diff --git a/cms/static/coffee/spec/models/textbook_spec.coffee b/cms/static/coffee/spec/models/textbook_spec.coffee
index 97ebc8753b..6e601ecf68 100644
--- a/cms/static/coffee/spec/models/textbook_spec.coffee
+++ b/cms/static/coffee/spec/models/textbook_spec.coffee
@@ -8,87 +8,119 @@ describe "CMS.Models.Textbook", ->
     beforeEach ->
         @model = new CMS.Models.Textbook()
 
-    it "should have an empty name by default", ->
-        expect(@model.get("name")).toEqual("")
+    describe "Basic", ->
+        it "should have an empty name by default", ->
+            expect(@model.get("name")).toEqual("")
 
-    it "should not show chapters by default", ->
-        expect(@model.get("showChapters")).toBeFalsy()
+        it "should not show chapters by default", ->
+            expect(@model.get("showChapters")).toBeFalsy()
 
-    it "should have a ChapterSet with one chapter by default", ->
-        chapters = @model.get("chapters")
-        expect(chapters).toBeInstanceOf(CMS.Collections.ChapterSet)
-        expect(chapters.length).toEqual(1)
-        expect(chapters.at(0).isEmpty()).toBeTruthy()
+        it "should have a ChapterSet with one chapter by default", ->
+            chapters = @model.get("chapters")
+            expect(chapters).toBeInstanceOf(CMS.Collections.ChapterSet)
+            expect(chapters.length).toEqual(1)
+            expect(chapters.at(0).isEmpty()).toBeTruthy()
 
-    it "should be empty by default", ->
-        expect(@model.isEmpty()).toBeTruthy()
+        it "should be empty by default", ->
+            expect(@model.isEmpty()).toBeTruthy()
 
-    it "should have a URL set", ->
-        expect(_.result(@model, "url")).toBeTruthy()
+        it "should have a URL set", ->
+            expect(_.result(@model, "url")).toBeTruthy()
 
-    it "should be able to reset itself", ->
-        @model.set("name", "foobar")
-        @model.reset()
-        expect(@model.get("name")).toEqual("")
+        it "should be able to reset itself", ->
+            @model.set("name", "foobar")
+            @model.reset()
+            expect(@model.get("name")).toEqual("")
 
-    it "should not be dirty by default", ->
-        expect(@model.isDirty()).toBeFalsy()
+        it "should not be dirty by default", ->
+            expect(@model.isDirty()).toBeFalsy()
 
-    it "should be dirty after it's been changed", ->
-        @model.set("name", "foobar")
-        expect(@model.isDirty()).toBeTruthy()
+        it "should be dirty after it's been changed", ->
+            @model.set("name", "foobar")
+            expect(@model.isDirty()).toBeTruthy()
 
-    it "should not be dirty after calling setOriginalAttributes", ->
-        @model.set("name", "foobar")
-        @model.setOriginalAttributes()
-        expect(@model.isDirty()).toBeFalsy()
+        it "should not be dirty after calling setOriginalAttributes", ->
+            @model.set("name", "foobar")
+            @model.setOriginalAttributes()
+            expect(@model.isDirty()).toBeFalsy()
 
+    describe "Input/Output", ->
+        deepAttributes = (obj) ->
+            if obj instanceof Backbone.Model
+                deepAttributes(obj.attributes)
+            else if obj instanceof Backbone.Collection
+                obj.map(deepAttributes);
+            else if _.isArray(obj)
+                _.map(obj, deepAttributes);
+            else if _.isObject(obj)
+                attributes = {};
+                for own prop, val of obj
+                    attributes[prop] = deepAttributes(val)
+                attributes
+            else
+                obj
 
-describe "CMS.Models.Textbook input/output", ->
-    # replace with Backbone.Assocations.deepAttributes when
-    # https://github.com/dhruvaray/backbone-associations/pull/43 is merged
-    deepAttributes = (obj) ->
-        if obj instanceof Backbone.Model
-            deepAttributes(obj.attributes)
-        else if obj instanceof Backbone.Collection
-            obj.map(deepAttributes);
-        else if _.isArray(obj)
-            _.map(obj, deepAttributes);
-        else if _.isObject(obj)
-            attributes = {};
-            for own prop, val of obj
-                attributes[prop] = deepAttributes(val)
-            attributes
-        else
-            obj
+        it "should match server model to client model", ->
+            serverModelSpec = {
+                "tab_title": "My Textbook",
+                "chapters": [
+                    {"title": "Chapter 1", "url": "/ch1.pdf"},
+                    {"title": "Chapter 2", "url": "/ch2.pdf"},
+                ]
+            }
+            clientModelSpec = {
+                "name": "My Textbook",
+                "showChapters": false,
+                "editing": false,
+                "chapters": [{
+                        "name": "Chapter 1",
+                        "asset_path": "/ch1.pdf",
+                        "order": 1
+                    }, {
+                        "name": "Chapter 2",
+                        "asset_path": "/ch2.pdf",
+                        "order": 2
+                    }
+                ]
+            }
 
