Beautiful Feet Books

How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him who brings good news,
who publishes peace,
who brings good news of happiness,
who publishes salvation,
who says to Zion, "Your God reigns."

Isaiah 52:7

Beautiful Feet Books proclaims the good news that history doesn't need to be dull. For over twenty years, the Berg family has guided families away from dry textbooks toward excellent literature. This approach imparts a genuine love of history and a regard for the writings of brilliant men and women. Their hope is that home school families can expose their children to the very best literature to improve their minds, expand their vocabularies, and "form their palate" for the noble and enduring.

The question is often asked, "How do I teach a comprehensive course in history using just children's books?" BFB responds with a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson—"There is properly no history, only biography." When we realize history is the stories of people and we learn about their fascinating lives, learning history becomes painless, even joyful! As Christians, understanding the sovereign hand of God over the affairs of men, the study of history becomes part of our heritage, given to us by those who have gone before. By simply arranging the stories of people in chronological order, a study of history can be very rewarding.

How Do These Work?

Beautiful Feet has designed twenty-four courses (as of 2024) covering different topics. There are thirteen about U.S. and world history, from the ancient world through the Clinton presidency. And there are five individual guides covering the history of science, classical music, character, geography, and the horse. All of them are a little differently formatted, but they are all similar in that each works through a particular group of books, offering a loose reading schedule, questions for comprehension and discussion, and an answer key. Also scattered throughout the guides are additional reading, referrals to websites, suggestions for movies to watch, vocabulary study, timeline and map work, and a variety of other activities.

Younger Students Older Students
Around the World with Picture Books I (1-4) Ancient History (Intermediate) (5-8)
Around the World with Picture Books II (1-4) Ancient History (High School) (9-12)
Early American History Primary (K-3) Medieval History (Intermediate) (5-8)
Early American History Intermediate (4-6) Medieval History Senior High (9-12)
History of Western Expansion (4-8)
(Going out of print, challenging!)
Early American & World History (7-9)
 
Around California with Children's Books (4-6) Modern American & World (6-9)
  Modern U.S. & World (10-12)
 
Supplements
Teaching Character Through Literature (PreK-3, 4-6) U.S. Geography through Literature Primary (K-3)
Seasons Afield (Science K-3) Geography Through Holling (4-8)
History of Science (3-8) U.S. Geography Intermediate 
History of Classical Music (4-8) World Geography & Ecology
Classical Music Appreciation (coming 2024) History of the Horse (3-6)

The defined reading list is both the advantage and disadvantage of this curriculum. The main advantage is that for planning purposes, it is very user friendly: you know exactly which books you need and when you need them. BFB has made a point of choosing books you can find, and have even reprinted some fantastic books themselves so they can guarantee their availability. And they really have chosen some great books: we're confident you would enjoy reading them.

The disadvantage of the reading list is twofold. First, because there is so little "excellent" literature covering ancient and medieval history for young children, BFB defaults to early American history, for which plenty of books are available. It is only in the junior and senior high grades that they cover the ancient and medieval times. Most people won't have a problem with this, but those who prefer the model of a chronological sequence even in the early grades would find this unacceptable. They would argue that studying American history first makes it a little bit harder to understand the flow of history, and America's place in it. The second disadvantage is that the guides offer study questions only for the required reading list. They offer ideas for other books to read or things to study, but don't cover it in depth. This allows for plenty of flexibility, but there is the potential to miss large portions of history. The additional recommended reading is therefore really valuable.

Our Honest Opinion:

We've heard a good number of arguments for teaching history chronologically, but Beautiful Feet has convinced us we'd rather go where the good literature is. We don't believe their guides are thorough enough to be considered a full history overview, but there are plenty of textbooks and other reference materials available to help fill in important gaps, and the guides are excellent for fleshing out particular periods of history. If you're looking for something more fun than a textbook, want a fair amount of structure, but don't need a daily schedule, Beautiful Feet is worth looking into. It's best for readers who don't need or want many hands-on activities.

