It’s summer reading time!! I asked my boys if they would like to participate again in the Lamplighter Summer Reading Challenge, and their answer was a resounding “YES!” They wanted to start right then and there! We’re still wrapping up our homeschool year, but the challenge just launched, and they are eager to start. Today I’m sharing more about this quality literature summer reading challenge, plus my 11-year-old’s reading list of 50+ books that earned him 3rd place in the Literate Elementary group last year!
I love hearing what other homeschool families are reading and finding book lists from trusted sources. I hope these ideas inspire your young readers as well!
Last year, I shared a post about Summer Reading Challenge Ideas for Christian Families. My family participated in the Lamplighter Summer Reading Challenge, and it was our favorite summer of reading yet!
No “twaddle” was allowed; only Lamplighter books, non-fiction, and the Bible could make the list. They did still read some favorite novels and easy readers as well, but those didn’t count for the reading challenge.
The challenge was an excellent motivator for my boys, and they read so many good books all summer long!
Lamplighter books are quite an investment. We are still very slowly building our collection. I’ve bought a few new ones for Christmas presents when the Lamplighter Guild visited my area to speak and do a show, and I’ve been able to find some used.
We were able to borrow collections from two different friends for the summer, which was a blessing!
Challenge Your Readers and win Prizes with Lamplighter’s Summer Reading Program
It’s not too late to jump into the 2025 Lamplighter Publishing Summer Reading Program!
You can register HERE and print out the materials. This year, they made a handy little activities booklet to go along with the challenge. I put one in a binder for each of my boys, along with some of the points tracker sheets to get them started.
Lamplighter offers $25-45 gift cards when kids reach the minimum number of points for their age group. This gift card can be used toward their MP3 dramas or eBooks. We love the MP3 dramas, which are easy to pop onto a Yoto card so the kids can listen anytime!
Additionally, there are other ways to win points besides reading: including creativity, service, chores, and exercise!
The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in each age group receive a gift card toward the beautiful, hardback books.
Last year my 11-year-old ended up winning 3rd place in the Literate Elementary track, so he received $50 toward any of their physical books. I’m sharing his full book list below of everything that he read. On top of this list, he also read the entire Bible, finishing with 16,389 total points. (To give you a ballpark of what it might take to win!) This year he is in the Jr. High group.
My 9-year-old reached 2,729 points and received the $25 gift card. He was excited to pick out some audiobooks!
Where to find Quality Literature for Summer Reading
A lot of quality, older literature can be hard to find. I like to pull ideas from reading lists and first check on Ebay, Thriftbooks, and FB Marketplace or Homeschool Curriculum groups before deciding whether it is worth it for me to buy new.
Also, consider checking with friends and asking if they are willing to share a collection for a couple of months. Many are very willing (as long as you give them back!) and happy to share. Take a picture so you both have a record of what was borrowed.
Many libraries offer a program that allows you to order books that aren’t in your library’s system. When I was a kid, we could pay $1 and the library would bring in the book from a library across the country that had the title in their system. This was a great way to get quality literature on a budget. The program is slightly different in my current county, but they still offer something similar. Check it out and see if your area offers something like that!
Lastly, another library program here in California (maybe other states have this too) is called Zipbooks. It allows you to essentially influence the new books coming into your local library! My current county unfortunately does not participate, but many counties do. When I used to use it, they would allow me once per month to put in an order for any book available through Amazon that was at least 1 year since the publication date. It would ship straight to me, I could have it for 1 month, and then it would go to my local branch for others to use. So check out your local library and make sure you’re getting full use of everything that they offer!
Our Favorite Biography Series
You’ll see that many books my son chose for his summer reading were from The Sowers Series. This is our favorite biography series for our Christian homeschool. The books are interesting and engaging, and my son has reached for them many times to re-read. This set is the perfect addition to history and science curriculum, for learning about famous Christians throughout history, or for independent reading.
