Planner Perks

Three young boys sitting together, closely looking at a book titled 'Living Verse' with a nature scene on the cover, in a room with large windows and natural light.

Charlotte Mason Teaching

A woman and a young girl sitting at a white table, drawing with colored pencils, smiling.

Habits

A young girl crouching in a forest, looking at mushrooms on the ground, surrounded by trees and green foliage.

Nature Study

Two young girls sitting on a log in a forest, each reading a book.

Book Lists

  • Town Mouse, Country Mouse, Jan Brett (K–2)

    Roxaboxen, Alice McLerran (K–2)

    The Velveteen Rabbit, Margery Williams (K–2)

    Winnie-the-Pooh, A.A. Milne (K–2 read-aloud; 2–3 independent)

    Amelia Bedelia, Peggy Parish (K–2)

    James Herriot’s Treasury for Children, James Herriot (K–2)

    Paul Bunyan and His Great Blue Ox, Wallace Wadsworth (K–2)

    The Bears on Hemlock Mountain, Alice Dalgliesh (1–3)

    The Courage of Sarah Noble, Alice Dalgliesh (1–3)

    Sarah Whitcher’s Story, Elizabeth Yates (1–3)

    Storytime with the Millers, Mildred A. Martin (1–3)

    Wisdom and the Millers, Mildred A. Martin (1–3)

    Missionary Stories and the Millers, Mildred A. Martin (1–3)

    Story Times with Grandma, M.E. Yoder (1–3)

    More Story Times with Grandma, M.E. Yoder (1–3)

    Dangerous Journey: The Story of Pilgrim’s Progress, Oliver Hunkin (2–4 read-aloud)

  • Mr. Popper’s Penguins, Richard & Florence Atwater (2–4)
    The Boxcar Children, Gertrude Chandler Warner (2–4)
    Milly-Molly-Mandy, Joyce Lankester Brisley (2–4)
    Freddy the Detective, Walter R. Brooks (2–4)
    Twig the Collie, Craig Massey (2–4)
    Heidi, Johanna Spyri (2–4 read-aloud; 4–6 independent)
    In Grandma’s Attic series, Arleta Richardson (2–4)
    Orphan Train series, Arleta Richardson (2–4)
    Charlotte’s Web, E.B. White (2–4)
    The Cricket in Times Square, George Selden (2–4)
    Pippi Longstocking, Astrid Lindgren (2–4)
    Homer Price, Robert McCloskey (2–4)
    The Trumpet of the Swan, E.B. White (2–4)
    The Mouse and the Motorcycle, Beverly Cleary (2–4)
    My Father’s Dragon, Ruth Stiles Gannett (2–3)
    Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, Betty MacDonald (2–4)

  • Caddie Woodlawn, Carol Ryrie Brink (3–5)
    Brighty of the Grand Canyon, Marguerite Henry (3–5)
    King of the Wind, Marguerite Henry (3–5)
    Little House on the Prairie series, Laura Ingalls Wilder (3–5)
    Sarah, Plain and Tall, Patricia MacLachlan (3–5)
    The Railway Children, Edith Nesbit (3–5)
    Pollyanna, Eleanor H. Porter (3–5)
    The Borrowers, Mary Norton (3–5)
    Mountain Born, Elizabeth Yates (3–5)
    Swiss Family Robinson, Johann Wyss (4–6)
    Matilda, Roald Dahl (3–5)
    Because of Winn-Dixie, Kate DiCamillo (3–5)
    Tuck Everlasting, Natalie Babbitt (4–6)
    Wonder, R.J. Palacio (4–6)
    Understood Betsy, Dorothy Canfield Fisher (4–6)
    Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, Grace Lin (4–6)
    The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling, Maryrose Wood (4–6)
    The Green Ember, S.D. Smith (4–6)
    The Princess and the Goblin, George MacDonald (4–6)

