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Literature

Literature CurriculumLiterature Resources

Plenty of people claim they like to read, they just don't like to read assigned books. That's like saying pizza is your favorite food, except when your mom serves it for dinner. Books are assigned because no one's born with a sense of good or bad literature, or knowing what works influenced the history of thought and which ones didn't.

If you loved Huckleberry Finn when you read it on your own, why did you hate it when you had to read it for class?

The sad fact is simply that most people haven't been given the tools for appreciating literature because they haven't been taught to understand it. Anyone who loves their job, or hobby, or sport only does so because they "get it." Understanding is a much overlooked and undervalued asset in today's data-infatuated culture. The goal isn't to interpret anything, only to accumulate as many statistics as possible. No wonder so few people thoroughly enjoy reading.

It's easy to like a book that requires nothing of you; it's the entertainment version of data-acquisition. You simply read the facts about the characters, the facts about the events, the facts the facts the facts, and maybe there are some action-packed facts or some titillating ones, and those are the source of any enjoyment you get from reading. You tell people you like to read, but you don't like books you've been told to read.

A lot of this conflict goes away when one learns how to read. Simply decoding words isn't the extent of reading; a good reader is one who can identify the meaning in a text, appreciate the beauty and complexity of the language as used by the author, and connect their knowledge of various texts to produce a viable body of understanding and increase their powers of critical thinking.

There are those who think this is a waste of time, that any time spent studying literature would be better spent studying the Bible....forgetting (or ignoring) the fact that the Bible is literature. Not in the sense that it's fictional, of course, but the Word of God doesn't come to us pre-interpreted or devoid of traditional literary form—for our delight as much as our instruction, the Bible is poetry, drama, adventure story, philosophy, theology and even romance all rolled into one.

While it's true that we should devote time to studying the Bible (lots of time, even), it's also true that studying literature is a valuable exercise in its own right. For one thing, it can help us better understand how to approach the Bible and its various genres, and provide excellent practice making inter- and intratextual connections and comparisons. Beyond that, it helps us understand other people, the events of history, the ideas of past generations, gives us an increased appreciation of true beauty, and helps us understand ourselves. Also, it's often really fun.

That sense of fun, however, is not without context. For many, it represents an Enlightenment ideal that has crept almost wholly unnoticed into modern thought. The Enlightenment humanists asserted that man was best in his "natural" state, and that culture and society overall had a diminishing effect on him that robbed him of his true potential. Thus, enjoying a book unfettered by any notion of understanding it, or of self-improvement, will yield better and more pleasurable results than the alternative.

This flies in the face of everything the Bible says about man and society. Society, though it can corrupt its members, is also the civilizer of men. Man requires structure and law to keep him from complete chaos, and society is the instrument of such organization. Each societal structure comes with its own rules, and an understanding of these is necessary for an understanding of any product of that culture.

More than that, the deepest understanding of Scripture requires a knowledge of its cultural and religious origins, the nature of the languages in which it was written, its coherence as a unified document, etc. How can we assume the path to interpretation of any other text is any different?

If your only expectation from any book is that it provide a measure of diversion, any book will do. But if you want to read in order to grow and truly enjoy the beauty that still shines in this often murky world, you'll need to choose the right books, and you'll need to devote yourself to understanding them. Inculcating those desires in our children and equipping them with the tools to do so is one of our foremost goals, and that is why we carry such a variety of products to help you do the same.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.

