Homeschoolers' opinions differ on the need for standardized testing. Is standardized testing a part of your school? Do you have a student who needs test-taking practice? If so, Test Ready study booklets will help your child succeed.

One useful feature of the Test Ready series is that the study booklets target specific areas. For example, Plus Reading covers typical comprehension and critical thinking questions, while Omni Reading additionally prepares students for written response questions. This way, you can buy only what you need. All booklets come with a teacher guide which, in addition to answers, also has pretests, a scope and sequence which breaks down the question topics, and scoring rubrics for written responses. The teacher's guide gives a great deal of support in using these booklets effectively, including suggested lesson plans and how long to spend per day.

These test booklets have been designed for classroom use, and may seem like overkill for the more relaxed homeschool. In the home, they would be best used by a teacher who is working directly with a student; they're not designed for independent work. I generally prefer independent work for my kids, but if I needed to help a child with test-taking, these booklets would enable me to do so in a very effective way.

Product review by Jennifer Loucks, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, March, 2009