Five in a Row

Five in a Row is a literature-based unit-study curriculum in which a family reads a single book aloud each day for a week and explores a different subject area each day through that book. Its manuals run from ages two to twelve and up.

Last updated: 2026-10-03 · Every Homeschool Editorial Team

At a glance

Method	Unit studies / literature-based
Worldview	Christian-ecumenical (the publisher states that its manuals are used by both Christian and non-Christian families, with a separate Bible Supplement)
Grades	Ages 2-12+: Before and More Before Five in a Row for ages 2-5, Volumes 1-4 for ages 5-9, and Volumes 5-8 for ages 10-12+
Formats	Print teacher manuals and digital editions; the books themselves are borrowed or bought separately
Cost tier	Budget ($49 per manual as of October 2026)
Parent intensity	3
ESA-common	Varies by state; confirm with your program
Accredited	No
Established	1995, per the publisher's About page (archived 2022)
Website	fiveinarow.com

Our scoreboard (1-5)

Criterion	Score	One-line reason
Academic rigor	4	High for the age band; the publisher notes that history is covered topically, not chronologically
Ease of teaching	4	The Volume 1 page describes as little as five minutes of preparation
Content quality	5	Each unit is built on a children's book, with lessons across five subject areas
Flexibility	5	The publisher states that the curriculum is extremely flexible and lessons may be skipped or emphasized
Value for money	5	$49 per manual; library-sourcing the books costs nothing
Worldview scope	4	Christian framing is optional through a separate Bible Supplement
Visual/design	3	Teacher manuals with activity sheets; the books carry the visual experience
Support resources	4	FAQ, free sample, blog, and a published weekly-planning guide

Who the publisher is

Five in a Row was created by Jane Claire Lambert, who developed a teaching style built around great children's books. Steve Lambert became the publisher by the mid-nineties, per the same page, and the publisher's archived About page states that the curriculum began in 1995. Today the company is managed in part by Carrie Lambert Bozeman, author of More Before Five in a Row and the Mini Units.

The product line spans several levels. Before Five in a Row targets ages two through four with simple ideas built around 24 classic picture books, and More Before Five in a Row is written for ages three to five. The core Volumes 1 through 4 cover ages five to nine with picture-book units. Volume 5 is the only volume to combine picture books and chapter books and is described as ideal for ages 10 and up, and Volumes 6, 7, and 8 are chapter-book volumes. The chapter-book line was formerly sold as Beyond Five in a Row (ages 9-12); the publisher's archived Beyond Five in a Row page explains that second-edition Volumes 5 through 8 incorporate the Beyond titles and lessons. A Bible Supplement provides character-development lessons with Bible references for each story unit.

The publisher describes itself in its FAQ as Christian, and states that the manuals are used by both Christian and non-Christian families. Bible lessons are not included in Volumes 1 through 8; they are sold as a separate Bible Supplement, which the publisher says keeps the core manuals usable by families who cannot purchase religious curricula under their state's homeschool law. The Bible Supplement connects familiar Bible stories to the stories children are reading and, per the FAQ, does not teach doctrinal lessons.

The core pedagogy

Five in a Row is a literature-based unit study. Per the publisher's How It Works page, the family reads the chosen book in its entirety to the child each day for a week; after each reading, the parent chooses a lesson to share. The lessons teach Social Studies, Language Arts, Art, Applied Math, and Science using the book as the basis for each weekly unit. In Volumes 1 through 3 a unit takes one week, and in Volumes 4 and 5 picture-book studies take two weeks. Chapter-book units in Volumes 5 through 8 vary in length; the FAQ says most families spend six to eight weeks on each.

The books do not come with the manuals; the publisher says families can borrow them from a library or buy them new or used.

Signature mechanics: (1) The book is the unit. The same story is read aloud on consecutive days, and the FAQ explains that each rereading is used to examine something different, such as the author's writing technique, the illustrator's technique, the culture of the setting, or a science topic. (2) Multi-age options. The How It Works page says teaching from multiple age-appropriate manuals is often easier than adapting one manual to children of very different ages, and also offers a chart for using Volumes 1 through 3 with multiple ages together; the Mini Units include lessons written for ages 2 through 12+. (3) Discussion, interest, and play-based learning. The publisher describes interest-based, discussion-based, and play-based techniques, with activity sheets and teacher's notes pages for every title in Volumes 1 through 3. (4) Math and phonics are not included. The Volume 1 page states that Five in a Row does not include a complete math program and does not teach how to read, and the FAQ lists math, phonics, handwriting, spelling, and grammar programs the publisher has used or recommends.

