living books

Teaching Islamic History with Charlotte Mason + Book List

Charlotte Mason

Charlotte Mason emphasises the importance of well-written and inspiring books, or ‘Living Books’. Parents find themselves scrambling for recommendations and booklists for their children’s subjects. When we get to history, the book search becomes even harder. Not because we can’t find decent books, but there are so many to choose from, it’s difficult to know which books will suit our family values. As Muslim parents, we need books which portray other than the Western world’s view of history.

Scroll down to find the book list of children’s Islamic history books I recommend!

This Blog-post contains affiliate links. For more information, see Disclaimer.

How to read like Charlotte Mason

The Charlotte Mason method places living books as its central focus when educating children. When they cannot read a book for themselves, it should be read aloud to them. In exposing children to a nutritious diet of elegant literature and wholesome prose, they can absorb knowledge and maintain it. 

By gradually reading decent books, children develop knowledge and intelligence by making important connections in the material they are exposed to. The beauty of Charlotte Mason’s approach to education lies in its simplicity. Being exposed to a superb selection of books is all your child needs for an enjoyable and successful education. 

How to choose Charlotte-Mason-approved books 

One of the most common questions when starting the Charlotte Mason method is: “What is a living book?”

A living book is a book which is:

  • well-written
  • provides children with new ideas
  • a book your child finds enjoyable
  • inspiring and impacts the reader
  • literary in style, where possible. (However, they do not always have to be stories)

Now, this is why it is often difficult to narrow down a solid list of living books; because it will look different for every child. Where one child may find the ‘Just So Stories’ by Rudyard Kipling delightful and entertaining, another child might find them boring and difficult to understand. 

However, well-written books are easier to identify among the bookshelves in a store or library. Finding living books is a skill you develop over time, so try not to get too overwhelmed in the early stages.

Does Charlotte Mason include Islamic history?

When researching the Charlotte Mason book lists, it can be easy to assume the history curriculum doesn’t favour an Islamic look at history. Some of the books appear to favour an Anglo-Saxon version of events, complete with the wonder of the British Empire and the valiant efforts of the crusaders. 

Charlotte Mason

However, it is important to remember that the Charlotte Mason approach is an educational philosophy, not a boxed-and-ready curriculum. You don’t have to purchase the book lists from her schools in order to benefit from her teaching advice. There is an entire world of published books to embrace, so feel free to go out for yourself and find books which suit your children and your family.

Living books inspire children, preferably in a literary way. We can easily apply this principle to Islamic books and tailor our history lessons to suit our Islamic values. Remember, we’re not looking for textbooks, and we’re not looking for books which display disjointed facts and condensed learning objectives. 

Reading and your Book of Centuries

As well as living books, a Book of Centuries will prove to be an invaluable resource. After reading a passage from a history book, help your children find the correct timeline page. They can write or draw something to represent what they heard when you were reading. Find out more about using a Book of Centuries here:

RELATED: Muslim Homeschool Curriculum – How to Use a Book of Centuries.

The Our Muslim Homeschool Book of Centuries comes with the added bonus of extra pages during the timeline of the Prophet Muhammad SAW. This gives you space to dedicate extra details to that important period and dive into the lifetime of the prophet in fun and engaging way. It also includes a timeline featuring some important dates in Islamic history from 570CE – 1924CE. Purchase yours here [link to the Amazon listing].  

Like most history lessons, it can be difficult to keep the seerah engaging for your children. By using a Book of Centuries, your child can actively engage with the stories and decide for themselves what to include in their book. For more information and guidance on keeping your seerah lessons fun and engaging, check out this post [insert blog post link here]? the seerah one is not published yet.

