Wow! Thanks everyone. Sheraz, one of those posts is mine! lol Obviously, this has been my life lately…researching books and figuring out what to let her read. lol I’ll go back over this post and write some things down when I have time…hearing your encouragement and advice has made me slightly less exasperated…;)
Sarah Clarkson, CM homeschooled daughter of Clay & Sally Clarkson, wrote a wonderful book, Read for the Heart: Whole Books for Wholehearted Familes. I love how she has her recommended history books broken up into not only subject, but time period, with appropriate age levels. Here is a young woman who is a product of the type of education I’m attempting to give my children. I enjoyed reading it!
You could certainly schedule them at any age, but this happened to be the ages of our younger kids when I read them aloud. The only caution that I can think of off the top of my head, would be Facing the Lions. This is an excellent story if you’re studying Africa, however, there is a chapter about circumcision as it’s part of their culture.
Wow you guys have some really great ideas, places to get books and great picks. Thanks! Greenebalts we are studying Africa. That sounds like a really good book do you have any more on Africa. I am having a hard time finding some. We already done some on David Livingston. But want to have some living books that relate to some areas ect…
Chocodog….sorry it took a bit for me to respond, I’ve been out of town. Anyway, my other recommendation is Boy of the Pyramids, depending on what part of Africa you are studying also depending on the ages of your kids.
As far as picture books, we’ve enjoyed….
Uncommon Traveler: Mary Kingsley in Africa by Don Brown
Oh, we have Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters! Found it at a library book sale once a long time ago and thought it was a good story. The girls seem to like it, too. 🙂
14 Cows For America by Carmen Agra Deedy, Illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez in collaboration with Wlson Kimeli Naiyomah — an excellent book about the compassionate response of a Maasai community to 9/11.
If you can find it (it took us 2 years to find a copy), Kaldi and the Dancind Goats: The Legend of Ethiopian Coffee by Sauda Mdahoma Illustrated by Sari Nordberg.
My Sister’s Wedding: A Story of Kenya by Waithira Mbuthia, Illustrated by Geoffrey Gacheru Karanja — accurate portrayal of one tribe’s wedding traditions
Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema, pictures by Beatriz Vidal
The Tuesday Elephant by Nancy Garfield and Tom Feelings
Mama Panya’s Pancakes by Mary and Rich Chamberlin, Illustrated by Julia Cairns
We all went on Safari: A Counting Journey through Tanzania by Laurie Krebs, illustrasted by Julia Cairns.
Papa, Do You Love Me? by Barbara M. Joosse, illustrated by Barbara Lavallee
West Africa:
Catch that Goat by Polly Alakija
North Africa:
We’re Sailing Down the Nile: A Journey through Egypt by Laurie Krebs and Anne Wilson (Barefoot Books)
Animals:
Little Elephant’s Trunk by Hazel Lincoln
Daisy Rothschild: The Giraffe That Lives With Me by Betty Leslie-Melville (This one is a chapter book, not a picture book)
A Mummy for Owen by? (I bought a copy once and gave it away to someone who needed it.)
There’s also a series I’ve seen in many places. It’s called collectively African Animals Tales. I haven’t bought any of the individual titles yet to check them out.
Finally:
Check out Barefoot Books. They have a lot of cultural books. I really like the quality of their books.
For a fun, though not cheap, project, you can adopt an orphan elephant from the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, and they send you monthly updates and watercolors, among other perks.