Living Books: Definition and Examples

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Homeschooling offers families more flexibility in the way that children can study and learn. Whereas the traditional picture of schooling makes use of textbooks and workbooks, the Charlotte Mason method is one educational philosophy that uses living books instead. 

But what is the Charlotte Mason (CM) method, anyway? In this post, we hope to give you an overview of this philosophy, as well as the term she coined, “living books.” 

The Charlotte Mason Method

Charlotte Mason was a British educator-reformer who lived during the late 1800s. She set up a training school for equipping governesses and other people working with children by using the principles she established from her years of educating children. 

One of her main principles is that children have minds that are capable of understanding excellently-written literature. This is in contradiction to the popular view that children need their school lessons diluted down from the original language of the classic books. 

With this foundation, the Charlotte Mason method uses rich literature, or “living books,” in place of the dry facts found in textbooks, or the “dumbed-down” version of books written down to children. 

What Is a Living Book? 

A living book is a book written by a passionate and undisputed expert on a subject. It is usually written in a narrative style, thus engaging the reader’s imagination. 

A good example of living books would be classic books. Many of these books were originally written for children, but over the years, we have come to think of them as “hard” books that are for adults. In fact, that is why many of these classics have been adapted for younger readers. 

But Charlotte Mason’s emphasis on the child’s capacity means that homeschooling in the CM method includes using unabridged versions of many classic works, as these original writings are considered living books, containing many details that stir up the imagination, which the retellings often lose. 

We differentiate living books from the following: 

  • Textbooks: These are usually written by an assigned person, or group of persons, with the goal of getting the child to memorize facts in order to pass a test. 
  • Twaddle: This is the term that Charlotte Mason coined to refer to books that are dumbed down for children. 

In using living books, the child educated in the CM way will read a passage and then narrate, or tell back, what they have read. This method ensures that the child pays full attention to a single reading, and their narrating back is considered the way of assimilating the information. 

Because living books contain lots of details to awaken the student’s imagination, it is not uncommon for children educated in this way to remember the scenes months or years after they read a given book. 

Examples of History and Geography Living Books

To give you a better picture of living books and their role in a Charlotte Mason homeschool, here are some books that you can use for history and geography: 

1. A Child’s History of the World by V.M. Hillyer 

Learning about the history of the world becomes fun with this history text written in a conversational style. But don’t think that it’s any silly story book: Hillyer effectively weaves the events of history into a captivating tale that makes it come alive for any child.  

2. On the Shores of the Great Sea by M.B. Synge

In this first book in The Story of the World series, you can learn about the early civilizations that cropped up around the Mediterranean Sea. Synge traces history from the time of Abraham all the way to the birth of Christ, giving brief histories of the many people groups during this timeframe. 

Examples of Science Living Books 

For science, the Charlotte Mason method also uses living books, alongside a strong emphasis on nature study. Here are some examples of the best living books for teaching science: 

3. The Burgess Bird Book for Children by Thornton W. Burgess 

Read all about the habits and behavior of birds in this wonderfully written book. Burgess is a master storyteller and shows us just how different kinds of birds survive and thrive in this world, through an enchanting series of stories for each bird. 

4. The Story Book of Science by Jean-Henri Fabre

This classic book is written by French naturalist Jean-Henri Fabre, and tells a story of a couple of children learning important principles in science from their uncle. The narrative style makes it a very engaging read while teaching children crucial concepts to form their foundation of science learning. 

Examples of Living Books for Language Arts 

For language arts, the Charlotte Mason method uses high-quality literature. Some examples include: 

5. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame 

This story tells about a group of animals trying to help their friend, Toad, through his reckless driving adventures and the eventual takeover of Toad Hall. The book is full of adventure and covers important themes like morality, camaraderie, and bravery, making it a favorite for children across generations. 

6. Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling 

This collection of stories of the fantastical origin of everyday things is an entertaining read for young children, and also helps them to build strong language and vocabulary skills. Rudyard Kipling is an expert at creating long, but very engaging, stories that children love listening to or reading. 

Using Living Books in a Charlotte Mason Homeschool 

Living books is an important foundation for a Charlotte Mason homeschool. If you are interested in learning more about homeschooling, you can check out our guide to homeschool curricula.

Then, start to stock up on living books so you and your child can start enjoying these outstanding books together. 

Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!

 

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