Review: Tuttle Twins Book Collections

We've enjoyed so many Tuttle Twins books over the years, that it's high time I collected mine & other's reviews all in one place, so you can get a feel for the series. 

The Tuttle Twins books cover economics and government with an emphasis on "the time-tested principles of a free society," which includes free-market principles and principles of individual freedom. My kids pull these books off our shelves and re-read them frequently, and I'm amazed at how much they've absorbed. My kids are learning and thinking deeply about subjects that public school never taught me: the Tuttle Twins fills a much-needed niche!

If you sign up for their newsletter or follow their Facebook page, they tend to have sales when new books come out. Books can be purchased with an audio version and workbooks.

I started reviewing these books for a magazine, and I love them so much that I became an affiliate salesperson, because I think every family should have them. If you visit my associate sales link, anything you purchase there in the next 21 days gets counted for me: https://tuttletwins.com/1776?ap_id=michelleristuccia

First up, we have the Tuttle Twins' collection of picture books for ages 5-11. Caffy Duffy's Review calls it "an outstanding series of 11 books that teaches important concepts about economics, government, and personal responsibility through child-friendly stories."

Cathy Duffy Review of the series.

My review of Show Business.

My review of Road to Surfdom.

My review of Food Truck Fiasco.

The Law, Review by Gail at Learning Tangent, where I reviewed other Tuttle Twins books.

Each book is inspired by classic books that delve into the same topics. "Education Vacation" inspired my kids to read the original "The Underground History of American Education" by John Taylor Gatto!

Next up, for teens! All the teen books are newer, so I'm having trouble finding reviews for you. Maybe I should get cracking with writing my own reviews. Whoops! In the meantime, this review of their podcast for kids should give you an idea of what types of themes their books cover.

Who doesn't love a good choose your own adventure book?

We just ordered the newest books for preteens and up:

There is also a card game, and several non-fiction e-books for parents. Keep your eye out for the bundles, which often include audio, workbooks, and related nonfiction e-books. Enjoy!

Review: Timelines of Everything (DK Smithsonian)

Explore an illustrated history of the world through more than 130 timelines for kids. From dinosaurs and Vikings to the history of cinema and espionage, discover incredible world history in this lavish collection of timelines.

Jam-packed with surprising facts and amazing details, such as the most bloodthirsty pirate of all time and the first crime to be solved by studying fingerprints, Timelines of Everything will take you on a whirlwind journey through an illustrated history of time, from the Big Bang to the modern world.

More than 130 timelines give you all the general knowledge you need - and even some surprising trivia you don't! Must-know topics and alternative history are showcased with beautiful, detailed illustrations and straightforward, easy-to-read text. Whether you want to know key breakthroughs that set the Industrial Revolution in motion or defining moments in the history of fashion, you'll find it all here. With timelines on a diverse range of subjects, Timelines of Everything is the ultimate guide to history for kids.

https://amzn.to/2VnpMBR

My Review: 

We recently picked up this book for our history-loving 10yo and love it for the amazing visuals that bring history to life. My 10yo already had a good overview of world history and a special interest in WW2 and WW1, which are both covered in the book along with lesser-known wars. Despite his previous knowledge, he still found this book fascinating, gaining a new perspective on how to piece all that knowledge together.

I'm always impressed with DK's layouts. I'm not much of a nonfiction person myself and still love their books.

Review: Murderous Maths

https://amzn.to/2CKH0CM

Math with the laughs added in – and the boredom taken away. From freaky fractions to cunning codes, you’re in for more laughs than you can count. Beware, brave reader. In Murderous Maths, you won’t find any boring exercises or flummoxing sums. Instead, Professor Fiendish and his rotten sidekick, Chainsaw Charlie, unleash their murderous take on maths. Foul formulas. Agonising algebra. Terrible take-aways. We dare you to try it. Essential curriculum math as you’ve never seen it before Funny approach similar to the Horrible Histories series Now there’s no excuse to be afraid of learning numbers Bestselling series with great cartoons by Philip Reeveon Titles in This Set: The Phantom X Desperate Measures The Perfect Sausage and Other Fundamental Formulas Guaranteed to Bend your Brain Do you Feel Lucky? Awesome Arithmetricks Savage Shapes Guaranteed to Mash your Mind The Key to the Universe Easy Questions, Evil Answers

http://www.murderousmaths.co.uk/

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Review:

My boys LOVE this set. Because it's published in the UK, some of the terms are different than what we use in the US, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The books are so relatable and funny to my 8 and 10 year old that they have spent the whole summer writing and solving equations in their free time. I would not call this curriculum, and it doesn't claim to be, but that's part of its charm. My kids are reading (and re-reading) these and doing math for its own sake. Concepts are cleverly explained and cover many ideas that help prime elementary students for math learning in future grades. My boys now know and love prime numbers, factorials, and how to calculate to the power of, for example. There's still room for my 10yo to grow with these books!

Caveats: some may find the humor occasionally offensive. I find it creative and feel like that's exactly why my boys love it so much. There are a few other series also published by scholastic that I often see recommended alongside these books (Horrible Histories, Horrible Geography, Horrible Science). Because history is a more religiously polarized subject, I recommend care with reading these books with your young kids.

I gotta say, there's something special about having your kids run up to you showing off math puzzles like this:

Buy Murderous Maths here!

https://amzn.to/2CKH0CM