Ancient history, early Western civilization, and legendary warriors have been among the most popular world history topics in recent publishing, reflecting curricular standards that require students to know and understand the history and legacies of ancient and medieval societies. Those eras are well represented in this group of books, and some sets reach beyond Egypt, Greece, and Rome to examine civilizations and warriors in Asia, Africa, and Mesoamerica, giving readers introductions to the diversity of early human civilization. However, because there are so many extant sets about the ancient world and its legendary warriors and elites, few authors and publishers manage to present either new information or a fresh perspective about them, though some find appealing and interesting ways to attract and hold reader attention and will help students better understand the origins of their world.

Preschool to Grade 4

Gr 3-5 –Readers are encouraged to “interview” for positions as elites of past cultures in this engaging series. Each begins with a single-page introduction, list of the criteria for the “job,” and map of the person’s society. Subsequent spreads describe education or training, clothing or uniforms, weapons and equipment, lifestyle, dangers and rewards, and possibilities for social or military advancement, and conclude with an interview (quiz). Each spread has a topic paragraph and a number of lengthy captions for the many illustrations. Those well-drawn and realistic images, supplemented by photos of artifacts and locations, often include steps in a process and labeled cutaways and diagrams so readers can envision how people lived and how things worked. Nude figures in Aztec and Greek Athlete avoid frontal views. VERDICT While would-be adventurers imagine themselves as legendary figures, they will learn about their cultures, making these books good supplemental choices.

Gr 3-5 –These titles focus on the lives of representative children in order to provide information about past societies. The children are generally members of a specific social group, such as Isolda, a peasant girl living during the Middle Ages, and Shen, an Egyptian farmer’s son. The books describe their lives and place their experiences and familial situations into a larger context. Quality is uneven, with Egypt and Greece the best of the group. Civil War, the weakest, depicts a slaveholder’s son and his family’s slave boy as friends whose lives and “sacrifices” are quite similar. The large color photos and period illustrations are appealing, but oversimplification and inconsistencies (Priscilla in Colonial America is a Rhode Island Puritan, but the pictured church is the Anglican Bruton Parish church in Colonial Williamsburg) reduce the effectiveness of the books. VERDICT These works don’t improve on extant titles, making them supplemental purchases.

Gr 1-3 –These beginning readers offer basic information about the pirates, weapons, and treasures of the Golden Age of Piracy (1690-1730). The format doesn’t vary, with two to three sentences about each topic on the left and a full-page, period painting, illustration, or photo on the right of each spread. Illustrations have a somewhat dated look and captioning is minimal. The books share some topics and illustrations from Capstone’s “Blazers!: Pirates” set, but the material has been abridged and simplified to the point that there is almost no background information, not even a clear definition of what the term Golden Age means. Most beginning readers won’t have the background knowledge to place the pirates and their exploits into context and are unlikely to find the images attractive. VERDICT Pirates are a perennially popular topic, but the set’s weaknesses make it an additional choice.

Grades 5 & Up

Gr 7 Up –It’s rare for a series on the ancient world to distinguish itself in such a crowded field, but this set does so with well-documented, comprehensive coverage and a very attractive layout. Authors open books with an account of a pivotal moment or important leader, and subsequent chapters draw on recent scholarship and archaeological evidence to describe and analyze each culture’s origins, governance, daily life, technological and literary achievements, and strengths and weaknesses. Well-written conclusions explain the civilizations’ continuing legacies. Brief sidebars add interesting facts and outstanding “A Closer Look” spreads highlight important sites and artifacts. Striking color photos of locations, artifacts, and surviving art are a major strength. Topic coverage is similar to many extant sets, but this set’s readability, contemporary scholarship, and high level of detail and analysis will support advanced-level reports and draw readers. VERDICT Excellent.

Gr 4-6 –Content and illustration flaws limit the effectiveness of this set. Books open with an account of the exploits of either a famous warrior, such as Genghis Khan, or warrior class, followed by standard content chapters about the group’s clothing and armor, training, weapons, tactics and battles. Sidebars discuss an aspect of the warrior culture and often pose questions such as how readers think Aztec captives awaiting sacrifice felt. These prompts, however, are unlikely to encourage deep thinking. Illustrations include period and modern art and contemporary photos, but they are often small and lack visual impact. VERDICT This set doesn’t improve on extant titles and will do little to inspire or hold reader attention.

