Have You Heard?

I'm beginning the day a little slowly as I was out late last night, late for me anyhow, with some dear friends. Every six weeks for the past three years, my daughter, Emily, and I have been meeting with some ladies who are interested in Charlotte Mason's method of education. Our joint aspiration is to read through all of her six volumes of writings on the subject of education. It's a lofty goal, but last night we finished the fourth volume. Not only has our understanding of teaching children increased, but our friendships, and respect for Ms. Mason, have deepened. Though I have occasionally been part of book discussion groups, this one has been unique because we actually have stayed on topic (not that we don't discuss everything else under the sun also). It has taken us since last spring when we began to read "Ourselves" to get through it, which is odd because it is a simpler book to read than all the rest. I guess it just shows that we inherently love discussing ourselves. 

For three years Emily has been reading these volumes aloud to me. I kept hinting to her that it would be great if she would record them so I could return to them again and again. They are so rich. She finally did so with Volume 4 and not just for me, but for as many of you as would like to listen in, they are finally available for you too. 

I don't know what my life would be like without people who were willing to read to me. I grew up in a family of book lovers so when my vision didn't allow me to read books on my own, my parents made sure I learned to read Braille. They also signed me up for the Talking Book program through our state lending library for the blind and it was a day of celebration when my "talking book machine" arrived and I put the first "longplay record" on and became a bookworm forever after. 

So I have enjoyed listening to books. Thankfully, with progress in technology, audio reading is much more convenient for everyone. Our website will be producing the entire Original Homeschooling Series by Charlotte Mason. We begin with Ourselves, which will be available for download from our website in installments. Each installment is equivalent to one full-length audio CD. 

The author of Ourselves wrote it for young people to read, to increase their understanding of themselves as persons, and provide knowledge that would help them move into adulthood with grace. She describes an allegorical kingdom of Mansoul (a concept borrowed from John Bunyan), to provide a framework for understanding our personhood. Through this kingdom she paints a picture of ourselves--physically, mentally, and spiritually. Written over a hundred years ago, when psychology was a young science, she illuminates the vast reaches of personality simply and profoundly, far beyond the scope of modern psychological explanation and social awareness of today. 

Her first educational principle is that "children are born persons." This book reveals what she means by this. Many books claim to change your life. Whether you read this volume alone, with your children, or your children read it independently, I guarantee your awareness of yourself and the tremendous possibilities for your life will expand as you more fully realize who God created you to be. "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." 

Please visit the Charlotte Mason Audio page to find out more.

For the joy of reading, 

Liz

Top Picks for Boys

Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
If your children on read one book about the events leading up to the American Revolution, it should be this. Apprenticed to a silversmith, the hero of this story learns the hard and valuable lesson of humility. After enduring an incredible set-back, Johnny finds his place in the world of colonial Boston, joining the patriots and witnessing the battles of Lexington and Concord. Newbery Award Winner of 1944, for upper-elementary readers through adult.

Blow, Bugles, Blow by Merritt Parmalee Allen
Allen's books are very popular with boys in our library. This is the story of a boy serving under General Sheridan, sympathetic with the Northern side, though respectful of his southern opponents. For upper-elementary readers and beyond.






Clear for Action! by Stephen Meader
Meader wrote during the Golden Age of children's literature, historical fiction that often centers around the sea. This story tells of an American boy aboard a cargo ship who is impressed into service for the British Navy, and after the War of 1812 is declared becomes a prisoner of war. For middle-elementary readers through adult, high action and strong characters mark Meader's fiction.


Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham
One of my very favorite biographies. Nathaniel Bowditch (1773-1838) was such an inspirational character—and should be the poster-child for home-educated students. Latham was told by her publisher that there was no way she could write the story of Nathaniel Bowditch and make it interesting—the public proved him wrong as this book won the Newbery Award, and no one I know has been able to put it down once they've started it. Bowditch was pioneer of modern navigation, and his book is still used today, a feat considering the technological advances since the 19th century. A wonderful story for lovers of history, wars, ships and sailing, astronomy, math, learning, or who just loves a good tale. 

Deathwatch by Robb White
For boys who love hunting and adventure, this book will sure to be a hit. Alone in the wilderness, sole witness to a murder, this book for teen boys is gripping, even for those who don't love to read.




The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Classic adventures of Tom, the kind of boy who does everything most boys wish  they could do set in the early frontier days on the Mississippi River. For middle-elementary readers on up.




     Zeb by Lonzo Anderson
Early pioneer story, a younger brother is picked to journey with his father to prepare a homestead and clear land after harvest so that the rest of the familly can join them for a spring planting in their new home. Not far into their travels disaster occurs and Zeb is left to face the winter wilderness alone.





The Home Ranch by Ralph Moody
This book, whose events taken place during Man of the Family, relates Ralph's adventures during his summer at the ranch. Trick riding, cattle rustling, and Ralph's tenacity when faced with the impossible make this, and all the rest of the Little Britches series, Don't-Miss-Books. Readers of MOST ages will enjoy these books.


