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Reference & Learning Aids

A lot of education is filling in gaps. Even more is simple fact-memorization, the primary building block leading to the ability to regurgitate ideas, analyze them, and form original ones. Either way, there often isn't a better solution than stuffing names, dates, and figures in kids' heads until they can recall them at will. They hate this, generally, but it's a necessary evil.

In no way as unpleasant, but just as educational, is something most kids love to do: getting comfy with a big compendium of knowledge and turning each page, learning little tidbits about history, the world around them, how their body works, or who's been in outer space until they've had enough and go outside to hunt trolls or dig up buried treasure.

The best word to describe such books is one that every college student learns to dread: reference. If you don't get an F on your paper because you wrote it two hours before class, you definitely will because you forgot to cite your references. It's important to remember, however, that the enemy isn't reference; the enemy (for lack of a better term) is a system that places more value on following arbitrary guidelines than presenting and commenting on thoughts and information.

We're here to put the RAD back in reference. And memorization—there's nothing that says learning the times tables has to be boring. It often is, but usually only because we look at it as a chore, and not a privilege or exciting activity. This attitude often starts with parents: we didn't like math in school, so we kind of groan along with our kids whenever the ol' numbers chart comes out. If we get excited instead, our children are likely to do the same.

Below you'll find a long list of books crammed with facts. Some of them aren't important facts (usually the most fun), some of them are essential; we're not sure where the distinction should or does lie all the time, so we'll leave you to sort that out for yourselves. We would simply encourage, whether you're teaching the tens chart in math, or adding nuance to a study of the Old West by reading a short bio of female outlaw Belle Prater, that you approach "just the facts" with as much joy and anticipation as you'd like to see your children exhibit.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.
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500 Facts: American History for Kids
from Rockridge Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in American History Reference (Location: HISA-REF)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Alphabet Makers
by Hyatt Moore
from Wycliffe Bible Translators
for 8th-Adult
in History of Books & Language (Location: HISV-BOOK)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
American Adventures Part 1
by Morrie Greenberg
from Brooke-Richards Press
for 4th-6th grade
in American History Reference (Location: HISA-REF)
$3.50 (5 in stock)
American Adventures Part 2
by Morrie Greenberg
from Brooke-Richards Press
for 4th-6th grade
in American History Reference (Location: HISA-REF)
$6.00 (2 in stock)
Ancient India
People of the Ancient World
by Virginia Schomp
from Scholastic Inc.
for 4th-8th grade
in Ancient History (Location: HISW-ANC)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Bible Lands Series - 2 volumes
by Martha Fisher, illustrated by Josephine Beachy, Rhoda Shenk, Christy Collins, Arlene Martin
from Rod & Staff Publishers, Inc.
for 1st-3rd grade
in Bible Study & Reference for Kids (Location: BIBR-STU)
$10.50 (1 in stock)
Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
by Jane Straus with Lester Kaufman & Tom Stern
11th edition from Jossey-Bass
for 6th-Adult
$13.56 $8.00 (1 in stock)
Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
by Lester Kaufman and Jane Straus
12th edition from Jossey-Bass
for 6th-Adult
in Grammar Reference (Location: REF-GRA)
$20.00
Countries Around the World: New Zealand
by Mary Colson
from Heinemann-Raintree
for 2nd-5th grade
in Australia & Oceania (Location: HISMC-AU)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
DK Did You Know? Science
by Emily Dodd
from DK Publishing
for 1st-5th grade
in Science Reference (Location: SCIREF)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
DK Eyewitness: Ancient Greece
DK Eyewitness Series
by Anne Pearson
from DK Publishing
Greek History Reference for 4th-8th grade
in Ancient Greece (Location: HISW-ANGR)
$9.99
DK Eyewitness: Arctic & Antarctic
by Barbara Taylor
from DK Publishing
for 4th-8th grade
in Arctic & Tundra (Location: SCI-ECO)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
DK Eyewitness: Mythology
by Neil Philip
from DK Publishing
for 9th-Adult
in Diversity & Multicultural Books (Location: HISMC-MUL)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
DK Eyewitness: Rocks & Minerals
from DK Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Geology (Rocks & Minerals) (Location: SCI-GEO)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
DK Findout! Science
from DK Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Science Reference (Location: SCIREF)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
DK Help Your Kids with Language Arts
from DK Publishing
for 3rd-8th grade
in Writing Reference (Location: REF-WRI)
$6.00 (2 in stock)
DK Smithsonian: Science
by Chris Woodford & Steve Parker
2nd edition from DK Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Science Reference (Location: SCIREF)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Don't Know Much About American History
by Kenneth C. Davis
from HarperCollins
for 4th-6th grade
in American History Reference (Location: HISA-REF)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Electricity and Magnetism
Usborne Understanding Science
by Eliot Humberstone, Paul-Francis Law & Peter Adamczyk
from Usborne
for 3rd-7th grade
in Clearance: Science & Health (Location: ZCLE-SCI)
$2.50 (2 in stock)
Everything You Need To Know About World History Homework
by Anne Zeman & Kate Kelly
from Scholastic Inc.
