Book Recommendations

Select a category to view recommendations. I have purposely limited the lengths of most lists. Send me an email if you are interested in additional recommendations. Also consider offering me your own recommendation by clicking on the button below.

Make a Recommendation

    1. Alberti, Leon Battista. On the Art of Building in Ten Books. MA: MIT Press, 1988.

    2. Jacobsen, Eric O. The Space Between: A Christian Engagement with the Built Environment. MI: Baker Academic, 2012.

    3. Rae, Murray A. Architecture and Theology. Waco, TX: Baylor University Press, 2017.

    4. Skillen, John. Making School Beautiful: Restoring the Harmony of Place. PA: Classical Academic Press, 2020.

    5. Vitruvius. The Ten Books on Architecture. NY: Dover, 2017.

    1. Holowchak, M. Andrew and Heather L. Reid. Aretism: An Ancient Sport Philosophy for the Modern Sports World. MY: Lexington Books, 2011.

    2. Miller, Stephen. Arete: Greek Sports from Ancient Sources. 3rd ed. CA: University of California Press, 2012.

    3. Riesen, Richard. School and Sport: A Christian Critique. CA: Grasshopper Books, 2007.

    1. Bauer, Susan Wise. The Well-Trained Mind. NY: W. W. Norton and Co, 2004.

    2. Berkhof, Louis and Cornelius Van Til. Foundations of Christian Education. NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co, 1990.

    3. Caldecott, Stratford. Beauty for Truth’s Sake: On the Re-Enchantment of Education. MI: Brazos Press, 2009.

    4. Cassiodorus. Institutions of Divine and Secular Learning and On the Soul. Liverpool University Press, 2004.

    5. Glass, Karen. Consider This: Charlotte Mason and the Classical Tradition. Karen Glass, 2014.

    6. Hicks, David V. Norms and Nobility: A Treatise on Education. MA: University Press of America, 1999.

    7. Holmes, Arthur. Building the Christian Academy. MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co, 2001.

    8. Horner, Grant. John Milton: Classical Learning and the Progress of Virtue. PA: Classical Academic Press, 2015.

    9. Clark, Kevin and Ravi Jain. The Liberal Arts Tradition: A Philosophy of Christian Classical Education. Revised Edition. PA: Classical Academic Press, 2019.

    10. Keatinge, M. W. The Great Didactic of John Amos Comenius (Part II). Alpha Editions, 2019.

    11. Littlejohn, Robert and Charles Evans. Wisdom and Eloquence: A Christian Paradigm for Classical Learning. IL: Crossway, 2006.

    12. Machen, J. Gresham. Education, Christianity, and the State. MA: The Trinity Foundation, 1987.

    13. Newman, John Henry. The Idea of a University. IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 1982.

    14. Plato. Republic. IN: Hacket, 1992.

    15. Riesen, Richard. The Academic Imperative: A Reassessment of Christian Education’s Priorities. CO: Purposeful Design Publications, 2010.

    16. Salisbury, John of. The Metalogicon: A Twelfth-Century Defense of the Verbal and Logical Arts of the Trivium. PA: Paul Dry Books, 2009.

    17. Smith, David I. and James K. A. Teaching and Christian Practices. MI: Eerdmans Publishing, 2011.

    18. Taylor, James S. Poetic Knowledge: The Recovery of Education. NY: State University of New York Press, 1998.

    19. Wilson, Douglas. Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning: An Approach to Distinctively Christian Education. IL: Crossway, 1991.

    20. Wolterstorff, Nicholas. Educating for Shalom: Essays on Christian Higher Education. MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co, 2004

    1. Erickson, H. Lynn. Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction. CA: Corwin Press, 2002.

    2. McTighe, Jay and Kristina Doubet and Eric Carbaugh. Designing Authentic Performance Tasks and Projects. VA: ASCD, 2020.

    3. Wiggins, Grant and Jay McTighe. Understanding by Design. Expanded 2nd Edition. VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2005.