Even if you don't want to use their guides, keep in mind their excellent reprints of biographies and histories by authors like Edgar and Ingri D'Aulaire, Genevieve Foster, James Daugherty, and Albert Marrin.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Do you have sample pages for the BFB Study Guides?
Yes, you can see samples and the required reading lists by clicking on each individual guide.

Should I follow a particular order if I use BFB?
Sort of. You can view BFB's Suggested Study Sequence by clicking here (PDF file).

How many lessons are in each study guide?
You can view a list by clicking here (PDF file).

What credits am I able to award my high school student if he uses BFB?
You can view a list by clicking here (PDF file).

Did you find this review helpful?
65 Items found Print
Ancient History - Intermediate Teacher Guide
by Rebecca Manor
2nd edition from Beautiful Feet Books
for 5th-8th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$39.99
Ancient History - Senior Guide
by Rebecca Manor
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 9th-12th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$28.95
Ancient History - Timeline (Intermediate)
by Rebecca Manor
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 5th-8th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$15.95
Around California With Children's Books - Guide
by Rea Berg
2nd edition from Beautiful Feet Books
for 4th-6th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$24.95
Around the World with Picture Books Volume 1 - Guide
by Rea Berg
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 1st-4th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$34.99
Around the World with Picture Books Volume 2 - Guide
by Rea Berg
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 1st-4th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$28.95
BFB 50 States Map
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 5th-6th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$16.95
BFB Ancient & Medieval World Map
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 5th-8th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$16.95
BFB Ancient History - 5-8 Pack
for 5th-8th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$218.71
BFB Ancient History - HS Pack
for 9th-12th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$244.58
BFB Early American and World History for Jr. High Package
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 7th-9th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$165.87
BFB Early American History - 4-6 Pack
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 4th-6th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$252.89
BFB Early American History - 7-9 Pack
for 7th-9th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$225.65
BFB Early American History - K-3 Pack
from Beautiful Feet Books
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
$270.56
BFB History of the Horse - Literature Package
for 4th-6th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$99.35
BFB Holling Geography Package
by Rea Berg, Holling C. Holling
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 3rd-8th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$74.31
BFB Medieval History - 5-8 Pack
for 5th-8th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$300.41
BFB Medieval History - HS Guide
by Rebecca Manor & Rebecca Allen
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 10th-12th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$39.99
BFB Medieval History - HS Pack
by Rebecca Manor & Rea Berg
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 9th-12th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$190.84
BFB Modern American & World History - 5-8 Pack
for 6th-9th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
BFB Notebook
from Beautiful Feet Books
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$7.95
BFB Teaching Character - 4-6 Pack
by Rebecca Berg
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
BFB Teaching Character - K-3 Pack
by Rebecca Berg
from Beautiful Feet Books
for Kindergarten-6th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
BFB World Geography & Ecology Pack
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 7th-9th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$224.93
BFB World Map (blank)
from Beautiful Feet Books
for Nursery
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$16.95
Book of Nations
by Rebecca Allen
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 3rd-8th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$35.00
Child's First Book of American History
by Earl Schenck Miers, James Daugherty
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$32.95
Child's First Book of American History (hardcover)
by Earl Schenck Miers, James Daugherty
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$42.95
Early American and World History for Junior High (old)
by Rea & Rebecca Berg
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 6th-9th grade
in Old Edition History & Geography (Location: OHIS)
$9.00
Early American History - Intermediate Timeline
by Rea Berg
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$14.95
Early American History - Intermediate Timeline (old)
by Rea Berg
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Old Edition History & Geography (Location: OHIS)
$9.00
Early American History - Your Story Hour CDs
by Your Story Hour
from Your Story Hour
for Kindergarten-6th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
Early American History for 7th-9th Grade - Guide
by Rebecca Manor
