How to Incorporate Living Books into Your Homeschool

Published:
May 22, 2017

Sarah Shelton

Contributor:
Sarah Shelton

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A living book is a book that fully engages a reader and draws him or her into the subject matter in a real and tangible way. If you are wondering how to incorporate living books into your homeschool, read on for some great ideas as well as living book curriculum suggestions. 

How to Incorporate Living Books into Your Homeschool

If you are familiar with the Charlotte Mason style of homeschooling you will know that Charlotte Mason herself recommends that children read living books. Living books are written by one person who is passionate about the subject in which they are writing and are usually an expert on that subject matter. It is most always written in a narrative or conversational tone. It does not list dry, informational facts, but has beautiful words and thoughts.

A living book really does seem like it’s alive as it will pull you in, draw your attention and make you stop and think about what you are reading.

The children must enjoy the book. The ideas it holds must each make that sudden, delightful impact upon their minds, must cause that intellectual stir, which mark the inception of an idea,” ~ Charlotte Mason, School Education, p. 178.

Have you been wondering just how to incorporate living books into your homeschool? Switching from dry textbooks to living books can be a little overwhelming without a guide, or knowing where to start. 

Here are some ideas and simple ways to incorporate living books into your homeschool:

Find living books on subjects your children are interested in:

I love laying good books around on subjects that my kids love to learn about. This will make it so much easier for them to just grab a book and start reading it because it interests them. My girls absolutely love anything to do with nature and animals so I make sure to have good quality books on those topics for them to read. These almost always turn into a bigger learning experience, and you can use these for narration, copywork and dictation as well.

Here are some living books by subject and topics that may be of interest:

Living books on wildflowers from Harrington Harmonies

Living books for girls from Homemaking with Heart

Living books for boys from Homemaking with Heart

Free and Cheap Kindle Books: Thornton Burgess Nature and Animal Stories

Replace textbooks with spine books:

Instead of a boring history or science book that requires you to answer questions and take a quiz or test at the end of each chapter, try finding a living book spine as the core of your subject. A spine book is a book you are reading that gives an overview or main idea of that specific course. You can then bring in other living books on the different topics that are covered in the spine.

Some examples of spine books would be:

The Mystery of History

Truth Quest History

The Quark Chronicles (Science)

Wayfarers Curriculum Guide

Simply Charlotte Mason (many different homeschool subjects)

Replace twaddle with rich literature:

What exactly is twaddle? It’s a fun word that Charlotte Mason herself used to describe something that talks down to a child in a babyish or childlike manner. Books with twaddle would be very simple stories and books that don’t have a strong meaning with weak words, and plot lines. These could be silly, chapter books that are quick and easy for your kids to devour, but with no real meaning or with a good writing style.

Try replacing these easy readers with quality, classic literature which would be the opposite of twaddle!

Here are some lists of good literature books to help get you started:

Twaddle Free Literature by Grade from Charlotte Mason Home

Free Classics List by Grade Level  from Heart of Wisdom

Read Aloud Revival Book List from Amongst Lovely Things

Elementary Reading List by Grade Level from Not Consumed

Use living books as read alouds for younger children:

Taking the time to sit down and read aloud with your little ones before naptime is a great way to wind down and rest in the middle of the school day. It also makes for a special time with your little ones, if you have spent most of the day helping your older students with their lessons. I also love having my older kids read to the little ones from good, quality stories. It helps them to read aloud and everyone is listening to great literature at the same time!

Read more about how to use living books with preschoolers here:

livingbooks