The Conversations That Happen Around Picture Books

Wonder often begins with simply slowing down long enough to notice.

Over Mother’s Day this past weekend, we took a family walk together. It was one of those blustery spring days — still chilly, but irresistibly sunny. As we walked, one of the girls looked high into the swaying branches and spotted a delicate hanging nest. We’re pretty sure it was an oriole nest.

I’ve always been someone who notices little things in nature (I got that from my mom), and seeing my children noticing the world that way too truly warms my heart. Those tiny details, like the bird nests, budding trees, or ants hard at work, all feel like reminders of our beautiful Designer.

And honestly, that’s one reason we care so deeply about stories.

Good stories slow families down long enough to notice beauty, ask questions, and wonder out loud together.

When we read with our children, it becomes less about simply passing along information and more about discovery. A child curled beside you with a picture book in their lap already feels safe before the first page is even turned.

Kids may not remember every lesson we try to teach them, but they do remember what they felt.

Why Bedtime Stories Matter More Than We Think

Some of my favorite memories as a mom happen at bedtime.

The kids are fresh out of the bath, in clean pajamas, curled up beneath warm lamplight for one final story before sleep. There’s something comforting about ending the day that way. It feels like gathering the family back together again after the busyness of everything else.

And bedtime is often when the deeper questions surface.

Some of the sweetest conversations happen long after the lights are supposed to be out.

Maybe children are partly trying to delay bedtime a little longer, but I also think those quiet moments help them process what’s really on their hearts — fears, excitement, disappointment, courage, or questions they couldn’t quite articulate earlier in the day.

Stories help give children language for emotions they don’t yet fully know how to explain.

In Made to Fly Free, Little Peep longs to leave the nest, but that excitement is mixed with uncertainty. And because children can relate to those feelings, the story naturally opens the door for meaningful conversations.

Questions like:

Can you think of a time you had to wait for something?
Have you ever felt excited and nervous at the same time?

Those kinds of conversations matter so much more to me than simply checking another item off our homeschool list.

A Story Designed for Conversation

While I was waiting on illustrations last summer, I decided to create a companion Story Guide to go along with the book.

I wanted it to feel less like “extra material” and more like an invitation for families to linger a little longer together at bedtime, during snack time, or while sitting outside on a warm afternoon.

The guide includes conversation prompts like:

What does courage look like?
Why does growth take time?
What does it mean to trust God?
What does freedom in Christ look like in everyday life?

Stories have a way of slowing us down long enough to notice wonder again.

These are the kinds of conversations I hope happen naturally after the last page.

The Story Guide also includes simple nature-based activities that help children engage more deeply with the story and the world around them.

Last year, after finding a couple bird nests blown down during storms, I had the girls try building their own nests using sticks and grasses the way birds do. They quickly realized how difficult it actually is, and it led to such a sweet conversation about how God designed birds with special instincts and abilities for the work they were created to do.

Those small moments inspired so much of the heart behind this guide.

Stories as Part of Family Legacy

Stories really can become part of a family legacy.

Yes, books entertain us. They delight us and spark imagination, but they also can shape hearts.

In a loud world, I think it’s especially important to make space for stories that help us sit beside our children long enough to hear what’s happening inside their hearts.

You don’t need perfect homeschool plans or elaborate devotionals to create meaningful moments of discipleship.

Sometimes it simply looks like sitting on the couch with a picture book in your lap and a child tucked beneath the crook of your arm, quietly taking in beautiful illustrations and meaningful words together.

Those calm moments matter more than we realize.

If you’re longing for more moments like this in your home, Made to Fly Free officially launches on May 19th. It would truly mean so much to have your family read it together.

The book also includes access to a companion Story Guide filled with discussion prompts, activities, and nature-inspired learning ideas for your family.

I’d genuinely love to hear:

What’s something your family has noticed in nature lately that sparked wonder or conversation?