Reading, and all the deeper exploration that comes with it, is one of the best parts of homeschooling. No Desk Required is curating a list of lessons and activities to go along with a wide variety of books, for preschoolers through middle school. Have a request? Send me a message!
Click on any title to find links to unit studies relevant to each book.
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Title: The Shakespeare Stealer
Summary: Widge is an orphan with a gift for shorthand. When his master tasks him with copying down a Shakespeare play, Widge learns the idea of right vs. wrong as he has to decide between old loyalties and new.
Title: How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World
Summary: Travel around the world with our protaganist as she locates and gathers the best ingredients for apple pie - from their countries of origin!
Title: Blueberries for Sal
Summary: Little ones will love the refrain of "Kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk!" as you read them this classic Robert McCloskey tale. Little Sal and her mother get all mixed up with Little Bear and his mother while berry picking. Will they get straightened out before it's time to go home?
Title: Katy No-Pocket
Summary: Katy the Kangaroo is sad because she has no pocket to carry Freddy, her joey. She asks other animals how they carry their babies, but nothing seems to work. Finally she goes to the owl to ask for advice and he sends her to the city for help. Will Katy be able to find a way to hold her son?
Title: The Midwife's Apprentice
Summary: With no home and no family, a girl known as Beetle finds herself suddenly apprenticed to the village midwife, a knowledgeable but harsh woman. Set in Medieval England, this book boasts both humor and heart as the girl looks for "a full belly, a contented heart, and a place in this world."
