This page includes the sections: Phonics and Early Grammar,  Picture Books, Books by Patricia St. John, Other Quality Literature, Literature Anthologies, Five in a Row, Typing and Handwriting.  I will add more later, so check back on this page!

Phonics, Grammar & Vocabulary   Alpha-Phonics: A Primer for Beginning Readers by Samuel L. Blumenfeld / The Paradigm Co Can you teach your children to read in just 10 minutes a day? Yes, with this acclaimed phonics program! Progressive lessons present each letter of the alphabet by its sound and then blend letter sounds to form basic words. More advanced exercises introduce whole sentences. Includes teacher's manual and lesson plans. Nonconsumable. Grades K to 4. 168 pages, spiralbound softcover from Paradigm.

Storybook Treasury of Dick and Jane and Friends by William S. Gray & Eleanor Campbell Generations of children took their first reading "steps" with Dick, Jane, Spot, and friends. Now three of these classics are combined--We Look and See, We Come and Go, and The New We Work and Play--complete with original color artwork for your youngsters to enjoy. Recommended for ages 3 to 6.

First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind (spiral-bound) by Jessie Wise / Peace Hill Press Parents can assure their child's success in language arts with this simple-to-use, scripted guide. First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind uses picture study and other classical techniques to develop the child's language study in those first two all-important years of school. Each lesson leads the parent, step-by-step, through the simple oral and written projects that build reading, writing, spelling, storytelling, and comprehension skills. Use this book to supplement school learning, or as the center of a home-school language arts course. 422 pages, indexed; softcover with spiral binding.

Easy Grammar Plus Workbook 2007 By Isha Enterprises, Inc Great for saving time with homeschool co-ops or regular classrooms, Easy Grammar Student Workbooks contain the student workbook pages found within the Easy Grammar Plus Text. Pages are perforated for easy removal. 328 pages, indexed, softcover. Workbooks are not reproducible.  This is a workbook for middle school and high school.  The teacher's manual is sold separately.

English from the Roots Up--Greek and Latin Flash Cards by Joegil Lundquist / Literacy Unlimited One set of 100 Latin and Greek Root Word Cards from English from the Roots Up Volume 1.

 

Picture Books   Janette Oke's Animal Friends, Volumes 1-6 Boxed Set   Corral your early readers for adorable animal stories! Delightful color illustrations enhance Oke's text, conveying valuable life lessons in obedience, self-acceptance, humility, and more. Ages 6 to 10. Softcovers from Bethany.

Janette Oke's Animal Friends, Volumes 7-12 Boxed Set Each book in Janette Oke's Animal Friends series features a precocious animal who uncovers important instruction on growing up. These fun stories help children learn the value of family, the reasons to obey, the importance of being yourself, and much, much more. The easy to read chapters make Janette Oke's Animal Friends an invaluable tool for teaching young ones to read. Recommended for ages 6 to 10.

The Parable of the Lily, 10th Anniversary Edition: The Parable Series #2 By Liz Curtis Higgs / Tommy Nelson When Maggie, the farmer's daughter, receives a mysterious gift, she's disappointed to find it's only some dirt and a lifeless bulb. But after tossing it out, she discovers that what was dead has come to life as a beautiful Easter lily! Kids will cherish the 10th anniversary edition of Higgs's beloved story of love, giving, and forgiving. Recommended for ages 3 to 7.

Small Gifts in God's Hands By Max Lucado / American Book Company God can do great things with small gifts---an amazing truth your kids will discover in this precious picture book! As a boy tells his story of how Jesus used his meager basket of food to feed thousands, your children learn just how much God values everything they do! Ages 3 to 7. 32 colorful pages, hardcover from Tommy Nelson.  This is a family favorite in our house!

 

Books by Patricia St. John   Treasures of the Snow, Revised When Annette gets Lucien in trouble at school, he threatens her little brother, Dani. But tragedy strikes and Dani is crippled. Annette is so filled with rage that she sets out to hurt Lucien at every turn. Will their quarrel ever end? A classic read-aloud story about repentance and forgiveness. Ages 5 to 8. 228 pages, softcover from Moody.

