Did you know a winning school year starts in the summer? Summer is a time for rest, vacation, adventure, exploration, and also for planning and gearing up for the new school year. If we approach the summer months with strategic intention, we can lay the groundwork for a more successful school year. Here are five simple summer actions to set your homeschool on a successful trajectory.
Great books are foundational to learning for all ages. Finding a book that has also been made into a movie can take reading to a whole new level in your homeschool. This list of favorite kids books that have also been made into movies is a great way to kick off summer learning.
The Best Reading Lists For All Ages
This summer, we put together lists of favorite books personally recommended by Sonlight homeschool families. Because good books are the foundation of everything we do at Sonlight, we were thrilled to see so many amazing titles, and favorites of homeschoolers everywhere, all in one place.
While compiling these comprehensive catalogs, we noticed that many of these compelling books were also made into wonderful movies or TV/streaming series! Reading a good book, and then watching the movie together as a family, is a great way to inspire reading, discussion, and relationships in your homeschool.
Top Children's Books Also Made Into Entertaining Movies:
Mr. Popper’s Penguins is a classic American book for children which was first published in 1938. Mr. Popper is a humble house painter who is sent the gift of a male penguin from the great Admiral Drake. The arrival of a second, female penguin means the house is soon alive with 12 penguins! Mr. Popper’s Penguins is a fun and enchanting story for children and parents and can be found in Sonlight's History / Bible / Literature B program.
Nim lives on a remote island in the middle of the ocean, with her father, an iguana named Fred, a sea lion called Selkie, and a turtle named Chica. Wonderful and free, Nim loves her life. But when her father disappears while our sailing and disaster threatens her home and friends, Nim must be braver than she's ever been before.
Katniss Everdeen is a sixteen-year-old girl, strong and an expert in hunting for food to feed her family after the death of her father. In an annual lottery, her younger sister, Prim, is chosen to be a "tribute" and compete in The Hunger Games. Despite the extreme danger and injustice of it all, Katniss volunteers to go instead.
Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit living a quiet, comfortable life, never traveling further than the area around his hobbit hole. This changes when the wizard, Gandalf, and a company of 13 dwarves, come to his home to whisk him away on an important, adventurous journey to "there and back again".
The Fellowship of the Ring, is the first volume in this trilogy. At the core of the story is the fateful power of the One Ring. A magnificent tale of adventure, members of the Fellowship of the Ring are plunged into a perilous quest that sets the stage for an important clash between the powers of good and evil.
These wannabe heroes may look like Bad Guys—after all, there is a wolf, piranha, snake, and shark—but these animals known for their rottenness are committed to doing good deeds, often with hysterical consequences. This cheerily illustrated and cheekily funny book was featured in Sonlight's 2020 Elementary Boys Summer Reading package.
Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie, four siblings, step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia. Narnia is under the power of the White Witch, eternally frozen. When it seems like hope is lost, the Great Lion, Aslan, returns and brings a great change and a great sacrifice.
Markus Zusak's unforgettable story is about how books can feed our souls, no matter how dark our circumstances. Set in 1939 Nazi Germany, a young Liesel Meminger is a foster girl near Munich. She survives by stealing when she finds something she can’t resist—books. She shares these stolen books with neighbors during bombing raids and with the Jewish man hiding in her basement.
Lucky for Sophie, the BFG is a sweet and bumbling giant. But when Sophie hears that the other, more threatening giants are heading off to England to kidnap more children, she and the BFG are going to stop them once and for all.
The timeless story of Wilbur the pig and Charlotte, the wise and maternal spider who saves him. This book has touched hearts for more than 50 years. You can find it in Sonlight's History / Bible / Literature B and B+C program.
The story of a mouse, a rat, and a girl who embark on a journey that leads them into a terrible dungeon, up to a beautiful castle, and, eventually, into each other's lives. A kind of fairy tale that shows anyone can be a hero, and that there is darkness and light in all of us.
A perilous journey of courage, adventure, and survival for a small band of rabbits seeking the safety of Watership Down. The characters and the culture they share are engaging and meaningful for readers of all ages.
A group of children with extraordinary gifts and talents are recruited by the mysterious Mr. Benedict. Their goal? To infiltrate an evil institute run by his reprehensible twin brother.
Make Movie Night Fun And Educational For The Whole Family
There are many benefits to watching movies together as a family. Here are just a few:
Movies can help introduce new ideas. Seeing it on the screen can be a wonderful way to expose your child to new ideas, places, and characters. Movies can also help kids learn about different values and cultures.
It's relaxing and fun! Watching a movie together is an easy way to relax with your child. There's virtually no prep and it allows you to simply enjoy some time together.
Make movie night a special, fun, memory-making activity (and add in a little learning too) with our list of favorite children's books made into movies!
From this list, what movies have you seen?
We'd love to hear which you liked better—the book or the movie? And share any additional books made into movies we may have missed that you'd like to see added to this list!
Whether you read the book before or after watching the movie, Sonlight has hundreds of titles your home library needs! Request a print catalog to dive more deeply into what Sonlight can offer your family.