for 4th-6th grade
in History Encyclopedias & Fact Books (Location: HISRF-ENC)
$4.50 (2 in stock)
Excellence in Literature - Handbook for Writers
by Ian Johnston and Janice Campbell
1st edition from Everyday Education
for 9th-12th grade
in IEW Literature & Poetry (Location: LITCUR-IEW)
$20.00 (1 in stock)
Eyes on Adventure: Exploring Space
Eyes on Adventure
by Leigh Hope Wood
from KidsBooks, Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Space Race & Exploration (Location: HISA-20SPR)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Famous Presidents
Eyes on America
by Philip Koslow
from KidsBooks, Inc.
for 2nd-4th grade
in American Presidency (Location: HISV-PRE)
$2.00 (3 in stock)
First Encyclopedia of Our World
Usborne Internet-Linked
by Felicity Brooks
from Usborne
for 2nd-6th grade
in Earth Science (Location: SCI-EARTH)
$7.00 (3 in stock)
First Encyclopedia of Science
Usborne Internet-Linked
by Rachel Firth
from Usborne
for 2nd-6th grade
in Science Reference (Location: SCIREF)
$7.00 (2 in stock)
For You They Signed
by Marilyn Boyer
All-in-One Edition from Master Books
for 7th-9th grade
in Master Books History (Location: HISCUR-MB)
$39.19
Fossils Tell of Long Ago
Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science Stage 2
by Aliki
Revised from HarperCollins
for 2nd-3rd grade
in Dinosaurs & Fossils (Location: SCI-DINO)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Guide to Grammar
by Laura Wilson
from Maupin House Publishing
for 5th-8th grade
in Grammar Reference (Location: REF-GRA)
$17.00 (1 in stock)
History Helps
by Bonnie L. Dettmer
from Small Ventures
for 4th-6th grade
in Clearance: History & Geography (Location: ZCLE-HIS)
$2.00 (3 in stock)
How to Be Good at Science, Technology & Engineering
from DK Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Science Reference (Location: SCIREF)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Illustrated Young Readers' Dictionary
from Simon and Schuster
for 3rd-6th grade
in Dictionaries (Location: REF-DIC)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Indian Winter
by Russell Freedman
from Scholastic Inc.
