Series: World History Series.
Subject Areas: History.
Ages: 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16.
Type: Combined volumes (C/V), Internet-Linked

This history volume is a fabulous addition to any school or home library, and can save you and your students many hours of time with its consecutive coverage of civilizations and events, accompanied by gorgeous photos and illustrations. We have used this book over and over again for school at home AND for school classes and reports. It's also just plain fun to read.

There are four detailed sections, each approximately 100 pages in length -- Prehistoric World, Ancient World, Medieval World, and The Last 500 Years. Each section begins with an overview of that time period, and an explanation of the Internet Links which can be utilized for even more information. At the top of each 2-page spread you'll see the subject and the dates being covered, and lots of maps are sprinkled throughout. The sections on Ancient World (10,000 B.C. to 500 A.D.) and Medieval World (500 A.D. to 1500 A.D.) are available as separate volumes too, if you wish to have them that way; both received the Dr. Toy 100 Best Children's Products Award. Shortly after this book came out, Usborne/EDC was named History Publisher Company of the Year by Lifeworks Magazine.

There's a presentation of the theory of evolution and Darwin on one of the pages of the Prehistoric section; you'll also see a small section on the big bang theory, and the usual references are made to millions of years ago - you may or may not agree with these items. I found this section to be the most helpful in learning facts about fossil life, the different categories of dinosaurs, the vast variety of life on earth, and the ideas about how very early civilizations survived.

One internet-link we really enjoyed is from the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago -- you get to meet "Sue" -- the largest, and best preserved Tyrannosaurus rex fossil, and a permanent feature at The Field Museum. This one's not a composite of several animals, it's the fossilized bones of the single largest, most complete, and best preserved T. rex fossil yet discovered. The whole story of the discovery, preservation and assembly of this dinosaur is very well done.

Once you get to the Ancient World section of the book, much more is based on actual historical records, and this is where photos begin to abound. Tomorrow I'll go into more detail about the Ancient World section.

Purchase

Awards: Dr. Toy 100 Best Children's Products Award, Lifeworks Magazine Real Life Award
Of Interest To: Teachers, Parents, Librarians and Media Specialists

Series: English Heritage Series.
Subject Areas: History.
Ages: 8 9 10 11 12 13 14.
Type: Internet-Linked

Knights and Armor is Usborne's glorious new title about the Middle Ages, and it is spectacular. Five sections of this book neatly piece together all the details of the age of knights - these include Knight's Battle Gear, Knights at War, Knights at Peace, Knights and Chivalry, and a Knight's "Fact File." Photos of real horsemen and armor are abundant, as well as detailed drawings, maps, and famous legends connected with this fascinating period.

The vocabulary is rich with terms that the student can learn in context -- words like lethal, manor, fief, peasant, destrier, regard, flail, hauberk, coif, and more. These would make a challenging spelling word list, too. Many of the words weren't familiar to me but I learned them as I went.

Short writing assignment ideas leap out of this book too -- What was the attitude of the Englishmen toward archery? How did armor change over the years of the Middle Ages? How was chain mail made, and how did it protect the knights? What various uses did shields have? What characterized the "perfect knight"? How important were horses to the knights? Describe the battle tactics knights used.

Then there is the potential to add a vast array of experiences thru the internet links: Pretend to be a squire and prepare a knight for battle. Build a trebuchet and destroy a castle, Design your own coat-of-arms, try medieval recipes, examine illuminated manuscripts, learn about hunting with birds, famous battles and many other activities.

This book is the perfect follow-up to Knights and Castles from the Time Traveler Series. It would be great fun to pair it up with the Knight's Handbook and See Inside Castles. For hands-on learning, have your student build a medieval castle from the Cutout Series. Medieval World from the World History Series (which I will begin blogging on next week) adds even more detail to this important historic era.

Purchase

Of Interest To: Librarians and Media Specialists, Parents, Teachers, Homeschoolers

Series: Picture Books Series, English Heritage Series.
Subject Areas: History.
Ages: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8.
Type: Picture Book

Since I reviewed See Inside Castles earlier this week, I want to look at a similar title for younger kids. This one is not a flap book, and it's written more in storybook style, In the Castle from the Picture Books series is just as fun and educational as all the other Usborne picture books. Dr. Abigail Wheatley, an expert on castles, helped with this one also. This one is part of the English Heritage group of books that Usborne has produced -- English Heritage is an organization that takes care of castles all over England.

