Update 2020 – Because of the changes within Usborne, specifically involving gender, I no longer feel comfortable purchasing from them. I am not throwing out the books we already own and I still think the books listed below are good options for the areas mentioned.
As a homeschool mom I am always looking for fun and engaging books and resources to enhance our learning. I don’t sell them myself but I have found Usborne books to be a great addition to our curriculum. If you have ever used Sonlight, you may recognize some Usborne titles from their list. Usborne books have been around since the 1970’s. We had a few as kids and they were usually well worn. The main one I remember was First Thousand Words in Spanish. We loved looking at all the pictures and saying the vocabulary. Now, I enjoy the same book with my own kids but there are LOTS of other great titles we own and enjoy. Today I wanted to share the ones I have found useful for our school time. Most of these titles we own and use but a few are on my wishlist or are titles I plan to use in the future when my kids are a little older. I have divided the titles by subject so it is easier to navigate. NOTE: Usborne is not necessarily a Christian company, though they have some Bible titles. I will note when I am aware of worldview conflicts found in a title. I use these as opportunities for discussion even with my young children and have enjoyed hearing their perspective on evolution and other topics. You make the choice for your family on whether you want to own the book.
Common Core – Since Usborne books are common core compliant I have heard some argue that they shouldn’t be used by homeschoolers. My personal opinion, this is not an issue. I own many of these books and until I was told, I had no idea they were common core compliant. While I disagree with some of the political aspects of common core and the general dumbing down of some of the subjects, I do not think that common core in and of itself is evil or a reason to not use titles that you find helpful for your family. I have found the books to be fun, educational and solid learning tools. Based on my experience there is no reason for me not to recommend them and use them in my home. You make the decision for your family but I hope that you give these awesome books a chance 🙂
Math
First Math Slide & See is a fun way to introduce your child to addition and subtraction (depending on which title you choose, I have the subtraction book pictured). My son is very interested in math so this was a fun way to answer some of his questions without getting too formal in our schooling. Little kids like sliding the tabs back and forth even if they don’t know about math at all.
Wipe Clean Number Cards are a great option for writing practice. They also have word cards and alphabet cards so you could purchase all three and have hours of practice. My SIL has brought these to restaurants and they were a great distraction while we waited for our food. If you have big and little kids, these could be used as a special activity for younger kids while you work with older students.
Illustrated Math Dictionaries are on my wishlist, especially the first one. I did not like math when I was younger and I think something like this would have been very helpful for me. These books take math concepts and add pictures and descriptions to make the concepts more accessible. You can buy them individually or all three.
First Math Wipe-Clean – Usborne wipe-clean books are not like regular wipe-cleans. They are sturdy, wipe easily and don’t stain. I don’t buy any of the other cheap brands now because if my kids forget to erase, which they always do, then they stain and are ruined. There are several other “first” wipe-cleans in the series. These are also great for restaurant & doctor wait times as well as road trips.
Times Tables Activity Book is another one on my wishlist. I would also like to get the addition/subtraction version too. If you can’t tell, I am all about making math fun!
Science
My 6 year old son is all about science! If I did a science experiment every single day, he would be thrilled. This book makes that more doable. The experiments are simple and don’t require complicated materials. This title is also extremely affordable!
Science Activities Volume 2 is used in the Sonlight curriculum we are using this year and we have loved it. Another great option for easy elementary age science concepts and experiments. There are several volumes in the series and they cover different concepts.
I shared this book in my post on teaching about nutrition. It is a must-have resource for elementary age students! I love the illustrations and flaps. It also covers so many parts of the body! Digestion, reproduction, nervous system, senses, bones etc. Super fun book to pull out when you are discussing anatomy or when your kids ask one of those fun questions like “how are babies born?” 🙂
World of Animals is a fabulous choice if you have a child who is an animal lover. This is one that I have brought to doctors visits or “big church” for my kids (who can’t read yet) to look at and they just love all the cool pictures. If your child can read they will enjoy the fun facts and interesting information on each animal. It is not your average fact book.
