Bringing the Classics to Life is a supplemental reading program designed to introduce students to the rigors and richness of classic literature in their original form. The program builds the imaginations and intellects of children, while expanding their vocabularies and literary analytical skills. 

There are a few premises behind the program: 

• Not all literature is created equal. Some books have greater educational value than others. 

• Literature has a history. By reading classical texts, students become familiar with how literature has developed over time. 

• The reading of classic literature is an intellectual discipline that improves with extended practice. 

• The persistence and concentration required  to read classic literature helps to build the brain. It improves the child's ability to read anything else.

• All children are capable of reading age-appropriate, great works of literature. 

• Classic literature is relevant to young readers of all cultural backgrounds, walks of life and periods. 

Program Author Heather Miller created this program to ensure that children of widely varying backgrounds and reading abilities could enjoy some of the best stories ever written. But how do you teach the Call of the Wild to a recent immigrant from Yemen? And how do you engage a tween from the Bronx in the world of the Tudor court? Classic literature is known for its rigor. How can children who may be reading below grade level enjoy a text that is three grades above their reading level? 

The methods used in Bringing Classics to Life reach all learners and engage them deeply in the imaginative process of reading a great story. The result is skilled, avid readers who are more likely to reach for a book during their free time. As children’s reading skills improve, their confidence and love of learning grows and grows.