    1. Boushey, Gail and Joan Moser. The CAFE Book: Engaging All Students in Daily Literacy Assessment and Instruction. Maine: Stenhouse Publishers, 2009.

    2. Boushey, Gail and Joan Moser. The Daily 5 (2nd Ed.): Fostering Literacy Independence in the Elementary Grades. Maine: Stenhouse Publishers, 2014.

    3. Byrnes, James P. Language and Literacy Development (2nd Ed). New York: The Guilford Press, 2019.

    4. Clay, Marie M. Concepts of Print (2nd Ed). NH: Heinemann, 2017.

    5. Gillingham, Anna and Bessie W. Stillman. The Gillingham Manual: Remedial Training for Children with Specific Disability in Reading, Spelling, and Penmanship (8th ed. rev.). USA: EPS Learning, 1997 

    6. Glass, Karen. Know and Tell: The Art of Narration. USA: Karen Glass, 2018.

    7. Keene, Ellin and Susan Zimmermann. Mosaic of Thought: The Power of Comprehension Strategy Instruction (2nd Ed). Portsmouth: Heinemann, 2007.

    8. McGregor, Tanny. Comprehension Connections: Bridges to Strategic Reading. NH: Heinemann, 2007.

    9. Moats, Louisa Cook. Speech to Print: Language Essentials for Teachers (3rd Ed.). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing, 2020.

    10. Snowling, Margaret J. and Charles Hulme and Kate Nation. The Science of Reading (2nd Ed). NJ: Wiley Blackwell, 2022.

    1. Barrs, Jerram. Echoes of Eden: Reflections on Christianity, Literature, and the Arts. Illinois: Crossway, 2013.

    2. Begbie, Jeremy. Resounding Truth: Christian Wisdom in the World of Music. MI: Baker Academic, 2007.

    3. Bustard, Clark, et. al. Teaching Beauty: A Vision for Music and Art in Christian Education. MD: Square Halo Books, 2016.

    4. Eco, Umberto. Art and Beauty in the Middle Ages. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1986.

    5. Fujimura, Makoto. Art and Faith: A Theology of Making. Yale University Press, 2020.

    6. Pieper, Josef. Only the Lover Sings: Art and Contemplation. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1990.

    7. Ryken, Philip Graham. Art for God's Sake: A Call to Recover the Arts. Phillipsburg, N.J.: P & R Pub., 2006.

    8. Skillen, John E. Putting Art Back In Its Place. MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2016.

    9. Turley, Stephen. Awakening Wonder: A Classical Guide to Truth, Goodness, and Beauty. PA: Classical Academic Press, 2014.

    1. Adler, Mortimer. Reforming Education. NY: Macmillan Publishing Co, 1988.

    2. Bruner, Jerome. The Process of Education. MA: Harvard University Press, 1977.

    3. Cahn, Steven M. Philosophy of Education: The Essential Texts. NY: Routledge, 2009.

    4. Dewey, John. The School and Society and The Child and the Curriculum. IL: University of Chicago Press, 1990.

    5. Gamble, Richard. The Great Tradition: Classic Readings on What it Means to be an Educated Human Being. DE: ISI Books, 2012.

    6. Gardner, Howard. Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. NY: Basic Books, 2011.

    7. Gutek, Gerald L. An Historical Introduction to American Education. Third Edition. IL: Waveland Press, 2013.

    8. Kallendorf, Craig W. Humanist Educational Treatise. MA: Harvard University Press, 2002.

    9. Marrou, H. I. A History of Education in Antiquity. WI: The University of Wisconsin Press, 1956.

    10. Mason, Charlotte. A Philosophy of Education. Jilliby: Living Books Press, 2017.

    11. Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. Emile or On Education. Basic Books, 1979.

    12. Stevenson, Harold and James Stigler. The Learning Gap: Why Our Schools Are Failing and What We Can Learn from Japanese and Chinese Education. NY: Touchstone, 1992.

