I’m terrible at staying updated with the “What We are Reading” posts. I was reading while nursing yesterday afternoon, and decided it was high time I just sat down and wrote out a quick post to tell you about the books we are currently reading…
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I’m currently reading Understanding the Times by David Noebel and I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek.
I highly recommend your older kids read these two books before they leave high school! These are also great books to take you deeper in your own faith.
My 17 year old son just finished Assumptions That Affect Our Lives by Christian Overman and How Should We Then Live by Francis Shaeffer.
(You’ll find my wholehearted endorsement on the inside cover of this book!)
I’d encourage you to have your older kids read both of these books as well, and then watch the How Should We Then Live videos hosted by Dr. Shaeffer himself. You can watch them for FREE on YouTube HERE. The reason I recommend reading AND watching is because it will help to cement in your child’s mind the TRUTH.
Blake is now reading Paul Little’s Know What You Believe as he goes through the Starting Points curriculum from Cornerstone Curriculum. (This is an excellent worldview curriculum that will teach your children to think for themselves and analyze the worldview of everything they encounter. I had a fantastic discussion with Dr. Quine recently that solidified in my mind his genuine desire to help young people to learn not just WHAT to think but HOW to think.)
Megan, age 14, is also going through this course. Additionally, she is reading The Victorian Internet and Les Miserables.
She balked at the size of Les Miserables (and who wouldn’t?!), so I asked her to read the first section, and then decide from there if she wanted to continue. Since she already knows the storyline, reading the first section (about 300 pages), will give her a feel for the language of the book – something I feel is very important when reading classic literature.
My 10 year old daughter just finished The Pioneer Sampler, and has decided to read through the Elsie Dinsmore books.
Our landlady told her that the first two books are rather miserable, but once you move through those, you are hooked. We own the first 12 books in the set, but I could never get through the first book. Elsie is in a constant state of distress, and I grew weary of everyone always treating her horribly. But, Melia assures me they DO get better, so I’m letting her go with it!
My 9 year old son is reading a short Thomas Jefferson biography for school and Misty of Chincoteague (we picked this up at a library sale).
Micah, our newest reader, is working through his Phonics Museum books and starting to try to sound out words in other books and magazines! He’s our 3rd child to learn to reading using Phonics Museum. So fun!
So, that’s what we are reading! What are you reading?
Sheila Patrick says
Amy,
I love your mission! I am on the same mission. Except homeschooling… I might get there one day! Ha 🙂
I am interested in children’s devotions- I have 7 and 8 year old. I want interesting and foundational. I want it to be Learned… and not just something they just hear. Want to help them to put on the whole armor of God. I feel like I need a formula of scripture to learn… when everything else is taken from us.. we have our knowledge. I want applicable for children…i am living in front of my children to abide in Christ. I think children do this learning at different levels, but I dont want to miss anything. You have any suggestions?
Amy says
You might look into the Fighter Verses app – a friend of mine highly recommends it.
Natalie says
Then Sings my Soul: 150 of the world’s greatest hymn stories by Robert Morgan and Growing in Christ by J.I. Packer. My husband is reading Bring Up Boys by James Dobson.
I’ve been reading through Secret Garden with my non-readers.
Gwen says
Great choices! I kind of want to read A Pioneer’s Sampler even though I’m a lot older than 10. I love that type of history book.
I might add your books to my reading list too. It looks like ‘I don’t have enough faith to be an atheist’ is available as an auidobook, perfect for me. 🙂
Right now I’m reading Mere Christianity by CS Lewis and Economics: The User’s Guide by Ha-Joon Chang.
Diana says
Amy, I want to thank you so much for this book list! I enjoyed reading through it very much, and I spent some time writing these titles (especially the ones for teens) into our family booklist. I’m creating a must-read list of faith-based titles for teens – I want them to have a good education in competing worldviews before they’re blasted with it. The titles you mention seem like great choices. Thank you again!!
Diana
P.S. Books we’re reading:
Me:
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (never got around to it when I was a child)
The Disease Delusion
The Two Towers
Read-Alouds with the children:
The Mystery of the Yellow House
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
The Bears on Hemlock Mountain
My Father’s Dragon
Book of Titus
Have a wonderful evening!
Amy says
Thank you for sharing your list!
Lacy says
Hi,
I appreciate your book posts. I am looking for a book(s) for my 12 year old son. He is ready to begin cultivating his walk with God on a deeper level. I was hoping to find a book geared to the basics of intimate relationship with God, not necessarily theology or intense Bible study, though of course both of those will be part of it. Do you know of something?
Amy says
We really like Dug Down Deep by Josh Harris. 🙂
Lacy says
Great. I ordered it. Let me know if you think of any others!
Reggie says
It is such fun when they learn to read, isn’t it? While I think the biggest success factor is the child’s own motivation, it does give me a sense of accomplishment as well to know I helped facilitate that much needed skill! We have used Hooked On Phonics with great success, tweaking as needed for learning styles. While it is simplistic and repetitive, if gone at at the child’s pace, it is very effective.