MASTERBOOKS Homeschool Curriculum: Christian Review

If you're researching Master Books curriculum, you're probably wondering whether it's gentle-but-solid… or just a little too light and fluffy. After looking through their programs and comparing them with other Christian homeschool options, I think MasterBooks is a lovely fit for some families — but definitely not every family.

Before I start this MasterBooks homeschool curriculum review, I want you to picture two homeschool mornings.

In one house, Mum is standing over the kitchen table trying to convince a crying child to finish another math worksheet while the toddler is tipping cereal onto the floor and someone’s asking where their left sock went. Everyone’s frustrated, school has barely started, and the whole day already feels heavy.

In the other house, homeschool is somehow basically finished before lunch. The kids are curled up on the couch reading stories, Mum is drinking coffee while it’s still warm for once, and nobody looks emotionally damaged by long division. 😂

That second homeschool family?

There’s actually a pretty good chance they’re using MasterBooks.

And honestly, I think that’s one of the biggest reasons this curriculum has become so incredibly popular in Christian homeschooling circles over the last few years.

Because MasterBooks feels like relief.

It feels peaceful. It feels manageable. And after hearing from so many burnt-out homeschool moms online over the years, I think that’s exactly what many families are desperately looking for.

Who MasterBooks Is Best For (And Who Should Avoid It)

If you're in a hurry, here's the short version.

Buy MasterBooks if:

• You want shorter, gentler lessons

• Your child is anxious, struggling, or overwhelmed

• You're a burnt-out homeschool parent who needs school to feel manageable again

• You want a strong biblical worldview

• You like beautiful books and open-and-go lessons

Skip MasterBooks if:

• You want highly rigorous academics

• Your child is mathematically gifted

• You want a curriculum that pushes students hard

• You're looking for something similar to Abeka or BJU Press

• You get nervous when your child finishes a day's math in less time than it takes to eat a banana

For the right family, MasterBooks can feel like a breath of fresh air.

For the wrong family, it can feel like paying good money for a curriculum that's simply too easy (I myself paid $100 for kindy and found it was way too easy…so it was a waste of money!).

Also, before we start, something really important to save you time: I made a free comparison spreadsheet of the best Christian homeschool curriculum options, comparing programs like Masterbooks, Sonlight, Abeka, BJU Press, and more side by side. Grab the free spreadsheet here 👇

Affiliate links used in this post.

What Is MasterBooks?

MasterBooks is one of the most popular Christian homeschool curricula built around shorter lessons, gentle academics, strong biblical worldview teaching, and a very open-and-go style of learning.

It’s often described as Charlotte Mason-inspired, and I think that’s partly true… but I wouldn’t call it a true Charlotte Mason curriculum.

It definitely leans into some Charlotte Mason ideas like living books, storytelling, narration, and making learning feel warm and engaging instead of dry and textbook-heavy. But unlike pure Charlotte Mason homeschooling, MasterBooks still uses structured workbooks and textbooks quite a bit too.

So really, I’d describe it more like:

“Charlotte Mason-inspired homeschooling for busy modern families.”

And really, I think that’s part of why it’s become so popular.

Because a lot of homeschool moms love the IDEA of Charlotte Mason homeschooling… but don’t necessarily want to spend six hours planning poetry tea times while their toddler eats crayons under the table. 😂

MasterBooks gives families some of that cozy homeschool atmosphere while still keeping things simple and manageable enough for normal exhausted parents to actually use.

My Personal Experience Using MasterBooks

We personally used MasterBooks Kindergarten Math with Penny, and I’ve also read through one of their high school logic courses myself.

And my very first impression opening the curriculum was:

“Wow… this is beautiful.”

The pages are bright, colourful, visually appealing, and genuinely pleasant to sit down with. Compared to some older homeschool curriculum that looks like it was printed inside a Soviet government office in 1983, MasterBooks feels fresh and inviting.

I also really liked the stories woven through the lessons. Even in math, they try to make things feel connected to real life rather than just endless robotic equations floating through space for no apparent reason.

But then something happened that really sums up both the greatest strength AND greatest weakness of MasterBooks perfectly.

One day I explained Penny’s math lesson, turned around for what felt like about twenty seconds, and when I looked back… she was done.

Completely done with her math worksheet for the day.

She had this tiny little self-satisfied grin on her face too, like:

“Mother, I have conquered mathematics itself.”

And, part of me felt relieved because the lesson had been so easy and peaceful.