Book list of Islamic History Books for Kids

If you need a book list to get you started, check out my list of recommended reading for history:

101 Seerah Stories and Dua by Goodword (Ages 3-8)

Amazon UK | USA

Lore of Light: 1 by Hajjah Amina Adil

Amazon UK | USA

The Muqaddimah – An Introduction to History by Ibn Khaldun (Ages 16+)

Amazon UK | USA

A Journey Through Islamic History: A Timeline of Key Events by Yasminah Hashim (All Ages)

Amazon UK | USA

The Life of the Prophet Muhammad by Leila Azzam and Aisha Gouverneur (Primary school)

Amazon UK | USA

The Age of Bliss Series by Tughra Books (Ages 9-12)

Amazon UK | USA

The Leadership and Legacy Curriculum by Rabata (All Ages)

CLICK HERE

Muhammad: His Life Based on Earliest Sources by Martin Lings (Ages 16+)

Amazon UK | USA

Muhammad Messenger to Mankind by Nur al-Din ‘Itr and Usman Ali (Secondary School)

Amazon UK | USA

Muhammad the best of creation: A glimpse of his blessed life by Sayyid Muhammad Ibn al-Alawi al-Maliki and Amjad Mahmood (Ages 16+)

Amazon UK | USA

A Philosophy of Education (The Home Education Series) by Charlotte M Mason (For parents)
Amazon UK | USA

Your ideal homeschool 

Home education gives you the freedom to choose the topics important to you and your family. The Charlotte Mason method is particularly useful for this. The focus isn’t on the subjects you study, but how you present them to your children. Using the books above, a Book of Centuries, and a relaxed approach, you can make history lessons meaningful and enjoyable for you AND your children! 

Related: Homeschool History Curriculum | Islamic & British CLICK HERE

How to Start Homeschooling UK

Launch Your Homeschool is an online course that will hold your hand and walk you through the beginning stages of homeschooling, built upon the framework of the Charlotte Mason philosophy.

I teach you how to craft a curriculum for your homeschool, how to choose the right resources and plan out your year to create a homeschool experience that aligns with the values and beliefs of your family. Whether you are homeschooling in the UK, or elsewhere in the world, this programme will help you give your children an incredible education at home. 

I show you the essential teaching techniques that you’ll need to know to get started. There’s even an entire module on how to manage your time so you can still cook, keep the house tidy and take care of yourself, all whilst homeschooling your children!

Interested?

Launch Your Homeschool enrolment is currently closed.

Doors open Summer 2022, insha’Allah. 

JOIN THE WAITING LIST Herehttps://ourmuslimhomeschool.com/courses

Peace and love,

Homeschooling curriculum

Simplify your Homeschool with a Morning Basket

Using a morning basket can simplify your homeschool, whilst at the same time adding an abundance of riches to your children’s education.

Morning baskets, filled with living books, add depth and meaning to your homeschool days in a way that is easy for you to implement. There are no faddish curriculum or clever gimmicks here! Just a basket filled with beautiful books to nourish your children.

Simplify your homeschool with a morning basket! Find out how here!

morning basket homeschool

This blog-post includes affiliate links. Please see the Disclaimer for more information.

Morning Basket in your Homeschool

In episode number 13 of the Raising Mums podcast, I explain:

  • What is a Morning Basket?
  • Why is it such an effective teaching method?
  • How do we use the morning basket?
  • What shall I put in mine?
  • How can a morning basket simplify our homeschool?

To find out more, WATCH THIS VIDEO!

LINKS MENTIONS

Raising Mums Podcast – Listen to these LIVE broadcasts when you’re on the go!

Run Your Home Like a BOSS! – Time Management For Mums

Quran (English Translation) – Read just a few ayah each day.

Primary Language Lessons – Used for poetry memorisation and English curriculum.

All the Silver Pennies – Collection of Children’s Poetry

Robin Hood – Our favourite book this year! For children aged 7+. (Disclaimer. Some scenes mention drinking and mild romance)

Little House – Wonderful picture book for all the family.

Read Aloud Revival – Book lists galore!

Ambleside Online – Extensive lists of living books, free Charlotte Mason homeschool curriculum, teacher resources.

morning basket homeschool

I’ll be back again next Sunday, 5th January, at 10am GMT, LIVE on FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM, talking about:

Encouraging the Reluctant Reader!

I hope I’ll see you all there!

Thanks for stopping by.

Peace and Love,

morning basket homeschool