This is now the third time I have reviewed books by Carole P. Roman and it is the third time and I have been impressed with the books! This time around, I received books about China and Mars. I requested books on China because with my new job with VIPKID, I have an extra special interest in all things related to China. So, while yes it is good for my kids to learn about it, I really got them for me. Shhhh… don’t tell the kids! The Mars book was a surprise book that I didn’t request, but I’m happy to have gotten it! I also received another surprise book. This one is a fiction book called “Oh Susannah: It’s in the Bag”.
You can find all of Carole P. Roman books I’m going to talk about on Amazon. I will link them here for your convenience. Please note that if you click on the links and end up purchasing something, I will receive a small percentage. I thank you in advance. Every little bit helps to keep my blog alive. :)
Here are the links for the books:
- If You Were Me and Lived On … Mars
- If You Were Me and Lived In … China
- If You Were Me and Lived In … Ancient China
- Oh Susannah: It’s in the Bag
If You Were Me and Lived In … History Books
These books are the most fun way to bring history books into your homeschool (or just into your home whether you homeschool or not!).
My 9 year old especially loves them. The books are written from a child’s perspective. “If you were me and lived in … China”… the title of the book itself is a child speaking. A child tells you all about what it’s like to live there. He or she tells you about names you might be given, the food you might eat, history of the country, places you might go, and more.
I love Chinese food. One of the most interesting things I read in the books was that depending on where you live in China, you would eat different types of food. Which makes sense… we do that in the United States too. I just never thought about it. With the examples given, it looks like my favorite foods come from the South and South West (sweet and sour pork and spicy chicken).
When you read the “If You Were Me and Lived In … Ancient China” book, you dive a bit deeper into your understanding of China and Chinese culture. Even though there is a ton of information in the book, it still reads like a story. A child is telling you what it was like to live in Ancient China. So it is more interesting for the reader.
The “China” book is around 32 pages and is geared towards a younger audience (ages 4 to 9ish). The Ancient China book is a bit longer at 40 pages and is geared towards ages 8-15.
There are so many countries covered in Carole P. Roman’s “If You Were Me” series of books. I would recommend you just start with whatever countries your kids are interested in and go from there. I really don’t think you can go wrong.
The other “If You Were Me” book I received was about Mars. To my knowledge, this is the only non-country “If You Were Me” book. It explains what it would be like to live on Mars in the future. So, of course this one is not necessarily factual. We don’t know if or when we will ever live on a different planet. It’s fun to read about and speculate though! And you learn a lot about Mars while you learn about what it would be like to live there. :)
Her Newest Series
“Oh Susannah” is her newest series of books. I received the first book in the series: “Oh Susannah: It’s in the Bag.”
Based on the back of the book, I thought my daughter would be learning a valuable lesson on talking about your worries and not pushing things to the side. She did learn that lesson, but I learned one too. The parents in the story were busy. So busy that Susannah didn’t think they had time for her. I don’t know about you, but I definitely have my moments where I rush my kids to do something or tell them we “don’t have time for this.” This story reminded me to slow down. And hopefully reminded Olivia that she can always talk to us about what is troubling her. I look forward to us reading more Susannah books together!
I truly enjoy all of Carole P. Roman’s books and I look forward to getting more! I think I will continue with the next “Oh Susannah” book, get more “If You Were Me and Lived In” books, and then I also want to check out her “Captain No Beard” series.
If you are interested in hearing more about her books, feel free to click the read more banner below. Crew members all received a variety of books.
Which Carole P. Roman books do you own? Which ones are on your list to buy?
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