Most of us studied literature in high school and college because we had to if we wanted to graduate, but have you ever wondered what the point was of all the discussion of character, setting, and plot and all the essays you had to write?  Why learn about metaphors and symbolism?  It's easy to forget that literature is an art, and we need to study literature "appreciation" just as we did with music and art in school. The point is to be able to experience those arts in all their beauty and richness for the rest of our lives, long after we've submitted our last essay to a teacher.  And that's what this page is for--to help foster a love and appreciation for literature beyond formal study.

​Note:  This page is a work-in-progress.  Feel free to email your own ideas, too!

Tools & Aids
Reader's Handbook, published by GreatSource--yes, this is a book generally marketed to schools, but it's also a fantastic tool for you!  Available in elementary, middle school and high school editions, this is an incredibly rich resource for helping you improve your reading and study skills.  Definitely a must-have!  
How to Read Literature Like a Professor:  A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines, by Thomas C. Foster

How to Read Literature Like a Professor for Kids, by Thomas C. Foster



​Quick Flip Questions for the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy (Edupress, Inc.)

My Top Favorite Books for Students about Literature

How to Get Your Child to Love Reading, by Esme Raji Codell


​Picture Book Activities:  Fun and Games for Preschoolers Based on 50 Favorite Children's Books, by Trish Kuffner

My Top Favorite Literary Friends

Have I said this before?  I love books!  I can't live without them, especially children's books.  In fact, my idea of a good time is a delicious munchie, a rainy day, a cozy blanket, and a book I can't put down.  Although I have read hundreds of books in my lifetime, these are some of my all-time favorites, the ones I return to again and again (or would, if I had the time!).  They are in no special order.      
Fiction:
  • A Tree Grows in Brooklyn -- by Betty Smith
  • Anne of Green Gables -- by L.M. Montgomery  
  • The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe -- C.S. Lewis
  • Christy -- Catherine Marshall
  • All-of-a-Kind-Family series -- Sydney Taylor
  • Ramona Quimby series -- Beverly Cleary
  • The Moonstone -- by Wilkie Collins
  • Betsy-Tacy series -- Maud Hart Lovelace
  • Romeo and Juliet -- William Shakespeare
  • Evangeline -- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (poem)
  • The Neverending Story -- by Michael Ende
Non-fiction:
  • anything by Bill Bryson (watch for vulgar language in his memoirs, however)
  • I Love the Word Impossible--Ann Kiemel
  • O Ye Jigs and Juleps--Virginia Cary Hudson
  • The Lessons of St. Francis--John Michael Talbot
  • History of the Church--Eusebius
  • The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, by Jonny Bowden
  • Writing Down the Bones, by Natalie Goldberg
  • Zero Waste Home, by Bea Johnson

Great Games for Book Lovers

  1. Literary Charades--act out the books of famous authors (Levenger)
  2. Bookchase--similar to Trivial Pursuit (Cricket catalog)
  3. Book-opoly--"Monopoly"-style Board Game
  4. Authors--a classic card game that connects literature titles to their authors in a Go-Fish format

Top Favorite Resources for Drama:

  1. Shakespeare--www.buycostumes.com/ideas/trends/shakespeare-costumes/
  2. ​The History of Theater--www.halloweencostumes.com/history-of-the-theatre.html
  3. New York's Theatre History:  Broadway--www.topviewnyc.com/packages/new-york-s-theatre-history-broadway
  4. Dramatics Magazine-- dramatics.org/
  5. List of Shakespeare's plays made into movies:  www.absoluteshakespeare.com/trivia/films/films.htm

Enrichment & Fun Stuff
Bookplates--These are usually lovely, rectangular stickers that you paste on the inside front cover of your books; then you write your name on the bookplate to show that the book belongs to you.  Lots of places sell them, but here's a specialist:  www.bookplateink.com/

​Make your own little books, either for your own use or for special gifts.  One resource to try is Making Handmade Books with 100+ Bindings, Structures, and Forms, by Alisa Golden (book).  You'll find internet resources, too!
Book lights
Storiarts -- Love book-related clothes, accessories, and other fun stuff?  Check out this delightful website! ​https://storiarts.com/

My Top Favorite Websites for Literature Students

The internet is an amazing place, but it's not always easy to find what you are looking for.  Here is a list of websites perfect for English students:
* Study guides for a variety of subjects, especially literature:  www.sparknotes.com/
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* Out-of-the-box ideas for book reports:  teachnet.com/lessonplans/language-arts/more-ideas-than-ever-book-reports/
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* Free, public domain, audio books:  librivox.org/

* Online book clubs for kids through grade 8:  www.booknutsreadingclub.com
Note:  This website requires a security screening.
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*Online poetry anthology:  www.poets.org/

*Study strategies:  www.effectivestudy.org/  

*Literary Terms:  www.litcharts.com/literary-devices-and-terms

Careers for Literature Buffs

So what do you do when you want to spend your life among stacks of books or inside your creative mind?  If that describes you, then this is your list.  Here are a number of careers and jobs just for literary types. Take a look...and don't be afraid to dream a little.  The future is waiting just ahead.
  1. book or magazine writer (of course!)
  2. journalist
  3. librarian (school or public)
  4. book or periodical editor
  5. English professor or teacher (like me!)
  6. bookseller or bookstore owner
  7. storyteller (Yes, you can get paid for this--ever hear of Jim Weiss?)
  8. book reviewer (this, too!)
  9. advertising copywriter (You know all those billboards and ads in the newspaper?  Someone actually got paid for writing those!)
  10. copyeditor or proofreader (If you are a grammar buff, these are the jobs for you!)
  11. researcher​

My Top Favorite "Good Book" Lists

Whether you are a student or parent, you may sometimes find yourself lost in the maze of books at the library or bookstore.  Good-book lists are the perfect shortcut.  Try these lists for starters...but be cautious.  Placement on a good-book list doesn't necessarily mean a book will be a good choice for every reader:
*1000 Good Books List--this is one of the best for kids through teens, and I would even recommend it for adults, too: www.classical-homeschooling.org/celoop/1000.html

*Association for Library Service to Children, award winners and notables (mostly younger readers): www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/index.cfm

*Young Adult Library Services Association book awards and book lists: www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/booklistsbook.cfm

*Total Language Plus study guide catalog (Christian company, classics focus, and great program overall):  www.totallanguageplus.com/
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*National Book Awards (includes awards in all genres and age groups): www.nationalbook.org/nbawinners_category.html
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*Free Book Notes:  www.freebooknotes.com/

​...and don't forget to check out my YA book review website, What's In It:  The Concerned Parent's Guide to Young Adult Literature!  http://www.wiilitguide.com/
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