Homeschool Literature

By Marcie Ciampi


In choosing homeschool literature for your school, or any quality literature for your child, ask yourself the question, "What is the purpose of reading?"

Take a few moments to think about the reasons you want your child to read or to listen to literature.

Below is the list of reasons why I desire my children to read. I use the list as a tool in choosing quality literature.

The homeschool literature my children read or listen to may serve to:

1. Establish a joy and appreciation of reading.

2. Broaden worldly knowledge and understanding of the human condition and behavior.

3. Provide information about our culture, heritage and traditions.

4. Entertain, intrigue and stir the imagination.

5. Foster a sense of accomplishment and confidence.

6. Nurture spirituality and Biblical teachings.

7. Explore humans' beliefs, virtues, morals and aspirations.

8. Expose rich writing, including complex sentence structures, descriptive adjectives and adverbs, uncommon vocabulary and engaging dialogue.

With a clear purpose in mind, I know what literature to choose for my child.

I steer away from literature with little substance, simple sentences, and no sense of purpose or direction. If the content bores me, most likely the book will bore my child.

For a further look at quality literature, I highly recommend acquiring the book, The Educated Child: A Parent's Guide from Preschool through Eighth Grade, by Willian J. Bennet, Chester E. Finn, Jr. and John T.E. Cribb, Jr.. If you have the financial resources, I suggest purchasing your own copy. I continually use my dogeared book as a reference, not only for quality literature, but for guidelines in teaching all subject areas. I picked my copy up at a thrift store for less than one dollar.

In addition, the website The Core Knowledge Foundation, a nonpartisan organization, provides a content guide for elementary grades.

There are articles on the Internet regarding


quality literature and choosing quality literature


But ultimately, definitions of what qualifies as quality homeschool literature will vary.

The Classical Approach to homeschooling focuses on quality homeschool literature.

Quality Literarture is found in the Classics and "Real Books" - literature written by respected knowledgeable authors, original source works, and ancient eyewitness accounts, diaries and letters.

Parents who are drawn to this approach sometimes label low-quality literature as "Dumbed-Down" or "Twaddle."

For more information see: Classical Model of Education Book


I do not base all my homeschool literature choices on quality alone.

My son, Andy, has Asperger's Syndrome and has a tendency to fixate on certain subjects for months at a time. Instead of battling his passion, I weave his area of interests into our homeschool day. At times, recently, Andy has read book after book of Pokemon, and other times no book at all, but rather a video game magazine. But because I have permitted my son the freedom to choose literature of his choice to read, he has acquired a natural love of reading.

In homeschooling Andy, I include other literature, besides my son's book of choice, throughout the teaching day. The following Homeschool Literature Program developed quite naturally with no planning and fits into our school day well.

Below is a brief overlook of how I weave literature throughout our schooling day. The books I provide include.

1. One book of Andy's choice.

2. One book I assign.

For specific books refer to the list of literature books I suggest reading.

Also, consider providing
Newberry Honor Books



3. One non-fiction book - usually a science book or biography.

Currently my son is reading Oh, Yuck! The Encycolpedia of Everything Nasty by Joy Masoff, and he absolutely loves it.

Let's just say I now know too much about bacteria and dandruff. And Andy won't let a day go by without reminding me about how most of the dust in the air is "actually pieces of dead skin." Simply lovely.

4. A read-aloud on c.d.

My favorite read-aloud is by Susan Wise Bauer. The content is appropriate for all ages. My six-year-old son enjoys listening to the stories as much as my oldest son who is eleven, and so do I. This is a great series for listening to on long road trips.

Here is a quote taken from the Well-Trained Mind Site:

"The Story of the World is an award-winning resource for families looking for a history curriculum they can fall in love with. Told in the straightforward, engaging style that has become Susan Wise Bauer's trademark, this four-volume set covers the sweep of human history from ancient times until the present. Africa, China, Europe, the Americas — find out what happened all around the world in long-ago times. This read-aloud series is designed for parents and teachers to share with elementary school children. Enjoy it together and introduce your child to the marvelous story of the the world's civilizations."

5. We also read together, sitting side-by-side, a classic well above Andy's reading level, such as Treasure Island, once or twice a week.