Free resource · Canada
Homeschool reading list by age
Read-alouds, first chapter books and novels for ages 3 to 15+, mixing undefined favourites with classics children everywhere love. Ages are a guide only — read ahead of your child and skip anything that doesn't suit your family.
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Ages 3–5: picture books to read aloud
Read the same favourites again and again — repetition builds vocabulary and early phonics. Pause to let your child finish rhymes.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Counting, days of the week and a life cycle.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle
Colours, animals and a pattern to join in with.
The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
A quick-thinking princess outwits a dragon — a Canadian favourite.
Franklin in the Dark by Paulette Bourgeois
A little turtle who is afraid of the dark inside his own shell.
The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson
Clever rhyme and a twist.
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Big feelings, beautifully told.
Ages 5–7: early readers and longer read-alouds
Keep reading aloud even once your child can read — they can understand far harder stories than they can decode.
Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel
Gentle chapters for brand-new readers.
Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne
A classic read-aloud, one chapter at a time.
The Hockey Sweater by Roch Carrier
A boy in small-town Quebec is sent the wrong team's hockey sweater.
Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo
Funny, illustrated first chapter book.
The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
Rhyme and repetition that early readers can tackle themselves.
Ages 7–9: first chapter books
Let your child choose some books purely for fun. Series are great for building reading stamina.
Charlotte's Web by E. B. White
Friendship, farm life and a lot to talk about.
The BFG by Roald Dahl
Inventive language children love to imitate.
Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat
Two pet owls cause chaos in a prairie town in Saskatchewan.
Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown
A boy flattened by a falling board — and the start of many letter-writing projects.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
A classic fantasy read-aloud.
Ages 9–12: middle-grade novels
Ask your child to tell back a chapter in their own words, or keep a short reading journal — it's easy evidence of learning for your records.
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Friendship and a big, scruffy dog.
Wonder by R. J. Palacio
Kindness, difference and point of view.
Matilda by Roald Dahl
A book about loving books.
Hana's Suitcase by Karen Levine
The true story of a Japanese museum's search for the girl who owned a suitcase from Auschwitz. Deals with the Holocaust; read together.
Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
An imaginative orphan finds a home on Prince Edward Island.
Ages 12–15: novels for young teens
Read some of the same books as your teen and talk about them — it's one of the best parts of homeschooling older children.
The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
The classic quest — a great family read-aloud too.
The Giver by Lois Lowry
A seemingly perfect community with a dark secret.
The Night Wanderer by Drew Hayden Taylor
A mysterious visitor arrives in an Anishinaabe community in Ontario — a gothic novel for young teens.
The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis
A girl in Taliban-ruled Kabul disguises herself as a boy to support her family. Deals with war; best read together.
Holes by Louis Sachar
A funny, twisty mystery set at a desert camp in Texas.
Ages 15+: older teens and senior years
Mix modern and classic books, and include some non-fiction. Check what any senior course or exam requires before you plan the year.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Justice and racism in 1930s Alabama.
Animal Farm by George Orwell
A short fable about power — good for discussion.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
A witty classic for confident readers.
Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese
An Ojibway boy survives residential school through his gift for hockey. Mature themes, including abuse; preview first.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
A short, powerful novel about friendship and the Great Depression.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
A world where books are burned — great for discussing ideas and media.