 

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Across Five Aprils - Progeny Press Study Guide
Progeny Press Literature Guides
by Carol Clark
from Progeny Press
Literature Guide for 5th-9th grade
in Progeny Press Literature Guides (Location: LIT-SGPP)
$24.99 $14.00 (1 in stock)
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Progeny Press Study Guide
Progeny Press Literature Guides
by Gregory Power
from Progeny Press
Literature Guide for 9th-12th grade
in Progeny Press Literature Guides (Location: LIT-SGPP)
$27.99 $17.00 (2 in stock)
Aeneid - MP Student Guide
by Cody King
from Memoria Press
for 9th-12th grade
in Memoria Press Classical Studies (Location: HISCUR-MP)
$20.50
Aeneid - MP Teacher Guide
by Cody King
from Memoria Press
for 9th-12th grade
in Memoria Press Classical Studies (Location: HISCUR-MP)
$20.50
American Literature - Student Text & Notebook
by Whit Jones
from Apologia Educational Ministries
for 9th-12th grade
in American Literature Curriculum (Location: LITCUR-AM)
$89.00 $54.00 (1 in stock)
Analogies for All of Us
by Marc Hays
from Classical Conversations
for 7th-9th grade
in Logic Resources (Location: LOG-RES)
$29.30
Animal Farm
Signet Classics
by George Orwell
from Signet Classics
Utopian/Dystopian Literature for 9th-Adult
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
$9.99 $6.00 (1 in stock)
Anne of Green Gables
Anne #1
by L. M. Montgomery
from Bantam Books
Orphan Stories for 5th-9th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$7.99
Anne of Green Gables
Anne #1
by L. M. Montgomery
from Tundra Books (NY)
Orphan Stories for 5th-9th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$19.99
Anne of Green Gables
Anne #1
by L. M. Montgomery
from Tundra Books (NY)
Orphan Stories for 5th-9th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$9.99
Around the World in Eighty Days
by Jules Verne, George M. Towle (Translator)
from Bantam Books
for 7th-Adult
in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
$5.95
Around the World in Eighty Days - Comprehension Guide
Veritas Press Literature Comprehension Guides
by Jonathan Daughtrey & Ned Bustard
from Veritas Press
for 6th-9th grade
in Veritas Press Literature Guides (Location: LITSG-VP)
$19.00
Art of Poetry
by Christine Perrin
from Classical Academic Press
for 7th-12th grade
in Poetry Curriculum & Resources (Location: LIR-POET)
$29.95 $15.00 (1 in stock)
Art of Poetry - DVD
by Christine Perrin
from Classical Academic Press
for 7th-12th grade
in Poetry Curriculum & Resources (Location: LIR-POET)
$103.95 $60.00 (1 in stock)
Art of Poetry - Teacher's Edition
by Christine Perrin
from Classical Academic Press
for 7th-12th grade
in Poetry Curriculum & Resources (Location: LIR-POET)
$34.95
Ascent to Love
by Peter Leithart
from Canon Press
for 9th-Adult
in Classical Literature Guides (Location: LIR-CLA)
$16.00
Beowulf - Progeny Press Study Guide
by Michael Poteet
from Progeny Press
for 9th-12th grade
in Progeny Press Literature Guides (Location: LIT-SGPP)
$27.99
Beowulf - Study Guide CD
by Michael Poteet
from Progeny Press
for 9th-12th grade
in Progeny Press Interactive CDs (Location: LITSG-PPCD)
$13.00
Beowulf the Warrior - Student Guide
by David M. Wright
2nd edition from Memoria Press
for 8th-9th grade
in Memoria Press Literature & Poetry (Location: LITSG-MP)
$13.95 $8.50 (1 in stock)
Beowulf the Warrior - Teacher Guide
by David M. Wright
2nd edition from Memoria Press
for 8th-9th grade
in Memoria Press Literature & Poetry (Location: LITSG-MP)
$13.95
British Tradition I - Anthology
