If I were to ask you if your life ever felt tranquil, you would probably do one of two things: bust out laughing or look at me like I was from another planet.

I get it, I really do.

Which is why I’m so excited to have the author of one of my absolute tippy-top recommended books with me today. Laura Vanderkam is a time management expert, mother of five, and the author of Tranquility by Tuesday: 9 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters.

Laura suggests that to bring more tranquility to our abundant, unpredictable lives, we don’t need a perfect schedule, what we need is a resilient schedule. In the book, she outlines nine ways that will help us manage the chaos and live joyful, sustainable lives.

It sounds much more accessible, right? Today, we’re going to talk about how we can actually achieve tranquility in our lives, even in the busiest phases of our lives.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How to reframe the way you think about how much time you have (hint: it might be more than you think!)
• Why doing something three times a week counts as a habit
• The rule that gets the most resistance, and why sticking to it is so essential

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

• Read-Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/laura-vanderkam

Join us for the upcoming Circle with Sarah Retreat: Happy Homeschooling

What if I told you there’s an Icelandic Christmas tradition where the whole point is to spend an evening sitting around, sipping hot cocoa, and reading books?

Sign me up, right?

Today, we’re talking about Jolabokaflod, which loosely translates to “Yule Book Flood,” how it started, and how you can bring the magic of this bookish tradition into your home this Christmas.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Where the Icelandic Yule Book Flood first began
• How Jolabokaflod is an invitation to slow down and connect with each other during the busy Christmas season
• The only three things you need for your Jolabokaflod, plus tips from RAR members on how they celebrate

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

• Read-Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/icelandic-christmas

Join us for the upcoming Circle with Sarah Retreat: Happy Homeschooling

We all know there is no shortage of Christmas picture books out there.

But for a book to make it onto my kids’ Christmas stack or onto a Read Aloud Revival Christmas Book List, it has to be excellent.

And the books we choose for Christmas School? Those are the ones that go above and beyond excellent and are some of our most treasured, tippy-top favorite Christmas read-alouds.

Today, I have the author-illustrator of one of my all-time favorite Christmas picture books, Red and Lulu, with me.

You might recognize Matt Tavares from his beloved books Zachary's Ball, Becoming Babe Ruth, or Growing Up Pedro or from his delightful Christmas books in the Dasher series. He’s here to tell us all about his writing and illustrating process, why he loves writing Christmas picture books, and how he created the enchanting journey of Red and Lulu.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How he sets the mood for creating snowy, winter scenes even in the middle of summer
• What Matt always keeps in mind about his audience when writing picture books
• The inspiration behind the tale of Red and Lulu and their journey to New York City

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

• Read-Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/matt-tavares

Join us for the upcoming Circle with Sarah Retreat: Happy Homeschooling