When we spent the day in Portland last month, we fit in a trip to the Portland Head Light – and I couldn’t believe how interested Sweebee was. She pulled us through the museum to look at everything, asking about the models and the photographs, marveling at the original Fresnel lens on display. I was amazed and pleased because now I had an idea for the first week of our new homeschool year.

There was a lot of interest in our studies, so I thought I’d post our reading list for this unit. I do a fair bit of research when we choose a new topic, looking for the great picture books that will coincide with our efforts, which I then put on reserve through our library. Usually, reading lists compiled by others are fairly easy to find – seasons, bugs, specific animals. The lighthouse lists were few and far between, but perhaps because we live in the beautiful coastal state of Maine, our library had plenty to choose from on the shelves. These were our favorites, and the top four were requested repeatedly.

Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie  by Connie Roop

The Sea Chest by Toni Buzzeo

Ghost Cat by Eve Bunting

Lighthouse Seeds by Pamela Love

Comet’s Nine Lives by Jan Brett

Lighthouse Lullaby by Kelly Paul Briggs

Beacons of Light by Gail Gibbons

Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall

The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge by Hildegarde H. Swift

I’d love to hear your thoughts! Which have you read? Which others would you add to this list?