But another part of me immediately thought:

“Wait… did we just finish kindergarten math in the same amount of time it takes to butter toast?”

I think that day we ended up doing about five lessons because the material was simply too easy for her academically.

And that really became my main tension with MasterBooks overall.

It made homeschooling feel calm, simple, and incredibly manageable…

…but I also worried whether she was actually being challenged enough.

And I think that’s the exact question most parents eventually wrestle with when using MasterBooks. Checkout this interesting comment below that I read in a Christian homeschooling forum:

Why Burnt-Out Homeschool Moms Love MasterBooks

I’ve noticed something really interesting in homeschool groups over the years.

A lot of families don’t START with MasterBooks.

They end up there after burnout.

Usually they started homeschooling with something academically intense like Abeka, Saxon, or another highly rigorous curricula.

Then a few years later everyone’s exhausted.

The kids hate schoolwork. Mum dreads opening the books. And homeschooling starts feeling emotionally heavy every single day.

Then they discover MasterBooks.

And suddenly homeschool feels peaceful again.

The lessons are short. The books are beautiful. The workload feels manageable. And the kids often finish feeling successful instead of defeated.

Really, I completely understand why so many families fall in love with it.

The Biggest Criticism of MasterBooks

At the same time, MasterBooks is definitely on the easier side academically.

Especially in math and language arts.

That’s probably the single biggest criticism you’ll hear repeated over and over in homeschool groups.

Personally, I think placement testing is ESSENTIAL with MasterBooks because the grade level on the cover often feels about half a grade to a full grade easier than other Christian homeschool curriculums.

Personally, I wish I’d known that earlier.

Because I think Penny would have enjoyed it more if we’d simply started a level higher.

Now, does that make MasterBooks bad?

Not at all.

But if you’re a highly academic homeschool family wanting your children really pushed academically, you may become frustrated with it fairly quickly.

And really, I’m one of those academically rigorous homeschool mums myself.

I want my kids to be really strong academically.

But I’m also aware that not every homeschool family wants that same level of rigor.

Some families want peace. Some want confidence. Some want gentler homeschooling. And some children genuinely thrive with that.

Is MasterBooks Enough?

This is probably the biggest question parents ask.

And I think the answer depends entirely on your goals.

If your goal is:

• peaceful homeschooling,

• manageable days,

• strong biblical worldview,

• and children who don’t hate learning,

then yes.

I think MasterBooks is absolutely enough.

But if your goal is extremely rigorous academics, highly advanced math, or very competitive academic pathways, then personally I would probably supplement it or use something more academically challenging.

I often explain it like this:

MasterBooks is enough for life.

But maybe not for PhD engineering or medical school.

And I think that’s a very fair way to position it.

This mom says, “I wouldn’t worry about Masterbooks being “rigorous enough” for young kids.”

Who Thrives With MasterBooks?

I think MasterBooks works especially well for:

• struggling learners,

• anxious kids,

• reluctant learners,

• overwhelmed homeschool families,

• gentle homeschool styles,

• and children who hate endless worksheets.

Wiggly kids often do really well with it too because the lessons are short enough that they’re not sitting there feeling trapped at a table for hours.

And for burnt-out homeschool families, MasterBooks can feel like someone finally opening the curtains and letting fresh air into the room.

Who May NOT Thrive With MasterBooks?

On the other hand, I probably wouldn’t recommend MasterBooks for:

• highly academic students,

• gifted math learners,

• extremely rigorous homeschoolers,

• or families wanting very advanced academics.

And really?

I probably wouldn’t even start with MasterBooks if that’s the kind of homeschool family you are because I think the lack of challenge would frustrate you from the beginning.

Some moms want more from thier homeschool curriculum than Masterbooks gives.

Is MasterBooks Christian?

Yes — very much so - it’s gorgeously gospel-centered!

And this is one of the biggest strengths of the curriculum.

MasterBooks is openly Christian, creationist, and intentionally biblical throughout the curriculum.

This is not one of those curricula that slaps a Bible verse on the front cover and quietly teaches a secular worldview underneath.

The biblical worldview genuinely runs through the entire curriculum.

And I really respect them for that.

Is MasterBooks Accredited?

No.

But homeschool curriculum itself generally isn’t “accredited.”

That’s a common misunderstanding in homeschooling.

Programs can align with accredited institutions or umbrella schools, but the curriculum itself isn’t magically accredited simply because it says so on the website.

In other words, if you find an accredited homeschool curriculum, it’s not a homeschool curriculum. It’s actually an online school!

