Introducing Living Books of Today

As a parent, librarian and avid reader, nothing has inspired me more [ok. God's Grace inspires me more!] than Miss Charlotte Mason and her approach to education. The ladies at Amblesideonline (AO) have done a SUPERB job of building a full Charlotte Mason style homeschooling curriculum for FREE. There are other similar curriculums at Mater Amabillis and An Old-Fashioned Education.

With your help, I will be building a list of "Living Books" published since the end of World War II. Feel free to email me, or leave in the comments, your suggestions for books to be included in this list.

Check back from time-to-time to see updates to the initial list. I have a lot to learn about how to organize this!! I'm sure a web site would be better for it than a blog, so I'm looking into that. How do I go about setting one up and all that? Do I provide links to enable purchase of these materials or not? hmmmmmm

How, for example, do I keep this post on the first page of the blog at all times?? How do I keep the lists straight?!!

Update on this Blog

One of my friends asked about this so here goes: This blog has tons of useful information, but is a BIG MESS! I started it without thinking it thru [typical]!!! I add to it as time/mood occurs. I haven't worked on some areas--like history, because I have so many ideas!!

I'll be adding a few new titles for the start of school, so check back!

Living Books of Today--Teen Years to Adults

Character

Augustine's Conversion
Beautiful Girlhood by Karen Andreola
Cross and the Switchblade by David Wilkerson
Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther
Eric by Doris Lund
Every Young Man's Battle by Stephen Arterburn
Every Young Woman's Battle by Shannon Ethridge
Footprints of a Pilgrim by Ruth Bell Graham
How Should We Then Live? by Francis Schaeffer
In His Steps by Charles Sheldon
Just as I am by Billy Graham
A Man Called Peter by Catherine Marshall
Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan

Bible Study & Devotionals

Genesis Finding Our Roots by Ruth Beechick


History [Divided by Country or Era)

American History


Autobiography of Malcolm X

Nature Study & Natural History

All Creatures Great and Small

All Things Bright and Beautiful by James Herriot

All Things Wise and Wonderful by James Herriot

The Lord God Made them All by James Herriot

Every Living Thing by James Herriot

Catwatching by Desmond Morris

Dogwatching by Desmond Morris

Horsewatching by Desmond Morris

Man Who Listens to Horses by Monty Roberts

That Quail, Robert by Margaret Stanger

The Sierra Club Guide to Sketching in Nature, Revised Edition

Science


Cuckoo's Egg, Clifford Stoll
Lives of a Cell by Lewis Thomas
I am Joe's Body by Ratcliff [out-of-print but available used]

Geography and other Cultures


Across China by Peter Jenkins

Along the Edge of American by Peter Jenkins

Listening to America by Bill Moyers

Looking for Alaska by Peter Jenkins

Walk Across America by Peter Jenkins

Walk West by Peter and Barbara Jenkins


River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey by Candice Millard [I am creating lesson plans to go with this book. It is amazing!]


Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux

Kingdom by the Sea by Paul Theroux

Riding the Iron Rooster by Paul Theroux

Literature

Fine Arts

Agony and Ecstacy by Irving Stone
Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
Janson's 7th edition
The Yellow House: Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Nine Turbulent Weeks in Provence by Martin Gayford


Poetry

Hymns

Folksongs

Living Books of Today Middle Years (age 7-12 depending on the child)

Character


Bible Study & Devotionals

23rd Psalm by Tim Ladwig

The Lord's Prayer by Tim Ladwig

Biographies

Anastasia's Album by Hugh Brewster [Sadly, it may be out-of-print, but is available used]

Eleanor by Barbara Cooney


History

Nature Study & Natural History

One Small Square (series) by Donald M. Silve and Patricia Wynne [Series include: Woods, Coral Reef, Backyard, Night Sky and many more. They are EXCELLENT.]

Where the Lillies Bloom by Bill Cleaver and Vera Cleaver


Science

How the Body Works by Steve Parker

How Science Works by Judith Hann

How Weather Works by Michael Allaby

How Nature Works by Reader's Digest


Math

How Math Works by Carol Vorderman

Phantom Toolbooth by by Norton Juster and Jules Feiffer [Probably belongs in the Teen Years due to the math concepts, but it's a good read-aloud at this age]

For a HUGE list of GREAT math titles see "Living Math"


Geography


Boy Who Sailed Around the World Alone by Robin Lee Graham [sadly out-of-print and the used copies today are expensive. Try Interlibrary loan. It's really not to be missed!]

Children Just Like Me by

Kon Tiki for Young People by Thor Hyerdal (Out-of-Print. Try interlibrary loan. It's wonderful.)


