Best Books For Teens Of Our Homeschool Year (Free Printable)
Are you struggling to find books for your teens to read? My children have a few favorite books to share with you from our homeschool year.
My children and I love to read. My daughter and I fall into a book and don’t come up for air until the last page has been turned.
My son takes his time and slowly meanders through the book enjoying it as he goes.
It is not uncommon to find a child, book, blanket, and a pet lounging around the house. Just the way it should be.
Disclosure: I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
Last year looking over the reports I realized how many amazing and fun books we read.
Did you know?
You can read any Ebooks on your Kindle, or any computer or mobile device using the FREE Kindle Reading App from Amazon! If the E-Book isn’t free be sure to check before buying if you have Kindle Unlimited or Amazon Prime (both of which you can get on a 30-Day Free Trial) Love that! 🙂
Best Books of the School Year – Series
The following are some of our favorite books we read and loved last year. We pick up many of our books from the library, friends, and family or Amazon.
I *love* reading the reviews on books before getting a book for the children as it helps me see if it is something suitable or of interest to them. I will share the Amazon link in case you want to add it to your wish list or the items already in your cart.
If you are looking for great ways to save money on books be sure to check out these quick and easy ways to save.
Did you know? You can see all our favorite books for kids here in my Amazon store: Homeschooling Books & Novels
Free one page book tracker for your kids. If you want some book ideas, my teens love these!
Grab this printable reading chart for teens to track the books they’ve read. Need ideas? READ: Best Books For Teens Of Our Homeschool Year
Canadian Flyer Adventures Books
We have almost the whole series and the children pull these off the shelves again and again. I love how the children can explore and experience the various adventures from a child’s point of view.
Follow Emily and Matt through Canadian history that won’t put you to sleep! Stop That Stage Coach was the best book of this series this year.
Beware, Pirates (Canadian Flyer Adventures #1)
Canadian Flyer Adventures #2: Danger, Dinosaurs!Canadian Flyer Adventures #3: Crazy for GoldCanadian Flyer Adventures #13: Stop that Stagecoach!
If you are like me and must start at the beginning, you will want to meet Emily and Matt in Book 1, Beware, Pirates!
Little House on the Prairie
We have both the Laura and Rose (Laura’s daughter) Sets. My daughter pulls these books off the shelves and I find them all over the house. This set has been handed down and loved by many as you can see how worn the books are.
One of my favorite things about reading is how you can learn so much. I watched my daughter explain things she’s learned from this series to her brother and others, like eating a roasted pig’s tail or vanity cakes.
The Little House Books Boxed SetLittle House on the Prairie Series 7 Books Collection by Laura Ingalls WilderThe First Four Years: Little House, Book 9
You’ll want to get started on the journey here with The First Four Years.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
When this series came out my kids were all about “No”. No matter what I did I could not even get a “spark” of interest from them.
Then Nanny bought the series for them.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid 12 Books Complete Collection Set New(Diary Of a Wimpy Kid,Rodrick Rules,The Last Straw,Dog Days,The Ugly Truth,Cabin Fever,The Third Wheel,Hard Luck,The Long Haul,Old School..etcDiary of a Wimpy Kid 12: The Getaway ( Volume 2 of 2) (Chinese Edition)
Once they entered the house this has been one of the most loved and read books in our home, especially when the kids are not feeling well.
The best seller right now is The Getaway.
Redwall
Another series my children were not even slightly interested in… until gifted the series by a family member who loved and enjoyed them.
Redwall (Redwall, Book 1) by Jacques, Brian [MassMarket(1998/6/1)]Redwall Series Books 1 – 6 Collection Set by Brian Jacques (Redwall, Mossflower, Mattimeo, Mariel of Redwall, Salamandastron & Martin the Warrior)Complete Redwall Series Set Bundle 22 Books
![Redwall (Redwall, Book 1) by Jacques, Brian [MassMarket(1998/6/1)]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/5192W0TrWGL._SL500_.jpg)
This series inspired my son enough to dig out and make scones! He then informed me that they were “okay but not as tasty as they sound.” Start your adventure with Book 1
MacDonald Hall
Ah, these books set my kids into giggle fits. Nothing sounds better than a child laughing over a book.
Bruno, Boots, and the school headmaster “Fish” keep the adventure going. My son insists you do not have to read them in order.