2nd edition from Memoria Press
for 8th-12th grade
in Poetry Curriculum & Resources (Location: LIR-POET)
$20.95
British Tradition I - Student Guide
2nd edition from Memoria Press
for 8th-12th grade
in Poetry Curriculum & Resources (Location: LIR-POET)
$18.35 $12.50 (1 in stock)
British Tradition I - Teacher Book
2nd edition from Memoria Press
for 8th-12th grade
in Poetry Curriculum & Resources (Location: LIR-POET)
$20.50
British Tradition II - Anthology
3rd edition from Memoria Press
for 8th-12th grade
in Poetry Curriculum & Resources (Location: LIR-POET)
$20.95
British Tradition II - Student Guide
3rd edition from Memoria Press
for 8th-12th grade
in Poetry Curriculum & Resources (Location: LIR-POET)
$18.35
British Tradition II - Teacher Book
3rd edition from Memoria Press
for 8th-12th grade
in Poetry Curriculum & Resources (Location: LIR-POET)
$20.50
British Tradition III - Anthology
2nd edition from Memoria Press
for 8th-12th grade
in Poetry Curriculum & Resources (Location: LIR-POET)
$20.95
British Tradition III - Student Guide
2nd edition from Memoria Press
for 8th-12th grade
in Poetry Curriculum & Resources (Location: LIR-POET)
$18.35
British Tradition III - Teacher Book
2nd edition from Memoria Press
for 8th-12th grade
in Poetry Curriculum & Resources (Location: LIR-POET)
$20.50
Bronze Bow
by Elizabeth George Speare
from Houghton Mifflin
Historical Fiction for 5th-9th grade
1962 Newbery Medal winner
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$9.99
Call of the Wild
Puffin Classics
by Jack London
2008th edition from Puffin Books
Action/Adventure for 7th-10th grade
in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF)
$7.99
Call of the Wild & White Fang - Comprehension Guide
by Ned Bustard
from Veritas Press
for 6th-9th grade
in Veritas Press Literature Guides (Location: LITSG-VP)
$19.00
Call of the Wild - Progeny Press Study Guide
by Lisa Tiffin
from Progeny Press
Literature Guide for 8th-12th grade
in Progeny Press Literature Guides (Location: LIT-SGPP)
$27.99
Canterbury Tales
by Geoffrey Chaucer
2nd edition from Memoria Press
for 9th grade
in Memoria Press Literature & Poetry (Location: LITSG-MP)
$14.05 $8.50 (1 in stock)
Canterbury Tales - Student Guide
by Geoffrey Chaucer
2nd edition from Memoria Press
for 8th-12th grade
in Memoria Press Literature & Poetry (Location: LITSG-MP)
$13.95 $8.00 (1 in stock)
Canterbury Tales - Teacher Guide
by Geoffrey Chaucer
2nd edition from Memoria Press
for 8th-12th grade
in Memoria Press Literature & Poetry (Location: LITSG-MP)
$13.95 $9.00 (1 in stock)
Carry On, Mr. Bowditch
by Jean Lee Latham
from Houghton Mifflin
Biography for 5th-9th grade
1956 Newbery Medal winner
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$15.99
Christian Reading Companion for 50 Classics
by James Stobaugh
Reprint from Master Books
for 9th-Adult
in Literary Analysis & Reference (Location: LIR-LAR)
$12.79
Christmas Carol - Progeny Press Study Guide
Progeny Press Literature Guides
by Rebecca Gilleland
from Progeny Press
Literature Guide for 8th-12th grade
in Progeny Press Literature Guides (Location: LIT-SGPP)
$27.99 $17.00 (1 in stock)
Compass for Deep Heaven
by Diana Pavlac Glyer and Julianne Johnson, editors
from Square Halo Books
for 9th-Adult
in The Inklings (Location: LIR-INK)
$24.95
Day No Pigs Would Die - Progeny Press Study Guide
Progeny Press Literature Guides
by Andrew Clausen
from Progeny Press
Literature Guide for 9th-12th grade
in Progeny Press Literature Guides (Location: LIT-SGPP)
$27.99
Dickens Dictionary
by Gilbert A. Pierce
