Education/Homeschooling

By Jan and Stan Berenstain, The Berenstain Bears and the Nerdy Nephew (Random House, 1993), is the story of Ferdy, an unsocialized homeschooled bear, who only needs the experience of school to learn how to get along with others. One of the few books that I have ever actually thrown away. For ages 6-9.

In Katherine Hannigan’s Ida B…and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World (Greenwillow, 2011), Ida – raised and homeschooled on her parents’ farm where she has a bond to the apple trees, is suddenly sent to school after her mother is diagnosed with cancer and her parents are forced to sell the orchard to pay medical bills. Ida, traumatized, is helped by an understanding teacher. For ages 9-12.

In Gordon Korman’s Schooled (Little, Brown, 2008), Capricorn Anderson has been raised and homeschooled on a commune by his hippie grandmother, Rain. When Rain falls out of a tree and is hospitalized, Cap is sent to public school – where, having no experiences in common with the other kids, he doesn’t begin to fit in. By the end of the book, however, the clueless Cap has won over his classmates, Rain has sold the commune at an enormous profit, and Cap decides to remain in school. For ages 9-12.

In Stephanie S. Tolan’s Surviving the Applewhites (HarperCollins, 2012), problem child Jake Semple – tossed out of every school he’s ever attended – is sent to live with the homeschooling Applewhites, an eccentric and endearing group of artists. There Jake – after a lot of riotous family drama – thrives. For ages 9-12.

In David Almond’s Skellig (Yearling, 2000), Michael has just moved into a new house and his parents have discovered that his baby sister is seriously ill. Then Michael, along with homeschooled neighbor Mina – a fan of birds and William Blake – discovers a strange wizened creature hidden in the garage who just might be an angel. For ages 9-12.

Also by Almond, My Name Is Mina (Yearling, 2012) is the story of homeschooled Mina, told through her journal, which is filled with myths, mathematics, marvelous words, wonders, and dreams. A prequel to Skellig for ages 9 and up.

In Wendy Mass’s Every Soul a Star (Little, Brown, 2009), people are gathering at the Moon Shadow campground to view an eclipse of the sun. Among these are Ally – raised and homeschooled at the isolated campground, who can’t imagine any other way of life; Bree, popular girl at school; and pudgy misfit Jack. Then Ally discovers that her parents are turning the campground over to Bree’s parents – and both girls are horrified at the pending changes in their lives. For ages 9-12.

In Jerry Spinelli’s Stargirl (Ember, 2002), homeschooled Stargirl Caraway shows up in high school wearing pioneer dresses and toting a pet rat and a ukulele. She’s an enchanting free spirit and her story is narrated by Leo, a classmate who loves her – but wishes, all the same, that she were more…normal. Still, should you ever give up your self for another? An exploration of selfhood and conformity for ages 12 and up.

Also see the movie version of Stargirl (2020). Rated PG.

In McCall Hoyle’s The Thing With Feathers (Blink, 2018), homeschooled Emily is sent to public school – where she’s paired with popular boy Chatham York for a research project on Emily Dickinson – and worries that her classmates will find out about her epilepsy. A story of overcoming fears and forging new friendships. For ages 13 and up.

In M.T. Anderson’s brilliant dystopic novel Feed (Candlewick, 2012), citizens of the future carry digital implants – the feed – that ceaselessly bombard them with advertisements, channeling their thoughts and desires. Then Titus meets Violet, a bright and beautiful homeschooled girl who has refused the feed – and begins to realize the dark limitations of his media-dominated existence. For ages 13 and up.

In Class Dismissed (2015), a California family – discouraged with the public school system – pulls their kids out of school. A look at multiple trends and techniques of homeschooling.

Set in the Pacific Northwest, Captain Fantastic (2016) is the story of a father raising and homeschooling his six kids in the boonies – far from corporate America where, in lieu of Christmas, they celebrate Noam Chomsky’s birthday. When tragedy plunges them back into the mainstream world, all have to come to terms with their philosophies and beliefs. Rated R.