Welcome to our family’s list of CC Cycle 1 picture books correlating with the Classical Conversations Cycle 1 Foundations program (Ancient to modern world history/geography, biology, earth science, prepositions, and fine arts). After investing in several books over the past several years, we’ve decided to share what our favorites have been! After many hours of reading, we’ve selected the following books as our personal family favorites for this cycle because they’re beautiful and/or rich in content.
And… boy howdy! I cannot believe how long this took us to pull together! Whew!
A few things to bear in mind…
- If you’re in Classical Conversations, it’s not necessary to correlate readings with memory work. The books listed below would be books to read at any point with your children. The whole idea of resting in the early stage of education is… just to stick with things that bring joy into learning with your children. You don’t need a lot of bells and whistles to educate your young children. (A good library is a treasure trove of learning adventures!)
- As with all of our lists, this book list is a “buffet” from which to choose. Our family has invested heavily in building a personal home library because our county’s library system has extremely limited selections, and we often lend books to other homeschoolers in our area. This is one reason why we own so many books. (That, and deep down I’ve always hoped to someday have a personal library like the one in Beauty and the Beast.)
- For the sake of not being too repetitious with the same authors/series, we include just a few from our favorite authors/series. (Example: You Wouldn’t Want to… series) We realize not everyone likes a particular genre, so we’ve tried to mix it up a bit. In case you’re wondering, our children are ages 15, 12, 9, and 4 at the time of this writing.
- I love sharing good stories with my children. The books on this list are books our family has invested in and truly recommends to others. (We have a lot more books that we’ve invested in that we don’t recommend to others.) The main criteria when choosing books for this list are: a) Does it engage our children’s interest? b) Does it encourage or instill virtue? c) Can I learn something valuable from this? Keep in mind this is our family’s opinion of picture books and your experience may vary.
- The links here are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission from Amazon at no extra expense to you if you decide to shop through them. The commissions help support the rising costs and efforts associated with maintaining and improving this website. If you ever shop through our links, we deeply appreciate it!
- If you’re interested in a printable Cycle 1 Picture Books list, it is available in our CC Cycle 1 Planner with Planning Resources packet.
- Please do not copy & paste or upload this list (or portions of this list) to other websites (including Facebook and email). To share this list with others, please send them a link to this webpage. Thank you!
With that, here are our personal picture book recommendations for the coming school year…
Illustrated Picture Books (with a focus on World History)
Note: We own all of the books listed below (plus a whole lot more). This list includes only the books that our family enjoys the most or finds most valuable for reference – the books we feel make the best library of picture books for a personal home library. If you have questions about any of the books on this list, please jump down to the comments to post your question or email me. I love talking books! We’ve also included some books in this list that relate to what we’ll be studying for science and/or Fine Arts.
Illustrated Books Across Multiple Weeks
Geography Multiple Weeks
A Children’s Atlas of God’s World. Froman. An atlas that explores God and His creation, geographical features and landmarks, ecosystems and biomes, and Christian explorers and missionaries. Fascinating and engaging book! Use for multiple weeks and multiple cycles.
Window on the World. Spraggett. Provide cultural, political, and geographical awareness of the world around us through this A to Z collection of countries and people groups. With a relatable story, small map, fact box, photographs, and prayer points for each country/group, families learn ways they can pray for their world. Use for multiple weeks and multiple cycles.
Draw the World Series. If you or your children are wanting to learn to draw the world from memory, this series of books has been our favorite for accomplishing that goal. Choose from Draw Africa, Draw Mexico, Central and South America, Draw Canada and Greenland, Draw Western Asia, Draw Eastern Asia, or Draw the World: An Outline of Continents and Oceans. Helps our children tremendously with memorizing world geography in Challenge A.
Passport to the World. Froman. Travel the world A to Z (Armenian to Zulu) and learn phrases in other languages along with cultures, customs, countries, and amazing facts. Includes a passport with stickers to use for the countries you visit.
Global Art: Activities, Projects, and Inventions from Around the World. Kohl. Incorporate cultural/geographical learning through art! This book offers simple projects with a variety of techniques from around the world. (The only drawback to this book is that it’s in black and white.)
The Usborne Geography Encyclopedia: With Complete World Atlas. A favorite resource for both world geography/cultures and earth science due to its beautiful photography and explanations. Use for multiple weeks and multiple cycles.
A World of Wonders: Geographic Travels in Verse and Rhyme. Lewis. With engaging verse, this picture book connects geography and history in a delightful way, featuring such places as the Yellow Sea and Everest along with famous explorers such as Christopher Columbus, Captain Cook, and Ferdinand Magellan. It explains globe markings (such as latitude, longitude, and the equator), and it even closed a gap in my own knowledge regarding former names of countries (e.g., Sri Lanka vs. Ceylon). For the Classical Conversations folks, this one ties in to all three Foundations cycles.
Disney’s Small World Library. Out of Print (OOP.) Especially for the Disney fans, you can find many of these used on eBay, on Amazon through 3rd party sellers, or on Thriftbooks (receive a 15% discount on your first purchase through this link.) Here’s a list of titles that tie in to Cycle 1:
- The Pyramid Caper: An Adventure in Egypt
- Donald’s Fantastic Fiesta. An Adventure in Mexico.
