One thing I’ve pondered the past few years is how do I raise my children to be globally minded while living in the United States? Then the new book by Jamie C. Martin who blogs over at Simple Homeschool popped on my radar a few weeks ago. It’s called “Give Your Child the World: Raising Globally Minded Kids One Book at a Time.” It didn’t take long to decide to order it and once it arrived, I read the whole book in one sitting. It is EXCELLENT. It’s exactly what I’m wanting! And great timing, too, because now with 2 years of homeschooling under my belt, I feel more confident to add things to our schedule that are important to me. And raising globally minded kids is VERY important to me.

If you’re familiar with “Honey for a Child’s Heart,” then “Give Your Child the World” is very similar. There are a few chapters on ideas for incorporating these things in your household, and the rest of the book is just carefully curated booklists of high quality books, broken down by region and age level.

If you do nothing else, then at least listen to Read Aloud Revival’s podcast about this book, which highlights a few of the ideas and books. You can listen from your computer by clicking that link, if you don’t already subscribe to podcasts from your phone.

I find all this already very exciting, but there’s even more! Jamie is hosting a Summer Book Club with lots of awesome prizes. Click on that link for more information, but I promise it’s very easy and not stressful, even if you’re really busy!

This week was Multicultural Week! We selected 3 titles from the list and one the girls chose at the library. We enjoyed learning about different cultures!

(All descriptions from Amazon.com.)

How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World
by Marjorie Priceman

“An apple pie is easy to make…if the market is open. But if the market is closed, the world becomes your grocery store. This deliciously silly recipe for apple pie takes readers around the globe to gather ingredients. First hop a steamboat to Italy for the finest semolina wheat. Then hitch a ride to England and hijack a cow for the freshest possible milk. And, oh yes! Don’t forget to go apple picking in Vermont! A simple recipe for apple pie is included.”

P Is for Passport: A World Alphabet
by Devin Scillian

“Celebrating the diversity in our world while cherishing our similarities, P is for Passport takes readers on a whirlwind tour of all the delights of the globe. From the everyday concerns of people everywhere for such things as bread and currency, to the wonders of our world such as deserts and volcanoes, Passport offers a fascinating variety of topics and ideas to explore.”

A School Like Mine: A Unique Celebration of Schools Around the World
by DK

“A refreshed edition of a DK classic, Children Just Like Me: A School Like Mine looks at different countries and cultures around the globe and reveals the lives of children as they learn at school. Broaden children’s views of the world and learn about the daily lives of real students from places near and far, from Australia to South Korea. Where do children in Jordan learn? What subjects do they study in Egypt?”

My Librarian Is a Camel: How Books Are Brought to Children Around the World
by Margriet Ruurs

“Do you get books from a public library in your town or even in your school library? In many remote areas of the world, there are no library buildings. In many countries, books are delivered in unusual way: by bus, boat, elephant, donkey, train, even by wheelbarrow. Why would librarians go to the trouble of packing books on the backs of elephants or driving miles to deliver books by bus? Because, as one librarian in Azerbaijan says, ‘Books are as important to us as air or water!’ This is the intriguing photo essay, a celebration of books, readers, and libraries.”

Next week is Africa, and I have a stack of books waiting to go. :-)