Books for Homeschool Moms
Are you preparing for your first year of homeschooling or need some fresh motivation? By popular demand, our team of homeschool mom veterans has compiled our favorite books just for you!
For your convenience, these book suggestions are categorized so you can scroll right to the season you’re in. Add these to your home library, use your library card, or use your Hoopla account to access these great resources.
Books about Parenting Little Ones
Treasuring Christ When Your Hands are Full, Gospel Meditations for Busy Moms by Gloria Furman
While it feels like everything is falling through our hands, Gloria helps overwhelmed moms with pursuing a vibrant relationship with Christ. In summary, she teaches how to have depth in the middle of this busy and messy season.
Parenting, The 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family by Paul David Tripp
With guilt-removing wisdom, Paul offers freedom in our role as parents. On page 61, he says,
Parenting is not about exercising power for change in your children. Parenting is about your humble faithfulness in being wiling to participate in God’s work of change for the sake of your children. Parents, here’s what you need to understand: God has given you authority for the work of change, but has not granted you the power to make that change happen.
Habits of the Household by Justin Whitmel Earley
Developing and practicing good habits is essential to any successful homeschool and family setting. Justin provides a great foundation of habits for big familial impact. A great video series and small group study guide are also available to supplement this book.
Triggers, Exchanging Parents’ Angry Reactions for Gentle Biblical Responses by Amber Lia and Wendy Speake
Examine common parenting issues that cause us to react in irrational anger towards our children. Additionally, you will find Biblical insight and practical tools to equip you with more appropriate and healthy responses.
Books about Parenting Tweens & Teens
Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers by Gordon Neufeld and Gabor Maté MD
A misunderstood trend of our time is that peers replace parents in this stage of life. At any rate, children seeking children for direction and identity undermines family cohesion. The updated version includes a discussion on social media and video games.
The Age of Opportunity: A Biblical Guide to Parenting Teens by Paul David Tripp
This book addresses the heart issues affecting parents and their teens with wit, wisdom, humility, and compassion.
Raising a Screen Smart Kid: Embrace the Good and Avoid the Bad in the Digital Age by Julianna Miner
It is important to realize the current reality for our teens. This book is not anti-screens, but instead helps parents of today navigate these new territories. Examine how to discern appropriate boundaries for your family dynamic.
Honey for a Teen’s Heart: Using Books to Communicate with Teens by Gladys Hunt and Barbara Hampton
Here are solid ideas for how good books can help you and your teenager discuss deeper ideas and values. Journey together and build connections.
Books about Gospel-Centered Motherhood
How to Have a H.E.A.R.T for Your Kids by Rachael Carman
You don’t need special skills or training for this journey. Seek daily to share His heart with your kids. Rachael uses the acronymn H.E.A.R.T. to help you remember and focus on what really matters.
How Many Times Do I Have to Tell You? by Rachael Carman
Rachael knows how noisy raising children can be—she has seven! In light of the noise, this devotional book will help you hear God’s still, small voice amid the chaos of carpools, cut fingers, and carpet crawlers.
M is for Mama: A Rebellion Against Mediocre Motherhood by Abbie Halberstadt
M is for Mama offers advice, encouragement, and scripturally sound strategies seasoned with a little bit of humor. Her aim is to help you embrace the challenge of biblical motherhood.
Hard is Not the Same Thing as Bad: The Perspective Shift That Could Completely Change the Way You Mother by Abbie Halberstadt
Another encouragement from Abbie, paired with a dose of reality. When you begin to see struggles as a necessary part of God’s plan for your spiritual growth, you can discover supernatural peace and purpose, even when you’re down in the deepest trenches of motherhood.
Abbie Halberstadt was a special guest on this episode of Let’s Talk Homeschool.
Prayers for the Battlefield: Staying MomStrong in the Fight for Your Family and Faith by Heidi St. John
Presenting a collection of prayers and reflections to help you stay strong through the daily challenges of motherhood. Heidi St. John writes Scripture-filled and Spirit-infused prayers for every season of motherhood.
