Catholic Homeschooling Books on Kindle

Two of my books are now available on Kindle. I'm also happy to see Laura Berquist's book Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum is available as well.

Here are the links:

• For the Love of Literature by Maureen Wittmann
• The Catholic Homeschool Companion edited and compiled by Maureen Wittmann and Rachel Mackson
• Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum by Laura Berquist

Additionally, I'm currently working on bringing back my out of print book A Catholic Homeschool Treasury for Kindle.

If you're thinking about buying an e-reader, here is a blog post to read:

Using Kindle in Your Homeschool

Religion as a Core Subject

Someone recently wrote to me:

If there is a drawback to this book, I could only suggest that a Religion section be added to the next edition. It is my personal belief that Religion is a core subject, and I would be very interested in finding good books for my children in that area of study.

I've been waiting for this question as it is a question I asked myself over and over again as I worked to complete For the Love of Literature. I do firmly believe religion is a core subject. In fact, as stated in A Catholic Homeschool Treasury, I believe it to be the 4th 'R (religion, reading, 'riting, 'rithmetic).


However, as I wrote in the How to Use This Book chapter, I wanted the books in the other core subjects (math, art, music, science, history) to reflect our Catholicism. Instead of pulling religion out as a seperate subject I chose to make sure the books in the other subjects raised our hearts to God.

For example, books on creation found their way into the history section. Books on the spiritual lives of Renaissance artists found their way into the art section. Biographies of Catholic scientists found their way into the science section. And so on. You will find many good books in the study of religion in For the Love of Literature, but they will be intertwined with the art, music, math, science, and history books rather pooled together into one separate section.


I believe our Catholicism should be reflected in everything we do, not just church on Sunday. And so, we should teach it that way. It should be meshed with all school subjects. I want religion, for my own children, to be a natural part of their lives. Not something that is pulled out separately and kept in a box.

The problem I had with this approach was that adorable books like The Princess and the Kiss didn't make it into For the Love of Literature. But then again, I have another book in my head that would cover "literature for enjoyment" rather than "books that teach core subjects" and it would include The Princess and the Kiss, The Squire and the Scroll, The Hobbit, LOTR, etc. I may share more about that book project with you soon, but perhaps I should mention it to my publisher first.

LOL Authentically Catholic?

I received the following inquiry recently. In case any of you have the same question, I'm posting here.

I am interested in your new book For the Love of Literature, but have a question that I hope does not offend you in anyway. Is it authentically Catholic throughout? I know that not everything I use can have the Church's stamp of approval, but I need something that has sifted out the blatantly anti-Catholic world view. I am still learning myself and trying to implant a beautiful, authentic Catholic worldview in my family. It is easy to get confused; to know something is not right, but not quite know why. I am getting an education right along with my young children, and I need help from some one who has gone before me on this path.

I really appreciated this email and was not offended at all. In fact, I greatly respect the writer's dedication to providing a truly Catholic education for her children.

To answer her question: I worked hard to sift out anti-Catholic books and focus on books that raise up our children's hearts and minds to heaven. Books that help them see the beauty of our Catholic faith as well as educate them in core subjects.

There are a few book suggestions that do require a parent's discretion due to mature topics. Those books are marked with an asterisk so that parents are forewarned.

Also, I marked all authentically Catholic books with a cross, so that a parent can easily choose good books without worry.

I left out overtly Protestant books. There are secular titles -- it's impossible to do otherwise -- but I worked to make sure they weren't titles that attacked our faith in any way.

If anyone has concerns, questions, or comments about For the Love of Literature, please don't hesitate to leave a comment here on the blog or to email me.

To Study Guide or Not

Nancy Brown is talking about kids and literature. A topic that, believe it or not, I find interesting. She says,

There is a trend toward making good books into assignments, and writing Study Guides for them. I've done this myself, but I question why I did it. I don't want to make a book a drudge for a child, I hope to make them love books, love to read.

Head over to her blog, read more on the topic, and join the discussion. Nancy would like your input.

Teens and LOL

My friend Linda B. asked to buy two copies of For the Love of Literature. I thought she was going to give one away to a friend. But, no, it's for her teenaged daughter. The plan is to hand over the extra book to Teen Daughter and let her find her own books to read -- for fun and for school. Cool idea!

