Sonlight is a literature-based, Christian homeschool curriculum built around living books, missionary biographies, and a global view of history. It has shaped tens of thousands of Christian homeschools since the early 1990s. This page covers what Sonlight is, the philosophy behind it, what a typical day looks like, what it costs, and how Arizona ESA families handle Sonlight purchases.
For broader options, see our homeschool curriculum directory and our Arizona ESA homeschool guide.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Sonlight Curriculum, Ltd. |
| Worldview | Christian, broadly evangelical, missions-focused |
| Grade levels | PreK through 12th grade |
| Format | Boxed Cores with Instructor's Guide and 30+ books |
| Teaching style | Literature-based, narrative history, Charlotte Mason adjacent |
| Parent prep | Moderate to high - read-alouds and discussion |
| Student independence | Grows in upper elementary; high in junior high |
| Daily time | 3 to 5 hours, grade dependent |
| Arizona ESA eligible | Conditional - history and literature billable; Bible packages typically excluded |
| Best for | Families who love reading aloud and want a global, Christ-centered worldview |
Overview
A Sonlight year is built around a History / Bible / Literature (HBL) Core that pairs a teacher's guide with thirty or more living books. Instead of textbooks, students read biographies, historical fiction, and primary sources, then discuss them with a parent who reads alongside. Sonlight rotates families through a five-year world history cycle, then repeats it at deeper levels in junior high and high school.
Sonlight is unapologetic about its three commitments: a complete Christian worldview, a global perspective (lots of missions, lots of non-Western history), and a books-not-textbooks approach.
Who This Curriculum Is Best For
Sonlight fits families who:
- Love reading aloud and don't want to give it up
- Want a Christian curriculum that treats world history seriously, not just American
- Have multiple children who can be combined into one Core
- Are comfortable with a heavier daily reading load
- Want a strong missions and global-church emphasis
Who Should Consider Something Else
Sonlight may not fit if:
- You want a textbook-driven, school-at-home program - try Abeka or BJU Press
- You want a video or self-paced format - Veritas Press or Teaching Textbooks may suit better
- You want low-prep and short days - The Good and the Beautiful is gentler
- You're cost-sensitive - Sonlight's Cores are among the most expensive curriculums per year
What You Buy: The Core System
Sonlight is sold as Cores, lettered A through W, that cover History / Bible / Literature together. Each Core ships with:
- Instructor's Guide (the spine - daily plan, discussion questions, schedule)
- 30 to 40 books (read-alouds, readers, history spines, biographies)
- Bible study materials
- Optional add-ons: Language Arts, Science, and Math
You can buy each subject as a stand-alone, or buy an All-Subjects Package and let the Instructor's Guide schedule everything.
The five-year world history rotation:
- Cores A and B: Intro to the World - cultures and countries
- Core C and D: World History parts 1 and 2
- Core E: American History part 1
- Core F: Eastern Hemisphere
- Core G and H: World History (older)
- Core J: World History through the Eyes of the Makers and Movers
- Core W: 20th Century World History
Daily Schedule Example (Core D, ages 8-11)
- Read-aloud history with Mom (30 min)
- Independent reader (20 min)
- Bible reading and discussion (15 min)
- Math (30-45 min)
- Language Arts (30 min)
- Science (30 min, 3x per week)
A typical day runs 3 to 4 hours focused, with significant additional pleasure reading.
Pricing
Sonlight is on the higher end. As of 2026 pricing:
- HBL Core (history + Bible + literature, including all books): ~$700 to $900
- Full All-Subjects Package with Science, Language Arts, Math: ~$1,000 to $1,400
- Used Sonlight is a healthy market on Facebook groups and Sonlight's used-curriculum board
Books are reusable across children, which makes Sonlight more affordable on subsequent kids.
Arizona ESA Eligibility
Sonlight is conditionally ESA-eligible under Arizona's Empowerment Scholarship Account program. In practice:
- History, Literature, Language Arts, Science, and Math components - typically reimbursable as standard academic curriculum.
