Great Pioneer Projects You Can Build Yourself is, hands down, a favorite book at our house. We love history, especially the 1800s and the Pioneer era. So when we got this book to review, I knew the children would love it! This paperback, 8" x 10" book contains over 25 hands-on projects. What child doesn't love hands-on projects? The projects use supplies readily found around the house. With over 100 pages, the book is packed with facts, interesting stories, quotes, and plain old fun.

What are some of the projects? How about building your own "soddie" (sod house) out of brownies? The chapter begins with factual information on building homes in this era along with black-and-white pictures and quotes from folks of that era. It also teaches new vocabulary, such as "soddie" and "puncheon." Then it shares how to make the actual model of a "soddie."

Other projects include making salt dough maps, a treasure hunt map, a broadside (poster announcement), a replica wagon, a Native American pictograph, a journal, a frontier pouch, a cross-stitch sampler, candles, braided rugs, and much more! This is not only an interesting read-thru book but also an excellent hands-on history study.

If you are looking for the textbook-only approach to history, this will not be for you. This book makes learning fun and joyful, yet it also has great educational value. I absolutely recommend Great Pioneer Projects You Can Build Yourself. It's a winner!

Product review by Lisa Barthuly, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, June 2007