The book begins with the question: Have you ever visited an old, tumbledown castle... and wondered what it was like to live there, long, long ago? Well, honestly, unless you live in the UK, you probably haven't visited one, but most kids seem utterly fascinated by castles and knights anyway. Kings, queens, knights, ladies-in-waiting, horses, blacksmiths, cooks, fighting, castles, jousting and more are illustrated and explained. I love the tone of these books, very simple and peaceful, and at the same time you learn a surprising amount of information.

Purchase

Of Interest To: Librarians and Media Specialists, Parents, Teachers

Series: See Inside Series.
Subject Areas: History.
Ages: 6 7 8 9 10 11 12.
Type: Flap Books

This series in the Usborne line reminds me of Time Traveler in style and content, minus the characters. These books are meant to be enjoyed over and over again, and kids who love to "do things" will certainly like the flaps to open and discover new facts. The drawings are really lovely. These books are incredibly sturdy, from board-like pages to heavy flaps, and a thick, slightly slippery cover.

How did the Romans really live? See Inside Ancient Rome provides overviews of life in the city of Rome -- on the streets, at the port, at the Roman baths (be forewarned that these tiny figures are nude but discreetly posed!), sections on how the rich citizens live, what it was like in the army, the gruesome games at the Colosseum, and a final section about Rome as it appears today. The inside back page explains the various classes of Roman culture. The book was written with the help of history expert Dr. Anne Millard. (Dr Millard wrote a nonUsborne book called A Street Through Time that looks great for 9-14 year olds, which takes kids through fourteen key periods in history.)

Purchase

Another in this series, See Inside Castles is equally gorgeous. Kids learn all the parts of the castle and the vocabulary -- baileys, moats, keeps, etc. as well as info about jousts, banquets and castles today. Abigail Wheatley, Ph.D, a castle expert, assisted with the writing of this book.

Purchase

Of Interest To: Librarians and Media Specialists, Parents, Teachers

Series: Time Traveler Series.
Subject Areas: History.
Ages: 6 7 8 9 10 11.
Type: Combined volume(C/V)

I'm taking a break from new titles to highlight an Usborne history classic. Homeschoolers discovered this book long ago and have integrated it into lots of curriculum plans, but schools use it, too. Our county library system has had Time Traveler in each of its branches and I'm told it's extremely popular. This was the first Usborne book I ever laid eyes on and I knew instantly my kids would LOVE it. Based on research and archaeological finds, Usborne transports the reader back in time to join the native people in their everyday life. Kids love this detailed look at how people lived. The drawings, mostly by Stephen Cartwright, are captivating and humor abounds.

Four areas are studied in detail -- Viking times, Knights and Castles, Pharoahs and Pyramids, and Rome and the Romans. (The sections on Rome and the section on Knights are both available as a separate book if you prefer.) Each title has been awarded the Dr. Toy "Best Classic Toys" Award.

When we used Time Traveler for school, my children accompanied the study by making a model castle, writing a journal of a typical day they might have had, and added in several Usborne books from the Starting Point History series -- What Were Castles For? for example. If I remember correctly, my son Nathan went thru the entire Time Traveler book four times, just because he loved it so much!

Purchase

Awards: Dr. Toy Best Classic Toys Award
Of Interest To: Librarians and Media Specialists, Parents, Teachers

Series: English Heritage Series.
Subject Areas: History, Humor.
Ages: 4 5 6 7 8 9 10.

This hilarious book was written with the help of a REAL princess -- Princess Beatrice von Preussen, a great-great-great-great granddaughter of Queen Victoria and a descendent of the Prussian royal family. Would you like to see her? The handbook is a tongue-in-cheek look at royalty and although some of it may be true, it's definitely meant to be silly.

You'll begin with a quiz to see if you have what it takes to be a princess, learn all the rules and regulations, how to relate to servants, fashion do's and don't's, become talented at choosing jewels, and learn to perform your public duties. Then there's the royal etiquette! Curtseying, waving, behaving at banquets and such, then you'll finish making your way thru a maze of questions to see if you're really princess or peasant. I appreciated the page with place settings at a banquet and how to select the right fork, knife, spoon and glass. (This was accurate as far as I could tell.)

The book is fun, feminine(with a pink ribbon to mark your spot) and most girls will love it. This is a companion to the Knight's Handbook I reviewed earlier this year. I would add this to any study of the Medieval Age just for fun, and encourage a writing assignment on what it might be like to be a member of a royal family. If you want to read something on the more serious side about royalty, check out Usborne's Victorians or Kings and Queens .

Purchase

Of Interest To: Parents, Teachers, Librarians and Media Specialists