Curriculum
BookShark
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BookShark vs Sonlight: Which Literature-Based Curriculum Fits?
Updated · By Edulist · 9 sources
BookShark vs Sonlight: side by side
| BookShark | Sonlight | |
|---|---|---|
| Faith content | Faith-neutral | Christian; Bible in every History/Bible/Literature level |
| Grades and ages | Ages 4–16 (Pre-K to High School level) | Preschool to 12th grade |
| Schedule | 36 weeks, 4 days a week | 36 weeks; 4-day or 5-day guides |
| Approach | Literature-based; about 50 books a year | Literature-based; read-alouds plus readers |
| Packages | All-Subject or Reading with History | All-Subjects or History/Bible/Literature |
| Math | You choose: Math-U-See, Saxon, Singapore, RightStart and more | Placed by ability; chosen separately |
| Parent time | High; heavy read-aloud load | High; about 1–1.5 hours in K, more later |
| Price (Oct 2026) | All-Subject about $1,080–$1,325 regular (A–H), about 20% less packaged | All-Subjects about $1,000–$1,300 regular, 20% off advertised |
| Try first | Free 3-week guide sample; 1-week free virtual trial | Free 3-week guide samples |
| Guarantee and returns | Strict return rules; partial returns lose package discount | Return if not a fit in the first 18 weeks |
| Accredited | No; curriculum only | No; curriculum only |
| Scholarship/ESA fit | Approved vendor for many charter schools; each program decides | Sells via ClassWallet, Odyssey, MyScholarShop; each program decides |
| Type | Curriculum, Books | Curriculum, Books |
| Scholarship programs on Edulist | None yet | None yet |
Who should choose which
Choose BookShark if…
BookShark fits secular or mixed-faith families, households that want a built-in free fifth day for co-op or field trips, and parents who like boxed, fully scheduled packages with optional online courses.
Choose Sonlight if…
Sonlight fits Christian families who want faith in every level, families who want literature-based high school through 12th grade, and parents who value an 18-week money-back guarantee and 4- or 5-day guides.
Not sure yet? Save both and decide later. Your wishlist shows which scholarships can pay for each.
BookShark vs Sonlight: the short answer
BookShark and Sonlight are the two best-known boxed, literature-based homeschool curricula. You buy a level, a box arrives with real books and an Instructor's Guide, and you open the guide each day and read together.
The main difference is faith. Sonlight is Christian, with Bible reading, memory verses and missionary biographies built into every History/Bible/Literature level. BookShark is faith-neutral.
The schedules differ too. BookShark plans 36 weeks on a four-day week, leaving the fifth day free. Sonlight sells both 4-day and 5-day guides. Prices and parent workload are similar.
Teaching approach
BookShark ties history, geography, read-alouds and readers together by level, and from Level D connects language arts to the same books. Students read about 50 books a year. Science has students read during the week and do one experiment, with kits included. Math is a program you choose, such as Math-U-See, Saxon, Singapore or RightStart.
Sonlight follows a multi-year history cycle: world cultures in K, American history in A, two years of world history in B and C, American history in D and E, and Eastern Hemisphere and world history in F through H. High school levels 100–400 cover American, church and 20th-century world history and government. Parents read the weightier books aloud with the guide's notes, so you don't need to pre-read.
What a lesson looks like
BookShark: Open the Instructor's Guide to the day. Read a chapter or two of the read-aloud and history book with your child, let them read their own reader, do the language arts page, and check off the day. Four days a week; the fifth is for co-op, field trips or catching up.
Sonlight: Open the guide, read aloud and discuss using its questions, add the day's Bible reading and memory work, and mark the map or timeline. Children read their own readers at their level. In kindergarten, Sonlight estimates about 1 to 1.5 hours of parent time and 1.5 to 2 hours for the child.
Price and value
As of October 2026, BookShark All-Subject Packages run about $1,080 to $1,325 at regular prices for Levels A–H, and about 20% less when bought as a package. Pre-K is about $309. Reading with History packages cost less.
Sonlight All-Subjects Packages run about $1,000 to $1,300 per level at regular prices, with 20% off advertised in October 2026. History/Bible/Literature-only packages cost less.
The guarantees differ. Sonlight lets you return a complete package if it isn't a fit during the first 18 weeks. BookShark's return rules are stricter, and partial returns remove the package discount. BookShark offers a free 3-week guide sample and a one-week trial of BookShark Virtual.
Who should choose BookShark
- Secular or mixed-faith families who love books
- Families who want a four-day week built in
- Parents who want to pick their own math program
- Families who might add online courses through BookShark Virtual
Who should choose Sonlight
- Christian families who want faith in history and literature
- Families planning literature-based learning through 12th grade
- Parents who want an 18-week money-back guarantee
- Families who want a 5-day schedule option
Alternatives to both
- Build Your Library: secular, literature-based and much cheaper as downloadable plans.
- Moving Beyond the Page: secular, project-based unit studies.
- My Father's World and The Good and the Beautiful: Christian, book-rich and lower in cost.
- Beautiful Feet Books: literature-based history guides.
See the best secular homeschool curriculum, best Christian homeschool curriculum and literature-based curriculum.
Can you use a scholarship for either?
Often, yes. Sonlight says it sells through state program marketplaces, including ClassWallet (for example the Arizona ESA and North Carolina ESA+), Odyssey (for example Utah Fits All, Missouri MOScholars and Texas Education Freedom Accounts) and Step Up For Students' MyScholarShop in Florida. BookShark says it is an approved vendor for many homeschool-supportive charter schools. Each program decides what it covers. Save your pick to your wishlist and apply once to the scholarships your family may qualify for.
Alternatives to BookShark and Sonlight
Neither one feels right? These cover similar ground.
Sources
Questions
Is BookShark just Sonlight without the Bible?
They share the same format: boxed, literature-based packages with lettered levels and Instructor's Guides. But book lists and package details differ, and BookShark schedules four days a week. Compare the specific level rather than assuming the books match.
Which is better for a secular family?
BookShark, since it's faith-neutral throughout. Some secular families use Sonlight and skip or swap the Bible readings, but faith is woven into the history and literature, so it's harder to separate.
Can siblings share a level?
Yes, for history and literature. BookShark says siblings within about three years can share a Reading with History level, with math and language arts set for each child. Sonlight families commonly combine kids in History/Bible/Literature the same way.
How much reading aloud is involved?
A lot, in both. Parents read the more challenging books aloud and talk through them using the guide. Sonlight estimates about 1 to 1.5 hours of parent time a day in kindergarten, and older levels add more independent reading.
Can I resell the books?
Yes. Both use real trade books, which tend to hold resale value in homeschool used-book groups. Instructor's Guides are often resold too, which helps offset the high upfront cost.
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