A Reading List for Classical, Christian Students and Parents
At Providence Christian Academy, our desire is not only for students to learn how to read, but also to acquire a passion for reading. The literature lists were developed to encourage reading while also allowing for individual choice and preference. Our hope at PCA is that parents and children will come to know and love some of the best authors and literature that exist, and develop a lifelong love of reading!
Purpose
The literature lists were designed with specific objectives in mind.
- Give students guidance and direction as they choose books for independent reading and as they choose books for book reports. One book report is required each quarter by PCA in various grades.
- Help students, teachers, and parents make intelligent, wise decisions regarding what books students read, enabling them to learn to select books at the right reading level and of appropriate topic and content.
- Ensure that parents read more good literature themselves and with their children (e.g., reading aloud to children, discussing books that both parent and child read).
- Provide parents and teachers with a list of the books in order to help parents and teachers guide reading, suggest new books and avenues of study, cultivate interests and build new areas of interest.
How to Use the Literature List
When using the literature list for your student’s grade level, keep the following features in mind.
- The books are listed in alphabetical order for convenience in finding specific titles.
- The number of books for each grade level list has been increased to provide more selection in topics and reading levels. Because of the expansive selection, choose books from the literature list at your student’s grade level unless otherwise specified by the classroom teacher.
- Reading levels are provided (when available) to help assist parents, students, and teachers in selecting books. Keep in mind that the reading levels are approximate. Books at lower reading levels help students to develop speed in reading. A student should not neglect good literature just because the reading level is not advanced. In the same regard, advanced reading levels are not meant to be used by students or parents as a “bragging” point.
Reading levels are recorded as a decimal. To interpret the reading level, the number to the left of the decimal indicates a grade level. The number to the right of the decimal indicates the number of months into the school year. For instance, a reading level of 2.1 means second grade, first month. A reading level of 2.8 means second grade, the eighth month. Both reading levels are at a second grade level; however, one is at an early second grade reading level whereas the other is at a late second grade reading level.
We hope you have a blast reading! We imagine and pray for many wonderful hours in which students are transported by great words from great minds – words so well chosen that they “awaken sensibility, great emotions, and understanding of the truth.” (Hunt, Gladys, Honey for a Child’s Heart, Grand Rapids, MI, Zondervan, 1989, p.14)
