Heading West Book Review

Heading West, Life with the Pioneers, written by Pat McCarthy and published by Chicago Review Press. This book is for ages nine and up. I was sent this book for free to review and keep. Have you been looking for a way to make teaching your child history fun? I was. When I saw this book listed as available for review, I requested it.

This book concentrates on the old west and is filled with historical information about people, places and things that are related to that time period. The book is written to be easily understood by a child that is at least nine years old. I also love the pictures in the book. From the photographs of historical figures like Daniel Boone to a picture of an Alaskan homestead, they are a great way to inspire an interest in history.

I think the time line in the front of the book is a great way to keep the events you are teaching in chronological order. I haven’t done it yet, but I am going to copy it and tape it to the wall. What I really think makes this book special are the activities that are listed in it. There are 21 activities throughout the book that you can do with your child.

The activities have detailed instructions and are easy to follow. The author tried to use materials you already have around the house or outside. The first activity in the book is how to make a tipi. It is really easy to follow and a fun way to reiterate what you and your child have just read. Other activities include churning your own butter and tracking animals.

Now that we are home schooling, I think that it is important to incorporate fun into our day. Teaching my son is a challenge. He has a short attention span and bores easily. By switching back and forth from book learning to a learning craft/activity, I am hoping to have an easier time keeping him focused and involved. I think that this book is a great fit for home schooling families. It’s not designated for use with autistic children. That’s good, because it doesn’t carry the higher price tag that we usually associate to materials that have been labeled especially for our children. I checked Amazon, and you can get this book now for $13.22. You can also find it in the book stores for $16.95USA & $18.95CAN.