Favorite Picture Books for the Homeschool

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Picture books aren’t difficult to find, but many of them are full of twaddle. I’m sharing our top favorite picture books that are inspired by a Charlotte Mason education.

First of all, what is twaddle? In the simplest of terms, it is any content which doesn’t inspire. It describes books that are a waste of time to read.

Twaddle doesn’t inspire intelligence and is dumbed down. Basically, if it does not inspire the mind, soul, and spirt….it is twaddle.

Living books are kind of a big deal in a Charlotte Mason inspired education. And a living book is one which comes to life. It is a book which engages the reader and will produce interest in the topic as they become enthralled by the storyline.

For picture books, the images are both beautiful and inspiring. They also inspire good values and create imaginative play in children.

New to Homeschooling? Check out the 6 Methods of Homeschooling post for some ideas on getting started.

This post has been updated from its original publish date of January 12, 2021.

Favorite Charlotte Mason Inspired Picture Books

In this post, I’m sharing some of our absolute favorite picture books that are clean, inspiring, rich in language and include beautiful images.

A lot of the books that I’m sharing are some of the most beloved in our home. And I’m a firm believer in keeping picture books for all ages. Even mom enjoys these for read aloud time!

Our current collection is in the hundreds that we’ve built slowly over the many years of raising my children. Since they are so numerous, I will break down future book lists by season or holiday in future posts.

children’s picture books arranged on a bookshelf.

A child’s intercourse must always be with good books, the best that we can find. We must put into their hands the sources which we must needs use for ourselves, the best books of the best writers. For the mind is capable of dealing with only one kind of food; it lives, grows and is nourished upon ideas only; mere information is to it as a meal of sawdust to the body”.
– Charlotte Mason