Hello, Reader.

As Emilie Buchwald once observed, "Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.” That was certainly true for me. I couldn't begin to count the stacks and stacks of books my mother read to me as a child. And I've done my best to follow her good example with my own children.

And now, I see my grown kids encouraging that same love of books and reading in my grandchildren using many of the same tried-and-true methods: sharing lots of read-alouds, building their own home libraries, and signing up for every summer reading program we can find.

Do you have kids (or grandkids) who could use a little added incentive to make reading a lifelong habit? Then this week's link list is for you!

Free resources for you this week:

• ​Raising Kids Who Love to Read - our best tips for fostering a love for reading in your kids
• ​Pretty Printable Bookmarks - to help you mark your place (several styles to choose from)
• ​50 Picture Books Every Preschooler Should Read - these are some of our family's favorites
• ​Reading Mother - sweet coloring page of mother reading to her little one
• ​Reading Reward Programs for Kids - newly updated for 2026!
• ​50 Favorite Reading Quotes - some of my very favorite sayings on the subject

What I'm reading this week:

Shortly before my stomach went on strike a few days ago, I finished Gut: The Inside Story... by Giulia Enders, which gave me some fascinating facts to chew on! The author tackles the topic of our gastrointestinal tract with gusto, dishing out plenty of research and statistics, but pairing it with enough tasty stories and analogies, as to make it more palatable and easy to digest. The result? A book that stirred up in me a greater awe and appreciation for the intricacies of the human body and for the amazing microbiome that lives inside it! Though not written from a Christian perspective, the text leads me to proclaim alongside the Psalmist, "I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made! Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well." (Psalm 139:14)

On the podcast this week:

I didn't record a new episode this week, so here's another on from the archives that lines up (a little) with the theme of this week's link list:

Loving Life at Home: Episode 97 ​Q&A: BABIES, BOOKS, & CORRECTING OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN​ Time for a little Q&A! Questions from my blog readers, podcast listeners, and/or newsletter subscribers have started building up in my inbox again. So I’ve decided to tackle several of those topics in this week’s podcast episode. Listen Now

Progress on last week's goals:

I was making great headway on last week's goals in the first few days after I posted them: I ✅ put in requests for next year’s vacation time, ✅ planned itineraries for remaining summer travel, ✅ sold curriculum we no longer need in my homeschool group's annual book sale, ✅ oiled squeaky door hinges, ✅ installed new childproof locks on our stovetop burners, and ✅ read the assigned chapters for a book discussion group I've joined this summer (we only meet three times--once a month, June through August--which seems very doable to me).

But then, our family (including me) got hit with a stomach bug 🤢 and progress came to a standstill. So I didn't ❌ finish my embroidery project, ❌ plant my new sweet potato vine, or even ❌ host my grandkids overnight (we postponed a couple of weeks).

Personal goals for this week:

• finish that embroidery project for a friend
• move a concrete planter to a different flower bed
• complete an alliteration challenge my daughter-in-law created
• finish three writing assignments for projects I've agreed to help with
• weave new laundry basket (to replace one irreparably damaged during our last illness 🤮)
• reduce emails to under 100 (they built up again while I was sick)
• attend 1st meeting for summer book discussion group
• record a new podcast episode

Yes, I know that probably sounds a little ambitious for a single week, but after 48 hours of bedrest during my own bout of nausea, I'm feeling well enough now to conquer the world!

If you enjoy this newsletter and would like to support my work, there are five ways for you to do that:

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5. Hit reply and tell me your favorite resource from this week's link list ❤️

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Thanks so much for all your help! I'll be back next week with more links, reviews, and resources. If you have any special requests, please let me know. 😊