Core 1: Week 7--Warriors, Wigmen, and the Crocodile People: Journeys in Papua New Guinea by Barbara A. Margolies

Rating: 9.5/10

I really like this book.  It only has a paragraph or two per page, with real photographs.  The first half of the book discusses a family from the Huli Peoples of Papua New Guinea, and a few of their tradition, and the second half focuses on a few traditions from another tribe in another area, the people of the Sepik River. 

There is enough information to be interesting and useful, without overwhelming the reader, or making it a difficult addition to a core. 

Extra Supplemental book: Panda by Judy Allen

Rating: 8/10  Read-aloud level K-3


A short, interesting book, mostly pictures, about a boy who travels to China with his father on an expedition and meets a panda.  I particularly like the end of the book, as it discusses why pandas are becoming extinct, but isn't overwhelming with information.  Simple, yet enjoyable. 

Core 1 Week 7: Magic School Bus Shows and Tells: A Book About Archaeology

Rating 8/10


OK, normally, I don't like Magic School Bus books.  First of all, there's the scatteredness of the pictures and the difficult to read storyline with so many people talking.  Plus I'm not too fond of stories that do what it impossible.

However, all of that aside, I really think this is a good resource to tie in with Archaeologists dig for clues. It covers many of the same details, but has the children trying to guess what an artifact is used for.

Core 1 Book Review: Water Buffalo Days: Growing Up in Vietnam by Quang Nhuong Huynh

Rating: 9/10



This book we started as an addition to the Akebu to Zapotec books, for more information on Vietnam.  It is a wonderful cultural addition to the core.  It actually would receive a 10/10, except I felt that it would not be appropriate for families with more sensitive children. 

This book shows us a glimpse into the life of a young boy in Vietnam and his pet water buffalo.  It is a wonderful recounting of a life where falling asleep on a water buffalo is regular occurrence for a 6 year old child, and going to collect mangoes includes having to have a group of boys with spears watching out for crocodiles. 

There is a significant amount of death/violence in this book, but not angry violence or vengeful death.  Death is shown as more of a natural part of growing up.  However, the child's pet water buffalo dies of old age, and the father goes out to buy a new one.  Life includes watching crickets fight, and a recounting of the one and only time the boy witnessed two crickets fight to the death, but also mentions the three songs of the crickets and the beauty of life around them.  There is also the part above about the crocodiles, and how one lay in wait, and the water buffalo warned them, and they were able to throw spears and kill the crocodile.  There is an earthquake which destroys the boy's house, and they have to sleep outside.  The boy's pet water buffalo fights for rank among the herd, and the buffalo he is fighting gets his horn stuck and ripped off, and bleeds to death, the the family who owned the other water buffalo is able to forgive the other family for this loss, despite the fact they feel bad about it . The boy describes hunting and different ways he catches animals, such as lobsters.   The ending is also very sad.

Despite all that the book is beautifully written, exploring a culture that is dependant upon the water buffalo to help maintain their way of life.  It balances the sad parts with a beauty and appreciation of nature and the things around, and the perspective of a child. 

Core 1, Ancient Egypt--Kingfisher Voyages: Ancient Egypt by Simon Adams

Rating: 10/10



I really like this book.  It has beautiful photography, with some of the pictures producing almost a 3D effect, jumping out at you.  There is also high-tech cartoonography, which also has almost a 3D effect, seeming to jump of the page.  The colors are beautiful.   There is only  a small amount of information on each page, not too overwhelming, but what is there is very informative.  It is really geared toward the younger elementary student, but without "talking down."

There is an introduction, followed by 3 chapters, The Nile Delta, The Nile Valley, and Upper Egypt and Beyond, which sort of take you on a trip up the Nile. Subtitles are: Traveling up the Nile, The Annual Flood, Daily Life, Heliopolis, Gods and Godesses, Religious Festivals, The Pharaoh, The Pyramids, Memphis, Scribes and Writing, Underworld, Abydos, Miu, Thebes (1200 B.C.), Valley of the Kings, The Boy Pharoah, Deir-El-Medina, Edge of the Empire, and The Temples of Abu Simbel. Each covers a 2-page spread. 

My favorite part of this book is the Underworld section.  It describes the art of mummification in quite interestingly, as it pertained to Ramses II.  But, the best part is there is a photo of two men working creating a mummy on a table, with objects around them that were used in mummification.  There is a plastic page between the two, and you flip it over, and there, in exactly the same positions, are two men in lab coats working at uncovering the mummy, with the canopic jars and other things in the same places around the room.  There is also the Valley of the Kings 2 page spread, which opens up to show you a detailed drawing of the inside of the tomb, and the various rooms in a long continuous passage. 

I would say that if I were to only use one extra resource for ancient Egypt, this would probably be it.