Bright Wings: Children’s Books to Make the Heart Soar
How do you know a good book when you see it? What books are really worth reading? The purpose of this conversation is to help mothers and fathers identify books that will liberate their children to embrace truth, goodness, and beauty. We’ll be pondering questions of life and lifestyle as we seek to become people who live deeply and read deeply, drawing our children into the adventure of reading and living.
- Update frequency
- every 14 days
- Average duration
- 31 minutes
- Episodes
- 68
- Years Active
- 2020 - 2025
Episode 22: Best Early Readers and Beginning Chapter Books
What kind of books are we looking for when our child first learns to read? First, Charity demystifies some of the lingo surrounding early readers. (What are early readers? WHY early readers? What are…
Hollowed Out: A Parent-Teacher Conference With Jeremy Adams
Are you ready to have the biggest parent-teacher conference of your life? Listen as Jeremy Adams describes the pandemic of vacuity that is afflicting our young people. A decorated and most-beloved CA…
Episode 20: How To Go To The Library
At listener request, Charity answers some of your most practical and theoretical questions about going to the library. Should you go to the library? What should you do about story time? Can going to…
Books Worth Reading? Review of Pax and Here in the Real World
As part of an ongoing initiative, Charity Hill reviews children's books. In this episode, Charity reviews two novels by Sara Pennypacker: Pax and Here In The Real World. In Pax, we find a deep relati…
Episode 19: Mother Culture: Taking Care of Your Heart, With Marcie Stokman
Marcie Stokman, founder and president of Well-Read Mom, joins Charity for a conversation. Marcie tells of the need she saw that motivated her to found Well-Read Mom. Marcie and Charity share how deep…
Episode 18: Stories For Strong Girls
Stories of strong girls and women show us that there is something distinctive about being a girl, about being a woman. Good literature, with strong female characters, has so much to offer! We wonder…
Episode 17: In Conversation With Julian Peters On Comics and Beauty, Part II
Finish the conversation between Julian Peters, comic artist of Poems to See By and Charity Hill. We reflect on Julian's visual interpretation of "Those Winter Sundays" by Robert Hayden from Poems …
Episode 16: In Conversation With Julian Peters On Comics and Beauty, Part I
Join the first part of the conversation with Julian Peters, comic artist of Poems to See By as he teaches Charity the differences between comics and illustrations. They reflect on two of Julian's vis…
Books Worth Reading? Review of The War That Saved My Life
As part of an ongoing initiative, Charity Hill reviews children's books. In this episode, Charity reviews Kimberly Brubaker Bradley's The War That Saved My Life. In the book review series, Charity of…
Episode 15: Tall Tales or This World is Larger Than Life
Join Charity Hill's glee as she explores tall tales. She distinguishes what makes tall tales a distinct kind of story from fairy tales. Then, she explores why tall tales are fun--and funny! She wonde…
Episode 14: Poetry: Surprised By Joy!
Poetry? Really? Do we have to?! This episode proposes that poetry will surprise you with joy. We discuss how poetry changes our experience of time, deepens our experience of meaning, and sparks joy. …
Books Worth Reading? Review of the Midwife's Apprentice
As part of an emerging initiative, Charity Hill reviews children's books. In this episode, Charity reviews Karen Cushman's Newberry Winner (1996) The Midwife's Apprentice. In the book review series, …
Episode 13: Gardening as Humanizing with Katherine Leaño
In this interview with Katherine Leaño, you'll be encouraged to embrace the paradox of your humanity. You'll hear how gardening can help you and your children become more human, rested, integrated, a…
Books Worth Reading? Review of Fancy Nancy Series
Is the Fancy Nancy series a series worth reading? We wonder "How can glitter be compatible with depth, with meaning?" What is a parent to do with an intelligent little girl's need for sparkle? We rev…
Episode 12: What A Family Can Do
After reviewing Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorensen, I was more aware of the miracles of in our every day circumstances. I share with you an encounter between my family and our orthodontist w…
Books Worth Reading? Review of Miracles on Maple Hill
As part of a new initiative, Charity Hill reviews specific children's books. In this episode, Charity reviews Virginia Sorensen's 1956 Newberry winner Miracle on Maple Hill. In the book review serie…
Episode 11: Family Spirituality and Fiction
Charity Hill interviews Margaret Bereit regarding how fiction can shape family spirituality. What do you value that is real but "invisible"? How can fiction help to make what is unseen more tangible …
Episode 10: Resilience!
Charity Hill interviews Trisha Galvan LPC and LCPC on the beautifully human word "resilience," a word worth exploring. Trisha defines what resilience looks like and discusses the importance of commun…
Books Worth Reading? Review of Crispin, The Cross of Lead
Charity Hill begins a new initiative within Bright Wings to help mothers and fathers identify whether specific books are worth reading. She begins with Avi's Newberry winner (2003) Crispin: The Cross…
Episode 9: Why Fairy Tales?
Charity Hill reflects on why fairy tales are worth reading and confronts some of the unworthy reasons they are frowned upon. She suggests that fairy tales affirm that good triumphs over evil, how cl…