Customer Reviews
Very good resource 
2008-04-15
Only one caution, there are some map inaccuracies in the workbook. Ninevah is on the wrong side of the Tigris river on two of the worksheets. Very nice foundation for young children; mine look forward to reading every day.
Lacks a Providential view of His-Story.... 
2008-04-04
Right from the beginning, with the "definition" of history you are given the author's world view. History is treated as a series of facts, events, and people-thereby glorifying man and his knowledge and successes APART from a Providential view of history which recognizes God's Hand in history- properly defined has His Story!
As for the writing style-the narrative is most appropriate for early elementary. The narrative is engaging for that age set and could be self read, though it lends itself to a read-aloud.
Overall, this volume is inappropriate for a Christian home educator. I would look into something from Foundation for American Christian Education, Mantle Ministries, Beautiful Feet Books or the like in lieu.
Classical homeschool 2008-03-14
Even more fun with the activity book. Better for the younger ones, say under 10 years old, but still enjoyable for older kids.
The perfect starting point ! 2008-03-09
The Story of the World is the perfect starting point for a child's study of history. Susan Wise Bauer's bibliography and supplemental materials -- see The Story of the World: Activity Book 1: Ancient Times: From the Earliest Nomads to the Last Roman Emperor, Third Edition -- provide many suggestions for further reading and for activities which enhance learning.
Using the activity book (a separate item), my daughter loved constructing an archeological dig; creating models of a river to understand how silt is carried by turbulent waters and deposited in the still waters near the mouth; documenting her personal history; and constructing copies of various historic items such as the Pharaoh Menes' innovative double crown and scepter.
This series does so much more than present historic information -- rather, the student is encouraged to expect and notice connections, and to develop the imagination necessary to understand historic context. For example, my daughter will eagerly discuss with you some interactions between environment and culture demonstrated by communities in Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, China.
Susan Wise Bauer's entire Story of the World series is readily accessible to young children, and provides a coherent overview of the history of the world and a timeline of history across cultures around the world.
Note that while the Story of the World series is addressed to children in the early years (grammar stage), Susan Wise Bauer's The History of the Ancient World: From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome is intended for the adult audience, yet can serve as a useful adjunct to The Story of the World series.
Highly recommended!
Not just for Home Schoolers! 2008-03-09
I am a busy working mom, but I am engaged in my children's lives. I learned about Susan Bauer's work from home schoolers in my area. Although I am not a home schooler, I used this book to help engage my children in history. My daughters (age 7 and 4) loved this book. We spent about 30 minutes every week reading a chapter and doing an activity. They were loved the stories. We completed the book in 11 months. They frequently asked if we could do more than one chapter. It is such vivid writing. This was a great investment.
I've always wanted to know this stuff 2008-07-19
This comprehensive history program helps put today's conflicts in perspective. The chapters are short, and have lots of stories, legends, and myths to keep the child interested along with the more "information" parts. Both my 7-year-old and I learned a lot.
While we are not religious, I like that it includes the biblical information in "context," i.e. what was happening in egypt when Moses was born, etc. It gives a kind of cultural literacy in our predominantly Christian society. The book equally treats the birth of leaders/founders from other religions (Confucious, the Budda, etc.)
I recommend the activity book .The Story of the World: Activity Book 1: Ancient Times: From the Earliest Nomads to the Last Roman Emperor, Third Edition and tests The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child: Tests for Volume 1: Ancient Times (Story of the World: History for the Classical Child)as well. I let my daughter take "open book" tests when we're done with everything else in the chapter
Narrative & comprehensive ancient history for kids (& adults). 2008-07-03
I bought this book while homeschooling my two girls. The book was such good story that I began using it for evening reading to the girls before bed (that way I got to read it too!)
I found that the narrative format (story telling) was much more engaging than a collection of facts (as textbooks tend to do). The author selects information, individuals and nations and so obviously leaves out a lot of information (as noted in other reviews.) HOWEVER, I personally found this style VERY helpful since the story moves very fast this way and this comprehensive style makes it easier for readers and listeners to see the connections between cultures, nations, individuals etc.
There is an unavoidable tradeoff in writing about history: more detail provides greater sense of context, but makes it difficult to develop a comprehensive overview of the relationship between significant events and places. This book errs on the overview instead of detail and does that perspective VERY well. After reading "Story of the World" you can go and investigate the areas that interest you (or that you need to know) in more detail with books that take the "detail" perspective.
By the way, for home schooling, an old (Victorian) writer who does some great historical fiction on specific periods is G. A. Henty. His books are hard to find, but worth reading. His book on Hannibal (the general) called "The Carthagian," was a wonderful adventure which told me what I wanted to learn about that man and his wars.
Make history come alive-read Story of the World and then focus on the people, events and times that make you particularly interested and find books and movies that give you more details!
Not for all ages 
2008-06-22
I homeschooled our older daughter for six years back in the Dark Ages (the mid 90's). We switched over to learning about history chronologically, a relatively "new" idea then,after being convinced at a curriculum fair presentation of its sensibleness. It was the best advice we ever had, and that daughter is graduating college next year as a history major, and as president of her history honorary fraternity. (We used GreenLeaf Press' "Famous Men..." series, BTW.)
Now 10 years later we are taking our younger daughter out and will begin homeschooling her in 2nd grade. Enough of the public school "Twaddle"!!
"Famous Men" is too high a reading comprehension level for her, so I have been researching the plethora of chrono-history books out there to find an alternative. I followed the guidelines by Susan Wise Bauer of "The Well-Trained Mind" to use "The Story of the World" series.
However, after thumbing through it and comparing it with others, I do not feel it will hold the interest of my wiggly 7 year-old. The reading level seems minimally for 4th-grade. I wouldn't want to turn her off right from the start.
For me the benchmark is Hillyers' "A Child's History of the World." The writing style is so personal, clever, and engaging. But if you want a curriculum that has an even stronger Christian bent, and that teaches from a Biblical chronology, look into Linda Hobar's "The Mystery of History". This author comes closest to Hillyer's wit and child-friendliness, and yet does not dumb it down. There are age-appropriate activities built right into the book (no second purchase required), plus instructions on making your own timeline and historical figures to add as you read. (a la a famous Unit Study series). Like "History of the World", it is a several-volume series. You will probably have to go outside Amazon to find it. (http://www.themysteryofhistory.com/)
Another very Christian-based chrono-history curriculum is "Tapestry of Grace." Not as "warm and fuzzy" in my view, but lots of great multi-age teaching and activities that suppport a classical education. Appropriate through high school.
Good Resource! 2008-05-20
This is very well written. A great help to helping children understand History. It makes reading about the past fun and enjoyable.
Fundamentally Flawed 
2008-05-03
I'm not even going to get into how bad this book needs a copy editor. It reads like it was rushed (far prematurely) into print.
This book was so bad that it made me view all the other Wise/Bauer works through a new, gimlet eye.
I have edited this review extensively, because having thought it over, I think that this book's premise is a poor one after all. I think that it reads disjointedly and muddles facts because it skips around so much- it reads like "Here's five chapters on the Middle East. Meanwhile, over in China..."
I think that it makes more sense to study the history of a particular culture, nation, or area. In other words, use geography as the spine. Trying to tell what was going on all over the world during any given year (or century) is going to be haphazard most of the time.
