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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
Black Verse Novels for Young People
I adore poetry, and in recent years, I've clung to Black verse novels for myself, my children, and the kiddos in my book club. Narrative poetry is...
HBCU Made: A Celebration of the Black College Experience
Attending an HBCU changed my life, and the new book HBCU Made: A Celebration of the Black College Experience reminded me of how profound the...
Why Race Matters in Children’s Literature
If I had a dollar for every time someone tells me that race shouldn’t matter when it comes to choosing children’s books, I’d be writing this post...
Historic Home Field Trips: Frederick Douglass’ Cedar Hill
I love taking historic home field trips with my family. Scroll to the end to check out the article I wrote for Simple Homeschool to learn more about...
Picture Books Aren’t Just for Little Kids
Picture books aren't just for little kids. Some of the best books my family has read are illustrated children’s books intended for a young audience...
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...
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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...
Is It Ever Okay to Read Twaddle?
In a recent interview, I shared my thoughts about the use of twaddle in a Charlotte Mason home (or any home, for that matter). I've linked to the...
1800s Black History Books
My family will be studying the 19th century in the fall, and I’m excited to share my 1800s Black history books on enslavement, the Civil War, and...
My Charlotte Mason Homeschool Schedule
A while back, I wrote about Scheduling My Charlotte Mason Homeschool Day, and much of what I shared then still applies. We tweak things each term...
Our Morning Time Booklist
Morning time can mean many things to different people, but one aspect that I find consistent is that it's an important and well-loved time of day in...
Diversity in a Charlotte Mason Education
Some people feel that a Charlotte Mason education lacks diversity, and I understand where that idea is coming from. There are those who feel that...