This Is My Home, This Is My School by Jonathan Bean

A boy shares an honest, somewhat chaotic day (or perhaps a week!) in the life of homeschooling.

This Is My Home, This Is My School by Jonathan Bean. Publisher, 2015. Pages.

Reading Level: Ages 4-8

Recommended For: Ages 4-8

A boy shares an honest, somewhat chaotic day (or perhaps a week!) in the life of homeschooling. Bean writes and illustrates from his own experience, introducing his mother/teacher and sisters/classmates who accompany him to numerous classrooms, both inside and out. They conduct science experiments in the basement, work together canning peaches, study stream biology, make “music,”

There’s even a “crabby cafeteria lady” (their mother, who gets frustrated with the mess her children leave behind at lunch), a bully (the dog chasing a chicken), outings to the library, field trips and art lessons on a hillside.

When Mom gets frustrated, she calls for a substitute teacher, also known as Dad, who steps in to lead shop class, homework (chores), and physical education. Lessons continue with show and tell at dinner, astronomy after dark, and snuggling in bed to read aloud.

Although the illustrations have a loose, even messy feel, they are carefully crafted to show that homeschooling is lively and imperfect. There are so few books available about homeschoolers, this is a welcome treat.

See our interview with Jonathan Bean here!

Cautions: None.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5
Worldview Rating: 4 out of 5
Artistic Rating: 4 out of 5