Goodreads YA book of the year! From the flap: When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat—but real life isn’t always so rhythmic. An anomaly in her friend group, she’s the only child of a young, single mom, and her life is decidedly less privileged. She loves to draw but is too self-conscious to show it. And even though her mom knows she’s bisexual, she hasn’t mustered the courage to tell her friends—not even her openly gay BFF, Simon.
Truly Devious, by Maureen Johnson, $2.99. From our summer 2018 reading list: “Ellingham Academy is one of the most competitive private schools in the country—and also the scene of one of the country’s most notorious unsolved mysteries. New student Stevie Bell is determined to put her true crime obsession to work on Elligham’s famous cold case, but the murderer may not be ancient history after all.” My caveat: This is the first in a series, so if you can’t stand cliffhangers, buy it cheap but wait to read it until the series wraps — this first book has a particularly frustrating cliffhanger ending.
And Then You’re Dead, by Cody Cassidy and Paul Doherty, $4.99. This book is fascinatingly morbid. There are so many things that can kill you, but HOW do they kill you? If you get swallowed by a whale, do you die from stomach acid, being crushed, asphyxiation? These nightmare scenarios are explained with lots of dark humor and solid scientific information. My daughter and several of her tween/teen friends can’t get enough of this book, and it’s easy to see why. Don’t you also need to know what would actually happen if you were sacrificed to a volcano?
The Cloudspotter’s Guide, by Gavin Pretor-Pinney, $4.99. Learn more about morning glory, cumulus, nimbostratus, and all those other clouds in this odd but awesome little book about the science, history, art, and pop culture significance of clouds.
The Game of Silence, by Louise Erdrich, $2.99. My daughter has listened to the audiobook of The Birchbark House (oddly, not available on Kindle) more times than I can count. We’ve loved hearing about Omakayas’s adventures in her Anishinabeg, or Ojibwe tribe. The Game of Silence picks up shortly after that book. Omakayas’s family meets a group of fellow tribespeople who have been displaced by white settlers. Over the course of the book, she discovers that she, too, will have to move away from her home. Erdrich’s deft touch makes this an enjoyable read, even through some tough subject matter.
Jackaby, by William Ritter, $3.59. I was so taken by Amy’s review last year that I immediately bought the whole series. Here’s what she had to say: This first in the series (of which I am a fan) introduces the supernatural Sherlock Holmes and his new assistant, runaway young lady (who’d rather be a paleontologist) Abigail Rook. Amy says, “Abigail, who’s very much a Watson in the Martin Freeman vein — smart, stout-hearted, and adventurous — needs a job, and R.F. Jackaby, supernatural consulting detective, needs an assistant. Abigail is not put off by the fact that Jackaby’s former assistant is now a duck living on the mysterious third floor of his haunted mansion, and she determinedly follows her new boss on his investigation of a mysterious serial killer, matching her keen observation and logic skills to Jackaby’s otherworldly knowledge. The serial killer plot is fine, but the real charm in this book — and trust me, there’s lots of charm — is the world Ritter has created.”
How We Got to Now, by Steven Johnson, $4.99. Steven Johnson is one of those people who sees all the hidden connections that shape the world. This book looks at six major areas of discovery and development to show all the effects set in motion by each development in technology. The very first section, on the history of glass, had me hooked. Full-color illustrations will grab the attention and keep your reader turning the pages.
Watch Us Rise, by Renee Watson and Ellen Hagan, $2.99. I haven’t read this yet, but the concept is great and so many of my favorite authors have blurbed it! When Jasmine and Chelsea are unhappy with situations at their NYC high school, they start a Women’s Rights Club. School Library Journal says, “this thought-provoking novel explores ideas of body-shaming, racial stereotypes, and gender inequality.” The story unfolds in prose, poetry, blog articles, and more. I can’t wait to read it.
State by State, by Matt Weiland and Sean Wilsey, $1.99. This book has an excellent concept — find excellent, famous writers and have them write about a state that they know. You’ll hear from Jhumpa Lahiri, Jonathan Franzen, Alison Bechdel, and more. The stories are funny, touching, odd, and wonderful, and they come together to create a unique snapshot of the US. Note: not all of the stories are suitable for all ages, so don’t just hand this over to a tween.
One Summer: America, 1927, by Bill Bryson, $1.99. I’m still new to this recommendation gig, so you haven’t gotten sick of my praise of Bill Bryson yet. You’ll be hearing about him often; his conversational tone makes his densely packed nonfiction seem like a casual chat with your smartest friend. In One Summer, Bryson shows a snapshot of all the things happening in 1927, many of which still impact our lives today. You’ll visit with Babe Ruth, Charles Lindbergh, Al Capone, and many more.
The Calculating Stars, by Mary Robinette Kowal, $2.99. I am so excited to share this book with you! The Calculating Stars is a story of the early space program, but it takes place in a slightly alternate universe where a meteoroid strike is rapidly changing the environment and NASA is rapidly trying to colonize space. The biggest change? In the rush, it’s all hands on deck and women are active participants in all fields. This thrilling novel is the story of Elma York, a former WASP pilot and mathematician who has a shot to become the first woman in space. Readers will appreciate the diverse characters, who represent races, religions, and disabilities not always found in modern sci fi.
The Philosophy Book, by Will Buckingham, $1.99. Philosophy isn’t always an easy subject to get into. Trying to understand the finer points of stoicism vs. essentialism can be overwhelming. DK has stepped in to provide a basic overview of the history of major philosophical movements. In typical DK fashion, the book is crammed with illustrations and pull quotes. There’s a lot of material here, but it is broken down into eye-catching and manageable chunks.
Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes, trans. Edith Grossman, $1.99. I’m sure there are free versions out there, but this translation by Edith Grossman is the best I’ve read. Try it with your middle schooler, and you may be surprised — Suzanne’s middle school literature class totally fell in love with this funny, tragic tale of a self-created knight and his faithful squire.
Countdown, by Deborah Wiles, $1.99. Most history classes run out of time before they get to the last 50 years or so. This interesting novel tells the story of a tween living near D.C. during the Cuban Missile Crisis. She is navigating family and school issues while also worrying and wondering about the likelihood of a Russian attack. What really makes this book great is the “documentary” style: it is peppered with magazine clips, news quotes, and song lyrics that will bring the ‘60s to life for your upper elementary or middle school reader.
How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, by Ken Ludwig, $4.99. I’ll be perfectly honest. I’m an English major who skillfully avoided Shakespeare for all four years of her undergraduate degree. He’s not my favorite. That said, Shakespeare is an important part of the literary landscape, both in unique language and important plot references. When we are ready to work Shakespeare into our language studies (beyond a discussion of The Lion King being a retelling of Hamlet), this is my go-to book. Carrie Pomeroy mentions the book in her article about trying to share her love for the Bard with her kids.
I Scream! Ice Cream!, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, $1.99. What’s a wordle, you ask? A wordle is a set of words that sound exactly the same but have different meanings. “Heroes” and “he rows,” “reindeer” and “rain, dear.” The puns only get more elaborate from there. The hilarious wordplay and adorable illustrations will entertain readers of all ages.
I Contain Multitudes, by Ed Yong, $2.99. This book absolutely fascinated and disturbed me. Ed Yong’s extensive book is a guide to the millions of microbes that live in and on all creatures. You will learn about how microorganisms improve the lives of their hosts — making squid invisible, leading mice right to the cats who want to eat them, and defending humans from disease. This will change your outlook on the many lives around you.
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 1: Cosmic Avengers, by Brian Michael Bendis, $3.99. As a culture, we may have reached peak Avengers, but I still have a special place in my heart for the Guardians of the Galaxy. This comic collection finds the Guardians (and Iron Man) fighting off bad guys and quipping their way around the universe. The first in a new series, this book provides useful backstory for new comic readers.
York: The Shadow Cipher, by Laura Ruby, $1.99. This book is smoldering on my daughter’s shelf, just waiting for one or both of us to pick it up. Set in an alternate history New York, three kids must search the city to find clues to a mysterious cipher that will prevent developers from destroying the city as they know it. The book is packed with steampunk details, tantalizing puzzles, and engaging characters. The sequel was just released this summer, so there’ll be no anxious waiting for the next installment.
The Monster at the End of this Book, by Jon Stone, $3.03. Beware! Grover doesn’t want you to read this book! There’s a monster at the end! The delightful illustrations bring the Sesame Street characters to life. You’ll want to make sure you have a color display to get the most out of this charming read aloud.
The Witch’s Boy, by Kelly Barnill, $4.51. Kelly Barnhill’s modern fairy tales are effortlessly complex, and I love them all. From the publisher: “When Ned and his identical twin brother tumble from their raft into a raging river, only Ned survives. Villagers are convinced the wrong boy lived. Across the forest that borders Ned’s village, Áine, the daughter of the Bandit King, is haunted by her mother’s last words: “The wrong boy will save your life, and you will save his.” When the Bandit King comes to steal the magic Ned’s mother, a witch, is meant to protect, Áine and Ned meet. Can they trust each other long enough to cross a dangerous enchanted forest and stop the war about to boil over between their two kingdoms?
Magical Miniature Gardens & Homes, by Donni Webber, $2.99, is a great book for adding a little bit of enchantment to your homeschool this fall. Webber gives you all the details you need to make your own fairy gardens. The gorgeous projects include a fairly rendition of Hobbiton, for the Tolkien fans among us. The projects use fairly basic crafting materials (definitely have a glue gun handy) and natural objects. Start spreading that pixie dust!
”The four book Mary Poppins set, by P.L. Travers, is now $5.31, which is still a pretty good deal for a set. These books are delightful, but take a very different tone from the Disney movies. Mary is ascerbic, and the stories take some darker twists. You could do a fascinating study comparing the books to Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins Returns, and Saving Mr. Banks.
The Princess Bride, by Williams Golding, $3.49. This book is in our Middle School Reading List and our Summer Reading list for fans of The Phantom Tollbooth. Golding’s novel might poke fun at some of the traditional fairy-tale elements in epic adventures, but the story of Buttercup and her Westley is an unabashed literary delight. (Golding was inserting wry narrator notes long before the trend took off in children’s literature.)
I love science, but I’m also a social science person; I applied to college as a biochemistry major and graduated with an English degree. Periodic Tales, by Hugh Aldersey-Wiliams, $2.99, is the best of both world. Aldersley-Williams explains not just what an element does, but how it got discovered and what roles it has played in history and modern society. This is a great companion for a high school chemistry course. The writing feels like Bill Bryson’s A Brief History of Nearly Everything, another science book that I can’t recommend enough.
The Odyssey is also on sale today for $1.99. This Lattimore translation is near and dear to my heart; it’s the very first book freshmen read in Columbia’s core curriculum. Not the easiest read, as it stays fairly close to the original Greek, but the ultimate in epic poetry and a great choice for flexing those literary analysis skills.
Maker Dad, $0.99, is an awesome book of projects that are fun and easy to accomplish without lots of specialty tools. We own this one in print and have looked to it for inspiration many times. All of the projects are well illustrated and feel accessible for people who are not especially handy. We particularly enjoyed the Drawbot!
My daughter can’t get enough of the Vanderbeeker family! The second book in the series, The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden, is on sale today for $2.99. You’ll enjoy getting to know the large and somewhat chaotic Vanderbeeker family in their Harlem brownstone. In this book, the girls are working to create a secret garden for a beloved neighor. This series has hints of the All-Of-A-Kind family series and is perfect for Penderwicks fans.
Think Like a Freak, $2.99, is kind of a self-help book for people who hate self help. You may know Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner from the excellent Freakonomics podcast. They take economic principles and apply them to everyday situations. This is a great read for an older teen who wants to know more about why the world is the way it is, or for a parent to pick and choose sections to share with younger kids. There are a few heavier topics.
Sabriel, $1.99, is the first book in the Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. This is a fantasy classic featuring a strong female lead, an epic quest to save the world, and a feline companion who is more than it seems. Get ready to dig deep into Nix’s impressive world building. I devoured these in my late teens.
Look! Look! Look!, $0.99, is an adorable picture book that is also a great introduction to looking at art. Three tiny mice have discovered a fine art postcard. Follow them as the discover patterns, textures, and shapes. Don’t miss the activity guide at the end! Note, you’ll want to read this one on a color screen or you will lose out on some of the details.
Kindle Deals for August 28, 2019
Award winning fiction and poetry in today’s deals.
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.)
The Girl Who Drank the Moon, by Kelly Barnhill, $3.71. We studied this book as part of Brave Writer’s Arrow program last year, and it’s the kind of lyrical, moving book that lingers in your mind. From Amy’s review: “I thought this little middle grades fantasy was just lovely—a worthy precursor to authors like Gaiman and LeGuin. Barnhill has a knack for telling a complex story in deceptively simple, lyrical fairy tale language, and the way she teases the individual threads of this story together—the brave boy, the magical girl, the witch’s forgotten history, the mad mother—is brilliant. The characters—minor and major—live and breathe; the world of the story feels sturdy enough to stand on its own.”
The Complete Poetry, by Maya Angelou, $1.99. Maya Angelou is one of the greatest writers in American history. This comprehensive collection of her poetry includes Still I Rise, On the Pulse of Morning (recited at the Clinton inauguration), and Amazement Awaits (commissioned for the 2008 Olympics).
Leah on the Offbeat, by Becky Albertalli, $2.99. I haven’t read this sequel to Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (made into a movie as Love, Simon), but I’m eager to find out more about what happens with Simon’s best friend. Leah on the Offbeat was the Goodreads YA book of the year! From the flap: When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat—but real life isn’t always so rhythmic. An anomaly in her friend group, she’s the only child of a young, single mom, and her life is decidedly less privileged. She loves to draw but is too self-conscious to show it. And even though her mom knows she’s bisexual, she hasn’t mustered the courage to tell her friends—not even her openly gay BFF, Simon.
STILL ON SALE
Truly Devious, by Maureen Johnson, $2.99. From our summer 2018 reading list: “Ellingham Academy is one of the most competitive private schools in the country—and also the scene of one of the country’s most notorious unsolved mysteries. New student Stevie Bell is determined to put her true crime obsession to work on Elligham’s famous cold case, but the murderer may not be ancient history after all.” My caveat: This is the first in a series, so if you can’t stand cliffhangers, buy it cheap but wait to read it until the series wraps — this first book has a particularly frustrating cliffhanger ending.
And Then You’re Dead, by Cody Cassidy and Paul Doherty, $4.99. This book is fascinatingly morbid. There are so many things that can kill you, but HOW do they kill you? If you get swallowed by a whale, do you die from stomach acid, being crushed, asphyxiation? These nightmare scenarios are explained with lots of dark humor and solid scientific information. My daughter and several of her tween/teen friends can’t get enough of this book, and it’s easy to see why. Don’t you also need to know what would actually happen if you were sacrificed to a volcano?
The Cloudspotter’s Guide, by Gavin Pretor-Pinney, $4.99. Learn more about morning glory, cumulus, nimbostratus, and all those other clouds in this odd but awesome little book about the science, history, art, and pop culture significance of clouds.
The Game of Silence, by Louise Erdrich, $2.99. My daughter has listened to the audiobook of The Birchbark House (oddly, not available on Kindle) more times than I can count. We’ve loved hearing about Omakayas’s adventures in her Anishinabeg, or Ojibwe tribe. The Game of Silence picks up shortly after that book. Omakayas’s family meets a group of fellow tribespeople who have been displaced by white settlers. Over the course of the book, she discovers that she, too, will have to move away from her home. Erdrich’s deft touch makes this an enjoyable read, even through some tough subject matter.
Jackaby, by William Ritter, $3.59. I was so taken by Amy’s review last year that I immediately bought the whole series. Here’s what she had to say: This first in the series (of which I am a fan) introduces the supernatural Sherlock Holmes and his new assistant, runaway young lady (who’d rather be a paleontologist) Abigail Rook. Amy says, “Abigail, who’s very much a Watson in the Martin Freeman vein — smart, stout-hearted, and adventurous — needs a job, and R.F. Jackaby, supernatural consulting detective, needs an assistant. Abigail is not put off by the fact that Jackaby’s former assistant is now a duck living on the mysterious third floor of his haunted mansion, and she determinedly follows her new boss on his investigation of a mysterious serial killer, matching her keen observation and logic skills to Jackaby’s otherworldly knowledge. The serial killer plot is fine, but the real charm in this book — and trust me, there’s lots of charm — is the world Ritter has created.”
How We Got to Now, by Steven Johnson, $4.99. Steven Johnson is one of those people who sees all the hidden connections that shape the world. This book looks at six major areas of discovery and development to show all the effects set in motion by each development in technology. The very first section, on the history of glass, had me hooked. Full-color illustrations will grab the attention and keep your reader turning the pages.
Watch Us Rise, by Renee Watson and Ellen Hagan, $2.99. I haven’t read this yet, but the concept is great and so many of my favorite authors have blurbed it! When Jasmine and Chelsea are unhappy with situations at their NYC high school, they start a Women’s Rights Club. School Library Journal says, “this thought-provoking novel explores ideas of body-shaming, racial stereotypes, and gender inequality.” The story unfolds in prose, poetry, blog articles, and more. I can’t wait to read it.
State by State, by Matt Weiland and Sean Wilsey, $1.99. This book has an excellent concept — find excellent, famous writers and have them write about a state that they know. You’ll hear from Jhumpa Lahiri, Jonathan Franzen, Alison Bechdel, and more. The stories are funny, touching, odd, and wonderful, and they come together to create a unique snapshot of the US. Note: not all of the stories are suitable for all ages, so don’t just hand this over to a tween.
One Summer: America, 1927, by Bill Bryson, $1.99. I’m still new to this recommendation gig, so you haven’t gotten sick of my praise of Bill Bryson yet. You’ll be hearing about him often; his conversational tone makes his densely packed nonfiction seem like a casual chat with your smartest friend. In One Summer, Bryson shows a snapshot of all the things happening in 1927, many of which still impact our lives today. You’ll visit with Babe Ruth, Charles Lindbergh, Al Capone, and many more.
