BookShark was built by former Sonlight employees as a secular counterpart to Sonlight’s literature-based approach, using the same living-books philosophy and a similar Instructor’s Guide format, but with all Bible and Christian content removed. Each level bundles around 50 books — novels, biographies, primary sources, and historical fiction — into a 4-day-per-week schedule, with the guide laying out exactly what to read, discuss, and write about each day.
Levels run Pre-K through roughly age 16 (Levels A-J), organized by age range rather than strict grade level. Younger levels center on parent read-alouds and narration; older levels shift toward independent reading and more substantial writing assignments. Families can buy the full all-subject package or individual subjects (History, Language Arts, Science) separately, and materials can be reused across siblings, meaningfully lowering the per-child cost over time.
Best for families who love Sonlight’s literature-based, discussion-driven approach but want a secular curriculum with no religious content.
Exceptional literature selection, secular content throughout.
A 4-day weekly schedule leaves one day open for co-ops or extracurriculars.
Siblings can share the same level, lowering long-term cost.
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