This very interesting and readable World History text covers the beginnings of History through the early reign of Pope John Paul II from a Catholic perspective. Old Testament History, the great ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome, the Life of Christ, the growth of the Church, the Great Heresies, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the "Reformation" and Counter-Reformation, the French Revolution, the Age of Napoleon, World War I, the Russian Revolution and World War II are all included in fascinating details. Essential events of World History are included in addition to tidbits of Catholic History that are hard to find elsewhere.

The Controversy: We're not supposed to "whitewash" the Catholic Church's role in History. The fact that there have been many bad Catholics and that bad things have been done in the name of the Catholic faith cannot be ignored. Anne Carroll seems to agree with this principle. Why the controversy then? According to Mrs. Carroll, many events that the Modern World believes should be blamed on Catholics are in fact Protestant myths, designed to make Catholics look bad, or other misrepresentations or misunderstandings of the facts. Some of her facts contradict other Catholic sources, such as the Catholic Encyclopedia, on such hot-button issues as the Spanish Inquisition. A number of Catholic homeschoolers find this very troubling. Some I've talked to have been so upset at their perception of a "whitewashing" of Catholic history that they are avoiding this text altogether. I disagree with this position because I believe that Mrs. Carroll genuinely believes that what she has written is true and that she is not attempting to hide the faults of the Church. I understand that some homeschoolers also prefer her husband, Warren Carroll's History of Christendom series, because it is highly annotated to support his claims and provide further reference.

I think it's important to understand that History is a very complex thing. For our understanding of History, we are always relying upon someone else's facts. Within the Catholic Church, there are many issues which are not agreed upon, and the Church doesn't say that you have to believe this or that side. I think this is a good concept for children (especially high schoolers) to understand. I would suggest having your children use this text, but discuss these important issues before you embark on your journey, and have them read materials from other Catholic sources as well.

When my friend came back from a Catholic homeschooling conference she was excited to present this set of DVDs to me, since I teach art at our local co-op. I shared in her excitement even before previewing it: a complete elementary school art curriculum, written by a Nashville Dominican sister? Wow. The Christian Heritage Art Program, as far as this reviewer knows, is the only complete elementary school art program available that teaches art from a Catholic perspective. It is a set of 8 DVDs, one for each grade, all following the same set of six lessons: Prehistoric, Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance, 17th and 18th centuries, and Modern. A very professional couple of narrators takes viewers into the world of art history and art appreciation. This is the strong point of this curriculum: the narration is pleasant and the presentation excellent, and religion elements are often brought up, as opposed to secular programs. As every lesson depicts many beautiful, famous works of art, this program could be used simply for art history and appreciation and would still be worth owning! A teacher manual CD offers step-by-step directions, extra lecture and discussion content for each lesson, and include lists of materials, tips on class preparation and enrichment. Eight DVDs for grades 1-8 and one instruction CD, able to be purchased separately or as a set. Catholic Heritage Curricula is the only Catholic catalog offering this program at this time as far as I know. I quote from their site:

It is different. The Christian Heritage Art Program is the only art curriculum which integrates art appreciation, art activities, and Christian culture. The author does not hesitate to credit a French abbot with promoting the preservation of the prehistoric art of the Lascaux Caves, discussing the importance of Medieval Madonnas, or telling of Henri Matisse's great pride in the windows he designed for a chapel in Vence, France.

This is a simple, charming and true story, from the author's own childhood, of a grandmother and her four grandchildren, for whom she makes Christmas Turtles each year with the pecans from her own yard.

The children discover the real "magic" that goes into making these favorite treats and how very much their grandmother really loves them. A recipe for the turtles is included in the back!

The layout of the pages is unusual. The typeface is quite large and the illustrations look like they were drawn by the narrator, the author as a young girl. My son complained about the faces at first, but once I read it aloud to all of my "middles" (ages 4-11), they all REALLY loved it and especially can't wait to make some turtles themselves.

The book came into our lives at a perfect time, when we're trying to move toward more homemade gifts for Christmas and for making more time during the busy holidays to do things like baking with the children.

Available from your local bookstore.