Parents' Guide to

The Story of Mankind

By Tanya Smith, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

A must-have for the home or classroom library.

Book Hendrik Willem van Loon History 1921
The Story of Mankind Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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What's the Story?

A must-have for the home or classroom library, this updated eighty-year-old Newbery Award winner is a lively, awe-inspiring chronicle of human evolution, from cave dwelling to Net surfing. It's a volume readers of all ages will turn to again and again for the stories of who we are and how we were.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Despite its ponderous title, The Story Of Mankind is a lively book, laced with dry humor and wry observations. Although broad in scope, the book is capable of delving beneath the surface, as in its discussion of the Third World's own three "worlds." Nonetheless, some modern-day topics are given short shrift: AIDS is covered in a mere five sentences, and the Internet is discussed in just a half a paragraph; by contrast, in the same chapter, the rise and fall of the Nicaraguan contras is given over a page.

A book this ambitious deserves better illustrations, though. The handwritten words within the illustrations are tiny, and the large-typeface captions are easily confused for chapter subheadings. Black-and-white photos or more detailed drawings would be a major improvement.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about which of the book's topics interest them most and why. How could you find out more if you wanted to?

Book Details

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