Build Your Library

A secular literature-based curriculum with genuine academic depth, strongest for families who want substantial reading volume without Christian framing. More rigorous than Blossom & Root, more progressive than BookShark, less expensive than Sonlight.

Last updated: 2026-04-20 · Every Homeschool Editorial Team

At a glance

Method	Secular literature-based, Charlotte Mason-inspired, with classical elements
Worldview	Secular; explicitly inclusive of diverse perspectives
Grades	K-12
Formats	Digital PDF; print-on-demand
Cost tier	Mid ($130-$250 per grade)
Parent intensity	4
ESA-common	Sometimes
Accredited	No
Established	2012
Website	buildyourlibrary.com

Our scoreboard (1-5)

Criterion	Score	Notes
Academic rigor	4	Strong for literature-based; solid middle and high school
Ease of teaching	4	Clear weekly grids; moderate parent prep required
Content quality	5	Excellent book selections, thoughtful discussion questions
Flexibility	4	Modifiable but has a clear spine
Value for money	4	Fair pricing; book costs stack
Worldview scope	5	Secular, multicultural, progressive in science and history
Visual/design	3	Functional but plain; not a design-forward curriculum
Support resources	4	Responsive publisher; active Facebook community

Who the publisher is

Build Your Library was launched in 2012 by Emily Cook, a secular homeschooling parent who had used Sonlight but wanted to remove the Christian framing and replace it with a more inclusive book list. The curriculum grew organically, first a single grade, then expanding to a full K-12 sequence over the following decade. Unlike Blossom & Root, which leans young-child and aesthetic, Build Your Library targets families who want substantive academic content and rigorous reading at every level.

The business remains owner-operated and relatively small. The curriculum is sold as digital PDFs (with print-on-demand options), and book lists are provided separately for families to source on their own through libraries, used book retailers, or new purchases. This unbundled approach keeps sticker prices modest but means families must budget for books separately.

Cathy Duffy's review places Build Your Library among the stronger secular options and notes that its high school program is "one of the more rigorous secular literature-based offerings available." HSLDA does not provide a direct recommendation, the organization focuses on Christian curricula, but Build Your Library appears on numerous secular homeschool recommendation lists compiled by community sources like the Secular Eclectic Academic Homeschoolers Facebook group (SEA).

The publisher is genuinely secular. Science units teach evolution and deep-time geology without hedging. History units include indigenous perspectives, colonial critique, and treatments of enslavement that are more detailed than what appears in typical Christian curricula. The book list skews progressive in author selection without becoming narrowly ideological, classics from all eras remain present.

The curriculum is written by the founder rather than a committee, which means it carries a distinct authorial voice. Some families find this a strength; others find the editorial perspective pointed in ways they want to neutralize. Reading a sample week before committing is strongly recommended.

The core pedagogy

Build Your Library uses a literature-spine approach similar to Sonlight: a set of read-alouds anchor each week, with history, geography, and science topics flowing from the books read. The four-day instructional schedule (with a fifth catch-up/enrichment day) matches many secular homeschool rhythms and allows co-ops, field trips, and illness without falling behind.

Unlike pure Charlotte Mason programs, Build Your Library includes more structured writing instruction, vocabulary work, and discussion-question frameworks. Each week's guide provides comprehension and discussion prompts rather than leaving parents to generate their own. This makes the curriculum more accessible to first-time homeschoolers who lack confidence leading open-ended literary discussions.

The curriculum spans grades K through 12, with the upper grades (9-12) organized as semester-length themed packages rather than single-year bundles. Students in high school might take "Modern World History Through Literature" or "US History Through Literature" as year-long courses, each with its own reading list and writing program.

Writing instruction grows progressively. Early grades focus on copywork and narration; middle grades introduce paragraph structure and short essays; high school includes formal essay, research paper, and literary analysis components. Build Your Library is more writing-forward than Blossom & Root and more writing-forward than typical Charlotte Mason programs.

Science is included but thin in the elementary grades, the publisher recommends pairing with a dedicated science program (REAL Science Odyssey, Elemental Science secular editions, or Mystery Science) for families wanting substantial science content. By middle and high school, the integrated science approach can carry more of the load but still benefits from supplementation.

Math is not included. Build Your Library recommends pairing with Math Mammoth, Beast Academy, Teaching Textbooks, or another program of the family's choice.

A day in the life

A typical fourth-grade day with Build Your Library might run three to four hours of structured work. Morning begins with a 20-30 minute read-aloud, followed by brief discussion and narration. Language arts (spelling, grammar, writing) takes another 30-45 minutes. Math happens separately (parent-chosen). Independent reading, the child reading alone from a curriculum selection, fills another 30 minutes.