The Calculating Stars, by Mary Robinette Kowal, $2.99. I am so excited to share this book with you! The Calculating Stars is a story of the early space program, but it takes place in a slightly alternate universe where a meteoroid strike is rapidly changing the environment and NASA is rapidly trying to colonize space. The biggest change? In the rush, it’s all hands on deck and women are active participants in all fields. This thrilling novel is the story of Elma York, a former WASP pilot and mathematician who has a shot to become the first woman in space. Readers will appreciate the diverse characters, who represent races, religions, and disabilities not always found in modern sci fi.
The Philosophy Book, by Will Buckingham, $1.99. Philosophy isn’t always an easy subject to get into. Trying to understand the finer points of stoicism vs. essentialism can be overwhelming. DK has stepped in to provide a basic overview of the history of major philosophical movements. In typical DK fashion, the book is crammed with illustrations and pull quotes. There’s a lot of material here, but it is broken down into eye-catching and manageable chunks.
Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes, trans. Edith Grossman, $1.99. I’m sure there are free versions out there, but this translation by Edith Grossman is the best I’ve read. Try it with your middle schooler, and you may be surprised — Suzanne’s middle school literature class totally fell in love with this funny, tragic tale of a self-created knight and his faithful squire.
Countdown, by Deborah Wiles, $1.99. Most history classes run out of time before they get to the last 50 years or so. This interesting novel tells the story of a tween living near D.C. during the Cuban Missile Crisis. She is navigating family and school issues while also worrying and wondering about the likelihood of a Russian attack. What really makes this book great is the “documentary” style: it is peppered with magazine clips, news quotes, and song lyrics that will bring the ‘60s to life for your upper elementary or middle school reader.
How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, by Ken Ludwig, $4.99. I’ll be perfectly honest. I’m an English major who skillfully avoided Shakespeare for all four years of her undergraduate degree. He’s not my favorite. That said, Shakespeare is an important part of the literary landscape, both in unique language and important plot references. When we are ready to work Shakespeare into our language studies (beyond a discussion of The Lion King being a retelling of Hamlet), this is my go-to book. Carrie Pomeroy mentions the book in her article about trying to share her love for the Bard with her kids.
I Scream! Ice Cream!, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, $1.99. What’s a wordle, you ask? A wordle is a set of words that sound exactly the same but have different meanings. “Heroes” and “he rows,” “reindeer” and “rain, dear.” The puns only get more elaborate from there. The hilarious wordplay and adorable illustrations will entertain readers of all ages.
I Contain Multitudes, by Ed Yong, $2.99. This book absolutely fascinated and disturbed me. Ed Yong’s extensive book is a guide to the millions of microbes that live in and on all creatures. You will learn about how microorganisms improve the lives of their hosts — making squid invisible, leading mice right to the cats who want to eat them, and defending humans from disease. This will change your outlook on the many lives around you.
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 1: Cosmic Avengers, by Brian Michael Bendis, $3.99. As a culture, we may have reached peak Avengers, but I still have a special place in my heart for the Guardians of the Galaxy. This comic collection finds the Guardians (and Iron Man) fighting off bad guys and quipping their way around the universe. The first in a new series, this book provides useful backstory for new comic readers.
York: The Shadow Cipher, by Laura Ruby, $1.99. This book is smoldering on my daughter’s shelf, just waiting for one or both of us to pick it up. Set in an alternate history New York, three kids must search the city to find clues to a mysterious cipher that will prevent developers from destroying the city as they know it. The book is packed with steampunk details, tantalizing puzzles, and engaging characters. The sequel was just released this summer, so there’ll be no anxious waiting for the next installment.
The Monster at the End of this Book, by Jon Stone, $3.03. Beware! Grover doesn’t want you to read this book! There’s a monster at the end! The delightful illustrations bring the Sesame Street characters to life. You’ll want to make sure you have a color display to get the most out of this charming read aloud.
The Witch’s Boy, by Kelly Barnill, $4.51. Kelly Barnhill’s modern fairy tales are effortlessly complex, and I love them all. From the publisher: “When Ned and his identical twin brother tumble from their raft into a raging river, only Ned survives. Villagers are convinced the wrong boy lived. Across the forest that borders Ned’s village, Áine, the daughter of the Bandit King, is haunted by her mother’s last words: “The wrong boy will save your life, and you will save his.” When the Bandit King comes to steal the magic Ned’s mother, a witch, is meant to protect, Áine and Ned meet. Can they trust each other long enough to cross a dangerous enchanted forest and stop the war about to boil over between their two kingdoms?
Magical Miniature Gardens & Homes, by Donni Webber, $2.99, is a great book for adding a little bit of enchantment to your homeschool this fall. Webber gives you all the details you need to make your own fairy gardens. The gorgeous projects include a fairly rendition of Hobbiton, for the Tolkien fans among us. The projects use fairly basic crafting materials (definitely have a glue gun handy) and natural objects. Start spreading that pixie dust!
”The four book Mary Poppins set, by P.L. Travers, is now $5.31, which is still a pretty good deal for a set. These books are delightful, but take a very different tone from the Disney movies. Mary is ascerbic, and the stories take some darker twists. You could do a fascinating study comparing the books to Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins Returns, and Saving Mr. Banks.
The Princess Bride, by Williams Golding, $3.49. This book is in our Middle School Reading List and our Summer Reading list for fans of The Phantom Tollbooth. Golding’s novel might poke fun at some of the traditional fairy-tale elements in epic adventures, but the story of Buttercup and her Westley is an unabashed literary delight. (Golding was inserting wry narrator notes long before the trend took off in children’s literature.)
I love science, but I’m also a social science person; I applied to college as a biochemistry major and graduated with an English degree. Periodic Tales, by Hugh Aldersey-Wiliams, $2.99, is the best of both world. Aldersley-Williams explains not just what an element does, but how it got discovered and what roles it has played in history and modern society. This is a great companion for a high school chemistry course. The writing feels like Bill Bryson’s A Brief History of Nearly Everything, another science book that I can’t recommend enough.
The Odyssey is also on sale today for $1.99. This Lattimore translation is near and dear to my heart; it’s the very first book freshmen read in Columbia’s core curriculum. Not the easiest read, as it stays fairly close to the original Greek, but the ultimate in epic poetry and a great choice for flexing those literary analysis skills.
Maker Dad, $0.99, is an awesome book of projects that are fun and easy to accomplish without lots of specialty tools. We own this one in print and have looked to it for inspiration many times. All of the projects are well illustrated and feel accessible for people who are not especially handy. We particularly enjoyed the Drawbot!
My daughter can’t get enough of the Vanderbeeker family! The second book in the series, The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden, is on sale today for $2.99. You’ll enjoy getting to know the large and somewhat chaotic Vanderbeeker family in their Harlem brownstone. In this book, the girls are working to create a secret garden for a beloved neighor. This series has hints of the All-Of-A-Kind family series and is perfect for Penderwicks fans.
Think Like a Freak, $2.99, is kind of a self-help book for people who hate self help. You may know Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner from the excellent Freakonomics podcast. They take economic principles and apply them to everyday situations. This is a great read for an older teen who wants to know more about why the world is the way it is, or for a parent to pick and choose sections to share with younger kids. There are a few heavier topics.
Sabriel, $1.99, is the first book in the Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. This is a fantasy classic featuring a strong female lead, an epic quest to save the world, and a feline companion who is more than it seems. Get ready to dig deep into Nix’s impressive world building. I devoured these in my late teens.
Look! Look! Look!, $0.99, is an adorable picture book that is also a great introduction to looking at art. Three tiny mice have discovered a fine art postcard. Follow them as the discover patterns, textures, and shapes. Don’t miss the activity guide at the end! Note, you’ll want to read this one on a color screen or you will lose out on some of the details.
Kindle Deals for August 27, 2019
Another crackling YA mystery and some fun science in today’s deals.
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.)
Truly Devious, by Maureen Johnson, $2.99. From our summer 2018 reading list: “Ellingham Academy is one of the most competitive private schools in the country—and also the scene of one of the country’s most notorious unsolved mysteries. New student Stevie Bell is determined to put her true crime obsession to work on Elligham’s famous cold case, but the murderer may not be ancient history after all.” My caveat: This is the first in a series, so if you can’t stand cliffhangers, buy it cheap but wait to read it until the series wraps — this first book has a particularly frustrating cliffhanger ending.
And Then You’re Dead, by Cody Cassidy and Paul Doherty, $4.99. This book is fascinatingly morbid. There are so many things that can kill you, but HOW do they kill you? If you get swallowed by a whale, do you die from stomach acid, being crushed, asphyxiation? These nightmare scenarios are explained with lots of dark humor and solid scientific information. My daughter and several of her tween/teen friends can’t get enough of this book, and it’s easy to see why. Don’t you also need to know what would actually happen if you were sacrificed to a volcano?
The Cloudspotter’s Guide, by Gavin Pretor-Pinney, $4.99. Learn more about morning glory, cumulus, nimbostratus, and all those other clouds in this odd but awesome little book about the science, history, art, and pop culture significance of clouds.
STILL ON SALE
The Game of Silence, by Louise Erdrich, $2.99. My daughter has listened to the audiobook of The Birchbark House (oddly, not available on Kindle) more times than I can count. We’ve loved hearing about Omakayas’s adventures in her Anishinabeg, or Ojibwe tribe. The Game of Silence picks up shortly after that book. Omakayas’s family meets a group of fellow tribespeople who have been displaced by white settlers. Over the course of the book, she discovers that she, too, will have to move away from her home. Erdrich’s deft touch makes this an enjoyable read, even through some tough subject matter.
Jackaby, by William Ritter, $3.59. I was so taken by Amy’s review last year that I immediately bought the whole series. Here’s what she had to say: This first in the series (of which I am a fan) introduces the supernatural Sherlock Holmes and his new assistant, runaway young lady (who’d rather be a paleontologist) Abigail Rook. Amy says, “Abigail, who’s very much a Watson in the Martin Freeman vein — smart, stout-hearted, and adventurous — needs a job, and R.F. Jackaby, supernatural consulting detective, needs an assistant. Abigail is not put off by the fact that Jackaby’s former assistant is now a duck living on the mysterious third floor of his haunted mansion, and she determinedly follows her new boss on his investigation of a mysterious serial killer, matching her keen observation and logic skills to Jackaby’s otherworldly knowledge. The serial killer plot is fine, but the real charm in this book — and trust me, there’s lots of charm — is the world Ritter has created.”
How We Got to Now, by Steven Johnson, $4.99. Steven Johnson is one of those people who sees all the hidden connections that shape the world. This book looks at six major areas of discovery and development to show all the effects set in motion by each development in technology. The very first section, on the history of glass, had me hooked. Full-color illustrations will grab the attention and keep your reader turning the pages.
Watch Us Rise, by Renee Watson and Ellen Hagan, $2.99. I haven’t read this yet, but the concept is great and so many of my favorite authors have blurbed it! When Jasmine and Chelsea are unhappy with situations at their NYC high school, they start a Women’s Rights Club. School Library Journal says, “this thought-provoking novel explores ideas of body-shaming, racial stereotypes, and gender inequality.” The story unfolds in prose, poetry, blog articles, and more. I can’t wait to read it.
State by State, by Matt Weiland and Sean Wilsey, $1.99. This book has an excellent concept — find excellent, famous writers and have them write about a state that they know. You’ll hear from Jhumpa Lahiri, Jonathan Franzen, Alison Bechdel, and more. The stories are funny, touching, odd, and wonderful, and they come together to create a unique snapshot of the US. Note: not all of the stories are suitable for all ages, so don’t just hand this over to a tween.
One Summer: America, 1927, by Bill Bryson, $1.99. I’m still new to this recommendation gig, so you haven’t gotten sick of my praise of Bill Bryson yet. You’ll be hearing about him often; his conversational tone makes his densely packed nonfiction seem like a casual chat with your smartest friend. In One Summer, Bryson shows a snapshot of all the things happening in 1927, many of which still impact our lives today. You’ll visit with Babe Ruth, Charles Lindbergh, Al Capone, and many more.
The Calculating Stars, by Mary Robinette Kowal, $2.99. I am so excited to share this book with you! The Calculating Stars is a story of the early space program, but it takes place in a slightly alternate universe where a meteoroid strike is rapidly changing the environment and NASA is rapidly trying to colonize space. The biggest change? In the rush, it’s all hands on deck and women are active participants in all fields. This thrilling novel is the story of Elma York, a former WASP pilot and mathematician who has a shot to become the first woman in space. Readers will appreciate the diverse characters, who represent races, religions, and disabilities not always found in modern sci fi.
The Philosophy Book, by Will Buckingham, $1.99. Philosophy isn’t always an easy subject to get into. Trying to understand the finer points of stoicism vs. essentialism can be overwhelming. DK has stepped in to provide a basic overview of the history of major philosophical movements. In typical DK fashion, the book is crammed with illustrations and pull quotes. There’s a lot of material here, but it is broken down into eye-catching and manageable chunks.
Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes, trans. Edith Grossman, $1.99. I’m sure there are free versions out there, but this translation by Edith Grossman is the best I’ve read. Try it with your middle schooler, and you may be surprised — Suzanne’s middle school literature class totally fell in love with this funny, tragic tale of a self-created knight and his faithful squire.
Countdown, by Deborah Wiles, $1.99. Most history classes run out of time before they get to the last 50 years or so. This interesting novel tells the story of a tween living near D.C. during the Cuban Missile Crisis. She is navigating family and school issues while also worrying and wondering about the likelihood of a Russian attack. What really makes this book great is the “documentary” style: it is peppered with magazine clips, news quotes, and song lyrics that will bring the ‘60s to life for your upper elementary or middle school reader.
How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, by Ken Ludwig, $4.99. I’ll be perfectly honest. I’m an English major who skillfully avoided Shakespeare for all four years of her undergraduate degree. He’s not my favorite. That said, Shakespeare is an important part of the literary landscape, both in unique language and important plot references. When we are ready to work Shakespeare into our language studies (beyond a discussion of The Lion King being a retelling of Hamlet), this is my go-to book. Carrie Pomeroy mentions the book in her article about trying to share her love for the Bard with her kids.
I Scream! Ice Cream!, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, $1.99. What’s a wordle, you ask? A wordle is a set of words that sound exactly the same but have different meanings. “Heroes” and “he rows,” “reindeer” and “rain, dear.” The puns only get more elaborate from there. The hilarious wordplay and adorable illustrations will entertain readers of all ages.
I Contain Multitudes, by Ed Yong, $2.99. This book absolutely fascinated and disturbed me. Ed Yong’s extensive book is a guide to the millions of microbes that live in and on all creatures. You will learn about how microorganisms improve the lives of their hosts — making squid invisible, leading mice right to the cats who want to eat them, and defending humans from disease. This will change your outlook on the many lives around you.
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 1: Cosmic Avengers, by Brian Michael Bendis, $3.99. As a culture, we may have reached peak Avengers, but I still have a special place in my heart for the Guardians of the Galaxy. This comic collection finds the Guardians (and Iron Man) fighting off bad guys and quipping their way around the universe. The first in a new series, this book provides useful backstory for new comic readers.
York: The Shadow Cipher, by Laura Ruby, $1.99. This book is smoldering on my daughter’s shelf, just waiting for one or both of us to pick it up. Set in an alternate history New York, three kids must search the city to find clues to a mysterious cipher that will prevent developers from destroying the city as they know it. The book is packed with steampunk details, tantalizing puzzles, and engaging characters. The sequel was just released this summer, so there’ll be no anxious waiting for the next installment.
The Monster at the End of this Book, by Jon Stone, $3.03. Beware! Grover doesn’t want you to read this book! There’s a monster at the end! The delightful illustrations bring the Sesame Street characters to life. You’ll want to make sure you have a color display to get the most out of this charming read aloud.
The Witch’s Boy, by Kelly Barnill, $4.51. Kelly Barnhill’s modern fairy tales are effortlessly complex, and I love them all. From the publisher: “When Ned and his identical twin brother tumble from their raft into a raging river, only Ned survives. Villagers are convinced the wrong boy lived. Across the forest that borders Ned’s village, Áine, the daughter of the Bandit King, is haunted by her mother’s last words: “The wrong boy will save your life, and you will save his.” When the Bandit King comes to steal the magic Ned’s mother, a witch, is meant to protect, Áine and Ned meet. Can they trust each other long enough to cross a dangerous enchanted forest and stop the war about to boil over between their two kingdoms?
Magical Miniature Gardens & Homes, by Donni Webber, $2.99, is a great book for adding a little bit of enchantment to your homeschool this fall. Webber gives you all the details you need to make your own fairy gardens. The gorgeous projects include a fairly rendition of Hobbiton, for the Tolkien fans among us. The projects use fairly basic crafting materials (definitely have a glue gun handy) and natural objects. Start spreading that pixie dust!
”The four book Mary Poppins set, by P.L. Travers, is now $5.31, which is still a pretty good deal for a set. These books are delightful, but take a very different tone from the Disney movies. Mary is ascerbic, and the stories take some darker twists. You could do a fascinating study comparing the books to Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins Returns, and Saving Mr. Banks.
The Princess Bride, by Williams Golding, $3.49. This book is in our Middle School Reading List and our Summer Reading list for fans of The Phantom Tollbooth. Golding’s novel might poke fun at some of the traditional fairy-tale elements in epic adventures, but the story of Buttercup and her Westley is an unabashed literary delight. (Golding was inserting wry narrator notes long before the trend took off in children’s literature.)
I love science, but I’m also a social science person; I applied to college as a biochemistry major and graduated with an English degree. Periodic Tales, by Hugh Aldersey-Wiliams, $2.99, is the best of both world. Aldersley-Williams explains not just what an element does, but how it got discovered and what roles it has played in history and modern society. This is a great companion for a high school chemistry course. The writing feels like Bill Bryson’s A Brief History of Nearly Everything, another science book that I can’t recommend enough.
The Odyssey is also on sale today for $1.99. This Lattimore translation is near and dear to my heart; it’s the very first book freshmen read in Columbia’s core curriculum. Not the easiest read, as it stays fairly close to the original Greek, but the ultimate in epic poetry and a great choice for flexing those literary analysis skills.
Maker Dad, $0.99, is an awesome book of projects that are fun and easy to accomplish without lots of specialty tools. We own this one in print and have looked to it for inspiration many times. All of the projects are well illustrated and feel accessible for people who are not especially handy. We particularly enjoyed the Drawbot!