    13. Tyack, David and Larry Cuban. Tinkering Toward Utopia. MA: Harvard University Press, 1995.

    14. Whitehead, Alfred North. The Aims of Education. NY: The Free Press, 1929.

    1. Oden, Amy G. And You Welcomed Me: A Sourcebook on Hospitality in Early Christianity. TE: Abingdon Press, 2001.

    2. Ortberg, John. The Art of Neighboring: Building Genuine Relationships Right Outside Your Door. MI: Baker Books, 2012.

    3. Pohl, Christine. Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition. MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co, 1999.

    4. Schulze, Horst. Excellence Wins: A No-Nonsense Guide to Becoming the Best in a World of Compromise. MI: Zondervan, 2019

    1. Fairbairn, Donald. Understanding Language: A Guide for Beginning Students of Greek and Latin. Washington D.C.: The Catholic University of America Press, 2011.

    2. Kopff, Christian. The Devil Knows Latin. DE: Intercollegiate Studies Institute, 1999.

    3. Simmons, Tracy Lee. Climbing Parnassus: A New Apologia for Greek and Latin. Wilmington, Delaware: ISI Books, 2002.

    1. Allender, Dan. Leading with a Limp. Colorado: Waterbrook Press, 2006.

    2. Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Life Together. NY: Harper Collins, 1954.

    3. Bradberry, Travis and Jean Greaves. Emotional Intelligence 2.0. CA: Talent Smart, 2009.

    4. Cloud, Henry. Integrity. NY: Harper Collins, 2006.

    5. Coleman, Daniel. Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. NY: Bantam Books, 1995.

    6. Comer, John Mark. Practicing the Way: Be with Jesus, Become Like Him, Do as He Did. IL: WaterBrook, 2024.

    7. Connors, Smith, and Hickman. The Oz Principle: Getting Results Through Individual and Organizational Accountability. Revised and Updated. NY: Penguin Group, 2004.

    8. Covey, Stephen. The Speed of Trust. NY: Free Press, 2018.

    9. Dweck, Carol. Mindset: A New Psychology of Success: How We Can Learn to Fulfill Our Potential. NY: Balantine Books, 2016.

    10. Isachsen, Olaf and Linda Berens. Working Together: A Personality-Centered Approach to Management. PA: Institute for Management Development, 1988.

    11. ISM. Better Schools, Better Boards: The ISM Guide for Private School Trusteeship and Strategic Governance. DE: Independent School Management, 2019.

    12. Lencioni, Patrick. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. NJ: Jossey-Bass, 2002.

    13. Lencioni, Patrick. Death by Meeting. NJ: Jossey-Bass, 2004.

    14. Lencioni, Patrick. The Ideal Team Player. NJ: Jossey-Bass, 2016.

    15. Lencioni, Patrick. The Six Types of Working Genius. TX: Matt Holt, 2022.

    16. Mahaney, C. J. Humility: True Greatness. CO: Multnomah Books, 2005.

    17. Miller, William R. Listening Well: The Art of Empathetic Understanding. OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2018.

    18. Rath, Tom. Strengths Finder. NY: Gallup Press, 2007.

    19. Sanders, J. Oswald. Spiritual Leadership. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2007.

    20. Thrall, Bill and Bruce McNicol and Ken McElrath. The Ascent of a Leader: How Ordinary Relationships Develop Extraordinary Character and Influence. AZ: Leadership Catalyst, 1999.

    21. Townsend, John. Leadership Beyond Reason: How Great Leaders Succeed by Harnessing the Power of Their Values, Feelings, and Intuition. TN: Thomas Nelson, 2009.

    22. Whitney, Donald S. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. CO: NavPress, 2014.

    1. Arbaugh, Smith, Boyle, Stylianides, and Steele. We Reason and We Prove for All Mathematics: Building Student’s Critical Thinking. CA: Corwin, 2019.