MasterBooks Pricing

Another reason so many homeschool families love MasterBooks is the price.

Compared with programs like Abeka or BJU Press, MasterBooks is significantly cheaper overall, usually ranging around $250 to $650 for a full year depending on the grade level and subjects you choose.

And once you’re homeschooling multiple children, that starts to matter really quickly.

Because between printers, books, supplies, subscriptions, laminators you said you’d never buy and somehow now own 😂, homeschool costs can add up fast.

MasterBooks also lets you reuse a lot of the curriculum with younger siblings later on, which helps make it even more affordable long-term.

MasterBooks Academy Video Lessons

MasterBooks also offers optional online video lessons through MasterBooks Academy.

The courses are usually around $24.99 to $59.95 per course and give about 18 months of access.

The videos are definitely simpler and less polished than programs like Abeka Academy or BJU Press.

But I think the simplicity is partly the point.

MasterBooks is trying to feel calm, manageable, and lightweight.

And for many homeschool families, that’s exactly the appeal.

What Grade Level Should You Choose?

One thing I've noticed repeatedly in homeschool groups is that many families are happier with MasterBooks when they place their child slightly above their expected grade level.

That's because MasterBooks often feels about half a grade to a full grade gentler than some other Christian homeschool curriculum options.

Before buying, I'd strongly recommend taking any available placement tests and looking at sample pages rather than automatically purchasing your child's age-based grade level.

That one decision can dramatically change your experience with the curriculum.

Quick Comparison

If you want gentle learning: MasterBooks

If you want strong academics and hands-off video lessons: BJU Press

If you want traditional rigor and thorough video lessons: Abeka

If you want literature-rich learning: Sonlight

If you want the cheapest option: Easy Peasy

MasterBooks vs Abeka

MasterBooks and Abeka feel like complete opposites emotionally.

Abeka is rigorous, workbook-heavy, highly structured, and very much “school at home.”

MasterBooks feels gentler, shorter, calmer, and far less overwhelming.

I’ve heard of a lot of burnt-out Abeka families eventually ending up with MasterBooks because they simply need homeschooling to feel peaceful again.

If you’d like to compare them more deeply, check out the curriculum for yourself here.

MasterBooks vs BJU Press

This is probably one of the most important comparisons for our family personally.

Because while MasterBooks felt wonderfully peaceful, I also wanted stronger academics and more challenge for my kids.

That’s one reason we personally use BJU Press as our core curriculum.

With BJU, I can just say:

“Off you go.”

And my kids can work independently while still getting solid academics and teacher-led instruction.

For me personally, BJU feels like the middle ground between Abeka’s intensity and MasterBooks’ gentleness.

It’s still rigorous and strongly Christian, but without the same level of overwhelm.

If you’d like to compare them more deeply, checkout my full BJU Press review article or see the curriculum for yourself here.

MasterBooks vs The Good and the Beautiful

A lot of homeschool moms compare these two because they’re both visually beautiful, gentle, and attractive to newer homeschoolers.

But personally, I would choose MasterBooks from a Christian worldview perspective every single time.

The Good and the Beautiful is its whole controversy. It says it’s Christian, but it was written by a Mormon and also has Jehovah’s Witnesses checking the curriculum.

And honestly, once you’ve got Mormon, Jehovah’s Witness, Protestant, and Catholic theology all mixed together, you’re no longer dealing with the gospel laid out clearly in the Bible because all those groups have fundamentally different views of Jesus.

That’s personally why I give a blanket “no” to The Good and the Beautiful if families are specifically wanting genuinely biblical Christian curriculum.

MasterBooks, on the other hand, is openly and clearly Christian in a traditional biblical sense.

If you'd like to compare them more deeply, checkout my full review article or see the curriculum for yourself here.

Final Verdict

So what’s my final verdict on MasterBooks homeschool curriculum?

I think MasterBooks is a bright, gentle, peaceful curriculum that’s wonderful on price… but also gentle academically.

For struggling learners, overwhelmed homeschool families, anxious kids, and burnt-out parents, it can genuinely feel life-changing.

But for highly academic homeschoolers wanting strong rigor and challenge, it may eventually feel too light.

And…that’s okay.

Not every homeschool family wants the same thing.

Personally, I probably wouldn’t use MasterBooks full-time long term because I do want stronger academics overall.

But I absolutely understand why so many homeschool families love it.

And for the right child in the right season?

I think it could be a wonderful fit.

What’s Next?

Check out the video below where I dive into other great Christian homeschool curriculum picks.