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A Brave Writer's Life in Brief

Thoughts from my home to yours

Boomerang Book Club: December 2019

Boomerang Book Club

“It’s a classic.”

I’m guilty of making my kids read something that I hated in school. Sometimes I want them to read something I don’t even want to teach!

Guess what? We’ve got book club instructors who love these books—so you don’t have to!

Gone are assignments of boring comprehension questions. We uncover the rich, juicy morsels in classic novels together with your teens.

[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!]

Here’s what we’re reading in December: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Set in Concord, Massachusetts during the Civil War, Little Women was first published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869. The novel follows the lives of Marmee, Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy—the March family! This classic brings to life not only the time period but the tug of war between the expectations of society and being true to yourself—a theme that resonates with readers even today. The Christmas holiday season provides an important setting in the book, and the latest movie adaption will be released in December, so it’s the perfect pick for our December read!

We’ll discuss this classic work of literature with the Brave Writer approach:

  • Freedom to explore ideas in writing
  • Shared discussion with fellow students and an insightful instructor
  • Exploration of literary themes and elements
  • Weekly highlighted posts from the student comments

By the end of the month, teens gain COMMAND over the literature and write confidently about the work. And you can check it off your list!

Our book clubs are top notch and fill up fast, so sign up early!

Boomerang Book Club

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Arrow Book Club: December 2019

Arrow Book Club

Need a way to make the busy season less stressful? Have your kids join a Brave Writer book club because we do all the work 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

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!]

The selection for our December Arrow Book Club (ages 9-12): The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser! 

This timeless, heartwarming story reads like a classic in a contemporary setting. Set in Harlem, the endearing cast of characters brings this New York neighborhood to life on the page. The five Vanderbeeker kids live in the same neighborhood where their dad grew up. To stay in their beloved brownstone home, they’ve got to convince a landlord they never see to renew their lease. Their hijinks will make you laugh. Their tenderness will make you sigh. Their determination will make you root for them! If you liked the Penderwicks or the Melendys, you’ll adore the Vanderbeekers!

Brave Writer 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 naturally growing writing skills!

Arrow Book Club

Posted in Arrow, Online Classes | Comments Off on Arrow Book Club: December 2019


Be a Student of Your Student

Be a Student of Your Student

Number one job: learn your kids.

Get to know their:

  • habits,
  • preferences,
  • natural inclinations,
  • what they love,
  • what they hate,
  • what lights them up,
  • what dims their shine.

When you are frustrated by a child’s lack of enthusiasm or energy or commitment, step back and observe. See what’s standing in the way. Being a detective is part of homeschooling so count it. It’s not off task or adjacent. It IS the task.

The better you know your REAL child (the one in front of you), the better the education you can offer that child.

It’s okay to take notes, to consult with your kid.

  • How was that for you?
  • More of this?
  • Less of that?
  • What else do you need to feel successful?

Give yourself time and permission to understand your child’s needs rather than feeling invalidated by them.

You can do it! I believe in you.


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


The Brave Learner

Posted in Homeschool Advice | Comments Off on Be a Student of Your Student


Friday Freewrite: Animal Sounds

Friday Freewrite

Imagine that for 24 hours you can only communicate using an animal sounds, but you get to pick which animal’s sounds to use. Would you bark or roar or honk or something else? Now describe what that day might be like!

New to freewriting? Check out our online guide.

Tags: Writing prompts
Posted in Friday Freewrite | Comments Off on Friday Freewrite: Animal Sounds


Training Tip: Wordplay

Training Tip: Wordplay

Words are the building blocks of our imaginative world.

Think of words like Lego bricks. Before our kids are building the Eiffel Tower out of Lego, they simply investigate the bricks through play. They:

  • take them apart,
  • attach them in new formations,
  • mix and match them. 

Words are the same!

Here’s a training tip to encourage wordplay in your homeschool.

Training Tip: Wordplay

Wordplay is also the perfect preparation for our Arrow (ages 9-12) and Boomerang (ages 13-18) Book Clubs. They offer a virtual living room space–where students gather to freely discuss the novels they read with you at home.

Brave Writer’s online Book Clubs are a great way to homeschool in a busy season. Try our low-intensity, warm and welcoming discussion clubs!


We also invite you to log in to a sample class. Click around, play with our text editor, and read real instructor responses to writing posted in class.


Brave Writer Arrow and Boomerang Book Clubs

Tags: Training Tip
Posted in Arrow, Boomerang, Brave Writer Lifestyle, Words! | Comments Off on Training Tip: Wordplay


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