Before you start buying, you might already have atlases in your home that you can use! These are my favorite go-to reference books listed under the section, “Mapping It Out,” that I like to display or pull readings from. Not every book features every country, in which case I assign a reading that is more of an overview of the continent or the region. All of these atlases contain wonderful pictures and vivid descriptions. (Amazon Affiliate links are provided.)
“Maps,” by Aleksandra Mizielinska and Daniel Mizielinski, is an oversized book containing beautiful maps of many individual countries as well as each of the seven continents. The page is filled with small drawings that pertain to the country. If the current country of study is in the book, I like to put that spread on display and the kids and I will spot something new every time we walk by.
The “Usborne Geography Encyclopedia with Complete World Atlas” has three overarching sections divided into very organized sections, which I appreciate! The first section addresses general earth science and ecosystems. This is followed by information about various people groups by region or country. Maps fill the last section. Thank heavens for the “General Index” which is what I flip to first.
“Window on the World: An Operation World Prayer Resource,” edited by Molly Wall and Jason Mandryk
This is the heart of our geography study. This is why we care about people in different countries with other cultural backgrounds and beliefs. “Window on the World” presents countries and cultures through stories, facts, and prayer suggestions.
I have the first edition of the “Reader’s Digest Children’s Atlas,” so I don’t rely on it’s statistical information. I like the way this atlas has grouped the countries into regions. There is a substantial paragraph to read for every layout, interesting captions, and sometimes a hands-on project is suggested. The beautiful regional maps are my second choice to put on display if the Maps book doesn’t have the country that we are studying.