Book selection guidelines and suggestions

"When you gather data, you become informed.  When you read, you develop wisdom." Bauer, Well-trained Mind p. 24

Amen. I will reserve the championing of the why of classics in education for other posts.  Classics--books, art, poetry, the lives of people--are truly the crux of a leadership education.  They are ideas and examples that bring you face to face with greatness and can be read again and again and again.  They motivate and inspire you to do more. (If you still need to be sold on the value of classics at this point, you should probably go back and read all the books on the "Methods Behind the Madness" list :).)  While there are many list of "classics" (like ones I have linked to below), one should not be limited to officially designated classics in a prayerful reflection of which books to select for a year.

What may be a classic to one group, may not be the same for another.  I expect the list of books a group uses to delve into understanding and ultimate intelligence to be as varied and unique as the individual scholars in their group :).  As with all things in Vanguard, I would follow the same path Karen outlined for creating inspirements which I also used in my suggested post on "Planning the new year." However, here are some of those same initial ideas to consider specifically before selecting your books for the year.  (Thanks, Marni, for your contribution!)

1. Pray.

2. Have the mentor in charge of that lens call for a temporary committee of all interested persons to brainstorm and select books. (It is great to include youth mentors in this; however, their input can be more powerful and personalized at the "master class" level.  The principal mentor should definitely be involved, but it is very meaningful for the person in charge of that lens to feel personal ownership and stewardship over the books they will be focusing on.) How the ultimate decision is made can vary from group to group, but should be done by people who understand the monthly principles.  We have done it by verbal discussion and consent in the past of a temporary committee.

3. Use Classics.  It must be a classic to the mentor/youth mentors. (See above definition of a classic.)

4.  Principle based - While most great books will bring in multiple monthly themes, the priority should be choosing a book that helps round out the principle discussion for the month.  What is a strong message of the book?  Does it inspire reflection and action as it lends clarity to the principle?  I wonder if a book is selected prayerfully and teaches a principle beautifully, if we even need to consider whether it is a classic or not :)?

5.  Historical placement/significance.  Each year in Vanguard the group may choose to focus on a time period.  While it is nice to have an added picture of the time period through literature, this should not be a focus point for selecting the classics.  For instance, "Uncle Tom's Cabin" is definitely one of the greats and definitely principle based, but it also gives a great picture of the time period, was written in the time period, and was definitely historically significant in that it helped to bring about change.  However, there are also many great books that are not placed in a time setting-wise or aren't historically significant, but they do have a great message and would fit with the principles well.

6.  Difficulty - Since this is considered a scholar group we should definitely be keeping in mind the age level and ability of the youth. If a book is simple (like "Charlie's Monument" that you mentioned) they should be meaningful enough that the older youth won't be bored.  At the same time, the reading level and subject matter should be within reason for the younger youth.  Don't be afraid to stretch them, but a stretch every month may mean less youth reading.

 

I hesitate to even put a "list," just because I am aware of the huge limitations such a "list" creates mentally.  However, by seeing the books below and how they are "categorized," perhaps it will help you in your own understanding of how books can be used in different monthly principles.

There is also a link here from the Vanguard resource blog for other lists of books that you can access that people have found helpful.

The Vanguard Youth Book Pool
I have not read all the books on the list...they are suggestions.  
Preview and use at your own discretion.  You may use any book you would like outside of this list as well, just find which genre it would fit under.  Please let us know of other good classics you use so we can update this list for others to use. 

Meaningful Life/Real Happiness

The Little Lame Prince 
Charlie's Monument, by Yorgason
Caddie Woodlawn

Endless Steppe

Pollyanna

Dragon’s Gate

Great Expectations
The Tale of Two Cities
Door in the Wall
The Voyage of Patience Goodspeed
Carry on, Mr. Bowditch
I am David (better for month of "Role of the Creator" perhaps)
Education of a Wandering Man
The Last Lecture, by Pausch
The Christmas Box?
Hamlet
Rayna M. Gangi's Mary Jemison: White Woman of the Seneca? 
To Kill a Mockingbird
Cyrano de Bergerac

Liberty

Watson’s Go to Birmingham

Number the Stars

Endless Steppe

When My Name was Keoko

Across Five Aprils

Up From Slavery

Uncle Tom’s Cabin

Lonesome Gods

Legend of Bass Reeves

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Witch of Blackbird Pond (1692--Salem Witch Trials)
Seven Miracles that Saved America
Seven Tipping Points that Saved the World
The Alliance, by Gerald Lund (but much better for "proper role of government") 
The Kidnapped Prince, by Equiano
Les Miserables 
Sarah's Key

Property/Work

Little Prince

Swiss Family Robinson

Dragon’s Gate

Up From Slavery

Strawberry Girl

Do Hard Things

Sign of the Beaver

40 Acres and a Mule
Laddie 
A Long Walk to Water, by Park? (better for Citizenship, but could easily fit here) 
Carry on, Mr. Bowditch
Discovering Isaac, by Behunin 
Charlie's Monument,
Wheel on the School
The Single Shard, by Park

Kon Tiki (great book for exploration or antiquity)
Poor Richard's Almanac by Franklin 
These is my Words (1800's)
Oliver Twist (1800's)

Role of the Creator/Natural Law

Bronze Bow

In My Father’s House

Standing for Something

A Heart Like His

The Dream Giver

St. Joan—by Twain

Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe

Prince Caspian
Pollyanna

Swiss Family Robinson

The Chosen
Fire and the Covenant
Seven Miracles
Seven Tipping Points 
St. Joan, by Twain (best fit here, hard to read, but amazing!)
Discovering Isaac, by Behunin
The Lost Prince, by Burnett
The Alchemist, by Coehlo
The Real George Washington or Thomas Jefferson
The Screwtape Letters, by Lewis
Mere Christianity, by Lewis
The Last Battle, by Lewis 
"All's well that End's well" as a somewhat broken example, Shakespeare
The Jungle Book (1899) 
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Scarlet Letter (Hawthorne)
The Witch from Blackbird Pond (Salem Witch Trials, 1692)
Poor Richard's Almanac (laws...)

