Are Your Kids Reading Great Literature? {review}

We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this review or post, but all opinions are our own.

When people ask us how we get our kids to read classical literature, we end up sharing how Lamplighter Publisher’s Books have been a part of our children’s entire life. Books like The Secret Bridge have given our kids a taste for classical literature with great stories that cross any time line.

Here is a secret I always share; read over your kid’s heads.

Many people wait to read great books. They want to wait until their child is at the text’s reading level, but don’t wait that long. Don’t allow the difficulty of the words to be confused with the ability to comprehend the material. My son’s favorite book at the age of six was Moby Dick. Not because he could completely comprehend the text, but because I read it out loud as an exciting and sometimes hilarious story. We have always engaged in reading over our kids heads and now; as teens, they read at a college level easily. I credit a great part of that to the fact that we were never afraid to read a book that was a bit “over” their heads.

Once established, that love of great books will continued into their teen years.

Even though my teens will devour most of the books from the YA section of the library and my oldest son is a Manga mini-novel enthusiast, they have kept their love for classic books. Because we introduced great reading into their lives at an early age, they know what a great book looks like. They are not put off by unfamiliar syntax and old english usage. They have all scored beyond high school level in vocabulary tests. Why? Because we have learned words through context, while reading more challenging books. When the books offer a great story our kids love reading them.

Don’t wait to introduce your child to great literature that goes beyond school assignments

The biggest challenge is finding great books to read to your kids. Where can you turn for books that go beyond the “Classics” section in the local book store? Where can you find books that instill the same values and Christian World View you would like for your children to embrace? This is where Lamplighter passes the test. Their books hold the reader’s interest with compelling stories and engaging characters. As a publisher they strive to look for stories that confirm strong moral character.

Where can we see Godly character modeled? This is the aim of Lamplighter Books

Every title has a message, whether it is courage, family connection, compassion, honesty or walking out Christian values with integrity. Each book leads with a story that can enchant your reader and lead them on an adventure.

Lamplighter Ministries’ focus is to develop Godly character and to reinforce moral values by sharing stories where the role models demonstrate such character or suffer the consequence of their poor choices. Either form is carried out in a story that is engaging and vibrant. There are many sizes of books as well, so there are plenty of shorter books to introduce these stories without overwhelming a younger student. Teddy’s Button or The White Dove have been some of our long time favorites.

Why I would rather read these out loud to my younger children

The language is older, this book was published in 1899. If your teen has only read their choice selections at the library, they might be estranged by the vocabulary choices. If that is the case; there is also no better time to introduce your teen to reading selections with a higher reading quality and range of the English language. Though, this book is only a 4.6 on the Flesch reading scale so it is not beyond any teen’s reading level. The back page of the book has a link for comprehension and character quizzes, as a bonus from Lamplighter Publishing.

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So what book did we read?

This month my older teens and I read The Secret Bridge by Amy Le Feuvre and it did not disappoint. The story begins with Bridget returning to England orphaned and alone.  As a young woman, penniless and without and prospects to turn to for her care she is utterly without hope, yet she longs to put her trust in God even in her bleak circumstances. Can He reveal Himself to her even in these lowly and trying times?

A kindly gentleman passenger is intrigued with Bridget, and as he learns of her heart and her dire situation he offers an unlikely scenario to bring an end to Bridget’s predicament. Would you marry a stranger? Her choice leads to an unraveling of buried family secrets and to keeping a huge secret of her own.

How can she serve God and keep her secret?

Bridget struggles with keeping her promise and being honest with the people she is faced with every day. The strain is almost too much to bear. Will Bridget lose hope before the truth is revealed? These questions kept us turning the pages and longing for a happy end to her troubles. As always the end was worth the anticipation.

With school in full swing, it has been a while since I had read from our collection. I had forgotten how much I love Lamplighter Publisher. With graduation soon approaching I would gladly pick up a few from their collection as gifts for the students I love. Ishmael is a favorite for a graduation gift around here. Lamplighter also offers a line of beautifully illustrated story books for younger readers as well. So there is a book for every reader in your family.

You should order a catalog to see the book descriptions. If you look forward to your yearly book orders like I do, you all be so glad to have your name on their mailing list.