I was recently asked to name my favorite homeschool book, a near impossible feat for someone who has been reading every book she could find on the subject for the last decade. So instead of naming a single favorite title, I’ve compiled a list of My All-Time Top Ten Favorite Homeschooling Books and why I would and do suggest them to others.
10. A Pocketful of Pinecones by Karen Andreola
Written as a lovely story about a mother that begins homeschooling her child using ‘the gentle art of learning’, this book will show you that homeschooling need not be difficult but happens naturally.
9. Talkers, Watchers, and Doers: Unlocking your Child’s Unique Learning Style by Cheri Fuller
This book is not written specifically for homeschoolers, but parents in general. I love the easy writing style of Cheri Fuller, she is able to take what could be a confusing topic and simply break it down into a very readable, basic introduction to learning styles.
8. How to get your Child off the Refrigerator and on to Learning by Carol Barnier
Subtitled Homeschooling Highly Distractible, ADHD, or Just Plain Fidgety Kids; all I can say is if you have boys- you must read this book! This book is full of wonderful tips, activities and games for teaching kids that just can’t sit still or learn by “doing”. If you think you’ll pass on this one because you don’t have an ADHD child, you’ll be missing out! This book is a gem!
7. A Thomas Jefferson Education by Dr. Oliver DeMille
Though this book was highly recommended, I put off reading it because I didn’t trust myself to read one more ‘how-to’ book for fear that I’d throw away our current routine for just another phase. Though it is written as an instruction manual for the Thomas Jefferson model of education, I certainly found that I could take what I learned and use it to enhance what we already practice in our home; reading lots and lots of books and discussing them.
6. Beyond Survival: A Guide to Abundant-Life Homeschooling by Diana Waring
If you’ve not yet embraced homeschooling as a lifestyle and not just as ‘a thing you do from sometime in the morning until you’ve finished sometime in the afternoon’, this is the book for you. This book will ease many fears that you have about homeschooling while encouraging you with the wisdom and experience of several well-known veteran homeschooling families.
5. A Charlotte Mason Education by Catherine Levison
Charlotte Mason philosophy made simple. This small, easy to read paperback is a great introduction to the methods and ideals of the late 19th century educator, just the book to get you started!
4. Guerrilla Learning: How to Give your Kids a Real Education With or Without School by Grace Llewellyn and Amy Silver
This book is not written with homeschoolers in mind, but rather for those with children in public schools. This book will challenge you to create a love of learning in your home, using five basic principles: Opportunity, Timing, Interest, Freedom, and Support.
3. The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life Education by Grace Llewellyn
Written to teenagers to read on their own, this book makes the argument as to why institutional schooling is unnecessary. Though I don’t agree with all the opinions of the author, I did love all the ideas and suggestions that are offered as an alternative to ‘normal’ classes. Not only will this book teach you to think outside the box, it’s guaranteed to give you a new outlook on what true learning really is.
2. Ignite the Fire by Terri Camp
I had a hard time putting this book in the number two spot. In fact, you could say that both of my top picks are interchangeable, they could both be ones! My book is highlighted, bent and marked up with notes. Freedom is Real Education (F.I.R.E) encourages you to think outside the box and trust God to direct you and guide you. This book will challenge to pray and truly seek the Lord’s leading for each of your children before all else.
1. Christian Unschooling : Growing your Children in the Freedom of Christ by Teri J. Brown and Elissa M. Wahl
When I read this book, which is a collection of essays written by homeschooling parents, I felt like I’d finally found a definition for what we do. This is one of those books that I read and continue to refer to from time to time. In fact, after I lent a copy of the book out and it was never returned, I bought a new one because I just couldn’t stand to lose my copy! Even if unschooling is not for you, I think this book will be an eye opener in regards to showing you that learning really does happen ALL the time.
This list certainly is not exhaustive, but I had to stop somewhere. So, now that you’ve seen my list of favorites, why not share one or two of your own?
When Tonya is not reading about homeschooling, she’s writing about her own homeschooling journey at Live the Adventure.
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Some of my favorites:
The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling by Debra Bell – it has been revised and is huge and fantastic!
Home Sweet Home-school by Sue Maakestad – reminds me that we homeschool only with God’s help, we are not able to do this alone.
Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit by Teri Maxwell – Oh boy did this one give me lots to work on – on myself! A great inspirational book to confront my own weaknesses and work to change them.
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Some of your favorites are my favorites. I also love A High School Designed FORM + U + LA. This has been a life saver as I graduated one and have several others right behind.
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The learning style book you mention is one I’d like to read. I’ve not read meany HS books at all, but my favorite is When You Rise Up.
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Hands down for me would be Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit by Teri Maxwell!!! Teri is brutally honest and gives many examples if struggles that occured while homeschooling her 8 children. She also challenges you to lean on God, and not your own flesh.
I’ve read just about all of their books, and they are wonderful and really challenge you to read Scripture and adhere to God’s will in our lives.
http://www.titus2.com to order
When You Rise UP is also one of my favorites.
For those just starting to homeschooling and wondering what all the ways to homeschool are, I like to recommend Lisa Whelchel’s book So You’re Thinking About Homeschooling.
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Wow! Thank you so much! It was so disappointing to me when my publisher folded. But now I’ve made it so the book is available in ebook format. You can’t dog ear the corners, but you can print it and read it that way. I recommend two colored highlighters. :-)
You might also like to know that I’ve been putting some of my workshops online for download. You can get a free copy of one of my favorite workshops, Putting the Fun Into Home Education here Free Workshop!
You just can’t believe what a thrill it is to know that you were able to get so much out of my book! Be sure to download the free workshop!
Thanks again!
Terri
I have not read any of these. Thanks for the links.
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My favorite right now is by Blake Boles called “College Without High School”. It’s written with the teen in mind to read but I’m reading it first and then will make my son read it. As he was approaching high school, I was stressing how we would do it, but after reading this, I feel fully confident we can do it!
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What a great list. I’m marking some down to look up at the library. I think the large amount of parenting books that can be used in homeschooling prove the validity of teaching your children yourself.
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