Booklist: Reading Your Way Around America

Apr 25, 2022 | Geography, Reading Lists

Many of us remember the television show Reading Rainbow. It was memorable for the books it introduced us to through Levar Burton’s narration, but also for the earworm theme song that we can still recall decades later. “I can go anywhere…I can be anything.” These simple lines speak to literature’s extraordinary ability to literally open our minds to new vistas through the power of imagination. He who reads about France “travels” to France in his mind; she who reads Pride and Prejudice “becomes” Lizzy Bennett.  Reading is a medium that allows us access to all the collective experiences of the human race.

There are so many ways this aspect of reading can be utilized in a Catholic homeschool, but today I’d like to apply it to U.S. geography. During the younger ages, geography is often studied as ancillary to other subjects (ex., a history lesson on the growth of the United States will incorporate maps of the country at various times to help students understand the historical development of the country). In high school, geography is typically a subject in and of itself (for example, Homeschool Connections’ Physical Geography course with Mr. Campbell, which studies the earth’s ecosystems, landforms, and climate).

How can you utilize the imaginative power of reading to help your geography studies?

Consider “reading” your way around geography! This approach combines geographical studies with geographically-focused literature. So, if your student is spending the month studying California, they can also read literature set in California. If they are studying Virginia, they can read literature set in Virginia. This is an example of the “unit approach” to homeschooling that combines disciplines to give kids a more immersive experience of a subject.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. “That sounds great, but how on earth can I find books for every state!? I have a hard enough time putting together reading lists as it is without trying to tie them into geography!”

That’s a fantastic question and a big one! There’s so much literature available from so many places it’s challenging to narrow it down. Below I’ve put together a starter list for you to work through. Most of these books are chapter books suitable for upper middle school; a few are high school level, and some are picture books for younger kids. As with any booklist, do your own research. Go through them with your child, look them up, and pick some out together.

I know not every state on this list has a lot of suggestions, but there are definitely more resources! If you need additional recommendations, there is a homeschooling blog called The Surly Housewife that has comprehensive listings of state books for kids broken down by age group and type (e.g., fiction books, non-fiction, picture books, etc.).

Of course, if you are feeling particularly ambitious, you can try to tie in literature not only with geography but with history as well, choosing books that focus on a specific time period in a specific state. But we’ll leave off that for another post; in the meantime, take a look at our list to get the cogs of your brain working!

As always, do your homework to make sure any books assigned to your child is appropriate.

Now for that state-by-state reading list…