Did you know we only feature real photos and testimonials from our customers in our marketing? That's right! Every family you see on our website, in our catalog, in emails, on social media, in our blog posts, and more—are real Sonlight families!
Every year we host a photo competition to give Sonlighters a chance to share a compelling story and photo about their experience with Sonlight. Not only is it a chance to showcase your #sonlightstories, but all entrants to the competition earn a shot at being on the Sonlight catalog cover!
We love seeing how Sonlight shows up in your day-to-day life as you love learning with your kids, and we thank you to all of the families who participated in this year's photo contest. Congratulations to the three winners featured below!
WINNER: The V. Family, Sonlighters in Idaho
We had always planned to homeschool, but when the time came, I was overwhelmed by all the different options. I knew that with lots of little ones in our family, I needed a curriculum that was “open and go" and didn’t require a lot of preparation from me. Sonlight was the perfect solution," admits Kirsten V. "That first year showed me how wonderful literature-based learning could be. I like to say “I came for the IGs and stayed for the books!” We have been using Sonlight for 9 years now, and it has been such a blessing for our family!" Pictured: Sophia (9), Brennan (7), and Levi (5) having fun playing with baby chicks while learning about them in their Science A program from several years ago! Not pictured: Sara (13, Level H), Daniel (12, Level E), Anna (10, Level E), Levi (4), Zoe (3), Brielle (2), and Joshua (8 mo). —The V. Family, Sonlighters in Idaho
WINNER: The R. Family, Sonlighters in New York
During our first year of homeschooling, I felt completely overwhelmed," admits Alicia R of New York. "However, Sonlight provided the structure we all needed to have a successful first year. We loved the curriculum, which offered beautiful books, intentional lessons, and tremendous opportunity for creativity. As we gained confidence, we found we were able to customize even further. Our homeschool thrives on Sonlight’s hands-on, literature-based approach to education! History, Bible, and literature have especially become favorite subjects. I love watching my boys learn to love learning!" Pictured: For active boys, history really needs to come to life in order to keep their interest. Owen (10) and Leeland (8) enjoy acting out some of their favorite HBL C characters in one of their favorite locations—the trampoline! Henry (3) and Hudson (baby) will follow in their older brothers' footsteps starting next year with PreK." —The R. Family, Sonlighters in New York
WINNER: The M. Family, Sonlighters of Sheridan, IN
Sonlight has become the heartbeat of our family," recounts Emily M of Sheridan, IN. "From the deep, theological discussions we have had regarding the Bible and what Jesus means to us, to the tears we've shed while reading about George Müeller and his legacy, as well as the excitement of completing a successful science experiment, Sonlight has been central to our days. As their primary teacher who does not have an educational background, the thought of teaching multiple children at different levels intimidated me. However, because of the way Sonlight has curated the curriculum, I am confident that each child is getting exactly what she needs. I thank God every day that I found Sonlight, and that it is working so well for our family." Pictured: The M family's favorite time of the weeks is Poet-Tea where they read poetry and take turns fixing teas and snacks. They have loved the rich poems in the poetry book, and they have worked on hospitality and manners, all in one lesson!" —The M. Family, Sonlighters in Indiana
Thanks again for making this year's photo contest a success. Keep sharing your #sonlightstories year-round! We love your Box Day photos, your day-to-day experiences, and the end-of-the-year #sonlightstack shots of all you've accomplished.
Keep sharing your #sonlightstories
You don't need to wait for the annual photo contest to encourage other families with your everyday homeschool stories. You never know when something you submitted may appear in a catalog, on our homepage, or on the Sonlight blog.
We invite you to share your pictures directly on the Sonlight website or on your favorite social media platform all year long. If sharing on social media, tag us (@sonlightcurriculum and @sonlight) and be sure to include hashtags #sonlightstories, #sonlightstack, or #sonlightboxday.
Sonlight parents are always looking for fun and engaging ways to encourage reading in their homeschool. With the end of the school year just around the bend, we want to support you in creating a reading lifestyle all summer long. We also can't wait to hear what you believe are the very best books for summer reading!
Choosing Quality Books For Your Children
One of the things that makes Sonlight such a valuable curriculum is our carefully curated book selections. Sonlight is the original literature-based curriculum and we pride ourselves in finding the very best options for your child's reading stack.
Many parents have asked for tips and tricks for choosing quality, everyday books for unstructured reading as well. Here are our very best suggestions for choosing thoughtful and age-appropriate reading materials for your children.
1. Select stories with characters that your child can understand and relate to.
If your child can see themselves in the story, no matter how different the circumstances of the tale may be, the reading becomes a powerful, often motivating experience.
2. Look for books that teach important lessons or concepts.
One of the best ways to promote overall character development and cultural significance, especially for children, is through illustrative examples in story.
3. Choose books with beautiful illustrations.
Artful illustrations can make all the difference in creating excellence in your unstructured reading. Not only will your child be more engaged, but the artistry of many illustrated books can cultivate beauty for all ages (even us parents!).
