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Guerber vs. Hakim. Thoughts?


Catherine
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I already have the entire Hakim History of US series, but was looking at TWTM's recommendations for third grade\early modern today and after seeing samples on Nothing New Press's website, I think the two Guerber books look very good for this age group! They were The Story of the Great Republic and The Story of the Thirteen Colonies.

 

Can anyone give me some guidance? I'm thinking Hakim is for older kids (either way, I will likely be reading it aloud). TIA!

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We are just starting our second time through early modern history. I've used both books. I read aloud Guerber's SOGR and SO13C last time through and liked them enough to read them again this time.

 

I agree with the others that Hakim might be a bit much for 3rd grade. On the other hand, I'm using it for fifth, so it might be okay if you are reading it aloud. Since you already have these books, you could pick and choose to read a few chapters and see how it goes.

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We are on book 10 of Joy Hakim's series(my boys are in 7th and 8th grades) and they love the series. In fact, they ask to do history so that is a good thing! Now, if I could just find a book that would get the same reaction and excitement with math!!!!

But, I agree with others in that it is more for kids that are a little older.

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I already have the entire Hakim History of US series, but was looking at TWTM's recommendations for third grade\early modern today and after seeing samples on Nothing New Press's website, I think the two Guerber books look very good for this age group! They were The Story of the Great Republic and The Story of the Thirteen Colonies.

 

Can anyone give me some guidance? I'm thinking Hakim is for older kids (either way, I will likely be reading it aloud). TIA!

 

I prefer the Guerber books.

 

The Nothing New Press versions have had racial slurs removed, and any mis-prints corrected. She details what she changes in the front of the books. I would use the NWP version rather than the free, but I don't like online books, and I don't want to deal with racial slurs.

 

Mostly I get tired of the bias in the Hakim books. I don't know why, maybe it is just that I am sensitive to it but she has the tendency to make statements as if they are fact when they are her opinion. For example I really disliked her portrayal of Booker T Washington, because she focused on how his willingness to compromise set the black movement back vs. focusing on his achievemnts. At the very end she asks if the child thinks that is true, but that was after spending the whole chapter praising WEB DuBois for his demand for equality in contrast to Washington-what do you think a child is going to say? I just don't think it is that black and white (no pun intended).

 

Heather

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Mostly I get tired of the bias in the Hakim books.

 

 

:iagree: Don't get me started on her take on Ronald Reagan!

 

These books would have been excellent if they were more unbiased. I know all history books have some bias, but the Modern period esp. in her books would be kind of difficult for conservatives to use. That's why they're best left til older, so you can do lots of discussing/analyzing.

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I wouldn't use either of those for a 3rd grader. Look at Child's Story of America (CLP), the Rainbow Book of American History (Daugherty), of Story of the USA (4 paperback volumes used in SL3/4). Also the Abeka4 history text is quite good, surprisingly good. Any or multiple of those resources combined would be good for 3rd grade. If you do Hakim, you'd want to trim it down by reading just the pages selected through the VP cards. Otherwise it will be too much. Guerber is a lot of detail for that age, doesn't go through modern, and harps on topics that won't interest a kid that age. (I'm thinking especially Great Republic.)

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