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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: 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,...
Including #OwnVoices Books
Q: Amber, how do you feel about books featuring Black characters or people written by non-Black authors? My answer: Writer Corinne Duyvis...
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African American Historical Fiction: Stories of the 1800s
Of all the elements of our Black history studies, African American historical fiction is a runaway favorite for my children (and for me too!). These...
Black History Books: Nonfiction Covering the 1800s
These nonfiction Black history books covering the 1800s are part of our broader history plans for the time period. The selections shared below cover...
African American Biographies: Life in the 1800s
These African American biographies covering the lives of people from the 1800s are part of a series of posts on this time period. In my book, A...
Paul Laurence Dunbar Poetry Study
Paul Laurence Dunbar (June 27, 1872 – February 9, 1906) was an American poet, novelist, and short story writer of the late 19th and early 20th...
Picture Books About Slavery and Freedom
I’ll be reading these picture books about slavery and freedom aloud to all of my children during our family morning time next school year, right...
Middle Grade Leisure Reading: An Insider’s View
I'm often asked about what my kids like to read in their free time, and it's always a bit difficult to say because each child prefers different...
A Place to Belong: New Book Announcement!
It is with great pleasure that I announce my new book, A Place to Belong: Celebrating Diversity and Kinship in the Home and Beyond. Since beginning...
Things to Do When Kids Are Bored
Every parent has experienced what happens when kids are bored, and my family is no exception. All of my children have been through the various...
Stories and Songs of Slave Resistance
As part of our Colonial American and Revolutionary War history studies this year, we've been reading through No More! Stories and Songs of Slave...
African American Picture Study: Faith Ringgold
Faith Ringgold (born October 8, 1930 in Harlem, New York City) is an American painter, writer, mixed media sculptor, and performance...
African American Christmas Books for Kids
It took several years, but we finally have a beautiful collection of African American Christmas books for kids that my entire family enjoys. Each...
20 Middle Grade Books: Black Girls Living Life
I've been very vocal about children needing literary mirrors and windows. I've also consistently shared that the books featuring Black people can't...
African American Picture Study: Artist Joshua Johnson
Artist Joshua Johnson (c. 1763—c. 1824) was an American painter of African and European ancestry from the Baltimore area, and he's...
Why I Talk About Black Books so Much
“Why do your kids only read books about Black people? Isn’t that just as bad as white kids never reading about other people?” I assume...
African American Picture Study: Prince Demah
Prince Demah (c. 1745—March 1778) was an African American painter who was formerly enslaved and active in Boston in the late 1700s....
Black Composer: Chevalier de Saint-Georges
Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges (December 25, 1745 – June 12, 1799) was a French classical composer, virtuoso...