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Last Updated: April 2026
One of the highlights of classical homeschooling is reading the great books, the foundational works of Western civilization, with your children. But where do you start? Which programs handle great books well? This guide rounds up the best great books curriculum options for homeschoolers, with honest pros and cons for each.
Top Pick: Veritas Press Omnibus for the most comprehensive structured great books program; Roman Roads Media for video-based instruction; The Well-Trained Mind approach for self-directed families.
What Are the Great Books?
The “great books” tradition refers to the foundational works of Western literature, philosophy, theology, and political thought from Homer to the present. According to the CiRCE Institute, the great books are characterized by enduring value, challenging questions, and influence on subsequent thought.
Standard great books lists typically include Homer, Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Aquinas, Dante, Shakespeare, Milton, the American founders, Austen, Dickens, Dostoevsky, and modern thinkers like C.S. Lewis. For a complete reading list by age, see our classical book list by age.
How Our Team Evaluated Great Books Programs
Our team reviewed each program against five criteria:
- Coverage: Breadth of authors and works included
- Discussion Quality: Depth of study questions and discussion prompts
- Parent Support: How easy the program is to teach
- Cost: Annual investment per student
- Worldview: Christian, secular, or both
Our Top Picks
| Rank | Program | Best For | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Veritas Press Omnibus | Structured great books | $300-$1,200 |
| 2 | Roman Roads Media | Video-based instruction | $300-$600 |
| 3 | Memoria Press | Christian classical complete | $400-$700 |
| 4 | Well-Trained Mind | Self-directed families | $200-$500 |
| 5 | Angelicum Academy | Catholic great books | $500-$1,500 |
| 6 | Build Your Library | Secular literature-based | $80-$200 |
1. Veritas Press Omnibus, Best Structured Program
Omnibus is Veritas Press’s six-year great books program for grades 7-12. According to the publisher, students read approximately 30 primary works per year across history, literature, theology, and philosophy. The program covers ancient through modern in three two-year cycles.
Pros: Comprehensive coverage, excellent study guides, available with online classes, Christian worldview integrated.
Cons: Expensive (especially with online classes), heavy reading load, Reformed Protestant orientation may not fit all families.
Best for: Christian families wanting a complete six-year great books plan.
2. Roman Roads Media, Best Video-Based
Roman Roads offers video-based great books courses for high school. The flagship product is “Old Western Culture,” a four-year program covering ancient Greece, ancient Rome, Christendom, and early modern Europe. According to the publisher, each course features lectures by Wesley Callihan, a veteran classical educator.
Pros: High-quality video instruction, manageable for self-directed students, beautiful production values.
Cons: Video lectures don’t replicate Socratic discussion, parent involvement still needed, Christian orientation.
Best for: Self-directed teens who learn well from video instruction.
3. Memoria Press, Best Christian Classical
Memoria Press review integrates great books into its complete K-12 curriculum. High school students read Homer, Virgil, Augustine, Dante, Shakespeare, and Christian classics with carefully written study guides. According to Cathy Duffy Reviews, Memoria’s literature guides are particularly well-regarded.
Pros: Integrated with complete curriculum, clear study guides, traditional Christian classical worldview.
Cons: Best as part of full Memoria Press program rather than standalone, Christian-only.
Best for: Families using complete Memoria Press classical curriculum.
4. The Well-Trained Mind Approach, Best Self-Directed
Susan Wise Bauer’s The Well-Trained Mind includes a detailed great books reading list for grades 9-12 along with discussion guidance and writing prompts. The approach is self-directed: parents purchase recommended texts and lead their own discussions. See our complete The Well-Trained Mind review.
Pros: Affordable, flexible, secular and religious friendly, complete K-12 framework.
Cons: Requires significant parent planning, no built-in study guides for every text.
Best for: Self-directed parents on moderate budgets.
5. Angelicum Academy, Best Catholic Great Books
Angelicum Academy is a Catholic great books homeschool program offering accredited courses from kindergarten through high school. According to the academy, the program features online discussion classes that simulate a college great books seminar.
Pros: Catholic worldview, Socratic discussion classes, accredited high school diploma available.
Cons: Expensive, schedule-bound for live classes, Catholic orientation only.
Best for: Catholic families wanting Socratic seminars.
6. Build Your Library, Best Budget Option
Build Your Library is a literature-based homeschool curriculum that integrates classical and Charlotte Mason approaches. While not exclusively a great books program, it features substantial classical literature reading at affordable prices.
Pros: Affordable, secular, beautiful book lists, accommodates multiple ages.
Cons: Lighter on philosophy and theology than dedicated great books programs.
Best for: Secular families on tight budgets, see our classical homeschool on a budget guide.
What to Look for in a Great Books Program
Primary Sources
The best programs assign actual texts (Plato’s Apology, Augustine’s Confessions) rather than excerpts in textbooks. Look for programs that require purchasing the actual books.
Discussion Questions
Reading great books is necessary but not sufficient. Quality programs include thoughtful discussion questions that help students analyze, compare, and respond.
Writing Component
Students should write essays, summaries, or analytical responses to demonstrate understanding. Programs without writing tend to produce shallow reading.
Reasonable Pacing
Beware programs that try to cover too many books too quickly. Two or three weeks per major work is typical.
Worldview Fit
Most great books programs are explicitly Christian. Secular families should look at Build Your Library or Well-Trained Mind for inclusive options.
How to Teach Great Books at Home
- Read along with your student. The best discussions happen when both parent and child have read the same text.
- Schedule weekly discussion time. Set aside 45-60 minutes weekly for in-depth conversation.
