“What Are the Best Books to Teach With?”
I’ve been pushing hard to get you to use exciting stories to teach to the hearts to your students or children. The reason is because it works amazingly well! If you want to read more about why it works so well click here. For those of you who are ready to try it let me make some suggestions for books you can start with:
- First, I hope you will consider my Tales of Larkin books. Book one: Hawthorn’s Discovery is now available and was written with this very purpose in mind. The story is fast paced, exciting, with a godly focus, and it has an appendix with chapter questions to get you started in your discussions.
- The Chronicles of Narnia books by C.S. Lewis are also perfect for this.
- The Little House books by Laura Ingles Wilder are not quite as adventurous but they are well written and are engaging enough to teach with.
- We read Jeanette Oak’s Loves Comes Softly series with our children and they enjoyed it. I remember hearing some of my children praying for characters in the story as we were reading some of the more intense parts. With a little creativity you can come up with some very good questions for the chapters.
- Andrew Peterson’s The Wingfeather Saga was scary and maybe a little too intense for small children but it definitely keeps the children engaged and provides lots of opportunities for teaching important character and spiritual lessons.
- The Read Aloud Revival website has come up with a list of books that you can get for free by signing up for the list. Find out more about their list here.
- At House Full of Bookworms you can sign up for a free list of good books for all ages.
- The ladies at Kindred Grace have done a remarkable job coming up with a variety of book lists to inspire and encourage young readers. I hope these will get you started. If any of you have suggestions of good engaging books that can be used to teach tell us about them in a reply. Just remember, pick books that your children or students will enjoy. Read them together and while everyone is still engaged with the story, ask questions that will lead to fruitful discussions about the lessons you want them to remember. May God bless and inspire you as you shape the hearts of those He has called you to teach.
In His Service,
Alan W. Harris
Leave a Reply