This is a wonderful little copybook written to supplement a child's study of ancient history. Appropriate for children in grades 3 through 6, it can be purchased in either the Getty-Dubay or Zaner-Bloser cursive styles. The author, Julie Shields, has endeavored to use Philippians 4:8 as the guiding principle for the writings selected, and has purposely avoided selections that would be controversial or difficult subject matter for a child.

The writings in the book consist of Old Testament scriptures, Sumerian proverbs, the Code of Hammurabi, Ozymandias, Babylonian proverbs, Chinese proverbs, Aesop's Morals, the Athenian Oath, Sayings of Socrates, Alexander and Bucephalus, Sayings of Famous Greeks and Romans, The Twelve Tables, and passages from the New Testament. The book is 49 pages long and can be purchased either as a spiral-bound book or as a download from www.lulu.com/.

The author suggests a Monday through Friday schedule for using the book, yet simply assigning a passage or two when it is applicable within an established history curriculum would be easy to do.

This helpful supplement provides practice in cursive writing and also helps to foster an appreciation for and deeper understanding of the laws, literature, and cultural values of earlier times. If you're looking to enrich your child's study of the past, then the Ancient History Copybook is a great tool for meeting that goal.

Product review by Dawn Peterson, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, January 2008