- The Runaway Kite: An Adventure in Japan.
- Goofy on Safari: An Adventure in Kenya.
- A Festival of Trees: An Adventure in Israel.
- Happy New Year, Minnie! An Adventure in China.
- Donald’s Buried Treasure: An Adventure in Greece.
- Riches in the Rain Forest: An Adventure in Brazil.
- Donald Joins the Mounties: An Adventure in Canada.
- A Very Special New Year: An Adventure in India.
Science Multiple Weeks
Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World. Rothman. Encourage curiosity with this lL\ovely nature book combining art with science. Diagrams, illustrations, explanations, and activities related to animal anatomy, migrations, volcanoes and other natural sciences.
The Nature Connection: An Outdoor Workbook for Kids, Families, and Classrooms. Leslie. Do you have trouble incorporating nature study? This workbook will guide your family through an entire year of nature study and sketch work. As you fill out the journal, you’ll learn interesting tidbits about plants, animals, and earth science as you also learn about the history of the calendar.
Big Book of Earth and Sky. Hodge. Take a visual journey in this 15-foot fold-out chart from the Earth’s inner core through the outer atmosphere and explore the soil, the sea, and the sky as you learn about clouds, weather, mountains, and more.
History Multiple Weeks
The Usborne Encyclopedia of the Ancient World. Great reference for Weeks 1-6 of CC, as it covers in detail Ancient Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, and Ancient Rome. Does not include information about other ancient civilizations, such as Ancient Africa, Asia, or Americas. For a broader summary of civilizations from prehistoric to modern times, opt for The Usborne Encyclopedia of World History, which is a compilation of Prehistoric World, Ancient World, Medieval World, and Modern World. (Note that the first section, “Prehistoric World,” is written from an evolutionist worldview.)
When on Earth? A fascinating look at history across the world using maps with captivating visuals to explain where, when, and how historical events occurred. Includes references to old earth worldview.
Usborne Illustrated Fables from Around the World. A collection of myths from around the world, including The Children of Lir (Celtic), The Fox Maiden (Japanese), The Origin of the Winds (Inuit/Alaskan), Anansi and the Box of Stories (Ghana/Ashanti), The Cowherd and the Princess (Chinese), The Wall of Asgard (Norse), How the Seasons Came to Be (Greek), Thunder and Lightning (Nigerian), Finn MacCool (Irish/Gaelic), The Fish of Maui (Maori), The Missing Goddess (Egyptian), Fire of the Jaguar (South American/Kayapoo), The Greedy Frog (Tiddalik – Aboriginal), The Race of the Animals (Chinese Zodiac), The Demon and the Goddess (Indian), Ishtar and the Land of the Dead (Mesopotamian/Babylonian), The Sun and the Moon (Korean), and The Water Spirit’s Gift (Native American).
Weekly Picture Book List
Week 1
Ish by Peter Reynolds. {Fine Arts} Wonderful book to prevent students from feeling overwhelmed by imperfect drawing, artwork, or maps. We’ve read it in our community at the beginning of each year. Absolute fav-fav-favorite in our family!
Beautiful Oops. Saltzberg. {Fine Arts} This board book is filled with bends, tears, stains, and other blunders to show our youngest children that mistakes are okay and can even be a springboard for creativity. Spill something on the page or accidentally rip it? No worries! We can transform it into a clever little animal!
Not a Box. Portis. {Fine Arts} This award-winning book shows the power of imagination as a box becomes anything but a box. It’s a great springboard for drawing lessons: Start with a box, and see what type of not-a-box we can transform it into!
How the Bible Came to Us: The Story of the Book That Changed the World. Doney. {History} Great book that provides an overview of the Bible, its authors, and its history. This wouldn’t be a book that you would read through in one sitting – it’s one that lends itself to reading over the course of several weeks. Fascinating and enlightening!
Talking to God: Prayers for Children from the World’s Religions. Demi. {History} In this beautifully-illustrated book, readers journey across cultures as they are introduced to prayers from religions around the world, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Shintoism, American Plains Indian, and Central African. This one could open up opportunities for discussion as a family. Endnotes provide helpful notes about the prayers and illustrations. Demi is one of our favorite illustrators – her artwork is simply stunning.
King Solomon & the Queen of Sheba. Greenberg. {History} This book is incredibly fascinating! A blend of Jewish history and African history! I think this book may be out of print, but it’s worth trying to find somewhere.
Ancient Civilizations History Pockets. {History} Do you enjoy paper crafts and other activities? Explore the ancient worlds of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, China and the Aztecs with these clever reproducible activities. (Recommended for grades 1-3.)
Draw and Write Through History (Creation through Jonah, Volume 1). {History + Fine Arts} Draw and write your way from creation through ancient civilizations such as Babylon, Egypt, China, and Phoenicia. Includes cursive copywork prompts. Great way to combine art, history, and handwriting. Recommended for ages 8+.
Under, Over, by the Clover: What is a Preposition? Cleary. {English Grammar}This whole series of books by Brian Cleary provide such a simple way to introduce parts of speech to younger children!
