Absolutely Everything!: A History of Earth, Dinosaurs, Rulers, Robots and Other Things Too Numerous to Mention #Partner

***Disclosure: I received complimentary samples to facilitate my post. All opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***

One of the reason we chose to Homeschool our little ones is because we became painfully aware that our public schools tend to "water down" content, barely scratching the surface on many topics. Why? I don't know...Maybe it's because there's a lot to squeeze into one textbook....Maybe there are certain aspects of our history that are shameful, and they don't feel our kids need to learn the less shiny parts of how our nation came to be...

Whatever the reason for omitting a LOT of truly important material, it absolutely does happen. As a parent, it drives me batty. I find that I am constantly looking up supplemental materials to my kids' lessons so they can learn the WHOLE story. 

That's why I was excited to learn about "Absolutely Everything!: A History of Earth, Dinosaurs, Rulers, Robots and Other Things Too Numerous to Mention" by Christopher Lloyd. This book offers a comprehensive look at the history of Earth, from the Big Bang to the ways in which we can shape the future, for readers ages 10–14.

Each chapter of this educational and entertaining narrative focuses on a different period and travels the globe from a legendary Chinese Empress said to have invented silk, to researchers figuring out how ancient Egyptian embalmers really got the brains out of dead people, to an African emperor on a gold-laden pilgrimage.  

Then there’s to T.Rex, King Tut, Cleopatra, Genghis Khan, Rosa Parks, Malala Yousafzai, wars, climate change, conquistadors, revolutions, religions, computers, artificial intelligence, and more. Hundreds of illustrations, photographs, maps, and quotes bring the distant past to vivid life in “a riveting mosaic of exciting true stories” (Deborah Heiligman, Vincent and Theo).

​The perfect Christmas gift, Absolutely Everything will inspire a thirst for knowledge in even the most reluctant young historians, making connections and giving larger context to the isolated topics taught in school.

My kids are a little younger than the target 10-14 range, but because they're ahead of the game in their studies, they both love and appreciate the content offered in this book. My soon to be 9 year old is a little activist in the making, and she was beyond thrilled to see things like Climate Change and the Black Lives Matter movement covered in an honest manner. 

Even the adults here have fallen in love with Absolutely Everything!, and we have made it a habit to read this together in the evenings, and then have candid conversation about the things we've learned. As a mom, I love that this book goes above and beyond what's in the typical lesson plans and digs deeper. It encourages free thinking and critical thought, and it certainly doesn't candy coat our history in any way, shape or form. 

I would definitely recommend this book to any Progressive minded families like my own, who would love to give their kids the gift of a broader, more detailed look at the world we live in, the issues that humanity has faced, and how we got where we are now. After all, only through understanding can the seeds of change take root. 

Buy Your Copy :

You can preorder your copy of Absolutely Everything! and receive it BEFORE the launch date of October 16 by clicking HERE.