August 2021 Monthly Newsletter
August 2, 2021
The following post will be a blog archive copy of the Build Your Library’s August 2021 Monthly Newsletter. If you missed the email, you can subscribe to our mailing list here. [Scheduled to be sent 8/2/21 8:15 AM EST]
[August 2, 2021 ] – “BYL August 2021 Video Newsletter“ – Welcome to our August Video Newsletter! You should have gotten our regular monthly e-mail newsletter in your inbox if you are subscribed. But you can now watch the video highlights and read the full details below or watch the BYL August 2021 Video Newsletter on Facebook.
Hey everybody, it’s Emily from Build Your Library! If you are just going to skim the beginning, here are the main topics in this month’s newsletter:
Now that I have your attention, here are the details on those items and more.
Monthly Newsletter
Summer is in its final stretch! We still have some time to enjoy the sunny weather, but the next homeschool year is just around the corner!
We have some new information to share as well as some reoccurring monthly reminders.
Happy Birthday Build Your Library!
Can you believe that Build Your Library will be 9 years old this month! We kicked off on August 22, 2012 with just two levels. Look how far we’ve come! Time does fly! We didn’t want to let this milestone sail by, so stay tuned to our Facebook page to see how we plan to celebrate!
Build Your Library Update Schedule
In an attempt to answer when the next level update will be ready, we have compiled our projected schedule into a post for easy reference. We will periodically update the chart when we make progress or have any changes to our tentative schedule.
We just finished the Level 3 update a couple of weeks ago. I’m currently working on updating Level 7 to replace out-of-print titles and add some new exciting books. You can expect the Level 7 update to be available in early to mid-September. I have a video about the Level 7 update along with some update news on my YouTube channel that you might find helpful:
Build Your Library Update News and Peek at Level 7
Build Your Library’s “Quest” for a World History Spine
We have had some discussions during a recent Tea With Emily live stream and other blog posts referring to the Story of the World swap to History Quest in BYL Level 1 – The Ancient World and BYL Level 2 – The Medieval World. List blog post goes a little bit deeper into what this entails. We even have a discount code for the editions of History Quest that are used in BYL when you purchase our lesson plans.
History Book by Book!
We were excited to finally announce our newest project in June, History Book By Book! HBBB is a database collection of engaging, entertaining, and educational books about various historical topics if you missed the grand opening. We discussed it in depth during our Tea With Emily livestream on Facebook last month, you can view the recording here.
You can find books here on just about every time period or historical topic and for any age level. I’ve done my best to research and vet each title to ensure that this list is filled with living books. I’ve noted content warnings when necessary and my daughters and I have reviewed many of the titles recommended. This has been and will continue to be a labor of love, as we continue to build this website and update these book suggestions. I hope you find the website and this walkthrough helpful!
History Book By Book Main page
August Bookish Holidays
August has a few fun book-related holidays, like National Coloring Book Day (August 2) and National Book Lovers Day (August 9).
We have Howard Phillips Lovecraft (August 20) and Mary Shelley (August 30) for author birthdays. There are also a bunch of Harry Potter characters with birthdays such as one of our favorites – Ginny Weasley (August 11), as well as a few lesser-known characters, like Tina Goldstein (August 19), Percy Weasley (August 22), and one of our least favorites… Dolores Umbridge (August 26). No cake for you, Umbridge!
Back to “Home” School Series (B2HS)
Every year we update and re-feature our Back to “Home” School series towards the end of August, right before we all get back to business. But we keep getting a large number of new homeschooling families to join Build Your Library in the summer. So I wanted to share the article links a bit early. We will still repost and share the articles individually on Facebook later this month, but here is the sneak peek for those that may want a bit more time to go over the information.
- (1) B2HS: Advice to the New Homeschooling Mother
- (2) B2HS: Getting Organized for the New School Year
- (3) B2HS: Tips for Avoiding Homeschooling Burn Out
- (4) B2HS: Build Your Own Timeline 101
- (5) B2HS: Tips for a Great First Day
“Read Aloud Book Club” Pack
Our Read Aloud Book Club is on hiatus until October. We still have some previous months available, so be sure to catch up on past books while we are on break!
“Tea with Emily” Facebook Live Streams
We hope you all enjoyed our last “Tea with Emily” Facebook Live Stream. If you missed our “History Book By Book“ unveiling in June, you can find a recording by scrolling our Facebook or direct links on our past events page.
Our next Facebook Live will be next week on Friday, August 13, 2021, at 1:00 PM EST, where we will discuss “Mother Culture – Self-Education for Parents”. As Charlotte Mason said, “Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life,” which means learning never ends. Mother Culture is self-education. Is there a subject you’ve always wanted to learn more about? A hobby you’ve been meaning to pick up? With homeschooling, it may seem like you are always learning beside your child, but with Mother Culture, you are putting yourself first and giving yourself the tools to become a better homeschool teacher. In this live stream I’ll give you tips and tricks to make time for self-education, as well as give you some book recommendations and other resources.
Every other month, I host a 30-60 minute Build Your Library homeschooling chat. You can ask questions about homeschooling, using Build Your Library curriculum, book recommendations, etc. We will announce the date ahead of time, and you will be able to submit questions you would like to cover. Additionally, you can also ask questions during the interactive live stream. Grab a mug of tea (or coffee) and cozy up with our virtual hangout!
Build Your Library Support
For a comprehensive, everything you ever wanted to know about homeschooling with Build Your Library, check out our “Build Your Library University (for Parents).” We have collected the definitive list of articles, videos, and books about Build Your Library, Charlotte Mason, and general homeschooling, all categorized in a logical order for you to peruse.
BYL Social Media Shout Out
We always have our Social Media “chicklets” at the bottom of our newsletters and webpage, but we wanted to make sure you are following us on our other platforms. The Build Your Library Facebook is our go-to social media site, and we post there frequently with cool Amazon products and book recommendations we think you would like, as well as all of our Read Aloud Book Club announcements, blog posts, full-year and unit study product releases and updates, and more.
Our Build Your Library Instagram page regularly posts pictures and insider info about projects I’m currently working on or what I’m doing with my kids.
Wrap Up
I hope your summer is going well! If you are looking for some homeschool inspiration, here are some articles you might find helpful:
- Turning Temporary “School at Home” into Permanent “Homeschooling”
- Homeschool Tips for Traditionally Non-Homeschooling Families
- “Are worms made out of metal?” And other great rabbit trails.
We have well over 100 blog posts on various homeschooling and book-related topics if you want to browse for more.
I think that is about all for this month. Again, please follow us on whatever social media you frequent, there will be periodic updates posted there as well, but we will try to keep everyone in the know where ever you are surfing!
Thanks and Happy Reading! Emily
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