Week 2
Math Curse. Scieszka. {Math} A puzzling story book about math “problems” encountered over the course of a day. Humorous and fun, this storybook provides some interesting word problems that will engage your children in math without them even realizing it. Problems involve addition and subtraction, multiplication, fractions, liquid equivalents, and metric measurements, just to name a few.
The Berenstain Bears’ Big Book of Science and Nature. {Science} Fantastic treasury of three Berenstain Bear adventures, The Berenstain Bears’ Almanac featuring information about weather and season, The Berenstain Bears’ Nature Guide full of fun facts about the plant and animal kingdoms (along with earth science), and The Berenstain Bears Science Fair where readers discover machines, projects, and experiments related to physical science.
The Berenstain Bears: Bears in the Night. {English Grammar} Another great book to introduce very young children to the concept of prepositions, featuring the beloved Berenstain bear family.
Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse {Fine Arts} Mirror images and mirrored poetry featuring well-known fairy tales. This is a favorite read for when we’re tackling mirror images in the first six weeks.
Tree of Life: The Incredible Biodiversity of Life on Earth. Great overview of the Kingdoms of Living Things. Includes information about taxonomy. Great for Weeks 2, 5, and 6. Mention of evolution.
Week 3
Meet the Orchestra: A Guide to the Instruments of the Orchestra through Star Constellations and Greek Myths (with audio). Peters. {History} Discover the instruments of the orchestra as you learn about constellations and their connection to Greek myths. Features each section of the orchestra and includes diagrams of star constellations with star names along with mythological characters. Fantastic resource for integrating science, mythology, and classical music!
Usborne Illustrated Stories from the Greek Myths. {History} This collection of famous myths includes “The Horse,” “The Minotaur,” “Bellerophon and Pegasus,” “The Twelve Tasks of Heracles,” “Perseus and the Gorgon,” “The Odyssey,” along with a guide to the gods and additional information on other Greek myths. Books from the Usborne Illustrated Stories series are top picks for our elementary-aged children!
Usborne Greek Myths for Young Children. Amery. {History} Popular Greek Myths retold in a concise and engaging format for young children. These version of the myths are shorter than the previous book but there are many more that are covered.
The Turn-Around, Upside-Down Alphabet Book {Fine Arts} Fun book that requires the reader to turn the book sideways and upside down to imagine each letter as… something else.
Week 4
You Wouldn’t Want to Be a Pyramid Builder!: A Hazardous Job You’d Rather Not Have. Morley. {History}This series has encouraged even our most reluctant history-learners to learn more about history. As the titles indicate, these books will introduce the good, the bad, and the ugly side of history, but most of the time it’s not too gruesome. This one takes you through life in Ancient Egypt, along with mummification and religion. About these books, our 9-year-old son says, “They’re just awesome.”
Tut’s Mummy Lost & Found (Step-Into-Reading). Donnelly. {History} Sprinkled with information about Egyptian life, this leveled reader provides an engaging overview of Howard Carter’s discovery of King Tut’s Tomb.
The 5,000-Year-Old Puzzle: Solving a Mystery of Ancient Egypt. Logan. {History} Do you have a budding archaeologist? With journal entries, postcards, and cartoons, this book invites readers into the process of archaeology to uncover an ancient mystery.
Mummy Math: An Adventure in Geometry. Neushwander. {History} Mummy Math introduces children to eight common geometric solids (the cone, cylinder, cube, sphere, pyramid, tetrahedron, rectangular prism, and triangular prism) by using them as clues to find an ancient Egyptian mummy.
The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky’s Abstract Art. Rosenstock. {Fine Arts} Meet a young Vasily Kandinsky and his journey towards becoming one of the first painters of abstract art. Gives an answer to the “why” behind abstract art. Backmatter includes four Kandinksy paintings along with links to websites about abstract art.
Week 5
Harold and the Purple Crayon. Johnson. {Fine Arts} This classic picture book has simple line drawings that can help children see how they can also draw an entire world to explore. Simple examples of perspective drawing can be found within the illustrations, making it a great way to explain how to make things appear 3-dimensional.
Cleopatra. Stanley. {History} Very well-written, engaging account of Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, Marc Antony, and Octavian with vivid illustrations. Includes a map, pronunciation guide, and note on ancient sources. Highly recommended!
The Egyptian Cinderella. Climo. {Geography} As one of the world’s oldest Cinderella stories, The Egyptian Cinderella interweaves both fact and fable into a fairy tale familiar to all of us. Although several details of the story are myth, it is believed that a Greek girl named Rhodopis was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Egypt, where she served alongside Aesop, another slave who told her fables about animals. (According to the historic record, a Greek slave girl by the name of Rhodopis married Pharaoh Amasis in the 6th century BC.) Excellent story with vivid illustrations. References Egyptian gods.
Romulus and Remus (Ready-to-Read Level 2). Rockwell. {History} Written for young readers, this book gives some background behind the legendary story of the founding of Rome. We especially like the historical note at the back of the book.
You Wouldn’t Want to Be a Roman Gladiator!: Gory Things You’d Rather Not Know. Malam. {History} As classical educators, we tend to glorify ancient Rome, but there was a not-so-glamorous side of this strong and mighty empire. This book takes you through what the life of a gladiator was like. Recommended for children ages 8+.
