How to Use Living Books to Teach Music in Your Homeschool
Hi friends! I’m Gena Mayo from Music in Our Homeschool, and today I want to share one of my favorite ways to make music education fun, easy, and meaningful in your homeschool—by using living books.
As a music teacher for over 30 years and a homeschooling mom of eight (four of whom have graduated and two from college), I know many homeschool parents feel unsure about teaching music. But don’t worry—you don’t need to be a musician to give your children a rich music education. One of the best tools in your toolbox is living books.
Disclosure: I get commissions for purchases made through affiliate links in this post.
What Are Living Books?
The term “living book” comes from 19th-century British educator Charlotte Mason. Living books are engaging, beautifully written, and full of life. Rather than dry textbooks, these books tell stories that capture your child’s imagination and interest. They are often written by a single passionate author and can include narrative biographies, historical fiction, or imaginative storytelling related to a topic—like music!
Becky Aniol defines a living book as: “A living book is a whole narrative beautifully written by an authority with contagious delight in his or her subject, which engages both the mind and the heart, capturing the imagination and inspiring interest in the subject, igniting a sense of virtue worthy of imitation, and compellingly inviting the reader, both young and old, to read on and read again.”
You can find living books for nearly every subject—and today, I’ll show you how to use them for homeschool music education.
5 Powerful Ways to Use Living Books to Teach Music in Your Homeschool
1. Teach About Composers
Learning about composers through living books makes music history come alive! Try these:
Chapter-style composer biographies from Zeezok Publishing (Opal Wheeler series):
Understanding genres helps children recognize and appreciate the wide world of music.
For multiple styles:
Music Is…by Stephen T. Johnson This oversized accordion-style book covers classical, jazz, hip hop, pop, rock, country, Latin, and more. It's interactive and visually stunning—great for sparking curiosity.
For hymn study:
Then Sings My Soul (or similar hymn-story books) Read the background of beloved hymns and connect them with your family’s faith and history.
Introduce your kids to the orchestra and various musical instruments:
The Story of the Orchestra by Robert Levine Comes with a CD and includes sections on composers and musical eras. The book explores each family of instruments (strings, brass, percussion, woodwinds) and highlights instruments like violin, trumpet, cello, and more.
Library Picks Check out books on specific instruments—like the saxophone, piano, tuba, or percussion. These make great companions to unit studies or music lessons.
4. Sing Through Picture Books
Turn story time into music time with singable books—great for preschool and early elementary!
Final Thoughts about Using Living Books to Teach Music
Living books bring music education to life in a way that dry worksheets and textbooks never could. Whether you’re reading a composer’s biography, exploring jazz through a picture book, or singing lullabies at bedtime, you’re giving your children a meaningful and joyful connection to music.
Tip: Check your local library or homeschool curriculum store for many of these titles. You don’t have to buy them all—just borrow and enjoy!
Check out my course: A Folk Song a Week!
Learn to sing 36 different songs.
A Folk Song a Week
36 Folk Songs included , so learn one a week throughout a full school-year!
