If you’ve spent any time in Christian homeschool Facebook groups, you’ve seen the debate. The Good and the Beautiful — also known as TGTB or TGATB — is one of the most talked-about curricula in the homeschool world. Some families love it. Others won’t touch it. And if you’re trying to figure out which camp you belong in, you’re in the right place.
This review is written for Christian homeschool parents who want a clear, honest answer — not a sales pitch and not a pile-on.
What Is The Good and the Beautiful?
The Good and the Beautiful is a curriculum created by Jenny Phillips, published in 2015. It covers language arts (preschool through 11th grade), math (kindergarten through 8th grade), science (K–8, unit-based), history (K–8, currently through Year 3 with more in development), handwriting, and a variety of elective units including drawing, typing, and birdwatching.
The curriculum is described as open-and-go, meaning parents need very little daily prep. You open the book, follow the instructions, and go. It emphasizes wholesome literature, character building, nature, family, and God.
Prices range from around $10 to $125 per course, and lower grade language arts courses are available as free downloadable PDFs from their website — which is part of why it became so popular so quickly.
What Are The Strengths?
Beautifully designed. This is not a dry workbook. The materials are visually appealing, colorful, and carefully laid out. Kids actually enjoy picking them up, which matters more than most parents realize.
Open-and-go. For homeschool moms who are already stretched thin, a curriculum that requires no daily lesson planning is a genuine gift. You can hand it to an older child and let them work independently.
Academically solid. Multiple reviewers note that each level is at or above grade level. This is not a dumbed-down or filler curriculum.
Free entry point. The free lower-grade PDFs remove the financial barrier to trying it. Many families start there and stick with it for years.
Literature-rich. Each language arts level includes readers that feel classic and timeless — a welcome alternative to modern readers with questionable content.
What Are The Weaknesses?
Lessons can run long. Several reviewers mention that the daily lessons are more than some kids can sit through in one stretch. This is manageable, but worth knowing upfront.
Not explicitly evangelical. The curriculum references God, quotes Scripture, and teaches character — but it does not present the gospel in a systematic way. If you want your curriculum to also serve as your Bible or theology curriculum, TGTB is not designed for that.
Limited high school options. At the time of this writing, high school curriculum is still in development. TGTB is actively working on it, but it is not yet a complete K–12 solution for all subjects.
The Controversy You’ve Probably Already Heard About
Let’s address it directly, because if you’re a Christian homeschool parent researching this curriculum, you’ve likely already seen the debate.
Jenny Phillips, the creator of TGTB, is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This has led to significant debate in Christian homeschool communities about whether the curriculum is appropriate for evangelical Christian families.
Here is what the evidence actually shows:
The curriculum references God and Jesus, quotes Bible verses, and teaches character and virtue. It does not teach LDS doctrine in any explicit way. Many Christian parents who have used the curriculum report that occasional quotes from LDS leaders appear, but these are rare occurrences rather than a dominant presence. The content is most accurately described as broadly Christian rather than denominationally specific. HomeschoolHomeschoolstartguide
The more significant concern raised by some evangelical Christians is not what the curriculum teaches but what it leaves out. Specifically, some parents feel the curriculum does not present the gospel — the core evangelical doctrines of sin, redemption, and salvation through Christ — in a meaningful way. Homeschool
This is a real and fair concern. It does not mean the curriculum is harmful. It means it is designed to be broadly appealing across faith backgrounds rather than grounded in a specific theological tradition.
What this means for your family: If you are looking for a curriculum that is explicitly evangelical, teaches the gospel, and is built on a Reformed or broadly Protestant theological foundation, TGTB is not that curriculum. You would likely be happier with something like Masterbooks, My Father’s World, or Notgrass.
If you are comfortable using TGTB for academics and covering theology and Bible study separately through your church, devotions, or a dedicated Bible curriculum, many Christian families do this successfully and are happy with the results.
Neither choice is wrong. This is a discernment decision, not a salvation issue. If you’re still exploring your options, our guide to types of homeschooling methods can help you think through the bigger picture.
Who Is The Good and the Beautiful Best For?
TGTB is a strong fit if you:
- Want a visually beautiful, open-and-go curriculum that your kids will actually enjoy
- Are teaching elementary through middle school ages
- Plan to supplement with a separate Bible or theology curriculum
- Appreciate a literature-rich approach over a textbook-heavy one
- Are on a tight budget and want to start with the free PDFs before committing
It may not be the right fit if you:
- Need a complete K–12 solution including high school (not yet available for all subjects)
- Want your curriculum to serve as your primary source of gospel instruction
- Have strong convictions about the LDS controversy and cannot move forward with uncertainty
Pricing Overview
- Free PDFs available for lower grade language arts
- Printed books and course sets range from approximately $10 to $125
- Shipping is available with frequent sales and promotions throughout the year
How to Get It
You can find The Good and the Beautiful at goodandbeautiful.com. If you purchase through a link on this site, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you — this helps support the free content here at faithfilledlearning.com.
The Bottom Line
The Good and the Beautiful is a genuinely good curriculum. It is well-designed, academically solid, and easy to use. The controversy around it is real and worth knowing about — but it should not automatically disqualify it for every Christian family.
Read the concerns, pray about it, and make the call that is right for your household. That is exactly what homeschooling is for.