Living Books were the spines in a Charlotte Mason education. She only used living books that were written from a first hand experience, rather than textbooks with dry facts. The living books had a narrative quality and seemed to “come alive.”
Mason believed books that contained ‘twaddle’ should be avoided, as well as books with content that “dumbed down” the text for children.
When you hold a living book, you feel like you are being given a luxurious gift. The illustrations were hand-drawn or painted by a talented artist. The pages were laid out with ample amounts of “white space” around the text to allow the eye to rest and focus.
Living books are timeless and classic. Every generation cherishes them and they leave you with an impression long after the book is finished.
When your child reads a living book, it will spark their imagination and create a slideshow of mental imagery.
The stories will stir your emotions and the characters will pull you into their world.
Living books have beautifully expressed language and words that have layers of meanings.
Will you choose to provide your child with a rich literary heritage using living books?
The Nourishing Feast 