  • The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett (4–6)
    Little Lord Fauntleroy, Frances Hodgson Burnett (4–6)
    A Little Princess, Frances Hodgson Burnett (4–6)
    Rainbow Garden, Patricia St. John (4–6)
    The Runaway (Lucy Come Home), Patricia St. John (4–6)
    Where the River Begins, Patricia St. John (4–6)
    Star of Light, Patricia St. John (4–6)
    The Secret at Pheasant Cottage, Patricia St. John (4–6)
    The Tanglewoods’ Secret, Patricia St. John (4–6)
    Nothing Else Matters, Patricia St. John (4–6)
    Treasures of the Snow, Patricia St. John (4–6)
    Half Magic, Edward Eager (4–6)
    The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry, Anne Marie Pace (4–6)
    The Umbrella Mouse, Anna Fargher (4–6)
    Beyond Mulberry Glen, Millie Florence (4–6)
    On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, Andrew Peterson (4–6)
    The Bark of the Bog Owl, Jonathan Rogers (4–6)
    The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street, Karina Yan Glaser (4–6)
    Mandie series, Lois Gladys Leppard (4–6)
    The Penderwicks series, Jeanne Birdsall (4–6)
    Esperanza Rising, Pam Muñoz Ryan (4–6)

  • Scout: The Secret of the Swamp, Piet Prins (5–7)
    Mama’s Bank Account, Kathryn Forbes (5–7)
    Shepherd of the Highlands, Lily A. Bear (5–7)
    Mary Jones and Her Bible, Mary Ropes (5–7)
    Run for Your Life, Betty Swinford (5–7)
    Johnny Tremain, Esther Forbes (5–7)
    The Bronze Bow, Elizabeth George Speare (5–7)
    The Sign of the Beaver, Elizabeth George Speare (5–7)
    Old Yeller, Fred Gipson (5–7)
    Gentle Ben, Walt Morey (5–7)
    My Side of the Mountain, Jean Craighead George (5–7)
    On the Far Side of the Mountain, Jean Craighead George (5–7)
    Frightful’s Mountain, Jean Craighead George (5–7)
    Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe (6–8)
    Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson (6–8)
    Robin Hood: Children’s Classic, Louis Rhead (6–8)
    Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain (7–9)
    The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame (5–7)
    Around the World in Eighty Days, Jules Verne (6–8)
    Twenty-One Balloons, William Pène du Bois (6–8)
    Encyclopedia Brown (older books), Donald J. Sobol (3–5)

  • Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery (6–8)
    Black Beauty, Anna Sewell (6–8)
    The Chronicles of Narnia series, C.S. Lewis (5–7)
    Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, Anne Frank (7–9)
    Cheaper by the Dozen, Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. & Ernestine Gilbreth Carey (6–8)
    Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, Jean Lee Latham (6–8)
    I, Juan de Pareja, Elizabeth Borton de Treviño (6–8)
    The Door in the Wall, Marguerite de Angeli (5–7)
    Ester Ried’s Awakening, Isabella Alden (6–8)
    Amos Fortune, Free Man, Elizabeth Yates (6–8)
    The Yearling, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (7–9)
    Little Women, Louisa May Alcott (7–9)

  • David Copperfield, Charles Dickens (9+)
    Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens (9+)
    A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens (7–9)
    Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage, Alfred Lansing (8–10)
    Hittite Warrior, Joanne Williamson (7–9)
    The King’s Shadow, Elizabeth Alder (7–9)
    In His Steps, Charles M. Sheldon (7–9)
    The Hawk That Dare Not Hunt by Day, Scott O’Dell (7–9)
    Safely Home, Randy Alcorn (9+)
    Tell Me About Heaven, Randy Alcorn (6–8)
    Peace Child, Don Richardson (9+)
    I Dared to Call Him Father, Bilquis Sheikh (9+)
    The Hiding Place, Corrie ten Boom (8–10)
    The Ocean of Truth (Sir Isaac Newton), Joyce McPherson (7–9)
    A Piece of the Mountain (Blaise Pascal), Joyce McPherson (7–9)
    Whatever Happened to Penny Candy?, Richard J. Maybury (8–10)
    The Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan (8–10)
    Star Man’s Son series, C.C. Archambeault (7–9)
    Legend of the Fairy Cross, C.C. Archambeault (7–9)
    The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien (7–9)

  • Grades 2–4 (Early Chapter & Intro Science Themes)

    • The Trumpet of the Swan, E.B. White – Animal adaptation, communication in animals, sound science

    • Homer Price, Robert McCloskey – Simple machines, mechanical problem solving, cause and effect

    • The Mouse and the Motorcycle, Beverly Cleary – Simple mechanics, cause and effect

    • Twig the Collie, Craig Massey – Working dogs, basic animal training concepts

    • Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, Betty MacDonald – Child behavior (social science), problem-solving

    • My Father’s Dragon, Ruth Stiles Gannett – Imaginative animal habitats and adaptation themes

    Grades 3–5 (Nature Study, Animals, Basic Earth Science)

    • James Herriot’s Treasury for Children, James Herriot – Veterinary medicine, farm animals, compassion for animals

    • Brighty of the Grand Canyon, Marguerite Henry – Desert ecology, geology of the Grand Canyon, survival

    • King of the Wind, Marguerite Henry – Horse breeding, genetics, animal history

    • Mountain Born, Elizabeth Yates – Sheep herding, mountain ecology, livestock care

    • Gentle Ben, Walt Morey – Bear biology, Alaskan wilderness, wildlife conservation

    • Old Yeller, Fred Gipson – Dogs, rabies, frontier life

    • The Green Ember, S.D. Smith – Anthropomorphic animals, predator/prey relationships, adaptation

    • The Wild Robot, Peter Brown – Animal habitats, adaptation, survival instincts

    • Swiss Family Robinson, Johann Wyss – Island ecology, plant use, survival science

    Grades 4–6 (Upper Elementary / Early Middle Grade Science Themes)

    • My Side of the Mountain, Jean Craighead George – Wilderness survival, edible plants, falconry, seasonal cycles

    • On the Far Side of the Mountain, Jean Craighead George – Wildlife tracking, homesteading skills, conservation ethics

    • Frightful’s Mountain, Jean Craighead George – Peregrine falcon biology, migration, endangered species

    • Island of the Blue Dolphins, Scott O’Dell – Island ecology, survival skills, wildlife observation

    • The Long Winter, Laura Ingalls Wilder – Weather science, human survival in extreme cold

    • The Black Stallion, Walter Farley – Horse anatomy, endurance, animal care

    • The Jungle Book, Rudyard Kipling – Jungle ecology, interdependence of species

    • The Call of the Wild, Jack London – Wolf/dog behavior, animal instinct vs. domestication

    • White Fang, Jack London – Adaptation to environment, predator/prey dynamics

    Grades 5–7 (Middle Grade Science & Exploration)

    • Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe – Survival technology, food preservation, shelter building

    • Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, Jean Lee Latham – Navigation, astronomy, nautical science, mathematics

    • Around the World in Eighty Days, Jules Verne – Geography, transportation technology

    • Twenty-One Balloons, William Pène du Bois – Volcanology, hot air balloon science

    • Journey to the Center of the Earth, Jules Verne – Geology, paleontology, underground ecosystems

    • The Mysterious Island, Jules Verne – Engineering, chemistry, survival science

    • 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Jules Verne – Marine biology, oceanography, submarine technology

    • The Kon-Tiki Expedition, Thor Heyerdahl – Experimental archaeology, ocean currents, navigation

    Grades 6–8 (Advanced Middle Grade & Classic Science Literature)

    • Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage, Alfred Lansing – Polar exploration, climate science, ice formations

    • Two Years Before the Mast, Richard Henry Dana Jr. – Sailing technology, weather patterns, navigation

    • The Ocean of Truth (Sir Isaac Newton), Joyce McPherson – Physics, gravity, motion laws, scientific method

    • A Piece of the Mountain (Blaise Pascal), Joyce McPherson – Mathematics, probability, fluid dynamics

    • From the Earth to the Moon, Jules Verne – Ballistics, orbital mechanics, early space travel

    • The First Men in the Moon, H.G. Wells – Space travel, lunar geology, speculative biology

    • The War of the Worlds, H.G. Wells – Astronomy, microbiology, planetary science themes