Usborne Time Traveler. {History + Geography} Travel back in time to discover the history of Ancient Rome and Ancient Egypt, along with what life was like within these great ancient civilizations. Great engaging book with wonderful illustrations – useful for both Cycle 1 and Cycle 2, as it also includes a visit to a castle in the Middle Ages and a visit to Norway to meet a band of Viking warriors.
City: A Story of Roman Planning and Construction. Macaulay. {History} Filled with black-and-white line drawings, this book illustrates and explains Roman planning, design, and construction for a new city on the outskirts of the Roman Empire. If your child is interested in engineering or architectural design (or simply interested in Ancient Rome), this book is a great resource to give them.
Pompeii… Buried Alive! (Step into Reading). Kunhardt. {History} This leveled reader describes village life in Pompeii, the eruption of Mt Vesuvius, and the rediscovery of the town in modern times.
Earthquakes and Other Natural Disasters (DK Level 4 Reader). Griffey. {History} Includes engaging stories of the Roman city of Pompeii (the eruption of Mt Vesuvius) and the flood of of the Yellow River in China in 1887, along with earthquakes, a hurricane, an avalanche, and a Australian bushfire. Some of the verbiage is descriptive, so it may not be suitable for young or sensitive children.
Ant Cities. Dorros. {Science} With our study of invertebrates, this favorite Reading Rainbow book comes to mind. Who hasn’t wondered what an ant’s home looks like or where the ant is headed with all that effort? Discover fascinating facts about life inside an anthill and learn how to build your own ant farm! Along the same lines, another favorite is Magic School Bus Gets Ants in Its Pants, but between the two, we think Ant Cities is better.
Tree of Life: The Incredible Biodiversity of Life on Earth. Great overview of the Kingdoms of Living Things. Includes information about taxonomy. Great for Weeks 2, 5, and 6. Mention of evolution.
Draw Write Now Book 6: Animals and Habitats: On Land, Ponds and Rivers, Oceans. {Science + Fine Arts} The Draw Write Now series provides simple step-by-step instructions for drawing various animals of the world. This one includes both vertebrates and invertebrates. Also be sure to download FREE Draw Write Now Printables here!
What else was going on during the Roman Empire? The growth of the early church! The Messengers and To Every Nation (which are free on Prime Video for Amazon Prime members) recount the events within the Book of Acts. Also related to the Roman Empire are The Perpetua Story and The Augustine Story. And… for science tie-ins, Wild Kratts!
Week 6
The Librarian Who Measured the Earth. Lasky. {History + Geography} Fabulous book about the Greek geographer/mathematician/librarian Eratosthenes who measured the earth with amazing accuracy.
What’s Your Angle, Pythagoras? A Math Adventure. Ellis. {History + Geography} Although the story itself is not historically accurate (because the details of his childhood are not known), this is a great book for learning the Pythagorean Theorem in a memorable way. Includes a historical note to learn more about the real Pythagoras.
Draw and Write Through History: Greece and Rome. {History + Geography + Fine Arts} Draw and write your way through the ancient Greek and Roman Empires as you follow step-by-step drawing instructions for sketching a Greek soldier, the Lighthouse of Alexandria, The Great Wall of China, Hannibal’s war elephants, the Colosseum, a gladiator, and more. Includes cursive copywork prompts. Great way to combine art, history, and handwriting. Recommended for ages 8+.
The Trojan Horse: How the Greeks Won the War (Step into Reading). Little. {History + Geography}Intended to be read by an emerging reader, this account of the Trojan War provides younger children with short sentences to read along with a pronunciation guide.
You Wouldn’t Want to Be a Greek Athlete! Ford. {History + Geography}Includes great and memorable information about life in Ancient Greece along with the Olympic games. Some illustrations show that athletes competed without clothing. Illustrations were not provocative, but.. just in case this is an issue for you, be sure to check out the illustrations in the Amazon preview to get an idea of what it looks like.
Aesop’s Fables. Sneed. {History} Although this retelling of Aesop’s fables doesn’t include the entire set of Aesop’s Fables, it does include some of our favorite illustrations! For a free online classic version of Aesop’s Fables illustrated by Milo Winter, be sure to take a look at this online interactive version.
Usborne Illustrated Stories from Aesop. {History} Organized by virtue, this collection of Aesop’s fables are beautifully illustrated and very well written!
Tree of Life: The Incredible Biodiversity of Life on Earth. Great overview of the Kingdoms of Living Things. Includes information about taxonomy. Great for Weeks 2, 5, and 6. Mention of evolution.
Draw Write Now Book 7: Animals of the World Part 1: Forest Animals and…
Draw Write Now Book 8: Animals of the World Part II: Grassland and Desert Animals. {Science + Fine Arts}A favorite drawing book series amongst our younger children, The Draw Write Now series provides simple step-by-step instructions for drawing various animals of the world. Also be sure to download FREE Draw Write Now Printables here!
Listen to the Birds. Gerhard. {Science + Fine Arts – Orchestra} This picture book with listening guide and CD provides a nature and music connection that’s simply marvelous! Includes a couple of pieces by Mozart, Stravinsky, and Tchaikovsky along with several others.
