About the Holiday

No matter whether you live in a city, a small town, or a farm, in a house or an apartment, you can travel anywhere through books. The magic of reading lies in its ability to transport readers through history, to far-away places and long-ago times, or perhaps to the future, where all it takes is one’s imagination to make it so. National Reading Month invites readers of all ages to experience the world in new and unfamiliar ways through amazing books like today’s that celebrates the hands-on, individual learning of homeschooling.

A Thank You Letter to My Homeschool

Written by Deb Adamson | Illustrated by Airin O’Callaghan

A boy and his little sister stand on their front porch, backpacks on, supplies at the ready, and big grins on their faces. “I’m thankful to my homeschool. Because with homeschool, I’m free to be me!” the boy says. He and his sister are off on an adventure with other kids to a nature preserve, where they learn about owls, pan in a river, and draw what they see.

Other road trips have taken them into the city to visit museums, with hands-on experiences; to a farm, where they feed a cow, play with bunnies, and learn about chickens. Remembering other adventures, the boy says he’s “thankful for . . . gazing out from the tip-top of a lighthouse. For standing at the feet of a giant T. Rex.” As much as this student loves his field trips, he also welcomes the days at home when he can read to his sister and study in the way that’s right for him. These days provide “extra time to figure out the tough stuff” and let ideas percolate.

The siblings appreciate how their classroom isn’t just one room but the community garden, where they learn to watch and wonder and wait. They visit the beach, where they collect, count, and sort shells while exploring and learning by seeing living sea creatures; and spend time in a makerspace, where they invent, build, ask questions, and learn new skills. In fact, his classroom can be anywhere he and his sister go.

“I’m thankful that every homeschool day is as different as each snowflake,” he says. “And that I am always free to be me!”

Through the voice of her protagonist, Deb Adamson writes lovingly and enthusiastically about homeschool and all of the benefits this educational model provides for students. She emphasizes the individualized and exploratory nature of homeschooling that takes children into their communities and beyond to learn in a wide range of settings and from a variety of educators and professionals. Adamson also highlights the social aspects of homeschooling and making new friends, be these with others in a network or met along the way.

Airin O’Callaghan’s cheerful, action-packed illustrations buzz with the excitement kids feel when learning in hands-on environments and shine with smiles and curiosity. Every page has so many details for readers to explore and these are sure to spark ideas for projects, field trips, and collaborations for any homeschool family.

A Thank You Letter to My Homeschool is a welcome and vibrant portrait of homeschooling that homeschool families will happily embrace as a favorite read aloud. Those unfamiliar with homeschooling or who may be interested in it will find much to recommend this learning method. The book is a must for public library collections to round out back-to-school and classroom-based offerings.

Ages 4 – 8

Sourcebooks Explore, 2025 | ISBN 978-1464216183

About the Author

Deb Adamson is a former broadcast news journalist, freelance essayist, and syndicated columnist for Gatehouse News Service. Her column about homeschooling her son was read in over 250 print newspapers nationally and online, where it is still available as a resource to homeschool families. Deb writes picture books, board books, chapter books, and middle grade novels in both fiction and nonfiction, and she’s a member of SCBWI. In addition to authoring children’s books, Deb writes for adults and hosts workshops on memoirs, humor, and revision. Deb currently lives on the Connecticut shoreline with her husband. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @DebAdamsonBooks. To learn more, visit debadamson.com.

About the Illustrator

Airin O’Callaghan is an illustrator, muralist and educator who mainly draws for children. Her work includes Some Bodies and The Mermaid With No Tail. She is the founder of Mural Wish, a nonprofit that donates murals for critically ill children. Airin lives in the Bay Area, California, where she finds inspiration in her son and in the beauty nature never fails to show. You can learn more about Airin and her work by visiting airinocallaghan.com.

National Reading Month Activity