The following post will be a blog archive copy of the Build Your Library’s January 2019 Monthly Newsletter. If you missed the email, you can subscribe to our mailing list here. [Scheduled to be sent 01/14/18 6:00 AM EST]
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 and a couple other bits of information. This may be our longest, most info packed newsletter yet!
This month’s newsletter is coming back on schedule this month. We hope your house is winding down and recovering from a wonderful holiday season. We have some new information to share as well as some reoccurring monthly reminders. Our newsletter has about a 30% open rate, which is pretty good for email, but we don’t know how often it is different readers seeing some of the information for the first time. So we apologize if part of this is a rehash. 🙂
This month’s subscription-style box offering is titled “Science Fiction Isn’t Just Outer Space”, which includes “non-space related” science fiction themed box – a picture book for younger children, a middle grade family read aloud, a book for older readers, and a book for you, the parent! Typically, science fiction is associated with distant planets, spaceships and alien beings… from outer space. But there is so much more to the genre than just space! I have selected a bunch of books that are still science fiction, but more down to earth. 🙂
As always, every crate will include a booklet with discussion questions and rabbit trail ideas, as well as a link to a page on our site with additional links, booklists, movies and documentaries, and printable activities to go along with the books. We sold out of the December 2018 “Happy Holidays!” and January 2019 “We Need a Shero!” crates, so don’t wait too long if you want this one. We’ll be packing and shipping the February 2019 boxes very soon, so order yours today!
All remaining 2018 crates are now on sale for $25.00.
So far, we only have one conference appearance scheduled in 2019. We’ll be at the VAHomeschoolers Conference scheduled for March 22 – 23. If you are anywhere near or within travel distance to Williamsburg, VA, we will be there in March! We will keep everyone updated if any more events are scheduled.
We are actively looking into a couple other potential appearances.
Are you looking for a fun reading challenge for the whole family? Well look no further! I created the BYL Reading Challenge, a list of 40 reading prompts to help you and your children stretch your reading muscles in 2019. Head over to our blog and download your checklist today! We also have a Goodreads group where we can chat about our reading progress and share book recommendations. It’s a great way to feel connected to a community and get inspired to pick up a book and read!
Back in October I recorded a podcast with Homeschool Snapshots, and it was published in December. We chatted about my homeschooling style, what books we were reading, and how we use literature as the foundation for our homeschooling. It was a lot of fun and I hope you will all go and give it a listen!
Level 12 is chugging right along, on target to be released this summer (just in time for the next school year). The other day I posted a teaser picture on Instagram with my revolving book cart of potential books to be included. If you aren’t following us on Instagram, it’s a great way to stay up-to-date on what I’m up to, and it’s also the best place to get previews and sneak-peeks into what I’m currently working on. 😉 I am so excited about the Level 12 booklist already and I’m still in the VERY early stages. But believe me when I say, this is going to end up being one of your favorite years of study.
So many people ask us where they can get the best deals when printing out their instructor guides. For the last year or so, I’ve been telling everyone I can about The Homeschool Printing Company. They are a family run business, they have phenomenal prices, AND they do a beautiful job. I honestly can’t recommend them enough! If you ever see us at a vendor booth, our display copies of all of our instructor guides and unit studies are done by them.
Stay tuned for a new BYL “Tea with Emily” Facebook Live Stream. Every other month, I will host an hour long Build Your Library homeschooling chat. 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 some questions you would like to cover. You can also ask questions during the interactive live stream. Grab a mug of tea (or coffee) and cozy up with our virtual hangout! We are shooting for the first week of February as our kickoff.
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 Family Reading Crate 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 what I’m currently working on or what I’m doing with my kids.
Although not 100% exclusively Build Your Library related, our Arrrgh Schooling YouTube channel has videos about books and homeschooling – but let’s be honest – it’s mostly books. If you want to see unboxing videos for the Family Reading Crates or just want ideas for books to read (either for you for your children) you are sure to find something useful! We also have a BYL Twitter feed where I share links and information about BYL and homeschooling.
I hope your school year is rolling along! If you are looking for inspiration this month, here are some articles you might find helpful:
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