Ruby, your Classics Read Aloud is terrific!!! Wonderful listening. We really enjoy it.
On the Christmas album theme . . . sometime you might try Harry Belafonte's "To Wish You A Merry Christmas" too. Around our house it is a Christmas tradition.
Would you be able to recommend children's literature for advanced readers?
Children's literature these days seems to be almost entirely witches, dragons, etc. Those themes are not compatible with our beliefs. I'm struggling to find well-written, engaging, and appropriate books for my kiddo.
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh was a terrific hit; he devoured it. The other books I checked out were all firm rejections. If you have the time, I'd greatly appreciate your thoughts. Many thanks!
Yes, there’s a lot of junk out there. The Boxcar Children is a great series. I found these Mensa kids reading lists to be solid resources through the years (scroll down until you come to the lists by grade level):
Love love love this! I'm biased though because I wasn't expecting Charles Brown to make the list and he did so you're obviously right about everything else. His cool Christmas blues as been my go-to Christmas recommendation album and I always highlight his original Please Come Home for Christmas makes him relevant in any Christmas tunes debate.
You also suggested a few new albums and I'm a forever believer in your Christmas music taste.
I have my parents’ old 33 of “The Williams Brother Christmas” as in Andy Williams and his three brothers. Never tire of it. (Steve and Eydie always get a play, too.)
https://www.discogs.com/master/190196-Bing-Crosby-Merry-Christmas The original Decca record my father bought after returning from Saipan, and when that one wore out he bought another one (I think remastered and recorded in 1955) in the 1960s. This one was probably in everyone's house when I grew up. No one probably listens to this anymore, as even Christmas music is missing from terrestrial radio now, but it it still a classic.
We've got that one in regular rotation as well. Don't you just love that cover image. It is one of my very favorites...I'm a Bing in the Bing vs. Frank debate, of which there are no losers ;)
I don’t know how I missed this one. Would have enjoyed it over Christmas for sure. No matter, I have them all lined up for this year.
They’re evergreen :)
Mindy Smith - My Holiday
Ruby, your Classics Read Aloud is terrific!!! Wonderful listening. We really enjoy it.
On the Christmas album theme . . . sometime you might try Harry Belafonte's "To Wish You A Merry Christmas" too. Around our house it is a Christmas tradition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7CXFXD2mm8&list=PLr_SwoyFffku0Dt0ou8boDdfx3P28ZmPZ
Give The Beach Boys' Christmas Album a try AFTER you've listened to A Christmas Gift For You from Phil Spector thrice.
https://music.amazon.com/albums/B07XYFZFVV?ref=dm_sh_e83b-f0ae-08b0-5f35-3f5c8
This has Art Carney's rap of Twas the Night Before Christmas (seriously what else to call it?)
I have a soft spot for Dean Martin's Christmas album
Would you be able to recommend children's literature for advanced readers?
Children's literature these days seems to be almost entirely witches, dragons, etc. Those themes are not compatible with our beliefs. I'm struggling to find well-written, engaging, and appropriate books for my kiddo.
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh was a terrific hit; he devoured it. The other books I checked out were all firm rejections. If you have the time, I'd greatly appreciate your thoughts. Many thanks!
Yes, there’s a lot of junk out there. The Boxcar Children is a great series. I found these Mensa kids reading lists to be solid resources through the years (scroll down until you come to the lists by grade level):
https://www.mensaforkids.org/achieve/excellence-in-reading/
This post also has a number of great suggestions:
https://open.substack.com/pub/howwehomeschool/p/books-for-adventurers-young-and-old
Thank you! Merry Christmas!
Love love love this! I'm biased though because I wasn't expecting Charles Brown to make the list and he did so you're obviously right about everything else. His cool Christmas blues as been my go-to Christmas recommendation album and I always highlight his original Please Come Home for Christmas makes him relevant in any Christmas tunes debate.
You also suggested a few new albums and I'm a forever believer in your Christmas music taste.
High praise, Craig. I’ll take it! Enjoy!
Some new ones on here I've never heard. If they're as good as the ones I'm familiar with, I'm in for a treat.
will immediately be listening to Sound of Christmas by The Ramsey Lewis Trio 😄🎄
Elvis of course, his version of silver bells makes me smile ear to ear. And The Carpenters album is timeless.
Great ones, both. Love Elvis.
Reggae Christmas
Brian Setzer Orchestra has multiple very good Xmas albums
Fantastic list. So enjoying. Socks rocks.
Awesome, so glad! JD McPherson is awesome. Here's another great album of his, for the rest of the year: https://open.spotify.com/album/4tqTkXi6AvexkQU5qEB2eJ
I have my parents’ old 33 of “The Williams Brother Christmas” as in Andy Williams and his three brothers. Never tire of it. (Steve and Eydie always get a play, too.)
Some great additions in the comments today!
https://www.discogs.com/master/190196-Bing-Crosby-Merry-Christmas The original Decca record my father bought after returning from Saipan, and when that one wore out he bought another one (I think remastered and recorded in 1955) in the 1960s. This one was probably in everyone's house when I grew up. No one probably listens to this anymore, as even Christmas music is missing from terrestrial radio now, but it it still a classic.
We've got that one in regular rotation as well. Don't you just love that cover image. It is one of my very favorites...I'm a Bing in the Bing vs. Frank debate, of which there are no losers ;)