My daughter can’t get enough of the Vanderbeeker family! The second book in the series, The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden, is on sale today for $2.99. You’ll enjoy getting to know the large and somewhat chaotic Vanderbeeker family in their Harlem brownstone. In this book, the girls are working to create a secret garden for a beloved neighor. This series has hints of the All-Of-A-Kind family series and is perfect for Penderwicks fans.
Think Like a Freak, $2.99, is kind of a self-help book for people who hate self help. You may know Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner from the excellent Freakonomics podcast. They take economic principles and apply them to everyday situations. This is a great read for an older teen who wants to know more about why the world is the way it is, or for a parent to pick and choose sections to share with younger kids. There are a few heavier topics.
Sabriel, $1.99, is the first book in the Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. This is a fantasy classic featuring a strong female lead, an epic quest to save the world, and a feline companion who is more than it seems. Get ready to dig deep into Nix’s impressive world building. I devoured these in my late teens.
Look! Look! Look!, $0.99, is an adorable picture book that is also a great introduction to looking at art. Three tiny mice have discovered a fine art postcard. Follow them as the discover patterns, textures, and shapes. Don’t miss the activity guide at the end! Note, you’ll want to read this one on a color screen or you will lose out on some of the details.
Kindle Deals for August 26, 2019
Native Americans, history of innovations, and a YA mystery in today’s deals.
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.)
The Game of Silence, by Louise Erdrich, $2.99. My daughter has listened to the audiobook of The Birchbark House (oddly, not available on Kindle) more times than I can count. We’ve loved hearing about Omakayas’s adventures in her Anishinabeg, or Ojibwe tribe. The Game of Silence picks up shortly after that book. Omakayas’s family meets a group of fellow tribespeople who have been displaced by white settlers. Over the course of the book, she discovers that she, too, will have to move away from her home. Erdrich’s deft touch makes this an enjoyable read, even through some tough subject matter.
Jackaby, by William Ritter, $3.59. I was so taken by Amy’s review last year that I immediately bought the whole series. Here’s what she had to say: This first in the series (of which I am a fan) introduces the supernatural Sherlock Holmes and his new assistant, runaway young lady (who’d rather be a paleontologist) Abigail Rook. Amy says, “Abigail, who’s very much a Watson in the Martin Freeman vein — smart, stout-hearted, and adventurous — needs a job, and R.F. Jackaby, supernatural consulting detective, needs an assistant. Abigail is not put off by the fact that Jackaby’s former assistant is now a duck living on the mysterious third floor of his haunted mansion, and she determinedly follows her new boss on his investigation of a mysterious serial killer, matching her keen observation and logic skills to Jackaby’s otherworldly knowledge. The serial killer plot is fine, but the real charm in this book — and trust me, there’s lots of charm — is the world Ritter has created.”
How We Got to Now, by Steven Johnson, $4.99. Steven Johnson is one of those people who sees all the hidden connections that shape the world. This book looks at six major areas of discovery and development to show all the effects set in motion by each development in technology. The very first section, on the history of glass, had me hooked. Full-color illustrations will grab the attention and keep your reader turning the pages.
Still On Sale
Watch Us Rise, by Renee Watson and Ellen Hagan, $2.99. I haven’t read this yet, but the concept is great and so many of my favorite authors have blurbed it! When Jasmine and Chelsea are unhappy with situations at their NYC high school, they start a Women’s Rights Club. School Library Journal says, “this thought-provoking novel explores ideas of body-shaming, racial stereotypes, and gender inequality.” The story unfolds in prose, poetry, blog articles, and more. I can’t wait to read it.
State by State, by Matt Weiland and Sean Wilsey, $1.99. This book has an excellent concept — find excellent, famous writers and have them write about a state that they know. You’ll hear from Jhumpa Lahiri, Jonathan Franzen, Alison Bechdel, and more. The stories are funny, touching, odd, and wonderful, and they come together to create a unique snapshot of the US. Note: not all of the stories are suitable for all ages, so don’t just hand this over to a tween.
One Summer: America, 1927, by Bill Bryson, $1.99. I’m still new to this recommendation gig, so you haven’t gotten sick of my praise of Bill Bryson yet. You’ll be hearing about him often; his conversational tone makes his densely packed nonfiction seem like a casual chat with your smartest friend. In One Summer, Bryson shows a snapshot of all the things happening in 1927, many of which still impact our lives today. You’ll visit with Babe Ruth, Charles Lindbergh, Al Capone, and many more.
The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane, by Julia Nobel, $1.99. Amy really liked this one when she read it earlier this year. Here’s her review: Emmy’s dad is MIA, and her mom is so busy explaining how other people can be great parents that she never has time to just be Emmy’s parent. Emmy is crushed when her mom ships her off to a fancy British boarding school — until she gets pulled into a mystery involving a super-secret order that may involve her long-missing father. It’s true that I’m a sucker for a boarding school book, but this is the kind of middle grades book I like best: It assumes a smart reader who can connect the pieces, and there’s plenty of action to keep the plot moving and mostly likable, individual characters who make you care about what’s happening. I recommend this one!
The Calculating Stars, by Mary Robinette Kowal, $2.99. I am so excited to share this book with you! The Calculating Stars is a story of the early space program, but it takes place in a slightly alternate universe where a meteoroid strike is rapidly changing the environment and NASA is rapidly trying to colonize space. The biggest change? In the rush, it’s all hands on deck and women are active participants in all fields. This thrilling novel is the story of Elma York, a former WASP pilot and mathematician who has a shot to become the first woman in space. Readers will appreciate the diverse characters, who represent races, religions, and disabilities not always found in modern sci fi.
The Philosophy Book, by Will Buckingham, $1.99. Philosophy isn’t always an easy subject to get into. Trying to understand the finer points of stoicism vs. essentialism can be overwhelming. DK has stepped in to provide a basic overview of the history of major philosophical movements. In typical DK fashion, the book is crammed with illustrations and pull quotes. There’s a lot of material here, but it is broken down into eye-catching and manageable chunks.
Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes, trans. Edith Grossman, $1.99. I’m sure there are free versions out there, but this translation by Edith Grossman is the best I’ve read. Try it with your middle schooler, and you may be surprised — Suzanne’s middle school literature class totally fell in love with this funny, tragic tale of a self-created knight and his faithful squire.
Countdown, by Deborah Wiles, $1.99. Most history classes run out of time before they get to the last 50 years or so. This interesting novel tells the story of a tween living near D.C. during the Cuban Missile Crisis. She is navigating family and school issues while also worrying and wondering about the likelihood of a Russian attack. What really makes this book great is the “documentary” style: it is peppered with magazine clips, news quotes, and song lyrics that will bring the ‘60s to life for your upper elementary or middle school reader.
How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, by Ken Ludwig, $4.99. I’ll be perfectly honest. I’m an English major who skillfully avoided Shakespeare for all four years of her undergraduate degree. He’s not my favorite. That said, Shakespeare is an important part of the literary landscape, both in unique language and important plot references. When we are ready to work Shakespeare into our language studies (beyond a discussion of The Lion King being a retelling of Hamlet), this is my go-to book. Carrie Pomeroy mentions the book in her article about trying to share her love for the Bard with her kids.
I Scream! Ice Cream!, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, $1.99. What’s a wordle, you ask? A wordle is a set of words that sound exactly the same but have different meanings. “Heroes” and “he rows,” “reindeer” and “rain, dear.” The puns only get more elaborate from there. The hilarious wordplay and adorable illustrations will entertain readers of all ages.
I Contain Multitudes, by Ed Yong, $2.99. This book absolutely fascinated and disturbed me. Ed Yong’s extensive book is a guide to the millions of microbes that live in and on all creatures. You will learn about how microorganisms improve the lives of their hosts — making squid invisible, leading mice right to the cats who want to eat them, and defending humans from disease. This will change your outlook on the many lives around you.
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 1: Cosmic Avengers, by Brian Michael Bendis, $3.99. As a culture, we may have reached peak Avengers, but I still have a special place in my heart for the Guardians of the Galaxy. This comic collection finds the Guardians (and Iron Man) fighting off bad guys and quipping their way around the universe. The first in a new series, this book provides useful backstory for new comic readers.
York: The Shadow Cipher, by Laura Ruby, $1.99. This book is smoldering on my daughter’s shelf, just waiting for one or both of us to pick it up. Set in an alternate history New York, three kids must search the city to find clues to a mysterious cipher that will prevent developers from destroying the city as they know it. The book is packed with steampunk details, tantalizing puzzles, and engaging characters. The sequel was just released this summer, so there’ll be no anxious waiting for the next installment.
The Monster at the End of this Book, by Jon Stone, $3.03. Beware! Grover doesn’t want you to read this book! There’s a monster at the end! The delightful illustrations bring the Sesame Street characters to life. You’ll want to make sure you have a color display to get the most out of this charming read aloud.
The Witch’s Boy, by Kelly Barnill, $4.51. Kelly Barnhill’s modern fairy tales are effortlessly complex, and I love them all. From the publisher: “When Ned and his identical twin brother tumble from their raft into a raging river, only Ned survives. Villagers are convinced the wrong boy lived. Across the forest that borders Ned’s village, Áine, the daughter of the Bandit King, is haunted by her mother’s last words: “The wrong boy will save your life, and you will save his.” When the Bandit King comes to steal the magic Ned’s mother, a witch, is meant to protect, Áine and Ned meet. Can they trust each other long enough to cross a dangerous enchanted forest and stop the war about to boil over between their two kingdoms?
Magical Miniature Gardens & Homes, by Donni Webber, $2.99, is a great book for adding a little bit of enchantment to your homeschool this fall. Webber gives you all the details you need to make your own fairy gardens. The gorgeous projects include a fairly rendition of Hobbiton, for the Tolkien fans among us. The projects use fairly basic crafting materials (definitely have a glue gun handy) and natural objects. Start spreading that pixie dust!
”The four book Mary Poppins set, by P.L. Travers, is now $5.31, which is still a pretty good deal for a set. These books are delightful, but take a very different tone from the Disney movies. Mary is ascerbic, and the stories take some darker twists. You could do a fascinating study comparing the books to Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins Returns, and Saving Mr. Banks.
The Princess Bride, by Williams Golding, $3.49. This book is in our Middle School Reading List and our Summer Reading list for fans of The Phantom Tollbooth. Golding’s novel might poke fun at some of the traditional fairy-tale elements in epic adventures, but the story of Buttercup and her Westley is an unabashed literary delight. (Golding was inserting wry narrator notes long before the trend took off in children’s literature.)
I love science, but I’m also a social science person; I applied to college as a biochemistry major and graduated with an English degree. Periodic Tales, by Hugh Aldersey-Wiliams, $2.99, is the best of both world. Aldersley-Williams explains not just what an element does, but how it got discovered and what roles it has played in history and modern society. This is a great companion for a high school chemistry course. The writing feels like Bill Bryson’s A Brief History of Nearly Everything, another science book that I can’t recommend enough.
The Odyssey is also on sale today for $1.99. This Lattimore translation is near and dear to my heart; it’s the very first book freshmen read in Columbia’s core curriculum. Not the easiest read, as it stays fairly close to the original Greek, but the ultimate in epic poetry and a great choice for flexing those literary analysis skills.
Maker Dad, $0.99, is an awesome book of projects that are fun and easy to accomplish without lots of specialty tools. We own this one in print and have looked to it for inspiration many times. All of the projects are well illustrated and feel accessible for people who are not especially handy. We particularly enjoyed the Drawbot!
My daughter can’t get enough of the Vanderbeeker family! The second book in the series, The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden, is on sale today for $2.99. You’ll enjoy getting to know the large and somewhat chaotic Vanderbeeker family in their Harlem brownstone. In this book, the girls are working to create a secret garden for a beloved neighor. This series has hints of the All-Of-A-Kind family series and is perfect for Penderwicks fans.
Think Like a Freak, $2.99, is kind of a self-help book for people who hate self help. You may know Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner from the excellent Freakonomics podcast. They take economic principles and apply them to everyday situations. This is a great read for an older teen who wants to know more about why the world is the way it is, or for a parent to pick and choose sections to share with younger kids. There are a few heavier topics.
Sabriel, $1.99, is the first book in the Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. This is a fantasy classic featuring a strong female lead, an epic quest to save the world, and a feline companion who is more than it seems. Get ready to dig deep into Nix’s impressive world building. I devoured these in my late teens.
Look! Look! Look!, $0.99, is an adorable picture book that is also a great introduction to looking at art. Three tiny mice have discovered a fine art postcard. Follow them as the discover patterns, textures, and shapes. Don’t miss the activity guide at the end! Note, you’ll want to read this one on a color screen or you will lose out on some of the details.
Kindle Deals for August 25, 2019
Today only! Big savings on history and science titles.
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 amazing deals on Sundays. Check out today’s nonfiction deals!
Rise of the Rocket Girls, by Nathalia Holt, $2.99. The original computers weren't machines, they were people—specifically women who, armed with slide rules and sharpened pencils, performed the complex calculations needed to get the space program (literally) off the ground. This book shines a long overdue spotlight on the women scientists and mathematicians who contributed to the early work of the space program, and it's a great read on its own or as part of a larger study with The Glass Universe and Hidden Figures.
Beyond the Pale, by Emily Urquhart, $1.99. When Emily Urquhart’s daughter is born with albinism, a rare genetic condition resulting in no pigmentation, she is eager to discover all she can. Her deep dive into cultural history and folklore finds tales of magical powers and tragic stories of mistreatment. Simultaneously, she explores the scientific causes and implications of this genetic disorder. If you like your science with a bit of history and social science, this book is for you.
Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy, by Karen Abbott, $2.99. I am not a Civil War buff, but this is the kind of subject matter I can get behind. Karen Abbott, in her signature thriller style, introduces us to four intrepid women working as spies. You’ll learn about the woman who posed as a soldier to get battlefield details, the widow who used her feminine charms to wring details from politicians, and more. This glimpse at untold history is also a pageturner.
Prairie Fires, by Caroline Fraser, $3.99. Little House on the Prairie was a definitive part of my early reading life. I loved following Laura Ingalls Wilder as she moved from her cabin in the Big Woods to Plum Creek to her own adult home. In those children’s books, the hardships her family faced were intense but always surmountable. The series is still considered a classic of American children’s literature, but the racial issues have not aged well and many historians have questioned the rose-colored wash on many of the stories. Prairie Fires is the Pulitzer Prize-winning, unsanitized version of Wilder’s story. This book will spark excellent discussion about the nature of memoir and the history of Western expansion.
Still On Sale
Watch Us Rise, by Renee Watson and Ellen Hagan, $2.99. I haven’t read this yet, but the concept is great and so many of my favorite authors have blurbed it! When Jasmine and Chelsea are unhappy with situations at their NYC high school, they start a Women’s Rights Club. School Library Journal says, “this thought-provoking novel explores ideas of body-shaming, racial stereotypes, and gender inequality.” The story unfolds in prose, poetry, blog articles, and more. I can’t wait to read it.
State by State, by Matt Weiland and Sean Wilsey, $1.99. This book has an excellent concept — find excellent, famous writers and have them write about a state that they know. You’ll hear from Jhumpa Lahiri, Jonathan Franzen, Alison Bechdel, and more. The stories are funny, touching, odd, and wonderful, and they come together to create a unique snapshot of the US. Note: not all of the stories are suitable for all ages, so don’t just hand this over to a tween.
One Summer: America, 1927, by Bill Bryson, $1.99. I’m still new to this recommendation gig, so you haven’t gotten sick of my praise of Bill Bryson yet. You’ll be hearing about him often; his conversational tone makes his densely packed nonfiction seem like a casual chat with your smartest friend. In One Summer, Bryson shows a snapshot of all the things happening in 1927, many of which still impact our lives today. You’ll visit with Babe Ruth, Charles Lindbergh, Al Capone, and many more.
The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane, by Julia Nobel, $1.99. Amy really liked this one when she read it earlier this year. Here’s her review: Emmy’s dad is MIA, and her mom is so busy explaining how other people can be great parents that she never has time to just be Emmy’s parent. Emmy is crushed when her mom ships her off to a fancy British boarding school — until she gets pulled into a mystery involving a super-secret order that may involve her long-missing father. It’s true that I’m a sucker for a boarding school book, but this is the kind of middle grades book I like best: It assumes a smart reader who can connect the pieces, and there’s plenty of action to keep the plot moving and mostly likable, individual characters who make you care about what’s happening. I recommend this one!
The Calculating Stars, by Mary Robinette Kowal, $2.99. I am so excited to share this book with you! The Calculating Stars is a story of the early space program, but it takes place in a slightly alternate universe where a meteoroid strike is rapidly changing the environment and NASA is rapidly trying to colonize space. The biggest change? In the rush, it’s all hands on deck and women are active participants in all fields. This thrilling novel is the story of Elma York, a former WASP pilot and mathematician who has a shot to become the first woman in space. Readers will appreciate the diverse characters, who represent races, religions, and disabilities not always found in modern sci fi.
The Philosophy Book, by Will Buckingham, $1.99. Philosophy isn’t always an easy subject to get into. Trying to understand the finer points of stoicism vs. essentialism can be overwhelming. DK has stepped in to provide a basic overview of the history of major philosophical movements. In typical DK fashion, the book is crammed with illustrations and pull quotes. There’s a lot of material here, but it is broken down into eye-catching and manageable chunks.
Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes, trans. Edith Grossman, $1.99. I’m sure there are free versions out there, but this translation by Edith Grossman is the best I’ve read. Try it with your middle schooler, and you may be surprised — Suzanne’s middle school literature class totally fell in love with this funny, tragic tale of a self-created knight and his faithful squire.
Countdown, by Deborah Wiles, $1.99. Most history classes run out of time before they get to the last 50 years or so. This interesting novel tells the story of a tween living near D.C. during the Cuban Missile Crisis. She is navigating family and school issues while also worrying and wondering about the likelihood of a Russian attack. What really makes this book great is the “documentary” style: it is peppered with magazine clips, news quotes, and song lyrics that will bring the ‘60s to life for your upper elementary or middle school reader.