-    it "should match server model to client model", ->
-        serverModelSpec = {
-            "tab_title": "My Textbook",
-            "chapters": [
-                {"title": "Chapter 1", "url": "/ch1.pdf"},
-                {"title": "Chapter 2", "url": "/ch2.pdf"},
-            ]
-        }
-        clientModelSpec = {
-            "name": "My Textbook",
-            "showChapters": false,
-            "editing": false,
-            "chapters": [{
-                    "name": "Chapter 1",
-                    "asset_path": "/ch1.pdf",
-                    "order": 1
-                }, {
-                    "name": "Chapter 2",
-                    "asset_path": "/ch2.pdf",
-                    "order": 2
-                }
-            ]
-        }
+            model = new CMS.Models.Textbook(serverModelSpec, {parse: true})
+            expect(deepAttributes(model)).toEqual(clientModelSpec)
+            expect(model.toJSON()).toEqual(serverModelSpec)
+
+    describe "Validation", ->
+        it "requires a name", ->
+            model = new CMS.Models.Textbook({name: ""})
+            expect(model.isValid()).toBeFalsy()
+
+        it "requires at least one chapter", ->
+            model = new CMS.Models.Textbook({name: "foo"})
+            model.get("chapters").reset()
+            expect(model.isValid()).toBeFalsy()
+
+        it "requires a valid chapter", ->
+            chapter = new CMS.Models.Chapter()
+            chapter.isValid = -> false
+            model = new CMS.Models.Textbook({name: "foo"})
+            model.get("chapters").reset([chapter])
+            expect(model.isValid()).toBeFalsy()
+
+        it "requires all chapters to be valid", ->
+            chapter1 = new CMS.Models.Chapter()
+            chapter1.isValid = -> true
+            chapter2 = new CMS.Models.Chapter()
+            chapter2.isValid = -> false
+            model = new CMS.Models.Textbook({name: "foo"})
+            model.get("chapters").reset([chapter1, chapter2])
+            expect(model.isValid()).toBeFalsy()
+
+        it "can pass validation", ->
+            chapter = new CMS.Models.Chapter()
+            chapter.isValid = -> true
+            model = new CMS.Models.Textbook({name: "foo"})
+            model.get("chapters").reset([chapter])
+            expect(model.isValid()).toBeTruthy()
 
-        model = new CMS.Models.Textbook(serverModelSpec, {parse: true})
-        expect(deepAttributes(model)).toEqual(clientModelSpec)
-        expect(model.toJSON()).toEqual(serverModelSpec)
 
 describe "CMS.Collections.TextbookSet", ->
     beforeEach ->
@@ -111,17 +143,31 @@ describe "CMS.Models.Chapter", ->
     beforeEach ->
         @model = new CMS.Models.Chapter()
 
-    it "should have a name by default", ->
-        expect(@model.get("name")).toEqual("")
+    describe "Basic", ->
+        it "should have a name by default", ->
+            expect(@model.get("name")).toEqual("")
 
-    it "should have an asset_path by default", ->
-        expect(@model.get("asset_path")).toEqual("")
+        it "should have an asset_path by default", ->
+            expect(@model.get("asset_path")).toEqual("")
 
-    it "should have an order by default", ->
-        expect(@model.get("order")).toEqual(1)
+        it "should have an order by default", ->
+            expect(@model.get("order")).toEqual(1)
 
-    it "should be empty by default", ->
-        expect(@model.isEmpty()).toBeTruthy()
+        it "should be empty by default", ->
+            expect(@model.isEmpty()).toBeTruthy()
+
+    describe "Validation", ->
+        it "requires a name", ->
+            model = new CMS.Models.Chapter({name: "", asset_path: "a.pdf"})
+            expect(model.isValid()).toBeFalsy()
+
+        it "requires an asset_path", ->
+            model = new CMS.Models.Chapter({name: "a", asset_path: ""})
+            expect(model.isValid()).toBeFalsy()
+
+        it "can pass validation", ->
+            model = new CMS.Models.Chapter({name: "a", asset_path: "a.pdf"})
+            expect(model.isValid()).toBeTruthy()
 
 
 describe "CMS.Collections.ChapterSet", ->