“Let children have tales of the imagination, scenes laid in other lands and other times; heroic adventures, hairbreadth escapes, delicious fairy tales, even where it is all impossible, and they know it, and yet they believe.”
— Charlotte Mason

“Living Books” is Charlotte’s way of saying good books. And yet, it is more than that. So, what does a living book look like? Charlotte believed that books must be like an adventure you could carry anywhere. Living Books are timeless, engaging, and memorable.

1. Timeless: Living books can be read throughout the generations because their ideas last. A great living book will beg you to reread it and revisit the adventure.

2. Engaging: Characters in living books come to life while you’re reading. The story is a page-turner, and you’re excited to keep reading. The people and the places seem real. When I read before bedtime, I dream about the characters and the story's location. The characters in the story point us towards virtue and goodness. We want to be like Pocahontas, dream-like Anne of Green Gables, and mother like Marmee.

3. Memorable: A great living story lingers in your memory. You can’t get it out of your mind; it becomes a part of you, and it takes you to places you've never dreamed of. It is even quotable.

4. Re-readable: The best books make you want to reread them over and over again.

To decide if a living book is good for you, try the suggestion I learned from Leah Boden (Modern Miss Mason) and read the first page to see if you want to keep going. However, we should read from a variety of genres. Reading widely, deeply, and widely helps us capture ideas that connect us to what is true, good, and beautiful.

Living books can be classics or modern, fact or fiction. These books help us cultivate connections, are delightful, and are a gift to the reader.

In short, Living Books are enjoyable.

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