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BLACK CULTURE, HOMESCHOOLING, TRAVEL (AND OTHER THINGS FROM MY SWEET, IMPERFECT LIFE)
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I’m Amber
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My name is Amber O’Neal Johnston, and I started this website to document and discuss the joys and trials of raising my kids to love themselves and others.
The Latest Posts
Book Club Notes: Nic Blake and the Remarkables
My Tweeners book club (4th and 5th grade boys and girls) recently read Nic Blake and the Remarkables by Angie Thomas, and everyone loved it. The...
Book Club Notes: Talkin’ About Bessie
Our 4th and 5th-grade book club recently wrapped up a meeting on Talkin' About Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman, an illustrated...
Book Club Notes: Clayton Byrd Goes Underground
I run a homeschool book club in my local community, and we recently read Clayton Byrd Goes Underground. We have five different age groups meeting in...
NEW! A Place to Belong Paperbook
I'm thrilled to announce that A Place to Belong is now out in paperback with a gorgeous new cover! The new edition is lighter-weight and more...
Delighting in the Days by Wild+Free
I'm excited to be featured in Delighting in the Days, a new 132-page book of some of Wild+Free's best articles on childhood over the past few years....
Books & Things: Agreeing to Disagree
I’ve made a point not to disparage curricula, books, services, or products that fellow homeschool moms have created for this community. In fact,...
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Picture Books About Refugees, Aslyum-Seekers, and Migrants
As part of my lesson plan research, I ran across several children’s books highlighting stories of people who are refugees, asylum-seekers, and...
Our Commitment to Worldschooling
Some of the most efficient and fulfilling ways to raise global citizens are humbly exposing children to meaningful world travel and teaching them to...
Handicrafts: Ideas for Homeschooling
Handicrafts, or handcrafts, are practical or decorative objects made by hand. Often pursued today simply for personal enjoyment, many handicrafts...
Worldschooling Packing List
I shared our Ultimate Packing List for International Travel With Kids five years ago before heading out for our first Worldschooling trip. We still...
Reading Traumatic Stories
My family likes to purchase bookish gifts for our fellow bookworm friends, and sometimes my kids want to snag a little swag for themselves as well....
Alma Thomas: Black Artist Spotlight
Alma Thomas (September 22, 1891 – February 24, 1978) was an African American artist and teacher who lived and worked in Washington, D.C. and is now...
Writing Forewords for Special Books
One of my favorite opportunities as an author is writing forewords for special books, and I especially enjoy working with publishers who are...
Teaching Kids About HBCUs
I love teaching kids about HBCUs. I don't need a special reason to celebrate the beauty of historically black colleges and universities, but...
Slavery at The Hermitage
Andrew Jackson was known as "The People’s President," but of course, it depends on which people you’re talking about. Last week, we spent time...
Teaching Historical Truths
I recently had the honor of being interviewed about teaching our children historical truths by The Learn + Live Letter blog. They asked me to share...
Book Club Notes: Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World
I lead a book club for boys ages 8-10 in our local homeschool support group, and we recently read Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World by...
Finding Good Books on Biblioguides
People often ask me where I find the books that I read with my kids, and the best answer is "here, there, and everywhere," but I do have a few...
Juneteenth Books for Kids
I'm totally pumped about Juneteenth National Independence Day because our favorite community event is back in person after two years of virtual...
A Place to Belong is Here!
I'm so excited to announce that my book, A PLACE TO BELONG, has officially launched! Many thanks to all of you who preordered, those who have...
Join My Book Launch Team!
I’ve got some exciting news: It’s almost time for my first book to be published! It’s called A Place to Belong: Celebrating Diversity and...
Middle Grade Books: Black Boys and Everyday Life
I've been promising this booklist for longer than I care to admit. As soon as I shared 20 Middle Grade Books: Black Girls Living Life, I started...