I love this one for littles doing nature study. It is a very sturdy book, kind of like a large board book but not quite that thick. Each page is just full of pictures and names of various plants, animals, bugs, leaves etc. It is divided into different biomes so your student can learn about lots of places. Woodlands, Desert, Jungle, Ocean, Mountains…I love all the herbs listed among the plants.
Pocket guides are my favorite way to engage my kids on nature walks. This insect book is a great option because we all have bugs around but there are other titles in this series (mammals, birds, reptiles & natural wonders). There are photographs and facts about each bug as well as information about conservation. My kids love these so much that they ask to look at them during nap time – hours of fun!
This is a brand new book for Fall 2018. I just ordered it and can’t wait for it to come in the mail! I plan to use this for some basic science history because I prefer to teach this info in a non-traditional (textbook) manner. As my kids get older I would like to use this book as well as biographies and our world timeline to help them gain a better understanding of science and how things progressed.
Weather and Climate is another wishlist book. From what I have seen, the illustrations are beautiful and the info is simple yet complete. I remember learning about the weather as a kid and the things that stick with me today are the pictures. I am hoping to use this as a resource for our weather discussion as well as a fun book the kids can look at on their own.
We LOVE the Shine-A-Light books! One of the kids favorite things to do during nap time (when they aren’t wanting to sleep) is to look at these books. I let them use a small flashlight and it is so much fun. There are several that would work well for science. We have Human Body, Vegetable Garden, Secrets of Winter, Secrets of the Seashore, Secrets of the Rainforest and At the Garage. I highly recommend these. If you are wondering how they work you can find some good videos on youtube.
My son is getting this one for Christmas and I just know he is going to love it! This would work for both older and younger kids who love to know how things work and are interested in engineering. The “Academy” series is really neat. The books have information as well as questions and activities. At the end of various sections there is a certificate for the reader, saying they have accomplished certain skills based on the information in that section. It is a really neat idea. There is also a Chef Academy, Science Academy, Vet Academy, Architect Academy, Doctor Academy, Astronaut Academy, Pilot Academy, Coder Academy & Entrepreneur Academy. I hope they add more to this series.
The Periodic Table can be pretty boring right? Not with this cool lift the flap book! This is on my wishlist for when my kids are just a little bit older. It could also be a good resource for families doing Classical Conversations who are memorizing the periodic table and would like some fun reinforcement.
My children are very curious. They are constantly asking “why” and “what” questions. It is great but sometimes I am not sure how to answer their queries. This series is very helpful. There are several titles beyond germs – How do Flowers Grow? How do I See? What Makes it Rain? NOTE: This germ book does have a small portion on vaccination. It would be very easy to use no matter what your families stance is on the subject but I thought I would give you the heads up.
This Outdoor Book is just neat. It pairs really well with nature journaling (Usborne actually has a nature journal that is pretty cool). The book covers safety outdoors, caring for the outdoors as you explore, camping, and lots of other neat info. This could easily be a family favorite.
History/Geography
This is a beautiful book. It is another favorite to explore during times when we are waiting for something or when I need the kids to just sit still and be occupied but I don’t want them to have screen time. There are fun and interesting facts about each continent. There are several other atlas-style titles in the Usborne library. I like things about them all.
This is another one on my wishlist for when my kids are older. I really like how it has both the first and second World Wars together because it helps gain a better understanding of the flow and how the two were connected. The book has illustrations, contemporary photos, maps and paintings so it is not just a bunch of text.
Flags of the World to color would be a great addition to any culture or geography study. You could use it in so many ways! I do not recommend crayons or markers for coloring this book, colored pencils would be my medium of choice. Usborne also has a sticker book version of this book but it is set up a little differently.
Encyclopedia of the Ancient World is another wishlist book. I think this one would be a great resource for those doing Classical Conversations or any Classical approach for the first cycle. Keep in mind there may be some disagreement on ancient cave man but again, its an opportunity for discussion. They also have a Medieval World version. Note: The Encyclopedia of World History is another option but it teaches the Big Bang Theory so keep that in mind if you choose to order it.
