86:100 The Asian World 600-1500 by Roger V. Des Forges & John S. Major

Review from 2011:
Middle School History covering China, Korea, India, and Japan from 600AD-1500AD.  I really enjoyed the presentation and learning more about this period of time in Asia.  Interesting to see how religion spread through the different areas and how it would change in accordance to the needs of the people of that region.  I found it fascinating to learn that the Korea had a movable metal-type printing machine 50yrs before Gutenberg made his movable type press.  There were lots of little tidbits like that which makes the history much more fun and accessible to the middle schooler and even to those adults (like me) who tend to find history dry and boring.


Page count: 176p/21,674p ytd/330,371p lifetime

75:100 The European World 400-1450 by Barbara A. Hanawalt

Review from 5 years ago now.  It still holds up and still manages to hold their attention as much as history ever does.

<i>Here's my review from 3 years ago:

Middle school history. This covers the basics of what was happening in Europe between 400-1450CE. While there were a few interesting tidbits of political and religious points that affected things that I learned, the rest was a decent covering of the era without any new major insight although I think that is due in part because it's an era of history I actually enjoy studying. Thankfully my 7th grader enjoyed it and learned lots and that is what really matters.

Can't really add much to it.  It does it's job decently enough.</i>


Page count: 192p/19,923p ytd/328,618p lifetime

67:100 The Ancient American World by William L. Fash & Mary Lyons

My review from 5 years ago (which includes a review from a few years before that:

<i>Middle-School Ancient History.  Here's my review from a few years ago:

<i>This covers the MesoAmerican, Incan, Maya, and other cultures of South and Middle America from 5000BCE to the Spanish conquistadors of the 1400 & 1500s.  There were chapters on several cultures I don't remember having learned of before and it was amazing to see the incredible art and ways they came up with to not only survive but thrive and what rich cultures came and went during that time.  As always, the more I read this series of history books the more impressed I am with them.  Much more detail in these than even my high schoolers World History text.

This time had the added bonus in that a few years ago, my family and I took a trip were we got to see some of the ancient Maya ruins and speak with some of their descendants so that part of the book definitely had a deeper resonance with me this time around in a very wonderful way. </i>


Page count: 176p/18,052p ytd/326,747p lifetime

20:100 The Ancient Greek World by Jennifer T. Roberts & Tracy Barrett

From a few years ago:
A look at history from the earliest civilizations that we have records for and how those civilizations eventually came to be called Greek through cultural similarities, language, and religious beliefs but how the lack of true community and nation forming eventually led to it's downfall. Again, a rich look at the culture not just the bare bones history and mythology.
Here's what I said when I read it a few more years ago:
I felt this did a very good job of going through ancient Greek history. It didn't focus over much on religion and mythology as I've seen so many others do. It focused more on how people lived and how their lives developed. Lots on the wars since that was, unfortunately, a fairly common occurrence but also on the development of the poleis (Greek city-states). They told of King Leonidas and his 300 Spartans against Xeres of Persia (the basis for the recent movie 300). Lots on the inventors and philosophers as well. Overall, very pleased with this series for middle school history.


Page count: 191p/5,116p ytd/316,321p lifetime

92:100 The Ancient Egyptian World by Eric H. Cline & Jill Rubalcaba

From 2014:
Middle-school ancient history covering from the earliest records of ancient Egypt through the 3rd Intermediate Age with a brief synopsis covering the Ptolemys through Cleopatra and Rome.  This looks at not just the lives of the Pharaohs and the gods of Egypt but also how the common man lived, the advancements they made throughout the ages, their art and literature, and the discoveries that have led to our current understanding of their culture.   

I love this series so much and it really makes the high school world history I'm having to read just look awful in comparison as we learn so much about each culture, not just what they did but what we believe are the reasons behind what they did and how we came to those conclusions.  It's not just boring and dry names and dates with little else behind it but works hard to bring it more alive.

Page count: 190p/16,818p ytd/308,834p lifetime

68:100 The Early Human World by Peter Robertshaw & Jill Rubalcaba

Middle-School Ancient History by Oxford Press, part of "The World In Ancient Times" series.  This is my third time reading it.  This was my previous review from 2009:

This is the first in the series of The World in Ancient Times that we are using for Matthew's Ancient History class this year and was recommended by one of his friends who is 2yrs older. I really like the format of the books. They are told in a definite story form rather than a dry "here are the facts" that so many history books do. They keep it light, interesting, and entertaining while getting the information across. They pack lots of fun little facts in which help to keep it interesting as well. I definitely learned a lot and enjoyed it and even better, so did Matthew. I think that right there is the best compliment is when the 6th grader is happy to do history when it's not normally one of his favorite subjects.

And from 2013:

Well, now I'm using it for Jonathan who is in 7th grade (we did US History for 5th & 6th since that was better for him rather than breaking it up).  He's enjoying it as much as he can any history which is about as far from his favorite subject as you can get.  I'm enjoying reading it again as there is a lot that I have forgotten since so much of it is just not something that I have to deal with in my day-to-day life.  Maybe by the time the last one reads it in a few years, I'll actually be able to retain more of it.  In the meantime, forgetting large chunks means it's a fun read when it's that time again. *big grin*

Page count: 176p/11,766p ytd/303,784p lifetime