Home › All-in-one curricula › Comparisons
Two all-in-one homeschool curricula, compared on what actually decides the fit: subjects and math included, faith content, teaching style and how much you'll teach.
Updated September 2026 · based on parent reviews and publisher information
Still torn? Answer a few questions and see how both rank for your child, side by side.
Compare for my child| Sonlight | BookShark | |
|---|---|---|
| Grades | PreK–12th | PreK–10th |
| Subjects | History, Bible, literature, language arts, science, math (choice of program) | History/geography, literature, language arts, science, math (Math-U-See included); no religious content |
| Math | Included | Included |
| Faith | Christian worldview throughout | No religious content |
| Approach | Literature-based: history, Bible and read-alouds anchor every subject | Literature-based: secular read-alouds and living books drive history & science |
| Who teaches | The parent teaches from a scripted guide | The parent teaches from a scripted guide |
| Parent prep | Low (scripted daily Instructor's Guides do the planning) | Low (scripted 4-day Instructor's Guides do the planning) |
| Screen time | Mostly offline (books and paper) | Mostly offline (books and paper) |
| Video lessons | None: no video instruction; parent-led read-alouds and discussion | Available: bookShark Virtual add-on offers digital scheduling/grading, not required |
| Cost | $1,128.65: Grade 3 (Level C) All-Subjects Package incl. Bible/history/literature, language arts, science and Math-U-See math, at Sonlight's 20% package discount | $962.78: Level D All-Subject Package (grades 3-5) incl. history, language arts, science and Math-U-See math, at BookShark's 20% package discount |
| Parents love |
|
|
| Common complaints |
|
|
Parents consistently praise Sonlight's book selections and the fact that daily plans are already built, letting them open the guide and teach with almost no prep. The most common complaint is the sheer volume of daily read-alouds, which can feel relentless for busy or reluctant-reading families, and some feel the schedule leaves little room to swap in different books once the year is underway.
Parents who want Sonlight's literature-based approach without the Bible readings often land on BookShark, and reviewers frequently call it the more flexible, faster-moving version of its sister curriculum. The four-day schedule and trimmed book list get praised for being easier to keep up with, though a few parents miss the built-in scheduled read-alouds, and international families flag steep shipping costs and instructor guides that expire after about 18 months.
Neither is better for every child. Sonlight is the stronger fit for christian worldview. BookShark is the stronger fit for no religious content; video lessons a big plus.
Sonlight: included. BookShark: included.
Sonlight: $1,128.65: Grade 3 (Level C) All-Subjects Package incl. Bible/history/literature, language arts, science and Math-U-See math, at Sonlight's 20% package discount. BookShark: $962.78: Level D All-Subject Package (grades 3-5) incl. history, language arts, science and Math-U-See math, at BookShark's 20% package discount.
Summaries are in our own words.