What We Read in August: A Homeschool Family Book Wrap-Up

August was full of good stories in our homeschool! Between school books, independent chapter books, and some heavier historical fiction, our reading pile was stacked high. Here’s a look at what each of us read this month. Maybe it will spark some ideas for your own family’s reading list!

As always, remember we LOVE the Libby App. It helps us snag books (ebooks and audiobooks) easily for everyone. My favorite little trick is having the physical book from the library or our home bookshelf and popping the audiobook in our kiddos' ears. 

Also, audiobooks are THE reason I can read so much each month. It really helps with a good, focused rage clean/organizing session.

📚 The 6-Year-Old

Our youngest reader has been making steady progress with school books from The Good and the Beautiful Grade 1 curriculum. We also sprinkled in some fun DK Readers on real-life topics like the dentist and jungle animals, plus a little Fancy Nancy for laughs. Short, engaging books like these are the perfect bridge between phonics practice and “I can read by myself!” moments.

📚 The 8-Year-Old

This was a big reading month for our 8-year-old, who devoured a nice variety of books:

• The Boxcar Children: Mike’s Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner – A classic mystery with just the right amount of suspense.

• Max and the Midknights by Lincoln Peirce – A funny, fast-paced adventure with knights, castles, and plenty of humor. Comic/graphic novel format!

• Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins – Yes, the same Suzanne Collins who wrote The Hunger Games! This is the first in her Underland Chronicles series, and it pulled him right in.

📚 The 10-Year-Old

Our 10-year-old leaned into deep, thought-provoking stories this month. One book (Cuentista) was a part of her and the 12-year-old's assignment in Curio's Newbery Book Club! Your 9-13 year olds are welcome to join our next cohort anytime.

• The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera – A gripping, award-winning tale about storytelling, memory, and survival.

• The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom – A powerful true story of faith and resilience during World War II.

📚 The 12-Year-Old

It was a fantasy-heavy month for our oldest, with a mix of sci-fi and mythology-inspired adventures:

• The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera – So good, she had to read it too!

• The Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer

• The Land of the Silver Apples by Nancy Farmer

• The Islands of the Blessed by Nancy Farmer

Nancy Farmer’s trilogy blends Norse mythology, magic, and adventure—just right for middle schoolers who want an immersive series to sink into.

📚 Mom’s Reads

And of course, I had my own tall stack! This month leaned heavily toward historical fiction, with a little contemporary nonfiction mixed in:

• The German Wife by Kelly Rimmer

• The Warsaw Orphan by Kelly Rimmer

• Carnegie’s Maid by Marie Benedict

• The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict

• The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict

• The First Ladies by Marie Benedict

• Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green

I’ve really been enjoying Marie Benedict’s work this year—her stories bring hidden women of history to life. And John Green’s nonfiction reminded me how powerful storytelling can be, even when it’s about something as heavy as disease.

Final Thoughts

From beginning readers to middle school fantasy adventures, and from WWII memoirs to historical fiction, August gave us a little bit of everything. That’s one of my favorite parts of homeschooling—watching each child’s taste in books grow and evolve month by month.

What about your family? 📖
👉 Drop a comment below with your favorite book you read in August—I’d love to add to our fall reading list!