Star of Light Hamid does not want his little blind sister, Kinza, to be sold to a beggar, by their stepfather, so he decides to rescue her. Together they escape from their mountain village to a town where there may be a new home for Kinza. But this is only the start of their adventures. Will Kinza be safe? What will happen to Hamid who dares not go back home?

Rainbow Garden By Patricia St. John / Moody Publishers When Elaine leaves her home in London to stay with the Owen family in Wales, she feels miserable and left out. It's only the little secret garden that she finds at the end of the rainbow that makes staying there seem worthwhile. And then something happens that changes her contentment.

The Tanglewoods' Secret In a struggle to learn to overcome her fiery temper and selfish spirit, Ruth is led to the discovery of a very important Shepherd who can and does teach her how to be good. The story contains beautiful and uplifting examples of what can happen when we let ourselves be found by Him.

Secret at Pheasant Cottage "Lucy, why do you live with your granny? Why don't you have a proper mummy and daddy like everybody else?" There was silence. If I said, "I don't know," they would all laugh at me and I would cry. Every eye was turned upon me. Already I could feel the tears welling up. Suddenly I knew that the question had been there a long time, buried deep and never asked. Now, everyone had asked it, and there was no answer. 130 page softcover by Moody, 2001 revised edition. Recommended for ages 10-12.

Where the River Begins "I heard about the phone booth, and Tyke, let me join your gang! If you want to smash phone booths, I could help you. I can run fast. I'm fastest under eleven in the school. I could watch out and warn you, and you could smash anything you wanted." Recommended for ages 9 to 12.

 

Other Quality Literature   The Courage of Sarah Noble By Alice Dalgliesh & Leonard Weisgard / Simon & Schuster Trade Sales In 1707, young Sarah Noble and her father traveled through the wilderness to build a new home for their family. "Keep up your courage, Sarah Noble," her mother had said, but Sarah found that it was not always easy to feel brave inside. The dark woods were full of animals and Indians, too, and Sarah was only eight! The true story of Sarah's journey is inspiring. And as she cares for her father and befriends her Indian neighbors, she learns that to be afraid and to be brave is the greatest courage of all. Recommended for ages 7 to 10. A 1955 Newbery Honor book.

Johnny Tremain: Illustrated by Lynd Ward By Esther Forbes / Houghton-mifflin The year is 1773; the scene is Boston. Johnny Tremain is fourteen and apprenticed to a silversmith. He is gifted and knows it. He is clever and lords it over the other apprentices until the tragic day when a crucible of molten silver breaks and Johnny's right hand is so burned as to be useless. After a period of despair and humiliation, Johnny becomes a dispatch rider for the Committee of Public Safety, a job that brings him in touch with Otis Hancock, John and Samuel Adams, and other Boston patriots, and with all the exciting currents and undercurrents that were to lead to the Tea Party and the Battle of Lexington. There, on the battlefield, he learns from Dr. Warren that his maimed hand can be cured so that he can use a musket and someday return to his trade. To read Johnny Tremain is to live through two dramatic years of our country's history, and to see these great events from a new angle through the shrewd eyes of an observant boy. Recommended for ages 10 and up. The 1944 Newbery Medal Winner.

Caddie Woodlawn, Softcover By Carol Ryrie Brink / Simon & Schuster Trade Sales Caddie Woodlawn loves adventure and she refuses to be a "lady". She'd rather hunt than sew, plow than bake and she beats her brothers' dares every chance she gets. Caddie and her six brothers and sisters have many exciting experiences on the Wisconsin frontier of the 1860s-from a schoolhouse fire, to pranks played on a city-slicker cousin, to an amazing discovery in an old trunk. And when the Indians threaten to massacre the settlers, it is Caddie's courage and quick thinking that save her family and their neighbors. Recommended for ages 8 to 12. The 1936 Newbery Medal winner.

