Product Description

This first book in the four-volume narrative history series for elementary students will transform your study of history. The Story of the World has won awards from numerous homeschooling magazines and readers' polls—over 150,000 copies of the series in print! What terrible secret was buried in Shi Huangdi's tomb? Did nomads like lizard stew? What happened to Anansi the Spider in the Village of the Plantains? And how did a six-year-old become the last emperor of Rome?

Told in a straightforward, engaging style that has become Susan Wise Bauer's trademark, The Story of the World series covers the sweep of human history from ancient times until the present. Africa, China, Europe, the Americas—find out what happened all around the world in long-ago times. This first revised volume begins with the earliest nomads and ends with the last Roman emperor. Newly revised and updated, The Story of the World, Volume 1 includes maps, a new timeline, more illustrations, and additional parental aids. This read-aloud series is designed for parents to share with elementary-school children. Enjoy it together and introduce your child to the marvelous story of the world's civilizations.

Each Story of the World volume provides a full year of history study when combined with the Activity Book, Audiobook, and Tests—each available separately to accompany each volume of The Story of the World Text Book. Volume 1 Grade Recommendation: Grades 1-5. Illustrated throughout with black-and-white drawings and maps

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WOW !        Rating:

My 5 year old saw this book and begged to start homeschool early this year. She enjoys doing the coloring page in the accompanying activity book while I read her the stories. No such thing as dividing a chapter out over a whole week for her! She likes this book so well that she begs to do 2 or 3 chapters a day! I find myself condensing the activities because she narrates the reading so well and is so hungry for the information that she doesn't want to stop! I mean it, there are dishes, dinner, laundry...life really must go on, but she doesn't want to stop reading this book! She adds other details to the coloring pages that I read from the story (of her own initiative) and relates other things she knows from other sources (Bible, History Channel, and other books she's read, etc.). This is narration at its best! We look up some of the things in history encyclopedias, especially different pictures because she wants to add more to the coloring ( /narration) pages. Wow. What else can I say? Just...WOW!

Good introduction to an important subject.        Rating:

I searched out this book after listening to Ms. Bauer's audiobook, "The History of the Medieval World," which is well worth an adult's time to digest. I am reading "The Story of the World" to my six-year-old son, and he loves it. I wasn't sure he would take to a long book without many pictures, so I'm pleasantly surprised.

Perhaps you should know my purpose and background, in order to evaluate this review. I am not an expert on history, as many reviewers here claim to be. If Ms. Bauer makes a historical mistake, it'll need to be glaring for me to catch it. My son attends a public school, so I'm not using this as a textbook at home. I want my son to know history because that's the best way to know what to expect from people. In our opinion, this book is excellent for its purpose. I'm sure we'll want more detailed, mature treatments of the subject later on. Right now, the beginning exposure is what's most important.

I read the negative reviews with interest. Most seem disappointed on religious grounds; either Ms. Bauer's story is too Christian or not Christian enough. I'm an atheist, and I think her treatment of myths and religious history is appropriate and manageable. I'm not expecting her to deliver enlightenment on that front. I encourage anyone interested to read the sample pages offered on the Amazon site. I think the gaps in this series can only be remedied by further reading, not an attempt to find one perfect textbook. Good luck to all you parents.

Perfect Intro to World History        Rating:

I've been reading "The Story of the World" to my 6-year-old for the past several weeks. While the book is comprehensive in its' overall time line, we've been picking and choosing stories based on what interests us on a given day. Last night we chose three stories summarizing the life and exploits of Alexander the Great. Last week we read about the adventures of Odysseus. Before that, it was the Remus and Romulus myth surrounding the beginnings of Rome. And don't forget the appropriately detailed overview of the lives of gladiators.

I think next up will be Early America civilizations...

Each chapter is short and focused, and written well for K-3rd grade. The chapters are written as stories or narratives which make the learning perfectly consumable by the target age ranges.

Not only have I found my son making real world connections and references to items we've read in the book, but I've also learned a few new things myself.

This is highly recommended.

SOW wonderful        Rating:

This is an absolutely great product. My kids can't wait to go fo a ride in the car now beacause they want to listen to the stories. Jim Weiss is very engaging and the stories are short, sweet and to the point. My dyslexic auditory learner loves this so much better than trying to read the stories. Now she gets to learn about history (without the struggle)and really relates to the message. The series brings about lots of question and discussion sessions. The only thing that could make it any better(for me) would have been some background music that leant to the stories but my kids don't seem to care at all.

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