Story of the World

I consider this four volume set our family’s foundation for learning history. I have been reading these books to the children off and on, taking about a year to cover one volume. Each book is roughly 400 pages with minimal illustrations, mostly maps. The books offer a sweeping overview of history as it was happening simultaneously throughout the world.

Susan Wise Bauer’s writing style kept my son listening with rapt attention. He is now in the sixth grade and breezing through history...and really enjoying the subject. My daughter on the other hand usually listened while playing with matchbox cars or her collection of animals on the floor. Even so I know she gleaned a little from my reading because she would occasionally beg me to stop. “Mommy, I just can’t take it. Those people are being so mean to each other. It makes me sad." I'll let you know how she does in that sixth grade history class in a couple of years!

And as for me, I enjoyed the perspective it gave me and learning about events previously unknown to me. As embarrassing as it is to admit, I was never taught about Magellan in my entire life! I also enjoyed learning about the Sumerians, Simón Bolívar, Marie-Madeleine Jarret De Verchères, the Crimean War and so much more.

If you want to give your children a strong background in history you simply must find room for this series on your bookshelf. We purchased the paperback versions but the books are also offered in hardback and some of them are still available in an audio format which would be nice for those inclined to listen in the car. Each volume has a corresponding activity book brimming with crafts, recipes, work sheets, maps, further reading suggestions and other projects. We have the first two activity books but finding time to work with them became an issue for us and we tapered off of them. They would be ideal for homeschoolers. Some project ideas are really cool, like how to mummify a chicken, believe it or not. We did not try that (yet) but we did recreate the Nile in a roasting pan that involved planting grass seeds along the banks and then flooding the Nile. The kids were excited to see the Nile valley turn green with real grass!

The series includes:
• The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child: Volume 1: Ancient Times: From the Earliest Nomads to the Last Roman Emperor, available in hardcover and paperback. A corresponding activity book is also available.

• The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child, Volume 2: The Middle Ages: From the Fall of Rome to the Rise of the Renaissance, available in hardcover, paperback and audio CD. A corresponding activity book is also available.

• The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child, Volume 3: Early Modern Times, available in hardcover and paperback. A corresponding activity book is also available.

• The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child, Volume 4: The Modern Age: From Victoria's Empire to the End of the USSR, available in hardcover, paperback and audio CD. A corresponding activity book is also available.

Ages 9-12
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