4. Incorporate your child's interests.
An easy way to kick off a passion for reading is through books about topics that your child finds particularly interesting. Whether it's nature, dogs, or exotic locations, starting with your child's favorite things can be a wonderful way to source excellent reading resources.
Rejuvenate Your Family's Reading Routine This Summer
All year long, we promote learning through the power of literature and story because we know just how valuable it is for growing minds. Summer however, a great time to change things up in your homeschool and rejuvenate your family's reading routine.
The more relaxed pace, the need to stay cool indoors or at the pool, and the chance to take a break from formal learning are all great reasons to incorporate a summer reading plan into your summer days. Summer is the perfect time of year to create a lifestyle of reading in your family.
The Best Books For Summer Reading: What Are Your Favorites?
The hardest part of homeschooling often isn't the homeschooling!
With a great curriculum like Sonlight, teaching is the easy part! The harder part is clearing the hurdles to get started in the first place.
We’re here to help you push past these worries that many homeschool parents face. In this blog series, we’ll debunk the most common hurdles to getting started homeschooling.
We’ll give you tips to overcome and advice to thrive, plus we'll share stories of real homeschoolers who have cleared these hurdles.
My children will be behind academically
Homeschoolers tend to do better than their traditionally schooled peers on standardized tests. There are many reasons for this: the tutoring model of homeschooling keeps kids from falling through the cracks, you can tailor your child’s education to their specific needs, the home is a safe and calm place to learn, kids do better without being taught to the test, and so on.
Here are a few resources to debunk this common misconception about homeschoolers.
FROM THE SONLIGHT BLOG
Is My Child Learning Enough? Every homeschool parent occasionally wonders if their children are learning everything they need to know. Since a literature-based learning approach doesn't use traditional testing, it can be even harder to objectively assess what your children are learning. If you are feeling concerned, it is important to take a step back and examine what is causing that feeling. Chances are, your child is learning even more than you realize!
4 Reasons to Pursue Academic Excellence in Your Homeschool I know that education is not about test scores. I love that homeschooling lets you tailor your plans to your family. But ultimately, what is the goal of homeschooling? I believe it is to equip children to do whatever God calls them to. And with few exceptions, equipping children for their callings includes the pursuit of excellence in everything, including academics. Such excellence will mean different things for different children (and may or may not result in great test scores). But the point is that when we challenge our children academically, we are helping them reach their individual, God-given potential.
Honoring God with Academics: The Goal of Christian Homeschooling When you hear the term academic excellence do you get a stuffy image of grading scales, tests, timers and No. 2 pencils—maybe even ivy-covered buildings? I'd like to make a case for the couch academic and how relational, delight-driven homeschooling and academic excellence are not mutually exclusive. Just because we don't emphasize tests and grading as the spine of Sonlight's approach doesn't mean we're half-hearted in the area of scholarship and the life of the mind.
My children are light years ahead of their peers and recommended for honor College. Sonlight equipped us exceptionally well for a strong academic future. Hello presidential scholarships, merit scholarships, rotary scholarships, police department scholarship, private foundation scholarships—the list goes on and on!
L. Family Sonlighters
My children won’t get into college
If part of you wonders if your children will be prepared for college, be encouraged to know that thousands of others have been. If you and your student both see college as a goal, homeschooling can actually give your children a distinct advantage in preparing for college. Many homeschoolers tend to outperform their peers in terms of college GPA and graduation rates.
Here are some of the ways Sonlight has helped prepare students for college.
To ease your fears about homeschooling, pair this encouragement with a time-tested homeschool curriculum. Let Sonlight equip you and give you the confidence to do it well.
With all your materials and plans laid out for you to just open and teach, you do have what it takes to homeschool! We are so happy to be part of your homeschool and walk alongside you in this journey!
If you are considering a new direction for your children’s education or have doubts about your homeschool and want personalized reassurance, we have experienced homeschooling moms who would love to talk to you. With our Sonlight Advisors, you'll get one-on-one help, new ideas, and renewed confidence.
Are you considering attending a homeschool convention this year and not sure where to start? Wondering if it’s really worth your time and money? This comprehensive guide answers your questions and has everything you need to decide if a homeschool convention is right for you.
We had always planned to homeschool, but when the time came, I was overwhelmed by all the different options. I knew that with lots of little ones in our family, I needed a curriculum that was “open and go" and didn’t require a lot of preparation from me. Sonlight was the perfect solution," admits Kirsten V. "That first year showed me how wonderful literature-based learning could be. I like to say “I came for the IGs and stayed for the books!” We have been using Sonlight for 9 years now, and it has been such a blessing for our family!" Pictured: Sophia (9), Brennan (7), and Levi (5) having fun playing with baby chicks while learning about them in their Science A program from several years ago! Not pictured: Sara (13, Level H), Daniel (12, Level E), Anna (10, Level E), Levi (4), Zoe (3), Brielle (2), and Joshua (8 mo). —The V. Family, Sonlighters in Idaho
