Life Changing Books Every Homeschool Parent MUST Read January 15, 2023 By Bekki 1 Comment This content may contain affiliate links.This is a collection of the best homeschool books for parents collected from hundreds of moms and dads online! These book recommendations are from Homeschoolers in the trenches. Is your favorite on the list?Teaching from Rest, by Sarah MackenzieThose who have made the decision to homeschool their children have done so out of great love for their children and a desire to provide them an excellent education in the context of a warm, enriching home. Yet so many parents (mainly mothers) who have taken up this challenge find the enterprise often full of stress, worry, and anxiety. In this practical, faith-based, and inspirational book, Sarah Mackenzie addresses these questions directly, appealing to her own study of restful learning and her struggle to bring restful learning to her (six) children.Educating the Whole Hearted Child, by Clay and Sally ClarksonWhether you’re just getting started, or you’re a seasoned veteran, you’ll find in this trusted guide a comprehensive model not just for Christian home education, but also for the Christian home. Educating the WholeHearted Child is the whole picture—you, your children, your home, and God.Download your checklist hereThe Call of the Wild and Free by Ainsley ArmentThe Call of the Wild and Free offers advice, information, and positive encouragement for parents considering homeschooling, those currently in the trenches looking for inspiration, as well as parents, educators, and caregivers who want supplementary resources to enhance their kids’ traditional educations.God Schooling, by Julie PolancoThe most frequently asked question on homeschool forums is, “How do I do this?” and the number one complaint is, “David won’t do (fill in the blank). How can I get him to do it?” God Schooling answers these questions and more. Parents gain the insight and confidence to teach their own children as they learn from experts, Biblical references, and the author’s own experiences from nearly fifteen years of homeschooling.Kids’ Visual Study BibleAre your kids visual learners? Then this is the Bible for them! The NIV Kids’ Visual Study Bible brings God’s great story to life with over 700 illustrations, photographs, infographics, and maps. Designed for 8-12-year olds, this engaging Bible draws them into Scripture by visually explaining how the facts and stories all fit together. The Bible is also packed with study notes that will keep kids reading and exploring God’s Word.Homeschool Bravely: How to Squash Doubt, Trust God, and Teach Your Child with Confidence, by Jamie EricksonHomeschool Bravely teaches you to see homeschooling as a calling, helps you overthrow the tyranny of impossible expectations, and guides you through the common bumps in the road, including how to: juggle school and parenting with toddlers at home; teach a struggling learner; plan with the end in mind; accept your own limitations without feeling guilty; and stay the course even in the face of criticism. Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling, by John Taylor GattoThirty years in New York City’s public schools led John Gatto to the sad conclusion that compulsory schooling does little but teach young people to follow orders like cogs in an industrial machine. With over 100,000 copies in print since its original publication in 2002, this book is collection of essays and speeches and contains a description of the wide-spread impact of the book and Gatto’s “guerrilla teaching”.The 5-Hour School Week, by Aaron and Kaleena Amuchastegui When Aaron and Kaleena Amuchastegui took their kids out of school to travel the globe and educate them through experiences, their children became more engaged, self-aware, curious, and passionate about learning. Now, they share their inspiring successes and practical advice to give you the tools you need to create your own unconventional education plan, no matter what your budget!For the Children’s Sake: Foundations of Education for Home and School, by Susan Schaeffer MacaulayFor the Children’s Sake is a book about what education can be–for your child, in your home, and in your school. It is based first on a Christian understanding of what it means to be human–to be a child, a parent, a teacher–and on the Christian meaning of life. At the same time it is deeply practical. Many of the central ideas have been tried and proven true over a century in almost every kind of educational situation.Homeschool with Ease, by Wanda KinsingerYour child’s education begins in their baby years and builds from there. Homeschool With Ease will help you take full advantage of the early years to capture your child’s interest, keep learning fun and lay a strong foundation for years to comeThe Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool, Learning, and Life, by Julie BogartJulie Bogart distills decades of experience – homeschooling her five now grown children, developing curricula, and training homeschooling families around the world – to teach parents how to make education an exciting, even enchanting, experience for their kids, whether they’re in elementary or high school. The Mission of Motherhood, by Sally ClarksonIn The Mission of Motherhood, Sally Clarkson helps you rediscover the joy and fulfillment to be found in the strategic role to which God in all his wisdom has called you, for a purpose far greater than you can ever imagine.The Unhurried Homeschooler, by Durenda WilsonDrawing on twenty years of homeschooling her eight children, Durenda Wilson gently reminds parents about the things that really matter, as she offers a clear portrait of what a life-giving home life can be during the homeschooling years. Reading “The Unhurried Homeschooler” is like having coffee with a trusted friend. You’ll be encouraged as you learn to do what God has put before you. This book will lighten your load while helping you learn how to raise life long learners and ENJOY the homeschool years with your kids.Homeschooling from the Inside Out, by Rebekah SaylerHomeschooling is like a white-water rafting adventure.Hang on tight! You need to strap on your helmet and life vest and make sure your boat isn’t leaking before you jump in that raft. Oh, and grab a guide. Preferable someone who has been down the river before!Homeschooling is one of the most exciting, fun, wildest, and intimidating experiences in parenting.”We need a “white-water rafting guide”. Someone to help us navigate our homeschooling journey as we focus on teaching our kids from