As the beginning of a new school year dawns during an unprecedented time, I have overheard numerous education-related, concerned conversations during my daily errand running. For each one of these troubled parents, I wish I could put into his or her hands a copy of Sally Clarkson's new book, Awaking Wonder. Her words would slow heart rates and blanket readers with peace as she shares gentle wisdom cultivated over the years of raising and educating her four now-adult children and releasing them into the world with a gift of "loving home, loving learning, and having a vibrant life," reflecting the foundation established upon wonder and curiosity. This served as an anchor to foster their current vocational pursuits as well.

Awaking Wonder is the legacy of the Clarkson family. You will be introduced to principles helpful to forging your own path for your family, regardless of the educational choices you make, because their design is easily incorporated into daily living.

Sally and her husband, Clay, will easily admit that they did not parent nor educate perfectly, but they relentlessly pursued their vision based on their ideals rather than ones created by societal norms. I appreciate their non-formulaic approach undergirded by the philosophy that each person, each family is uniquely created by God, and to use Sally's idea, presents to the world its own "puzzle." Her words do not, therefore, reflect a cookie-cutter approach to life and learning.

For the reader who desires a definite "do this...do that" list, you will not find that here, but you will find far more. In a world focused on pragmatic, measurable results, Sally's approach provides freedom to ignite a sense of wonder and delight, unique to each family puzzle.

Feast upon the principles generously offered within these pages and create your own recipe for a delectable life-giving home and education.

At this time in history many parents are seeking different for their children and themselves. This book is a great resource for that. Sally Clarkson has been a prevalent voice in home education for a while now so I was very excited to get my hands on this book. I did not find it to be the most scintillating read, there were parts that were a little too long winded but it is a treasure of information that can be useful.
I want to encourage and grow a love of learning as well as curiosity for life and all that it can offer in my nieces and nephews and hopefully one day my own children, this book provides tools and resources to do this. The book includes anecdotes which may or may not be helpful. I believe that each child is different along with their experiences of the exact same thing so I don't hold too tightly to subjective anecdotes but they do provide possible insight.
I do recommend this book even if you don't or have no plans to homeschool. As your child's first and most influential teacher you can still glean valuable, usable information.

As a homeschooling mom of 5, with the youngest now 14, I was particularly interested to read what the author had to say & compare it with my own experiences.

It's a wonderful perspective on fostering a sense of awe & appreciation for God's creation. Each chapter discusses an aspect of homeschooling and how it fits into our overarching purpose. There are also plenty of inspiring quotes and personal anecdotes interspersed.

My conclusion is, yes, it's worth the read - for new homeschoolers, as well as for those who are considering it or those who can use a better sense of direction or a renewed sense of purpose. It would also make a terrific gift

This has been such an inspiring way to prepare for the upcoming school year with my kids, but honestly, I think this would feel timely and important no matter when I read it. I really appreciate Sally Clarkson's gentle wisdom and encouragement in parenting and loving others. Her advice comes from a place of understanding what it's like to be in the trenches with children who don't fit "the mold," and I always walk away from time spent listening to/reading her works wanting to be a better, more godly, more present mom. I can see why Sally Clarkson considers this her "magnum opus," and I can see myself returning to it every year or two just to remind myself of my own vision and hopes. She describes how she parented and educated without making me feel like I had to create an identical home. Still she inspired me to look beyond the immediate and measurable needs of educating my kids and go after their heart instead. I'm a big fan of Sally Clarkson's writing and speaking and this was great timing! (I'm also looking forward to her free homeschool conference in the coming days that's based around this book!)
(I did receive a free advance copy via NetGalley in return for an honest review)

Reading Awaking Wonder has been such an encouragement to me as a parent. I long to grow deeper in learning to cultivate a relationship with my children through stories and activities that we can share together and point them back to our Heavenly Father. Sally's words and personal stories have given me the tools and wisdom to look at my children as souls longing to learn and grow in grace.

