Cathy Duffy Top Picks

When evaluating curriculum, we use three main sources to learn about the materials: we gain personal experience by interacting with the curriculum itself; we read reviews by/ask questions of people who have used or are using the curriculum; and we look for a review by Cathy Duffy. We have been reading her reviews for years, and consider them usually right on the mark.

In 2005, Mrs. Duffy released her book, 100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum. We list here many (though not all) of the items she recommended in that book. Although we don't always agree with her assessments, generally we too recommend these materials highly. But we also advise you to actually obtain her book to see why she suggests them. In 100 Top Picks, she offers guidance to help you decide which materials would actually work best for you.

In 2012, she released an updated version, retitled 101 Top Picks. Six years is a long time in the homeschool publishing world, and many of Cathy's top picks were adjusted (see a list of differences here). The same thing happened again three years later, in 2015, with the publication of 102 Top Picks (see list of updates here). The core of the book in all three editions remains very similar, still offering you the tools to narrow your focus and guide you through a simplified curriculum selection process with questionnaires and charts. She helps you understand your own preferences in terms of a philosophy of education, learning styles, and goal setting, enabling you limit the seemingly limitless possibilities to a manageable number of choices.

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100 Top Picks vs. 101 Top Picks
Comparison chart #2
101 Top Picks vs. 102 Top Picks
36 Items found Print
101 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum
by Cathy Duffy
from Grove Publishing
for Preschool-Adult
in Practical Home Schooling (Location: HSR-PRAC)
102 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum
by Cathy Duffy
from Grove Publishing
for Preschool-Adult
in Practical Home Schooling (Location: HSR-PRAC)
All Through the Ages
by Christine Miller
3rd edition from Nothing New Press
World History Reference for All grades
in World History Reference (Location: HISW-REF)
Child's History of the World
by Virgil M. Hillyer
from Calvert School
World History Reference for 2nd-6th grade
in History Spines & Surveys (Location: HISRF-SPINE)
Child's Story of America
2nd edition from Christian Liberty Press
for 4th grade
in CLP History (Location: HISCUR-CLP)
$16.75 $8.50 (3 in stock)
Christian Kids Explore Biology
by Stephanie L. Redmond
from Bright Ideas Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Christian Kids Explore (Location: SCICUR-CKE)
Christian Kids Explore Creation Science
by Robert W. Ridlon,Jr., Elizabeth J. Ridlon
from Bright Ideas Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Christian Kids Explore (Location: SCICUR-CKE)
$39.95
English for the Thoughtful Child Volume One
by Mary Hyde & Cynthia Shearer
2nd edition from Greenleaf Press
for 2nd-4th grade
in Charlotte Mason Language Arts (Location: GRA-CM)
$14.50 $7.50 (3 in stock)
Fairview's Guide to Composition and Essay Writing
by Gabriel Arquilevich
from Gabriel Arquilevich
in Writing Instruction (Location: WRI-INS)
Fallacy Detective - Workbook Edition
by Hans & Nathaniel Bluedorn
Workbook from Christian Logic
for 6th-10th grade
in Christian Logic (Location: LOG-CHR)
$32.00
Feed My Sheep
by Barry Stebbing
from How Great Thou Art
for 4th-9th grade
in How Great Thou Art (Location: ELE-ARTHGTA)
$20.00 (1 in stock)
First Language Lessons Level 1
by Jessie Wise
2nd edition from Well-Trained Mind Press
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in First Language Lessons (Location: GRA-FLL)
$18.95
First Language Lessons Level 2
by Jessie Wise
2nd edition from Well-Trained Mind Press
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in First Language Lessons (Location: GRA-FLL)
