• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The River Houses

A National Network of Local Homeschool Societies

  • Subscribe!
  • Home
  • Topics โ–พ
    • Arts & Music
    • Astronomy
    • Books & Libraries
    • Collections & Collecting
    • Friday Bird Families
    • Great Stars
    • Holidays & Anniversaries
    • Language & Literature
    • Lunar Society Bulletins
    • Maps & Geography
    • Museums & Monuments
    • Natural History
    • Poems-of-the-Week
    • Quick Freshes
    • Research & News
    • States & Countries
    • Terms & Calendars
    • Weekly World Heritage
  • Homeschool Calendars
  • Six Books
  • TWOC โ–พ
    • The Lunar Society of the River Houses
  • About the River Houses โ–พ
    • Our Mascots
You are here: Home > Homeschool Books & Libraries > This Post

๐Ÿ“š FAMILY REFERENCE BOOKS for the New Homeschool Year

27 August 2020 by Bob O'Hara

Click to: riverhouses.org/2020-books

The new homeschool year is about to begin, and if you haven’t already done so, we’d like to invite you to fill up your family reference library for the year ahead.

We recommend six reference books for every homeschool library, and we refer to one or more of these books in almost all our River Houses blog posts throughout the year. You can read more about these recommendations and about the reasoning behind them on our “Six Books” page (riverhouses.org/books). The collection includes a comprehensive dictionary, a world atlas, a world almanac, a history encyclopedia, a North American bird guide, and a backyard astronomy guide.

The specific titles we recommend are not children’s books, they are family books, and this collection can form the core of a fine family reference library. These volumes are not intended for use with a specific curriculum, but are instead permanent reference works that can support and supplement any curriculum you choose to follow. The world almanac must be renewed each year, but the others are permanent additions to your library that can strengthen your homeschool teaching for many years to come.

Look over the details of these works and think about adding one or two or all of them to your shelves in the coming weeks.

What educational adventures do you and your students have planned for the wondrous homeschool year ahead?ย ๐Ÿ˜Š

โกโ€…Dukedoms large enough: Have you found all the local libraries in your area? There may be more than you realize, and there’s no better homeschool field trip than a field trip to a new library! The WorldCat Library Finder will help you find all the library collections near you โ€” public and private, large and small โ€” and the WorldCat catalog itself will help you locate the closest copy of almost any book in the world. ๐Ÿ˜Š

โกโ€…Books in the running brooks: The sidebar on the River Houses website (riverhouses.org) has links to several important online library collections that we like to explore, as well as permanent links to WorldCat and the WorldCat Library Finder. Why not sit yourself down at a large screen for a while (rather than a phone) and give them a browse. ๐Ÿ”Ž

โกโ€…When in doubt, go to the library: This is one of our regular Homeschool Books & Libraries posts. Add your name to our weekly mailing list (riverhouses.org/newsletter) and get great homeschool teaching ideas delivered right to your mailbox all through the year. ๐Ÿ“š

โฌฉ โฌฉ โฌฉ

โžข Sign Up: riverhouses.org/newsletter

โžข Free Calendars: riverhouses.org/calendars

โžข Libraries: riverhouses.org/topics/libraries

โžข #TheRiverHouses #Homeschool ยท #RHlibraries

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Related Posts:

  • ๐ŸŒŸ STAR BRIGHT: Deneb for September and the New Homeschool Year๐ŸŒŸ STAR BRIGHT: Deneb for September and the New Homeschool Year
  • ๐Ÿ“š HOMESCHOOL BOOKS: A New World Almanac for the New 2021 Year๐Ÿ“š HOMESCHOOL BOOKS: A New World Almanac for the New 2021 Year
  • ๐Ÿ—“ ๐Ÿฆ LEO TERM 2020 and the Homeschool Year๐Ÿ—“ ๐Ÿฆ LEO TERM 2020 and the Homeschool Year
  • ๐Ÿ—“ NEW PRINTABLE CALENDARS AND PLANNERS for the 2020โ€“2021 Homeschool Year๐Ÿ—“ NEW PRINTABLE CALENDARS AND PLANNERS for the 2020โ€“2021…

Filed Under: Homeschool Books & Libraries

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Our Newsletter!

Itโ€™s free! Your name and email address are never shared with any third parties.

CHECK YOUR INBOX (or spam folder) to confirm your subscription. Thank you! ๐Ÿ˜Š

Search the River Houses

Recent Posts

  • ๐Ÿ—“ QUICK FRESHES for Homeschool Familiesย โ€“ Week of 24 January 2021
  • ๐ŸŒŽ ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ SUNDAY STATES: Illinois, Ireland, Jamaica, and More
  • ๐Ÿ–‹ ๐Ÿš€ HOMESCHOOL HISTORY: Remembering Challenger
  • ๐Ÿฆ… FRIDAY BIRD FAMILIES: New World Vultures, Ospreys, Hawks, Kites, and Eagles
  • ๐Ÿช™ โœˆ๏ธ AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL: Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site Quarter
  • ๐ŸŒ ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ WEEKLY WORLD HERITAGE: The Sangiran Early Man Site in Indonesia
  • ๐Ÿ”Ž HOMESCHOOL RESEARCH & NEWS โ€“ January 2021
  • ๐Ÿ—“ QUICK FRESHES for Homeschool Familiesย โ€“ Week of 17 January 2021
  • ๐ŸŒŽ ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ SUNDAY STATES: Mississippi, India, Iraq, and More
  • ๐Ÿ”ญ ๐ŸŒ’ SATURDAY STARS: Telescope Tips from the U.S. Naval Observatory
  • ๐Ÿ–‹ ๐ŸŽต WONDERFUL WORDS (and Music!): Lift Every Voice and Sing
  • ๐Ÿฆ WINTER BIRD-FEEDING SEASON is Here!
  • ๐Ÿฆ… FRIDAY BIRD FAMILIES: Herons, Bitterns, Ibises, and Spoonbills
  • ๐Ÿ—“ ๐Ÿ—ก HAPPY CROSS-QUARTER DAY of Orion Term 2020โ€“2021
  • ๐ŸŒŽ ๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ณ WEEKLY WORLD HERITAGE: The Rรญo Plรกtano Biosphere Reserve in Honduras

