About Sonlight
Who We Are
Sonlight is a complete, Christian, literature-based homeschool curriculum for preschool through high school. Families choose Sonlight because it delivers a deep, connected education built on rich stories—not dry textbooks. Every program comes fully planned, with daily schedules, notes, and teaching helps that let parents teach confidently from day one.
What You Gain
- Benefits for Your Children
• Love for learning sparked through unforgettable stories
• Strong reading, thinking, and communication skills
• Broad cultural understanding through global literature
• Deep biblical integration woven naturally into daily learning - Benefits for You as the Parent-Teacher
• Complete, open-and-go Instructor’s Guides—no planning required
• Confidence that all subjects are covered and sequenced well
• Daily notes and teaching prompts so you never feel unprepared
• A curriculum that adapts to real life—whether you have one child or many - Benefits for Your Family Culture
• Shared stories that create lasting bonds
• Meaningful conversations that nurture faith, encourage kindness, and build character
• A joyful learning atmosphere instead of battles over worksheets
We’re so confident your family will thrive with Sonlight that we offer an unmatched 100% money-back guarantee—if you don’t love it, send it back for a full refund.
What Makes Sonlight Different
- We start with history and literature—not textbooks.
Our programs are built around great books that immerse students in real people, places, and ideas. Children remember what they experience, not what they skim. - We do the planning for you.
Instructor’s Guides remain Sonlight’s signature innovation—carefully scheduled, richly annotated, and continually refined for more than 35 years. - We champion relationships and conversation.
Learning happens through discussion, curiosity, and shared discovery—not passive memorization. - We choose only the best-of-the-best materials.
Thousands of families trust our curated selections because the books are genuinely excellent—not just “good enough.” - We serve homeschooling families with Christian conviction and missionary DNA.
Sonlight began by equipping parents on the mission field—those who had no libraries, few resources, and great need. That heart remains. - We provide community and support.
Sonlight Advisors and mentors (and real homeschool parents) are available to help support your homeschool journey—from helping you choose the right curriculum, through the day-to-day task of homeschooling, to encouragement and prayer when you need it.
Our Story
In 1989, stateside missionaries John and Sarita Holzmann needed a way to provide an excellent Christian education for their children. Sarita began homeschooling—and to her surprise—loved it. But at that time, no
complete, ready-to-use homeschool program existed. Each family had to assemble materials on its own, a challenge that was far more acute for missionaries serving overseas without access to English-language resources.
Sarita saw the need and sensed a calling: gather and schedule the finest literature, history, Bible, science, and hands-on learning materials into one cohesive curriculum. Her gift for organization, her passion for books, and her heart for globally minded families grew into what became Sonlight.
More than 35 years later, the mission remains the same: equip families to raise children who love learning, love God, and are prepared to follow Christ wherever He leads.
Our Educational Philosophy
Sonlight does not replicate public-school methods at home. From the beginning, we pioneered an alternative: literature-based learning—education built on stories, conversation, and connection.
Why It Works
- Stories create emotional hooks that help children remember what they learn.
- Literature builds empathy, imagination, and cultural understanding.
- Students trained to think—not just recite—become lifelong learners.
What Families Experience
- A reluctant reader who finally discovers a book that ignites joy
- A child who voluntarily wakes early on Saturday to “do more Sonlight”
- Siblings begging to start school a week sooner
These real accounts matter more to us than test scores—though Sonlight graduates report earning above-average marks and excel in fields ranging from engineering to medicine to missions and the arts.
Our Continuing Commitment
Even as Sonlight has grown, our core remains unchanged:
- A carefully curated library of world-class books
- Instructor’s Guides that free you from prep work
- A Christian, global perspective rooted in Scripture
- A joyful, relational approach that turns learning into a shared adventure
The “secret” is simple: Children learn best through great stories. Books condense a lifetime of wisdom into pages that delight, challenge, and inspire.
You can experience that joy in your home, too. We hope you will.
REQUEST A FREE CATALOG
Find your ideal homeschool curriculum in the pages of Sonlight's free catalog. Browse Sonlight's award-winning literature-based curriculum and academically excellent products in all subjects—for all grades.
