Dumb Ox Academy

I wish I knew how to post those pretty pictures of books that people use to illustrate their book reviews or put in their sidebar to show what their kids are reading.  Alas, I am not savvy enough about these technical things.  But I can post an Amazon link, so that will have to suffice.

This Monday we’re going to read two non-fiction picture books that have to do with the loose geography unit we are about to start.  It is loosely (very loosely) based on Live Education’s Humanity on Earth; Shelter, Clothing, Farming main lesson.

The books are both by Ann Morris with photographs by Ken Heyman.  The first book is entitled Houses and Homes and it takes the child on a photographic journey around the world, looking at many of the different types of housings that exist.  The photos are lovely, the words sparse; just enough to enhance the strikingness of the picture.  One nice feature of these books is that the author chose not to tell you where the pictures were taken until the end of the book.  It is absorbing to stare at the photos trying to figure out what country the picture must be from.  In the index each photo is identified and another fact or two is given about the nature of housing in that particular county.  The very last page is a simple black and white outline map of the world.  The caption to this page is:  Where in the world were these photographs taken?

The second book is entitled, Bread, Bread, Bread, and is set up much the same way, except there is no map at the back of the book.  I miss the map as I find them fascinating to pore over.