Books with Homeschool Encouragement
The Brave Learner by Julie Bogart
Julie provides motivation and realistic tips on how to create enchantment around education. Her words ignite a fire in any homeschool mom’s heart to cultivate a love of learning for her children.
Yet for their optimal growth, they need chances to test their self-sufficiency. They can only test it when you aren’t there to rescue and help them. Homeschooled kids have many ways to get these experiences that don’t include school. It’s critical we provide them.
Homeschool Bravely: How to Squash Doubt, Trust God, and Teach Your Child with Confidence by Jamie Erickson
Do you struggle with self-doubt in your choice to homeschool? You’re not alone. Jamie teaches us to see homeschooling as a calling, overthrow guilt, and guides us through common obstacles.
Hope for your Homeschool: Start Strong, Stay the Course, and Finish with Joy by September McCarthy
Homeschooling can be a lonely journey! September is a veteran homeschool mom of ten children and twelve grandchildren. She provides a well-tested plan and shares biblical insight and personal testimony.
Lies Homeschooling Moms Believe by Todd Wilson
You used to think homeschooling was the best thing since sliced bread, but now you’re feeling like burnt toast. In short, if you learn to recognize these lies and combat with the TRUTH, then you will experience peace, joy, and freedom.
Teaching from Rest: A Homeschooler’s Guide to Unshakable Peace by Sarah Mackenzie
You cannot make the plants grow or bear fruit. You can only plant the seeds. You can water them, and steward them. You can cultivate the soil (education is an atmosphere!), thin them (a discipline!), and water them (a life!). It is only by our cooperation with the grace of God and the laws of nature that the seed becomes a plant and bears fruit.
A great book to re-read annually!
Educating the Wholehearted Child by Clay Clarkson, with Sally Clarkson
Whether you’re just getting started or you’re a seasoned veteran, this trusted guide offers a comprehensive model for Christian home education and the Christian home.
The Way They Learn by Cynthia Tobias
If you’re frustrated that your child isn’t learning the way you did, chances are they are too! Subsequently, Cynthia Ulrich Tobias explains that understanding how you both learn can make all the difference.
Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling by John Taylor Gatto
Gatto’s radical treatise on public education, a bestseller for 25 years, continues to bang the drum for an unshackling of children and learning from formal schooling. Currently, in an ever-more-rapidly changing world with an explosion of alternative routes to learning, it’s poised to continue shaking the world of institutional education for many more years.
Books about Charlotte Mason Homeschooling
For the Children’s Sake: Foundations of Education for Home and School by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
This book is inspired by the ideas of Charlotte Mason, which have been proven over many years and in almost every kind of educational situation.
A Charlotte Mason Companion: Personal Reflections on The Gentle Art of Learning by Karen Andreola
This modern classic is written by the homeschool mom who first carried Charlotte Mason’s writings to America in her suitcase in 1987. Specifically, today’s parents can now see what a Charlotte Mason education looks like in a contemporary setting while gleaning from its many benefits.
The Living Page: Keeping Notebooks with Charlotte Mason by Laurie Bestvater
The practice of keeping notebooks is a simple and affordable way to record and retain information and ideas. For this purpose, Laurie has many practical tips on the benefits of implementing this strategy in your homeschool.
Read more about the differences between a traditional vs. a Charlotte Mason style of education in this blog post.
Books about Developing a Love of Reading
Read for the Heart Whole Books for Wholehearted Families by Sarah Clarkson
One of the greatest gifts you can give your children is a love of reading and a passion for books. Sally guides you to the best in literature for your family.
The Read-Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie
Connecting deeply with our families can be challenging in our busy, tech-driven culture. Sarah offers age-appropriate book lists from infancy through adolescence, making it simple to start the practice of reading aloud.
Mothering By The Book: The Power of Reading Aloud to Overcome Fear and Recapture Joy by Jennifer Pepito
This book brilliantly connects great works of literature with life lessons.
I think the secret to Pa and Ma Ingalls making it through so many horrific experiences was their commitment to not give way to their emotions, to take their thoughts captive.
Reading aloud is such an essential part of a home education. Therefore, we encourage you to read this blog post about this homeschool mom’s 2 favorite times of the day.