How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, by Ken Ludwig, $4.99. I’ll be perfectly honest. I’m an English major who skillfully avoided Shakespeare for all four years of her undergraduate degree. He’s not my favorite. That said, Shakespeare is an important part of the literary landscape, both in unique language and important plot references. When we are ready to work Shakespeare into our language studies (beyond a discussion of The Lion King being a retelling of Hamlet), this is my go-to book. Carrie Pomeroy mentions the book in her article about trying to share her love for the Bard with her kids.
I Scream! Ice Cream!, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, $1.99. What’s a wordle, you ask? A wordle is a set of words that sound exactly the same but have different meanings. “Heroes” and “he rows,” “reindeer” and “rain, dear.” The puns only get more elaborate from there. The hilarious wordplay and adorable illustrations will entertain readers of all ages.
I Contain Multitudes, by Ed Yong, $2.99. This book absolutely fascinated and disturbed me. Ed Yong’s extensive book is a guide to the millions of microbes that live in and on all creatures. You will learn about how microorganisms improve the lives of their hosts — making squid invisible, leading mice right to the cats who want to eat them, and defending humans from disease. This will change your outlook on the many lives around you.
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 1: Cosmic Avengers, by Brian Michael Bendis, $3.99. As a culture, we may have reached peak Avengers, but I still have a special place in my heart for the Guardians of the Galaxy. This comic collection finds the Guardians (and Iron Man) fighting off bad guys and quipping their way around the universe. The first in a new series, this book provides useful backstory for new comic readers.
York: The Shadow Cipher, by Laura Ruby, $1.99. This book is smoldering on my daughter’s shelf, just waiting for one or both of us to pick it up. Set in an alternate history New York, three kids must search the city to find clues to a mysterious cipher that will prevent developers from destroying the city as they know it. The book is packed with steampunk details, tantalizing puzzles, and engaging characters. The sequel was just released this summer, so there’ll be no anxious waiting for the next installment.
The Monster at the End of this Book, by Jon Stone, $3.03. Beware! Grover doesn’t want you to read this book! There’s a monster at the end! The delightful illustrations bring the Sesame Street characters to life. You’ll want to make sure you have a color display to get the most out of this charming read aloud.
The Witch’s Boy, by Kelly Barnill, $4.51. Kelly Barnhill’s modern fairy tales are effortlessly complex, and I love them all. From the publisher: “When Ned and his identical twin brother tumble from their raft into a raging river, only Ned survives. Villagers are convinced the wrong boy lived. Across the forest that borders Ned’s village, Áine, the daughter of the Bandit King, is haunted by her mother’s last words: “The wrong boy will save your life, and you will save his.” When the Bandit King comes to steal the magic Ned’s mother, a witch, is meant to protect, Áine and Ned meet. Can they trust each other long enough to cross a dangerous enchanted forest and stop the war about to boil over between their two kingdoms?
Magical Miniature Gardens & Homes, by Donni Webber, $2.99, is a great book for adding a little bit of enchantment to your homeschool this fall. Webber gives you all the details you need to make your own fairy gardens. The gorgeous projects include a fairly rendition of Hobbiton, for the Tolkien fans among us. The projects use fairly basic crafting materials (definitely have a glue gun handy) and natural objects. Start spreading that pixie dust!
”The four book Mary Poppins set, by P.L. Travers, is now $5.31, which is still a pretty good deal for a set. These books are delightful, but take a very different tone from the Disney movies. Mary is ascerbic, and the stories take some darker twists. You could do a fascinating study comparing the books to Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins Returns, and Saving Mr. Banks.
The Princess Bride, by Williams Golding, $3.49. This book is in our Middle School Reading List and our Summer Reading list for fans of The Phantom Tollbooth. Golding’s novel might poke fun at some of the traditional fairy-tale elements in epic adventures, but the story of Buttercup and her Westley is an unabashed literary delight. (Golding was inserting wry narrator notes long before the trend took off in children’s literature.)
I love science, but I’m also a social science person; I applied to college as a biochemistry major and graduated with an English degree. Periodic Tales, by Hugh Aldersey-Wiliams, $2.99, is the best of both world. Aldersley-Williams explains not just what an element does, but how it got discovered and what roles it has played in history and modern society. This is a great companion for a high school chemistry course. The writing feels like Bill Bryson’s A Brief History of Nearly Everything, another science book that I can’t recommend enough.
The Odyssey is also on sale today for $1.99. This Lattimore translation is near and dear to my heart; it’s the very first book freshmen read in Columbia’s core curriculum. Not the easiest read, as it stays fairly close to the original Greek, but the ultimate in epic poetry and a great choice for flexing those literary analysis skills.
Maker Dad, $0.99, is an awesome book of projects that are fun and easy to accomplish without lots of specialty tools. We own this one in print and have looked to it for inspiration many times. All of the projects are well illustrated and feel accessible for people who are not especially handy. We particularly enjoyed the Drawbot!
My daughter can’t get enough of the Vanderbeeker family! The second book in the series, The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden, is on sale today for $2.99. You’ll enjoy getting to know the large and somewhat chaotic Vanderbeeker family in their Harlem brownstone. In this book, the girls are working to create a secret garden for a beloved neighor. This series has hints of the All-Of-A-Kind family series and is perfect for Penderwicks fans.
Think Like a Freak, $2.99, is kind of a self-help book for people who hate self help. You may know Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner from the excellent Freakonomics podcast. They take economic principles and apply them to everyday situations. This is a great read for an older teen who wants to know more about why the world is the way it is, or for a parent to pick and choose sections to share with younger kids. There are a few heavier topics.
Sabriel, $1.99, is the first book in the Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. This is a fantasy classic featuring a strong female lead, an epic quest to save the world, and a feline companion who is more than it seems. Get ready to dig deep into Nix’s impressive world building. I devoured these in my late teens.
Look! Look! Look!, $0.99, is an adorable picture book that is also a great introduction to looking at art. Three tiny mice have discovered a fine art postcard. Follow them as the discover patterns, textures, and shapes. Don’t miss the activity guide at the end! Note, you’ll want to read this one on a color screen or you will lose out on some of the details.
Kindle Deals for August 23, 2019
Girls’ voices, drawing tips, and a literary tour of the US in today’s Kindle deals.
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.)
How to Draw What You See, by Rudy de Reyna, $0.99. This classic guide to drawing has been around for more than 40 years, and it’s still one of the best. Rudy de Reyna focuses on fundamentals of realistic drawing, staring with basic shapes and elaborating to still life, landscape, and portrait drawing. There are sections on working with charcoal, paint, and more. Adults will be entertained by some of the retro illustrations, like the huge TV in the section on how to draw cube-based objects.
Watch Us Rise, by Renee Watson and Ellen Hagan, $2.99. I haven’t read this yet, but the concept is great and so many of my favorite authors have blurbed it! When Jasmine and Chelsea are unhappy with situations at their NYC high school, they start a Women’s Rights Club. School Library Journal says, “this thought-provoking novel explores ideas of body-shaming, racial stereotypes, and gender inequality.” The story unfolds in prose, poetry, blog articles, and more. I can’t wait to read it.
State by State, by Matt Weiland and Sean Wilsey, $1.99. This book has an excellent concept — find excellent, famous writers and have them write about a state that they know. You’ll hear from Jhumpa Lahiri, Jonathan Franzen, Alison Bechdel, and more. The stories are funny, touching, odd, and wonderful, and they come together to create a unique snapshot of the US. Note: not all of the stories are suitable for all ages, so don’t just hand this over to a tween.
Still On Sale
One Summer: America, 1927, by Bill Bryson, $1.99. I’m still new to this recommendation gig, so you haven’t gotten sick of my praise of Bill Bryson yet. You’ll be hearing about him often; his conversational tone makes his densely packed nonfiction seem like a casual chat with your smartest friend. In One Summer, Bryson shows a snapshot of all the things happening in 1927, many of which still impact our lives today. You’ll visit with Babe Ruth, Charles Lindbergh, Al Capone, and many more.
Eat Like a Gilmore, by Kristi Carlson, $1.99. I love the Gilmore Girls, the quick conversations, the literary references, the quirky characters, and the food. This fun cookbook is a guide through all the culinary delights of the show, from Sookie’s fancy dishes to Luke’s Diner comfort food, to the weird and wonderful mashups Lorelai and Rory put together at home. With lots of pictures and clear instructions, this book will provide just what you need for a fall Gilmore viewing party (Stars Hollow looks best in the fall).
The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane, by Julia Nobel, $1.99. Amy really liked this one when she read it earlier this year. Here’s her review: Emmy’s dad is MIA, and her mom is so busy explaining how other people can be great parents that she never has time to just be Emmy’s parent. Emmy is crushed when her mom ships her off to a fancy British boarding school — until she gets pulled into a mystery involving a super-secret order that may involve her long-missing father. It’s true that I’m a sucker for a boarding school book, but this is the kind of middle grades book I like best: It assumes a smart reader who can connect the pieces, and there’s plenty of action to keep the plot moving and mostly likable, individual characters who make you care about what’s happening. I recommend this one!
The Calculating Stars, by Mary Robinette Kowal, $2.99. I am so excited to share this book with you! The Calculating Stars is a story of the early space program, but it takes place in a slightly alternate universe where a meteoroid strike is rapidly changing the environment and NASA is rapidly trying to colonize space. The biggest change? In the rush, it’s all hands on deck and women are active participants in all fields. This thrilling novel is the story of Elma York, a former WASP pilot and mathematician who has a shot to become the first woman in space. Readers will appreciate the diverse characters, who represent races, religions, and disabilities not always found in modern sci fi.
The Philosophy Book, by Will Buckingham, $1.99. Philosophy isn’t always an easy subject to get into. Trying to understand the finer points of stoicism vs. essentialism can be overwhelming. DK has stepped in to provide a basic overview of the history of major philosophical movements. In typical DK fashion, the book is crammed with illustrations and pull quotes. There’s a lot of material here, but it is broken down into eye-catching and manageable chunks.
Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes, trans. Edith Grossman, $1.99. I’m sure there are free versions out there, but this translation by Edith Grossman is the best I’ve read. Try it with your middle schooler, and you may be surprised — Suzanne’s middle school literature class totally fell in love with this funny, tragic tale of a self-created knight and his faithful squire.
Countdown, by Deborah Wiles, $1.99. Most history classes run out of time before they get to the last 50 years or so. This interesting novel tells the story of a tween living near D.C. during the Cuban Missile Crisis. She is navigating family and school issues while also worrying and wondering about the likelihood of a Russian attack. What really makes this book great is the “documentary” style: it is peppered with magazine clips, news quotes, and song lyrics that will bring the ‘60s to life for your upper elementary or middle school reader.
How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, by Ken Ludwig, $4.99. I’ll be perfectly honest. I’m an English major who skillfully avoided Shakespeare for all four years of her undergraduate degree. He’s not my favorite. That said, Shakespeare is an important part of the literary landscape, both in unique language and important plot references. When we are ready to work Shakespeare into our language studies (beyond a discussion of The Lion King being a retelling of Hamlet), this is my go-to book. Carrie Pomeroy mentions the book in her article about trying to share her love for the Bard with her kids.
I Scream! Ice Cream!, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, $1.99. What’s a wordle, you ask? A wordle is a set of words that sound exactly the same but have different meanings. “Heroes” and “he rows,” “reindeer” and “rain, dear.” The puns only get more elaborate from there. The hilarious wordplay and adorable illustrations will entertain readers of all ages.
Ms. Marvel, vol 1, by G. Willow Wilson, $2.99. Looks like we are going to have a recurring comic spot in the deals! Today, we have Ms. Marvel! Kamala Khan is a Muslim teenager growing up in New Jersey when she discovers that she has powers. This is a great coming-of-age story, and I am please to see Marvel exploring cultural issues.
I Contain Multitudes, by Ed Yong, $2.99. This book absolutely fascinated and disturbed me. Ed Yong’s extensive book is a guide to the millions of microbes that live in and on all creatures. You will learn about how microorganisms improve the lives of their hosts — making squid invisible, leading mice right to the cats who want to eat them, and defending humans from disease. This will change your outlook on the many lives around you.
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 1: Cosmic Avengers, by Brian Michael Bendis, $3.99. As a culture, we may have reached peak Avengers, but I still have a special place in my heart for the Guardians of the Galaxy. This comic collection finds the Guardians (and Iron Man) fighting off bad guys and quipping their way around the universe. The first in a new series, this book provides useful backstory for new comic readers.
York: The Shadow Cipher, by Laura Ruby, $1.99. This book is smoldering on my daughter’s shelf, just waiting for one or both of us to pick it up. Set in an alternate history New York, three kids must search the city to find clues to a mysterious cipher that will prevent developers from destroying the city as they know it. The book is packed with steampunk details, tantalizing puzzles, and engaging characters. The sequel was just released this summer, so there’ll be no anxious waiting for the next installment.
The Monster at the End of this Book, by Jon Stone, $3.03. Beware! Grover doesn’t want you to read this book! There’s a monster at the end! The delightful illustrations bring the Sesame Street characters to life. You’ll want to make sure you have a color display to get the most out of this charming read aloud.
The Witch’s Boy, by Kelly Barnill, $1.99. Kelly Barnhill’s modern fairy tales are effortlessly complex, and I love them all. From the publisher: “When Ned and his identical twin brother tumble from their raft into a raging river, only Ned survives. Villagers are convinced the wrong boy lived. Across the forest that borders Ned’s village, Áine, the daughter of the Bandit King, is haunted by her mother’s last words: “The wrong boy will save your life, and you will save his.” When the Bandit King comes to steal the magic Ned’s mother, a witch, is meant to protect, Áine and Ned meet. Can they trust each other long enough to cross a dangerous enchanted forest and stop the war about to boil over between their two kingdoms?
Magical Miniature Gardens & Homes, by Donni Webber, $2.99, is a great book for adding a little bit of enchantment to your homeschool this fall. Webber gives you all the details you need to make your own fairy gardens. The gorgeous projects include a fairly rendition of Hobbiton, for the Tolkien fans among us. The projects use fairly basic crafting materials (definitely have a glue gun handy) and natural objects. Start spreading that pixie dust!
”The four book Mary Poppins set, by P.L. Travers, is now $5.61, which is still a pretty good deal for a set. These books are delightful, but take a very different tone from the Disney movies. Mary is ascerbic, and the stories take some darker twists. You could do a fascinating study comparing the books to Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins Returns, and Saving Mr. Banks.
The Princess Bride, by Williams Golding, $2.99. This book is in our Middle School Reading List and our Summer Reading list for fans of The Phantom Tollbooth. Golding’s novel might poke fun at some of the traditional fairy-tale elements in epic adventures, but the story of Buttercup and her Westley is an unabashed literary delight. (Golding was inserting wry narrator notes long before the trend took off in children’s literature.)
I love science, but I’m also a social science person; I applied to college as a biochemistry major and graduated with an English degree. Periodic Tales, by Hugh Aldersey-Wiliams, $2.99, is the best of both world. Aldersley-Williams explains not just what an element does, but how it got discovered and what roles it has played in history and modern society. This is a great companion for a high school chemistry course. The writing feels like Bill Bryson’s A Brief History of Nearly Everything, another science book that I can’t recommend enough.
The Odyssey is also on sale today for $1.99. This Lattimore translation is near and dear to my heart; it’s the very first book freshmen read in Columbia’s core curriculum. Not the easiest read, as it stays fairly close to the original Greek, but the ultimate in epic poetry and a great choice for flexing those literary analysis skills.
Maker Dad, $0.99, is an awesome book of projects that are fun and easy to accomplish without lots of specialty tools. We own this one in print and have looked to it for inspiration many times. All of the projects are well illustrated and feel accessible for people who are not especially handy. We particularly enjoyed the Drawbot!
My daughter can’t get enough of the Vanderbeeker family! The second book in the series, The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden, is on sale today for $2.99. You’ll enjoy getting to know the large and somewhat chaotic Vanderbeeker family in their Harlem brownstone. In this book, the girls are working to create a secret garden for a beloved neighbor. This series has hints of the All-Of-A-Kind family series and is perfect for Penderwicks fans.
Think Like a Freak, $2.99, is kind of a self-help book for people who hate self help. You may know Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner from the excellent Freakonomics podcast. They take economic principles and apply them to everyday situations. This is a great read for an older teen who wants to know more about why the world is the way it is, or for a parent to pick and choose sections to share with younger kids. There are a few heavier topics.
Sabriel, $1.99, is the first book in the Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. This is a fantasy classic featuring a strong female lead, an epic quest to save the world, and a feline companion who is more than it seems. Get ready to dig deep into Nix’s impressive world building. I devoured these in my late teens.
Look! Look! Look!, $0.99, is an adorable picture book that is also a great introduction to looking at art. Three tiny mice have discovered a fine art postcard. Follow them as the discover patterns, textures, and shapes. Don’t miss the activity guide at the end! Note, you’ll want to read this one on a color screen or you will lose out on some of the details.
Kindle Deals for August 22, 2019
Gilmore Girls and Bill Bryson in today’s Kindle deals for 8/22/19.
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.)
One Summer: America, 1927, by Bill Bryson, $1.99. I’m still new to this recommendation gig, so you haven’t gotten sick of my praise of Bill Bryson yet. You’ll be hearing about him often; his conversational tone makes his densely packed nonfiction seem like a casual chat with your smartest friend. In One Summer, Bryson shows a snapshot of all the things happening in 1927, many of which still impact our lives today. You’ll visit with Babe Ruth, Charles Lindbergh, Al Capone, and many more.
Eat Like a Gilmore, by Kristi Carlson, $1.99. I love the Gilmore Girls, the quick conversations, the literary references, the quirky characters, and the food. This fun cookbook is a guide through all the culinary delights of the show, from Sookie’s fancy dishes to Luke’s Diner comfort food, to the weird and wonderful mashups Lorelai and Rory put together at home. With lots of pictures and clear instructions, this book will provide just what you need for a fall Gilmore viewing party (Stars Hollow looks best in the fall).
