Dempsey Parr World History Encyclopedia

reviewed by TJ Burnside-Clapp
at TJ_Burnside_Clapp@pilotsw.com

(When TJ told me that a number of parents on the WTM e-mail
discussion loop had found this book to be a good elementary
substitute for the Usborne history text we recommend,
I asked her to review the book for this site.-- Susan Wise Bauer)
NOTE ADDED 9/1/01
A number of parents have now told me that due to protests
from the Anti-Defamation League concerning the absence
of the Israeli flag from the DP encyclopedia,
this book has now been withdrawn from publication.
I have not been able to confirm this.

Dempsey Parr World History Encyclopedia
Carried by Sam's Club warehouse stores for $8.99 and Toys R Us for $9.99.
For those without access to these stores locally,
it can be ordered online from ToysRUS.com (Item #921645),
for $14.24, including shipping anywhere in the U.S.
(The publisher is listed as Parragon on ToysRUs.com.)

    Many of the members of the WTM email loop on Onelist have recently purchased the World History Encyclopedia published by Dempsey Parr Children's Books for a grammar level history spine.  The overall reaction to the book has been very positive, and I'd like to recommend it to anyone who is looking for an
alternative to the Usborne Book of World History for a younger child.  In addition to being a fine book, it is also extremely affordable (carried by many
retailers for less than $10 in hardcover).
    My biggest complaint about the Usborne book, which I've heard often from others as well, is that its illustrations are too cartoonish, and the "bubble" format
it uses (which resembles a comic book) is difficult to narrate, especially for a young child.  The DP book far surpasses Usborne in the quality of its illustrations.  The full color two-page spreads are absolutely stunning, with many photos and high quality paintings (similar to a DK "Eyewitness" book).  The main text for each spread appears as a narrative block, which makes summarizing easier.  The text is at a somewhat higher reading level than Usborne, but it is not as advanced as the Kingfisher book recommended for logic stage.  Several people (including me) are using the DP book with 1st graders quite successfully.
    DP includes a detailed timeline on each spread, as well as some useful supplemental material in the back of the book (lists of important battles,
leaders of various countries, and separate timelines for politics, arts, technology, religion, and more).  Maps appear throughout the book, and are
colorful and clearly labeled.  There are five major sections:  The Ancient World (4 Million BC - AD 500), The Middle Ages (500-1400), The Age of Discovery
(1400-1700), Revolution and Industry (1700-1900), and The Modern World (1900-present), each containing 20-24 two-page spreads.   The DP book is larger
in size and has more pages than Usborne's as well (9.6" x 13.5", 256 pages).  The only negatives I have heard reported about the DP World History Encyclopedia are that at least one photo caption is glaringly wrong (the Hagia Sophia is incorrectly identified as Topkapi Palace on page 120), and that it includes many references to evolution in the early part of the book, which may be a problem for those teaching creation.  It has less nudity depicted in the illustrations than Usborne's, however.  There have also been a few reports of printing errors (smeared ink on some pages), so if you are buying a copy in person you will want to check each page before you leave the store with it.