Add More Books to Your Homeschool (Without Changing Your Curriculum)

Several years into our homeschool journey, I looked into a literature-based curriculum. At the time, Sonlight was really the only one, unless you counted Five in a Row. (Yeah, I’m that old.) I was confident it’d be a good fit for my middle kiddo, but I wasn’t sure about the other two.

The bigger obstacle, though, was whether I could make it work.

• I don’t enjoy reading aloud.  I do it, but multiple books every day would be a serious stretch.
• We try to keep our school days short, so I worried about the time involved.   
• At the time, we were pretty workbook-based. We hated it, so I was looking for something else. But a lit-based curriculum seemed like a massive jump.

And the cost. Sonlight was significantly (significantly!) more money than we spent each year.

The homeschool market is now packed with lit-based companies like Oh, Freedom, Torchlight, and Guest Hollow. And it was Guest Hollow’s Chemistry in the Kitchen that was our ‘gateway’ into the world.

We don’t use it in every subject, though. One or two subjects are our sweet spot.

Lit-based homeschooling doesn’t have to consume your whole day to be worthwhile.

1. Start with just one subject.

All-in-one curricula, like Bookshark, can be incredibly appealing for their “one-and-done” convenience. But they can also be….

expensive.
overwhelming.
stifling, at least for me.
expensive, did I already mention that?! 

If you found yourself nodding along to that list, then using a literature-based curriculum for just one or two subjects is a good way to test the waters. It’s also a great way to try it out before investing hundreds of dollars and scores of hours.  It’s far easier and cheaper to switch out one subject if it doesn’t quite fit than to do a complete overhaul seven weeks into your school year!

So, let’s say you do want to try it out, which subject should you start with?

History is my go-to suggestion.  Why? Between beautifully-illustrated fiction picture books & engaging non-fiction ones, you’ll never run short on choices.  Picture books help young kids visualize life in times & places they’ve never experienced, a critical skill for internalizing history. For older kids, you can really dive into what excites them with niche books like The History of the World in Six Glasses, The Medieval Herb Garden, or Salt: A World History.

Of course, once you start adding more books into your homeschool, another challenge quickly appears: finding the time and energy to actually get through them all.

2. Embrace audiobooks.

Before my kiddos were ready to tackle a stack of books on their own, the amount of reading aloud I would need to do gave me serious pause. Even for your biggest book-lovers, sometimes they just might need (or want!) a break. And that’s where audiobooks become a game-changer.

(I’m old enough that our homeschooling pre-dates smartphones and easy audiobook streaming. The first audiobooks we shared required a CD player! My own childhood was filled with those little records and books with the bell that told you when to turn the page.)

Even up until the past year or two, we’ve almost always had an audiobook going since my 10th grader was in diapers. 

Those first audiobooks we shared? In the car.  No longer do you need that CD player; just a phone or tablet. At home, your kiddo can listen while they play Legos, do their chores, eat lunch, or as a bedtime story. 

New to audiobooks? Check out this guide to answer all of your questions & how-tos.

And lest you think that audiobooks are some form of “cheating”, did you know that the same parts of your brain are activated whether you’re hearing a story around the campfire, through your headphones, or by physical reading? Our brains engage in the same way.

3. Pick & choose what you’ll actually use.

If I had to pick just three pieces of advice to give to every homeschooler, this would be one of them. Just because it’s on the almighty schedule doesn’t mean it has to go on YOUR schedule.  If you aren’t enjoying the book, toss it.  If you have a different book about Ancient Egypt that you want to read instead, do it.  If you get so caught up in a topic that you want to keep reading books on it next week, do it! 

One year, we read David Macaulay’s book on pyramids.  We got so caught up in his storytelling style that my kids asked if he had other books.  For the next two weeks, we made our way through Castle, Mill, City, Mosque, and Toilet.  And we circled back to his others in the coming weeks.

We learned so much, most of which wasn’t about the time period we were supposed to be studying.

But we loved it.

And that’s the beauty of homeschooling: the sweet freedom to follow curiosity. 

Mama, you’re the boss of your day, not those pre-made lesson plans!

4. Manage the books.

To state the obvious, a literature-based curriculum obviously uses a lot of books. And keeping track of where they all are (physically), which books you’ll read each week, and what books come next can take up a lot of mental energy. And if you’re using the library to borrow most of the books, that’s an additional layer.

A few tips that work for us:

• Labeling: On the spine of each book, I use my label maker to add the weeks it will be used and the subject, if it’s not immediately obvious.
• Digital Tracking: I use this tracking sheet. For each book we’ll need, I note whether I own it or need to get it (and from where), its format, and the weeks it will be used.
• Planner Integration: After filling out the spreadsheet at the beginning of the year, I print it & add it to my planner for quick reference.
• Weekly Prep: As part of my weekly wrap-up, I review the list to see which books we will need soon. Looking ahead beyond just one or two weeks allows ample time for library books to arrive via inter-library loan. It also provides a built-in cushion if I happen to skip my weekly planning session!

5. Keep a balance.  (A.K.A., Know your reading limits!)

It’s a bit of homeschool-mom heresy, but I don’t enjoy reading aloud to my kids. I did it when they were little, I even occasionally read out loud to my teens. But it’s not something I enjoy.

Gradually, I learned my limits & figured out ways to not feel overwhelmed.  Sometimes, we’d skip our regular literature program. Or I’d swap a video in place of that day’s history. Read at bedtime or over lunch.

Done is better than perfect.  Or, as I like to say, imperfectly done is better than perfectly avoided!

6.  Don’t lose track of your budget.

Whether you choose a complete package like Bookshark or Sonlight or you go with a single subject, books can get pricey quickly.  But you don’t have to buy each book new or even buy each book at all.  

• The Library is Your Best Friend: Obviously, your local library is a must for saving money on both physical and digital books. Ask about inter-library loans, reciprocal memberships to other libraries & digital platforms like Kanopy, Libby & Hoopla.
• Used Books: Most curriculum companies now have active Facebook groups where you can buy and sell books. Summer is often a prime time to pick up gently used books as other homeschooling families clear out their shelves from the previous year.
• Combine Ages: Don’t forget that most literature-based curricula are designed for a span of ages. Even if their ages are a bit ‘out of range,’ combining kiddos can save both money & time.
• Library Holds Strategy: Here’s a pro tip for using the library: Many systems allow you to place a book on hold for a future date. At the beginning of the year, I enter all the books we’ll need and then choose a “pickup date” a week or two before we actually need the book. My library system even allows me to upload a spreadsheet of book titles!

tl;dr

Literature-based homeschooling doesn’t have to look like an all-day marathon of read-alouds and overflowing bookshelves. Start small, adapt freely, and build a rhythm that actually works for your homeschool.

• You don’t have to read every book. Or only the books they suggest.
• Use the tools that make life easier (hello, audiobooks & library holds).
• Keep your system realistic for your time, energy & budget.