Here is a quote from the book that I just loved "Children given time to engage the gift of wonder to feel free to imagine, to dream and pretend. This leads them to grow in knowledge as they find the relationship of all that swirling in their minds to the world in which they live. They are free to take time to wonder and imagine and think." I would recommend this book to you if you like me came from a traditional school background and need inspiration in helping your children grow in education and helping them peruse their God-given passions.

Sometimes as a mother I tend to separate school and faith. Awaking Wonder helped me to see the learning of my kiddos in a different way. Even though where we live It's not allowed to homeschool I definitely will be more involved in the learning process of my boys. It encouraged me to use the learning time to nurture the hearts of my boys. Our goal is to raise boys with a strong foundation that can impact other peoples lifes wherever God places them.

Awaking Wonder: Opening Your Child’s Heart to the Beauty of Learning by Sally Clarkson could not have released at a better time for me. We recently started home educating our oldest and this book has been such a blessing. Sally is a wealth of wisdom about home education. I love that in her new book she has chosen to focus on how to awake the wonder in them. She describes how they grew a love for learning. I have followed Sally online and read many of her books. I am thankful for her ministry and her heart for others. I also appreciate the Sally has four grown children that love to learn and love God. She is sharing what she has lived.

With so many ways to educate your children, any parent would be blessed by this book and Sally’s ministry.

If you’ve read The Lifegiving Series by Sally Clarkson then you will definitely want to read Awaking Wonder. This is like the continuation but now taking on home educating our children and cultivating a love of learning and wonder in their lives. It’s full of life and great ideas and always bringing it back to Jesus and seeing our role as home educator as unto the Lord. Hands down one of the more encouraging home educating books that’s totally from a Christ Centered Family perspective.
My favorite quote from the book: Wonder leads to imagination, where we connect dots to dots in complex thought processes. The more truth we gather, the more food for thought we are fed, the more concepts we understand, the more vigorous our intellect grows.

The thing that has always drawn me to Sally Clarkson and her books, her story, her as a person is the way that she inspires hope and wonder in the lives of anyone who will listen. Regardless of life's difficulties (even now!), she sees the goodness and the hand of god in all of it and will inspire you to do the same. Seeing the best in her children, inspiring them to thrive and grow into the humans that God created them to be with Him at the center of it all.

In perfect timing and alignment with all that is happening in our world, so many uncertainties in how to teach guide and inspire our children, Awaking Wonder is born.

Within these pages, Sally encourages you to unlock the hidden potential of your child's imagination, learning capacity, and ability to engage authentically with the world around them. She lovingly guides you, through the sharing of her story, to more confidence in your role as a parent and as a "God designed guide and teacher" for your children. Cultivating a mind that is so rooted in truth that it is able to stand up against today's social norms. Something the world around us discourages.

Whether you home school or not you will find an abundance of life giving encouragement and advice that is not only timely but relevant and useful.

The best kind of homeschooling or parenting book is the kind that makes me want to put the book down to go love my family better, and _Awaking Wonder_ definitely did that.

This book provides practical help and an up-close look at what Sally and her family's days looked like when her children were at home. More than that, though, it provides a vision for home-education that strengthens a family's relationships while delighting children and parents alike. Her vision for education inspires wonder at God and the world He's created, and this book provides parents with foundational theories and practical advice to embark or continue along such a path. I also felt so encouraged to read about her family's relationships now that her children are adults!

Sally's wisdom, gracious demeanor, and solid convictions provide such practical help and beautiful encouragement to a mom's heart. I highly recommend to anyone (regardless of their chosen form of education) who wants to inspire in their kids a lifelong love of learning.

Awaking Wonder by Sally Clarkson is her best book yet. I have been a fan of this author’s work for a long time. But this book brings all of her best together in a fun, accessible form. I highly recommend it to parents of children of all ages. You will adore it. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

i went into this blindly and was left quite satisfied,though this was not really written for people my age.

Well written and original; a perspective we desperately need in today's testing-focused achievement-based world. A little too much build-up/lead in for me, but still a worthwhile read.

Once again, Sally does it! Sally is one of my most beloved "mentors" and this book is a great example of why! If you're feeling inadequate, nervous about educating, or just burnt out....grab a copy. Sally has opened my eyes to a new way to homeschool my kids. I am so excited for this year!