from Dover Publications
for 9th-Adult
in British Literature Curriculum (Location: LITCUR-BRI)
$29.95
Discarded Image
by C. S. Lewis
from Cambridge University
Medieval and Renaissance Lit Guide/Resource for 9th-Adult
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
$19.99
Evaluating Books
by Richard Maybury
2nd edition from Bluestocking Press
for 9th-Adult
in Uncle Eric books (Location: ECON-ERIC)
$10.95
Experiment in Criticism
by C. S. Lewis
Reissue from Cambridge University
Literature Guide/Resource for 9th-Adult
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
$19.99
Fahrenheit 451 - Comprehension Guide
by Ned Bustard
from Veritas Press
for 6th-9th grade
in Veritas Press Literature Guides (Location: LITSG-VP)
$19.00
Fellowship of the Ring - Student Guide
by Hannah Eagleson
from Classical Academic Press
for 7th-12th grade
in Walking to Wisdom Literature Guides (Location: LITSG-WW)
$13.95
Fellowship of the Ring - Teacher Guide
by Hannah Eagleson
from Classical Academic Press
for 7th-12th grade
in Walking to Wisdom Literature Guides (Location: LITSG-WW)
$21.95 $10.50 (1 in stock)
Frankenstein - Study Guide CD
Progeny Press Literature Guides
by Calvin Roso & Andrew Clausen
from Progeny Press
Literature Guide for 9th-12th grade
in Progeny Press Interactive CDs (Location: LITSG-PPCD)
$14.00
Fundamentals of Literature - Assessments
3rd edition from Bob Jones University Press
for 9th grade
in BJU Literature (Location: LITCUR-BJU)
$21.11
Fundamentals of Literature - Assessments Answer Key
3rd edition from Bob Jones University Press
for 9th grade
in BJU Literature (Location: LITCUR-BJU)
$15.28
Fundamentals of Literature - BJU Subject Kit (old)
2nd edition from Bob Jones University Press
for 9th grade
Cathy Duffy's 100 Top Picks
in BJU Literature (Old Versions only) (Location: OBJU-LIT)
$147.90
Fundamentals of Literature - Student Textbook
3rd edition from Bob Jones University Press
for 9th grade
in BJU Literature (Location: LITCUR-BJU)
$75.56
Fundamentals of Literature - Student Textbook (old)
2nd edition from Bob Jones University Press
for 9th grade
in BJU Literature (Old Versions only) (Location: OBJU-LIT)
$52.89 $29.00 (3 in stock)
Fundamentals of Literature - Teacher Edition
3rd edition from Bob Jones University Press
for 9th grade
in BJU Literature (Location: LITCUR-BJU)
$93.89
Fundamentals of Literature - Tests (old)
2nd edition from Bob Jones University Press
for 9th grade
in BJU Literature (Old Versions only) (Location: OBJU-LIT)
$21.11
Fundamentals of Literature - Tests Answer Key (old)
2nd edition from Bob Jones University Press
for 9th grade
in BJU Literature (Old Versions only) (Location: OBJU-LIT)
$10.70 $5.00 (2 in stock)
Giver
by Lois Lowry
from HMH Books for Young Readers
for 7th-10th grade
1994 Newbery Medal winner
in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI)
$11.99 $6.00 (14 in stock)
Giver - Progeny Press Study Guide
Progeny Press Literature Guides
by Andrew Clausen
from Progeny Press
Literature Guide for 7th-9th grade
in Progeny Press Literature Guides (Location: LIT-SGPP)
$24.99
Giver - Study Guide CD
Progeny Press Literature Guides
by Andrew Clausen
from Progeny Press
Literature Guide for 7th-9th grade
in Progeny Press Interactive CDs (Location: LITSG-PPCD)
$12.00
Golden Goblet - Study Guide CD
by Carol Clark
from Progeny Press
for 7th-9th grade
in Progeny Press Interactive CDs (Location: LITSG-PPCD)
$12.00
Grammar of Poetry
Imitation in Writing Series
by Matt Whitling
from Canon Press
Writing Curriculum for 5th-12th grade