Minn of the Mississippi by Holling C. Hollings

Tree in the Trail by Holling C. Hollings

[The other Hollings books are for slightly younger children, but can certainly be enjoyed by this age. Beautiful Feet sells a study guide and incredible maps to go with these books. The maps really do add to the experience.]

Literature


The Adventures of Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren

Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

Belles on Their Toes by Frank Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey

Caleb's Story by Patricia MacLachlan

Caps For Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank Gilbreth & Ernestine Gilbreth Carey

Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliet

Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan

Grandfather's Story by Patricia MacLachlan

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling NOTE: This is the only one of the series I personally think is appropriate for this age group. You may disagree--that's fine! The rest of the series will be on the Teen--Adult list.

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke NOTE: I have not previewed the others in this trilogy. Some parents may object to this as it includes elements of fanatasy.

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

Justin Morgan Had a Horse [and the other titles of hers] by Marguerite Henry

The Littles by John Peterson

Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

More Perfect than the Moon by Patricia MacLachlan

Sarah Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan

The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary Blackwood

Skylark by Patricia MacLachlan

Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle

Composers & Music

Dance Me a Story: 12 Tales from Classical Ballets by Jane Rosenberg

Sing Me a Story: The Metropoitan Opera's Book of Opera Stories for Children by Jane Rosenberg

Story of the Orchestra by Robert Levine

Fine Arts

Poetry


Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost illustrated by Susan Jeffers

Hymns



Folksongs

This Land is Your Land, This Land is My Land by Woody Guthrie

Turn, Turn Turn by Pete Seager

Living Books of Today list Birth--to--early school years

Character


Bible Study & Devotionals




[used by Highland's Latin School and Memoria Press]



History



Math and Counting



MANY more EXCELLENT choices can be found at LIVING MATH.

Nature Study & Natural History



Koko's Kitten by Francine Patterson

One Small Square (series) by Donald M. Silve and Patricia Wynne [Series include: Woods, Coral Reef, Backyard, Night Sky and many more. They are EXCELLENT.]

Pagoo by Holling C. Hollings

Geography & Other Cultures

Ashanti To Zulu: African Traditions by Margaret Musgrove

At the Crossroads by Rachael Isador

Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema

Day Gogo Went to Vote by Eleanor Batezat Sisulu


Galimoto by Karen Lynn Williams

Jambo Means Hello: Swahili Alphabet by Muriel Feelings

Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe

Over the Green Hills by Rachel Isadore

Paddle to the Sea by Holling C. Hollings

Seabird by Holling C. Hollings

Beautiful Feet sells a lovely set of maps to go with the Hollings geography stories. They really do enhance the experience of the books!

When Africa Was Home by Karen Lynn Williams

When I was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant


Science


Literature
NOTE: Many of my favorite candidates for inclusion in this list are "too old." So, if you are also wondering where Madeline, Babar, Mike Mulligan, Ping, Make Way for Ducklings, Lentil, White Snow/Bright Snow and other titles are--they were too old. This is only post--WWII (i.e. published in 1945 or later.)


Alexander the the Terrible,Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

Amy's Goose by Efner Tudor Holmes and Tasha Tudor

The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Suess
I'm not linking to every Dr.Suess book, but most kids love them and they've gone thru a few generations so they've clearly stood the test of time.

Catwings by Ursula K. LeGuin

Charlie Anderson by Barbara Abercrombie

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett

Corduroy by Don Freeman

Corgiville Fair [and the other Corgiville titles] by Tasha Tudor

Courageous Corgi by Lee Herrick

Eloise by Kay Thompson

Fritz and the Beautiful Horses by Jan Brett

Good Dog Carl [and all the other wordless, or nearly wordless, Carl books] by Alexandra Day

How Pizza Came to Queens by Dayal Kaur Khalsa

The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes

James Herriot's Treasury for Children by James Herriot

The Littles by John Peterson

Only the Cat Saw by Ashley

Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw Wolff

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Tight Times by Barbara Shook Hazen

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

Composers & Music


Opera Cat by Tess Weaver

Philharmonic Gets Dressed by Karla Kustin

Fine Arts

Poetry

First Poems of Childhood by Tasha Tudor

Hymns


Folksongs

[Again, this one is silly but beloved!]
Little Rabbit Foo Foo by Michael Rosen & Arthur Robbins

Coat of Many Colors by Dolly Parton

Grandma's Feather Bed by John Denver

My Favorite Things by Richard Rogers

Puff the Magic Dragon by Peter Yarrow

Sunshine on my Shoulders by John Denver

Take me Home, Country Roads by John Denver

This Land is Your Land, This Land is My Land by Woody Guthrie

Turn, Turn Turn by Pete Seager

Holiday Reading

The Christmas Cat by Efner Tudor Holmes and Tasha Tudor

Corgiville Christmas by Tasha Tudor