Week 7
One Grain Of Rice: A Mathematical Folktale. Demi {History + Math}This delightful mathematical folktale set in India. Not only beautifully illustrated, it’s a great way to show the surprising power of doubling!
Talking to God: Prayers for Children from the World’s Religions. Demi. {History} In this beautifully-illustrated book, readers journey across cultures as they are introduced to prayers from religions around the world, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Shintoism, American Plains Indian, and Central African. Endnotes provide helpful notes about the prayers and illustrations. Demi is one of our favorite illustrators. Her artwork is simply stunning.
William Carey: Bearer of Good News (Heroes for Young Readers). {History} Our family enjoys reading missionary biographies when learning about world religions during Cycle 1. The Heroes for Young Readers series includes rhyming text that introduces missionaries to children in a memorable way. Often referred to as “the father of modern missions,” William Carey dedicated his life to the task of bringing the gospel to those in India.
Amy Carmichael: Rescuing the Children (Heroes for Young Readers). {History} Amy rescued hundreds of women and children from temple service, defying the cruel barriers of India’s caste system as she shared God’s love with others. Also check out the corresponding Torchlighters animated video, free Prime Video for Amazon Prime Members.
Ida Scudder: Healing in India (Heroes for Young Readers). {History} Not only did Dr. Scudder share the Gospel in India as a medical missionary, she also founded a first-class hospital and trained India’s first female doctors, allowing women to receive medical care at a time when social norms and religious beliefs prevented women from being seen by male doctors.
Week 8
The Story of Salt. Kurlansky. {History} Who knew salt could be so fascinating? This longer storybook may be used as a read-aloud for younger children. It takes you through the history of salt, including its uses and excavation in ancient civilizations through medieval times, exploration, and colonization, and even Gandhi’s Salt March. A good book to read now and return to in Cycle 3 when studying the elements of the Periodic Table.
I am Gandhi. Meltzer. This vibrant picture book makes the story of Gandhi’s life and the Passive Resistance Movement accessible to young children.
Seedlings: Fables from the Forest. Baker. {Science} Touching book of parables featuring the trees of the forest as they realize the consequences of discontentment, selfishness, pride, laziness, and unkindness. Includes scripture and discussion questions.
From Seed to Plant Paperback. Gibbons. {Science} This book covers just about everything that we study related to plants in Cycle 1 science memory work. Children learn how a seed begins, the process of pollination (with flower diagrams), and the formation of flowers, fruits, trees, and vegetables.
Week 9
The Warlord’s Beads: A Mathematical Adventure. Pilegard. {History} A fun way to learn how to use (and make) an abacus, with a short historical note about China’s Tang dynasty and the history of the abacus.
Usborne Stories from Around the World for Little Children. {History} Using descriptive and engaging narrative, this treasury of stories from around the world includes five traditional tales, including “Aladdin and his Magical Lamp” (Persia), “Brer Rabbit Down the Well” (United States), “How Zebras Got their Stripes” (Africa), “Why the Sea is Salty” (Korea) and “The Dragon Painter” (China).
The Empty Pot. Demi. {History} A beloved tale about a boy in Ancient China whose embarrassing failure is unveiled as the virtue of honesty. Beautiful artwork by Demi, once again!
The Story About Ping. Flack. {Geography} This story about Ping, a duck who lives near the Yangtze River, has become a favorite of our 4-year-old! A classic!
Hudson Taylor: Friend of China (Heroes for Young Readers). {History} In poetic form, this book provides an overview of the life of Hudson Taylor, who founded the China Inland Mission, reaching the Chinese people with the Gospel mesage.
Gladys Aylward: Daring to Trust (Heroes for Young Readers). {History} Without a formal education, Gladys Aylward trusted God as she traveled to China, where she not only became the Official Foot Inspector, but also lead nearly one hundred orphans across the mountains on a dangerous journey during wartime. Also check out the corresponding Torchlighters animated video, free Prime Video for Amazon Prime Members.
Celebritrees: Historic & Famous Trees of the World. Preus. {Science} Learn the stories about some of the world’s most famous trees from across the world, some which have been around since ancient times.
Talking to God: Prayers for Children from the World’s Religions. Demi. {History} In this beautifully-illustrated book, readers journey across cultures as they are introduced to prayers from religions around the world, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Shintoism, American Plains Indian, and Central African. This one could open up opportunities for discussion as a family. Endnotes provide helpful notes about the prayers and illustrations. Demi is one of our favorite illustrators. Her artwork is simply stunning.
Week 10
You Wouldn’t Want to be a Samurai. MacDonald. {History} Learn the skills and virtues needed to become a samurai in 17th-century Japan. Great picture book to introduce the history of Japan in a succinct and effective manner.
Around the House the Fox Chased the Mouse: Adventures in Prepositions by Rick Walton. {English Grammar} A favorite of our four-year-old, this book is a simple way to introduce our youngest learners to prepositions. Such a fun little book!
Week 11
Zinnia’s Flower Garden. Wellington. {Science} Follow Zinnia as she plants her seeds and tends to her garden. Not only does the storyline provide a look at the process of gardening, the illustrations within the margins of the book provide great details that relate to our CC Cycle 1 science memory work.