If you'd like to order For the Love of Literature, you can do so right here on the blog. Just click the Add to Cart button in teh sidebar.

Q & A: For the Love of Literature

The word has gotten out that For the Love of Literature is on its way to bookshelves and as a result I've received a few emails with questions about the book. In case some of you have the same questions, I'd like to share them with you here:

Congratulations from Canada on your new book! I began placing an order a few moments ago. However, the shipping is $30 to Canada! Will there be a Canadian distributor or another way?

Yes, shipping costs to Canada are extravagant ever since the USPS changed the rates a few months back. Now, we can only ship by air due to terrorist activities. It's a terrible shame and out of our hands.

For a Canadian distributor, Ecce Homo Press suggests requesting Blue Mantle Educational Supplies carry the book.

Your book looks very interesting. Can you share whether or not it would be a good resource for secular homeschoolers?

The book has a strong Catholic ethos, but I think that it would still be helpful for people of varying faiths including someone looking strictly for secular sources.

The Catholic books listed in For the Love of Literature are denoted with a cross symbol. So, you can easily pick them out. I wouldn't discard them outright if I were non-Catholic, as many of them will still have great value to you, but it would help you discern which ones are right for you and for your family.

Congratulations on your book! I am wondering, though, if the lists in your book are going to have book titles not found in the many other reading lists that are already available?

For the Love of Literature has 950 books listed and from a Catholic world view. I imagine that you could find a good number of those books on other lists if you combined 6 or 7 of them. With For the Love of Literature, I save you that trouble.

The lists are separated by school subject: Art, Music, Math, Science, and History. Books are coded by age level and a description of each individual book's plot is given. It's not so much a literature list as a guide to books which can be used to teach core subjects.

There are also short chapters on implementing real books in your homeschool, using your library, Charlotte Mason, classical education, and more.

Sorry to ask a cheapskate question, but we are thrifty you know... Do you know if Barnes & Noble is going to carry it? I'm just checking because B & N has free shipping over $25, and 10% discount always for members.

Being The Thrifty Homeschooler, I never mind a cheapskate question! Ecce Homo Press does sell their books on amazon.com. I've only seen used copies on B&N.

The good news is that this prepublication deal may be as good or better than you could get at the online shops. Yes, you'll have to pay shipping & handling, but it's priced really cheap. It's a nearly 300 page book with a regular price of 11.95. The prepublication price is only 9.55. As my 11-year old would say, "Sweet deal!"

Not only that, you'd be supporting some great Catholic families in the process so that they can grow in what they can offer.

Another thought is to fill out a purchase request form at your library website and have your friends to do the same thing. If your library buys it, you can make sure it's something you want to spend your own money on. (It really is more a resource than a sit-down-and-read book, so you'll want to own For the Love of Literature as it's so handy to be able to write in it, highlight it, and carry with you to book sales and the library.)

Plus, I think For the Love of Literature is a great resource for librarians -- with 950 book recommendations, it gives librarians a real insight to what books homeschoolers like to check out of the library.

I would like to buy For the Love of Literature because I don't like Honey for a Child's Heart's endorsement of Harry Potter (or so I've heard). This one doesn't does it?

No, For the Love of Literature does not endorse HP. Harry Potter is not mentioned anywhere in the book. You may want to check Honey for a Child's Heart for yourself. My copy makes no absolutely mention of HP, but it is possible that the author included it in a later edition.


And thank you everyone for your congrats and good wishes!

It's Almost a Real Book!

It's here, it's here! The galley of For the Love of Literature came in the mail today! It was waiting for me when I got home from the kids' 4-H rifle and .22 competitions this evening.

In case you're not well versed in the publishing biz, a galley is basically the completed book unbound (it comes as loose leaf paper). It is my opportunity to make any last minute corrections. No major changes, just glaring spelling errors and the like.

This means that it'll be off to the printer very soon. Oh gosh, twelve years of work almost complete -- I'm so excited!

Q & A: The Lit Book

I've been getting questions via email and in the comments about the new lit book, so I figured I should bring the questions out here for everyone's reading ease.