    2. Ban Har, Yeap. Bar Modeling: A Problem-Solving Tool: From Research to Practice: An Effective Singapore Math Strategy. Marshall Cavendish Education, 2010.

    3. Byl, John. The Divine Challenge: On Matter, Mind, Math and Meaning. Pennsylvania: Banner of Truth, 2004.

    4. Choo, Seah Jiak. The Singapore Model Method for Learning Mathematics. The Singapore Ministry of Education, 2009.

    5. Davis, Philip J. and Reuben Hersh. The Mathematical Experience. Mariner Books, 1999.

    6. Hardy, G. H. A Mathematician’s Apology. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2004.

    7. Howell, Russell and Jaems Bradley. Mathematics in a Postmodern Age: A Christian Perspective. Michigan: W. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2001.

    8. Huntley, H. E. The Divine Proportion: A Study in Mathematical Beauty,. New York: Dover Publications, 1970.

    9. Johnston-Wilder, Sue and John Mason. Developing Thinking in Geometry. CA: The Open University, 2005.

    10. Kaplan, Robert and Ellen Kaplan. The Art of the Infinite: The Pleasures of Mathematics. NY: Oxford University Press, 2003.

    11. Kline, Morris. Why Johnny Can’t Add. New York: St. Martins Press, 1973.

    12. Liljedahl, Peter. Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics. CA: Corwin, 2021.

    13. Lockhart, Paul. A Mathematician's Lament. New York, NY: Bellevue Literary Press, 2009.

    14. Ma, Liping. Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics Teachers' Understanding of Fundamental Mathematics in China and the United States. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1999.

    15. Poythress, Vern. Redeeming Math: A God-Centered Approach. Illinois: Crossway Books, 2015.

    16. Southall, Ed. Yes, But Why? Teaching for Understanding in Mathematics. CA: SAGE Publications, 2017.

    1. Carey, Benedict. How We Learn: The Surprising Truth About When, Where, and Why It Happens. NY: Random House, 2014.

    2. Dodge, Norman. The Brain that Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science. New York: Penguin Group, 2007.

    3. Egan, Kieran. Imagination and the Engaged Learner: Cognitive Tools for the Classroom. NY: Teachers College Press, 2016.

    4. Oden, Athena. Ready Bodies Learning Minds: Cultivating the Complete Child. TX: Ready Bodies, Learning Minds, 2016.

    5. Schwartz, Jeffrey and Sharon Begley. The Mind and the Brain: Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force. New York: Harper Collins, 2002.

    6. Thelen, Esther and Smith, Linda. A Dynamic Systems Approach to the Development of Cognition and Action. MA: MIT Press, 1994.

    7. Yates, Frances. The Art of Memory. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1974.

    1. Augustine. On Christian Doctrine. NY: Dover, 2009.

    2. Coupland, Daniel B. Tried and True: A Primer on Sound Pedagogy. MI: Hillsdale College Press, 2022.

    3. Eben, Carrie and Christopher Perrin. The Good Teacher: Ten Key Pedagogical Principles That Will Transform Your Teaching. PA: Classical Academic Press, 2025.

    4. Egan, Kieran. Teaching as Storytelling. IL: University of Chicago Press, 1986.

    5. Esolen, Anthony. Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child. DE: ISI Books, 2010.

    6. Gregoy, John Milton. The Seven Laws of Teaching. Filiquarian Publishing, 2007.

    7. Hendricks, Howard. Teaching to Change Lives: Seven Proven Ways to Make Your Teaching Come Alive. CO: Multnomah Publishers, 1987.

    8. Highet, Gilbert. The Art of Teaching. NY: Vintage Books, 1989.

    9. Lemov, Doug. Teach Like a Champion 3.0. NJ: Josey-Bass, 2021.

    10. Plato. Protagoras and Meno. NY: Cornell University Press, 2004.

    11. Roberts, Terry and Laura Billings. The Paideia Classroom: Teaching for Understanding. NY: Eye on Education, 1999.

    12. Stigler, James and James Hiebert. The Teaching Gap: Best Ideas from the World’s Teachers for Improving Education in the Classroom. NY: The Free Press, 1999.