The Greatest Cattle Drive by Paul Wellman
The true story of Nelson Story an intrepid young man in the Wild West, just after the Civil War, whose ingenuity and determination led him to see a need and find a solution. Story began the trade of Texas longhorn cattle north to Montana, through incredible obstacles. Not only is this story inspiring for his accomplishment, but also details the particulars of a cattle drive.


Men of Iron by Howard Pyle
During the days of King Henry IV of England a young boy is accepted into training to become a knight and must earn his knighthood all the while becoming entangled in a sinister plot. A wonderful tale of honor and chivalry, for upper-elementary readers onwards.


Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
The classic pirate story by the great adventure writer, told from the perspective of a young boy named Jim who is tricked aboard a sailing vessel and ensnared in a mutiny by the pirate crew. Boys of all ages enjoy this story.



  Shelters, Shacks, and Shanties by Dan Beard
This is THE book to give to your wilderness loving sons. Written by the founder of the Boy Scouts of America. Teaches lads how to build extremely functional structures from a birch-bark shack to a sod house to a log cabin. In-Print for almost 100 years, this survival guide is as practical today as when it was written in 1914.


Captain Blood by Raphael Sabatini
A swashbuckling tale of piracy and treachery. Lots of twists and turns in the plots, the main character must navigate the turning tides of two countries and overcome great odds to triumph. For middle- and high-school readers.



Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Set during Napoleon's exile, this is the post-French Revolutionary tale's hero must rise above impossible circumstances to win back his family's honor. He also learns the true nature of vengeance and mercy. For middle- and  high-school readers.



Call it Courage, Armstrong Sperry
This is an inspiring story of a boy, from the Pacific Islands, whose fear of the water cripples him. How he overcomes his fear and learns the true meaning of courage makes this Newbery Award winning book an important story for upper-elementary and above readers.

I Finally Finished Reading It

When I had been reading independently for a couple of years, I tackled David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. I was an ambitious young thing and eager to prove myself capable of plowing through those 12 (Braille) volumes. I was nine years old. It was slow going and I quit after the first chapter. I looked up "caul" in the dictionary.

A year or so later I gave it another go and half-way through the second chapter, quit again. It was not because the book was too long. Jane Eyre and Gone with the Wind were under my belt by then. It was just dull. However, I did not give up on Dickens. I read Great Expectations and was intrigued, though I thought it strange and a bit macabre. I struggled through A Tale of Two Cities more out of stubbornness than pleasure. I knew nothing of the French Revolution and those sentences--by the end of one I had forgotten the middle, let alone the beginning. I was continually puzzled about the characters and their relationships. But, I finished it.

Consequently, I had a little prejudice against Dickens. I thought he was ponderous and stiff and nothing enticed me to crack one of his books for another 30 years. My local library had Bleak House on digital recording. I got a lot of housecleaning done because I couldn't stop listening to it. The next year my son and I read Oliver Twist. He was much more intrigued with that than I had been with David Copperfield.

Yes, Dickens is long. Yes, his characters are often odd--to say the least (who are "dust men"?). The protagonist, however, is usually intriguing and innocent of all the secret plots surrounding him. The more I read his books, the more I anticipated sinking into a story with seemingly endless twists and turns, where characters wandered in and out of the hero's life, and where, after all the misfortunes, everything tied up nicely with a happy conclusion. (Isn't that one of the joys of reading--having things come out the way you long for in real life?) Rather than dark, I was surprised by the jokes and hilarious asides sprinkled throughout his prose.

One of the reasons I turned back to Dickens was that my mentor, Charlotte Mason, referred to him often. I was curious about what she had enjoyed reading. As an adult, I had a lot more life experience that helped me relate to his novels. For one thing, I had been homeschooling for 25 years and actually knew about the Industrial Revolution and something of the appalling conditions of the poor in England in that supposedly blissful Victorian era. After years of being unconsciously haunted by my unfinished reading of David Copperfield, I also discovered it was autobiographical. I'm a sucker for life stories.

These confessions are not to say that your better educated homeschooled children have to wait for adulthood as I did to read Mr. Dickens. In fact, I wish I hadn't waited so long to read this masterful storyteller's tales. I am suggesting, though, that it is okay to take your time in reading a book. Many parents are concerned when their children pick up a book and don't finish it. Reading is not about getting a job done. It is about growing. Let your children grow up with the books and they will grow into them in their own sweet time.

I just finished David Copperfield--46 years after opening to page 1.


For the joy of reading,

Liz

New at www.livingbookslibrary.com

As we've mentioned before, we are a library dedicated to Living Books. We enjoy beauty. We love the feel of sitting down in our favorite spot by the fire and letting some words, penned long ago, feed our souls. We long to connect with the refined, the lovely, the good, the upright, the godly in literature of all ages. Most of our books are vintage, if not antique. If you've read our previous posts, you know that we do not think those old books are irrelevant to today's families.

