Marvelous Monday- LITERATURE
Monday, April 13, 2009 at 1:12AM 
Everybody Loves a Great Book
I know I just talked your ears off last Marvelous Monday when we covered history, so I promise I won't be quite so chatty this time.
It sounds so nice and thoughtful of me, but really the truth is that I don't have terribly a lot to write about literature curricula because I'm one of those odd types who believes you should just READ. Forget the snippets chosen by some so-called expert and regurgitated with insipid questions in a literature text. Pick up a good book and read to your kids. Then make lists of books you want them to read by the time they leave your home and have them READ.
The list I've used most over the years when deciding on good literature for our home is The 1,000 Good Books List. I also scan the Veritas catalog and the Sonlight catalog: Veritas for its solid classic picks and Sonlight for its unique Christian content, such as missionary biographies and the like. Our own lists are here.
Our junior highers and high schoolers utilize the Veritas Press Omnibus curriculum, and through that they get a deep and wide discussion of literature. But before then, we simply read.
Don't forget to hop on over to Cheryl's blog to see what she has to say about literature, too!
Reader Comments (17)
Here, here! :) We tried a few comp guides but pitched them- what joy to simply read, cuddle & talk together! And how helpful for a mama w/ many littles!
I do have one ?- do your children using Omnibus do a separate history program?
I love your advice to just read, read, read. I do use narration as a tool to make sure they are comprehending what they are reading- usually it is oral narration but I do have my 5th grader do different written narrations as well
I was wondering if your students using omnibus do it online?
I just finished going through the Veritas and Sonlight catalogs, and gathering my list for next year's reading "lists"... I just gather the books and let the children go through them in their own time!
You do birth advanced readers don't you? CS Lewis?
I agree, the Sonlight and Veritas catalogs are wonderful resources! We don't use either curriculum, but when it comes time to create booklists, they are the first resources I consult!
PLEASE be chatty!
I wish I had a nickel for every time someone has asked me what Reading program I use. I usually answer in hushed tones..."Ummm, the library."
Their eyes get big, then they walk away with that look of,"Oh I could never do that."
What a joy to see our children loving their books- taking them in the car, to their grandma's, to their piano lessons(while they wait for siblings), to the doctor, everywhere.
Mama loves her books too...stays up far too late some nights cause she just can't put it down!
Dawn
Thank you! I'm loving these reviews ... I especially appreciated the one last week with the history suggestions. I had heard about Mystery of History, but not enough and your review really clarified some things for me. :)
Just plain old reading of good books has been the core of our homeschooling for the past eight years. What a treasure to discover this method of homeschooling (I was first introducted to it in For the Children's Sake by Susan Schaeffer MacCauley as she described the 'Charlotte Mason Method'). I wouldn't have had it any other way. We have also been tremendously blessed by utilizing audio books in our homeschool. We do a lot of 'reading' while accomplishing necessary household tasks! :o)
Thanks for sharing, Kendra!
I don't really care for the snippet Lit guides. I much prefer to do oral narration. I really enjoy the VP catalogue too and I hope to use Omnibus when my kids get there.
Wanted to add; I loved your post about History, it was very helpful. In light of the 5 Things post, is history one of the things to go when it gets crazy? I love doing history but find it is the first thing to fall to the way side.
I have used www.eagerreaders.com and have found great resources there. We do a lot of reading and no "canned" curriculum as well!
I love to read to my kids but they hate it when I read to them. They do, however, enjoy having their daddy read to them. Ah well...
Thanks for sharing your sources - I'm always looking for places where I can find good books for my girls.
I got all wrapped up in my son's birthday (today) and forgot to check your blog yesterday!
I'm glad to hear that you "just read" in that I have a hard time conforming to someone else's guide. My older son is a very reluctant reader (thanks, hubby, for those genes). I have found that if I can find books that interest him, he will read. We are not in any "great" books yet, but we are making progress!
We love to read!
I wish our whole school day consisted of only reading.
I love the 1000 Good Books list =) Of course we haven't gotten past the 1-3 grade part yet in my house!
Isn't it fabulous, Amy?