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In this debut memoir, Obiols Llistar recounts her experience home schooling her three children, the oldest of whom recently reached adulthood. She explains that her dissatisfaction with her two older kids’ experiences in traditional public schools, along with her work as an early childhood educator, led her to remove them from that system to see if they could learn more in a different environment. The author began with a traditional academic curriculum, stocking up on workbooks and turning the dining room table into a workspace. Over time, however, her approach changed (“It’s just that every moment in life is a teachable moment. There’s no need to have it all crammed in one room”), and she allowed her children’s interests to drive their studies, supporting their learning without dictating it—a philosophy known as “unschooling.” The book describes how the family relied on a supportive community, which included a co-op of fellow home-schoolers. She also discusses finding extracurricular activities on a limited budget; the use of outside tutors when the children required specialized expertise; and how a rotating collection of pets kept everyone engaged. In addition, the author writes about how unschooling gave her American children time and space for extended visits with her family in Spain, where they connected to their Catalan heritage and developed relationships with far-flung relatives. Obiols Llistar’s passion for her family’s education strategy is evident throughout the book, and she presents her and her kids’ experience as enjoyable, if occasionally challenging. The book’s prose is clear and easy to follow, and the overall story is engaging. However, the structure of this remembrance has its weaknesses; in particular, several of its chapters, including a short one about educational theorist and unschooling advocate John Holt, are entirely disconnected from the surrounding text, which makes for choppy, disjointed reading. Readers may appreciate its lighthearted look into one family’s life, however, and home schooling and unschooling families will likely pick up inspirational ideas for their own learning activities.

A solid memoir about working outside the traditional educational system.