gift for kid

Last month I told you about a fun new challenge going on....The Complete Idiot's Guide for Dummies Challenge! I was lucky enough to get host two reviews on this challenge and I was super excited. In case you missed my first round (how could you??) this competition takes two popular "how-to" books and gives them a side by side comparison....love it!  My round two contenders?  The Complete Idiot's Guide to American History VS U.S. History  for Dummies.  Here is a description of each book...

American history is one of those subjects that students frequently labor over and can seem like a random collection of names, dates, and events. Understood as a collective biography and free of the cheerleading found in many text books, the fully updated fifth edition of The Complete Idiot's Guide(r) to American History explains the changing tides in America's most pivotal periods.

• From a seasoned author and researcher
• The most current and comprehensive series title on American history
• Heightened interest right now in the question of how America got where we are-a question that can only be answered by an understanding of history

About the Author

Alan Axelrod, Ph.D., has nearly 20 years of history book writing expertise and is the author of The Complete Idiot's Guide(r) to the American Revolution, The Complete Idiot's Guide(r) to the Civil War, Second Edition and The Complete Idiot's Guide(r) to World War I. He is now the president of the Ian Samuel Group, Inc., a research and writing firm. 
Filled with fascinating trivia and lore not found in textbooks. People, places, and dates with a dash of fun — history will never be the same! Don't know much about history? Don't worry! With this friendly reference, you can bone up on all those facts you missed in history class — and have a good time in the bargain. From the Revolution to the Civil War, from the Great Depression to the Cold War, this is history the way it ought to be — fresh, memorable, and fun.
Discover how to: Astound friends with fun facts about the Founding Fathers Understand terms like "Manifest Destiny" Get a grip on the legacy of slavery Impress your family with Civil War lore Put current events in historical context.
The Dummies Way^™ Explanations in plain English "Get in, get out" information Icons and other navigational aids Tear-out cheat sheet Top ten lists A dash of humor and fun. 

First of all, I am not exactly a history buff.  I did not pay nearly enough attention in high school when my teachers were teaching history (Sorry Mr. Rand!) so I missed a lot of important details.  I am, however, really interested in NOT sound foolish when people talk about The Cold War or The Great Depression or about who ran in popular elections.  I am also all too aware that A&W will be off to school next year and I do not want my 5 year olds able to name more presidents than I can!  As I thumbed through the books I found them BOTH to be packed full of facts, dates and important people.  I think BOTH books will give you the information you need to pull off intelligent conversation about the history of our country.  The big difference is in the packaging though....I found The Complete Idiot's Guide to be more readable.  What do I mean by more readable exactly?  Well, I mean less boring!  The language used was far less dry than in the US History for Dummies book.  I am not going to lie...in each book I got a little glazed over (hey...some things don't ever change!) but this happened a whole lot less in the Idiots guide and when it happened I just headed over to the specially marked "the least you need to know" section.  For me there was a clear winner in this competition...The Complete Idiots Guide to American History!  Pick up your copy today on Amazon...




DEAL ALERT!!  Reviewed By Mom readers will receive a 50% off discount for any regularly priced books placed until August 1st on the Complete Idiots Website!!  Yes....50%!!!  There are so many titles to choose from in the Complete Idiot's Store...it really is staggering!  To receive your discount, enter CIGBlog11 at checkout.   

One lucky RBM reader will win a copy of The Complete Idiot's Guide to American History!!  Thanks so much to the sponsor for a great discount and giveaway!  Here is how to enter... 

Mandatory Entry:  Visit The Complete Idiot's Website and tell me which of their books most appeals to you.  You must complete this for any extras to be counted.
For Extra Entries: