Homeschooling can be a big undertaking for all involved. There are tons of course packs and suggestions all over the internet, but when it comes to figuring out what types of books are best for your children’s homeschool reading program, you are on your own. The Happy Hollisters are a great addition to your homeschool reading lists for a number of reasons. Here are some tips on building your homeschool reading library and why books like The Happy Hollisters by Jerry West should be included.homeschool-reading

1. Reading and Discussing What Has Been Read Creates Independent Thinkers

o In public school and homeschool reading programs, children are expected to read information, process it, and report on it. These activities allow children to develop the skills to process and understand information on their own. The action of reading information, processing it, and then reviewing it, in the presence of others, allows children to see where their understanding may be wrong and gives them the opportunity to correct it.

2. Your Children Should be Reading a Variety of Books

o In public schools, children are expected to read a variety of texts on different subjects and homeschool reading should be no different. Reading various styles of writing and going through the processes above allows children to expand their thinking and ability to process multiple types of information independently. Reading fiction and poetry will help to develop the more creative side of the brain. It’s important to be diverse in your homeschool reading program in order to get children to understand and think differently than they would if they were just reading informational books.

3. Teach Your Children to Enjoy Reading

o To get your child to enjoy homeschool reading, many parents find it helpful to offer titles that children can identify with easily. For example, if you put the works of Shakespeare in front of the average middle school child, they may read it, but without help to unlock its full meaning, they will not be able to enjoy and understand it. If your children are having a hard time when it comes to reading, introduce them to stories that they can relate to on some level. It is for this reason that The Happy Hollisters series is great for fictional homeschool reading. These books are written to share ageless tales of children in a simple language that is easy to understand and process. When a child reads something that they can relate to and understand, they will be rewarded with a love for reading.
Getting your children to enjoy their homeschool reading can be a complicated task. You need to provide them with a variety of stories that they can relate to, in order to keep them interested. Teaching children to love reading is not as hard as some make it sound; all you need are the right tools for the job.

Check out The Happy Hollisters online store for more information about the book series.