The Children's Homer: The Adventures of Odysseus and the Tale of Troy By Padraic Colum / Simon & Schuster Trade Sales Travel back to a mythical time when Achilles, aided by the gods, waged war against the Trojans. And join Odysseus on his journey through murky waters, facing obstacles like the terrifying Scylla and whirring Charybdis, the beautiful enchantress Circe, and the land of the raging Cyclopes. Using narrative threads from The Iliad and The Odyssey, Padraic Colum weaves a stunning adventure with all the drama and power that Homer intended. Recommended for ages 10 and up.

Across Five Aprils By Irene Hunt / Berkley This is the unforgettable story of young Jethro Creighton who comes of age during the turbulent years of the Civil War. Recommended for ages 8 to 12. A 1965 Newbery Honor book.

The Bronze Bow, Paperback By Elizabeth George Speare / Houghton-mifflin Winner of the Newbery Medal! After witnessing his father's crucifixion by the Romans, Daniel bar Jamin wants only one thing---vengeance. In neighboring Capernaum, an itinerant rabbi teaches a different way---love. Will Daniel be able to reject hatred and embrace Jesus' message of forgiveness? 254 pages, softcover from Houghton Mifflin.

The Adventures of Robin Hood by Roger Green / Puffin The classic retelling of the great English legend. Robin Hood is champion of the poor and oppressed against the cruel power of Prince John and the brutal Sheriff of Nottingham. He takes refuge with his Merrie Men in the vast Sherwood Forest, emerging time and again to outwit his enemies with daring and panache. This classic version brings sense and clarity as well as excitement to the varied myths, ballads and legends about Robin's adventures.

The Hawk That Dares Not Hunt by Day By Scott O'Dell / Journeyforth The year is 1525 and books written by reformers like Martin Luther are being burned all over Europe. For Tom Barton, who smuggles such books into England, the ban is an opportunity to make money. But when Tom meets William Tyndale, who defies the king and distributes Bibles to the common people, he realizes that the Reformation is more than a money-maker and that spreading God's Word is worth risking one's life. Recommended for ages 10 to 14.

Chronicles of Narnia, Boxed Set by C.S. Lewis / Harpercollins Narnia Invest in a handsome unabridged souvenir set of Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia for your home library. Included are stunning pictures from the movie The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, plus seven volumes sure to captivate children and adults, and provide hours of excellent reading. Approx. 200 pages each, seven 4.25" x 6.75" softcovers.

Invitation to the Classics Edited by Louise Cowan & Os Guinness / Bakerbooks The classics have always occupied a place in the hall of education, yet some Christians tend to lean either towards a Puritanical dismissal of art as "irreligious", or they twist the arts into altered, pro-Christian mediocrity. Invitation to the Classics expounds upon what it means to have a Christian view of literature, including its benefits, aesthetics and place in culture. Classics from a variety of authors including Homer, Sophocles, Plato, Dante, Shakespeare, Pascal, Swift, Emerson, Dickens, Tolstoy, Lewis and others are all viewed with an in depth literary and biographical assessment. Each author is introduced with literary analysis of their most famous works, impact upon time, posterity and "Issues to Explore" discussion questions. 384 pages, indexed, softcover.  Please note that this book is a GUIDE to literature, and does not include the actual literature selections!

Literature Anthologies   Favorite Poems, Old and New by Random House, Inc Dig into the riches of the very best of children's poetry---from William Shakespeare to Lewis Carroll to A.A. Milne. This treasury of 700 all-time favorite children's poems is a classic kids of all ages will turn to again and again. Discover time-honored favorites like "Casey at the Bat" and "The Wreck of the Hesperus"! Delightfully illustrated by Caldecott Award-winning artist Leonard Weisgard. 598 pages, hardcover from Doubleday.

The Book of Virtues by William J. Bennett / Simon & Schuster Trade Sales Bennett, former Secretary of Education, shows your whole family how to learn more about biblical principles from many genres of literature. Stories from the Bible, American history, poems, fables, Greek myths, philosophy, fiction, and fairy tales are all used to illustrate the virtues of self-discipline, compassion, responsibility, courage, and faith. 830 pages, hardcover from Simon & Schuster.