My 11-year-old’s summer reading list:
The Giant Killer by A.L.O.E.
The Wright Brothers by Charles Ludwig
Isaac Newton by John Hudsen Tiner
Wrestler of Phillipi by Fannie E. Newberry
Robby, A True Story by Velma Craven Meyer
Teddy’s Button by Amy LeFeuvre
Mary Jones and Her Bible
Hedge of Thorns by John Carrol
Robert Boyle by John Hudsen Tiner
George Washington by Norma Cournow Camp
The Hidden Hand by E.D.E.N. Southworth
The Basket of Flowers by Christoph Von Schmid
Samuel F.B. Morse by John Hudsen Tiner
Johnny Appleseed by David R. Collins
The Battle by A.L.O.E.
Ishmael by E.D.E.N. Southworth
Prisoners of the Sea by Florence M. Kingsley
Joel… a Boy of Galilee by Annie Fellows Johnson
The Inheritance by Christoph von Schmid
The Haunted Room by A.L.O.E.
Robert E. Lee by Lee Roddy
Rescued From Egypt by A.L.O.E.
The Shepherd of Bethlehem by A.L.O.E.
Falsely Accused by Fredrick Vining Fisher
Exiles in Babylon by A.L.O.E.
Triumph Over Midian by A.L.O.E.
The Wanderer in Africa by A.L.O.E.
The Lost Clue by Mrs. O.F. Walton
Under the Earth by Miss R.H. Schively
Buried in the Snow by Franz Hoffman
The Boy of Mount Rhigi by C.M. Sedgewick
Clean Your Boots Sir? by Anonymous
Francis Scott Key by David Collins
Math with Bad Drawings by Ben Orlin
Christopher Columbus by Bennie Rhodes
Stonewall Jackson by Charles Ludwig
George Washington Carver by David Collins
Noah Webster by David Collins
Louis Pasteur by John Hudsen Tiner
Daniel Webster by Robert Allen
Johannes Kepler by John Hudsen Tiner
The Stargazer’s Guide to the Night Sky by Dr. Jason Lisle
The Elements Book by Tom Jackson
A Kid’s Guide to the Periodic Table by Edwand P. Zovinka and Rose A. Clark
George Frederic Handel by Charles Ludwig
The Story of Davy Crockett by Enid Lamonte Meadowcroft
First Field Guide Rocks and Minerals by Edward Riccuti and Margret W. Carruther
Samuel Francis Smith by Marguerite E. Fitch
Billy Sunday by Robert Allen
The Golden Thread by Norman Macleod
William Jennings Brian by Robert Allen
Frozen Fire by James Houston
Happy Summer Reading!
I hope these ideas inspire you, from one bookish family to another!
What are your summer reading plans? Do you have a favorite program that you like to participate in for the summer?
I’d love to hear in the comments.
Looking for more?
Check out:
Homeschooling 6th Grade: Everything We Used
Motherhood on the Trail: the Joy of Finding a Kindred Spirit and Truly Doing Life Together
Great list! I put a bunch on hold at the library. We use AmblesideOnline for our homeschool curriculum, and the books in each grade’s list are wonderful. And there are more book lists under the Free Reading section for each year!
I’m glad this was helpful! Were you able to find some of these in your local library system? My local library is just awful these days, almost any Christian author I put in is not available, or maybe just as an e-book. I’ve heard about Ambleside for years but haven’t used it much. I need to dig into their reading lists! Thank you for the recommendation.
I am super grateful for this list! I have heard of Lamplighters, but never looked into it, and I’m constantly looking for good books that align with our values for my 13 year old son to read. He used to read like crazy, but when we struggled to find good books I could trust, he started playing guitar 24/7. Which is not bad, lol, but he needs to read outside of his homeschool curriculum again. Thank you for this. I’m also pinning to come back to!
Music awesome too though! That’s the age when my husband fell in love with guitar, and now he is a worship leader.