I love, adore, and have always used AmblesideOnline as our homeschool curriculum. Also, I have always collected books. In the high school years, when AO takes a pick-and-choose salad bar approach, I can’t help but consider not just the books on the lists, but also the books on my shelves. They have been waiting their whole lives for this moment, and so have I! As much as I adored my littles, the teen years are my absolute favorite.
I’ve also come to believe in the power of the perfectly chosen book. I’m not saying students should have a completely customized-to-them curriculum — in fact, I would 100% caution against that — but there are moments when students are ripe for a particular nutrition book, or they’ve been asking about a certain theological concept and you have just the book for it. That is why some of these books appear below — because I’m assigning the book once to a particular child — because it’s too perfect to pass up.
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Eusebius: The Church History by Paul Maier
Subject: Theology and Church History
O-Age-15 is my fourth and final 9th grader to read Eusebius, the original church historian. I love this book so much.
2000 Years of Christ’s Power (Vol. 1) by Nick Needham
Subject: Theology and Church History
This is a 5-volume series that I wish I could give more time to than I do. Q-Age-16 will be reading Volume 1 this year and Volume 2 next year, and that is the most I can do. Perhaps I will be able to work in one more than this with my youngest!
None Greater: The Undomesticated Attributes of God by Matthew Barrett
Subject: Theology and Church History
You may recognize this book as the 2019 Afterthoughts Book of the Year. This is one I require for everyone before they graduate. My 11th grader is reading it this year. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it!
The Roots of American Order by Russell Kirk
Subject: Government
This is, hands down, the Best Government Book Ever. I just love it. I love how it situates the American government — the United States Constitution — in its historical context by showing what we took from the Greeks and Romans, the Hebrews, the Christians, and the British. O-Age-15 is reading this for 9th grade.
Mis-Inflation: The Truth About Inflation, Pricing, and the Creation of Wealth by David Bahnsen and Douglas Wilson
Subject: Economics
I bought this little book because David Bahnsen hosts a podcast I listen to religiously (Radio Free California) and he always makes me laugh. Also, inflation is sort of a problem right now, is it not?
I assigned this to both of my students this year because Timely. Economics is one of my pet subjects and we read basically all of the books from the AO lists and then some — I even read economics books aloud for family fun. At least, I think it is fun. Ahem.
The Communist Manifesto (1888 edition) by Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx
Subject: Economics
Can you guess WHY I would assign this book to my 11th grader? Hmmmm.
Socrates’ Children: Ancient Philosophers by Peter Kreeft
Subject: History
Or is it philosophy? I dunno. Some books I categorize loosely and then move around later when I’m designing transcripts, depending on what make sense. It’s Kreeft, though. Need I say more??
Your Body and How it Works by JD Ratcliff
Subject: Health
I wish this book (and others like it by Ratcliff) weren’t out of print. They are so good. With that said, please do not spend $61 (current price when I checked) on it. Just wait and check back. I’m sorry. I shared about it on Instagram and people snapped up the cheap copies within a couple hours. Maybe try Thrift Books?
O-Age-15 is reading this for 9th grade.
Niacin: The Real Story by Abram Hoffer, Andrew Saul, and Harold Foster
Subject: Health
This is an example of a “perfect match” book choice. Q-Age-16 reads books on personality typing, neuroscience, and psychology for fun, so this seemed like a logical choice. I think she will love it.
Missing Microbes: How the Overuse of Antibiotics is Fueling Our Modern Plagues by Martin Blaser
Subject: Biology
This is a book I assign to balance out Microbe Hunters.
Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin
Subject: Geography
This is another one that is hard to categorize. Is it geography? I categorized it as such because I’m using it like a geography book in the sense that they are tracing Darwin’s journey on a map. But could it also be biology? YES. History? ALSO YES.
Most people have never read Darwin and speak about him in ignorance. I decided I’d rather my children have a more informed opinion. This is a step in that direction.
12 Comments
Love the economics rec. I just finished reading Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins. Have you read that one?
I have never read it, but I haveheard of it and I believe it is on my wishlist. Do you recommend it?
Yes, definitely recommend. It’s not surprising in that we all kinda just know that corporatocracy (as the author calls it) is a thing, but definitely one of those books that teach a reader how to read between the lines of MSM reporting. It’s also a thought provoking check on what investments are *actually* good for an economy as opposed to those that might only *appear* to be good.
Thank you! I’m putting it on my list. ♥
The Kreeft book is so good! I love “perfect match books during the upper years…for my oldest it was bio ethics and forensics, my third is all sustainable Ag and floriculture. It is wonderful seeing those interests flourish has they grow older. I will definitely check out the Maier version of Eusebius as our version is a tad unwieldy.
I love this so much — I love how the differences in the children comes out in the book choices.
I also schedule Eusebius and Roots of American Order for my high schoolers! I love AO but I also love to tweak. 😉 I think I will try that Darwin book for my 11th grader – my husband says he will listen to the audiobook so my son can narrate to him. 🙂 And I want to get the whole set of the Peter Kreeft philosophy books for myself now!
I seriously did buy the whole set. I figure she will get to two of them, but I will eventually get to four!
I recently bought the Ratcliff book for much less–I was looking for something to use instead of the Apologia Anatomy book, which I couldn’t handle the tone of–I think it was around $7-12, so I guess I got lucky and bought it before you posted on IG. LOL!
I always love your recommendations. 🙂
Nice! That is a fantastic price!
This is timely! My oldest started “7th grade” this year (though its really AO Year 6B, as I decided to take 2 year to do Y6 so he could get a year older before starting Y7 and b/c we moved last year). And I am thinking about the high school years. I did just say that! Oh my. Its scary how time passes so quickly.
It’s really strange. The younger years felt to me like they lasted forever and then this end run is going so fast it makes me head spin!