The Children's Book of Virtues by William J. Bennett / Simon & Schuster Trade Sales Now your 4- to 8-year-olds can have their very own Book of Virtues! Featuring excerpts from Bennett's bestseller specially chosen for younger children, this beautifully illustrated treasury includes inspiring lessons in self-discipline, compassion, honesty, loyalty, and faith. 112 pages, hardcover from Simon & Schuster.

Everyday Graces: A Child's Book of Good Manners  Edited by Karen Santorum / Isi Books This book of manners is filled with delightful quotes, two-color illustrations and general niceties. Designed to teach children the benefits of good manners through storytelling and example, you'll cherish the homey atmosphere of Everyday Graces, and the effects it will have on your children. Fabric bound hardcover with gold embossed binding.

 

Five in a Row   Five in a Row, Volume 1 by Five In A Row Take your 4-to 8-year-olds on a learning adventure that used outstanding children's literature to teach social studies, language, art, applied math and science. Focusing on a different subject each day of the week (five days in a row), the easy-to-use unit studies include discussion questions, hands-on activities, teaching tips and suggestions for further exploration. For a list of books used in this volume, and what is available at christianbook.com, see "More Info" section. 185 pages, softcover.

Five in a Row: Christian Character and Bible Study Supplement By Jane Claire Lambert / Five In A Row Cultivate traditional Christian values in your 4- to 8-year-olds! Designed to supplement the 55 stories found in volumes 1--3 of Five in a Row, this easy-to-use companion volume offers a rich selection of hundreds of biblically based lessons in character development. It's a wholesome way to teach your kids about honoring parents, forgiveness, generosity, and more! 91 pages, softcover.

Five in a Row Volume 2 By Five In A Row Designed for students ages 4 through 8, this flexible curriculum provides step-by-step instruction for teaching social studies, language arts, applied math and science based on outstanding children's literature. Each weekly unit includes a discussion guide and questions, teacher answers, activities and further study suggestions. Features Robert McCloskey's Make Way for Ducklings & Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Peter Rabbit. To see a list of the books used in this volume, and what is available at Christianbook.com, see the "More Info" section. 185 pages, softcover.

Five in a Row Volume 3 By Five In A Row Find a cozy corner, snuggle close and share outstanding literture with your children--every day for five days--and follow it up with exercises that teach social studies, language, art, applied math and science. Each successive reading reinforces the lessons from the previous days. Includes 15 unit studies, bibliography, topical index and reproducible lesson-planning sheet. For a list of books used in this volume, and what is available at christianbook.com, see the "More Info" section. Ages 4-8. 120 pages, softcover.

Before Five in a Row By Jane Claire Lambert / Five In A Row The preschool years are a precious time of discovery and growth for both you and your children; make the best of it with these gentle ideas and activities centeredupon 24 classic childrens stories. Featuring stories like "Blueberries for Sal" and "Goodnight Moon", suggestions for teaching include varied topics such as memories, social studies, numbers, balance, maturity and many more. The second portion of the book is a 'parent's treasury', brimming over with additional creative moments to have with your children. Whether you plan to use Five in a Row as your curriculum in later years, or are merely looking for an imaginative resource, this book contains myriads of original possibilities for these preschool years. 150 pages, softcover.

Beyond Five in a Row Volume 1 (2nd Edition) By Becky Jane Lambert / Five In A Row For several years now mothers have been asking, "What am I going to do after I finish Five in a Row?" Here is the answer. Beyond Five in a Row is the natural continuation of the Five in a Row educational journey. Designed for children ages 8-12, Beyond Five in a Row uses "chapter books" as the learning springboard to help children continue to fall in love with learning children explore two fiction and two non fiction books in each volume. Filled with lessons on History and Geography, Science, Language Arts, the Fine Arts, and Issues of Human Relationship, Beyond Five in a Row also provides opportunities to explore a variety of career paths, extensive essay writing experience and much more. This solid addition to the Five in a aRow curriculum family continues the tradition of academic excellence parents have come to expect while using Five in a Row. You will want to supplement with daily mathematics, a steady flow of outside reading, grammar, spelling and penmanship. Beyond Five in a Row does all the rest in that oh so easy, enjoyable style for which it is famous. Beyond Five in Row covers these books: The Boxcar Children Thomas Edison-Young Inventor Homer Price Betsy Ross-Designer of Our Flag