Post Calendar

January 2021
S M T W T F S
« Dec    
 12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31  

Post Categories

  • ๐ŸŽต Homeschool Arts & Music
  • ๐Ÿ”ญ Homeschool Astronomy
  • ๐Ÿ“š Homeschool Books & Libraries
  • ๐Ÿ’ฐ Homeschool Collections & Collecting
  • ๐Ÿ“… Homeschool Holidays & Anniversaries
  • ๐Ÿ“– Homeschool Language & Literature
  • ๐ŸŒ• Lunar Society Bulletins
  • ๐Ÿ—บ Homeschool Maps & Geography
  • ๐Ÿ› Homeschool Museums & Monuments
  • ๐Ÿž Homeschool Natural History
  • ๐Ÿ—“ Quick Freshes for Homeschool Families
  • ๐Ÿ”Ž Homeschool Research & News
  • ๐ŸŒŽ ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ Homeschool States & Countries
  • ๐Ÿ—“ Homeschool Terms & Calendars

Astronomy

  • Amazing Space (Space Telescope Education)
  • American Meteor Society
    • โ€“ Fireball Reporting System
  • Astronomy Picture of the Day
  • Homeschool Astronomy (Sky & Telescope)
  • NASA
    • โ€“ Educator Resources
    • โ€“ Our Solar System
    • โ€“ Spot the Station
  • The Planets Today
  • The Sky This Week (USNO)
  • Space Weather
  • Time and Date
    • โ€“ Eclipses
    • โ€“ Meteor Showers
    • โ€“ Moon Phases
    • โ€“ Seasons
  • Tonight’s Sky (hubblesite.com)

Books & Libraries

  • Baldwin Library of Children’s Literature
  • Biodiversity Heritage Library
  • Classic Children’s Books (read.gov)
  • Folger Shakespeare Library
    • โ€“ Educator Resources
    • โ€“ Shakespeare’s Plays Online
  • HathiTrust Digital Library
  • In Our Time (BBC Podcasts)
  • New York Public Library Digital Collections
  • US Library of Congress
    • โ€“ Children’s Book Selections
    • โ€“ Educator Resources
    • โ€“ LC Blogs
    • โ€“ LC Digital Collections
    • โ€“ Minerva’s Kaleidoscope
  • US National Archives
    • โ€“ Educator Resources
    • โ€“ Founders Online
    • โ€“ Kโ€“5 Resources
    • โ€“ Teaching With Documents
  • Vatican Library Digital Collections
  • WorldCat Library Catalog
    • โ€“ WorldCat Library Finder
  • World Digital Library

Museums, Parks, & Monuments

  • British Museum Collections Online
  • Google Arts & Culture Collections
  • Smithsonian Institution
    • โ€“ Educator Resources
    • โ€“ Smithsonian Museums
    • โ€“ Smithsonian Open Access
  • Timeline of Art History
  • US National Park Service
    • โ€“ Educator Resources
    • โ€“ National Memorials
    • โ€“ National Monuments
    • โ€“ National Parks
    • โ€“ Wild & Scenic Rivers Program
  • US National Wildlife Refuges
    • โ€“ Educator Resources
  • US State Parks

Natural History

  • All About Birds (Cornell University)
    • โ€“ Bird Identification Guide
    • โ€“ eBird Online
  • Biodiversity Heritage Library
  • BirdCast Daily Migration Maps
  • Time and Date
    • โ€“ Seasons
  • UC Museum of Paleontology
    • โ€“ Educator Resources
  • US Fish & Wildlife Service
    • โ€“ Conservation Curriculum
  • US Geological Survey
    • โ€“ Educator Resources
    • โ€“ Latest Earthquakes
  • US National Weather Service
    • โ€“ Educator Resources
    • โ€“ Nationwide River Conditions
  • Wild & Scenic Rivers Program

Maps & Geography

  • Mapquest World Maps
  • Printable Outline Maps (d-maps.com)
  • USGS Topographic Maps
  • World Factbook (cia.gov)
  • World Heritage Sites (UNESCO)
    • โ€“ Educator Resources
  • Zoom Earth

Civics & Social Science

  • 1776 Unites
  • Constitution Center
  • C-Span Classroom
  • Economics Education from FEE
  • iCivics.org
  • Learn Liberty
  • MyMoney.gov
    • โ€“ Educator Resources
  • Online Library of Liberty
  • US Founding Documents
  • US Government Portal
    • โ€“ The Congress
    • โ€“ The Supreme Court
    • โ€“ The White House
  • US Mint
    • โ€“ Coin Activities for Kids
    • โ€“ Educator Resources
  • US Postal Museum
    • โ€“ Activities for Kids
    • โ€“ Explore the Collections
    • โ€“ Stamps Teach (from APS)

Post Archives

  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • April 2017
Sign up for our free newsletter and get great homeschool teaching ideas delivered right to your mailbox every week!

All original content ยฉ 2017โ€“2021 by The River Houses ยท The River Houses and the River Houses emblem are Reg. U.S. Pat. & Tm. Off.