M is for Melody: A Music Alphabet. Wargin. {Fine Arts} An engaging, poetic storybook featuring various aspects of music theory and orchestra. (e.g., examine a beautifully-illustrated music staff as you read “M is for Meter,” “N is for Note”…) Young children will enjoy the rhythm and rhyme of the main text, while older children can learn more about each concept in the additional information provided in the margins.
Talking to God: Prayers for Children from the World’s Religions. Demi. {History} In this beautifully-illustrated book, readers journey across cultures as they are introduced to prayers from religions around the world, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Shintoism, American Plains Indian, and Central African. This one could open up opportunities for discussion as a family. Endnotes provide helpful notes about the prayers and illustrations. Demi is one of our favorite illustrators. Her artwork is simply stunning.
Week 12
Mosque. Macauley. {History} Another great book by Macaulay, Mosque provides an overview of the methods and materials used to design and construct a mosque. Especially preferred by budding engineers and/or architects.
If You Were a Preposition. Loewen. {English Grammar} With bright, colorful illustrations, this picture book provides an overview of what prepositions are and how they’re used. Explains prepositional phrases succinctly and effectively. (In fact, all of the “If You Were A…” series have been our favorite way to introduce children to English grammar basics.)
Talking to God: Prayers for Children from the World’s Religions. Demi. {History} In this beautifully-illustrated book, readers journey across cultures as they are introduced to prayers from religions around the world, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Shintoism, American Plains Indian, and Central African. This one could open up opportunities for discussion as a family. Endnotes provide helpful notes about the prayers and illustrations. Demi is one of our favorite illustrators. Her artwork is simply stunning.
Oh Say Can You Seed?: All About Flowering Plants. Worth. In typical Seussian rhyme, the Cat in the Hat explains the various parts of plants, seeds, and flowers along with basic photosynthesis and and seed dispersal.
Week 13
Jambo Means Hello: A Swahili Alphabet Book. Feelings. {History} A Caldecottt Honor Book that takes the reader on an A to Z journey of the people of Africa’s interior to East Africa.
We All Went on Safari: A Counting Journey through Tanzania. Krebs. {History} Learn how to count in Swahili! This book especially for your youngest children includes a map and fascinating facts about the Masai people and the animals of Tanzania.
Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain. Aardema. {History} In the same tone as “The House that Jack Built,” this book’s rhythmic rhyme makes it a favorite of our boys.
The Magic School Bus Inside the Earth (Magic School Bus). {Science}A picture book series favorite amongst our children, this book provides an overview of the earth’s layers and rock types along with the internals of a volcano.
Math Curse. Scieszka. {Math} A puzzling story book about math “problems” encountered over the course of a day. Humorous and fun, this storybook provides some interesting word problems that will engage your children in math without them even realizing it. Problems involve addition and subtraction, multiplication, fractions, liquid equivalents, and metric measurements, just to name a few.
Art Fraud Detective: Spot the Difference, Solve the Crime! {Fine Arts} Trick your children into studying art in detail in this mysterious book where the reader closely examines artwork to determine the differences between the phony imitation and the real masterpiece. Includes historical information on each painting, tips on the techniques of the Old Masters, and a glossary of art terms and features art by Rembrandt; Constable; Monet; Picasso; Raphael; Van Gogh; and more!
Week 14
Too Much Talk: A West African Folktale. Medearis. (OOP) {History + Geography} This out-of-print book is a favorite of our 4-year-old. It really is a pretty comical little West African tale!
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears: A West African Tale. Aardema. {History + Geography} We love West African Folktales, and this one is also a family favorite! Uses such great onomatopoeias – the entire reading has a cadence to it that we thoroughly enjoy!
Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti. McDermott. {History + Geography} This traditional Ashanti tale from Ghana features the folk hero Anansi the Spider, who tends to fall into mischief which leads to grand adventures and valuable lessons. (Caldecott Honor Book.)
Ancient Africa (Chester Comix with Content). Boyd. {History + Geography} This comic book explores Ancient Africa, from the Egyptian Empire to the Mali Empire, including Trade in Ancient Africa and The Middle Passage (with a brief history of slavery and the slave trade). Great way to study history for reluctant learners!
Mary Slessor: Courage in Africa. Meloche. {History} Missionary to the dangerous tribes of Africa’s Calabar region, Mary Slessor impacted the lives of people in the grip of superstition and fear.
National Geographic Kids: Everything Rocks and Minerals. Tomecek. {Science} The National Geographic Everything books include vivid photography and grand storytelling, especially for science! This book about rocks is visually gripping and entertaining while at the same time informative. (Mention of old earth.)
Week 15
Amistad: the Story of a Slave Ship (Penguin Young Readers, L4). {History} In 1838, the slave ship Amistad sailed across the Atlantic with hundreds of kidnapped Africans. This is the story about what happened after the captives took over their ship in an effort to return to their homeland. Use again in Cycle 3.
To the Top: Climbing the World’s Highest Mountains (Step Into Reading). Kramer. {Science} Another picture book for young readers to enjoy reading themselves. Introduces children to Hilary and Norgay’s ascent to the summit of Mount Everest.