for 5th-8th grade
in Native American History (Location: HISA-19NAT)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Kingfisher Atlas of the Medieval World
by Simon Adams
from Kingfisher
for 3rd-6th grade
in Oversized History Books (Location: HISW-OVER)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Kingfisher First Dictionary
by John Grisewood
from Kingfisher
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Dictionaries (Location: REF-DIC)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Kregel Pictorial Guide to the Bible
by Tim Dowley
from Kregel Publications
for 7th-12th grade
in Bible Geography and Surveys (Location: XBI-GEO)
$7.50 (1 in stock)
MapTrek - Atlas
by Terri Johnson
from Master Books
for 1st-10th grade
in Historical & Cultural Atlases (Location: HISRF-ATLAS)
$34.39
MapTrek - Atlas & Outlines
by Terri Johnson
from Master Books
for 1st-10th grade
in Historical & Cultural Atlases (Location: HISRF-ATLAS)
MapTrek - Outlines
by Terri Johnson
from Master Books
for 1st-10th grade
in Historical & Cultural Atlases (Location: HISRF-ATLAS)
$34.39
Mesmerized
by Mara Rockliff, illustrated by Iacopo Bruno
from Candlewick Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Colonial America (1690-1765) (Location: HISA-17COL)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Mummies & Pyramids
Usborne Internet-Linked
by Sam Taplin
from Usborne
for 3rd-6th grade
in Ancient Egypt (Location: HISW-ANEG)
$4.50 (2 in stock)
My Book of Stories
by Deborah Patterson
from British Library
for 3rd-6th grade
in Writing Reference (Location: REF-WRI)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
My Little Science Library 5 volumes
from National Geographic
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Science Reference (Location: SCIREF)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Nature Day and Night
by Richard Adams & Max Hooper, illustrated by David Goddard
from Penguin Books
for 4th-Adult
in Nature Study & Journaling (Location: NAT-GEN)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Nature Through the Seasons
by Richard Adams & Max Hooper, illustrated by David Goddard
from Penguin Books
for 4th-6th grade
in Nature Study & Journaling (Location: NAT-GEN)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
NIV Compact Bible Commentary
by John H. Sailhamer
from Zondervan
for Adult
in Bible Commentaries (Location: XBI-COMM)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Nystrom Atlas of United States History
from Nystrom
for 5th-12th grade
in Historical & Cultural Atlases (Location: HISRF-ATLAS)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Politically Incorrect Guide to the American Revolution
P.I.G. series
by Larry Schweikart and Dave Dougherty
from Regnery Publishing, Inc.
for 10th-Adult
in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV)
$11.00 (1 in stock)
Primary Language Lessons (Lingua Mater)
by Emma Serl
Updated from Hillside Education
for 2nd-3rd grade
in Charlotte Mason Language Arts (Location: GRA-CM)
$11.00 (1 in stock)
Rand McNally Historical Atlas of the World
6th edition from Rand McNally
for 3rd-12th grade
in Historical & Cultural Atlases (Location: HISRF-ATLAS)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Roman News
by Andrew Langley, Philip De Souza
from Candlewick Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Ancient Rome (Location: HISW-ANRO)
$7.99
Romans
Usborne Internet-Linked
from Usborne
Roman History Reference for 4th-8th grade
in Ancient Rome (Location: HISW-ANRO)
$8.00 (2 in stock)
Romans
Usborne Internet-Linked
from Scholastic Inc.
Roman History Reference for 4th-8th grade
in Ancient Rome (Location: HISW-ANRO)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Science Scope
by Kathryn Stout
from Design-A-Study
for All grades
in Design-A-Study (Location: HSR-DAS)
$15.00
Sounds All Around
Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science Level 1
by Wendy Pfeffer, illustrated by Anna Chernyshova
2nd edition from Harper
for Preschool-Kindergarten
in Light & Sound (Location: SCI-PHY)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Sourcebook on Colonial America: Battles in a New Land
by Carter Smith (editor)
from Millbrook Press
for 4th-6th grade
in Colonial America (1690-1765) (Location: HISA-17COL)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Sourcebook on Colonial America: Governing and Teaching
by Carter Smith (editor)
from Millbrook Press
for 4th-6th grade
in Colonial America (1690-1765) (Location: HISA-17COL)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Sourcebook on Colonial America: The Arts and Sciences
by Carter Smith (editor)
from Millbrook Press
for 4th-6th grade
in Colonial America (1690-1765) (Location: HISA-17COL)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
They Say / I Say
4th Edition from W. W. Norton and Co.