Such a timely book and encouraging read for this homeschool mama!!

As I have been reading through Awaking Wonder, I am reminded of the importance of learning not only for myself, but also the importance of teaching my children in this world about wonder, beauty, truth, and goodness. I have read a few of Sally’s book and recommend them often to my mama friends.

This book is so timely with all we are facing in this political/covid/fast-paced/loud world, so many mom’s are struggling with what to do about their children’s education (and it saddens me to think that they feel like they don’t have options outside of public school, but we always have a choice), and this book will be so helpful to see the beauty of learning can be and should be. She provides encouraging truth, shares stories from her time of teaching her own children, that encourage me, she is like a mentor in a way through her words. This book is like a follow up to their book Educating the Wholehearted Child that I first read when starting on the homeschool journey, many years ago. This book was so refreshing and has reminded me the reason why I homeschool and why I will continue and encourage others to do so also.

Mama’s I can’t encourage you enough to pick up this book and read it. If you want to raise your children with a healthy mind, vibrant faith, passion, and wonder, let Sally’s wisdom and experience show you there is another way, along with Scripture. I have so many highlights in my book and am looking forward to getting the companion journal guide that goes with it, to work at a deeper level. I would love to get a small group together to do this!!

I don’t homeschool because it is easy, it isn’t always, there are moments, but this… “One of the greatest delights of educating my children was getting to learn from them.” well said Sally Clarkson! Not only that, but seeing them grow and learn themselves!! The Lord is faithful!

I read Awaking Wonder by Sally Clarkson as a mom with grown children but also considering it from the perspective of my three nieces who have young children (as a book recommendation or gift). Sally describes the incredible and intentional home and routine she created for her own four kids and I love and agree with the things she describes. But I also felt like it was too easy to then make it a comparison – she did this awesome thing with her kids but I never did, she described the enriching routine that I could never have followed, etc. And I wonder if it would be encouraging or inspirational to a mom in the midst of life with littles, or if it would be discouraging and feel like something that would be really hard to attain? I read the book all at once across a couple days and it might be better to spread out over time, looking for small ideas or inspirations to consider rather than all at once. I did enjoy reading about this family since I read Book Girl by Sarah Clarkson who is her daughter and it was interesting to see the description of the home she was raised in. I voluntarily received and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book on Net Galley, all opinions are my own.

This book is a great foundation of education (either yourself, your children, or others through your ministry) and parenting. I really found it a very informative read, but even so, Clarkson wrote with the style of words between friends. It felt conspirational, but in the good way!

You will open this book with anticipation, longing and intrigue. I am now going to find out how to educate my children to be academic and pursue a great education as adults. And then you finish thinking, ok so is there a second book? Have I missed something? Where was the education part? And so I pondered this for a while, a little disappointed by the book and then it dawned on me, Sally did not do anything, she had no curriculum, no formula, no tests, no schedule, do this at 9am and this at 9.15 and this at 9.30 etc etc. And that is exactly what she is trying to convey! So by looking at this book as a step by step guide you will come away with nothing, Sally is opening our eyes to a different way, the Clarkson way. A way where children are viewed as “born persons” (Charlotte Mason) and because we are so conditioned to believe that education is sitting at a desk for a set amount of time each day, learning a list of facts and writing tests on what facts we managed to keep in our brains, we miss what her message is.
This is a great book, Awaking you to the Wonder of education that does not look at all like education. The Clarkson’s goal in education was never to get a good college degree, it feels like that was just something that happened along the way. Their goal was learning for life, to never stop being interested in new things and the beauty of the world around them and above all to love God. The Clarkson way has produced life learners and people who love and follow God, they have succeeded but it is not finished because the goal was for life learners not just to get through college. That is the mindset we have to change and once we get that right we will understand the Clarkson education. We cannot think inside the box, Sally has shown us that there is another way and that way can be successful.
I hope that you enjoy this book and walk away with renewed ideas on what education could look like for your children who were “born persons”.
Well done Clarksons