StaceyL in Canada Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 These are older "living" books reprinted by Yesterday's Classics covering world history, British history, retellings of the Iliad and Odyssey, etc. I actually bought a couple a few years back but then never got around to using them. Is anyone out there using these,and if so, what do you think of them? Are the suggested age ranges accurate? Any sense of how they compare (content, style) to SOTW? Way back when, when my oldest sons were little, long before SOTW, I used A Picturesque Tale of Progress with them. It was all the rage at the time :) I'm considering reusing these with my youngest but wondering if books from YC might be a better choice and PTP is pretty substantial. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momofabcd Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 I just finished reading Viking Tales to my 8 and 10 year olds and they enjoyed it very much. I've been considering the book, America First. I also have Children's Plutarch story of the Romans and Greeks. They both look excellent, but I haven't used them yet. I've heard great things about the books by H.A. Guerber. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful. Did you like using The Picturesque Tale of Progress volumes? They look very interesting and thorough. How does the first book tackle the beginning of time? Thanks, Deena Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 The Among the _____ People, living science books The "Twin" books When Knights Were Bold God's Troubador all the M. Synge history books The Children's Plutarch Our Young Folks Josephus The "In the Days of" series (Alfred the Great, Elizabeth, William the Conqueror) I prefer all of them to most modern books I added them in to SOTW rotations early on but we read so many just for fun too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kfamily Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 We love, love, love Yesterday's Classics! Dd loves This Country of Ours, Our Island Story, Viking Tales, In the Days of Queen Elizabeth and Children of the New Forest! We have more we will still be reading. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyL in Canada Posted March 9, 2009 Author Share Posted March 9, 2009 We love, love, love Yesterday's Classics! Dd loves This Country of Ours, Our Island Story, Viking Tales, In the Days of Queen Elizabeth and Children of the New Forest! We have more we will still be reading. HTH Could anyone describe how these might compare in style and content with the SOTW books? Would you agree they are generally for slightly older children? And how do you fit in all that reading aloud?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homemama2 Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Ambleside Online uses alot of these books for their readalouds. If you are on Yesterday's classics site, go to books used in Ambleside and you'll see which ones they do for what years. Ambleside is considered by most to be rigorous, so they have younger children listening to books listening to books that might be listed for older children etc...but I love how they schedule the readings etc. I really like these books. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyinNNV Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Could anyone describe how these might compare in style and content with the SOTW books? Would you agree they are generally for slightly older children? And how do you fit in all that reading aloud?! They are written by various authors so they are all slightly different. Several of the books are for very young children (3-4 yo) and many are for older kids. They have age ranges on the books and I've found them to be pretty accurate. HTH, Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIN Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Has anyone used the poetry books? I have them in my cart at Amazon. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kfamily Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 We used Our Island Story and Viking Tales in 3rd and are still reading from Our Island Story in 6th. While in 3rd and 4th I did more reading aloud but now in 6th dd reads to me. She could read alone but she prefers to read it outloud to me. In the Days of Queen Elizabeth we read in 5th and it was definitely a read aloud but this year she read Children of the New Forest to me. I would say OIS and Viking Tales are 2nd-4th and TCOO and In the Days of Queen Elizabeth and Children of New Forest are more 5th-6th. There really can be some serious sentences and vocabulary in the latter two. We also own the Among the Pond (Meadow, Forest and Night) People and I plan on using those for younger dd in 1st and 2nd. We also have 50 Famous Stories which are fine for 1st-3rd. Younger dd and I will read those next year in 1st. Older dd will read The Story of Europe in 9th or 10th and The Aeneid for Boys and Girls soon. My older dd tells everyone that history is one of her favorite subjects and this is because she enjoys these books so much! HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicheleinMN Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 I use both PTP and the YC books. I read aloud from the PTP books after lunch and assign the YC books for independent reading. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetbaby Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Yesterday's Classics are wonderful. Before you purchase any of the books, check with Baldwin Project. They have several of the same titles which you can read freely read on-line. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyL in Canada Posted March 9, 2009 Author Share Posted March 9, 2009 We used Our Island Story and Viking Tales in 3rd and are still reading from Our Island Story in 6th. While in 3rd and 4th I did more reading aloud but now in 6th dd reads to me. She could read alone but she prefers to read it outloud to me. In the Days of Queen Elizabeth we read in 5th and it was definitely a read aloud but this year she read Children of the New Forest to me. I would say OIS and Viking Tales are 2nd-4th and TCOO and In the Days of Queen Elizabeth and Children of New Forest are more 5th-6th. There really can be some serious sentences and vocabulary in the latter two. We also own the Among the Pond (Meadow, Forest and Night) People and I plan on using those for younger dd in 1st and 2nd. We also have 50 Famous Stories which are fine for 1st-3rd. Younger dd and I will read those next year in 1st. Older dd will read The Story of Europe in 9th or 10th and The Aeneid for Boys and Girls soon. My older dd tells everyone that history is one of her favorite subjects and this is because she enjoys these books so much! HTH I read The Aeneid for Boys and GIrls aloud to my older sons some years ago (when they were younger, obvioulsy!) It took a fair bit of time, but it was a good read, because it was well-written--even challenging. PTP is similar-- no "dumbing down" of style for little children. I had to paraphrase fairly often for my gr 1 son, but it was manageable nonetheless. I'm wondering why people would choose these instead of SOTW? Do you prefer the style of the older YC books? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyL in Canada Posted March 9, 2009 Author Share Posted March 9, 2009 I use both PTP and the YC books. I read aloud from the PTP books after lunch and assign the YC books for independent reading. HTH Thanks for the idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyL in Canada Posted March 9, 2009 Author Share Posted March 9, 2009 Yesterday's Classics are wonderful. Before you purchase any of the books, check with Baldwin Project. They have several of the same titles which you can read freely read on-line. :) I know--but I already spend enough time on the computer and prefer reading from "real" books :) BP is a great resource, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyL in Canada Posted March 9, 2009 Author Share Posted March 9, 2009 Ambleside Online uses alot of these books for their readalouds. If you are on Yesterday's classics site, go to books used in Ambleside and you'll see which ones they do for what years. Ambleside is considered by most to be rigorous, so they have younger children listening to books listening to books that might be listed for older children etc...but I love how they schedule the readings etc. I really like these books. :) I don't see any link on the YC site for Ambleside selections. Could you tell me where to find this? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kfamily Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Yes, dd does prefer these over SOTW (as do I) and I think it is because they are more engaging or have more of a narrative style to them. http://www.yesterdaysclassics.com On the front page look at where it reads View Books Used In.... then click on Ambleside Online. The owner of the site gives updates of the latest books to be released through her newletter if you sign up for it. She is actually working on a booklist and has almost completed grades k-2 and the ancients. She included those in earlier newsletters but I imagine she will include it again when this section is complete. She actually has a lot of the middle ages complete as well. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyL in Canada Posted March 9, 2009 Author Share Posted March 9, 2009 Yes, dd does prefer these over SOTW (as do I) and I think it is because they are more engaging or have more of a narrative style to them. http://www.yesterdaysclassics.com On the front page look at where it reads View Books Used In.... then click on Ambleside Online. The owner of the site gives updates of the latest books to be released through her newletter if you sign up for it. She is actually working on a booklist and has almost completed grades k-2 and the ancients. She included those in earlier newsletters but I imagine she will include it again when this section is complete. She actually has a lot of the middle ages complete as well. HTH ,, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnetteW Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 We have used these as well. I have ordered Wild Animals I Have Known and This Country of Ours as well as James Baldwin stories. It is true that Ambleside Online uses these. What I have really liked is that they are quality titles, a lot of them out of print except their printings. What really appealed to me was their printed presentations as well as the size of the print. I do not like my children to use really tiny print as I think it is bad for their eyes to strain to read fine print and it is harder for them to track across the line and start at the right place at the beginning of the next line. Just my 2 cents, Annette Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetbaby Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I know--but I already spend enough time on the computer and prefer reading from "real" books :) BP is a great resource, though. That's perfectly understandable says The Frugal Queen.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I know--but I already spend enough time on the computer and prefer reading from "real" books Me too. I like to have a book in hand. I hope to teach my girls the value of a "real" book too. I think something like Amazon's Kindle looks nice, and something I may get *someday* (that means probably several years from now!!?!), there will always be times that I will want an actual book-in-hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in AUS Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I have just started reading from some of the YC books to my DC over breakfast and they are really loving it. I am reading from my iphone at the moment but really want to order the books because i love to have a book in my hand too. I just don't have any spare cash at the mo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMarie Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 What I have really liked is that they are quality titles, a lot of them out of print except their printings.What really appealed to me was their printed presentations as well as the size of the print. I agree. We have about 5 titles from them and plan to invest in more. I now trust their selections and love the quality of the books, print, and original artwork. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyL in Canada Posted March 11, 2009 Author Share Posted March 11, 2009 I've used PTP, too, probably because StaceyL recommended it (smile). It starts off with Ugh the caveman - which my kids just thought was a howler. It does very respectful retellings of the major prophets of the old testament...but not *believing* retellings, if I can put it that way. Jesus is a great and wonderful teacher; Mohammed is also a teacher. It ends around the 1930s as far as history goes, so no Depression, WWII or anything more recent. That said, we loved the artwork, reproductions of authentic pieces from archaeology and history. We enjoyed the detailed retellings and the challenging vocabulary and sentence structure. I would say it's for middle school read-aloud...but maybe because *I* enjoyed reading it aloud so much. Yes--that's how I remember it too, though I think we left out Mr. Ugh :) I also liked the way it interwove the histories of the various civilizations, returning to ones previously covered and reintegrating them along slightly different lines with what was currently being covered. And each volume has a very useful summary at the end which I used as a "refresher" before beginning the next book in the series. I wonder why someplace such as Yesterday's Classics has not reissued these? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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