Lightning Literature
Hewitt Homeschooling · Grades 1-12
Families wanting literature-based language arts with real books rather than textbooks; parents who want grammar and composition integrated into literature study rather than isolated skill drill; students who love reading and want a curriculum built around great books; families...
$50-155/grade
Overview
Lightning Literature is a literature-and-composition curriculum from Hewitt Homeschooling, designed for older students (typically grade 7 through high school). Each level focuses on a small set of classic works (American Christian Authors, British Christian Authors, etc.) with substantial writing assignments tied to each. Less prescriptive than IEW; assumes the student is already a reasonable writer learning to develop their voice. Loved by classical families and CM households moving into high school humanities. Christian framing throughout but with strong literary respect for the texts themselves.
Strengths
- •Built around real literature. Students read actual books rather than textbook excerpts
- •integrates reading comprehension, grammar, and composition in a single program
- •Teacher guide + student workbook format is open-and-go
- •covers grades 1-12 with consistent methodology
- •award-winning program with strong reviewer consensus
- •balanced approach that avoids both the heaviness of IEW and the looseness of Brave Writer
- •Library-friendly. Can borrow most assigned books
Limitations
- •Requires access to specific book titles (not self-contained)
- •Less rigorous grammar coverage than dedicated grammar programs. May need supplement for grammar-focused families
- •some discussion questions reflect Christian worldview assumptions
- •not widely known compared to bigger brands
- •parent must read the assigned books to effectively teach (time investment)
- •limited writing instruction compared to dedicated writing programs like IEW
Best fit for
Families wanting literature-based language arts with real books rather than textbooks; parents who want grammar and composition integrated into literature study rather than isolated skill drill; students who love reading and want a curriculum built around great books; families transitioning from TGAB who want less reading-volume intensity but more literary depth
The honest read
Quietly beloved in homeschool communities as 'the literature curriculum that works.' Parents who've struggled with ELA consistently praise Lightning Lit as the program that finally stuck. Recommended specifically for families leaving TGAB who want depth over volume. The literature-based approach means kids read real books, which solves the 'too much reading' complaint about TGAB by making the reading meaningful rather than workbook-driven.
Get Lightning Literature
Families wanting literature-based language arts with real books rather than textbooks; parents who want grammar and composition integrated into literature study rather than isolated skill drill; students who love reading and want a curriculum built around great books; families...
SHOPRelated in Language Arts
Lightning Literature
$50-155/grade