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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
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...
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...
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Book Club Notes: The Last Last Day of Summer
Our last book club meeting of the regular school year was The Last Last Day of Summer by Lamar Giles. Each month, I try to share the notes I use...
Ashley Bryan: African American Artist & Author Spotlight
Ashley Bryan (born July 13, 1923) is an American writer and illustrator of children's books, most of his subjects represent the Black experience,...
Juneteenth Books: Celebrating Freedom!
Last year, I wrote a little about what Juneteenth means to my family, and I shared about a road trip we took that gave us a chance to sit in the...
Black Cowboys Booklist: Finding Joy in History
There is hard history in every time period, but for the next two years, my family will be focusing on an especially tough time in U.S. history. A...
Sweet Tea & Cookies Multicultural Enrichment Guide
Sweet Tea & Cookies is a multicultural family celebration of the American South. But it’s not about state flags, birds, flowers, and capital...
Living Books vs. Lifegiving Books with Charlotte Mason
Last year, I gave a talk about books as mirrors and windows. Some of you may have heard it. There was much more to it than just this, but to...
Heritage Hymns: Curated Multicultural Hymns
“Heritage Hymns” is a curated collection of multicultural hymnal studies born of my desire to expand the traditional offering of resources for my...
17 Picture Books Featuring Black Artists
My children are drawn to stories of real-life creators fueled by passion, purpose, resilience, and imagination. We read books on all sorts of...
African American Picture Study: Augusta Savage
Augusta Savage (February 29, 1892 – March 27, 1962) was an outstanding sculptor associated with the intellectual and cultural awakening known as the...
Recent Podcasts and Videos: Homeschooling, Worldschooling, and Motherhood
One of the things I love most about my work with Heritage Mom is getting to speak with dynamic women who inspire me with their questions and...
Black History Books Covering Colonial America and Revolutionary War Time Period (1650-1800 AD)
I've heard from many of you who have appreciated my Black history book recommendations for Early Modern (800-1650), 1800s Slavery, Civil War &...
Hallelujah! Booklist: Bible Stories With Images of Black People
My path to including black Biblical images in our home started with a treasured photograph that I keep on my desk. It's an up close picture of me...
Book Club Notes: The Toothpaste Millionaire
I'm excited to share our experience with The Toothpaste Millionaire with you. Each month, I try to share the notes I use while leading a book club...
Soulful Hymns for a Culturally-Rich Hymn Study
I recently wrote about how we approach Charlotte Mason hymn study in our home. One of the things that continues to bring us joy is incorporating a...
Books as Mirrors & Windows With Simply Charlotte Mason
I recently had the pleasure of sitting down to chat about books as mirrors and windows with Sonya Shafer from Simply Charlotte Mason. We had a great...
Book Review: Christmas Gif’ by Charlamae Rollins
I just have so much to say about this book. It is not a typical Christmas book and I mentioned it in African American Christmas Books We Love,...