    13. Takahasi, Akihiko. Teaching Mathematics Through Problem-Solving. NY: Routledge, 2021.

    14. Tomlinson, Carol and Jay McTighe. Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design. VA: ASCD, 2006.

    1. Grant, Edward. A History of Natural Philosophy: From the Ancient World to the Nineteenth Century. NY: Cambridge University Press, 2007.

    2. Harrison, Peter. The Territories of Science and Religion. Illinois: University of Chicago Press, 2015.

    3. Johnson, George. The Ten Most Beautiful Experiments. NY: Vintage Books, 2009.

    4. Kuhn, Thomas. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1962.

    5. Lucretius. On the Nature of Things. IN: Hacket, 2001.

    6. Mays, John. Teaching Science so that Students Learn Science. Texas: Novare Science and Math, 2009.

    7. Mays, John. The Student Lab Report Handbook. Second Edition. TX: Novare Science and Math, 2014.

    8. McGrath, Alister. The Open Secret. MA: Blackwell Publishing, 2008.

    9. McGrath, Alister. The Science of God. Michigan: W. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2004.

    10. Medawar, P. B. The Limits of Science. New York: Harper and Row, 1984.

    11. Pearcey, Nancy and Charles Thaxton. The Soul of Science: Christian Faith and Natural Philosophy. Illinois: Crossway Books, 1994.

    12. Poythress, Vern. Redeeming Science: A God-Centered Approach. Illinois: Crossway Books, 2006.

    13. Sobel, Dava. Galileo’s Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith, and Love. New York: Penguin Group, 2000.

    1. Greene, Ross W. The Explosive Child: A New Approach for Understanding and Parenting Easily Frustrated, Chronically Inflexible Children. NY: Harper Collins, 2021.

    2. Ratey, Nancy. The Disorganized Mind. NY: St. Martin’s Press, 2008.

    3. Richards, Amy. Disability and Classical Education. PA: Classical Academic Press, 2024.

    4. Ruf, Deborah L. Five Levels of Gifted: School Issues and Educational Options. AZ: Great Potential Press, 2009.

    5. Schwartz, Jeffrey. Brain Lock: Free Yourself from Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior. NY: Harper Collins, 2016.

    6. Shaywitz, Sally. Overcoming Dyslexia: A New and Complete Science-Based Program for Reading Problems at Any Level. NY: Vintage Books, 2003.

    7. Stockman, Ida J. Movement and Action in Learning Development: Clinical Implications for Pervasive Development Disorders. London: Elsevier Academic Press, 2004.

    8. Swope, Cheryl. Simply Classical: A Beautiful Education for Any Child (2nd Ed). Memoria Press, 2019.

    1. Aristotle (translated by David Ross). The Nicomachean Ethics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.

    2. Dow, Philip E. Virtuous Minds: Intellectual Character Development. IL: IVP Academic, 2013.

    3. MacIntyre, Alasdair. After Virtue (3rd Ed). IN: The University of Notre Dame Press, 2007.

    4. Pieper, Josef. The Four Cardinal Virtues. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 2016.

    5. Pieper, Josef. Faith, Hope, Love. San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2012.

    6. Sertillanges, A. G. The Intellectual Life. Washington DC: The Catholic University of America Press, 1987.

    1. Allen, David. Making it All Work. NY: Penguin Books, 2008.

    2. Allen, David. Getting Things Done. NY: Penguin Books, 2015.

    3. Kotter et. al. HBR’s 10 Must Reads: On Change Management. MA: Harvard Business Review Press, 2011.

    4. Maurer, Rich. Beyond the Wall of Resistance: Why 70% of All Changes Still Fail and What You Can Do About It. Revised Edition. TX: Bard Press, 2010.