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Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

I recently discovered one of my new favorites when it comes to resources to include in our homeschool. I’m talking about Heroes of History biographies by YWAM Publishing. My daughter and I cannot wait to read more and introduce the books to her brother, too.

As part of the Homeschool Review Crew, I was able to choose either a Christian Heroes: Then and Now book or one from Heroes of History. I let my daughter choose, and she chose a Heroes of History book on Milton Hershey. She had just spent a week in writing class reading about Milton Hershey and wanted to read more about him. The timing couldn’t have been better.

Heroes of History- The Books

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The Heroes of History is a series of 29 biographies for children 10+. There is a quite a variety of influential men and women to choose from. It is an impressive list.

Each historical biography can be read on its own, or you can purchase a Unit Study to go with each book. I love that it has this option. Both the book and Unit Study are reasonably priced.

Milton Hershey: More Than Chocolate

As I mentioned above, my daughter, age 13, and I read Milton Hershey: More than Chocolate. The book is a little less than 200 pages. We received a paperback copy, although it also comes in e-book and audiobook format. It is a good quality book.

The book does a wonderful job telling the story of Milton Hershey’s life. The details are woven in nicely without it feeling like a dry step-by-step account of his life. Kids will really enjoy it.

In the biography, the authors Janet and Geoff Benge describe Milton’s life from childhood to his death. Throughout the book, you see all of Hershey’s struggles he went through in order to achieve the successful company we know today. On more than one occasion Milton failed and had to pack up his belongings and head back home. However, you see all the people who believed in him and helped him along the way.

Milton Hershey was an extraordinary man. His life is example of hard work, determination, and perseverance. He created a town that was a testament to his caring nature and giving back to others. Kids can learn a great deal from Milton Hershey’s life about working hard for your dreams and being a kind person.

Heroes of History: Unit Study

Each of the Heroes Of History biographies comes with a Unit Study that can be used for classroom or homeschool use. Once you purchase one, you download it to your computer. I find this very handy.

My daughter was in the middle of a major reading assignment, so I only used a portion of the unit study. I did, however, go through the the entire unit.

Biography Unit Study

The unit study is set up as follows:

• Key Quotes
• Display Corner
• Chapter Questions
• Student Exploration
• Community Links
• Social Studies
• Related Themes
• Culminating Event
• Books and Resources

As you can see, it covers a lot of material! You have so many options to choose from. The sections above cover:

• History
• Geography
• Reading Comprehension
• Essay Writing
• Creative Writing
• Public Speaking
• Drama
• Art

You are sure to find what you are looking for with the study guides. The best part is you don’t have to use the unit study in its entirety. If you want to focus on comprehension skills and incorporate writing, you can. It is up to you.

How We Used the Unit Study

Since my daughter was already in the middle of a challenging reading unit, I used the social studies portion of the unit study with her. We discussed her reading, but her physical work was a Milton Hershey Fact Sheet, Timeline of important events in Hershey’s life and in history, and map. My daughter enjoyed the assignments.

In looking through the whole unit study, I can say I was impressed. The material is quite comprehensive and a lot that kids would find fun. For example, one of the assignments is to plan a week-long trip to Hershey, Pennsylvania while another has kids make their own chocolate.

Another thing I like about the unit study is the fact the work can be adjusted to meet different ages and ability levels. The comprehension questions start off easy and become harder, so you can assign the correct questions to your child depending on their development. Much of the other assignments provide enough variety to address different students’ needs.

Final Thoughts on Heroes of History Biographies

My daughter and I really enjoyed reading about Milton Hershey. We are making a list of other books we want to buy next. When I do so, I will also purchase the Unit Studies that go with them. For under $15, you can have the book and unit study. Not bad.

Next time around, I will use more of the unit study. I like the different levels of questioning in the comprehension section. I also like the variety of topics for writing. Each section has a lot to offer. If you put it all together, you have a unit study covering multiple subjects in your homeschool or classroom. What a great way to make homeschooling easier!

Now you know how much we enjoy Heroes of History, click the banner below to read what others thought of Heroes of History and other YWAM Publishing books.

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