Review: Munford Series
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What’s been around since the beginning of time? Water, of course! Thanks to the perpetual water cycle, the water that is on the Earth now is the same water that’s been on the Earth since the beginning. And since water has been around so long, it’s seen everything, right?
That’s the premise behind the new historical fiction series for kids from Geography Matters, The Adventures of Munford, by Jamie Aramini.
![MunfordBooks1-41[6]](https://weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/MunfordBooks1-416.jpg)
Munford is water molecule who loves adventure! Because he can be water, rain, sleet, or snow and can evaporate or condense anywhere, he’s seen it all and he’s ready to share his adventures with you.
Colorfully illustrated and featuring young-reader-friendly size type (which means it’s not tiny), The Adventures of Munford will make great a great read-aloud for school or some enjoyable fun-yet-educational silent reading for your kids.
In addition the font-size, which I appreciated (moms of kids with dyslexia will understand that), I liked the size of the book, 8X5. Tell me I’m not the only one who has a preferred size for books. This is just the right size for comfort in smaller hands and young readers who sometimes need all the stars aligned to enjoy reading.
We received all four of the current books in the series to review. I started reading The Klondike Gold Rush so I’d know what was going on for the review, Megan started with Munford Meets Lewis and Clark, and we’re saving The American Revolution for our read-aloud when we get to that point in our American history study.
Megan didn’t finish hers because she’s been busy trying to keep up with other reading required for school and the American Girls book club that’s she involved in this year, but she said that she has found it interesting and has enjoyed the colorful pictures. She said the reading level was comparable to the American Girls books, which were a bit challenging for her last year, but just right this year.
I found the books to move along at a pace that will keep the kids’ interest while providing great historical detail in a very readable format. You can’t ask for much more of a historical fiction book. Words or concepts that may not be understood by readers are explained in a meaningful way within the text.
Each book ends with the epilogue: A Note From Grandpa Gilbert, the wise old water molecule who, though technically not any older than Munford, serves as a mentor. In the note, Grandpa Gilbert gives additional historical facts about the people and events of the story, a feature I found very interesting.
Another fact about the series that made me, as a homeschooling mom, love them, even more, is that the author is a fellow homeschool mom and the illustrator is a homeschool graduate. The series is published by Geography Matters, publishers of such great, well-known products as Galloping the Globe, the Trail Guide to…geography series, and Uncle Josh’s Outline Maps.
Each book in The Adventures of Munford series is available from Geography Matters for $8.95 each.
I received this product free for the purpose of reviewing it. I received no other compensation for this review. The opinions expressed in this review are my personal, honest opinions. Your experience may vary. Please read my full disclosure policy for more details.
Kris Bales is a newly-retired homeschool mom and the quirky, Christ-following, painfully honest founder (and former owner) of Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers. She has a pretty serious addiction to sweet tea and Words with Friends. Kris and her husband of over 30 years are parents to three amazing homeschool grads. They share their home with three dogs, two cats, a ball python, a bearded dragon, and seven birds.
I would love these for our history/geography/reading practice lessons! My favorite time in history (US history) would have to be the Salem Witch Trials. ~liz
i just started following Jamie at Twitter… ~liz
I'd love to see a child-appropriate book about the holocaust. And maybe the Titanic.
What a great sounding series. I would like to see the Titanic written about. Also, it would be interesting to see how they wrote about Johnstown Flood.
Blessings,Dawn
http://www.my4sweetums.blogspot.com
I would like to see something from Early Modern history….maybe the Industrial Revolution?
This book series reminds me of the "Blast to the Past" books, which my kids love. At the age my kiddos are at, they really enjoy historical fiction. My son said he'd like to see a Munford book about 'The Civil War'.
I'd like to see one about the War of 1812. My son has some misconceptions about that war that he heard somewhere and a book like this that he could read about it would be great!
I would like to see the Great Depression or the Dust Bowl covered.
My kids would love to read about Munford in some Bible stories.
We're studying the civil war this year, so a book about that would be great.
I'd love to see something atypically covered in children's historical fiction. (If my kids bring home another "Titanic" book from the library, I'm liable to host my own book burning!!!) Can we go up to Canada and cover the Red River Rebellion? How about the Chinese side of Marco Polo's journey? Something from India?
How about SOMETHING I HAVEN'T READ A MILLION TIMES?!?!?!!!
Hmm… Perhaps there was an unexpected downside to our habit of prereading the kids books… 🙂
Oh I love the look of these books!! I would think a great topic would be the grand canyon or some historical facts about mt Rushmore… my oldest takes a huge interest in those! Would love to win — kevinkaylaarrowood123 at yahoo dot com
Maybe the Titanic
I absolutely LOVE the Civil War. I'm sure it would be hard to do that all in one book, but maybe they could break it up into a couple of parts! These books sound fantastic and having a kid with Aspbergers, I understand the font thing!
I'd love the American Revolution book, although they all look good!
How about christopher columbus or the pilgrims or Noah or how about a civil war battle?
I would love to see something on the Trail of Tears. I also love what someone else said about a child appropriate Holocaust book. These books really look great!!
How about Munford Meets Abraham Lincoln or Johnny Appleseed?
Sounds like a great series…maybe something about MLK or the underground railroad?
I would like to see the Jamestown colony covered.
