How Children Lived

My daughter was captivated by this book from we got it. She read it from cover to cover and continues to share fascinating bits of information that she has learned from it. Definitely held her interest and she was even able to peek her younger brother's curiosity about the children in the book. Well done.

This is how history should be taught to children -- colorful, informative, relevant. Within the framework of 16 two-page spreads about kids from different times and places, the authors present a good deal of historical information. This is the kind of book that will help young readers determine what is the same about being human and what changes over time and distance, and may well spark an interest in a particular period or history in general.The book begins with a world map placing the sixteen children who will be featured, and then each child is shown (in chronological order) with a short paragraph of autobiographical text. Typical pages show the layout of a house, toys, school, and a miscellany of topics interesting to other children such as play, health, transportation, cooking or music. The emphasis is on colorful illustration and graphic depictions. Periods covered are Egypt 1200 BC, Athens 500 BC, China 150 BC, Rome AD 120, Norway AD 950, Mali, West Africa 1400, Spain 1450, Florence 1490, Mexico 1500, India 1600, Japan 1650, Australia 1700, France 1789, England 1840, Plains Indians 1850 and the United States 1920.The book finishes with a short discussion of archaeology and history, a simplified timeline and a glossary.This is another beautiful book from Dorling Kindersley, and a worthwhile introduction/supplement to your child's history lessons.

If you sometimes wonder about how children lived in the past, this book shows 16 children living in their time in history. The illustrations are detailed, fill the pages and are accompanied by a text explanation. On page 24 we find Giovanna living in Renaissance Italy in 1490. The text tells of how she sits for a portrait and how her mother is a fine singer. Giovanna's favorite possessions, like a printed storybook, a pendant and jewelry box are shown. They are pictures of real items from the Renaissance. The first colorful page shows all the children standing on a map of the world. The following pages show the lives of children growing up in Egypt, Greece, China, the Roman Empire, Viking Norway, Mali Empire, a Spanish Castle, Renaissance Italy, Aztec Mexico, Moghul India, Tokugawa Japan, an Australian Desert, France, Industrial Britain, the American Plains, and 1920s America. A fun Timeline puts the book in perspective and a glossary explains words like Aboriginal, Castle, Legionaries, Samuri, Shogun, Tea ceremony and Fjord. Children will see the pictures, learn about the life of a child and discover how their life is so different today. This book was produced after consulting history experts and offers a fresh approach to history for young readers. The authors have degrees in history and education. Together they have written over 25 books for children on a wide range of subjects. Simply fascinating and educational. Children will just love this book because it shows history in such a creative way. ~The Rebecca Review