Beyond Five in a Row Volume 2 (2nd Edition) By Becky Jane Lambert / Five In A Row For several years now mothers have been asking, "What am I going to do after I finish Five in a Row?" Here is the answer. Beyond Five in a Row is the natural continuation of the Five in a Row educational journey. Designed for children ages 8-12, Beyond Five in a Row uses "chapter books" as the learning springboard to help children continue to fall in love with learning as they build solid academic skills. You will find rich, creative lesson plans designed to help your children explore two fiction and and two non-fiction books in each volume. Filled with lessons on History and Geography, Science, Language Arts, the Fine Arts, and Issues of Human Relationship, Beyond Five in a Row also provides opportunities to explore a variety of career paths, extensive essay writing experience and much more. This solid addition to the Five in a Row with daily mathematics, a steady flow of outside reading, grammar, spelling and penmanship. Beyond Five in a Row does all the rest in that oh-so-easy, enjoyable style for which Five in a Row is famous.

Beyond Five in a Row Christian Character and Bible By Five In A Row For each "Beyond Five in a Row" story lesson to be taught, this Bible Supplement contains an accompanying group of Bible references. The authors have gathered several references so that you might choose one or two that seem the most appropriate to you. As the teacher, you may enjoy reading all the references for a particular story, as a Bible study for yourself. Then choose the verse or story that would most enhance the story lesson for your student. The Bible Supplement provides biblical references for books used in all three volumes of "Beyond Five in a Row." Non-reproducible pages.

 

Typing and Handwriting

 

Typing

Typing Instructor for Kids on CD-ROM by Individual Software
Award-winning because it works, this fun-filled software will sharpen your kids' typing skills!Structured touch-typing lessons for both standard and split keyboards * 11 action-packed games * 40 engaging practice stories * More than 30 tests and evaluations * See and save progress with full-color charts and printable results * Ages 7 to 12

Mavis Beacon Teaching Typing Version 16 Deluxe CD-ROM  by Entertainment Liquidators
Don't let clumsy typing hold you back! Tackle the problem head-on withMavis Beaco- the leading name in typing tutorials for 10 years running.  Get a competitive edge with razor-sharptyping skills that let you work faster and smarter. With guaranteed results injust 15 minutes per day, Mavis Beacon deserves a standing appointment in yourbusy schedule.

Italic Handwriting

We have loved using the Italic Handwriting workbooks.  In fact, I decided to learn this italic style myself when Mary was in Kindergarten about 15 years ago!  My handwriting has certainly improved!

Italic Handwriting: Book A by Barbara Getty / Portland State University
This is the first workbook of a seven-part series. Designed for the beginning reader and writer, it introduces the alphabet one letter per page. Includes lowercase, capitals, and numerals. 30 pages, illustrated.

Italic Handwriting: Book B  by Barbara Getty / Portland State University
Italic is a modern handwriting system based on enduring letterforms that are highly suited to rapid and legible writing. Italic conforms to natural, rhythmic hand movements. Italic builds on previously learned concepts and the letter shapes remain the same from basic to cursive, eliminating the abrupt leap from "ball and stick" to looped cursive. Self-assessment is an integral part of the program.

Italic Handwriting: Book C by Barbara Getty / Portland State University
This is the third workbook of a seven-part series. Covers basic italic and introduces cursive. Words and sentences include days of week, months of year, modes of transportation, and tongue of twisters.

Italic Handwriting: Book D  by Barbara Getty / Portland State University
This is the fourth workbook of a seven-part series reviewing basic italic and covering the total cursive program. Includes prefixes, suffixes, capitalization, and playful poems. Explores the history of the alphabet in an illustrated way.

