Review: If You Were Me and Lived in...

Carole P. Roman with Away We Go Media recently sent four book titles for review:

• If You Were Me and Lived in...Mexico
• If You Were Me and Lived in...South Korea
• If You Were Me and Lived in...France
• If You Were Me and Lived in...Norway

 

 

Carole P. Roman is a new author on the scene.  She won an award for her first book in 2012, after writing it on a dare from one of her sons.  The If You Were Me... series is her new series that exposes children to different cultures.  All of these titles have a similar format.  They take everyday things that a child is familiar with and show what a child would experience in a different country.

Each book begins with a picture of a globe, with an illustrated child (a native of the country being discussed) pointing to where the country is located on the globe.  Next, the reader is introduced to the country's capital, along with a fact or two about the city.  Examples of what a child might be named are given for each country, along with what the child would call their mother and father in the country's language.  Very basic currency is discussed, as is a popular food, toy, and/or sport.  The names are given in the country's language as well.  A famous landmark is discussed, as well as one of the country's holidays.

These books are in full color, and the illustrations depict what the different things discussed might look like in the different country.  Bedrooms, stores, dinner tables, and school buildings are shown; while these aren't highly detailed they do provide a nice contrast to what the child would know from their own country.

In each book, there is a pronunciation guide on the last page. This guide is very helpful, and I would suggest looking it over before you read the book to your child.   This series is a wonderful introduction to each of the cultures, right at a child's level.  We simply read the books together, but you could easily take each title and create a full geography study out of each book by looking up recipes, exploring the holidays and monuments, and  looking at a map and/or globe.  Take some time and explore any differences in dress and sports and toys. 

If You Were Me and Lived in...France, If You Were Me and Lived in...South Korea, If You Were Me and Lived in...Norway, and If You Were Me and Lived in...Mexico are written for younger children, and are best suited for children under 10.  These four titles are paperback books, and are available for around $9 each.

For more reviews of these books, visit the Schoolhouse Review Crew.

 

Knowledge Quest: TimeMaps

We have used Knowledge Quest's Map Trek since they first came out.  These have simplified geography in our homeschool, so I was excited when the opportunity arose to review TimeMaps.  

There are currently 7 TimeMaps available, and they are priced individually at $9.95, or you can purchase the set for $44.95.  The titles are:

• Ancient China
• Rise of Rome
• Fall of Rome
• Rise of Islam
• The Black Death
• European Exploration
• Atlantic Slave Trade

TimeMaps are interactive, allowing you to follow how civilizations have changed over time.  The maps run using Adobe Flash.  As you click on the arrows by the date, the map will move forward in time (or you can go backwards as well), showing the changes in the region.  In addition to showing the changes on the map, there are little information buttons that provide a mini history lesson.  When these "i" buttons are clicked, the changes are explained in a little text box.

Since describing TimeMaps don't do them justice, here is a short video you can watch that shows the maps in action.

A teacher's guide is also included with the maps.  It's a pdf file that contains a few activity suggestions, as well as a printed commentary on the maps that you can read with your child.  This gives a great overview of the map and the changes shown.  Also included are timeline pages that you can print for the time period and a printable map of the area.

TimeMaps are another fabulous product from Knowledge Quest.  Being able to see the changes in various regions over time is wonderful, and we look forward to utilizing this resource in our homeschool for many years to come.

To read more reviews of TimeMaps, as well as reviews of MapTrek, go here.

Disclaimer:  As a member of the TOS Crew, I received this product, at no cost to me, in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are mine.