High school book list is one of my favorite things! Teaching reading and writing to homeschool teenagers is one of my favorite things to do.
An unusual book list that can bring life to your literature is one that includes works by Great Christian Writers.
High School Book List – Include Great Christian Writers
One of the many blessings of homeschooling through high school is getting to choose books to read with our kids, and then discussing those books.
Here’s a vlog to help you figure out how to choose books for high school student each year:
While I make sure we spend time on American Literature, British Literature and World Literature, it’s also wonderful to spend a half-credit or even a whole-credit on a specialized category of literature, or a topic, or a particular author’s work (like C. S. Lewis – check out our lit. guides that accompany his books here).
You can tailor your book selection to your child’s unique interests, for example. One of my sons earned credit for reading books about great filmmakers, and reading classic works of literature that were made into classic movies, then analyzing the transfer from page to screen in papers he wrote. A student with a passion for history could focus on books about a favorite time period for literature. A kid with a passion for animals might want to choose books that center on that topic, and so forth.
Great Christian Writers came out of the desire of some of us moms to see our kids read well-written books by Christian authors who want their readers to meditate deeply in their spirits about the things of God as well as have their intellect stretched and entertained with their words. We wanted to include biographies and autobiographies, books of theology, devotional materials, and fiction.
This is the book list I’ve used in Great Christian Writers:
* The Hiding Place (Corrie Ten Boom)
* Pilgrim’s Progress (John Bunyan)
* The Practice of the Presence of God (Bro. Lawrence)
* The Essential Father Brown short stories (GK Chesterton)
* Armchair Theologians Series – Augustine
* God’s Smuggler (Bro. Andrew)
* Something Beautiful for God (Malcolm Muggeridge)
* Hymns & Creeds
* Poetry
* The Normal Christian Life (Watchman Nee)
* This Present Darkness (Frank Peretti)
* Mere Christianity (CS Lewis)
* Prayers
* Devotions
* Joni (Joni Eareckson Tada)
* Born Again (Chuck Colson)
* The Great Divorce (CS Lewis)
A few of the selections are obviously not books. For the hymns, poetry, prayers and devotions I used the internet as a resource for compiling great examples of these forms of writing, and assigned these collections to the students in lieu of a regular book.
Because we are reading these books with a class, for each book I have created a study guide of some type for the students to use in preparing for their class discussion. (You can find several of these study guides in our EBookstore by clicking on the links above.) The study guides really help the students focus on important themes in the books, and they provide background information about the authors and vocabulary resources, as well as supplemental activities and suggestions.
I have enjoyed this class more than I can say! The kids amaze me with their insights in discussion, and it is so interesting to see which kids fall in love with which books…and which they deem “boring”!
Can reading good books help build character in your student? According to the Department of Education, the answer is yes! Click here to read more.
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And now, here’s a review of God’s Smuggler by Seth Tillman, who read this book during his sophomore year of homeschool high school!
God’s Smuggler by Brother Andrew
God’s Smuggler is an inspiring true story filled with adventure, suspense and faith. It is the autobiography of Brother Andrew. During the Cold War, Brother Andrew smuggled Bibles into countries behind the Iron Curtain.
The book is also the story of his conversion to Christianity. Brother Andrew went from rebellious boy, to reckless young man, to great man of God.
God’s Smuggler really showed me how much God cares for His children. He kept Andrew safe through many dangers. Every time he passed through a border he would pray what he called “the Prayer of God’s Smuggler”:
“Lord, in my luggage I have Scripture that I want to take to Your children across the border. When You were on earth, You made blind eyes see. Now, I pray, make seeing eyes blind. Do not let the guards see those things You do not want them to see.”
Because of Brother Andrew, many people behind the Iron Curtain received Bibles and were shown that God cared about them. You will not want to put God’s Smuggler down.
For Literature Study Guides for Great Christian Writers selections plus many more terrific books, visit the EBookstore!
High School Book List – Include Great Christian Writers
This looks great, I’m getting ready to homeschool my first high schooler and she LOVES to read. Some of the traditional novels read in high school could use some Christian perspective when analyzing. Please put me on your email list.
Happy to add you, Katie! Let us know if you have specific questions about our curriculum, or about the wonderful adventure that homeschooling high school can be! Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram if you use those social media platforms. We find lots of great conversation among all our “7th sisters” there! https://www.facebook.com/groups/7SistersHomeschool
Love this post Sabrina!
Thank you for putting this out there. I agree with your opinion and I hope more people would come to agree with this as well.
Every Christian Authors should know to create a Godly and successful book.
You may also read my blog on Writing Advice for Christian Authors
Hope this will also help.
The review of God’s Smuggler is beautiful, I wanted to cry when I started to read the prayer he prayed.. sounds like a beautiful book, looking forward to reading It right after I finish The Pilgrim’s Progress !
I think you will love God’s Smuggler, Jaralin! Thanks for the kind words.
Sabrina, what a wonderful and well-made vlog! I was particularly surprised and pleased to hear you reference Invisible Man (had to listen sharp to make sure it was Wells and not Ellison). I looked at that tale on my blog last month for fantasy writers- what a terrific author, I’ve also looked at his Island of Dr. Moreau (bbrrr). And I fully agree, the movie with Claude Rains is very true to the tale (Hollow Man, not so much!).
Thanks again- some terrific guidelines here.
Thanks, Will! I should always refer to that book as, “H.G. Wells’ The Invisible Man,” shouldn’t I? It’s caused confusion before, because Ellison’s book of the same title is so well-known.
It’s interesting (sometimes) to even watch a really POOR movie adaptation of a classic book with my kids and discuss why it was an insult to the author of the story.
I am far too much of a wimp to face Dr. Moreau and his revolting island. I encountered it as a young person and still get the heeby-jeebies at the thought…so I’ve never taken a return visit as a grown-up.
I like to talk with teens about that, too. Some stories just leave a bad taste in your mouth for personal reasons, and it’s okay to say, “That one’s NOT for me. Period.” When my literature co-op class studied Edgar Allan Poe this year, I chose to stay far away from “The Pit and the Pendulum” because I just hate stories that feel like that. But I had students who love a good creep-out who read that one for their “your choice” short story selection. We are not all wired the same. 😉