Afternoons typically include science hands-on work (maybe 2-3 days per week), history projects or map work, and art or music appreciation. The curriculum's weekly grid maps out what should happen on which day, and most families report that the flow is predictable once the first few weeks establish rhythm.

By middle school, daily time expands to four to five hours, with more independent reading and writing. High school students can self-direct much of the reading and writing, with parent involvement concentrated in discussion sessions two or three times per week. The transition from parent-intensive to student-independent is smoother than in programs that remain parent-led through high school.

Field trips, co-op days, and interruptions are easily absorbed, the five-day weekly grid has built-in flexibility. Families who travel frequently or have irregular schedules report that Build Your Library adapts better than rigidly paced programs.

What they do exceptionally well

Book selection is the company's strongest asset. The reading lists are thoughtfully curated, age-appropriate without being dumbed down, and include a mix of classics and contemporary titles that most homeschool curricula miss. Authors of color and international voices appear consistently throughout the list rather than in a segregated "diverse books" unit.

The high school program is unusually strong for a secular literature-based curriculum. Semester-length themed courses with detailed reading lists, writing assignments, and discussion frameworks give high-school-age students substantive work. Families completing these programs typically produce transcripts that represent real academic content, not busywork.

Discussion questions and comprehension prompts are included at every level. Parents are not left to generate their own thinking prompts after a long read-aloud, the guide provides them. This lowers the daily prep time significantly compared to programs that assume parents will develop their own materials.

Inclusivity is genuine and sustained. The curriculum does not treat diverse representation as a checkbox; it integrates multiple perspectives into the core reading experience.

What they do poorly

The visual design is plain. Guides are functional PDFs without the aesthetic polish of Blossom & Root or the production value of a major publisher's boxed set. Families who want attractive, keepsake-quality materials will be underwhelmed by the design.

Science is under-resourced at the elementary level. The integrated approach works better in older grades, but for K-5 families wanting substantive science, a separate program is needed.

Book costs can surprise first-time users. A full year's book list might run 40-60 titles, and sourcing them requires planning. Families who underestimate this cost find the "$150 curriculum" becomes a $600 curriculum by the time books are gathered.

The authorial voice of the curriculum is noticeable and, for some families, too pointed. Science and history units reflect mainstream academic consensus, which is what the publisher intends, but families wanting to present debates on evolution or climate change as contested will find this curriculum unhelpful.

Who it fits / who it doesn't

• Pick Build Your Library if: You want a secular literature-rich curriculum with academic depth; you have middle or high school students; you value diverse and progressive book selection; you are comfortable with mainstream scientific and historical consensus; you have time for substantial reading daily.
• Skip Build Your Library if: You want a religiously-framed curriculum (look at Sonlight or My Father's World instead); you need science or math included in the package; your child struggles with reading volume; you want boxed physical materials rather than PDFs.

Cost honest assessment

Build Your Library grade packages run approximately $130-$250 depending on grade level, delivered as PDFs. This is modestly higher than Blossom & Root and substantially lower than Sonlight or BookShark. The high school semester-length packages run around $100-$150 each, with a full high school year typically requiring two such packages plus electives.

Book costs are the big variable. A full year's reading list can run $200-$500 if buying new, or $75-$200 if sourcing aggressively from libraries, used bookstores, and sharing with co-op families. Families budgeting realistically should expect to spend $350-$750 total per grade including books.

Add separate math ($50-$200) and separate science for elementary ($50-$150) and the full annual cost reaches $500-$1,000. That is still below Sonlight's all-inclusive packages but well above the headline PDF price.

The ownership model, purchase once, use with all children, partially offsets cost over time. A family with three children can spread the initial investment across years and reuse guides.

ESA eligibility notes

Build Your Library is available through some ESA marketplaces as of April 2026, including ClassWallet in multiple states, though coverage is inconsistent. Digital-only PDF status occasionally creates classification friction with state marketplace administrators.

Verify with your state ESA marketplace before purchasing.

Alternatives

• Sonlight. Would choose Sonlight over Build Your Library if the family wants explicit Christian framing and prefers a physical boxed curriculum with included books.
• BookShark. Would choose BookShark over Build Your Library if the family wants physical boxed shipment of books and secular framing with a slightly less progressive editorial stance.
• Torchlight. Would choose Torchlight over Build Your Library if the family wants more explicit progressive framing and stronger representation of social justice themes in the middle and high school levels.

How we verified this

Our editorial team reviewed publisher samples, cross-referenced Cathy Duffy and the Secular Eclectic Academic Homeschoolers community, and confirmed pricing directly from buildyourlibrary.com in April 2026. Discussion question quality was assessed by reviewing sample weekly guides at multiple grade levels.