The Civil War or World War II
These sound like great books. It would be hard to pick but maybe one about Pearl Harbor…
Shared on Facebook
I'm assuming it might be mentioned in the American Revolution book, but since he's a water molecule, how about the Boston Tea Party?
I would personally love to have seen the first settlers landing here for the very first time, to have seen things through their eyes, know what they felt, thought, and wanted out of life. I think that would be a neat book, those first steps on our nation's soil.
I'd like to see some earlier time periods: ancient, medieval, or (best for us right now) renaissance & reformation. Maybe something with Martin Luther. Seems like American history is so overdone.
clowens9144 at yahoo dot com
I follow Jamie on twitter (leigh_owens) clowens9144 at yahoo dot com
https://twitter.com/leigh_owens/status/124656743367180288
clowens9144 at yahoo dot com
Definitely the civil war!!
I would love to see a story on Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad or anything on the banishment of slavery. Thanks! j.l.fullman(at)sbcglobal(dot) net
How about some Bible stories, World Geography or Christopher Columbus?
Here is my post about the giveaway.
https://ournormalchaos.blogspot.com/2011/10/weird-unsocialized-homeschooler.html
These look like wonderful books. I would love to see more about the underground railroad. Thanks Kris for offering this great giveaway.
I am following Jamie on Twitter
I Tweeted about your giveaway. Thank you again Kris.. and Jamie. What a wonderful resource.
I'd like to see World War 1 and World War II covered in this series {we'll be studying them soon :)}
Would love to have these for our reading and geography! Boy, I have a tough time picking out a time in history – we have history buffs galore in our family. So I will vote with my Dad – the Civil War.
Mumford meets Teddy Roosevelt!
I think World War I is a neglected time period (but so important!) in children's literature. I have a house full of bookworms who would love this series!
The underground railroad would be pretty cool. Thanks for doing this giveaway!
My girls would love these books! How about Munford meets Van Gogh or another famous artist??
I would like to see the middle ages covered.
I am following Jamie Aramini on Twitter.
ToriP78
I would love to see a book that covered Christopher Columbus.
I tweeted about the giveaway.
https://twitter.com/#!/ToriP78/status/124922589545107457
I posted to facebook about the giveaway.
https://www.facebook.com/#!/tori.palmer/posts/2125365570254
I blogged about the giveaway.
https://blesseddragonsacademy.wordpress.com/2011/10/14/giveaway-munford-series/
Tweet https://twitter.com/#!/ASDsupportNC/status/124922788430618624
These books look great. I think that the Civil War would be a great addition to the series..
These look interesting. I would like to see something about the Civil Rights or The Underground Railroad. Thanks for the chance to win!
We've been studying early American history so I think the Pilgrims and the Native Americans. Also WW2 because my grandfather was a big part of it, and the kids are interested in it because of that. These books look really interesting!
I'd say the birth of Jesus or the crucifixion (that might be more interesting actually), or something more secular like Ben Franklin discovering lightening or Edison inventing the light bulb! I think my son would love these books. I'm going to look for them in our library! Thanks for the giveaway!
I would love to see the Civil War covered!! These look incredible.
aschoessow (at) gmail (dot) com
We like to go to a local Civil War Re-Enactment every year. My kids would love to read one of these books on the Civil War.
hmm.. civil war?!
I would love to win a copy of these books. I think my children would enjoy reading the existing series as well as one written on the writing of the Constituion.
How about inventors – Newton, Galileo, Marconi, etc. Also, voyage of the pilgrims. Why not some about kings – William III or George I. These look like totally exciting books. What a great idea!!!
WOW! These look great!! I would love to see Civil War or American Indians. Thanks for the opportunity.
I think something about man first steps on the moon would be cool! [email protected]
follow Jamie Aramini on twitter [email protected]
Shared on twitter https://twitter.com/#!/kbalman/status/125367402354573312 [email protected]
I'd love to see a story that follows a slave as they travel along the underground railroad.
9/11.. It would be nice to find something that explains this on a kid level.
I would love to see Munford's adventures set during the WWII era.
I follow Jamie Aramini on Twitter. My Twitter name is Marlismi.
the election of 1904 would make a great story.
These sound awesome! I think they may be something that my son, who hates to read, may actually enjoy. I would love to see Bible stories as well as more Early American history i.e. the Great Depression or the Gold Rush.
I'm hoping for one on the Civil War as well. That war is especially difficult to explain to kids. There isn't really a straight good guy, bad guy de lineage there. I hadn't seen these books before, but if we don't win I will be buying them! Thanks for the heads up.
Civil War and the slavery movement would be a nice one to see:)
Oooh, these look fun!
would love to win!
I'd love to see on covering any portions of Native American history.
How awesome I have two little boys well I guess they are not "little" they are 8 and 10 and they sooooo love to read.
I would love to win these! A Munford book on the Great Depression would be great, my 8 year old is fascinated by the Great Depression.
sparklythings and fairy wings at gmail dot com
How about the Boston Tea Party? These books sound like so much fun!! Thanks
I would love to see some on the Civil War. What a fantastic idea for a history series; especially since we are studying water now in science.
Thought I posted earlier…good thing I checked! We would love to see a book about historical landmarks written (maybe a trip across the USA with some informative stops).
Sharing on facebook as well!
This set would be great for my children. I would love to see a book about Henry Hudson.
Thanks,
Charlotte
[email protected]