A few years ago, I read Little Pilgrim’s Progress: From John Bunyan’s Classic (by Helen L. Taylor) to my three daughters as a family read-aloud. We all loved it, and I had planned to come back to John Bunyan’s original when they were older. I was so excited to be given the opportunity to review the Answers In Genesis Complete Pilgrim’s Progress Pack because we would not only be reading the full version together, but we’d be equipped with more tools to explore this important, time-tested allegory.

Recommended for grade 2 through adults, AIG’s Complete Pilgrim’s Progress Pack is currently on sale for $59.99 (an $80 value, with components also sold individually). There are three components to the Complete Pilgrim’s Progress Pack, and with a mixed age group who all have distinct learning styles, I was looking forward to using the audio, the illustrated paperback and the all-in-one curriculum, which includes discussion questions, commentary and pointers to further research & activities throughout, as a set to make the learning experience more engaging for each of them.

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway for a Complete Pilgrim’s Progress Pack below!

What’s included in the Complete Pilgrim’s Progress Pack:

• The Pilgrim’s Progress, Audiobook Edition: This fully dramatized audio presentation of John Bunyan’s classic book, The Pilgrim’s Progress, features over five hours of exciting oral interpretation. Unabridged original English.
• The Pilgrim’s Progress, All-In-One Curriculum: Ideal for homeschool, family devotions, Sunday schools, and personal or small group studies. Includes reproducible student pages on bonus CD-ROM.
• The Pilgrim’s Progress, Illustrated & Annotated: John Bunyan’s classic text and scripture annotations plus all the great illustrations from the all-in-one curriculum. Recommended one per student to follow the text and color the illustrations.

In Practice…

The first thing that impressed me about this package from AIG was the quality and content of The Pilgrim’s Progress, All-In-One Curriculum hardcover book. Thorough instructor’s guidelines are provided to make your journey through The Pilgrim’s Progress a complete unit study — which made me particularly happy because I love to use the unit study approach in our homeschool. The introduction provides detailed insight into the historical background and context in which John Bunyan wrote The Pilgrim’s Progress, including the original Author’s Apology he wrote in response to some of the criticism he received about the book.

As you dive into each chapter using The Pilgrim’s Progress, All-In-One, you’ll find illustrations, vocabulary, related scripture references in the margins, a complementary memory verse, additional commentary, and discussion questions. We enjoyed the insight and context provided by taking the time to explore each chapter using these tools. Because you can spend a lot of time with the additional material provided in the all-in-one version, I would read through it in advance and decide how you want to approach it based on the ages and learning styles of your children.

Here’s how we approached the set: We started with the dramatic audio version, which was perfect for afternoons spent driving to dance classes. Although the old English was more difficult to understand for my seven-year-old, the emotion behind the dialogue was captivating and kept her attention. Once they were drawn in by the audio (to the point they couldn’t wait to move on!) we went back and revisited each chapter using the all-in-one version. My eldest daughter (13), who is a visual learner and advanced reader, read the Illustrated & Annotated version on her own (fast) pace, whereas my auditory 12-year-old prefers reading along while we are reading aloud together.

The student CD included in the All-In-One curriculum provides printouts of all the fill-in-the-blank discussion material in the book, making it really easy for your students to either jot down their responses on their own as they read or take notes as you discuss each chapter as a family. I always appreciate easy access to PDFs for printing out pages that you’ll want to save if you are creating a notebook for your study.

Although my seven-year-old enjoyed the audio and was able to follow along well enough to discuss the themes, I would have liked to have something tailored specifically for the youngest children in the audience. My youngest is a kinesthetic learner, so she learns best when she’s physically doing something with what we are learning. Perhaps a printable coloring book using the beautiful illustrations provided in the Illustrated & Annotated version, puppets to cut out and color, or crossword puzzles with character names and vocabulary?

That one wish aside, we are all really enjoying AIG’s Complete Pilgrim’s Progress Curriculum and look forward to each lesson. As Ken Ham shares in the foreword, Pilgrim’s Progress is a very special book: A powerful allegory that has stood the test of time like no other book (besides the Bible of course), still a best-seller more than 300 years after it was written! It should be revisited regularly, and Answers In Genesis has provided a wonderful set of tools with which to explore its themes and biblical truths.

As a member of the Answers In Genesis Blogger Review Team, I received a copy of this product in exchange for my honest review and promotion. All opinions are my own, and no other compensation was received. I am disclosing this information in accordance with FTC Guidelines.

This week, Answers In Genesis is hosting a giveaway for NextGen Homeschool readers for a FREE Complete Pilgrim’s Progress Pack, valued at $80! Enter below.

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