for 9th-12th grade
in Writing Reference (Location: REF-WRI)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Usborne Ancient World
Usborne Internet-Linked
by Fiona Chandler & Anne Millard
from Usborne
Ancient History Reference for 4th-8th grade
in Ancient History (Location: HISW-ANC)
$9.00 (2 in stock)
Usborne Book of Explorers
by Anne Millard, Felicity Everett & Struan Reid
from Usborne
for 4th-6th grade
in Age of Exploration (1450-1700) (Location: HISA-16EXP)
$7.00 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Usborne Book of Explorers
by Anne Millard, Felicity Everett & Struan Reid
from Usborne
for 4th-6th grade
in Age of Exploration (1450-1700) (Location: HISA-16EXP)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Usborne Book of Inventors
by Patricia Fara, Struan Reid
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Inventions & Discoveries (Location: SCI-INV)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Usborne Book of Wild Places
by Angela Wilkes
Revised from Usborne
for 1st-3rd grade
in Ecology (Location: SCI-ECO)
$6.50 (3 in stock)
Usborne Encyclopedia of World History
Usborne Internet-Linked
from Usborne
World History Reference for 3rd-12th grade
in History Encyclopedias & Fact Books (Location: HISRF-ENC)
$14.00 (1 in stock)
Usborne Greeks
Usborne Internet-Linked
from Usborne
Ancient Greek History Reference for 4th-8th grade
in Ancient Greece (Location: HISW-ANGR)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Usborne History of the Twentieth Century
by Christina Hopkinson
from Usborne
Reference for 4th-8th grade
in 20th Century (Location: HISW-20)
$4.00 (5 in stock)
Usborne Illustrated Dictionary
by Edited by Jane Bingham, designed by Susie McCaffrey
from Usborne
for 3rd-Adult
in Dictionaries (Location: REF-DIC)
$11.00 (1 in stock)
Usborne Medieval World
Usborne Internet-Linked
from Usborne
History Reference for 4th-8th grade
in Middle Ages (Location: HISW-MID)
$9.00 (4 in stock)
Usborne Mysteries & Marvels of Science
by Laura Howell, Phillip Clarke, Sarah Khan
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Science Reference (Location: SCIREF)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Usborne Romans
Usborne Internet-Linked
from Usborne
Roman History Reference for 4th-8th grade
in Ancient Rome (Location: HISW-ANRO)
$9.00 (3 in stock)
Usborne Science Encyclopedia
Usborne Internet-Linked
by Kirsteen Rogers, et. al.
from Usborne
for 3rd-8th grade
in Science Reference (Location: SCIREF)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
Usborne Science Encyclopedia
by Annabel Craig & Cliff Rosney
from Usborne
for 3rd-6th grade
in Science Reference (Location: SCIREF)
$7.50 (1 in stock)
Usborne World History: Ancient World
by Fiona Chandler
from Scholastic Inc.
for 5th-8th grade
in Ancient History (Location: HISW-ANC)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Viking World
Usborne Internet-Linked
by Philippa Wingate, Anne Millard
from Usborne
for 5th-7th grade
in Middle Ages (Location: HISW-MID)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Vikings
People of the Ancient World
by Virginia Schomp
from Scholastic Inc.
for 4th-8th grade
in Middle Ages (Location: HISW-MID)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
What Is a Living Thing? (Science of Living Things)
Science of Living Things
by Bobbie Kalman
from Crabtree Publishing
for 2nd-5th grade
in Biology (Location: SCI-BIO)
$5.50 (1 in stock)
What Is a Plant? (Science of Living Things)
Science of Living Things
by Bobbie Kalman
from Crabtree Publishing
for 2nd-5th grade
in Botany & Mycology (Location: SCI-BOT)
$5.50 (1 in stock)
What Is the World Made Of?
Let's Read and Find Out Science Level 2
by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld & Paul Meisel
from HarperCollins
for Preschool-3rd Grade
in Chemistry (Location: SCI-CHEM)
$8.99
Who Were the First North Americans?
Usborne Starting Point History
by Phillippa Wingate & Struan Reid
from Usborne
for 1st-6th grade
in Native American History (Location: HISA-19NAT)
$2.50 (2 in stock)
Word Wizard's Book of Adverbs
by Robin Johnson
from Crabtree Publishing
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Grammar Reference (Location: REF-GRA)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Word Wizard's Book of Nouns
by Robin Johnson
from Crabtree Publishing
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Grammar Reference (Location: REF-GRA)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Word Wizard's Book of Pronouns
by Robin Johnson
from Crabtree Publishing
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Grammar Reference (Location: REF-GRA)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Word Wizard's Book of Verbs
by Robin Johnson
from Crabtree Publishing
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Grammar Reference (Location: REF-GRA)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Young Naturalist
An Usborne Guide
by Andrew Mitchell
from Usborne
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Nature Study & Journaling (Location: NAT-GEN)
$6.99 $3.50 (2 in stock)
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