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Some of my suggestions for Reading Material
A Busy Hive of Bees tells the adventures of Don and Joyce during a summer on their
grandparents' farm.
Each night their grandmother tells them a "Bee" story.
A wonderful character building book.
My children beg me not to stop!
It states on the cover that it's for ages 5-10, but above or below that age group will still
like it.
Available from the Moore Foundation
and other homeschool vendors.
Bible Stories for Early Readers(Levels 1 and 2) by Lavaun Linde and Mary Quishenberry
are books for beginning readers.
If Bible Stories are familiar with your children, these books will be loved by them,
because they are reading stories they know.
Level 1 has primary sounds of the letters and short vowels with mainly one-syllable words.
There are a few sight words, like "Jesus".
The five titles in level 1 are "Not a Bed" (about Baby Jesus), "I Will Help" (Good Samaritan),
"Mom and the Lad" (Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath), "The Lad's Bag" (Five Loaves and Two Fish),
and "Daniel and the Big Cats" (Daniel and the Lions' Den).
The Level 2 books start to include long vowels, blends, and some secondary sounds of the letters.
The five titles in level 2 are "God Adds Oil" (The Widow's Oil), "Zacchaeus' Cash Bag" (Zacchaeus),
"3 Brave Men" (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego), "7 Dips" (Naaman Finds a Cure), and
"Jonah's Ride" (story of Jonah).
It is very difficult to find good beginning readers, especially those that have some meaning.
These fit very well.
While they are expensive ($25 a set),
I'm sure you will be as pleased as we and those who have borrowed our copies.
Available from the Moore
Foundation.
Cassie by Myrtle Long Haldeman is about an eleven-year-old girl during the Civil War.
Because of her godly upbringing, she is not afraid of what others think when she befriends
an ex-slave girl.
Read about what it was like to be close to a battlefield during that time.
Great read-aloud and for an older child to read on their own.
Available from the Moore
Foundation.
Christian Liberty Press Readers(Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd Grade levels).
While the grade levels are "off" (I don't expect a Kindergartner to read,
and many times even older than that), these are good books for after the
Bible Stories for Early Readers series, especially if your child is wanting
more to read (practice), but is not quite ready to move on to more difficult books.
The Kindergarten series has four small books by Florence Lindstrom titled
"It is Fun to Read", "Pals and Pets", "A Time at Home", and "It is a Joy to Learn".
These start out with primary sounds of the letters and move on from there.
The "lessons" are two pages, one with word lists (all have similar sounds, like short a)
and the next page with a reading selection.
The 1st grade book is called "Meeting New Friends", also by Florence Lindstrom.
This book has two page readings with nice large print.
There are short word lists at the start of each lesson and several word lists in the back.
While I'm not a fan of word lists, the reading material is good and teaches good character.
"Beautiful Stories for Children" revised and edited by Michael J. McHugh is the 2nd grade reader
and is similar in format to the 1st grade book.
Just remember to take the grade levels with a grain of salt.
Available from Christian Liberty Press, 502 West Euclid Avenue, Arlington Heights,
Illinois 60004 and other vendors selling curriculum to homeschoolers.
Helen Keller by Margaret Davidson is a biography of Helen Keller.
Not only was she blind, but she had to overcome her deafness and the overindulgence of her family.
Available from the Moore Foundation.
Henry's Red Sea by Barbara Smucker is about a young boy and his small family fleeing
Russia through Germany in the aftermath WWII because of religious persecution.
The father is missing, but Henry, his grandmother, mother, and sister are still together.
Hold your breath as they need to stay hidden from officials or as they pray for God to guide
their decisions.
Excellent book filled with suspense.
A great read-aloud or for an older child. Available from the
Moore Foundation.
Kate Shelley and the Midnight Express by Margaret K. Wetterer is based on a true story.
Kate risked her life to help save others.
An exciting adventure as she rushes for help during a storm.
This is a great read-aloud or for a young reader, especially a girl, to read on their own.
Available from the Moore Foundation.
Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie by Peter and Connie Roop tells the story of a young girl
left in charge of keeping the lighthouse lights burning.
She was left in charge by her father who had to leave to get much needed supplies and
medicine for the mother who was ill.
A sudden storm that lasted four weeks prevented her father from returning.
Abbie and her sisters cared for their ill mother and Abbie kept the lights burning so the
ships would be safe.
A great book for an early (not beginning) reader.
Available from the Moore Foundation.
Listen to the Animals by William L. Coleman is a devotional for families with
young children.
It could also be used by older children who love animals, too.
The book explains different aspects of various animals then gives a spiritual application.
When my husband read lesson 48 "The Deep-Sea Diver", the children were asked to name something
beautiful that God made.
The older children listed things like flowers, butterflies, etc.
When my then 4-year-old daughter had her turn, she just pointed and said one word, "ME!"
We smiled and tried not to laugh at what would normally, from an older person, be a vain statement.