However, there is nothing old-fashioned about having a website, and nothing surprising in our announcement today that we have joined the ranks of Facebook and Twitter users. Though this is a step that is quite outside our comfort zone, and we will always prefer spending time reading hard-copy-books above reading screens, we are well aware of the wonderful information available on the internet and appreciate the ease with which these two tools allow you to share this information with your friends. While we are comfortable with old ideas, we are not opposed to new methods of helping others discover resources and truth.

We will not  be posting everything  that happens at LBL, such as every time we buy a new book, but will update or tweet when we have new content at www.livingbookslibrary.com.  For those of you who are users of those networks we hope this will help you keep up with us, and be the first to know when we update our book sale page.

Hopefully this will enable you to share more easily the good news that there are some timeless treasures still around to be enjoyed, old wisdom that never wears out, and resources here that cannot always be easily found in the more modern venues.

Thank you for passing LBL info on to those in your sphere of influence. We appreciate your joining in our effort to reach more people whose lives will be enriched through living literature.

For the joy of reading,

Liz
Living Books Library
@LivingBooksLib

Top Living Art Books

Giotto Tended the Sheep by Opal Wheeler
The author of the classic Composer Biographies wrote this story of Giotto, the medieval artist known as the "Father of Modern Painting." Beautiful vintage illustrations accompany the text. Written for mid-elementary through junior high school readers.


Millet Tilled the Soil by Sybil Deucher
The beloved co-author of the Opal Wheeler Composer Biographies wrote this story of Millet, the painter who first showed the world the integrity and value pictures of ordinary peasants could have. Beautiful vintage illustrations accompany the text. Written for mid-elementary through junior high school readers.

 Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists Series by Mike Venezia
Though newer than most of the books in our library, these are perennial favorites with young readers in our library and have helped cultivate the love of art in many children we know.  Each book relates a biography in large type and cartoon illustrations by the author.  Interspersed on the pages are reproductions of the artist's great works.

Art for Children series by Ernest Raboff
I love this series of art books! Not only do they present biographical information about the artist, they also guide the reader in looking closely at individual paintings' compositions and styles. Raboff hand-letters the text, making the words just as interesting to look at as the pictures. For elementary students on up--many adults appreciate the lessons they learn from these books.

Benjamin West and His Cat Grimalkin
This story is delightful historical fiction at its best. Benjamin, who grew up to be one of the first American artists to be recognized by the Academies of Europe, is portrayed as a young Quaker lad, whose mischief and heart are easily related to. Overcoming his father's disbelief in the importance of art at all, this story is uplifting as well as informative, a great picture of life in a colonial Quaker home, just before the American nation was born. For upper-elementary readers, though people of all ages will enjoy this story by the author of Misty of Chincoteague.

Elizabeth Ripley Artist BiographiesThese books are about 70 pages long, each two-page spread has a full-page black-and-white photograph of one of the artist's works.  Written for 4th-5th grade readers, these biographies are a nice blend of biography and art appreciation; specifics about individual paintings are woven throughout the story of the man's life.  Older readers and younger listeners will be interested as well.

I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Borten de Trevino
This Newbery Award Winner tells the story of the slave-turned-apprentice (and ultimately an artist in his own right) to the artist Velazquez. Not only is it the life of Pareja, this book relates the story of the great Baroque master himself, especially his years as court painter to Philip of Spain. An excellent resource to enhance your study of the world during the 17th century.

Cowboy Charlie by Jeanette Winter
This picture book tells the story of Charles Russell, cowboy artist of the American west. From the time he was a young child in the east, Charlie dreamed of becoming a cowboy. Leaving home at 18 Charlie found work rustling cattle, but when the wild west became closed off by train tracks and miles of fencing, he settled down and painted pictures of his beloved open range. A great look at this distinctly American art form.

Hana in the Time of the Tulips by Deborah Noyes
More about the Tulipomania in Holland than about Rembrandt, this lovely picture book is about a young girl whose father's friend is the great artist. A gentle introduction to pique your young children's interest in art as the heroine learns the importance of true beauty.

The Night Watch by Isabelle Lawrence
This novel relates the adventures some children have with the artist Rembrandt van Rijn. The title for this book is taken from the name of the master's famous painting--which shows the mustering of a company of militia. Though out-of-print, this gem from the 1950s may be worth tracking down (see link on book's cover at left) for its value not just for a study of Rembrandt but also to bring to life Holland's "Golden Age." Recommended for middle-school-and-older readers.

Picture Study Portfolios by Emily Cottrill
Each of these portfolios features a biography taken from a very old living art book called Stories of the Painters, by Amy Steedman. Along with instructions for doing Picture Study the Charlotte Mason way, each portfolio contains 8 full-size, high-quality reproductions of paintings by the title artist. Everything you need to do picture study with very minimal preparation, including leading thoughts to engage your students in discussion, and further reading lists of more great living books. For all ages.