Language Arts/Literature
I love all the Illustrated Stories. This is the first one I ever saw and I just fell in love with the whole idea. The stories are told in a very easy to comprehend style. This would be a great option for students struggling to understand Shakespeare’s plays or who just don’t want to read them. NOTE: The illustrations in this book can be a bit violent so I do not recommend this book for kids younger than 10.
This is another great way to introduce your kids to Shakespeare at an early age without overwhelming them. A few of the stories are told in short, one page plot synopsis versions but most of them are told in a complete but easy to understand way. The illustrations in this one are less violent so your family may prefer this book over the one above. Look at them both and see what you think.
I love the whole idea of this book! It is kind of like Where’s Waldo but with William Shakespeare! How fun is that! Readers learn 10 of Shakespeare’s most beloved plays and play a look & find game at the same time! They also have a Jane Austen version as well as a Ballet version with several famous Ballets!
I am a big Jane Austen fan so when this book came out as a new title for 2018 I knew I had to have it! All 6 novels are included but have been retold in a simpler style that is still true to the original. This would be a great option for a student who is struggling with the original novels or would be handy for a student who wants to read Jane Austen but isn’t at that reading level yet. There is a section in the back about Jane Austen’s life that readers may also find interesting.
Dicken’s stories were some of the hardest for me to understand as a student. I wish I would have had this illustrated version to help give me the basic plot before reading the real thing. This has 5 of Dickens best loved stories retold in a simpler style. I think I may read it myself!
Another great one to help introduce a young reader to a complicated story. The illustrations are really beautiful and the story is retold in a compelling way. I definitely plan to have my children read these classics but I think it is nice that they can get a basic understanding first so that it isn’t frustrating later. This would also be a neat gift for a student who is already a Homer fan! Usborne has a graphic novel version as well.
Like the math version, this Illustrated Grammar & Punctuation book is a fun way to teach a sometimes frustrating topic. This book is a good resource to use along with your fave language arts program.
I already told you how much I love the wipe-clean books Usborne makes so you shouldn’t be surprised to see a second selection. What I love about this one is that it prepares even young students for cursive writing. It is very hard to find cursive writing options that aren’t geared towards older grades. Love this book!
This is a neat book for those interested in other languages. It is a collection of untranslatable words from around the world and how they are used. This would make a good coffee table book because its so interesting. Great conversation starter.
I mentioned this book at the beginning. It is one we had when I was a kid. If you plan to teach your child a foreign language these “First Thousand Words” books are wonderful to have on hand. Not at all limited to Spanish, the series has many languages including Russian, Hebrew, Chinese, Latin, French, German, Italian and even English!
Art
This could easily be used as your art curriculum for a semester (or even a year if you spaced it out). The book teaches about different artists and then has an art project influenced by the artist’s methods or ideas. I love this book!
Famous Paintings is a wonderful addition to your art history or art appreciation time. This book would work well as a morning basket addition especially for older children. I use it with my little ones but just to give some basic exposure.
I use these cards as part of our morning time. The kids love learning little facts about the artist and they enjoy being able to hold the card as we learn. After we have talked about a particular painting, I hang the card up in the room so they can keep studying it. These could also be used flash card style.
Usborne has quite a few titles that teach drawing. This one is on my wishlist. There are step by step instructions geared towards students who know how to read. This would be a fun book for a budding artist.
There are lots and lots of other Usborne titles we love but hopefully this is a good start for you. Let me know what titles you like and how you use them. I am always adding to my wishlist! Wondering how to order? I bet you know someone who sells Usborne or is planning a book party. Ask them and they can help you order. If you don’t know someone, let me know and I will get you in touch with a consultant.
Thank you for this great resource!! I look forward to incorporating these into our family and homeschool days!
SO glad it was helpful! Happy reading!