What age group is the book written for?
This is a book written for homeschooling parents to help them teach their children from preschool to high school. It is filled with literary suggestions for all ages, including adult. After all, if we parents are to teach our children, we need to first teach ourselves.

Is this the expanded version of your booklet, Literature Isn't Just for Reading?
Yes it is. I put together Literature Isn't Just for Reading: Teaching Core Subjects through Real Books to accompany my conference talk by the same name. A one-hour talk just wasn't enough. From the comments and questions I received after each talk, it was evident homeschoolers needed more. They needed a resource they could hold in their hands and take home with them.

The original booklet was 5 by 8 and had 80 pages. It was nothing more than a glorified reading list, yet I found it was a real help to parents.

The new book is 6 by 9 and 300 pages. It's still a glorified reading list, but it's a pretty cool glorified reading list ... I think. It does have short chapters on such things as using your library, classical education, unit studies, Charlotte Mason, etc., but the bulk of the book the reading list (I call them literary guides in the book). There are about 950 books listed, each with a short description, with an age recommendation, and sorted by school subject.

Who is the publisher?
First, a little back story if you don't mind. I gave the booklet to my friends Mike and Terri Aquilina and they loved it, encouraging me to expand it and get a publisher. (BTW - Mike wrote a beautiful foreword to the new book.) I sent it to several big publishers and got turned down flat.

Then an angel sent Joan Stromberg to me. Joan, on more than one occasion, had a vending table next to mine at Catholic homeschooling conferences. She saw what a great resource this booklet was and asked me to send a book proposal to her. At first, I told her no. Her publishing house, Ecce Homo Press, is a small business and I was ready for the big time. (Oh, how God must laugh at me.)

At first, I thought that I could expand the focus of the book to include school teachers. I interviewed several principals, teachers, and librarians from Catholic schools. I put the book a year behind schedule doing this. I struggled and struggled, but I just couldn't do it. What we homeschoolers do is so different from what they do. Teachers would benefit from such a book, but it would have to be written completely different.

So, I realized I needed to get back to my roots. Joan is the ultimate homeschool publisher and the perfect person to publish this book. I humbled myself, went to her, and asked her to be my publisher. And, I must tell you, I am so glad I did. She is pure joy to work with.

When is the book due out and can it be pre-ordered?
The publisher will be done with editing and formatting by month's end. It will then go to the printer, which can take up to a couple of months. It should be ready by the start of school. (Let's all pray for that!)

It is not ready for preorder yet. When I have a definite publication date, I will make sure to let you all know how you can preorder.

Are those your kids on the cover?
I got this question with The Companion too. Nope, my kids have yet to grace a book cover, though I put their picture inside my little Renaissance puzzle book I'm currently updating. The children on the lit book cover belong to Joan. It's a beautiful picture - I absolutely love it!

Now I want to know how you find time to write books, homeschool and the other "mother" duties that must be accomplished daily? WOW, women like you impress me ... I can't even keep the dust bunnies under control.
Please don't be impressed. You can ask my husband and friends (Linda, feel free to pipe in); they can tell you I'm not Superwoman. I'm terribly lax when it comes to housekeeping and those dust bunnies are beyond out of control. I have children who help me a great deal. It also helps if you're an insomniac. Besides, writing is part of my homeschooling. The kids are not only my guinea pigs, but help me with it all.

Addendum: Joan put the cover on a webpage so you can see the true colors. Click HERE.

Cover Art

I'm so excited! Here is the preliminary artwork for the new book cover. What do you think?

BTW - It should be on it's way to the printer by month's end. The publisher is nearly done with editing and formatting.

Addendum: Ooh, it came out really green on the blog. It's not the green in real life.

Writing in Books?

If you're a Mortimer Adler fan, particularly of How to Read a Book, you may like this article: How to Mark a Book.

If you resell all your books after you read them once, this isn't the article for you.

Almost 1,000 Books!

Still putting final touches on For the Love of Literature. I just finished an alphabetical list of all the books for the index. I had guessed that I describe about 500 books. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the actual number is 968! And that number doesn't include the textbooks, encyclicals, and other little resources I mention. No wonder it's taken me so long to complete this project.