The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane, by Julia Nobel, $1.99. Amy really liked this one when she read it earlier this year. Here’s her review: Emmy’s dad is MIA, and her mom is so busy explaining how other people can be great parents that she never has time to just be Emmy’s parent. Emmy is crushed when her mom ships her off to a fancy British boarding school — until she gets pulled into a mystery involving a super-secret order that may involve her long-missing father. It’s true that I’m a sucker for a boarding school book, but this is the kind of middle grades book I like best: It assumes a smart reader who can connect the pieces, and there’s plenty of action to keep the plot moving and mostly likable, individual characters who make you care about what’s happening. I recommend this one!
Still On Sale
The Calculating Stars, by Mary Robinette Kowal, $2.99. I am so excited to share this book with you! The Calculating Stars is a story of the early space program, but it takes place in a slightly alternate universe where a meteoroid strike is rapidly changing the environment and NASA is rapidly trying to colonize space. The biggest change? In the rush, it’s all hands on deck and women are active participants in all fields. This thrilling novel is the story of Elma York, a former WASP pilot and mathematician who has a shot to become the first woman in space. Readers will appreciate the diverse characters, who represent races, religions, and disabilities not always found in modern sci fi.
The Philosophy Book, by Will Buckingham, $1.99. Philosophy isn’t always an easy subject to get into. Trying to understand the finer points of stoicism vs. essentialism can be overwhelming. DK has stepped in to provide a basic overview of the history of major philosophical movements. In typical DK fashion, the book is crammed with illustrations and pull quotes. There’s a lot of material here, but it is broken down into eye-catching and manageable chunks.
Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes, trans. Edith Grossman, $1.99. I’m sure there are free versions out there, but this translation by Edith Grossman is the best I’ve read. Try it with your middle schooler, and you may be surprised — Suzanne’s middle school literature class totally fell in love with this funny, tragic tale of a self-created knight and his faithful squire.
Countdown, by Deborah Wiles, $1.99. Most history classes run out of time before they get to the last 50 years or so. This interesting novel tells the story of a tween living near D.C. during the Cuban Missile Crisis. She is navigating family and school issues while also worrying and wondering about the likelihood of a Russian attack. What really makes this book great is the “documentary” style: it is peppered with magazine clips, news quotes, and song lyrics that will bring the ‘60s to life for your upper elementary or middle school reader.
How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, by Ken Ludwig, $4.99. I’ll be perfectly honest. I’m an English major who skillfully avoided Shakespeare for all four years of her undergraduate degree. He’s not my favorite. That said, Shakespeare is an important part of the literary landscape, both in unique language and important plot references. When we are ready to work Shakespeare into our language studies (beyond a discussion of The Lion King being a retelling of Hamlet), this is my go-to book. Carrie Pomeroy mentions the book in her article about trying to share her love for the Bard with her kids.
I Scream! Ice Cream!, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, $1.99. What’s a wordle, you ask? A wordle is a set of words that sound exactly the same but have different meanings. “Heroes” and “he rows,” “reindeer” and “rain, dear.” The puns only get more elaborate from there. The hilarious wordplay and adorable illustrations will entertain readers of all ages.
Ms. Marvel, vol 1, by G. Willow Wilson, $2.99. Looks like we are going to have a recurring comic spot in the deals! Today, we have Ms. Marvel! Kamala Khan is a Muslim teenager growing up in New Jersey when she discovers that she has powers. This is a great coming-of-age story, and I am please to see Marvel exploring cultural issues.
I Contain Multitudes, by Ed Yong, $2.99. This book absolutely fascinated and disturbed me. Ed Yong’s extensive book is a guide to the millions of microbes that live in and on all creatures. You will learn about how microorganisms improve the lives of their hosts — making squid invisible, leading mice right to the cats who want to eat them, and defending humans from disease. This will change your outlook on the many lives around you.
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 1: Cosmic Avengers, by Brian Michael Bendis, $3.99. As a culture, we may have reached peak Avengers, but I still have a special place in my heart for the Guardians of the Galaxy. This comic collection finds the Guardians (and Iron Man) fighting off bad guys and quipping their way around the universe. The first in a new series, this book provides useful backstory for new comic readers.
York: The Shadow Cipher, by Laura Ruby, $1.99. This book is smoldering on my daughter’s shelf, just waiting for one or both of us to pick it up. Set in an alternate history New York, three kids must search the city to find clues to a mysterious cipher that will prevent developers from destroying the city as they know it. The book is packed with steampunk details, tantalizing puzzles, and engaging characters. The sequel was just released this summer, so there’ll be no anxious waiting for the next installment.
The Monster at the End of this Book, by Jon Stone, $3.03. Beware! Grover doesn’t want you to read this book! There’s a monster at the end! The delightful illustrations bring the Sesame Street characters to life. You’ll want to make sure you have a color display to get the most out of this charming read aloud.
The Witch’s Boy, by Kelly Barnill, $1.99. Kelly Barnhill’s modern fairy tales are effortlessly complex, and I love them all. From the publisher: “When Ned and his identical twin brother tumble from their raft into a raging river, only Ned survives. Villagers are convinced the wrong boy lived. Across the forest that borders Ned’s village, Áine, the daughter of the Bandit King, is haunted by her mother’s last words: “The wrong boy will save your life, and you will save his.” When the Bandit King comes to steal the magic Ned’s mother, a witch, is meant to protect, Áine and Ned meet. Can they trust each other long enough to cross a dangerous enchanted forest and stop the war about to boil over between their two kingdoms?
Magical Miniature Gardens & Homes, by Donni Webber, $2.99, is a great book for adding a little bit of enchantment to your homeschool this fall. Webber gives you all the details you need to make your own fairy gardens. The gorgeous projects include a fairly rendition of Hobbiton, for the Tolkien fans among us. The projects use fairly basic crafting materials (definitely have a glue gun handy) and natural objects. Start spreading that pixie dust!
”The four book Mary Poppins set, by P.L. Travers, is now $5.61, which is still a pretty good deal for a set. These books are delightful, but take a very different tone from the Disney movies. Mary is ascerbic, and the stories take some darker twists. You could do a fascinating study comparing the books to Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins Returns, and Saving Mr. Banks.
The Princess Bride, by Williams Golding, $2.99. This book is in our Middle School Reading List and our Summer Reading list for fans of The Phantom Tollbooth. Golding’s novel might poke fun at some of the traditional fairy-tale elements in epic adventures, but the story of Buttercup and her Westley is an unabashed literary delight. (Golding was inserting wry narrator notes long before the trend took off in children’s literature.)
I love science, but I’m also a social science person; I applied to college as a biochemistry major and graduated with an English degree. Periodic Tales, by Hugh Aldersey-Wiliams, $2.99, is the best of both world. Aldersley-Williams explains not just what an element does, but how it got discovered and what roles it has played in history and modern society. This is a great companion for a high school chemistry course. The writing feels like Bill Bryson’s A Brief History of Nearly Everything, another science book that I can’t recommend enough.
The Odyssey is also on sale today for $1.99. This Lattimore translation is near and dear to my heart; it’s the very first book freshmen read in Columbia’s core curriculum. Not the easiest read, as it stays fairly close to the original Greek, but the ultimate in epic poetry and a great choice for flexing those literary analysis skills.
Maker Dad, $0.99, is an awesome book of projects that are fun and easy to accomplish without lots of specialty tools. We own this one in print and have looked to it for inspiration many times. All of the projects are well illustrated and feel accessible for people who are not especially handy. We particularly enjoyed the Drawbot!
My daughter can’t get enough of the Vanderbeeker family! The second book in the series, The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden, is on sale today for $2.99. You’ll enjoy getting to know the large and somewhat chaotic Vanderbeeker family in their Harlem brownstone. In this book, the girls are working to create a secret garden for a beloved neighbor. This series has hints of the All-Of-A-Kind family series and is perfect for Penderwicks fans.
Think Like a Freak, $2.99, is kind of a self-help book for people who hate self help. You may know Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner from the excellent Freakonomics podcast. They take economic principles and apply them to everyday situations. This is a great read for an older teen who wants to know more about why the world is the way it is, or for a parent to pick and choose sections to share with younger kids. There are a few heavier topics.
Sabriel, $1.99, is the first book in the Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. This is a fantasy classic featuring a strong female lead, an epic quest to save the world, and a feline companion who is more than it seems. Get ready to dig deep into Nix’s impressive world building. I devoured these in my late teens.
Look! Look! Look!, $0.99, is an adorable picture book that is also a great introduction to looking at art. Three tiny mice have discovered a fine art postcard. Follow them as the discover patterns, textures, and shapes. Don’t miss the activity guide at the end! Note, you’ll want to read this one on a color screen or you will lose out on some of the details.
Kindle Deals for August 21, 2019
Historical fiction from the ‘50s and ‘60s in today’s Kindle deals for 8/21/19.
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.)
It’s your lucky day! One of the best books I read last year is on sale today.
The Calculating Stars, by Mary Robinette Kowal, $2.99. I am so excited to share this book with you! The Calculating Stars is a story of the early space program, but it takes place in a slightly alternate universe where a meteoroid strike is rapidly changing the environment and NASA is rapidly trying to colonize space. The biggest change? In the rush, it’s all hands on deck and women are active participants in all fields. This thrilling novel is the story of Elma York, a former WASP pilot and mathematician who has a shot to become the first woman in space. Readers will appreciate the diverse characters, who represent races, religions, and disabilities not always found in modern sci fi.
The Philosophy Book, by Will Buckingham, $1.99. Philosophy isn’t always an easy subject to get into. Trying to understand the finer points of stoicism vs. essentialism can be overwhelming. DK has stepped in to provide a basic overview of the history of major philosophical movements. In typical DK fashion, the book is crammed with illustrations and pull quotes. There’s a lot of material here, but it is broken down into eye-catching and manageable chunks.
Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes, trans. Edith Grossman, $1.99. I’m sure there are free versions out there, but this translation by Edith Grossman is the best I’ve read. Try it with your middle schooler, and you may be surprised — Suzanne’s middle school literature class totally fell in love with this funny, tragic tale of a self-created knight and his faithful squire.
Countdown, by Deborah Wiles, $1.99. Most history classes run out of time before they get to the last 50 years or so. This interesting novel tells the story of a tween living near D.C. during the Cuban Missile Crisis. She is navigating family and school issues while also worrying and wondering about the likelihood of a Russian attack. What really makes this book great is the “documentary” style: it is peppered with magazine clips, news quotes, and song lyrics that will bring the ‘60s to life for your upper elementary or middle school reader.
Still On Sale
How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, by Ken Ludwig, $4.99. I’ll be perfectly honest. I’m an English major who skillfully avoided Shakespeare for all four years of her undergraduate degree. He’s not my favorite. That said, Shakespeare is an important part of the literary landscape, both in unique language and important plot references. When we are ready to work Shakespeare into our language studies (beyond a discussion of The Lion King being a retelling of Hamlet), this is my go-to book. Carrie Pomeroy mentions the book in her article about trying to share her love for the Bard with her kids.
I Scream! Ice Cream!, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, $1.99. What’s a wordle, you ask? A wordle is a set of words that sound exactly the same but have different meanings. “Heroes” and “he rows,” “reindeer” and “rain, dear.” The puns only get more elaborate from there. The hilarious wordplay and adorable illustrations will entertain readers of all ages.
Ms. Marvel, vol 1, by G. Willow Wilson, $2.99. Looks like we are going to have a recurring comic spot in the deals! Today, we have Ms. Marvel! Kamala Khan is a Muslim teenager growing up in New Jersey when she discovers that she has powers. This is a great coming-of-age story, and I am please to see Marvel exploring cultural issues.
I Contain Multitudes, by Ed Yong, $2.99. This book absolutely fascinated and disturbed me. Ed Yong’s extensive book is a guide to the millions of microbes that live in and on all creatures. You will learn about how microorganisms improve the lives of their hosts — making squid invisible, leading mice right to the cats who want to eat them, and defending humans from disease. This will change your outlook on the many lives around you.
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 1: Cosmic Avengers, by Brian Michael Bendis, $3.99. As a culture, we may have reached peak Avengers, but I still have a special place in my heart for the Guardians of the Galaxy. This comic collection finds the Guardians (and Iron Man) fighting off bad guys and quipping their way around the universe. The first in a new series, this book provides useful backstory for new comic readers.
York: The Shadow Cipher, by Laura Ruby, $1.99. This book is smoldering on my daughter’s shelf, just waiting for one or both of us to pick it up. Set in an alternate history New York, three kids must search the city to find clues to a mysterious cipher that will prevent developers from destroying the city as they know it. The book is packed with steampunk details, tantalizing puzzles, and engaging characters. The sequel was just released this summer, so there’ll be no anxious waiting for the next installment.
The Monster at the End of this Book, by Jon Stone, $3.03. Beware! Grover doesn’t want you to read this book! There’s a monster at the end! The delightful illustrations bring the Sesame Street characters to life. You’ll want to make sure you have a color display to get the most out of this charming read aloud.
The Witch’s Boy, by Kelly Barnill, $1.99. Kelly Barnhill’s modern fairy tales are effortlessly complex, and I love them all. From the publisher: “When Ned and his identical twin brother tumble from their raft into a raging river, only Ned survives. Villagers are convinced the wrong boy lived. Across the forest that borders Ned’s village, Áine, the daughter of the Bandit King, is haunted by her mother’s last words: “The wrong boy will save your life, and you will save his.” When the Bandit King comes to steal the magic Ned’s mother, a witch, is meant to protect, Áine and Ned meet. Can they trust each other long enough to cross a dangerous enchanted forest and stop the war about to boil over between their two kingdoms?
Magical Miniature Gardens & Homes, by Donni Webber, $2.99, is a great book for adding a little bit of enchantment to your homeschool this fall. Webber gives you all the details you need to make your own fairy gardens. The gorgeous projects include a fairly rendition of Hobbiton, for the Tolkien fans among us. The projects use fairly basic crafting materials (definitely have a glue gun handy) and natural objects. Start spreading that pixie dust!
”The four book Mary Poppins set, by P.L. Travers, is now $5.61, which is still a pretty good deal for a set. These books are delightful, but take a very different tone from the Disney movies. Mary is ascerbic, and the stories take some darker twists. You could do a fascinating study comparing the books to Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins Returns, and Saving Mr. Banks.
The Princess Bride, by Williams Golding, $2.99. This book is in our Middle School Reading List and our Summer Reading list for fans of The Phantom Tollbooth. Golding’s novel might poke fun at some of the traditional fairy-tale elements in epic adventures, but the story of Buttercup and her Westley is an unabashed literary delight. (Golding was inserting wry narrator notes long before the trend took off in children’s literature.)
I love science, but I’m also a social science person; I applied to college as a biochemistry major and graduated with an English degree. Periodic Tales, by Hugh Aldersey-Wiliams, $2.99, is the best of both world. Aldersley-Williams explains not just what an element does, but how it got discovered and what roles it has played in history and modern society. This is a great companion for a high school chemistry course. The writing feels like Bill Bryson’s A Brief History of Nearly Everything, another science book that I can’t recommend enough.
The Odyssey is also on sale today for $1.99. This Lattimore translation is near and dear to my heart; it’s the very first book freshmen read in Columbia’s core curriculum. Not the easiest read, as it stays fairly close to the original Greek, but the ultimate in epic poetry and a great choice for flexing those literary analysis skills.
Maker Dad, $0.99, is an awesome book of projects that are fun and easy to accomplish without lots of specialty tools. We own this one in print and have looked to it for inspiration many times. All of the projects are well illustrated and feel accessible for people who are not especially handy. We particularly enjoyed the Drawbot!
My daughter can’t get enough of the Vanderbeeker family! The second book in the series, The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden, is on sale today for $2.99. You’ll enjoy getting to know the large and somewhat chaotic Vanderbeeker family in their Harlem brownstone. In this book, the girls are working to create a secret garden for a beloved neighbor. This series has hints of the All-Of-A-Kind family series and is perfect for Penderwicks fans.
Think Like a Freak, $2.99, is kind of a self-help book for people who hate self help. You may know Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner from the excellent Freakonomics podcast. They take economic principles and apply them to everyday situations. This is a great read for an older teen who wants to know more about why the world is the way it is, or for a parent to pick and choose sections to share with younger kids. There are a few heavier topics.
Sabriel, $1.99, is the first book in the Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. This is a fantasy classic featuring a strong female lead, an epic quest to save the world, and a feline companion who is more than it seems. Get ready to dig deep into Nix’s impressive world building. I devoured these in my late teens.
Look! Look! Look!, $0.99, is an adorable picture book that is also a great introduction to looking at art. Three tiny mice have discovered a fine art postcard. Follow them as the discover patterns, textures, and shapes. Don’t miss the activity guide at the end! Note, you’ll want to read this one on a color screen or you will lose out on some of the details.
Kindle Deals for August 20, 2019
Microbes and wordplay in today’s Kindle deals for 8/20/19.
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.)
How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, by Ken Ludwig, $4.99. I’ll be perfectly honest. I’m an English major who skillfully avoided Shakespeare for all four years of her undergraduate degree. He’s not my favorite. That said, Shakespeare is an important part of the literary landscape, both in unique language and important plot references. When we are ready to work Shakespeare into our language studies (beyond a discussion of The Lion King being a retelling of Hamlet), this is my go-to book. Carrie Pomeroy mentions the book in her article about trying to share her love for the Bard with her kids.
I Scream! Ice Cream!, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, $1.99. What;s a wordle, you ask? A wordle is a set of words that sound exactly the same but have different meanings. “Heroes” and “he rows,” “reindeer” and “rain, dear.” The puns only get more elaborate from there. The hilarious wordplay and adorable illustrations will entertain readers of all ages.
Ms. Marvel, vol 1, by G. Willow Wilson, $2.99. Looks like we are going to have a recurring comic spot in the deals! Today, we have Ms. Marvel! Kamala Khan is a Muslim teenager growing up in New Jersey when she discovers that she has powers. This is a great coming-of-age story, and I am please to see Marvel exploring cultural issues.
I Contain Multitudes, by Ed Yong, $2.99. This book absolutely fascinated and disturbed me. Ed Yong’s extensive book is a guide to the millions of microbes that live in and on all creatures. You will learn about how microorganisms improve the lives of their hosts — making squid invisible, leading mice right to the cats who want to eat them, and defending humans from disease. This will change your outlook on the many lives around you.