We realized that she was just declaring what we have taught her, that God's creation is beautiful,
and she is God's creation.
Not only is she beautiful to us, but more importantly, she is beautiful to God.
Available from the Moore Foundation.
Louis Braille by Margaret Davidson is a biography of young Louis Braille.
An easily read book that will inspire all of us to be creative when we need to get something done.
Available from the Moore Foundation.
Mary Jones and Her Bible by Mary Ropes, revised and updated by Christopher Wright
is a true story.
What would you do to get a Bible if they were hard to get and expensive?
Mary is willing to work hard to earn money and to walk, barefoot a long way,
just for a chance to get a Bible.
Reading this will challenge you as to what you would do for the Savior.
Available from the Moore Foundation.
On the Alaskan Trail and Other Missionary Stories by Margaret Jean Tuininga is a
book with several stories of God's amazing protection and providence over missionaries
and with others they come in contact.
These stories are from around the world, not just Alaska.
A great read-aloud or for an older child to read for themselves.
Available from the Moore Foundation.
On the Banks of Appletree Creek and Adventures Along Appletree Creek by "Judith"
are autobiographical books of the author's adolescent childhood.
Excellent character builder "adventures."
You and your child will know what she is going through, because you have probably been
there or friends have been.
She tells you what was going in her mind, and at times gives you an update on what
happened years later (when grown up).
I can't recommend these books enough.
Available from the Moore Foundation.
The Pineapple Story is a wonderful thought provoking book.
My children loved it when I read it to them.
They had many questions and we had wonderful discussions.
This is the story of a missionary who had to learn to overcome anger and to forgive those
who stole his pineapples.
Available from the Institute in Basic Life Principles, Inc.
The video is just the author standing and telling the story.
While not necessarily a high quality video, it is even better than the book.
The author will keep you laughing, but you will come away with a new outlook on anger
and forgiving.
Saved at Sea by Mrs. O.F. Walton is a small book about a boy and his life in a lighthouse.
There is much excitement from rescue attempt of a ship (they are only able to save one person,
a two-year-old girl), to family reunions, to suspense in who is coming.
When a visitor comes with the gospel, everyone starts to wonder and an unexpected event
changes many things.
Learning to trust Christ the Rock is important.
Death is very real and is present in this book, but does not dwell on it.
If your children are not familiar with the aspects of death, you may want to prepare
them ahead of time.
A great read-aloud or for a child, who reads fairly well, to read on their own.
Available from the Moore Foundation.
The Tanglewoods' Secret by Patricia St. John is the adventure of a girl who needs to
learn respect for those over her care.
She finds that she can't do it on her own, but must find the answer in Jesus, the Good Shepherd.
Not only does she need Jesus, but her brother and others they know.
While one of their friends dies, he did accept the Savior.
This is fiction, but true-to-life in the story.
There is a video based on this book, but I have not seen it.
The print is small, so this is a great read-aloud.
Available from many homeschool and Christian book vendors.
Treasures of the Snow by Patricia St. John is a book of learning to forgive.
When her brother is injured and may never walk again, will she forgive the one who caused it?
Read along as the children learn of Jesus and His forgiveness.
This is fiction, but a true-to-life story.
The print is small, so this is a great read-aloud.
There is a video based on this book, but I was disappointed with it.
The story did not focus in on the forgiveness of God and knowing God as much as the book did.
Available from many homeschool and Christian book vendors.
Treasure in the Big Woods by Margaret Jean Tuininga is a wonderful autobiographical
book about four-year-old Peggy Jean and her family.
The book starts out with the family moving to a remote location in Minnesota in the earlier
part of the 20th century.
This story is about a very godly family and He is brought to light in every day living.
Ice skating, sapping the maple trees, picking berries, shepherding, making home-made ice cream,
etc. will make you wish you lived then and there.
If you are looking for a story to read aloud, or to have your child read, this is it.
It is about a girl, and you may have a problem getting a boy to read it, but read it aloud,
it will be enjoyed by all (I couldn't put it down and my husband loved reading it to the children).
I can't tell you what the treasure is, it will give it away, but it is wonderful!!!
Available from the Moore Foundation.
Trouble for Lucy by Carla Stevens is a book about a young girl and her family on
the Oregon trail.
Travel along with her as you discover the trials of life on the trail.
Her trouble?
A puppy that likes to get into things.
While this is historical fiction, it is based on actual journals of pioneers while they
traveled to Oregon.
Great read-aloud or for a fairly good reader to read on their own, especially a girl.
Available from many homeschool vendors.
The Wonders of God's Creation (Volume 1, 2, and 3) each volume has over 100,
one-page, devotional readings with scripture references talking about the amazing wonders of
God's work in creation.
This is another great devotional that can be used as "school" for science and Bible.
Categories on space, the human body, birds, animals, etc. make for some interesting tidbits
of information and a look at God's creativity.
Available from the Moore Foundation.
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