Every once in awhile I let my kids just grab books off the library shelf. Not often, though. My reasoning is that my kids make a huge mess in the library if I take all five by myself, and also that very few of the books in the kids section of the library are any good.
The last time we did a grab and go library trip my children came home with two treasures.
Patience Wright: America's First Sculptor and Revolutionary Spy by Pegi Deilz Shea is about, obviously, an American woman who was a talented artist and also a Patriot. I had never heard of this woman before and her story is fascinating. She was clearly a feminist and forward thinker and I quite liked her by the end of the book. If you are studying Colonial history, or feminism, or just like to make sure your children study heroes of both genders, give this book a try.
Yellowstone Moran: Painting the American West by Lita Judge is another clear winner. The book is entertaining but also great history. Since we live fairly close to Yellowstone, my children have heard a lot about it so they were eager to learn more. Great book.
I usually tell my kids - before we leave for the library - how many books they get to pick out. Like you, we've had some very interesting "grab-and-go" books. Some, I've taken back right away because they were awful and once in awhile there is a wonderful gem one of my kids will accidentally pick out. I like letting my kids choose their own books for one big reason: They have to learn for themselves how to pick a good book. It leads to some good discussions when we've come home with some "interesting" reading material. :)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I did decide (after reading about how you gather your books for homeschool) that I will put books on hold that I will be using specifically for history and science ahead of time. I used to just put the books on hold that the library didn't have, but I think it makes more sense to just put them all on hold and go pick them up without the hassle of trying to keep track of 4 kids. :) :)