    • The Time Machine, H.G. Wells – Theoretical physics, time travel concepts

  • A Family for Old Mill Farm, Shutta Crum
    A Fourth of July on the Plains, Jean Van Leeuwen
    Blueberries for Sal, Robert McCloskey
    Boxes for Katje, Candace Fleming
    Brave Irene, William Steig
    Bringing Down the Moon, Jonathan Emmett
    Building Our House, Jonathan Bean
    Caps for Sale, Esphyr Slobodkina
    Corduroy, Don Freeman
    Doctor De Soto, William Steig
    Edward and the Pirates, David M. McPhail
    Fish is Fish, Leo Lionni
    Flossie and the Fox, Patricia McKissack
    Frog and Toad series, Arnold Lobel
    Fannie in the Kitchen, Deborah Hopkinson
    Hog Music, M.C. Helldorfer
    How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World, Marjorie Priceman
    If I Built a House, Chris Van Dusen
    If You Give a Pig a Pancake, Laura Numeroff
    In the Garden with Dr. Carver, Susan Grigsby
    Little Bear, Else Holmelund Minarik
    Little Gorilla, Ruth Bornstein
    Make Way for Ducklings, Robert McCloskey
    Mossy, Jan Brett
    My First Little House Books (entire series), Laura Ingalls Wilder
    Nora’s Chicks, Patricia MacLachlan
    Owl Babies, Martin Waddell
    Ox-Cart Man, Donald Hall
    Peter Rabbit 5-Minute Stories, Beatrix Potter
    Pete’s a Pizza, William Steig
    Prairie Days, Patricia MacLachlan
    Roxaboxen, Alice McLerran
    Saving Strawberry Farm, Deborah Hopkinson
    Sky Boys, Deborah Hopkinson & James E. Ransome
    Stone Soup, Ann McGovern
    Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt, Deborah Hopkinson
    Tell Me Something Happy Before I Go to Sleep, Eve Bunting & Debi Gliori
    The Apple Doll, Elisa Kleven
    The Circus Ship, Chris Van Dusen
    The Curious Little Dolphin, Ariane Chottin
    The Kissing Hand, Audrey Penn
    The Little House, Virginia Lee Burton
    The Mitten, Jan Brett
    The Relatives Came, Cynthia Rylant
    The Year at Maple Tree Farm, Alice Provensen
    Toot & Puddle, Holly Hobbie
    Water is Water, Miranda Paul
    We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, Michael Rosen & Helen Oxenbury
    Winnie the Pooh, A.A. Milne

  • Classic Preschool-Friendly Science Books

    Nature & Animals

    • The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle – Butterfly life cycle, days of the week, counting

    • Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, Bill Martin Jr. & Eric Carle – Animal identification, colors, patterns

    • The Snowy Day, Ezra Jack Keats – Weather, snow properties, seasons

    • Make Way for Ducklings, Robert McCloskey – Ducks’ life cycle, animal behavior

    • Blueberries for Sal, Robert McCloskey – Bears, human-wildlife interaction, seasonal food gathering

    • Owl Moon, Jane Yolen – Owls, nocturnal animals, observation in nature

    • Over in the Meadow, Ezra Jack Keats (adapted) – Counting, animal habitats, ecology

    • Caps for Sale, Esphyr Slobodkina – Monkeys, mimicry, problem-solving

    • Are You My Mother?, P.D. Eastman – Bird life cycle, animal homes

    Habitats & Seasons

    • Time of Wonder, Robert McCloskey – Seasonal change, coastal ecosystems

    • A Tree is Nice, Janice May Udry – Trees, importance to environment, seasons

    • The Carrot Seed, Ruth Krauss – Plant growth, patience

    • In the Small, Small Pond, Denise Fleming – Pond ecology, seasonal changes

    • The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Beatrix Potter – Garden ecology, animal behavior

    • Miss Rumphius, Barbara Cooney – Planting, seeds, environmental stewardship

    Intro to Science Concepts

    • In the Tall, Tall Grass, Denise Fleming – Insects, meadow habitats, life cycles

    • What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?, Steve Jenkins – Animal adaptations and senses

    • Snowflake Bentley, Jacqueline Briggs Martin – Weather, snow science, biography of a naturalist

    • The Little Island, Margaret Wise Brown – Tides, seasons, animal habitats