On this day last year

(And yes, you may say to yourself, "She's cheating! That's not a new post!")

We had just discovered this book:

I stumbled on this book at our library this year. I believe it's on Elizabeth Foss's Real Learning booklist, but I'd never seen it at our library before. What a treat it is. It brought Scripture to life for the kids by personalizing it. The story revolves ostensibly around little Dorothy (but of course is ultimately about the Christ Child and the gifts we can bring Him.) Dorothy is the youngest sister of three "giant shepherd brothers" who are tending their sheep through the night because so many strangers are passing through the area during the census.

"Hey!" my daughter cried out. "Shepherds watching their flocks by night!"

Yup, you got it, Anne. This is what I love about teaching through literature. The kids make connections, and retain connections, because those connections have come to mean something to them.

The book also has interesting factoids about the flower known as the Christmas rose, and its medicinal powers. A great read in many ways.

and, I posted about this one, too:

Thanks to Melissa Wiley for pointing me in the direction of Lauren Mills's touching and beautifully illustrated book, The Rag Coat. I read it to the kids yesterday, cried throughout, and was thankful for this and every other book recommendation I've ever found on the internet.

Time for another trip to the library ....