We are running out of space on our bookshelves. Again. I don’t know how this happens. We have a wall-sized built in bookshelf, as well as several smaller ones. But there is never enough room for good books. And we can’t possibly stop buying them!
The concept of living books is what drew me to the Charlotte Mason homeschooling style. I was a bookworm growing up, and I’ve always felt that I learned more from books I read on my own than from my classes at school. When we began homeschooling, I’ve watched my own children devouring books and telling me all kinds of things I’d never known before (while finding every excuse to procrastinate with the more “schooly” textbooks and workbooks). As I read more about Charlotte Mason’s philosophy, I found myself shifting to narration, copy work, and dictation rather than worksheets. Some of our fondest homeschooling memories are of reading books together as a family. Even my older kids still enjoy family read alouds.
Living books – well-written and engaging fiction and non-fiction written by authors passionate about their subjects – give our children not only the facts but also an emotional, personal connection to the material. Living books that align with our values reinforce the unspoken messages our children absorb in our homes and help them grow into better people.
Such books also help children retain information. It’s one thing to read about Ancient Egypt in a fact-filled textbook. It’s quite another to experience life in Ancient Egypt through the eyes of a fictional character (like Kaffe in The Boy of the Pyramids by Ruth Fosdick Jones). And that’s what well written historical fiction does – it transports us to its historical period and allows us to see it and experience it ourselves.
History is not the only subject that can be studied with living books. We’ve used literature-based curriculum for just about any subject, from math (Life of Fred) to science (Sassafras Science Adventures) to geography (Holling C. Holling’s books). Over the years, I’ve compiled various book lists for different ages and topics. Some of these books are available in the library while others aren’t. Too many good books are out of print. Maybe that’s why our bookshelves are overflowing…
I am always happy to discuss book recommendations. Feel free to ask in our Facebook group!
And if the Charlotte Mason homeschooling style appeals to you just as much as it appeals to me, don’t miss the Charlotte Mason Inspired Summit – March 27th – 29th, 2022 at Digital Homeschool Convention.
Not sure if the summit is for you? No problem! Sign up for our Free Year-Round Homeschool Convention and enjoy a selection of homeschool wisdom from previous events.
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