A few days ago, I launched an exquisite project that I have been working on for months: my very first book study!

I started an Etsy shop called The Library Gems Collection, with this goal in mind: to bring exquisite, expansive picture-book studies to homeschool families, with only the best of the best in children’s literature.

The name Library Gems is intentional and meaningful to me. I love that feeling when I’m browsing through books at the library, and come across one I haven’t seen before.

Typically, what piques my interest most is if the book looks older! There is something sacred about the rough texture of an old, used hardcover, or the muted tones of a book jacket that’s clearly been passed through many hands, and many homes.

Heartfelt Home Premiere

If you’re a homeschool parent, and have noticed a change in children’s literature for the past decade or so, check out this post: From Allegory To Meager Story. If you’d like to read a bit more of the introduction to the Library Gems Collection, you can glance back at this post.

Today though, I would love to introduce the very first book study in the Library Gems Collection:

Heartfelt Home Book Study

featuring: Let’s Go Home, by Cynthia Rylant

I discovered the picture book Let’s Go Home several years ago, while I was browsing my local library. I was flipping quickly through the colorful stacks, glancing up every now and then at my toddler, Beau, while he popped various play-kitchen toys into his mouth, my newborn, Violet, while she snoozed lightly in her car seat, and my older two, who were browsing too.

I knew I only had a few minutes to pick favorites. This was a “new normal” for me, and I wasn’t quite used to it yet! Our library outings had become a bit more chaotic, since my third had turned two. He was three now, but with a newborn in tow, I knew I only had moments to spare.

I remember being immediately drawn to Let’s Go Home, because it looked a bit old-fashioned to me. I instantly appreciated the craftsmanship of the artist, Wendy Anderson Halperin. I noticed the intricate details of each page, the bright colors, the peekaboo corners. The entire book gave me a very “cozy front porch” type of feeling. I also recognized the author, Newberry & Caldecott medal-winning writer Cynthia Rylant, whose books and novels I treasured even as a child myself. With excitement, I added it to my book bag that day.

Let’s Go Home Book Study: An Exclusive Sneak Peek

As soon as I started flipping through Let’s Go Home that day, I had a gut feeling it would become a family favorite. And, it did! It fits the “library gem” criteria in every way.

Last winter, I spent early Saturday mornings inside coffee shops, brainstorming ideas while chunky white flakes of snow fell outside. I read through the book many times, and jotted down activities that each of my kids–aged 2, 5, 8 and 10, would enjoy and be challenged by. I came up with a massive list of engaging activities for kids, hoping that each one would foster family connection, tradition, and love of literature.

The beauty of these book studies is that they are titles you can still find at most public libraries. They also feature arts supplies, homeschool materials and baking supplies that you likely already have in your home.

With that said–sometimes it’s fun to try new things! If you think your family would enjoy this expansive book study of Let’s Go Home, and are curious about supplies, here are some items mentioned that are fun to have, if you don’t already:

• Your own copy of Let’s Go Home: here’s the paperback, here’s the hardcover. After having this book from the library, it wasn’t long until I wanted a copy for my own.
• Some different flavors of tea, for your tea taste testing!
• Pop some popcorn the old fashioned way (we love this popcorn maker and these flavor additions!)
• If you love the Storybook Corner page and want to use it for your child’s homeschool portfolio, print it on cardstock like we did–that makes it extra special and durable, as a keepsake item! (The Heirloom Recipe Card can be printed here, too! :))
• The artist in the book uses a lot of watercolor, which is fun to try with kids! My daughter Emmaline is our resident artist, and she uses this budget-friendly watercolor set, which works well. Amy, the artist behind Heartfelt Home, also recommends this set which is a bit higher end, this watercolor paper, these travel brushes and this higher-end watercolor pad.

If you have a daughter who loves thrifting like mine, you could stop by a local thrift store to see if they have any floral or whimsical mugs, in which to sip your tea!

Frequently Asked Questions about Heartfelt Home

Here are some of the most common questions about this book study!

• What do you mean by “repeatable curriculum?” Do people repeat book studies?
  • Absolutely! I am entering my fourth year of homeschooling, and I have repeated several book studies every single year. In our home we treasure books, and I love to see how my kids respond to the same book, year after year, as they grow and change themselves! Reading aloud as a family creates bonds, and memories, and traditions. I love hearing my kids’ comments from year to year, specifically what they remember about different titles. Like: “Oh, I love Ping!! That’s when we did those perspective drawings of ducks. And Beau kept talking about ‘The Yangtze River’ even though he was only three!” “Is this the artist who used mostly colored pencil? And those cormorant birds? And the duck who got a little spanking if he was late for the line?!” Etc. 🙂
• Will my older kids be engaged in this?
  • I designed this book study with that exact concept in mind! My oldest, Graham, is in 5th grade this year. He has always been a voracious reader, and occasionally still listens to our read-alouds. But the truth is, he is usually off completing different work, or reading his own novels! With that said, I knew I wanted to create book studies that could involve a wide range of kids/siblings. I wanted to make them family-oriented, and have value and rigor for everyone. So, I worked hard on that! For the Let’s Go Home study, there are many activities that my 5th grader, for example, could participate in alongside us. There are also two pages of Extension Activities at the end of the study, specifically designed for kids his age, and a bit older. They are compare/contrast essay and presentation ideas, for older kids to consider, discuss, and research. There are numerous articles and posts provided, to use as a starting point for your research.
• What other books will be included in the Heartfelt Home Collection?
  • As the year progresses, I will be releasing four additional book studies in the Heartfelt Home Collection. I have hand-selected these titles, these “library gems,” as ones that provide great value to your homeschool. While they are all under the “Heartfelt Home” umbrella, they are each unique titles with difference nuaces, knowledge and skill to offer your family, as you grow. They are:
    • Me On The Map, by Joan Sweeney
    • A House Is A House For Me, by Mary Ann Hoberman
    • Where Happiness Lives, by Barry Timms
    • The Boy Who Loved Maps, by Kari Allen
• I am not a teacher, and don’t have much experience with book studies. Is this a good fit for me?
  • I have many friends who homeschool, who do not have experience teaching! This book study has a gentle design, meant to be helpful and low-stakes for both moms and kids. I spoke with several friends who currently homeschool, but do not have teaching backgrounds, to get their feedback on what they hope for in a book study. They shared that they like everything to be provided, within the PDF, as well as specific wording and ideas for teaching. They didn’t want to have to come up with everything on their own! For this reason, I designed the PDF to include everything you will need. You can view it on your computer and print off the pages you need, and/or get it printed at your local library if you prefer a hard copy. Either way, it is meant to be gentle, enjoyable, and easy to use. If you have any questions at all, or feel stuck, I would be happy to help! Truly. Shoot me a message and I will help you get unstuck!

Do you have other questions? Let me know! I love talking all things reading, so I am here, happy to help. I hope you enjoy diving into this book study, as much as I enjoyed making it!

With love,

Cait