This Can’t Be Happening at Macdonald Hall! (Bruno and Boots Book 1)Macdonald Hall #2: Go Jump in the PoolMacdonald Hall #3: Beware the Fish!Macdonald Hall #4: The Wizzle WarMacdonald Hall #5: The Zucchini WarriorsMacdonald Hall #6: Lights, Camera, Disaster!Macdonald Hall #7: The Joke’s On Us
The last one I read was The Jokes on Us.
Jacob Two-Two-‘s First Spy Case (Jacob Two-Two Adventures)
Every time I turned around my daughter had this book in her hands or it was lying nearby. I finally caved and asked her why she always had it. She told me this book made her feel not so alone. She is quiet. Her voice is quiet.
She curled up and told me, “Mommy everyone is always asking me what I said, telling me to speak up or repeat what I just said. In this story, the character is the same way. See, I am not the only one.”
There is nothing about that in the description of the book. Books that connect and bring comfort. Gotta love it!
Book Scavenger
Funny story. My son who loves puzzles and mysteries did not take to this book. My daughter who hates anything like that did. I learned to let them decide.
Meet 12-year-old Emily in the first book, Book Scavenger
Best Books of the School Year – Singles:
The following are books the kids really enjoyed that are not part of a series, as far as I know. If I am wrong by all means please let me know 😉
Ellie McDoodle: Best Friends Fur-Ever
When her teacher assigns a report about animals and all the popular animals get snatched up, Ellie McDoodle is stumped for a topic. Find out how she fixed that problem.
Peter Pan (Scholastic Classics)
This little book made the trip camping with us! We had watched a few of the Peter Pan Movies so this was a real treat to find the book on our shelves.
Mud-Puddle Poodle
If I ever lose my daughter in a book store I just head to the Pet Trouble books. She loves these!
Ellie McDoodle: Best Friends Fur-EverPeter Pan (Scholastic Classics)Mud-Puddle Poodle (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition)
Books My Daughter Would NEVER Read!
So a bit of a back story. If the title or anything about the book hints at “mystery” or “detective” by my daughter, she is outta here.
Yet, she loved these books:
- Friday Barnes, Girl Detective
- The Genius Files: Mission Unstoppable Pepsi and Coke are on a mission! My daughter actually begged me to read this one. She loved it so much!
- Indian Captive: The Story of Mary Jemison. She said this was okay but then reread it a few times.
A Book For The Whole Family!
Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women This is an amazing book for helping you (yes you mom) to overcome the feeling of doing the impossible. These women did things that others told them they couldn’t. Oh, and yes the kids loved it too. 😉
Roald Dahl Love!
My kids love Roald Dahl. We own quite a few of his books and I often see them around the house and not on the bookshelf. That is always a good sign.
This year the favorites were:
- Danny Champion of The World
- The Twits
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Oldies My Kids Loved
What Katy Did There is something about this book that connects with my girl. I have no idea what it is. It is old. It is short. It is kind of sad. She loves it. She reads it probably once a month.
Because of Winn-Dixie A dog that helps a child make friends and my kiddo is in love. An oldie but a good one.
The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook (Junior Edition) For the record, I loved this book! Very practical yet written to appeal to teenagers and so much fun. I also hope my kids do not get any ideas, 😉
Books about Homeschooled Kids:
We read both of these books on our own and led to amazing discussions. How people are different, learn different and come from different backgrounds.
Schooled
My children talked about this book for a long time. This book is about a boy who was always homeschooled and his story of going to public school.
Surviving the Applewhites
This story is the opposite above, a public schooled boy joins a family of homeschoolers. We all connected with a different character.
Read Alouds:
Reading aloud is not our strong point. I am not a fan. I know I am such a rebel 😉 You can read about that here, Read it yourself, you lazy butt! AKA Why I hate reading aloud…
Every year as school starts up in September I vow to try again. We usually start a few books and give up. This year we made found a couple that worked perfectly for us as a read aloud.
(Disclaimer: Every “school” day we read aloud from our History book, Story of the World. This is the only “reading aloud” that has ever stuck for us each year!)
There you have it! These were our best books of the 2016-2017 school year. I am already planning our weekly library trips this summer break for the kids to start hunting for new favorites.
What are your kids reading?
Take care,
Jen
PS. If you are curious about all the programs we used this year be sure to check our Grade 8 and Grade 9 resource pages!
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