Christian Light Lightunit's - Bridges Beyond

Laura had her first reading quiz today. This was more difficult than she was used to. She has a high reading level, but I've long since wanted to be able to gauge her comprehension skills and challenge them. I love living books, and Laura reads lots of them, but I wasn't really happy with any of the programs I had seen or tried. Laura can narrate to me all day. However, if I would ask her questions, she sometimes would have trouble. So, I began using the Christian Light fourth grade reading program using the LightUnits and the reading book, Bridges Beyond.
I've read a lot of negative reviews about reading books that contain a group of stories. I was worried about it limiting Laura. However, I'm not really worried about that anymore. First, she reads other books for History and Science and because I pick books from reading lists that I want her exposed to. Second, the stories in Bridges Beyond are not easy stories. They are challenging, with vocabulary that I never saw with my older children in their public school reading books. For instance, Laura's first story had her learning the meaning of the words chinked, foolscap, galls, inkwell, quills, and curtsy. I had to use her glossary for the meanings of a couple of those myself.
A major goal of the reading program is to teach children to think clearly and logically. The answers are sometimes challenging and require independent analysis and thinking skills. This is something that Laura needs to practice. She isn't always happy about it either. She would be content to read and narrate, and not have to look deeper. Plus, this program makes it easy to schedule in other reading with living books because the reading is only three days a week. In the back of the teacher's guide is a list of books for further reading separated by grade levels. There are also short stories that you can read aloud to your child with questions to ask that will help measure their listening skills.
We are only a couple of lessons into the reading program. However, I purposely read through the entire book. It's a very good quality program. This is not a dumbed-down program. It's challenging and wholesome. Just a few of the character traits and scripture truths portrayed in the stories are answers to prayer, bravery, contentment, doing good to others, honesty, faithfulness in small things, gossiping, obedience, personal responsibility, and thankfulness.
We are only a couple of weeks into the program. I'm sure more time would be needed for a review that is more comprehensive. For us, for now, it is working and working well.