- Bible study materials, devotionals, and religious-instruction read-alouds - usually require parent funds. Arizona Department of Education ESA policy restricts direct funding of religious instruction, and Sonlight's Bible programs are explicit Christian instruction.
- Boxed Core kits - because Cores bundle Bible and academic materials together, ESA families often unbundle: order the academic components for reimbursement and pay for the Bible portion separately. Sonlight's customer service team will quote unbundled prices.
Sonlight is not a registered ClassWallet Marketplace vendor for direct purchase, so most families buy from sonlight.com and submit itemized receipts for reimbursement. Confirm reimbursement strategy in your ClassWallet portal before placing a large order.
For the full picture, read our Arizona ESA homeschool guide and the homeschool vs. ESA explainer.
How It Compares
- vs. My Father's World: Both unify history, Bible, and literature. MFW is more affordable, has a heavier teacher-led element, and is more Charlotte Mason. Sonlight has a richer book list and stronger missions emphasis.
- vs. The Good and the Beautiful: TGTB is open-and-go and far less expensive. Sonlight requires more parent reading time and discussion, but goes deeper.
- vs. Memoria Press: Memoria is classical (Latin, great books, structured rhetoric). Sonlight is literature-based but not classical - more biography and missions, less Latin.
- vs. Abeka: Abeka is textbook-traditional. Sonlight rejects textbooks in favor of living books.
Common Questions
Is Sonlight a Christian curriculum? Yes. Sonlight is broadly evangelical Protestant with a strong missions emphasis. Bible study is built into every Core. Families from many denominations use it.
Can I buy Sonlight with my Arizona ESA? Conditionally. History, literature, language arts, science, and math components are routinely reimbursed. Bible study materials and explicitly religious instruction typically require parent funds under ADE policy. Many families purchase Cores with the Bible portion unbundled. Verify with ClassWallet before submitting.
Is Sonlight too much reading? For families who don't love reading aloud, yes. Cores assume a parent who will spend 60 to 90 minutes a day on read-alouds with younger children. If that's not realistic for your season, consider Master Books, BJU Press, or Teaching Textbooks add-ons.
Can one parent teach multiple kids with Sonlight? Yes - that's a core design goal. Sonlight publishes age ranges for each Core (e.g., Core D ages 8-11) so you can combine siblings under one history/Bible/literature track and individualize math and language arts.
Does Sonlight prepare students for college? Yes. Sonlight's high school program is rigorous, includes British and American literature, world history, and government, and Sonlight families have a strong college-acceptance track record. Most add a separate math (Saxon, Math-U-See, or AoPS) and Apologia or BJU Press science.
What's the difference between an HBL Core and an All-Subjects Package? HBL Core is history + Bible + literature only. All-Subjects Package adds the recommended language arts, science, and math for that age range, all scheduled in the Instructor's Guide.
Arizona Programs Using Sonlight
The directory below lists every Arizona Christian co-op, microschool, and tutorial that uses Sonlight. Tap any program for location, hours, and contact info.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sonlight ESA approved in Arizona? Partially. Academic components (history, literature, language arts, science, math) are routinely reimbursable through the Arizona ESA. Bible study materials and explicit religious instruction usually require parent funds. Sonlight will quote Cores with the Bible portion unbundled on request. Confirm in your ClassWallet portal.
Is Sonlight a complete homeschool curriculum? Yes. All-Subjects Packages cover history, Bible, literature, language arts, science, and math for one year. HBL-only Cores cover history, Bible, and literature; you add math and other subjects separately.
How much does Sonlight cost? Roughly $700 to $1,400 per year per Core, depending on whether you buy HBL only or the All-Subjects Package. Books are reusable across multiple children.
What grades does Sonlight cover? PreK through 12th grade, with a five-year world-history rotation that repeats at deeper levels in junior high and high school.
Is Sonlight Calvinist or Arminian? Neither specifically. Sonlight is broadly evangelical Protestant and intentionally non-denominational. It is read and used across Reformed, Wesleyan, Baptist, non-denominational, and other Christian traditions.