Ancient Africa (Chester Comix with Content). Boyd. {History + Geography} This comic book explores Ancient Africa, from the Egyptian Empire to the Mali Empire, including Trade in Ancient Africa and The Middle Passage (with a brief history of slavery and the slave trade). Great way to study history for reluctant learners!
Geography from A to Z: A Picture Glossary. Knowlton. {Geography} Do you know what an isthmus is? How about a knob or a knoll? Learn geography terminology from A to Z in this picture book that features over sixty concise definitions with corresponding illustrations and maps. Great to read with young children – and can later be used as a reference in Challenge A!
David Livingstone: Courageous Explorer (Heroes for Young Readers). {History} Missionary doctor to Africa, David Livingstone pioneered missionary efforts in Africa’s interior.
Week 16
Rain Player. Wisniewski. {History} Beautifully illustrated storybook based on ancient Maya artwork, history, and legend. Historical note on the last page provides great information about the history of the Mayans, also mentioning Mayan locations memorized in CC’s geography memory work.
Aztec, Inca & Maya (DK Eyewitness Books). {History} Great reference book with colorful photos and descriptions that detail the lives of the Ancient Aztecs, Incas, and Mayas, who built vast empires in the Americas. Includes a small ~2-inch illustration of two shirtless native women preparing maize (Diego Rivera’s “Cultivation of Maize and Preparation of Pancakes,” if you’d like to preview it in advance). References cannibalism and human sacrifice.
National Geographic Kids Everything Volcanoes and Earthquakes: Earthshaking photos, facts, and fun! Furgang. {Science} Another Nat Geo title exploding with vivid photos and engaging text as you learn fascinating facts about volcanoes and earthquakes throughout the world. Ties in to Weeks 13-17.
Earthquakes and Other Natural Disasters (DK Level 4 Reader). Griffey. {Science} Includes engaging stories of the Roman city of Pompeii (the eruption of Mt Vesuvius) and the flood of of the Yellow River in China in 1887, along with earthquakes, a hurricane, an avalanche, and a Australian bushfire.
Week 17
The Sad Night: The Story of an Aztec Victory and a Spanish Loss. {History} A beautiful book with great historical information regarding Hernan Cortes and the Aztecs.
Exploration and Conquest: The Americas After Columbus: 1500-1620 (American Story) {History}Although this is one of the best books relating to several memory work sentences and provides a good overview, it is honestly not one of our favorites. We’ve used it as more of an informational read than an exciting/engaging story. It heavily portrays European explorers as greedy and cruel to the Native Americans.
Aztec, Inca & Maya (DK Eyewitness Books). {History} Great reference book with colorful photos and descriptions that detail the lives of the Ancient Aztecs, Incas, and Mayas, who built vast empires in the Americas. Includes a small ~2-inch illustration of two shirtless native women preparing maize (Diego Rivera’s “Cultivation of Maize and Preparation of Pancakes,” if you’d like to preview it in advance). References cannibalism and human sacrifice.
Michelangelo. Stanley. {Fine Arts} Stanley is a favorite author/illustrator in our home. Learn about the life of famous artist, sculptor, and architect Michelangelo Buonarroti. Some nudity, but much of it has been artistically hidden to make this book more accessible to children.
Week 18
Between Earth & Sky: Legends of Native American Sacred Places. Bruchac. {History} A wonderful overview of traditional Native American storytelling with lovely illustrations (including an informative map of Native American tribal regions).
The First Americans (Chester Comix with Content). Boyd. {History} This comic book travels across North America, visiting the cultures of the Anasazi and Pueblo in the Southwest, to the Mound Builders in the Mississippi and Ohio river valleys and beyond! A great way to get reluctant readers engaged in history!
The Magic School Bus on the Ocean Floor. {Science} Take a trip along the ocean floor to learn about life in the depths of the sea, all from the comfort of the Magic School Bus!
Week 19
The First Americans (Chester Comix with Content). Boyd. {History} This comic book travels across North America, visiting the cultures of the Anasazi and Pueblo in the Southwest, to the Mound Builders in the Mississippi and Ohio river valleys and beyond! A great way to get reluctant readers engaged in history!
Sir Cumference and the First Round Table (A Math Adventure) Neuschwander. {Math} Our children love the Sir Cumference books, so much so that we’ve collected the entire set over the past few years. These are just such a great way to introduce math concepts! This Sir Cumference book introduces the concept of circumference, radius, and diameter.
Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi (A Math Adventure) Neuschwander. {Math} Introduces the concept and derivation of Pi.
Meet the Orchestra: A Guide to the Instruments of the Orchestra through Star Constellations and Greek Myths (with audio). Peters. {Fine Arts} Discover the instruments of the orchestra as you learn about constellations and their connection to Greek myths. Features each section of the orchestra and includes diagrams of star constellations with star names along with mythological characters. Fantastic resource for integrating science, mythology, and classical music!