$17.95 $12.00 (1 in stock)
First Language Lessons Levels 1 & 2 (old)
by Jessie Wise
from Well-Trained Mind Press
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
$4.00 (2 in stock)
Foster Package
by Genevieve Foster
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 7th-10th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$106.01
Further Up and Further In
by Diane Pendergraft
from Cadron Creek Christian Curriculum
for 4th-8th grade
in Exploring Narnia (Location: LIR-NAR)
History of Science (old)
by Rebecca Berg
2nd edition from Beautiful Feet Books
for 3rd-8th grade
in Old Edition History & Geography (Location: OHIS)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
History of Science - Guide
by Rebecca Berg
2nd edition from Beautiful Feet Books
for 3rd-8th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$18.95
Introduction to Classical Studies - Student Guide
by Cheryl Lowe
2nd edition from Memoria Press
for 3rd-5th grade
in Memoria Press Classical Studies (Location: HISCUR-MP)
$20.95 $8.00 (1 in stock)
Introduction to Classical Studies - Teacher Guide
by Cheryl Lowe
from Memoria Press
for 3rd-5th grade
in Memoria Press Classical Studies (Location: HISCUR-MP)
$20.95 $9.00 (2 in stock)
Jensen's Format Writing
by Frode Jensen
3rd edition from Wordsmiths
Writing Curriculum for 7th-12th grade
$12.00 (2 in stock)
Jensen's Format Writing
by Frode Jensen
2nd edition from Master Books
Writing Curriculum for 7th-12th grade
in Jensen's English (Location: GRA-JENSEN)
$21.59 $15.00 (1 in stock)
Jensen's Format Writing - DVD Supplement
by Frode Jensen
3rd edition from Wordsmiths
Writing Curriculum for 7th-12th grade
in Jensen's English (Location: GRA-JENSEN)
$20.00 $15.00 (1 in stock)
Mark Kistler's Draw Squad
by Mark Kistler
from Simon and Schuster
for 2nd-6th grade
in Drawing for Beginners (Location: ELE-ARTDRAW)
$20.00 $10.00 (2 in stock)
McCall-Crabbs Standard Test Lessons in Reading
by William A. McCall & Lelah Mae Crabbs
from Back Home Industries
for 1st-9th grade
in McCall-Crabbs Reading Comprehension (Location: REACOM-MC)
$28.00 (1 in stock)
Mystery of History Volume II
by Linda Lacour Hobar
2nd edition from Bright Ideas Press
History Curriculum for 5th-8th grade
in Mystery of History (Location: HISCUR-MoH)
$99.95
Mystery of History Volume II (old)
by Linda Lacour Hobar
from Bright Ideas Press
History Curriculum for 5th-8th grade
in Old Edition History & Geography (Location: OHIS)
$35.00
Noah Webster's Reading Handbook
by Darrel Trulson
from Christian Liberty Press
for 1st-2nd grade
in CLP Phonics & Reading (Location: REA-CLP)
$12.85 $7.50 (1 in stock)
Phonics Pathways
by Dolores G. Hiskes
10th edition from Jossey-Bass
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Miscellaneous Phonics (Location: PHO-MISC)
$21.00 (1 in stock)
Spell to Write and Read - Core Kit
by Wanda Sanseri
from Back Home Industries
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Spell to Write and Read (Location: PHO-SWR)
Spelling Power - Activity Task Cards
by Beverly Adams-Gordon
from Castlemoyle Books
for Kindergarten-12th grade
in Spelling Power (Location: SPE-POWER)
$32.95 $10.00 (6 in stock)
Story of the World - Softcover Set
by Susan Wise Bauer
from Well-Trained Mind Press
for 2nd-6th grade
in Story of the World (Location: HISCUR-SoW)
$62.84
Teaching the Trivium
by Harvey & Laurie Bluedorn
from Trivium Pursuit
in Classical Education (Location: HSR-METCE)
$25.50
Well-Trained Mind
by Susan Wise Bauer & Jessie Wise
4th edition from W. W. Norton and Co.
in Classical Education (Location: HSR-METCE)
$28.00 $19.00 (1 in stock)
Well-Trained Mind
by Susan Wise Bauer & Jessie Wise
5th edition from W. W. Norton and Co.
in Classical Education (Location: HSR-METCE)
$39.99
Well-Trained Mind (old)
by Susan Wise Bauer & Jessie Wise
3rd edition from W. W. Norton and Co.
in Clearance: Home School Resources (Location: ZCLE-HSR)
$16.00