The Book of Genesis

by J. Paterson Smyth

The first volume in The Bible for School and Home series, covering the Creation, the Fall, the Flood, the call of Abraham, and the story of Joseph, with Smyth showing at every turn how the individual stories fit into God's overall plan. All eight volumes in The Bible for School and Home series, used in Charlotte Mason’s schools, are intended for parents and teachers to use in preparing Bible lessons for the children in their charge. Each of the volumes contains two dozen or more lessons, preceded by the same lengthy introduction to sound teaching practices, a section which is well worth reading. For each lesson, Smyth specifies the Biblical passages to cover, then provides background information you can incorporate in your telling of the story to gain the interest of your children, carefully framed questions you can use to draw their attention to the main points, and ways you might direct the conversation to stir their affections and their actions.

242 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1911

Reviews

[Lauren Fee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't disagree with the review of these books being difficult to read and use, which is why I have written my new Charlotte Mason Bible Lesson guides (https://www.childrensfeast.com/), but the ideas he seeks to convey to children always honors them as persons and are worthy of discussion and contemplation after the Bible passage is read and narrated. He is a hero of mine and I am forever indebted to his work, though we don't agree on every point or say everything the same way.

[Joanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this as part of my son’s first-year Bible lessons (it’s the Charlotte Mason-recommended commentary the parent uses to prep). So far I’ve found it helpful in the way it describes the visuals of many Bible stories and many of his insights are powerful. But overall, a lot of his questions and prompts are aimed a few years above my six-year-old or moralized the story in a way that seemed to emphasize the Christian’s behavior over beholding our great God in the scripture. I wouldn’t dissuade someone from using them (after all, I’m still learning the best way to give these lessons and I could be doing it wrong!) but I think I’ll try another resource next year.