Gr 6-8 –This attractive but dry set explores the histories of ancient cultures. The books share a four-to five chapter structure that covers standard ancient history topics, such as the culture’s origins; societal, governmental, and military structures; the daily lives of its people, and eventual decline. There is enough organizational variation to allow authors to emphasize the most important aspects of each civilization, rather than adhering to a strict format; for instance, Greece and Rome focus on lasting cultural contributions. Analysis of legacies varies in length from a paragraph to a chapter, and books don’t always incorporate or cite the latest research or discoveries. North American Cultures is the weakest title, with superficial coverage of numerous tribes from prehistory to the present. Above-average illustrations include maps, reproductions of art, and photos of artifacts and locations, while paragraph-length sidebars add facts. VERDICT Suitable report choices.

Gr 4-6 –Using a glossy magazine format, this set covers standard history topics such as housing, clothing, food, class structure, rulers, religion, and famous places in facing page spreads with catchy titles (“Makeover,” “Trip Advisor,” “Master Chef”). Background and coverage are superficial, with several paragraph-length “features” on each spread. Contemporary slang such as bling and wonky will date quickly, and children are unlikely to recognize or understand popular culture phrases such as sisters are doing it for themselves about female pharaohs. Important terms are not always defined in the texts or glossaries, and maps are poor or missing. The many color illustrations, which include photos, diagrams, and illustrations, are generally good, but some, such as Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra in Egyptians, are historically questionable. VERDICT Students might flip through these magazine-type books, but they are unlikely to linger for deep reading or reports.

Gr 5-8 –This set offers readers well-developed, eight-to-12 page chapters that provide well-written if largely standard coverage of the origins and background, training and education, clothing and armor, weapons and tactics, and legacy of celebrated warriors. Authors focus on proven facts and debunk myths. Short sidebar “Tips” from warriors offer suggestions on how to advance in the warrior class or survive battle. The most significant weakness is the set’s format, with blocks of unbroken text and below-average illustrations and photos. Many of the places, clothing, and weapons described in the texts aren’t pictured, and there are no maps. VERDICT This set will be useful for report writers but doesn’t improve on extant titles about ancient warriors and is not attractive enough to draw a broad readership. A supplementary purchase.

Gr 4-8 –Each of the 100 “facts” in these books is actually the topic sentence of a paragraph about a person or subject, rather than stand-alone pieces of information. The titles are organized nicely into chronological chapters, with several paragraphs on each spread. Most of the topics are about Western civilization, but Weapons, Mummies, and Pyramids include information from around the globe. The volumes are attractive with full but not crowded pages, and there is an illustration for almost every subject, with many cutaways that will help students understand processes, people, and change over time. Weaknesses include a lack of maps, the substitution of drawings for photos of artifacts and locations, and an occasional undefined term. Short “I Don’t Believe It” boxes include bits of trivia, while sidebars containing puzzles, craft instructions, and quizzes supplement the texts. The attractive format will capture and hold reader attention. VERDICT A solid choice for general reading and reports.

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.

The scope of the world history in this group of sets is narrow, with the majority about the ancient world and its elites. Given the large number of extant sets, only one of this group really stands out. ABDO’s “Ancient Civilizations” draws upon recent archaeological finds and scholarly analysis and uses clear prose and outstanding illustrative matter to provide a comprehensive look at civilizations throughout the ancient world. Three other sets are good report or reading choices. Gareth Stevens’s “100 Facts You Should Know” uses an effective format that will draw in middle level readers. Heinemann-Raintree’s “Daily Life in Ancient Civilizations” combines better-than-average text with attractive illustrations. Black Rabbit’s “Do You Want to Be?” combines clear information with high quality illustrations that will encourage emerging readers to imagine themselves as some of history’s most famous warriors and elites.