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About The Book

“A straightforward, practical guide that takes an anyone-can-do-this approach” (Kirkus Reviews), The Brainy Bunch outlines the Harding family’s well-rounded method for producing college-ready kids by age twelve.

Having six out of ten kids go to college is no small feat on its own, but having six kids in college before their teens—that’s nothing short of incredible. “Never judgmental and not without humor,” this “fascinating read” (Library Journal) is Kip and Mona Lisa Harding’s story of producing exactly those extraordinary results. Kip and Mona Lisa are parents to an engineer (who earned her BS in mathematics at seventeen), an architect (who became the youngest member of the American Institute of Architects), a Navy physician (who earned her biology degree at seventeen), an entrepreneur (who earned an MS in computer science at seventeen), a sixteen-year-old college senior studying music theory and performance, a thirteen-year-old Middle Ages scholar with the highest average in his college class, and four others who are following fast in their siblings’ footsteps! No wonder the family is so used to being asked: How did you do it?

In an “impressive” (Publishers Weekly), down-to-earth narrative, Kip and Mona Lisa reveal with warmth and humility the strategies behind their family’s amazing educational accomplishments. Filled with daily regimens, advice for providing children with fulfilling experiences that go beyond the home, and tips for making the transition to college, theirs is an inspirational real-life success story that anyone can achieve—whether you homeschool your children or not.

Featured on the Today show and FOX, The Brainy Bunch is uplifting and ultimately relatable proof of what any family can accomplish through dedication, love, faith, and hard work.

About The Authors

Mark Gooch

Kitchener (Kip) Harding and Mona Lisa Montoya were high school sweethearts in San Jose, California. Kip asked Mona Lisa to the prom and proposed a few weeks later. After four kids, they decided to turn to homeschooling, and their success paved the way for their children to start college by the age of twelve and go on to great careers in medicine, engineering, architecture, and more. They have been interviewed on CNN, the Today show, and Fox and Friends; featured in The Daily Mail; and covered in several prominent magazines. They live in Montgomery, Alabama, with their ten children.

Mark Gooch

Kitchener (Kip) Harding and Mona Lisa Montoya were high school sweethearts in San Jose, California. Kip asked Mona Lisa to the prom and proposed a few weeks later. After four kids, they decided to turn to homeschooling, and their success paved the way for their children to start college by the age of twelve and go on to great careers in medicine, engineering, architecture, and more. They have been interviewed on CNN, the Today show, and Fox and Friends; featured in The Daily Mail; and covered in several prominent magazines. They live in Montgomery, Alabama, with their ten children.

Product Details

Raves and Reviews

"Never judgmental and not without humor, the [Hardings] intersperse their story with strategies and advice...this fascinating read transcends the Christian homeschool market. Written in an engaging and relaxed style, the book tells how all 12 Hardings have accomplished much, and their account is inspirational and uplifting."

– Library Journal

"Motivated by their Christian faith and dissatisfaction with the lack of personal attention children receive in the classroom...the Hardings chose to homeschool their children -- all 10 of them. [T]he work ethic and family bonding are impressive, as are the children's career successes."

– Publishers Weekly

"Through home schooling, the Hardings were able to attain [their] goals and much more, as evidenced by the success of their children...the methods defined here could work for others willing to buck convention."

– Kirkus

"[T]he Hardings' story is very much one of putting love and family first. They are not pushing their children to overachieve -- they are helping them to find their own unique potential."

– BookPage

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