the inside out. Someone to remind us to enjoy the journey while we hold on to our kids, faith, and sanity.I Saw the Angel in the Marble, by Chris DavisYou can set your children free to be the individuals God created them to be. But, first, you must rediscover what it means to be-not homeschoolers-but parents. This, “The Best of 15 years of Elijah Company Articles,” will help you find that “ancient path.”Hold on to your Kids, by Gordon NeufeldIn Hold On to Your Kids, Dr. Neufeld and Dr. Maté explore the phenomenon of peer orientation: the troubling tendency of children and youth to look to their peers for direction – for a sense of right and wrong, for values, identity and codes of behavior. But peer orientation undermines family cohesion, poisons the school atmosphere, and fosters an aggressively hostile and sexualized youth culture. It provides a powerful explanation for schoolyard bullying and youth violence; it is an escalating trend that has never been adequately described or contested until Hold On to Your Kids. Once understood, it becomes self-evident – as do the solutions.Education: Does God have an Opinion?Author and speaker Israel Wayne faithfully applies the teaching of Scripture to the issue of education to see what God has to say about this vital topic. Within this audiobook, Christian parents will find a truly biblical philosophy of education and learn to strategically and systematically apply it to core subjects.Praying Mom, by Brooke McGlothlinWhen Brooke McGlothlin realized her best efforts were falling woefully short of her goal to produce godly children, she discovered the joy and power of praying Scripture over her family. Her life and her children’s lives were transformed. Yours can be, too.Gifted: Raising Children Intentionally, by Chris DavisChris Davis combines his 30 years involvement in the homeschooling movement with current research on public schools vs. homeschooling. Davis has been a conference speaker at every major homeschool gathering in the U.S., Canada, and Australia and has helped families worldwide educate their children at home.Weapons of Mass Instruction, by John Taylor GattoJohn Taylor Gatto’s Weapons of Mass Instruction focuses on mechanisms of traditional education which cripple imagination, discourage critical thinking, and create a false view of learning as a byproduct of rote-memorization drills. Gatto’s earlier book, Dumbing Us Down, introduced the now-famous expression of the title into the common vernacular. Weapons of Mass Instruction adds another chilling metaphor to the brief against conventional schooling.Mere Motherhood, by Cindy RollinsIt was back in the 1980’s when Cindy Rollins, then a new mom in search of the best ways to teach her baby son, first heard about homeschooling. Thirty years and nine children later, Cindy has become a popular blogger, podcaster, and award-winning teacher. This is her story. It’s a story of big families and cross-country moves and small-town living. It’s about great books and morning times and nursery rhymes. It’s the story of a dedicated mother’s journey toward the Truth and the family she brought along with her.Seasons of a Mother’s Heart, by Sally Clarkson“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Ecclesiastes 3:1Your life as a mom is a whirlwind of changing seasons that can leave you exhilarated one day and exhausted the next. Take time to catch your breath with Sally Clarkson as she shares personal stories and heartfelt insights to refresh your spirit. She opens her own seasoned heart as a homeschooling wife and mother to be a voice of heartfelt encouragement for your life at home. Step out of the whirlwind, pour a cup of tea, and take a deep breath of God’s Spirit with Sally.Pocketful of Pinecones, by Karen Andreola Karen Andreola, best known for A Charlotte Mason Companion, has written a unique sort of book in the homeschool world. Pocketful of Pinecones is a teacher s guide to nature study cleverly disguised as a heartwarming story, written in the form of a mother s diary.Lessons at Blackberry Inn, by Karen Andreola In Lessons at Blackberry Inn, Carol’s busy days are spent teaching her children in the mornings and canning their bountiful harvest in the afternoons. Guests at Blackberry Inn appreciate Carol’s delicious country meals served family style on the long table. When her feet ache or her emotions begin to get the better of her, Carol’s husband, Michael, has a calming effect. She is supported by his ongoing devotion. Therefore, it is no surprise that when the pastor of the church asks a big favor of Carol, Michael has a heart-to-heart talk with her about her involvement. She is expecting their third child and he is concerned that she may be already doing too much.As learning is not limited to the schoolbook, life’s lessons impart wisdom to a variety of characters, both young and old, all living in the country village of Appleton.Atomic Habits, by James ClearIf you’re having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn’t you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don’t want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. Here, you’ll get a proven system that can take you to new heights.Emotional IQ, by Travis BradberryEmotional Intelligence 2.0 delivers a step-by-step program for increasing your EQ via four, core EQ skills that enable you to achieve your fullest potential:1) Self-Awareness2) Self-Management3) Social Awareness4) Relationship ManagementFree to Learn, by Peter GrayIn Free to Learn, developmental psychologist Peter Gray argues that our children, if free to pursue their own interests through play, will not only learn all they need to know but will do so with energy and passion. Children come into this world burning to learn, equipped with the curiosity, playfulness, and sociability to direct their own education. Yet we have squelched such instincts in a school model originally developed to indoctrinate, not to promote intellectual growth.Well Educated Mind, by Susan Wise BauerIn her best-selling work on home education, The Well-Trained Mind, the author provided a road map of classical education for parents wishing to home-school their children; that book is now the premier resource for home-schoolers. In The Well-Educated Mind, Bauer takes the same elements and techniques and adapts them to the use of adult readers who want both enjoyment and self-improvement from the time they spend reading. Followed carefully, her advice will restore and expand the pleasure of the written word.Did your favorite make the list? If not, please share below!