- Use study guides. Even if you have read the book, a guide highlights key passages and questions.
- Encourage written response. A short weekly journal or essay solidifies thinking.
- Connect to history and theology. Great books gain depth when read in context.
- Be patient. A 14-year-old will not respond to Plato like a college student. Plant seeds.
A Closer Look at Implementation
One of the most useful things newer homeschoolers can do is to look beyond the marketing and curriculum brochures and consider how a real classical week unfolds in practice. Many families discover that the gap between curriculum theory and daily reality is wider than they expected, and that small adjustments can make the difference between a flourishing year and a frustrating one.
Successful classical homeschoolers tend to share several common rhythms. They protect a consistent morning block when minds are freshest, save more independent work for afternoons, and weave reading aloud into transitions like meals or bedtime. They also resist the temptation to compare their daily progress to other families’ Instagram feeds. Two homes following the exact same curriculum will look quite different, and that is normal.
Daily Rhythm vs. Strict Schedule
Charlotte Mason famously preferred “habits” to “rules,” and the principle applies here. Rather than scheduling every minute, set a few non-negotiables: morning prayer or memory time, math before lunch, daily read-aloud before bed. Around those anchors, the rest of the day can flex with energy levels, weather, and the unexpected interruptions of family life.
The Three-Year Test
Veterans of classical homeschooling often say that any new approach deserves at least three years before judgment. Year one is the learning curve, year two is the adjustment, and year three is when the long-term benefits begin to show. Families who switch curricula every twelve months rarely see the deeper fruits of any single approach.
Building Your Personal Rule of Life
Many classical educators borrow from monastic tradition the idea of a “rule of life,” a written set of commitments that orders daily practice. For homeschool families, a simple rule might include: read aloud daily, recite memory work three times per week, study Latin four days per week, take Friday afternoons off for nature, attend a co-op weekly. Writing it down and reviewing it monthly keeps families honest without becoming legalistic.
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Even experienced classical homeschoolers fall into predictable traps. Awareness of these pitfalls is the first defense.
- Over-purchasing in year one. New classical families often spend hundreds of dollars on resources they will never use. Buy minimal materials at first, then add only what proves necessary.
- Skipping the read-aloud. When the day gets busy, the read-aloud is often the first thing dropped. This is exactly backwards: it should be the last thing dropped.
- Treating Latin as optional. Latin done inconsistently is little better than no Latin at all. Better to do 15 minutes daily than 90 minutes once a week.
- Comparing to public school benchmarks. Classical pacing is different. Some subjects pull ahead, others lag, and the integrated whole rarely matches state standards perfectly.
- Forgetting to discuss. Reading without conversation produces silent learners. Even 10 minutes of “what did you think about that chapter?” makes a difference.
- Burnout from perfectionism. No family does classical perfectly. Aim for faithful, not flawless.
Adapting for Different Learners
Classical methods are flexible enough to accommodate most learning styles when adapted thoughtfully. A child who struggles with handwriting can give oral narrations. A child with reading difficulties can listen to audiobook versions of classics. A wiggly kinesthetic learner can recite memory work while jumping on a trampoline. The classical framework is robust; the daily expression of it should bend to fit the child.
Children with significant learning differences may need modifications. Memoria Press in particular has been praised by families with dyslexic students for its clarity, repetition, and systematic phonics. ADHD-affected students often thrive with shorter lessons, frequent breaks, and movement-friendly memory work. Gifted students may compress the lower stages and reach high school great books a year or two early.
What Year Two Often Looks Like
Many homeschoolers report that year two is when classical education starts to “click.” The parent has a year of experience, the child knows the rhythms, and the curriculum’s deeper structure begins to reveal itself. Specific markers of a healthy year two include:
- The child voluntarily picks up a book to read
- Memory work surfaces in unexpected conversations
- Latin vocabulary helps with English words
- History from year one connects to year two reading
- The parent feels more confident planning ahead
If year two does not show these signs, it may be worth evaluating whether the chosen curriculum is the right fit for your family. Many families switch programs at the year-two mark and find better alignment with their second choice.
How Classical Builds Character
One often-overlooked benefit of classical education is its consistent attention to character formation. Reading Plutarch’s Lives exposes children to historical figures who chose courage over comfort. Discussing the moral choices in Charlotte’s Web or The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe teaches children to evaluate behavior thoughtfully. Memorizing Scripture or classic poetry plants wisdom in the heart that surfaces later in life.
This is not the same as moralism or preaching. Classical character formation works through immersion in good stories told well, not through lectures. Children naturally absorb the values of the books they love. Choose books carefully, and the character work happens naturally.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I do great books without a curriculum?
Yes, especially if you have studied great books yourself. Use a public domain source like the Britannica Great Books list and lead your own discussions.
What age should my child start?
Most great books programs begin formally in 7th-9th grade. Younger children should read children’s classics and abridged versions of major works.
Is great books only for college-bound students?
No. Great books shape character and intellect for any future path. Even students entering trades benefit.
How many books per year?
Quality programs cover 15-30 major works per year in grades 9-12, depending on length and difficulty.
Are great books programs religious?
Most are explicitly Christian, since the Western canon includes substantial Christian theology. Secular families can adapt or use Build Your Library and Well-Trained Mind.
Final Recommendation
For the most structured and complete great books program, choose Veritas Press Omnibus. For families wanting video instruction, Roman Roads Media is excellent. For self-directed and budget-conscious families, build your own using The Well-Trained Mind framework. Whatever you choose, the goal is the same: to put your child in conversation with the great minds of the Western tradition.
For more, see our classical education beginner’s guide, classical book list by age, classical high school guide, and best classical curriculum.
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