Homeschool Review: Carole P. Roman #hsreviews #childrenshistory #historystorybooks #culturalstudies @caroleproman

We had the privilege of reading and reviewing the sweet If You Were Me and Lived In . . . series of cultural study books a few years ago so I couldn't wait to get my hands on the new If You Were Me and Lived In . . . series of history books brought to you by Carole P. Roman and Awaywegomedia.com for school this year.   There are currently 8 volumes in the series and they include visits to Ancient Greece, Renaissance Italy, Elizabethan England, Colonial America, Ancient China, the Middle Ages, the American West, and Viking Europe.  Talk about chock full of history!  These historical study books offer tons of information in a fun and interesting format targeted for older students ages 8 - 14.  But don't let that throw you off.  These books are precious and can be used with both younger children and older students alike.  We have found them to even be a valuable resource for high schoolers at Long Leaf Academy.  You know we LOVE history around here.  What better way to study it than by taking a first-hand look at what life looked like in the different civilizations throughout the history of the world?


For purposes of review, we received four volumes of Carole's newest collection and we've fallen in love all over again.  The books that we were given the opportunity to review are:



If You Were Me and Lived In . . . Ancient Greece (An Introduction to Civilizations Throughout Time) (Volume 1)  (54-pages, softcover)  Ancient Greece begins with an overview of what Greece looks like today and explains what it may have looked like in 350 B.C.  As they read, students receive a geography lesson, are introduced to gods and goddesses worshiped in ancient Greece, and learn about the great philosophers Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle. They meet Alexander the Great, Hippocrates, and Homer and learn about their claim to fame.

If You Were Me and Lived In . . . Elizabethan England (An Introduction to Civilizations Throughout Time) (Volume 3)  (50-pages, softcover) Elizabethan England teaches students about the Renaissance period and exploration and are introduced to William Shakespeare and early theater.  They learn about thatch roofs, cobblestone streets, crazy food customs, and weird traditions.


If You Were Me and Lived In . . . the Middle Ages (An Introduction to Civilizations Throughout Time) (Volume 6)  (97-pages, softcover)  The Middle Ages shares what life was like in Medieval times and how the different classes of people dressed and ate and worked and played.  Students learn about what a typical day at school looked like and about who actually was allowed to attend school.  Modes of travel are introduced and scary "modern" medical procedures make you proud you live today instead of way back then.



If You Were Me and Lived In . . . the American West (Volume 7)  (54-pages, softcover) The American West teaches a new appreciation for those who came before us and started the towns and cities we now call home.  As you read, you learn about how hard life was for early settlers as they plowed fields, worked cattle, and learned to shoot a gun for survival and protection.

Now, here's my disclaimer.  My daughter is older than the suggested/targeted age range (she's 15), but we LOVED these books before so felt pretty strongly that we'd LOVE them again.  The books in this series are quite a bit longer than the books in the earlier series and I just knew that we would be able to work with them as a jumping off place for our historical studies this year.  I was absolutely, positively correct.  We offer to you our "older and wiser" perspective and a "how to use them differently" feel.

With younger children, you could very easily sit and read aloud each book as a family and you could leave the books on the table or in your book basket for an easy "pick up and browse" resource.  The colorful storybook pictures grab your attention and the book is written directly to your student as if written to a friend.  The pages are kid-friendly and beg to be read again and again.  They are perfect for "extras" to go along with unit studies and offer great fodder for discussion.  For younger children, these books are perfect introductions to historical time periods as they invite the reader inside homes and for walks through the garden and to sit down and enjoy a meal.

For older students, the books lay beautiful groundwork for an overview of history.  The pages offer an introduction to what life was truly like long ago and give ample topics for further study.  There is room for exploration limited only by the imagination (or laziness).  Each and every page gives suggestions on more to study and more to learn.  My daughter is filling up notebooks of information as she studies through the included glossaries and "people you should know" sections at the back of each book.  She is doing internet searches on things that she finds interesting as she reads and re-reads.  She is involved in independent learning because she has been intrigued by what she finds in the books.  I like that she is excited and I like that I can learn new things alongside her as she shares what she finds most interesting with me.

We really enjoy Carole P. Roman's book series and I am pretty sure you will, too.  Carole is an award-winning author and mom who started writing because she was dared to by one of her sons.  How fun is that?  She's a former Social Studies teacher who fell in love with adventure and exploration and desires to share that love with us.  Isn't that perfect?  You know that your children are getting factual information as they read for personal enjoyment.

I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series and sharing them with my daughter.  I think we would enjoy starting with Renaissance Italy next and following it up with Ancient China.  Which of the books in the series would you most like to share with your children?

For more information about the books in this series and others brought to you by Carole P. Roman and Awaywegomedia.com, check out the following Social Media Links:

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I'd also love for you to visit my earlier reviews of the cultural books in the original series.  You can see what we thought of Mexico, South Korea, France, and Norway AND check out the fun we had with Australia, Portugal, and Russia, too.  Thanks for allowing me to share what's going on at my house.  I'd love to hear what's happening at yours.

I was given the opportunity to review these cultural history books brought to you by Carole P. Roman and Awaywegomedia.com as a member of the Homeschool Review Crew.   You can check out the Crew Review and see what other members of the Homeschool Review Crew thought of this and other puzzles as well (or just click on the banner below.)

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