"A Guide to Classical Education at Home"
by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise

This popular parent's manual to educating children lays out a very helpful program with the end goal of students who can read, think, and understand. The authors explain classical education, the "trivium", methods to use, and also their recommendations on books and curricula. The book also includes detailed ordering information to help find materials. The authors are a mother-daughter team with many years of experience in classroom education and homeschooling. By using their recommendations, parents can begin their search for the appropriate materials for their own family with three or four trustworthy options rather than being overwhelmed by all the options available today. The methods they explain are excellent ways to stretch your children and challenge them to really understand the material being covered. As the parent and child begin to implement methods including "narration" and "notebooking", such methods can easily be applied to other books and curricula you may wish to use. As with any book, it is not perfect, and I have sometimes felt it necessary to to search further after previewing books or curricula recommended in a particular grade level or subject area. However, overall we have felt this book to be an excellent guide for us to use as we develop methods and find materials on our homeschooling journey. This program could be implemented in part or whole by families and we see it as a must to every homeschool library.