Name: Thrive! NCHE Homeschool Conference
Start: 2025-05-22T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-05-24T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Winston-Salem, NC

Tagged: An Island Story, English history

This topic has 19 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 9 months ago by Rachel White.

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August 4, 2013 at 2:29 pm
Rachel White
Participant
I am trying to decide if my children – 13 and 12 – should listen to both of these or just skip An Island Story and go to A Child’s History…? It’s supposedly written at a more advanced level, but if AIS is too good to be missed, I need to know.
Thanks
August 4, 2013 at 2:50 pm
my3boys
Participant
I’d like to know, too.
August 4, 2013 at 3:43 pm
susie in ms
Participant
We really like both. We started AIS when my dd was 7 and we are using it via AO.
August 4, 2013 at 3:52 pm
suzukimom
Participant
We love Our Island Story! I don’t know about the other…
August 4, 2013 at 3:56 pm
Rachel White
Participant
Thanks all. I still don’ tknow if AIS is too juvenile, though. We’ll have a copy of it before the month is out via YC on kindle.
Suzukimom…A Child’s History of England was written by Charles Dickens. I have a copy I found at an antique store, but it’s also avaiable on audio at Librivox.
I should probably compare the table of contents.
August 4, 2013 at 4:48 pm
susie in ms
Participant
I personally do not thing OIS is juvenile. It is easy to understand, though. You can download the whole book for free here:
http://books.google.com/books?id=qKNCAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=an+island+story&hl=en&sa=X&ei=RYX-UZjIIInXrAHIqIH4BQ&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=an%20island%20story&f=false

That way you can see if it fits your expectations before putting out any money on it.

I misread your first post and thought you were asking about CHOW. I have no experience with CHOE.
August 4, 2013 at 4:52 pm
suzukimom
Participant
I knew about the existence of CHOE… Just never read it to give an opinion…
August 4, 2013 at 5:56 pm
nebby
Participant
I own both but we chose to read Island Story. I have younger ones too but Dickens’ book seemed like too much even for my 11 and 12yo.
Nebby
http://www.letttersfromnebby.wordpress.com
August 4, 2013 at 8:05 pm
TailorMade
Participant
I picked up CHOE this weekend. It’s a lovely hardback that Jan Bloom happily insisted I add to our library collection. A paperback copy of AIS sat next to it on the shelf. I didn’t look at it closely enough due to time constraints, but mostly be side I tend to avoid purchasing pb copies.
I looked through CHOE and know we’ll use it. I think it mainly depends on the level of books your children have listened to/read on their own. Dickens’ book is certainly not juvenile, but it’s not so demanding that it should be avoided.
August 4, 2013 at 9:18 pm
TailorMade
Participant
Should’ve mentioned I’m addicted to Dickens…partiality plays a role in my choice, too. ;0)
August 5, 2013 at 1:47 am
jm
Participant
I agree with Nebby; the Dickens’ is quite advanced. I think young teens could still benefit from “Our Island Story”.
August 6, 2013 at 9:49 am
LadyJesse
Participant
Greetings Rachel,
Personally I don’t think Dicken’s History of England is more advance than Marshall’s history. But I could certainly be missing why one might think Dicken’s book is more advance.
The following are selections,from each of the books, that talk about Edmund Ironsides and King Canute. Hopefully by comparing the two books you will be able to come to a decision.
A Child’s History of England by Charles Dickens read last two paragraphs of chapter 3 and all of chapter 4. http://www.gutenberg.org/files/699/699-h/699-h.htm
An Island Story by H.E. Marshall read chapter 19 and 20. http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/marshall/england/england-19.html
Julie S.
August 8, 2013 at 2:45 pm
TailorMade
Participant
FWIW, HUFI suggests CHOE for year 7 light and as an option for the full version of year 7.
“The Birth of Britain by Winston Churchill (I read the first two chapters then turn it over to my students. They write a 1/2 to 1 pg written narration once a week. If your students are not familiar with British History, then they shouldn’t use this book. I recommend Charles Dicken’s Child’s History of England. An Island Story can be used but it is a bit childish.”
Are others using HUFI for highschool suggestions?
August 8, 2013 at 3:25 pm
missceegee
Participant
I use SCM modules in totality. They form my framework. When I want to add something, I choose from HUFI. For example, my 12 yo dd is doing SCM module 1 for 7th. I chose 2 additional books about ancient Egypt from HUFI to include for her.
I also love lindafay’s suggestions for personal development, world view, apologetics.
August 8, 2013 at 5:28 pm
susie in ms
Participant
“…….An Island Story can be used but it is a bit childish.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LOL! Well, I guess I must like “childish” then.
I was very pleased when our librarian told the middle school students to never be ashamed to use books out of the juvenile section. He went on to explain that even adults use them because they are not written over the heads of average people, and much can be benefited from reading them. They are certainly more informative than the average text. Of couse he was not suggesting the usage of dumbed down books either. 🙂