How a week runs

The publisher says a family can work through Five in a Row in as little as 30 minutes daily by using one lesson element each day, including the time to read the book, and that a family using all of the lessons, field trips, and follow-up exercises could spend several hours daily. The Volume 1 page lists the supports in each manual: Jane Claire's Tips for Those Beginning Five in a Row with step-by-step guidance for each day of the week, Teacher's Notes pages for every title, and activity sheets. The How It Works page also describes a "Planning a Week with Five in a Row" resource.

What they do exceptionally well

Literature as the organizing unit. Each unit is based on a children's book, so a family's lessons start from a story rather than a textbook chapter. The Before Five in a Row page names classics such as The Runaway Bunny, The Carrot Seed, Corduroy, Caps for Sale, and Blueberries for Sal among its 24 titles.

Multi-age options. The publisher addresses this directly on its How It Works page, describing both teaching several children from one manual and teaching each from an age-appropriate manual. The Mini Units, which are digital, include lessons for ages 2 through 12+ built on the same picture book.

Gentle on-ramp. The Volume 1 page describes being ready to teach with as little as five minutes of preparation, and the manuals include day-by-day guidance for new users. The publisher also offers a free sample with five complete units and book lists for each volume.

Cost. Each manual is $49 per the publisher's curriculum page as of October 2026. The publisher's FAQ notes that many families use one volume per year, so a year's manual cost for a single program level is $49 plus whatever the family spends on books, math, and phonics.

What they do poorly

No complete math or reading instruction. The publisher is direct about this: the Volume 1 page recommends adding math and phonics programs. Families wanting a single complete curriculum need to budget time and money for separate programs.

Parent-led requirement. The How It Works page describes the parent reading each day and choosing a lesson to share. Families who want a workbook-driven program with minimal parent involvement will find the structure unfamiliar.

History is topical, not chronological. The FAQ states that Five in a Row covers history topically, depending on the book, and that students will likely study history in a more structured or chronological manner in late middle school and high school.

Progress tracking is not a stated feature. The product pages list discussion questions, activities, activity sheets, and teacher's notes pages; they do not list tests or grade-level benchmarks, and the FAQ says the volumes may correspond to grades 1 through 8 but need not. Families in states with stricter homeschool reporting requirements may need portfolio documentation or testing from another source.

Who it fits / who it doesn't

• Pick Five in a Row if: your children are between ages two and twelve and you want a literature-led unit study; you have several children you want to teach together; you enjoy reading aloud; you want a low-prep entry into homeschooling; you are open to pairing math and phonics from another publisher.

• Skip Five in a Row if: you need a complete curriculum in one package that includes math and reading instruction; you want tests and grade-level benchmarks; you prefer a workbook-driven program with minimal parent presence; your children are in high school.

Cost honest assessment

At the publisher's curriculum page as of October 2026, each of Volumes 1 through 8 is $49.00, and the Bible Supplement for Volumes 1 through 4 and the supplement for Volumes 5 through 8 are each $49.00. Before Five in a Row and More Before Five in a Row are $49.00 each, and the printed and laminated Story Disks are $10.00 per volume. The publisher states that it does not ship printed products internationally and directs international customers to its Digital Store.

The picture and chapter books are separate: the publisher says they can be borrowed from a library or purchased. Families should also budget for math and phonics programs, which the manuals do not include.

ESA eligibility notes

Eligibility depends on the state program and its approved-vendor list. This review has not verified marketplace listings for Five in a Row. The publisher states in its FAQ that the Bible Supplement is sold separately because some families cannot purchase religious curricula under their state's homeschool law, which may also bear on reimbursement in programs that restrict religious materials. Confirm with the program administrator before ordering.

Alternatives

• Sonlight, a family would choose Sonlight over Five in a Row when they want a fully planned, literature-based curriculum from preschool through 12th grade, with all-subjects packages that include math, language arts, and science, rather than a unit-study approach to which math and phonics are added.
• My Father's World, a family would choose My Father's World over Five in a Row when they want a Christian curriculum that integrates the Bible into social studies, science, math, language arts, and other subjects across preschool through 12th grade.
• Memoria Press Classical Core Curriculum, a family would choose Memoria Press over Five in a Row when they want what the publisher describes as a complete classical Christian curriculum with a special emphasis on Latin, rather than a literature-led unit-study approach.

How we verified this

Our editorial team reviewed the Five in a Row About, curriculum, How It Works, FAQ, and preschool pages and the Volume 1, Volume 5, Volume 6, and Before Five in a Row product pages in October 2026. The publisher's archived About and Beyond Five in a Row pages were used for the founding date and the history of the Beyond line. Prices and program details verified October 2026.