Reading
The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them.— Mark Twain
One of the greatest joys and most important aspects of education is the introduction of a child to the great literature of our culture. Reading good books aloud to children is an invaluable tool in painlessly acquiring vocabulary and correct grammar, building critical thinking skills, and exploring important issues of character, as well as being just plain fun! Teach children how to distinguish good books from bad and you will have given them one of the most important tools of learning.
Reading Lists
Naturally WWHEAT cannot vouch for the content of these sites, so use your own judgment in making selections.
BookSpot is a huge site with links to book lists, online books, author sites and much more
100 Greatest Novels of All Time
101 Great Books for College Bound Readers
A Book in Time lists books to enhance your study of history
ALA Outstanding Books for the College Bound
Book Nuts Readling Club for beginning readers to middle school
Children’s Literature Web Guide
Comparison of various Great Books Reading Plans
Cozy Library recommends books that are chock full of kind-hearted characters, with a terrific story masterfully told, and a satisfying – and generally happy - ending. No explicit sex or violence, no wall-to-wall profanity.
Facts on Fiction This is a tool for parents and educators. In an attempt to provide detailed information concerning the books that have been reviewed, sensitive material is listed that should NOT be read by children.
Highlands Latin School Summer Reading Lists
Literature to Supplement History from Paula's Archives
Living Books for Science from Paula's Archives
TeachersFirst's Lifetime Reading List
Read Across America - lists of books for each state
Book Nuts state by state reading list
National Education Association state by state list (keep in mind the NEA's agenda and choose carefully)
Online Books
On these sites you can read books whose copyright has expired -- most for free!
American and English Literature Online Books for Educators is an annotated list of links to online book sites
Children's Books Online is a large collection of beautifully illustrated antique books
Online Medieval and Classical Library
Read Print is a very nice site with a good selection of classic literature and author biography in a pleasant typeface
University of Adelaide Library contains online books from our friends Down Under, here arranged chronologically or you can list by author, title, themes, or do a search.
Literature Guides
Audiobooks
NetLibrary Signup (Charlotte-Mecklenburg library card number required)
NetLibrary allows you download audiobooks in MP3 format (play in MediaPlayer-compatible devices) just like a library book; book license expires after 3 weeks, but you can always take it out again!
Library and Educational Services is a wholesaler that sells to homeschoolers -- you must sign up and certify your homeschool status before you can see their offerings and shop online. Fabulous prices on Focus on the Family Odyssey series and Radio Theatre (complete Narnia and more).
Audio Bookstand (tape/CD) / Audio Bookstand (download)
LibriVox provides free audiobooks from the public domain, read by volunteers.
Literal Systems Free Audiobooks offers mp3 file recordings of human-voiced readings and performances of classic literary works. There is no charge and no registration required.