A Brave Writer’s Life in Brief

Boomerang Book Club: August 2019

Whether you’re taking a trip this summer or staying close to home, your kids can go on the ultimate adventure with our August Boomerang Book Club selection: THE HOBBIT by J.R.R. Tolkien.

It doesn’t get more epic than this! Fantasy is ‘all the rage’ in teen literature— but this is a bonafide classic you’ll be thrilled to add to your teen’s list.

Plus class tuition includes a free copy of the Boomerang guide based on the book.

[This page contains Amazon affiliate links. When you click on those links to make purchases, Brave Writer receives compensation at no extra cost to you. Thank you!]

The lives of all Middle Earth lie in the balance as Bilbo Baggins joins a rag-tag company of dwarves to reclaim the Arkenstone from the mighty dragon, Smaug. Enter dramatic encounters with giant spiders, wizards, and goblins. (As well as the faithful, conniving and ever-present Golum! Love him or hate him!)

Teens get full-on obsessed with Tolkien’s world. Are you ready? Pick up the book, sign up for the Boomerang Book Club, and make it ‘the summer they read The Hobbit’! After class, they can go on to watch the movies and devour Middle Earth lore.

A rich array of experiences await!

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Arrow Book Club: August 2019

Got big readers at home this summer, devouring library books one by one? We’ve got a way to make those books last a little longer! A book club!

Save yourself the hassle of hosting though! We’ve got it all laid out for you.

Log in to the Brave Writer classroom and find:

enthusiastic conversationalists—all reading the same book
thought-provoking questions and discussion points
exposure to diverse opinions, new friends to be made!
a writing coach moderating the discussion and providing activities
opportunities to dig deep in the parts of the book that fascinated them

All you need to do is provide the snacks!

Plus class tuition includes a free copy of the Arrow guide based on the book.

[This page contains Amazon affiliate links. When you click on those links to make purchases, Brave Writer receives compensation at no extra cost to you. Thank you!]

Next up in our Arrow Book Club (ages 9-12) is a favorite: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien!

The story centers on an unusual group of rats with the ability to solve even the most puzzling problems—and a mouse with a perplexing problem to solve. With the threat of the farmer’s plow looming, Mrs. Frisby must find a way to keep her son, Timothy, warm and safe while he recovers from his illness. Can the extraordinary Rats of NIMH help her?

Here’s our little secret. Our book clubs are a wonderful sneaky way to draw out the writer. They think they’re chatting with new friends online. You know they’re gearing up for September!

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Friday Freewrite: Place

Choose one of the following places and freewrite there about anything that comes to mind.

Sit under a table.
Lounge on a trampoline.
Climb into a tree.
Float in a pool.
Swing in a hammock.
Write under the covers with a flashlight.

New to freewriting? Check out our online guide.

Tags: Writing prompts
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Happy Birthday, E.B. White!

Elwyn Brooks White, better known as E.B. White, was born on July 11th, 1899, and to celebrate we’re offering you a special deal (keep reading!).

Did you know that two of the writing mechanics and literature guides in our Quiver of Arrows set (1st–2nd grades) are based on books by E.B. White?

Yes, two! They are Charlotte’s Web (our free sample) and The Trumpet of the Swan.

That’s how much we adore E.B. White’s

charming stories,
delightful characters, and
relatable, witty writing style.

Not to mention his opening hooks (“Where’s Papa going with that ax?”)!

How are we celebrating White’s birthday?

Pick one:

Purchase The Trumpet of the Swan Arrow for half price ($5.95).
Or use the discount code QUIV10 to buy the complete Quiver of Arrows set (10 issues) and get the Trumpet of the Swan Arrow for FREE!

The sale ends July 17, 2019 at midnight Eastern.

What’s the Quiver of Arrows?

The Brave Writer Quiver of Arrows is a collection of 10 guides that provide a gentle step into the study of writing mechanics and literature.

They make a bridge for your child from The Wand (K–1st) to the Arrow (3rd–6th grades).

The guides and the accompanying Guidelines equip you, the homeschooling parent, to teach:

spelling,
punctuation,
grammar, and
literary elements (like the opening hook)

using quality living literature.

And don’t forget the Book Club Party School sections!

They’re bursting with ideas to celebrate literature and bring stories to life with your kids.

[This post contains Amazon affiliate links. When you click on those links to make purchases,
Brave Writer receives compensation at no extra cost to you. Thank you!]

Although E.B. White’s first books did not earn immediate critical acclaim, they quickly became favorites to those most discerning of critics–young children. Kids know what kids like, after all, and kids love White’s books.

So take advantage of this special offer (ends July 17, 2019 at midnight ET)!

Purchase The Trumpet of the Swan Arrow for half price ($5.95) or use the discount code QUIV10 to buy the complete Quiver of Arrows set (10 issues) and get The Trumpet of the Swan Arrow for FREE!

If you’d also like to buy a copy of the novel, it’s available through Amazon: The Trumpet of the Swan

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“There are no educational emergencies.”

Your child can’t read—and she’s 9.

Your child won’t handwrite, and when he does, it’s illegible.

You forgot to teach state history that year your oldest was in 4th grade because of the newborn.

You finally got the diagnosis: ADHD. She’s 16. What about college?

My friend (and Homeschool Alliance coach) Stephanie Elms loves to share a favorite saying of one of her friends: “There are no educational emergencies.” The first time I heard it, the phrase went off like an alarm in my heart. What if that were true?

I reflected. It can’t help but be true!

I thought about literacy programs for adults. I thought about voice-to-text software. I thought about the voracious way some adults read about history for pleasure! I remembered that I had grown up friends who didn’t get medical support for their ADHD until their 40s. Others who skipped college or went in their 30s.

What if I could dial back my anxiety from 911 level panic to “there are countless ways to get my child what he or she needs”? Education at a predictable pace is an illusion, is what I’m saying. “Getting behind”—a sure fire way to wind up in panic, to stop seeing the real child in front of you.

I can only begin each day precisely where I am. No matter the age.

Yeah, but what if your child REALLY IS BEHIND, you ask?

Deep breath. Face today with the resolve to get your child all he or she needs to move the next tiny step in the direction of growth. Growth is tangible—and reassuring. Evaluation against the norms? Not so much.

Don’t give up or collapse in defeat. Gather your resources, make judgment calls, get support, more information.

Take it a day or week at a time. Triangle in help. Trust the process.

Remember: you are raising LIFE-LONG learners. Some learning takes longer than expected. There’s no expiration date on an education, either.

This post is originally from Instagram and @juliebravewriter is my account there so come follow along for more conversations like this one!