Italic Handwriting: Book E by Barbara Getty / Portland State University
This is the fifth workbook of a seven-part series. Reviews basic italic and covers the total cursive program. Writing practice covers natural history- plants, volcanoes, cities. Explores the history of the alphabet.

Italic Handwriting: Book F by Barbara Getty / Portland State University
This is the sixth of seven books in the "Italic Handwriting Series" and is recommended for fifth grade. This book is designed to provide further practice with cursive capitals and lowercase joins. For the student new to italic handwriting, this book provides an introduction to basic italic lowercase and capitals and an overview of the cursive joins.

Italic Handwriting: Book G by Barbara Getty / Portland State University
A comprehensive self-instruction program in basic and cursive italic, the writing content follows a central theme: the history of our alphabet. It is suitable for older students and is illustrated in black and white.

Italic Handwriting: The Instruction Manual by Barbara Getty / Portland State University
This resource is to be used in conjunction with the workbooks A-F of the Italic Handwriting Series. Includes teaching and assessment strategies, creative student activities, and adaptations to special needs.  

 

A Reason for Handwriting Workbooks

A Reason for Handwriting Workbooks by Concerned Group feature Bible verses for the student to practice, and then copy and decorate on a border sheet each week.  Border sheets are outlined with wonderful black-line drawings and graphics that students can color to decorate their handwritten verse. They are wonderful "treats" for grandparents or shut-ins, aunts and uncles or friends to receive in the mail. Your young student will have an opportunity to spread the gospel and send a smile to someone they love.   Verses are chosen not only for the correct letter combinations, but also for inspirational content.   We have used these workbooks in co-op classes, and appreciate the handwriting approach and the Christian emphasis. 

A Reason For Handwriting: Kindergarten--Student Worktext by Carol Ann Retzer

Great for pre-school and kindergarten! Students begin by tracing dotted lines (paths) that lead a fun character from left to right across the page. After a suggested activity of blowing bubbles, students are given a beginning lesson in forming round letters by tracing the dotted lines of bubbles on a work sheet page. They learn to start on the starting dot and move their pencil counter-clockwise around the circle.  Additional practice and activity pages for each letter are then included to help students practice what they have learned. Since students are only beginning to learn to form letters, this is the only grade level where entire Scriptures are not written for each lesson. The focus of this 142-page text is proper formation of letters and beginning sounds.

A Reason For Handwriting: Manuscript A--Student Worktext, Grade 1  by Carol Ann Retzer

The pages of this fun workbook feature manuscript handwriting based on verses from Psalms and Proverbs. The course begins with a review of the letter formations learned in Kindergarten and introduces students to the Golden Rule Club and their treehouse. The treehouse is transposed onto the beginning of each line of the manuscript ruled pages and is used as a guide for students to learn the proper sizing and spacing of letters.  After the introductory review lessons are complete, students begin a schedule of lessons that include daily writing practice of selected words in the "Scripture of the week." On Day 4 the student writes the complete verse and then on Day 5 they copy it onto a border sheet from the back of the workbook.

A Reason For Handwriting: Manuscript B--Student Worktext, Grade 2 by Carol Ann Retzer

A Reason For Handwriting: Transition--Student Worktext, Grades 2-3 by Carol Ann Retzer

A Reason For Handwriting: Cursive C--Student Worktext, Grade 3  by Carol Ann Retzer
A Reason For Handwriting: Cursive D--Student Worktext, Grade 4 by Carol Ann Retzer & Eva Hoshino

A Reason For Handwriting: Cursive E--Student Worktext, Grade 5 by Carol Ann Retzer

A Reason For Handwriting: Cursive F--Student Worktext, Grade 6 by Carol Ann Retzer & Eva Hoshino

A Reason for Handwriting: A Homeschool Guidebook for All Ages (revised) by Concerned Group
This detailed teacher guidebook provides 96 pages of daily lesson plans, specific teaching tips and techniques, remedial and advanced strategies, letter formation charts, vocabulary lists, pre-writing readiness activities, handwriting skills index and more. The same teacher book is used for the entire series from kindergarten through sixth grade.