I’ve been selecting classic kids’ books for babies (ages birth to 1 year old), books for toddlers (9 months to 3 years), books for preschoolers (ages 4-5), books for beginning readers (ages 6-8), books for preteens (ages 9-12), and classic literature for teens working on high school credit (ages 13+). Why did I decide to open amazon stores? Well, I get a lot of requests from readers for homeschool book recommendations, and since there are SO many different publishers and translations out there, I decided it was easier to SHOW you my favorite books instead of creating a list. Many of the books on amazon are only available through secondary sellers, so you can get some good deals beyond the amazon discount. And if you spend over $ 25, amazon will ship your entire order for free. Feel free to use these homeschool book recommendations when you go to the library, too, by printing out the amazon book store pages of the books you want to find.
Of all the emails I get asking for homeschool book recommendations, my largest single request falls within the preteencategory which would be books for ages 9 to 12. Somewhere around this age, kids get pickier about their reading choices (especially boys), and parents get frustrated when all the kids want to read is Captain Underpants or the “Here’s Lily” series. (I have no problem with letting the kids read these lightweight books as long as their reading diet includes other weightier content.) So I am thrilled to tell you that I have selected almost 600 fantastic books to use in teaching your 9 to 12 year old in your homeschool (and I’m not even done adding all the books that Meredith and Connor read when they were preteens)!
In the Preteen Book Store, you’ll find that each category has a brief explanation of what criteria to look for in books for kids ages 9-12. You’ll find books for strengthening your child’s Christian faith, exploring history and natural science, legends, and over 150 fiction novels involving adventure, animals, fantasy, friendship, history, humor, and mystery. And as you are browsing the selections, don’t forget to look for books for read aloud time. I hope you discover some books that you’ve never seen before as well as your own favorites.
Thank you, Diane, for taking the time to write and share these reviews! Many parents will benefit from them as they make important decisions on how to direct their children with their reading choices! I would like to ask your opinion on the Harry Potter series since there is such a debate on them among Christians. I have no doubt that they are well-written stories, but I am curious about their spiritual implications.
Thanks!!
Hosanna
Hi Hosanna,
I’m a Harry Potter fan. Due to the Christian concerns, my hubby and I both read the entire series, and as a result, we had no qualms about letting our kids enjoy them. Magic is simply a literary device (like the white witch in Narnia) that allows the reader to suspend belief and imagine our own world with a different dimension. My kids never expressed any interest in potions or incantations. Harry Potter is always the hero triumphing over evil, but by the end of the series, I could make an argument that he is also a Christ-figure who lays down his life for his friends. There are references to resurrection in Book 7 which provided great conversations where we compared Christian resurrection and Jesus’ sacrifice to J.K. Rowling’s interpretation. Finally, not every Christian is comfortable the the books, and I certainly don’t condemn any who disagree with me. I agree with the Apostle Paul’s admonition that although all things are lawful, not all things are profitable, and it’s up to each family to discern how the Holy Spirit leads.