2nd edition from Beautiful Feet Books
for 6th-9th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$29.95
Early American History for Intermediate Grades (really old)
by Rea Berg
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 4th-6th grade
in Old Edition History & Geography (Location: OHIS)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Early American History for Intermediate Grades - Guide
by Rea Berg & Rebecca Manor
3rd edition from Beautiful Feet Books
for 4th-6th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$29.95
Early American History for Primary Grades - Guide
by Rea Berg
3rd edition from Beautiful Feet Books
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$34.99
Early American History Primary - Supplementary Package
from Beautiful Feet Books
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in American History Reference (Location: HISA-REF)
$127.21
Fieldnotes & Watercolor Cards
from Beautiful Feet Books
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$13.99
Foster Package
by Genevieve Foster
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 7th-10th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$99.76
Geography through Holling: A Literature Approach - Guide
by Rea Berg
2nd edition from Beautiful Feet Books
for 2nd-7th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$18.99
Geography through Literature K-3 - Guide
by Rebecca Manor
1st edition from Beautiful Feet Books
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$34.99
Geography: A Literature Approach (old)
by Rea Berg
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 2nd-7th grade
in Old Edition History & Geography (Location: OHIS)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
History of Classical Music - Guide
by Rebecca Manor
2nd edition from Beautiful Feet Books
for 5th-8th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$16.95
History of Classical Music - Timeline
by Rebecca Berg
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 5th-8th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$10.95
History of Science (old)
by Rebecca Berg
2nd edition from Beautiful Feet Books
for 3rd-8th grade
in Old Edition History & Geography (Location: OHIS)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
History of Science - Guide
by Rebecca Berg Manor
2nd edition from Beautiful Feet Books
for 3rd-8th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$18.95
History of Science - Timeline
by Rea Berg
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 3rd-8th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$10.95 $7.00 (1 in stock)
History of the Horse Through Literature - Guide
by Hilary Berg
3rd edition from Beautiful Feet Books
for 2nd-8th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$16.95
Holling Geography - Map Packet
by Rea Berg
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 2nd-7th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$19.95
Holling Quintet
by Holling C. Holling
from Houghton Mifflin
for 3rd-8th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$53.55
Joan of Arc
by M. Boutet De Monvel
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 4th-7th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$13.95
Medieval History - Intermediate Guide
by Rebecca Manor & Rebecca Allen
Revised & Expanded from Beautiful Feet Books
for 5th-8th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$40.95
Medieval History - Senior Guide
by Rebecca Manor & Rea Berg
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 9th-12th grade
in Old Edition History & Geography (Location: OHIS)
$27.95
Medieval History Timeline
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 5th-8th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$16.95
Modern American and World History - 6-8 Guide
by Rea Berg & Jonathan Crabtree
3rd edition from Beautiful Feet Books
for 6th-9th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$26.95
Modern American and World History - Junior High Guide
by Rea Berg & Jonathan Crabtree
2nd edition from Beautiful Feet Books
for 6th-9th grade
in Old Edition History & Geography (Location: OHIS)
$34.95
Modern American and World History - Timeline
by Rea & Rebecca Berg
2nd edition from Beautiful Feet Books
for 6th-9th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$14.95
Modern U.S. and World History - Senior High Guide
by Jonathan Crabtree & Rea Berg
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 10th-12th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$28.95
Seasons Afield - Guide
by Tami Kruse and Taylor Baehr
from Beautiful Feet Books
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$34.99
Spirit of the Stars and Stripes/The Runaway Boy
from Your Story Hour
for 1st-3rd grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
Teaching Character through Literature - Guide
by Rebecca Berg
from Beautiful Feet Books
for Kindergarten-6th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$19.95
U.S. Geography Intermediate - Guide
by Rebecca Manor
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 4th-6th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$27.95
USA + Colonies Map
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 5th-6th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
Western Expansion of the U.S. - Study Guide
by Rea Berg
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 4th-7th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$12.95
World Geography & Ecology - Teacher Guide
by Rebecca Manor
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 7th-9th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$39.95