Besides camps, poison oak, blockbuster movies, vacations, and sunburn, summer is also known as a time when kids forget a little too much of what they spent the just-finished school year learning. But it doesn’t have to be that way. This is the first of several columns that will highlight some of the many ways you can help turn that dreaded summer brain drain into a brain gain. And there’s no better place to start than with history. It is important for children and anyone for that fact, to learn about history so they can understand how different events have affected today, and how we have learned socially economically and financially to live as peacefully as we can. It is also healthy to know about personal histories and ancestral groups, and to spark an interest in this is also very important to becoming yourself and understanding how you came to be. It also explains the increased interest in genealogy and heritage these days, and encouraging youths to check it out is an important thing to do. So what is the best way to learn about history and get it to make our youngsters’ heads buzz with excitement and questions?
Little Guides to Great Lives (Laurence King)
One of the best ways to learn about history is to read about the lives of the people who lived it. And this new series of books for young readers is excellent. Each of these 64-page books is charmingly illustrated and filled with stories, scenes, and fascinating nuggets from the subject’s life. So if you want to know how Nelson Mandela inspired the world, why Amelia Earhart is an aviation hero, what makes Leonardo da Vinci a genius, why Frida Kahlo is an art icon, and what Marie Curie did to become a science superstar, look no further. Although they’re written for children, adults will love these books too-and they’re perfect to read aloud. For ages 7+. $11.99. http://laurenceking.com/