Service-Oriented Leadership

Little Lord Fauntleroy

Little Lame Prince

Little Princess

Goose Girl

Elantris

River Secrets

Otto and the Silver Hand 
The Seer and the Sword (Also great for citizenship month)-fantasy novel with contrasting examples of leadership as well as people who make sacrifices to do the right thing; clean book, enjoyable to read...great for an end of the year selection :).
Watership Down, by Adams

The Lost Prince, by Burnett
Princess Academy, by Hale
The Seer and the Stone
The Real George Washington
The Real Thomas Jefferson
The Lord of the Rings series by Tolkein
Walking Drum (12/13th cent) by L'amour
Louis Braille: The Boy who invented the Books for the Blind
Up from Slavery (this one and the one above would go together well...)
The White Stag (situated ancient history/medieval times...could work for "expansion" theme)  
To Kill a Mockingbird
"A Tale of Two Cities" by Dickens (situation: French Revolution of 1789)
Cyrano de Bergerac

Society

Dream Giver

The Chosen

The Hunger Games
Seven Miracles
Seven Tipping Points 
The Witch of Blackbird Pond 
The Alliance, by Gerald Lund (excellent and clean!)
St. Joan by Twain 
The Hobbit, by Tolkien
Antigone*
Les Miserables*
*these are a remarkable combination (see post on "Outline of Monthly Principles")
"The Giver" by Lowry
"A Tale of Two Cities" by Dickens (situation: French Revolution of 1789)
Watership Down, by Adams 

The Real Thomas Jefferson
A Long Walk to Water, by Park
Mysterious Benedict Society, by Stewart
The Wizard of Oz
Hamlet
The Jungle Book (1899) 
A Wrinkle in Time
The Law, by Bastiat 
To Kill a Mockingbird
Gulliver's Travels (1726) (Check out Wikipedia's outline of "themes": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulliver%27s_Travels) 
The Little Prince by de Saint-Exupéry 
Sarah's Key
These is my Words (1800's)
"The Virginian" 1800's 
The Little Princess, by Burnett

Citizenship

Do Hard Things

Hamlet

Tale of Despereaux

Hero and the Crown

Jane Eyre

Goose Girl
Fire and the Covenant
The Horse and His Boy
The Silver Chair
Ivanhoe
The Alliance, by Gerald Lund (but much better for "proper role of government")
A Long Walk to Water, by Park ? (Clean, short, powerful--perfect for Africa...about the Lost Boys of Sudan)
The Seer and the Sword (Also great for service-oriented leadership)-fantasy novel with contrasting examples of leadership, as well as people who make sacrifices to do the right thing; clean book, enjoyable to read...great for a last month selection :).) 
A Tale of Two Cities, by Dickens
Watership Down, by Adams
Princess Academy, by Hale
The Wizard of Oz
Goose Girl, by Hale
The Lonesome Gods, by L'Amour
Wheel on the School
The Seer and the Stone, by Hanley
The Real George Washington or Thomas Jefferson
Mysterious Benedict Society, by Stewart
A Long Walk to Water
Stargirl, by Spinelli
The Hobbit, by Tolkein
Walking Drum (12/13th Cent) by L'amour
The Last Battle, by Lewis
Prince Caspian, by Lewis
Hamlet
Rayna M. Gangi's Mary Jemison: White Woman of the Seneca
"A Tale of Two Cities" by Dickens (situation: French Revolution of 1789)
Cyrano de Bergerac 
The Little Prince by de Saint-Exupéry 
Sarah's Key (WWII)
These is my Words (1800's)
 

Summer—get excited about learning!

Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles:
Comment from a youth about this book: I think it helps you want to use your imagination.
It talks about learning from you mistakes, and not giving in to bad feelings like fear, pride, and greed.
It also talks about age, and how it doesn't matter, but there's something you can give and someone you can help no matter how old you are.

Laddie

Do Hard Things

TJEd for Teens
Education of a Wandering Man
Mysterious Benedict Society, by Stewart

Books that can go over the course of the year:
-Mythology: use different myths for the different themes they fit in

-TJEd for Teens
-7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens

2011-2012

Summer – Year with Miss Agnes, Mysterious Benedict Society

Meaningful Life – Charlie’s Monument, The Secret Garden

Liberty – Homeless Bird; Year of Impossible Goodbyes

God – I Am David, The Hiding Place

Leadership – The Tempest, Lord of the Rings

Property/Work – Single Shard, Remembering Isaac

Proper Role of Govt – Wizard of Oz, Animal Farm

Citizenship – Fish by L.S. Matthews, Lonesome Gods

2010-2011

Summer - Phantom Tollbooth

Life and Pursuit of Happiness - Carry On, Mr. Bowditch

Liberty - Equiano: The Kidnapped Prince

Property - Miracles on Maple Hill

God - The Alchemist

Leadership - The Lost Prince

Society - Angel on the Square

Citizenship - The Princess Academy

2009 - 2010

Summer – Chasing Vermeer

Life and Pursuit of Happiness - Door in the Wall

Liberty - The Red Scarf Girl

Property - Little Britches

Pursuit of Happiness - Seven Wonders of Sassafrass Springs

God - Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Leadership - The Whipping Boy

Society - The Giver

Citizenship - City of Ember