Product Overview
We hear all the time that our students get to college and know what to do! They know what a thesis is, they know how to conduct research, they know how to analyze literature, and they cite their sources.
The College Prep Bundle features two of our programs:
- A PDF manual written to and for teens that teaches them critical thinking and essay writing. (Help for High School)
- Five PDF handbooks that explore classic novels—a shortcut to literary analysis! (See book lists on Slingshot page.)
Our bundles are made up of year-long, non-consumable PDF products. We show you how to put them together for a rich writing life! These tools can be used for more than one child at a time, particularly if close in age, and again with other children as they come of age.
Please note!
After payment, you’ll receive instructions for how to log into your Brave Writer account and download your products. Inside your account, you'll find a wealth of free materials to help you prepare for your year.
Want a print copy? Go to the front of the line at the Homeschool Printing Company with a special Brave Writer offer. Order here.
Slingshot Classics
The Slingshot is Brave Writer’s literature program for college-bound teens, built around five classic novels. Each handbook dives into literary analysis, grammar, punctuation, and more—plus book club party ideas and thoughtful discussion questions. With guided copywork and dictation, the Slingshot helps teens engage deeply with timeless stories, whether they’re new to analysis or seasoned readers.
Learn more about Slingshot Classics
Timeless literature for teens
The Slingshot guides teens in literary analysis of classic and contemporary literature.
Even if your teen has never analyzed literature before... We’ve got you—and your college-bound teens—covered!
Our year-long program includes five month-long lesson plans.
Each handbook is based on a novel and immerses your teen in the world of:
- literary analysis
- historical context
- grammar
- punctuation
- and book club parties
Each handbook contains:
-
Detailed notes to establish the context of the novel (book not included)
-
Four passages taken from the novel for copywork and dictation
-
Easy-to-follow instructions to teach writing elements found in the passages
-
Examination of grammar and punctuation
-
Additional notes that go beyond the passage
-
Nine "think piece" questions—for discussion and writing
-
Book club party ideas
-
Copywork passages on separate printable pages
-
Four-color design that looks gorgeous on tablets or printed at home
The Slingshot program comes with Guidelines to help you implement copywork and dictation practices, as well as a planning tool and a writing skills tracker to help you stay attuned to your teen's progress.
Start any time by selecting one of the lists below from the drop-down menu when you add to cart. Enjoy the five Slingshots in any order.
Classics:
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass
Animal Farm by George Orwell
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
We encourage you to review the books yourself to be certain that you are comfortable with the content before giving them to your teens.
Delivery: After purchase, the Slingshots are available in your Brave Writer online account. Each handbook (40-50 pages) is a non-consumable PDF and can be used with multiple teens—no need to purchase additional copies.
Want a print copy? Go to the front of the line at the Homeschool Printing Company with a special Brave Writer offer. Order here.
Note: The Slingshot is one part of the College Prep Writers Bundle.
Find related books in the Brave Writer Book Shop:
Help for High School
The foundational course to develop academic writers ready for college. Includes critical thinking activities, how to conduct research, crafting a thesis statement, and following two essay formats most often taught in colleges (for ages 13-18).
Learn more about Help for High School
Essay training made simple
Finally, a program written for teens, to teens!
Help for High School is a self-directed academic writing program.
It teaches rhetorical thinking, as well as the essay formats most commonly assigned in high school and college.
Inside are:
- Fifteen modules of writing instruction
- Six exercises that build critical thinking skills
- Nine lessons that teach the two key essay formats
- Exploratory Essay (open form)
- Persuasive Essay (closed form)
- Instruction in writing thesis statements and conducting research
- Helpful directions for how to paraphrase and cite expert opinion
- Samples and models for feedback are included
Help for High School teaches teens how to think, argue, and create their own powerful writing style at the same time.
Your teen will build the following skills:
- developing a command of language
- creating a supported argument
- fostering a rhetorical imagination
- comparing and contrasting viewpoints
- discovering the role of narrative writing in academic formats
- understanding the difference between exploratory and expository essay forms
- writing thesis statements
- identifying points and particulars
- documenting sources
- paraphrasing versus quoting experts
- understanding viewpoint, bias, perspective, and facts
- creating in-line citations and works cited
This program is great for kids who are no longer struggling with writing. If your student has not written a report or finds it difficult to freewrite, start with the Building Confidence program. Learning those skills first will make Help for High School a much more successful experience.
Help for High School is 166 pages, in a black and white format, and is a non-consumable PDF. One copy may be used for multiple students in the same family.
Want a print copy? Go to the front of the line at the Homeschool Printing Company with a special Brave Writer offer. Order here.
Note: Help for High School is one part of the High School Writers Bundle and the College Prep Writers Bundle.
