A Beka offers a number of readers to be used for each grade level. These readers vary in content. Some feature simple stories designed primarily for phonetic purposes or for speedreading and comprehension. Others feature character-building stories and poems, classic tales and fables, Bible stories, works by well-known authors (especially at older levels), historical and patriotic stories, nature stories, and biographies.
In each book, new vocabulary words are highlighted at the beginning of each story. At the end of each story are questions, most of which focus on comprehension but with a few that challenge children to think at deeper levels. All of the books emphasize Godly character development. These books are beautifully printed in full-color throughout with illustrations and lovely borders across the tops of all the pages.
Teacher editions of these readers are available, but they are not necessary for the early grades. Readers correlate with the reading program presented in A Handbook for Reading at the early grade levels. A Beka recommends nine or ten readers per level in grades 1 through 3, but you might not feel that you need all of them.
Three unusual readers deserve mention. Adventures in Nature, Adventures in Greatness, and Adventures in Other Lands ($10.25 each) are speed reading/comprehension texts for approximately fourth through sixth grades. Short, interesting selections are timed with the total number of words shown for determining reading speed. Comprehension questions sometimes follow the story, or they are on quiz pages at the back of the book. Books are meant to be consumable with children writing answers in the book, although answers can be written elsewhere if desired. An answer key is at the back of each book.
Readers for grades seven and eight are Of People and Of Places respectively. These are anthologies of works by well-known authors. Of People uses stories and poems about people, some famous and some not, who exemplify great character. Of Places also has chosen character-building stories and poems from well-known authors. Both volumes include some excerpts from other works such as Don Quixote, Robinson Crusoe, The Jungle Book, and Ben Hur. My own experience tells me that these two readers are very appealing and inspiring to students.
