Bookshark delivers a complete literature-based homeschool curriculum where children read approximately fifty carefully selected books each year across history, science, language arts, and math, making it ideal for families who want their children to learn through engaging stories and real books rather than textbook memorization. This secular, faith-neutral curriculum spans pre-K through high school with fully planned instructor guides that follow a four-day weekly schedule, giving families built-in flexibility while covering more material in four days than many programs cover in five.
The all-subject packages arrive as comprehensive boxes containing every book, map, timeline, and resource needed for the entire year, requiring minimal parent preparation since each day's lessons are scripted with discussion questions, reading assignments, and activity instructions clearly laid out in the instructor guides. History lessons integrate geography and culture through historical fiction and biographies following Charlotte Mason principles, while science includes hands-on experiments with supplies provided. Parents spend focused time reading aloud and facilitating discussions with younger students, though upper levels transition to more independent reading with guided comprehension questions. The curriculum works well for multiple learning styles and can accommodate siblings close in age who share history and science while completing math and language arts at their own levels.
Families appreciate the open-and-go convenience and high-quality book selections that engage even reluctant readers, though the significant upfront investment and heavy reading load may feel overwhelming for families with children who struggle with chapter books or prefer workbook-based learning. Some parents note the curriculum requires active parental involvement for discussions and read-alouds rather than independent student work, which may not suit working parents seeking self-directed options. The BookShark Virtual add-on provides digital access to schedules and auto-graded assessments for families who travel frequently. Sample instructor guides are available on the website to preview the teaching approach and daily structure before purchasing.
