An @Mamasweetbaby Review of Around the World with Picture Books Pack: Part 1
Disclaimer: Complimentary Product Received.
There isn’t anything I can’t learn from a book. And I want my child to have that same love of literature. Their tagline is “Ignite Wonder. Connect with your Kids.” which sums up how we feel about learning VERY nicely. Who am I speaking of? Beautiful Feet Books (www.bfbooks.com) of course! When it comes to a literature-based curriculum, Beautiful Feet Books is one of the best in the business. Cash and I got the chance to review their “Around the World with Picture Books Pack: Part 1, which is a Literature Approach for Primary Grades (K-4). I’ll start our review by saying, YES, we are enjoying every minute of it.
Everything you need for an entire Semester (4 lessons per week) or year (3 lessons per week) of study is included. You get a selection of carefully curated books featuring diverse authors and viewpoints, A complete, full color Guide to follow with additional images to use in the back, and an elegant notebook. The Charlotte Mason approach uses Notebooking to solidify the learning visually and kinesthetically. The student can color, cut, and paste the images from their Guide to collect their thoughts and in this unit, create a travel journal of their lessons. This curriculum covers parts of Asia, Africa, Australia, and even Antarctica, by touching on stories and activities from each part of the world. You can follow the lessons linearly as written, or pick and choose the order of your study. We have covered 6 weeks of lessons so far, and made sure to cover China to accompany another book we were reading outside the curriculum and to cover India, for the celebration of Diwali. Geography is a major part of the curriculum, but we loved the cultural studies, art, ELA, history, and the reading. Don’t expect to cover just one subject.
Now, let’s talk about the books. Each one is a standout as a piece of classic, time honored literature. I loved seeing books that we’ve read before along with contemporary work that I’ve had my eye on purchasing for our shelves. But the suggestions don’t stop there. There is a plethora of ideas to extend the learning including many books that we already owned. One of the most beautiful books included was “Maps” by Aleksandra Mizielinska and Daniel Mizielinski. “Maps” covers all seven continents and gives gorgeous detailed drawings that engross your learner in the animals, architecture, people, and major contributions from that place. We used the book alone and in conjunction with lessons, but regardless, this book was definitely used! It’s rare now that I pull out a regular map or atlas anymore – this is my new go-to. Each section also includes a “Library Connection” where you are encouraged to research further about the countries and continents studied. It’s not a booklist, but a mini introduction to the additional text which gives you all the motivation you need to find out more. Do you like to cook? My son loves it. I can’t wait until we get to Egypt so that we can try a recipe for Baba Ganoush or Ful Medames (Fava Beans).
Last, let’s get into the Art. Wow, what can I say about the Art! Each unit gives your learner gorgeous images to color and add to their notebook. Creativity is encouraged and you’ll need a set of Prismacolor Color Pencils, brushes, watercolor paper, and watercolors. The Around the World with Picture Books Pack : Part 1 never fails to give you regional artists, the significance of their work, or shining examples of the true beauty of a place. In the “Art Connection” area of the guide, We studied Chinese Brush Painting and we’re looking forward to the Woodblock work of Ando Hiroshige in Japan. My son will be exposed to the work of artists I didn’t know existed until college. Of all the connections I mentioned, I must mention the Nature Connection. We are Global Citizens who believe that in order to take care of our planet, we have to both understand and appreciate it. Nature School is normal for us and learning about the native animals really help give life to the geography. Don’t forget, there are animal pictures in the back of the guide to add to the notebook.
I can’t wait to see what my son will think of our upcoming lessons with Around the World with Picture Books Pack: Part 1 by Beautiful Feet Books (https://www.bfbooks.com/Around-the-World-with-Picture-Books-Pack?sc=18&category=2873). I’ve already scanned ahead and spotted a few of my favorite books in the Library Connection, especially when we get to Kenya and Tanzania. I’ve highlighted and reviewed both “My Rows and Piles of Coins” by Tololwa Mollel and E.B. Lewis, as well as “The Lion and the Mouse” as retold and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. It makes my heart happy to see that Beautiful Feet Books and I have similar taste in stunning literature. Thank You so much for allowing us to explore this curriculum and truly exposing us to something profoundly beautiful and educational.
Want to see what my fellow Melanated Review Squad Members thought about Beautiful Feet Books? Check out more reviews from the Squad at:
https://melanatedgoldhomeschool.org/melanated-gold-review-squad-beautiful-feet-books-review/
@Mamasweetbaby 