Kid Konnection: National Geographic Kids Books

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week I'm going to share with you a two special books about the bible and the White House.

Summary: Welcome to the White House! Go behind the scenes to get a 360-degree view of America's most famous president’s residence, from how it was built in 1792 and the fire of 1812, to today's state dinners, celebrations, celebrity pets, and more. Discover through 1,000 fun-to-read facts what it's like to live and work at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the quirky rules of the house and how the Secret Service keeps it safe. Find out how the kids who have lived there play, watch movies, and entertain friends. With a treasure trove of material from the White House Historical Association, this book presents a fascinating story of the building and the many people who have shaped its 225-year history. -- National Geographic

National Geographic Kids never ceases to amaze me. Case in point: the new book 1,000 FACTS ABOUT THE WHITE HOUSE. This oversized full-color book is a terrific resource for home and school libraries as well as children who are interested in learning more about our country's first home.

1,000 FACTS ABOUT THE WHITE HOUSE is a pretty fantastic book. Coming in at almost 100 pages, it makes learning about the White House fun. The book covers the topics you'd expect like the history of the White House and includes many photographs of the building through the times; however, it also includes tons of fun facts like what it's like to work there and how the Secret Service protects it.

Based on the cover, I was expecting more of an encyclopedia type feel to this book, but I was pleasantly surprised to open the pages and see that the format is appealing and very easy-to-read. In fact, it reminds me of the other National Geographic Kids books that I've reviewed. There are lots of photographs and bright colors, and each page spread covers a different topic. There are many lists, including 50 Facts About the West Wing, 75 Timeless Facts about White House History, and even 35 Spoonful Facts about the Easter Egg Roll. Basically, it's one of those books that provide a ton of information in a great format that makes learning fun!

I think 1,000 FACTS ABOUT THE WHITE HOUSE is sure to appeal to kids of all ages (and even a few parents!) Highly recommended!

Summary: Travel back to ancient times to revisit classic Bible stories from the Old and New Testaments. Learn fascinating facts about biblical history, then explore that same landscape as archaeologists are studying it today. Unearth clues about where these stories took place and how people in that time period might have lived. Stories include the Garden of Eden, Joseph in Egypt, Moses and the Ten Commandments, the birth of Jesus, Paul's conversion, and many more. Classic paintings and photos of the Middle East today enrich the archaeological explanations. Kids don't just revisit classic Bible stories in this book ... they'll dig deeper into the history behind the tales to learn more about the biblical world. -- National Geographic

THE WORLD OF THE BIBLE: BIBLICAL STORIES AND THE ARCHAEOLOGY BEHIND THEM is another fantastic book by National Geographic Kids. This book is the same size as the one I reviewed earlier (oversized and around 125 pages), and of course, it has loads of full color photographs and illustrations. It's absolutely gorgeous!

THE WORLD OF THE BIBLE is divided into two parts -- Old Testament Stories and Discoveries and New Testament: The World of Jesus. Within in section, there are bible stories as well as facts about biblical history. I actually found the book to be extremely interesting and I loved how the history tied into the stories I've been reading for years. THE WORLD OF THE BIBLE does a great job of making these ancient times real to readers.

In addition to bible stories and some bits of history, THE WORLD OF THE BIBLE also has some interesting graphics. There are pages with maps and timelines as well as "Did You Know?" sidebars. What really brought this book to the next level for me, though, were the gorgeous paintings and present day photos of the Middle East. It's truly an impressive children's book.

THE WORLD OF THE BIBLE is wonderful resource for families who want to learn more about the bible its history. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Media Masters Publicity for providing review copies of these books.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!