Still On Sale
A Study in Charlotte, by Brittany Cavallaro, $1.99. You know all about Sherlock Holmes, but you’ve never seen the stories quite like this. In this YA mystery, Sherlock Holmes’s equally brainy, equally troubled great-great-great-granddaughter ends up attending the same New England boarding school as John Watson’s great-great-great-grandson, and murder inevitably ensues. Kirkus said, “Cavallaro’s crackling dialogue, well-drawn characters, and complicated relationships make this feel like a seamless and sharp renewal of Doyle’s series. An explosive mystery featuring a dynamic duo.”
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 1: Cosmic Avengers, by Brian Michael Bendis, $3.99. As a culture, we may have reached peak Avengers, but I still have a special place in my heart for the Guardians of the Galaxy. This comic collection finds the Guardians (and Iron Man) fighting off bad guys and quipping their way around the universe. The first in a new series, this book provides useful backstory for new comic readers.
York: The Shadow Cipher, by Laura Ruby, $1.99. This book is smoldering on my daughter’s shelf, just waiting for one or both of us to pick it up. Set in an alternate history New York, three kids must search the city to find clues to a mysterious cipher that will prevent developers from destroying the city as they know it. The book is packed with steampunk details, tantalizing puzzles, and engaging characters. The sequel was just released this summer, so there’ll be no anxious waiting for the next installment.
Hoot, by Carl Hiassen, $1.99. Carl Hiassen writes some memorable characters in odd situations. In Hoot, a boy named Roy and his tough new friend Beatrice take on corporate developers who are trying to build a new pancake restaurant on a lot that is home to adorable burrowing owls. This funny and engaging story encourage great discussions about ecology. We’ve featured Hoot in our Birds Unit Study. You can also compare the book with the 2006 movie (excellent for shots of the super cute owls).
The Monster at the End of this Book, by Jon Stone, $3.03. Beware! Grover doesn’t want you to read this book! There’s a monster at the end! The delightful illustrations bring the Sesame Street characters to life. You’ll want to make sure you have a color display to get the most out of this charming read aloud.
Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly, by Gail Carson Levine, $1.99. You probably know Gail Carson Levine from her most famous book, Ella Enchanted. In Writing Magic, she shares the secret sauce for making unforgettable writing. This book will help writers of all ages find their unique voice through tips, exercises, and encouragement. We featured it as one of the Great Books to Inspire Young Writers.
The Witch’s Boy, by Kelly Barnill, $1.99. Kelly Barnhill’s modern fairy tales are effortlessly complex, and I love them all. From the publisher: “When Ned and his identical twin brother tumble from their raft into a raging river, only Ned survives. Villagers are convinced the wrong boy lived. Across the forest that borders Ned’s village, Áine, the daughter of the Bandit King, is haunted by her mother’s last words: “The wrong boy will save your life, and you will save his.” When the Bandit King comes to steal the magic Ned’s mother, a witch, is meant to protect, Áine and Ned meet. Can they trust each other long enough to cross a dangerous enchanted forest and stop the war about to boil over between their two kingdoms?
Magical Miniature Gardens & Homes, by Donni Webber, $2.99, is a great book for adding a little bit of enchantment to your homeschool this fall. Webber gives you all the details you need to make your own fairy gardens. The gorgeous projects include a fairly rendition of Hobbiton, for the Tolkien fans among us. The projects use fairly basic crafting materials (definitely have a glue gun handy) and natural objects. Start spreading that pixie dust!
”The four book Mary Poppins set, by P.L. Travers, is now $5.61, which is still a pretty good deal for a set. These books are delightful, but take a very different tone from the Disney movies. Mary is ascerbic, and the stories take some darker twists. You could do a fascinating study comparing the books to Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins Returns, and Saving Mr. Banks.
The Princess Bride, by Williams Golding, $2.99. This book is in our Middle School Reading List and our Summer Reading list for fans of The Phantom Tollbooth. Golding’s novel might poke fun at some of the traditional fairy-tale elements in epic adventures, but the story of Buttercup and her Westley is an unabashed literary delight. (Golding was inserting wry narrator notes long before the trend took off in children’s literature.)
I love science, but I’m also a social science person; I applied to college as a biochemistry major and graduated with an English degree. Periodic Tales, by Hugh Aldersey-Wiliams, $2.99, is the best of both world. Aldersley-Williams explains not just what an element does, but how it got discovered and what roles it has played in history and modern society. This is a great companion for a high school chemistry course. The writing feels like Bill Bryson’s A Brief History of Nearly Everything, another science book that I can’t recommend enough.
The Odyssey is also on sale today for $1.99. This Lattimore translation is near and dear to my heart; it’s the very first book freshmen read in Columbia’s core curriculum. Not the easiest read, as it stays fairly close to the original Greek, but the ultimate in epic poetry and a great choice for flexing those literary analysis skills.
Maker Dad, $0.99, is an awesome book of projects that are fun and easy to accomplish without lots of specialty tools. We own this one in print and have looked to it for inspiration many times. All of the projects are well illustrated and feel accessible for people who are not especially handy. We particularly enjoyed the Drawbot!
My daughter can’t get enough of the Vanderbeeker family! The second book in the series, The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden, is on sale today for $2.99. You’ll enjoy getting to know the large and somewhat chaotic Vanderbeeker family in their Harlem brownstone. In this book, the girls are working to create a secret garden for a beloved neighbor. This series has hints of the All-Of-A-Kind family series and is perfect for Penderwicks fans.
Think Like a Freak, $2.99, is kind of a self-help book for people who hate self help. You may know Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner from the excellent Freakonomics podcast. They take economic principles and apply them to everyday situations. This is a great read for an older teen who wants to know more about why the world is the way it is, or for a parent to pick and choose sections to share with younger kids. There are a few heavier topics.
Sabriel, $1.99, is the first book in the Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. This is a fantasy classic featuring a strong female lead, an epic quest to save the world, and a feline companion who is more than it seems. Get ready to dig deep into Nix’s impressive world building. I devoured these in my late teens.
Look! Look! Look!, $0.99, is an adorable picture book that is also a great introduction to looking at art. Three tiny mice have discovered a fine art postcard. Follow them as the discover patterns, textures, and shapes. Don’t miss the activity guide at the end! Note, you’ll want to read this one on a color screen or you will lose out on some of the details.
Kindle Deals for August 19, 2019
Comics, mysteries, and music in today’s Kindle deals for 8/19/19.
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.)
A Study in Charlotte, by Brittany Cavallaro, $1.99. You know all about Sherlock Holmes, but you’ve never seen the stories quite like this. In this YA mystery, Sherlock Holmes’s equally brainy, equally troubled great-great-great-granddaughter ends up attending the same New England boarding school as John Watson’s great-great-great-grandson, and murder inevitably ensues. Kirkus said, “Cavallaro’s crackling dialogue, well-drawn characters, and complicated relationships make this feel like a seamless and sharp renewal of Doyle’s series. An explosive mystery featuring a dynamic duo.”
Anatomy of a Song, by Marc Myers, $1.99. I find behind the scenes details of the music industry fascinating. How did the lyrics change from the demo to the radio release? Who decided to add in that drum solo? This book takes you through the creation of 45 classic songs. This book would be perfect for a history of popular music study. Consider pairing it with two of my favorite podcasts, Song Exploder and Switched on Pop.
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 1: Cosmic Avengers, by Brian Michael Bendis, $3.99. As a culture, we may have reached peak Avengers, but I still have a special place in my heart for the Guardians of the Galaxy. This comic collection finds the Guardians (and Iron Man) fighting off bad guys and quipping their way around the universe. The first in a new series, this book provides useful backstory for new comic readers.
York: The Shadow Cipher, by Laura Ruby, $1.99. This book is smoldering on my daughter’s shelf, just waiting for one or both of us to pick it up. Set in an alternate history New York, three kids must search the city to find clues to a mysterious cipher that will prevent developers from destroying the city as they know it. The book is packed with steampunk details, tantalizing puzzles, and engaging characters. The sequel was just released this summer, so there’ll be no anxious waiting for the next installment.
Still On Sale
Collecting Rocks, Gems, and Minerals, by Patti Polk, $2.99. Are you planning to study geology or earth science this year? Do you have a budding rock hound in your household? If so, this may be the book for you! This book has everything you need to get started in rock collecting, whether you are heading to the nearest mineral store or wandering off into the wilderness with a pickax. From quartz to petrified wood, Polk offers sage advice on what you are looking at and how to find specific samples. The book is chock full of color illustrations that will hook even younger kids who are not up to reading all the words.
Hoot, by Carl Hiassen, $1.99. Carl Hiassen writes some memorable characters in odd situations. In Hoot, a boy named Roy and his tough new friend Beatrice take on corporate developers who are trying to build a new pancake restaurant on a lot that is home to adorable burrowing owls. This funny and engaging story encourage great discussions about ecology. We’ve featured Hoot in our Birds Unit Study. You can also compare the book with the 2006 movie (excellent for shots of the super cute owls).
Stargirl, by Jerry Spinelli, $1.99. I haven’t read this one, but it’s a Bravewriter Boomerang pick for this year, and the description sounds exactly like something I’d love. When a new girl arrives at Leo’s high school, everything shifts. Stargirl Caraway is not like anyone he’s ever met. Formerly homeschooled, Stargirl dresses eccentrically, carries around a ukelele to serenade students on their birthdays, and doesn’t seem to care what others think. As Stargirl struggles to fit in while remaining true to herself, she profoundly changes the school’s culture.
The City of Ember, by Jeanne DuPrau, $1.99. Two hundred years ago, a catastrophic event changed the world, driving people into a subterranean bunker city.. The city was well designed, but after all this time, things are starting to go wrong. When twelve-year-olds Lina and Doon discover a mysterious note left by the founders, it’s up to them to find their way out from underground. This thrilling adventure will especially appeal to kids who love tinkering and solving puzzles for themselves. Also made into an entertaining 2008 movie starring Bill Murray and a young Saoirse Ronan.
The Monster at the End of this Book, by Jon Stone, $3.03. Beware! Grover doesn’t want you to read this book! There’s a monster at the end! The delightful illustrations bring the Sesame Street characters to life. You’ll want to make sure you have a color display to get the most out of this charming read aloud.
Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly, by Gail Carson Levine, $1.99. You probably know Gail Carson Levine from her most famous book, Ella Enchanted. In Writing Magic, she shares the secret sauce for making unforgettable writing. This book will help writers of all ages find their unique voice through tips, exercises, and encouragement. We featured it as one of the Great Books to Inspire Young Writers.
The Phantom Tollbooth, by Normal Juster, $1.99. We’ve talked about books to read if you love The Phantom Tollbooth, and today the original is on sale! The book defies easy description. It’s a fantasy quest story filled with word play, a tinge of mathematics, and memorably odd characters. Join Milo on his journey to escape the Doldrums.
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, by Chris Grabenstein, $1.99, was part of my daughter’s mystery book club last year, and she was a huge fan. HSL has featured it as a readaloud of the week, and say this is why you’ll love it: Libraries! Puzzles to solve! Witty book references! While you shouldn’t look for nuanced character development, you’ll be so busy running around the library with Kyle and his allies to crack codes and unpuzzle puzzles, you will hardly miss it.
The Witch’s Boy, by Kelly Barnill, $1.99. Kelly Barnhill’s modern fairy tales are effortlessly complex, and I love them all. From the publisher: “When Ned and his identical twin brother tumble from their raft into a raging river, only Ned survives. Villagers are convinced the wrong boy lived. Across the forest that borders Ned’s village, Áine, the daughter of the Bandit King, is haunted by her mother’s last words: “The wrong boy will save your life, and you will save his.” When the Bandit King comes to steal the magic Ned’s mother, a witch, is meant to protect, Áine and Ned meet. Can they trust each other long enough to cross a dangerous enchanted forest and stop the war about to boil over between their two kingdoms?
Magical Miniature Gardens & Homes, by Donni Webber, $2.99, is a great book for adding a little bit of enchantment to your homeschool this fall. Webber gives you all the details you need to make your own fairy gardens. The gorgeous projects include a fairly rendition of Hobbiton, for the Tolkien fans among us. The projects use fairly basic crafting materials (definitely have a glue gun handy) and natural objects. Start spreading that pixie dust!
”The four book Mary Poppins set, by P.L. Travers, is now $5.61, which is still a pretty good deal for a set. These books are delightful, but take a very different tone from the Disney movies. Mary is ascerbic, and the stories take some darker twists. You could do a fascinating study comparing the books to Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins Returns, and Saving Mr. Banks.
The Princess Bride, by Williams Golding, $2.99. This book is in our Middle School Reading List and our Summer Reading list for fans of The Phantom Tollbooth. Golding’s novel might poke fun at some of the traditional fairy-tale elements in epic adventures, but the story of Buttercup and her Westley is an unabashed literary delight. (Golding was inserting wry narrator notes long before the trend took off in children’s literature.)
I love science, but I’m also a social science person; I applied to college as a biochemistry major and graduated with an English degree. Periodic Tales, by Hugh Aldersey-Wiliams, $2.99, is the best of both world. Aldersley-Williams explains not just what an element does, but how it got discovered and what roles it has played in history and modern society. This is a great companion for a high school chemistry course. The writing feels like Bill Bryson’s A Brief History of Nearly Everything, another science book that I can’t recommend enough.
The Odyssey is also on sale today for $1.99. This Lattimore translation is near and dear to my heart; it’s the very first book freshmen read in Columbia’s core curriculum. Not the easiest read, as it stays fairly close to the original Greek, but the ultimate in epic poetry and a great choice for flexing those literary analysis skills.
Tooth and Nail, by Charles Harrington Elster, $2.99, is a nontraditional test prep book. Instead of tedious lists of root words and vocabulary to memorize, this book presents SAT words integrated into a suspenseful narrative. Put this in the hand of your teen who needs a bit of word work.
Maker Dad, $0.99, is an awesome book of projects that are fun and easy to accomplish without lots of specialty tools. We own this one in print and have looked to it for inspiration many times. All of the projects are well illustrated and feel accessible for people who are not especially handy. We particularly enjoyed the Drawbot!
My daughter can’t get enough of the Vanderbeeker family! The second book in the series, The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden, is on sale today for $2.99. You’ll enjoy getting to know the large and somewhat chaotic Vanderbeeker family in their Harlem brownstone. In this book, the girls are working to create a secret garden for a beloved neighbor. This series has hints of the All-Of-A-Kind family series and is perfect for Penderwicks fans.
Think Like a Freak, $2.99, is kind of a self-help book for people who hate self help. You may know Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner from the excellent Freakonomics podcast. They take economic principles and apply them to everyday situations. This is a great read for an older teen who wants to know more about why the world is the way it is, or for a parent to pick and choose sections to share with younger kids. There are a few heavier topics.
Sabriel, $1.99, is the first book in the Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. This is a fantasy classic featuring a strong female lead, an epic quest to save the world, and a feline companion who is more than it seems. Get ready to dig deep into Nix’s impressive world building. I devoured these in my late teens.
Look! Look! Look!, $0.99, is an adorable picture book that is also a great introduction to looking at art. Three tiny mice have discovered a fine art postcard. Follow them as the discover patterns, textures, and shapes. Don’t miss the activity guide at the end! Note, you’ll want to read this one on a color screen or you will lose out on some of the details.
Kindle Deals for August 18, 2019
A great day for science fiction and fantasy in today’s Kindle deals for 8/17/19.
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 a one-day special on Sci Fi and fantasy books today! Get them quick; prices will likely go back up tomorrow.
Animal Farm, by George Orwell, $2.99. The amazing thing about Orwell’s dystopian fable about farmyard politics is how flexible it is: The story feels as relevant to today’s political landscape as it did when it was published in 1945.
The Magicians, by Lev Grossman, $1.99. This book is perfect for older Harry Potter fans. Just like the indomitable Mr. Potter, Brooklyn teen Quentin Coldwater finds himself enrolled in a school for magicians. But he quickly discovers Brakebills Academy is quite unlike Hogwarts and that being a magician isn’t a cure-all for dissatisfaction with everyday life. Quentin doesn't share Harry's likable heroism, which makes him a more complicated protagonist.
Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow, by Jessica Townsend, $1.99. Here is another book with Harry Potter similarities, but this time for middle grade readers. Morrigan was born on the unluckiest day of the year and grows up believing she is cursed to die on her 11th birthday. She is shocked to discover that she can escape this fate by joining a secret society. The only catch — she must compete in four deadly tasks to earn her spot. This is a fast-paced, page-turning adventure that will hook lovers of quests and magic.
The Goose Girl, by Shannon Hale, $1.99. I love Shannon Hale. My daughter was a huge fan of her Princess in Black series as a new reader, and I’ve enjoyed her Squirrel Girl novels and her adult Austenland books. Somehow, I missed the Books of Bayern YA series, so I was delighted to see it pop up in the Kindle deals. Growing up, Princess Ani has often found it easier to communicate with animals than people. When treachery causes her to flee the castle, she decides to take work as the royal goose tender. Can she find the bravery she needs to reclaim her royal standing?
Still On Sale
Collecting Rocks, Gems, and Minerals, by Patti Polk, $2.99. Are you planning to study geology or earth science this year? Do you have a budding rock hound in your household? If so, this may be the book for you! This book has everything you need to get started in rock collecting, whether you are heading to the nearest mineral store or wandering off into the wilderness with a pickax. From quartz to petrified wood, Polk offers sage advice on what you are looking at and how to find specific samples. The book is chock full of color illustrations that will hook even younger kids who are not up to reading all the words.
This Victorian Life, by Sarah A. Chrisman, $1.99. It’s hard to know what life was really like in the past. We have living history museums to help bridge the gap, but these really only offer a glimpse. Wanting more than that, Sarah Chrisman and her husband, Gabriel, decided to live a 19th century life in the 21st century. This book follows them through the transformation to a Victorian household. They describe cooking, transportation, household maintenance — everything you might want to know. The Chrismans have an eccentric approach to the world, and their commitment makes for fascinating reading. If this leaves you wishing for more visuals, check out the excellent British documentary 1900 House (episodes are available on YouTube).
Hoot, by Carl Hiassen, $1.99. Carl Hiassen writes some memorable characters in odd situations. In Hoot, a boy named Roy and his tough new friend Beatrice take on corporate developers who are trying to build a new pancake restaurant on a lot that is home to adorable burrowing owls. This funny and engaging story encourage great discussions about ecology. We’ve featured Hoot in our Birds Unit Study. You can also compare the book with the 2006 movie (excellent for shots of the super cute owls).
Stargirl, by Jerry Spinelli, $1.99. I haven’t read this one, but it’s a Bravewriter Boomerang pick for this year, and the description sounds exactly like something I’d love. When a new girl arrives at Leo’s high school, everything shifts. Stargirl Caraway is not like anyone he’s ever met. Formerly homeschooled, Stargirl dresses eccentrically, carries around a ukelele to serenade students on their birthdays, and doesn’t seem to care what others think. As Stargirl struggles to fit in while remaining true to herself, she profoundly changes the school’s culture.
The City of Ember, by Jeanne DuPrau, $1.99. Two hundred years ago, a catastrophic event changed the world, driving people into a subterranean bunker city.. The city was well designed, but after all this time, things are starting to go wrong. When twelve-year-olds Lina and Doon discover a mysterious note left by the founders, it’s up to them to find their way out from underground. This thrilling adventure will especially appeal to kids who love tinkering and solving puzzles for themselves. Also made into an entertaining 2008 movie starring Bill Murray and a young Saoirse Ronan.
The Monster at the End of this Book, by Jon Stone, $3.03. Beware! Grover doesn’t want you to read this book! There’s a monster at the end! The delightful illustrations bring the Sesame Street characters to life. You’ll want to make sure you have a color display to get the most out of this charming read aloud.
Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly, by Gail Carson Levine, $1.99. You probably know Gail Carson Levine from her most famous book, Ella Enchanted. In Writing Magic, she shares the secret sauce for making unforgettable writing. This book will help writers of all ages find their unique voice through tips, exercises, and encouragement. We featured it as one of the Great Books to Inspire Young Writers.
The Phantom Tollbooth, by Normal Juster, $1.99. We’ve talked about books to read if you love The Phantom Tollbooth, and today the original is on sale! The book defies easy description. It’s a fantasy quest story filled with word play, a tinge of mathematics, and memorably odd characters. Join Milo on his journey to escape the Doldrums.
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, by Chris Grabenstein, $1.99, was part of my daughter’s mystery book club last year, and she was a huge fan. HSL has featured it as a readaloud of the week, and say this is why you’ll love it: Libraries! Puzzles to solve! Witty book references! While you shouldn’t look for nuanced character development, you’ll be so busy running around the library with Kyle and his allies to crack codes and unpuzzle puzzles, you will hardly miss it.
The Witch’s Boy, by Kelly Barnill, $1.99. Kelly Barnhill’s modern fairy tales are effortlessly complex, and I love them all. From the publisher: “When Ned and his identical twin brother tumble from their raft into a raging river, only Ned survives. Villagers are convinced the wrong boy lived. Across the forest that borders Ned’s village, Áine, the daughter of the Bandit King, is haunted by her mother’s last words: “The wrong boy will save your life, and you will save his.” When the Bandit King comes to steal the magic Ned’s mother, a witch, is meant to protect, Áine and Ned meet. Can they trust each other long enough to cross a dangerous enchanted forest and stop the war about to boil over between their two kingdoms?
Magical Miniature Gardens & Homes, by Donni Webber, $2.99, is a great book for adding a little bit of enchantment to your homeschool this fall. Webber gives you all the details you need to make your own fairy gardens. The gorgeous projects include a fairly rendition of Hobbiton, for the Tolkien fans among us. The projects use fairly basic crafting materials (definitely have a glue gun handy) and natural objects. Start spreading that pixie dust!
”The four book Mary Poppins set, by P.L. Travers, is now $5.61, which is still a pretty good deal for a set. These books are delightful, but take a very different tone from the Disney movies. Mary is ascerbic, and the stories take some darker twists. You could do a fascinating study comparing the books to Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins Returns, and Saving Mr. Banks.
The Princess Bride, by Williams Golding, $2.99. This book is in our Middle School Reading List and our Summer Reading list for fans of The Phantom Tollbooth. Golding’s novel might poke fun at some of the traditional fairy-tale elements in epic adventures, but the story of Buttercup and her Westley is an unabashed literary delight. (Golding was inserting wry narrator notes long before the trend took off in children’s literature.)
I love science, but I’m also a social science person; I applied to college as a biochemistry major and graduated with an English degree. Periodic Tales, by Hugh Aldersey-Wiliams, $2.99, is the best of both world. Aldersley-Williams explains not just what an element does, but how it got discovered and what roles it has played in history and modern society. This is a great companion for a high school chemistry course. The writing feels like Bill Bryson’s A Brief History of Nearly Everything, another science book that I can’t recommend enough.
The Odyssey is also on sale today for $1.99. This Lattimore translation is near and dear to my heart; it’s the very first book freshmen read in Columbia’s core curriculum. Not the easiest read, as it stays fairly close to the original Greek, but the ultimate in epic poetry and a great choice for flexing those literary analysis skills.
Tooth and Nail, by Charles Harrington Elster, $2.99, is a nontraditional test prep book. Instead of tedious lists of root words and vocabulary to memorize, this book presents SAT words integrated into a suspenseful narrative. Put this in the hand of your teen who needs a bit of word work.
Maker Dad, $0.99, is an awesome book of projects that are fun and easy to accomplish without lots of specialty tools. We own this one in print and have looked to it for inspiration many times. All of the projects are well illustrated and feel accessible for people who are not especially handy. We particularly enjoyed the Drawbot!
My daughter can’t get enough of the Vanderbeeker family! The second book in the series, The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden, is on sale today for $2.99. You’ll enjoy getting to know the large and somewhat chaotic Vanderbeeker family in their Harlem brownstone. In this book, the girls are working to create a secret garden for a beloved neighbor. This series has hints of the All-Of-A-Kind family series and is perfect for Penderwicks fans.
Think Like a Freak, $2.99, is kind of a self-help book for people who hate self help. You may know Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner from the excellent Freakonomics podcast. They take economic principles and apply them to everyday situations. This is a great read for an older teen who wants to know more about why the world is the way it is, or for a parent to pick and choose sections to share with younger kids. There are a few heavier topics.
Sabriel, $1.99, is the first book in the Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. This is a fantasy classic featuring a strong female lead, an epic quest to save the world, and a feline companion who is more than it seems. Get ready to dig deep into Nix’s impressive world building. I devoured these in my late teens.
Look! Look! Look!, $0.99, is an adorable picture book that is also a great introduction to looking at art. Three tiny mice have discovered a fine art postcard. Follow them as the discover patterns, textures, and shapes. Don’t miss the activity guide at the end! Note, you’ll want to read this one on a color screen or you will lose out on some of the details.
Kindle Deals for August 17, 2019
It’s a nonfiction bonanza in today’s Kindle deals for 8/17/19.
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.)
I don’t typically put out deals on Saturdays, but there are so many good ones today that I felt compelled. Yesterday we focused on literature; today I have some great nonfiction and reference books to share with you.
Endangered Phrases, by Steven D. Price, $2.51. My husband is a man from a bygone era; he’s forever using idioms that few people know, certainly no one his actual age. I love this about him — it keeps life interesting — but I often have to ask what he is talking about. No more! Endangered Phrases is a compendium of old-timey metaphors, forgotten phrases, and cultural references of days gone by. This small volume is an excellent companion to classic film, TV, or literature. From “apple of your eye” to “will o’ the wisp,” you are sure to discover a phrase that will fascinate.
Collecting Rocks, Gems, and Minerals, by Patti Polk, $2.99. Are you planning to study geology or earth science this year? Do you have a budding rock hound in your household? If so, this may be the book for you! This book has everything you need to get started in rock collecting, whether you are heading to the nearest mineral store or wandering off into the wilderness with a pickaxe. From quartz to petrified wood, Polk offers sage advice on what you are looking at and how to find specific samples. The book is chock full of color illustrations that will hook even younger kids who are not up to reading all the words.
The Psychology of Superheroes, edited by Robin S. Rosenberg and Jennifer Canzoneri, $2.99. I am an avid pop culture fan, and one of my favorite ways to get kids into a topic is to relate it to culture they know and love. The Psychology of Superheroes does exactly this. It’s a collection of essays from psychologists dissecting Peter Parker, the X-Men, and many other classic superheroes and connecting them to major themes in psychology. You’ll consider the effects of being invulnerable to pain, the impulse for revenge, and the benefits of belonging to a social group. This book (and the others in the series) will be a fun way to explore psychology with a middle or high school student. Note: this book was published in 2008, so don’t be expecting references to Avengers:Endgame!
This Victorian Life, by Sarah A. Chrisman, $1.99. It’s hard to know what life was really like in the past. We have living history museums to help bridge the gap, but these really only offer a glimpse. Wanting more than that, Sarah Chrisman and her husband, Gabriel, decided to live a 19th century life in the 21st century. This book follows them through the transformation to a Victorian household. They describe cooking, transportation, household maintenance — everything you might want to know. The Chrismans have an eccentric approach to the world, and their commitment makes for fascinating reading. If this leaves you wishing for more visuals, check out the excellent British documentary 1900 House (episodes are available on YouTube).
Still On Sale
Hoot, by Carl Hiassen, $1.99. Carl Hiassen writes some memorable characters in odd situations. In Hoot, a boy named Roy and his tough new friend Beatrice take on corporate developers who are trying to build a new pancake restaurant on a lot that is home to adorable burrowing owls. This funny and engaging story encourage great discussions about ecology. We’ve featured Hoot in our Birds Unit Study. You can also compare the book with the 2006 movie (excellent for shots of the super cute owls).
Crenshaw, by Katherine Applegate, $2.99. Crenshaw is the magical story of an imaginary friend helping a boy through a very tough family situation. Jackson had an imaginary friend when he was younger, but he hasn’t seen Crenshaw in years. But when his dad is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, money gets really tight and the family is in danger of losing their home. Jackson’s not sure whether Crenshaw’s reappearance is a good thing, but it might be just what he needs. This sweet book tackles some tough topics. We have a more detailed review here.
Stargirl, by Jerry Spinelli, $1.99. I haven’t read this one, but it’s a Bravewriter Boomerang pick for this year, and the description sounds exactly like something I’d love. When a new girl arrives at Leo’s high school, everything shifts. Stargirl Caraway is not like anyone he’s ever met. Formerly homeschooled, Stargirl dresses eccentrically, carries around a ukelele to serenade students on their birthdays, and doesn’t seem to care what others think. As Stargirl struggles to fit in while remaining true to herself, she profoundly changes the school’s culture.
The City of Ember, by Jeanne DuPrau, $1.99. Two hundred years ago, a catastrophic event changed the world, driving people into a subterranean bunker city.. The city was well designed, but after all this time, things are starting to go wrong. When twelve-year-olds Lina and Doon discover a mysterious note left by the founders, it’s up to them to find their way out from underground. This thrilling adventure will especially appeal to kids who love tinkering and solving puzzles for themselves. Also made into an entertaining 2008 movie starring Bill Murray and a young Saoirse Ronan.
The Canon, by Natalie Angier, $2.99. This is another science book that is great for humanities Like Bill Bryson, people. Angier covers major developments in all branches of science with a playful humor. Amy felt like the book takes the word play a little too far, but it didn’t bother me. From big topics like astrophysics to small topics like why ice cream melts, Angier packs her books full of interesting details that will keep you turning the pages. Everyone from middle school on up will find something to enjoy.
The Monster at the End of this Book, by Jon Stone, $3.03. Beware! Grover doesn’t want you to read this book! There’s a monster at the end! The delightful illustrations bring the Sesame Street characters to life. You’ll want to make sure you have a color display to get the most out of this charming read aloud.
Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly, by Gail Carson Levine, $1.99. You probably know Gail Carson Levine from her most famous book, Ella Enchanted. In Writing Magic, she shares the secret sauce for making unforgettable writing. This book will help writers of all ages find their unique voice through tips, exercises, and encouragement. We featured it as one of the Great Books to Inspire Young Writers.
The Phantom Tollbooth, by Normal Juster, $1.99. We’ve talked about books to read if you love The Phantom Tollbooth, and today the original is on sale! The book defies easy description. It’s a fantasy quest story filled with word play, a tinge of mathematics, and memorably odd characters. Join Milo on his journey to escape the Doldrums.
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, by Chris Grabenstein, $1.99, was part of my daughter’s mystery book club last year, and she was a huge fan. HSL has featured it as a readaloud of the week, and say this is why you’ll love it: Libraries! Puzzles to solve! Witty book references! While you shouldn’t look for nuanced character development, you’ll be so busy running around the library with Kyle and his allies to crack codes and unpuzzle puzzles, you will hardly miss it.
The Witch’s Boy, by Kelly Barnill, $1.99. Kelly Barnhill’s modern fairy tales are effortlessly complex, and I love them all. From the publisher: “When Ned and his identical twin brother tumble from their raft into a raging river, only Ned survives. Villagers are convinced the wrong boy lived. Across the forest that borders Ned’s village, Áine, the daughter of the Bandit King, is haunted by her mother’s last words: “The wrong boy will save your life, and you will save his.” When the Bandit King comes to steal the magic Ned’s mother, a witch, is meant to protect, Áine and Ned meet. Can they trust each other long enough to cross a dangerous enchanted forest and stop the war about to boil over between their two kingdoms?
Magical Miniature Gardens & Homes, by Donni Webber, $2.99, is a great book for adding a little bit of enchantment to your homeschool this fall. Webber gives you all the details you need to make your own fairy gardens. The gorgeous projects include a fairly rendition of Hobbiton, for the Tolkien fans among us. The projects use fairly basic crafting materials (definitely have a glue gun handy) and natural objects. Start spreading that pixie dust!
”The four book Mary Poppins set, by P.L. Travers, is now $5.61, which is still a pretty good deal for a set. These books are delightful, but take a very different tone from the Disney movies. Mary is ascerbic, and the stories take some darker twists. You could do a fascinating study comparing the books to Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins Returns, and Saving Mr. Banks.
The Princess Bride, by Williams Golding, $2.99. This book is in our Middle School Reading List and our Summer Reading list for fans of The Phantom Tollbooth. Golding’s novel might poke fun at some of the traditional fairy-tale elements in epic adventures, but the story of Buttercup and her Westley is an unabashed literary delight. (Golding was inserting wry narrator notes long before the trend took off in children’s literature.)
I love science, but I’m also a social science person; I applied to college as a biochemistry major and graduated with an English degree. Periodic Tales, by Hugh Aldersey-Wiliams, $1.99, is the best of both world. Aldersley-Williams explains not just what an element does, but how it got discovered and what roles it has played in history and modern society. This is a great companion for a high school chemistry course. The writing feels like Bill Bryson’s A Brief History of Nearly Everything, another science book that I can’t recommend enough.
The Odyssey is also on sale today for $1.99. This Lattimore translation is near and dear to my heart; it’s the very first book freshmen read in Columbia’s core curriculum. Not the easiest read, as it stays fairly close to the original Greek, but the ultimate in epic poetry and a great choice for flexing those literary analysis skills.
Tooth and Nail, by Charles Harrington Elster, $2.99, is a nontraditional test prep book. Instead of tedious lists of root words and vocabulary to memorize, this book presents SAT words integrated into a suspenseful narrative. Put this in the hand of your teen who needs a bit of word work.
Maker Dad, $0.99, is an awesome book of projects that are fun and easy to accomplish without lots of specialty tools. We own this one in print and have looked to it for inspiration many times. All of the projects are well illustrated and feel accessible for people who are not especially handy. We particularly enjoyed the Drawbot!
My daughter can’t get enough of the Vanderbeeker family! The second book in the series, The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden, is on sale today for $2.99. You’ll enjoy getting to know the large and somewhat chaotic Vanderbeeker family in their Harlem brownstone. In this book, the girls are working to create a secret garden for a beloved neighbor. This series has hints of the All-Of-A-Kind family series and is perfect for Penderwicks fans.
Think Like a Freak, $2.99, is kind of a self-help book for people who hate self help. You may know Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner from the excellent Freakonomics podcast. They take economic principles and apply them to everyday situations. This is a great read for an older teen who wants to know more about why the world is the way it is, or for a parent to pick and choose sections to share with younger kids. There are a few heavier topics.
Sabriel, $1.99, is the first book in the Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. This is a fantasy classic featuring a strong female lead, an epic quest to save the world, and a feline companion who is more than it seems. Get ready to dig deep into Nix’s impressive world building. I devoured these in my late teens.
Look! Look! Look!, $0.99, is an adorable picture book that is also a great introduction to looking at art. Three tiny mice have discovered a fine art postcard. Follow them as the discover patterns, textures, and shapes. Don’t miss the activity guide at the end! Note, you’ll want to read this one on a color screen or you will lose out on some of the details.
Kindle Deals for August 16, 2019
Hoot, Stargirl, and more in today’s Kindle deals for 8/16/19.
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.)
Hoot, by Carl Hiassen, $1.99. Carl Hiassen writes some memorable characters in odd situations. In Hoot, a boy named Roy and his tough new friend Beatrice take on corporate developers who are trying to build a new pancake restaurant on a lot that is home to adorable burrowing owls. This funny and engaging story encourage great discussions about ecology. We’ve featured Hoot in our Birds Unit Study. You can also compare the book with the 2006 movie (excellent for shots of the super cute owls).
Crenshaw, by Katherine Applegate, $2.99. Crenshaw is the magical story of an imaginary friend helping a boy through a very tough family situation. Jackson had an imaginary friend when he was younger, but he hasn’t seen Crenshaw in years. But when his dad is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, money gets really tight and the family is in danger of losing their home. Jackson’s not sure whether Crenshaw’s reappearance is a good thing, but it might be just what he needs. This sweet book tackles some tough topics. We have a more detailed review here.
Stargirl, by Jerry Spinelli, $1.99. I haven’t read this one, but it’s a Bravewriter Boomerang pick for this year, and the description sounds exactly like something I’d love. When a new girl arrives at Leo’s high school, everything shifts. Stargirl Caraway is not like anyone he’s ever met. Formerly homeschooled, Stargirl dresses eccentrically, carries around a ukelele to serenade students on their birthdays, and doesn’t seem to care what others think. As Stargirl struggles to fit in while remaining true to herself, she profoundly changes the school’s culture.
