April 1, 2015
Gr 4-6-An engaging combination of high-quality illustrations and detailed text provides better than average coverage of life in early civilizations, beginning with an overview of the society, its origins and organization, and a map of its location and largest extent. Four-to-six page chapters describe topics of interest to students, including social norms, housing and food, family structure, education, and recreation and toys. The attractive format provides more information than is commonly found in books for this age group. Illustrations include period art and contemporary photos of artifacts and architecture. Sidebars add interesting facts and "How Do We Know?" sections describe how surviving architecture, artifacts, and texts provide evidence about the past. VERDICT Interesting and informative.
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July 1, 2015
These engaging volumes detail everyday life in ancient civilizations, providing consistently interesting information kids will want to know. Religion, family life, dwellings, education, and entertainment are covered, along with the lasting impact each civilization has had. Frequent "How Do We Know?" sections highlight primary sources; photographs and illustrations of both past and present landmarks add visual interest. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind.
(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)