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Books to explore different world cultures for 10 year old boy


moonlight
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We are going to be doing a light study of world cultures this year tied into learning geography. does anyone have a list of books that would appeal to a boy?? He especially likes books in which a boy is the main character. I have had a particularly hard time finding books on south Asia and the middle east that would appeal to him.

 

Thanks.

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Okay, this doesn't really answer your question, but it's a book I've found that I plan to use with my boys as we cover other cultures... though we have a few years before they are old enough! ;) It's by one of my favorite authors, Jane Yolen. Mightier Than the Sword: World Folktales for Strong Boys

 

From Amazon:

 

 

Gr. 4-8. This collection of 14 folktales from around the world, retold by Jane Yolen, feature male protagonists using cleverness, imagination, and intelligence to solve problems, conveying the message that strength does not have to be synonymous with force: there is strength in compassion, kindness, and wisdom. Included in the collection are stories that will be familiar, such as "The Magic Brocade" from China, the African American tale "Knee-High Man, and the Brothers Grimm tale "Jack and His Companion." Less familiar stories are here, too: "Hired Hands" from Afghanistan; "The Young Man Protected from the River" from Angola; and "The Fisherman and the Chamberlain" from Burma. Each story is accompanied by a full-page illustration depicting a scene in the tale. Yolen explains the background of each story and how she went about adapting it for the collection. Free of didacticism, these diverse stories give readers something to think about. Sources are provided. Ed Sullivan

 

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I was going to do something similar with holiday celebrations. Christmas around the world etc. I don't have specific books planned because I'm blessed with a great library with lots of choices.

We read lots of fairytales/myths/legends from around the world. My son loves it

Hope you find what works for you.

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We are going to be doing a light study of world cultures this year tied into learning geography. does anyone have a list of books that would appeal to a boy?? He especially likes books in which a boy is the main character. I have had a particularly hard time finding books on south Asia and the middle east that would appeal to him.

 

Thanks.

 

Books my kids have really enjoyed:

 

Young People's Kon Tiki http://www.amazon.com/Kon-Tiki-McNally-Color-Edition-People/dp/B000GWJ4OU/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

 

Story of Australia http://www.amazon.com/Story-Australia-World-Landmark-books/dp/B0007G1XY4

 

I don't know if you can find copies of this: http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/34522/National-Geographic-Australia-s-Aborigines/overview (There is a magazine ed that is wonderful also, but w/o digging it out, I can't even begin to identify the yr)

 

Mutiny on the Bounty is a fictional book (based on a historical event) my kids have enjoyed http://www.amazon.com/Mutiny-Bounty-Back-Bay-Books/dp/B002VPE7ZQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1343133245&sr=1-2&keywords=mutiny+on+the+bounty+nordhoff+and+hall

 

The Man who Found Ninevah is a book that is uncomplimentary in its presentation of the Turks and other locals. But, it is also a fascinating presentation of excavation in those areas prior to modern restrictions and preservation techniques. My kids are fully aware of the discriminatory attitude pervasive in the writing of that time period, so for us it was educational on 2 fronts. But, some people may not be able to get past the superiority/dismissive attitudes.

http://www.majipoor.com/work.php?id=721

 

Ali and the Golden Eagle http://www.amazon.com/Ali-Golden-Eagle-Wayne-Grover/dp/1887840265/ref=pd_sim_b_4

 

Teresa of Calcutta http://www.amazon.com/Teresa-Calcutta-Serving-Poorest-Series/dp/0880620129/ref=pd_sim_b_9

Edited by 8FillTheHeart
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Another suggestion in the "not a book" category is the Families of the World DVD's. We get ours from the library and everyone in my family loves them - DH and myself included. It's a 40 minute video that shows life from the POV of a child living in a country's rural areas and a child living in a city. Great videos.

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Another suggestion in the "not a book" category is the Families of the World DVD's. We get ours from the library and everyone in my family loves them - DH and myself included. It's a 40 minute video that shows life from the POV of a child living in a country's rural areas and a child living in a city. Great videos.

 

We've always loved these. They are great and highly recommend them!

 

Here is a link so you know what to look for:

http://www.familiesoftheworld.com/products.html

Edited by tammyw
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Thanks for the suggestions...I don't have access to a library so I have to plan ahead and order books and materials that I think we will use..and at the moment we are in the states so I have to order from companies that don't deliver to the UAE. :glare: it means lots of heavy bags to take which always pushes me over our luggage allowance...

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  • 1 month later...
The Families of the World dvds look really good, unfortunately none of my local library systems have them and they are pricey. Are there any other dvds out there like this that someone could recommend?:001_smile:

 

We preferred the Schlessinger Countries of the World (I think that's what they're called).:001_smile:

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Exploring Countries & Cultures: http://www.mfwbooks.com/products/M50/40/10/0/1

 

And if you're not interested in the whole program but really just want *books* to read, you might consider looking for a used copy of the TM so that you have the booklist from the back of it, which includes approx. 300-400 titles. They're broken down by continent and then country. Not every country is there, but *some* countries from every continent are. The author and/or her family and staff have pre-read every single one of the books on that list, and she has notes next to many of them with a description of the book (or video... some of those, too), content warnings/parent alerts, age-appropriateness, etc. She's also asterisked some titles that she recommends for purchase if you can't or don't want to deal with the library.

 

Notice they have several missionary biographies in the package, too. These will give you some good insights into the culture of those people groups where the missionaries served. You can find lots more of those types of books at YWAM (Youth With a Mission).

 

He might like these, too.... there's a whole series of 'em. http://www.graceandtruthbooks.com/product/african-adventures

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