Still On Sale
The City of Ember, by Jeanne DuPrau, $1.99. Two hundred years ago, a catastrophic event changed the world, driving people into a subterranean bunker city.. The city was well designed, but after all this time, things are starting to go wrong. When twelve-year-olds Lina and Doon discover a mysterious note left by the founders, it’s up to them to find their way out from underground. This thrilling adventure will especially appeal to kids who love tinkering and solving puzzles for themselves. Also made into an entertaining 2008 movie starring Bill Murray and a young Saoirse Ronan.
The Canon, by Natalie Angier, $2.99. This is another science book that is great for humanities Like Bill Bryson, people. Angier covers major developments in all branches of science with a playful humor. Amy felt like the book takes the word play a little too far, but it didn’t bother me. From big topics like astrophysics to small topics like why ice cream melts, Angier packs her books full of interesting details that will keep you turning the pages. Everyone from middle school on up will find something to enjoy.
The Monster at the End of this Book, by Jon Stone, $3.03. Beware! Grover doesn’t want you to read this book! There’s a monster at the end! The delightful illustrations bring the Sesame Street characters to life. You’ll want to make sure you have a color display to get the most out of this charming read aloud.
Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly, by Gail Carson Levine, $1.99. You probably know Gail Carson Levine from her most famous book, Ella Enchanted. In Writing Magic, she shares the secret sauce for making unforgettable writing. This book will help writers of all ages find their unique voice through tips, exercises, and encouragement. We featured it as one of the Great Books to Inspire Young Writers.
The Phantom Tollbooth, by Normal Juster, $1.99. We’ve talked about books to read if you love The Phantom Tollbooth, and today the original is on sale! The book defies easy description. It’s a fantasy quest story filled with word play, a tinge of mathematics, and memorably odd characters. Join Milo on his journey to escape the Doldrums.
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, by Chris Grabenstein, $1.99, was part of my daughter’s mystery book club last year, and she was a huge fan. HSL has featured it as a readaloud of the week, and say this is why you’ll love it: Libraries! Puzzles to solve! Witty book references! While you shouldn’t look for nuanced character development, you’ll be so busy running around the library with Kyle and his allies to crack codes and unpuzzle puzzles, you will hardly miss it.
The Witch’s Boy, by Kelly Barnill, $1.99. Kelly Barnhill’s modern fairy tales are effortlessly complex, and I love them all. From the publisher: “When Ned and his identical twin brother tumble from their raft into a raging river, only Ned survives. Villagers are convinced the wrong boy lived. Across the forest that borders Ned’s village, Áine, the daughter of the Bandit King, is haunted by her mother’s last words: “The wrong boy will save your life, and you will save his.” When the Bandit King comes to steal the magic Ned’s mother, a witch, is meant to protect, Áine and Ned meet. Can they trust each other long enough to cross a dangerous enchanted forest and stop the war about to boil over between their two kingdoms?
Magical Miniature Gardens & Homes, by Donni Webber, $2.99, is a great book for adding a little bit of enchantment to your homeschool this fall. Webber gives you all the details you need to make your own fairy gardens. The gorgeous projects include a fairly rendition of Hobbiton, for the Tolkien fans among us. The projects use fairly basic crafting materials (definitely have a glue gun handy) and natural objects. Start spreading that pixie dust!
”The four book Mary Poppins set, by P.L. Travers, is now $5.61, which is still a pretty good deal for a set. These books are delightful, but take a very different tone from the Disney movies. Mary is ascerbic, and the stories take some darker twists. You could do a fascinating study comparing the books to Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins Returns, and Saving Mr. Banks.
The Princess Bride, by Williams Golding, $2.99. This book is in our Middle School Reading List and our Summer Reading list for fans of The Phantom Tollbooth. Golding’s novel might poke fun at some of the traditional fairy-tale elements in epic adventures, but the story of Buttercup and her Westley is an unabashed literary delight. (Golding was inserting wry narrator notes long before the trend took off in children’s literature.)
I love science, but I’m also a social science person; I applied to college as a biochemistry major and graduated with an English degree. Periodic Tales, by Hugh Aldersey-Wiliams, $1.99, is the best of both world. Aldersley-Williams explains not just what an element does, but how it got discovered and what roles it has played in history and modern society. This is a great companion for a high school chemistry course. The writing feels like Bill Bryson’s A Brief History of Nearly Everything, another science book that I can’t recommend enough.
The Odyssey is also on sale today for $1.99. This Lattimore translation is near and dear to my heart; it’s the very first book freshmen read in Columbia’s core curriculum. Not the easiest read, as it stays fairly close to the original Greek, but the ultimate in epic poetry and a great choice for flexing those literary analysis skills.
Tooth and Nail, by Charles Harrington Elster, $2.99, is a nontraditional test prep book. Instead of tedious lists of root words and vocabulary to memorize, this book presents SAT words integrated into a suspenseful narrative. Put this in the hand of your teen who needs a bit of word work.
Maker Dad, $0.99, is an awesome book of projects that are fun and easy to accomplish without lots of specialty tools. We own this one in print and have looked to it for inspiration many times. All of the projects are well illustrated and feel accessible for people who are not especially handy. We particularly enjoyed the Drawbot!
My daughter can’t get enough of the Vanderbeeker family! The second book in the series, The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden, is on sale today for $2.99. You’ll enjoy getting to know the large and somewhat chaotic Vanderbeeker family in their Harlem brownstone. In this book, the girls are working to create a secret garden for a beloved neighbor. This series has hints of the All-Of-A-Kind family series and is perfect for Penderwicks fans.
Think Like a Freak, $2.99, is kind of a self-help book for people who hate self help. You may know Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner from the excellent Freakonomics podcast. They take economic principles and apply them to everyday situations. This is a great read for an older teen who wants to know more about why the world is the way it is, or for a parent to pick and choose sections to share with younger kids. There are a few heavier topics.
Sabriel, $1.99, is the first book in the Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. This is a fantasy classic featuring a strong female lead, an epic quest to save the world, and a feline companion who is more than it seems. Get ready to dig deep into Nix’s impressive world building. I devoured these in my late teens.
Look! Look! Look!, $0.99, is an adorable picture book that is also a great introduction to looking at art. Three tiny mice have discovered a fine art postcard. Follow them as the discover patterns, textures, and shapes. Don’t miss the activity guide at the end! Note, you’ll want to read this one on a color screen or you will lose out on some of the details.
Kindle Deals for August 15, 2019
The City of Ember and more in today’s Kindle deals for 8/15/19.
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.)
The City of Ember, by Jeanne DuPrau, $1.99. Two hundred years ago, a catastrophic event changed the world, driving people into a subterranean bunker city.. The city was well designed, but after all this time, things are starting to go wrong. When twelve-year-olds Lina and Doon discover a mysterious note left by the founders, it’s up to them to find their way out from underground. This thrilling adventure will especially appeal to kids who love tinkering and solving puzzles for themselves. Also made into an entertaining 2008 movie starring Bill Murray and a young Saoirse Ronan.
The Canon, by Natalie Angier, $2.99. This is another science book that is great for humanities Like Bill Bryson, people. Angier covers major developments in all branches of science with a playful humor. Amy felt like the book takes the word play a little too far, but it didn’t bother me. From big topics like astrophysics to small topics like why ice cream melts, Angier packs her books full of interesting details that will keep you turning the pages. Everyone from middle school on up will find something to enjoy.
The Monster at the End of this Book, by Jon Stone, $3.03. Beware! Grover doesn’t want you to read this book! There’s a monster at the end! The delightful illustrations bring the Sesame Street characters to life. You’ll want to make sure you have a color display to get the most out of this charming read aloud.
Still On Sale
Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly, by Gail Carson Levine, $1.99. You probably know Gail Carson Levine from her most famous book, Ella Enchanted. In Writing Magic, she shares the secret sauce for making unforgettable writing. This book will help writers of all ages find their unique voice through tips, exercises, and encouragement. We featured it as one of the Great Books to Inspire Young Writers.
The Phantom Tollbooth, by Normal Juster, $1.99. We’ve talked about books to read if you love The Phantom Tollbooth, and today the original is on sale! The book defies easy description. It’s a fantasy quest story filled with word play, a tinge of mathematics, and memorably odd characters. Join Milo on his journey to escape the Doldrums.
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, by Chris Grabenstein, $1.99, was part of my daughter’s mystery book club last year, and she was a huge fan. HSL has featured it as a readaloud of the week, and say this is why you’ll love it: Libraries! Puzzles to solve! Witty book references! While you shouldn’t look for nuanced character development, you’ll be so busy running around the library with Kyle and his allies to crack codes and unpuzzle puzzles, you will hardly miss it.
The Witch’s Boy, by Kelly Barnill, $1.99. Kelly Barnhill’s modern fairy tales are effortlessly complex, and I love them all. From the publisher: “When Ned and his identical twin brother tumble from their raft into a raging river, only Ned survives. Villagers are convinced the wrong boy lived. Across the forest that borders Ned’s village, Áine, the daughter of the Bandit King, is haunted by her mother’s last words: “The wrong boy will save your life, and you will save his.” When the Bandit King comes to steal the magic Ned’s mother, a witch, is meant to protect, Áine and Ned meet. Can they trust each other long enough to cross a dangerous enchanted forest and stop the war about to boil over between their two kingdoms?
Magical Miniature Gardens & Homes, by Donni Webber, $2.99, is a great book for adding a little bit of enchantment to your homeschool this fall. Webber gives you all the details you need to make your own fairy gardens. The gorgeous projects include a fairly rendition of Hobbiton, for the Tolkien fans among us. The projects use fairly basic crafting materials (definitely have a glue gun handy) and natural objects. Start spreading that pixie dust!
”The four book Mary Poppins set, by P.L. Travers, is now $5.61, which is still a pretty good deal for a set. These books are delightful, but take a very different tone from the Disney movies. Mary is ascerbic, and the stories take some darker twists. You could do a fascinating study comparing the books to Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins Returns, and Saving Mr. Banks.
The Princess Bride, by Williams Golding, $2.99. This book is in our Middle School Reading List and our Summer Reading list for fans of The Phantom Tollbooth. Golding’s novel might poke fun at some of the traditional fairy-tale elements in epic adventures, but the story of Buttercup and her Westley is an unabashed literary delight. (Golding was inserting wry narrator notes long before the trend took off in children’s literature.)
I love science, but I’m also a social science person; I applied to college as a biochemistry major and graduated with an English degree. Periodic Tales, by Hugh Aldersey-Wiliams, $1.99, is the best of both world. Aldersley-Williams explains not just what an element does, but how it got discovered and what roles it has played in history and modern society. This is a great companion for a high school chemistry course. The writing feels like Bill Bryson’s A Brief History of Nearly Everything, another science book that I can’t recommend enough.
The Odyssey is also on sale today for $1.99. This Lattimore translation is near and dear to my heart; it’s the very first book freshmen read in Columbia’s core curriculum. Not the easiest read, as it stays fairly close to the original Greek, but the ultimate in epic poetry and a great choice for flexing those literary analysis skills.
Tooth and Nail, by Charles Harrington Elster, $2.99, is a nontraditional test prep book. Instead of tedious lists of root words and vocabulary to memorize, this book presents SAT words integrated into a suspenseful narrative. Put this in the hand of your teen who needs a bit of word work.
Maker Dad, $0.99, is an awesome book of projects that are fun and easy to accomplish without lots of specialty tools. We own this one in print and have looked to it for inspiration many times. All of the projects are well illustrated and feel accessible for people who are not especially handy. We particularly enjoyed the Drawbot!
My daughter can’t get enough of the Vanderbeeker family! The second book in the series, The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden, is on sale today for $2.99. You’ll enjoy getting to know the large and somewhat chaotic Vanderbeeker family in their Harlem brownstone. In this book, the girls are working to create a secret garden for a beloved neighbor. This series has hints of the All-Of-A-Kind family series and is perfect for Penderwicks fans.
Think Like a Freak, $2.99, is kind of a self-help book for people who hate self help. You may know Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner from the excellent Freakonomics podcast. They take economic principles and apply them to everyday situations. This is a great read for an older teen who wants to know more about why the world is the way it is, or for a parent to pick and choose sections to share with younger kids. There are a few heavier topics.
Sabriel, $1.99, is the first book in the Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. This is a fantasy classic featuring a strong female lead, an epic quest to save the world, and a feline companion who is more than it seems. Get ready to dig deep into Nix’s impressive world building. I devoured these in my late teens.
Look! Look! Look!, $0.99, is an adorable picture book that is also a great introduction to looking at art. Three tiny mice have discovered a fine art postcard. Follow them as the discover patterns, textures, and shapes. Don’t miss the activity guide at the end! Note, you’ll want to read this one on a color screen or you will lose out on some of the details.
Kindle Deals for August 14, 2019
The Phantom Tollbooth and more in today’s Kindle deals for 8/14/19.
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.)
Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly, by Gail Carson Levine, $1.99. You probably know Gail Carson Levine from her most famous book, Ella Enchanted. In Writing Magic, she shares the secret sauce for making unforgettable writing. This book will help writers of all ages find their unique voice through tips, exercises, and encouragement. We featured it as one of the Great Books to Inspire Young Writers.
The Phantom Tollbooth, by Normal Juster, $1.99. We’ve talked about books to read if you love The Phantom Tollbooth, and today the original is on sale! The book defies easy description. It’s a fantasy quest story filled with word play, a tinge of mathematics, and memorably odd characters. Join Milo on his journey to escape the Doldrums.
The Witch’s Boy, by Kelly Barnill, $1.99. Kelly Barnhill’s modern fairy tales are effortlessly complex, and I love them all. From the publisher: “When Ned and his identical twin brother tumble from their raft into a raging river, only Ned survives. Villagers are convinced the wrong boy lived. Across the forest that borders Ned’s village, Áine, the daughter of the Bandit King, is haunted by her mother’s last words: “The wrong boy will save your life, and you will save his.” When the Bandit King comes to steal the magic Ned’s mother, a witch, is meant to protect, Áine and Ned meet. Can they trust each other long enough to cross a dangerous enchanted forest and stop the war about to boil over between their two kingdoms?
Still On Sale
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, by Chris Grabenstein, $1.99, was part of my daughter’s mystery book club last year, and she was a huge fan. HSL has featured it as a readaloud of the week, and say this is why you’ll love it: Libraries! Puzzles to solve! Witty book references! While you shouldn’t look for nuanced character development, you’ll be so busy running around the library with Kyle and his allies to crack codes and unpuzzle puzzles, you will hardly miss it.
Magical Miniature Gardens & Homes, by Donni Webber, $2.99, is a great book for adding a little bit of enchantment to your homeschool this fall. Webber gives you all the details you need to make your own fairy gardens. The gorgeous projects include a fairly rendition of Hobbiton, for the Tolkien fans among us. The projects use fairly basic crafting materials (definitely have a glue gun handy) and natural objects. Start spreading that pixie dust!
”The four book Mary Poppins set, by P.L. Travers, is now $5.61, which is still a pretty good deal for a set. These books are delightful, but take a very different tone from the Disney movies. Mary is ascerbic, and the stories take some darker twists. You could do a fascinating study comparing the books to Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins Returns, and Saving Mr. Banks.
The Princess Bride, by Williams Golding, $2.99. This book is in our Middle School Reading List and our Summer Reading list for fans of The Phantom Tollbooth. Golding’s novel might poke fun at some of the traditional fairy-tale elements in epic adventures, but the story of Buttercup and her Westley is an unabashed literary delight. (Golding was inserting wry narrator notes long before the trend took off in children’s literature.)
I love science, but I’m also a social science person; I applied to college as a biochemistry major and graduated with an English degree. Periodic Tales, by Hugh Aldersey-Wiliams, $1.99, is the best of both world. Aldersley-Williams explains not just what an element does, but how it got discovered and what roles it has played in history and modern society. This is a great companion for a high school chemistry course. The writing feels like Bill Bryson’s A Brief History of Nearly Everything, another science book that I can’t recommend enough.
The Odyssey is also on sale today for $1.99. This Lattimore translation is near and dear to my heart; it’s the very first book freshmen read in Columbia’s core curriculum. Not the easiest read, as it stays fairly close to the original Greek, but the ultimate in epic poetry and a great choice for flexing those literary analysis skills.
Tooth and Nail, by Charles Harrington Elster, $2.99, is a nontraditional test prep book. Instead of tedious lists of root words and vocabulary to memorize, this book presents SAT words integrated into a suspenseful narrative. Put this in the hand of your teen who needs a bit of word work.
Maker Dad, $0.99, is an awesome book of projects that are fun and easy to accomplish without lots of specialty tools. We own this one in print and have looked to it for inspiration many times. All of the projects are well illustrated and feel accessible for people who are not especially handy. We particularly enjoyed the Drawbot!
My daughter can’t get enough of the Vanderbeeker family! The second book in the series, The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden, is on sale today for $2.99. You’ll enjoy getting to know the large and somewhat chaotic Vanderbeeker family in their Harlem brownstone. In this book, the girls are working to create a secret garden for a beloved neighbor. This series has hints of the All-Of-A-Kind family series and is perfect for Penderwicks fans.
Think Like a Freak, $2.99, is kind of a self-help book for people who hate self help. You may know Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner from the excellent Freakonomics podcast. They take economic principles and apply them to everyday situations. This is a great read for an older teen who wants to know more about why the world is the way it is, or for a parent to pick and choose sections to share with younger kids. There are a few heavier topics.
Sabriel, $1.99, is the first book in the Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. This is a fantasy classic featuring a strong female lead, an epic quest to save the world, and a feline companion who is more than it seems. Get ready to dig deep into Nix’s impressive world building. I devoured these in my late teens.
Look! Look! Look!, $0.99, is an adorable picture book that is also a great introduction to looking at art. Three tiny mice have discovered a fine art postcard. Follow them as the discover patterns, textures, and shapes. Don’t miss the activity guide at the end! Note, you’ll want to read this one on a color screen or you will lose out on some of the details.