Don’t stress about teaching medieval history to your children. My kids devour history through literature, using amazing selections from Beautiful Feet Books.
This year in our homeschool, my Rachel dove into the Middle Ages with gusto. She studied the famous men and women of the Middle Ages during classical studies, then devoured meaty tales such as King Arthur and Robin Hood.
She wanted to learn MORE about the Middle Ages, but I seriously didn’t have time to go down a rabbit trail of research to find more for her to read. I had other things to juggle — working outside the home, running the house, and chasing a couple of sassy preschoolers.
I was stressing about not being able to meet her interests, until I was organizing our giant homeschool bookshelf and ran across a catalog from Beautiful Feet Books wedged in the back.
There, I found the Medieval History Through Literature Pack – perfect for my daughter who wanted to learn more about knights and ladies, cathedrals and castles, Crusades and discovering the new world.
I partnered with Beautiful Feet Books for this post, receiving a selection of their amazing books for free. I was compensated for my time, and as always, all opinions are my very own.
We chose the Medieval History study, since it meshed so well with our curriculum plans this year. My boys will be studying Early American History this fall, so we may take a look at that this summer. Meanwhile, Rachel is busy saving her pennies to buy the History of the Horse pack.
What’s Included in this Homeschool History Through Literature Program?
For my daughter Rachel, we chose the Medieval History pack, since she was studying medieval history and reading medieval literature this year as part of our homeschooling curriculum. We actually owned three of the Medieval History pack’s selections already: Adam of the Road, King Arthur, and Robin Hood.
The Medieval History pack is geared toward 5th through 8th grade students, and includes the following:
Medieval History Study Guide
Medieval History Timeline
Foldable World Map
The European World 400-1500
Beowulf – Morpungo
King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table – Roger Lancelyn Green
1001 Arabian Nights – Geraldine McCaughrean
Queen Eleanor: Independent Spirit of the Medieval World – Polly Brooks
The Adventures of Robin Hood – Roger Lancelyn Green
The Magna Charta – James Daugherty
Cathedral -David Macaulay
Castle – David Macaulay
The Kite Rider -Geraldine McCaughrean
Adam of the Road – Elizabeth Gray
Crispin: The Cross of Lead – Avi
Canterbury Tales – Geoffrey Chaucer, Adapted by Barbara Cohen
Fine Print, A Story About Johann Gutenberg – Joann Johansen Burch
The Trumpeter of Krakow- Eric P. Kelly
The World of Columbus and Sons -Genevieve Foster
Will Studying History Through Literature Really Work in My Homeschool?
Since we follow a classical model for our homeschool, we’re used to surrounding ourselves with amazing children’s literature. Using this approach is a natural fit for classical homeschoolers, or for families who follow a Charlotte Mason style approach.
This study is perfect for children who are strong readers. If you’re a busy mom pressed for time, you can have your student read the literature independently, meeting back with you for discussion. If you only have a few students, you could learn right alongside them, reading the novels aloud.
Another time tip? Some of the medieval history selections (Adam of the Road, Crispin) are available on Audible.
It’s also great for big families — purchase one Literature pack, and use it for multiple ages and grade levels.
Another added bonus? The literature selections are carefully curated and pulled together for you, busy momma. No searching through book lists or reviews, wondering if a novel is right for your family. Much of the heavy lifting is already done for you.
Heads up for Catholic families – this study is written from a Protestant perspective – you may want to approach Martin Luther and John Wycliffe from a different approach than what you’ll find in the guide.
How Much Will This Homeschool History Through Literature Cost Our Family?
Homeschooling families are budget conscious, but the Beautiful Feet Books programs aren’t a deal breaker. The Medieval History Pack that we received sells for $209.95 plus free shipping. (a significant discount from the retail value of $256)
The books will soon become family favorites, and can be used for more than one student. The World Map is consumable,($9.95) so you’d probably need to buy a new copy for younger students coming up through the ranks.
What if I Already Have Historical Literature on My Shelves?
Good news, bibliophiles! If you’re similar to our family, and own LOADS of fantastic literature, the packs from Beautiful Feet are easily customizable.
Just choose your topic, then give Beautiful Feet Books a call to let them know which selections you already own. They’ll remove them from your pack and adjust the price accordingly.
Which History Topics Can You Study with Literature?
Wondering where to begin? Drop by this Getting Started page.
With Beautiful Feet Books, the possibilities are almost endless.
Early American History
Ancient History
History of California
The History of Western Expansion
Modern American & World History
Medieval History
Modern U.S. and World History
Want to branch out a little? You can use Beautiful Feet Books to help teach character, geography, or dive deeper into topics your children love.
Teaching Character
History of the Horse
History of Science
Geography through Literature
History of Classical Music
How Long Does it Take to Study History Through Literature?
Most of the Beautiful Feet Books programs take one school year to complete, with a few exceptions.
Primary students can spend more time with the Early American History and stretch the study out over two years.
If your homeschool family is interested in the Geography Through Literature, Western Expansion, or History of California, you’ll be able to complete these in one year.
I’d love to hear from you — Have you used literature to teach history in your homeschool? Share your favorite ideas in the comments.
Thank you for the review, Dianna!
We LOVE Beautiful Feet!! I’ve been using their guides in our homeschool for several years. I used the original BF Medieval guide in the past and will use the new Intermediate Medieval guide in the fall. We’re looking forward to the great books!
Thank you so much for such a great post! This is our 3rd year homeschooling but 2nd year using Memoria Press; we are classical homeschoolers as well! My oldest thrives with the MP core, but my youngest does well with the memorization and recitation but thrives on creative things like lap books and reading living books. I would love them both to use the same thing, but I am realizing I need to cater to her needs differently! I already have everything purchased for this fall, so I think we will stick with it, but next year she is scheduled for medieval studies and I want to use this! It looks amazing! It sounds like you may use parts of MP/classical studies as well, would you mind showing me what that looks like in your homeschool? Thank you so much!