in Poetry Curriculum & Resources (Location: LIR-POET)
$23.99
Grammar of Poetry - Teacher Edition
Imitation in Writing Series
by Matt Whitling
2nd edition from Canon Press
Writing Curriculum for 5th-12th grade
in Poetry Curriculum & Resources (Location: LIR-POET)
$25.99
Great Christian Classics Volume I - Teacher Guide
by Kevin Swanson
2nd edition from Master Books
for 9th-12th grade
in Classical Literature Guides (Location: LIR-CLA)
$21.59
Great Christian Classics Volume I - Text
by Kevin Swanson
2nd edition from Generations with Vision
for 9th-12th grade
in Classical Literature Guides (Location: LIR-CLA)
$39.99
Great Expectations - Progeny Press Study Guide
by Michael S. Gilleland
from Progeny Press
for 9th-12th grade
in Progeny Press Literature Guides (Location: LIT-SGPP)
$27.99 $17.00 (1 in stock)
Great Gatsby - Progeny Press Study Guide
Progeny Press Literature Guides
by Calvin Roso
from Progeny Press
Literature Guide for 9th-12th grade
in Progeny Press Literature Guides (Location: LIT-SGPP)
$27.99
Great Gatsby - Study Guide CD
Progeny Press Literature Guides
by Calvin Roso
from Progeny Press
Literature Guide for 9th-12th grade
in Progeny Press Interactive CDs (Location: LITSG-PPCD)
$14.00
Hamlet - Progeny Press Study Guide
Progeny Press Literature Guides
by Bethine Ellie
from Progeny Press
Literature Guide for 9th-12th grade
in Progeny Press Literature Guides (Location: LIT-SGPP)
$27.99 $17.00 (1 in stock)
Hamlet - Study Guide CD
Progeny Press Literature Guides
by Bethine Ellie
from Progeny Press
Literature Guide for 9th-12th grade
in Progeny Press Interactive CDs (Location: LITSG-PPCD)
$14.00
Heart of Darkness - Progeny Press Study Guide
Progeny Press Literature Guides
by Bethine Ellie
from Progeny Press
Literature Guide for 9th-12th grade
in Progeny Press Literature Guides (Location: LIT-SGPP)
$27.99
Heroes of the City of Man
by Peter Leithart
from Canon Press
for 9th-Adult
in Classical Literature Guides (Location: LIR-CLA)
$25.99
Hiding Place
by Corrie Ten Boom
from Bantam Books
Biography for 6th-10th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$8.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
History of Middle Earth - Boxed Set
by J.R.R. Tolkien, edited by Christopher Tolkien
from Del Rey
for 9th-Adult
in Boxed Sets & Literature Packages (Location: FIC-BOX)
$49.95
History Transition Guide Volume 2
by Julie Etter
from Veritas Press
for 6th-10th grade
in Veritas Press History (Location: HISCUR-VP)
$25.00
Hobbit
by J. R. R. Tolkien
2nd edition from Ballantine Books
Fantasy for 5th-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$8.99
Hobbit - Study Guide CD
Progeny Press Literature Guides
by Michael Poteet
from Progeny Press
Literature Guide for 8th-12th grade
in Progeny Press Interactive CDs (Location: LITSG-PPCD)
$14.00
Hound of the Baskervilles - MP Student Guide
by Andrew Thibaudeau
from Memoria Press
for 8th-10th grade
in Memoria Press Literature & Poetry (Location: LITSG-MP)
$11.16 $6.80 (2 in stock)
Hound of the Baskervilles - MP Teacher Guide
by Andrew Thibaudeau
from Memoria Press
for 8th-10th grade
in Memoria Press Literature & Poetry (Location: LITSG-MP)
$11.16 $6.80 (1 in stock)
Hound of the Baskervilles - Progeny Press Study Guide
by Michael Gilleland & Mike Poteet
from Progeny Press
in Progeny Press Literature Guides (Location: LIT-SGPP)
$22.39
How the Heather Looks
by Joan Bodger
Reprint from Living Book Press
for 7th-Adult
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$24.99
How the Heather Looks
by Joan Bodger, illustrated by Mark Lang
Reprint from Living Book Press
for 7th-Adult
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$14.99
Illuminating Literature: Characters in Crisis - Quiz and Answer Manual
by Sharon Watson
from Writing with Sharon Watson
for 9th-12th grade
in Writing with Sharon Watson (Location: WRI-SWW)
$9.00
Illuminating Literature: Characters in Crisis - Student Book
by Sharon Watson
from Writing with Sharon Watson
for 9th-12th grade
in Writing with Sharon Watson (Location: WRI-SWW)
$43.00
Illuminating Literature: Characters in Crisis - Teacher's Guide
by Sharon Watson
from Writing with Sharon Watson
for 9th-12th grade
in Writing with Sharon Watson (Location: WRI-SWW)
$18.00
Illuminating Literature: When Worlds Collide - Quiz and Answer Manual
by Sharon Watson
from Writing with Sharon Watson
for 9th-12th grade
in Writing with Sharon Watson (Location: WRI-SWW)
$8.49 $6.00 (2 in stock)
Illuminating Literature: When Worlds Collide - Student Book
by Sharon Watson
from Writing with Sharon Watson
for 9th-12th grade
in Writing with Sharon Watson (Location: WRI-SWW)
$39.49
Illuminating Literature: When Worlds Collide - Teacher's Guide
by Sharon Watson
from Writing with Sharon Watson
for 9th-12th grade
in Writing with Sharon Watson (Location: WRI-SWW)
$16.49 $12.00 (1 in stock)
In the House of Tom Bombadil
by C. R. Wiley, Foreword by Bradley J. Birzer
from Canon Press
for 9th-Adult
in Lord of the Rings (Location: LIR-LOTR)
$16.95
Introduction to Poetry - Progeny Press Study Guide
Progeny Press Literature Guides
by Judy Cook
from Progeny Press
for 8th-12th grade
in Progeny Press Literature Guides (Location: LIT-SGPP)
$27.99
Jane Eyre - MP Student Guide
by David M. Wright
from Memoria Press
for 9th-12th grade
in Memoria Press Literature & Poetry (Location: LITSG-MP)
$13.95 $8.00 (1 in stock)
Jane Eyre - MP Teacher Guide
by David M. Wright
from Memoria Press
for 9th-12th grade
in Memoria Press Literature & Poetry (Location: LITSG-MP)
$13.95 $9.00 (1 in stock)
Jane Eyre - Progeny Press Study Guide
Progeny Press Literature Guides
by Jill M. Wilson
from Progeny Press
Literature Guide for 9th-12th grade
in Progeny Press Literature Guides (Location: LIT-SGPP)
$27.99
Julie of the Wolves
"Julie" Trilogy Book 1
by Jean Craighead George
from HarperCollins
Adventure for 7th-10th grade
1973 Newbery Medal winner
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$7.99
Julius Caesar - Guide CD
Progeny Press Literature Guides
by Michael Gilleland
from Progeny Press
Literature Guide for 9th-12th grade
in Progeny Press Interactive CDs (Location: LITSG-PPCD)
$13.00
Julius Caesar - Progeny Press Study Guide
Progeny Press Literature Guides
by Michael Gilleland
from Progeny Press
Literature Guide for 9th-12th grade
in Progeny Press Literature Guides (Location: LIT-SGPP)
$27.99
Jungle Book - Comprehension Guide
by Jonathan Daughtrey
from Veritas Press
for 6th-9th grade
in Veritas Press Literature Guides (Location: LITSG-VP)
$19.00
King Lear - MP Student Book
by William Shakespeare, David M. Wright
1st edition from Memoria Press
for 9th-12th grade
in Memoria Press Literature & Poetry (Location: LITSG-MP)
$13.95
King Lear - MP Teacher Guide
by William Shakespeare, David M. Wright
1st edition from Memoria Press
for 9th-12th grade
in Memoria Press Literature & Poetry (Location: LITSG-MP)
$13.95
Last Battle - Student Guide
by Hannah Eagleson
from Classical Academic Press
for 7th-12th grade
in Walking to Wisdom Literature Guides (Location: LITSG-WW)
$13.95 $10.50 (2 in stock)
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