Story of the Orchestra : Listen While You Learn About the Instruments, the Music and the Composers Who Wrote the Music! {Fine Arts} With its focus on composers and instruments of the orchestra, this book (with accompanying CD) has been a great introduction to classical music! Includes an introduction to each instrument of the orchestra, engaging stories of famous composers (including Mozart and Bach), and musical styles and seating charts for musical styles/eras. The audio CD is full of musical examples that are referenced in the book text. Fantastic!
Week 20
Sir Cumference and the Isle of Immeter. Neuschwander. {Math} Introduces the concept of area & perimeter, including the area & perimeter (or circumference) of a circle.
Cameron Townsend: Planting God’s Word (Heroes for Young Readers). {History} Founder of Wycliffe Bible Translators, Cameron Townsend served as a missionary in Central America.
DK Eye Wonder Weather. {Science} Beautiful photographs and helpful explanations about clouds, forecasting, and seasons bring the world of weather to life. Ties in to science Weeks 20-24.
National Geographic Kids Everything Weather: Facts, Photos, and Fun that Will Blow You Away. Furgang. {Science} The National Geographic Everything books include vivid photography and grand storytelling, especially for science! In this title, children encounter the real-life experiences of Nat Geo’s tornado chaser Tim Samaras as they find out about weather extremes and weather predictions. Visually gripping and entertaining while at the same time informative. (Mention of old earth.)
My Name is Handel: The Story of Water Music (Audio). {Fine Arts} Fantastic audio production that makes Handel’s Water Music memorable! In addition to the music, this CD includes educational extras and a 24-page activity booklet.
Week 21
O Canada. Harrison. (Illustrated){History}Lovely illustrations paired with Canada’s official national anthem in both English and French.
Maps and Globes (Reading Rainbow Book) {Science} Fantastic overview of maps and globes (and globe markings). Great for reference in both Cycle 1 and 2.
Geography from A to Z: A Picture Glossary. Knowlton. {Geography} Do you know what an isthmus is? How about a knob or a knoll? Learn geography terminology from A to Z in this picture book that features over sixty concise definitions with corresponding illustrations and maps. Great to read with young children – and can later be used as a reference in Challenge A!
Week 22
Listen to the Birds. Gerhard. {Fine Arts} This picture book with listening guide and CD provides a nature and music connection that’s simply marvelous! Includes a couple of pieces by Mozart, Stravinsky, and Tchaikovsky along with several others.
Mozart: The Wonder Child: A Puppet Play in Three Acts. Stanley. {Fine Arts} This riveting biography about music’s most famous prodigy gives a wonderful overview of Mozart, all depicted in a unique Marionette-Theatre format. We love this book about Mozart!!!
Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear. Mattick. {History} From the fields of Canada, this is the story of the world’s most famous bear, Winnie-the-Pooh, and his friend Christopher Robin.
Lost City: The Discovery of Machu Picchu. Lewin. {History} Follow in the footsteps of Hiram Bingham, who trekked across the jungles of Peru in search of the lost city of the Incas, only to find the ruins of Machu Picchu, a city previously unknown to the outside world.
Oh Say Can You Say What’s the Weather Today?: All About Weather. Rabe. Learn all about the weather from Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library. With its similarity in style to Dr. Seuss, this series of books is a treat to read!
The Kids’ Book of Weather Forecasting. Breen. {Science} If you have a child especially fascinated with weather, this book is filled with observations, activities, and experiments related to weather prediction.
Week 23
A Picture Book of Simon Bolivar. Adler. {History} One of the few picture books available about the liberation of South America. A good discussion starter!
Jim Elliot: A Light for God (Heroes for Young Readers). {History + Timeline} Also ties in to timeline, this story follows the life and death of Jim Elliott as he gave up his life to witness to the Auca/Waoroni people in the Ecuadorian jungle.Also check out the corresponding Torchlighters animated video, free Prime Video for Amazon Prime Members.
Nate Saint: Heavenbound (Heroes for Young Readers). {History + Timeline} Flying over the jungles of Ecuador in his yellow plane, missionary pilot Nate Saint was another of the team members who lost their lives attempting to befriend the feared Auca/Waoroni tribe.
The Cloud Book Paperback. A great mix of history and science, where you’ll learn about the ten most common clouds, how to use them to predict the weather, and the myths surrounding their shapes.
Week 24
The Heroic Symphony. Celenza. {Science + Fine Arts} A look at Beethoven’s Heroic Symphony (which he wrote in response to his struggles with going deaf) and how this famous work relates to Napoleon. A great book for both Cycle 1 history and Cycle 2 fine arts.
Maps and Globes (Reading Rainbow Book) {Science} Fantastic overview of maps and globes (and globe markings). Great for reference in both Cycle 1 and 2.
There’s a Map on My Lap!: All About Maps. Rabe. Learn about globe markings from Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library.
The Warlord’s Fish. Pilegard. {Science} This engaging mathematical/scientific tale imagines the history of the compass in China. Backmatter includes the history of compasses in China and instructions on how to build a simple compass.
A printable Cycle 1 Picture Books list is included in our CC Cycle 1 Planner with Planning Resources packet.
Check out our other book lists for Cycle 1!
Who Was… What Was… Where Was… Book List
CC Cycle 1 Magic Tree House & Imagination Station
Favorite CC Cycle 1 Read Alouds
CC Cycle 1 Book List