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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
Pierce Freelon: Artist. Author. Dad.
When I think of whose work I want my children to swim in, Pierce Freelon always comes to mind. He's a GRAMMY® nominated artist, picture book author,...
One Big Open Sky: Black Homesteaders
Without hesitation, I'm boldly proclaiming the novel-in-verse One Big Open Sky as one of my top picks for 2024. In this captivating story,...
Picture Books of Black Musicians
Nearly every genre of American music has been influenced by or has roots in African American music, and these picture books of Black musicians will...
Viva Durant and the Mystery at the Masquerade Ball
Viva Durant is an ordinary teenager who becomes an amateur detective while visiting her grandmother in New Orleans. In the series opener, she...
Warrior on the Mound: A Pitch-Perfect Book Celebrating Negro Leagues Baseball
I'm excited to share Warrior on the Mound, a brand-new middle-grade novel! Today is just a regular day for most, but for the mom of a baseball fan,...
Children’s Books About Black Artists
A few years ago, I shared 17 Picture Books Featuring Black Artists, which are still some of my favorite children's books about Black artists. Since...
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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...
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 artist, best...
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 known for...