Aztec History for Kids: A Captivating Guide to the Aztec Empire and Civilization, from the Aztecs Settling in the Valley of Mexico to the Spanish Conquest (History for Children)

Please note: I was given a copy of this book and have voluntarily decided to give it this honest review. This is another book in the series of history books aimed towards children. It’s a thin paperback book, making it easy to carry anywhere. It has 66 pages, 10 chapters, and a bibliography which lists websites and books. At the end of the book is a section, Games and Activities, that has nine questions with the answers. This is a fun way to check comprehension skills as well as vocabulary skills. The book has over 40 colored illustrations, photographs, and maps, which are labeled. The Aztec Empire lasted from 1345 CE until 1531 CE, almost 200 years. Aztecs were skilled builders building pyramids, palaces, temples, and even stadiums. They were also skilled in arts, poetry, ceramics, and textiles. They invented a calendar and writing system. They had an educational system where all boys and girls attended school. The book goes on to show you what the daily life of the Aztecs was like, who their gods and goddesses were, what their religious practices were, and how the population was divided into different classes. The book ends with how the Spanish conquistadors, led by Hernan Cortes, were able to defeat the Aztec Empire in 1531. A short, fun book to read!

Very well-done book. A lot of solid history, picture, fun facts......it was a pleasurable read for myself and a young teen reader. Recommended for both teen readers and adults.

This is the best history series for kids (and adults!) I’ve ever come across! And I say that as a person who was A raised by a schoolteacher historian and B worked the Young Readers section at a bookstore in Nashville. I have to hide these books when I get them in order to read them first as my landlady’s child will come bouncing in the room to borrow them as soon as they see them (and this is a child whose parent had trouble getting their child to read). The font is easy to read. The facts are well presented. There are definitions imbedded in the text. Fun information within each chapter. Great illustrations, maps, photographs help capture the mind and further the exploration of the time. Plus a great bibliography! I highly recommend this book for fun reading, homeschooling, adding to school curriculum, and your home library. As for me, a certain child will be getting their sneaky paws on it now that I’ve finished reading it. I can’t wait to see the glee in their eyes. They’ll be jumping up and down again at the prospect of a new book.

Fascinating book! I was amazed at how the Aztecs had much of the social and technical sophistication of the Europeans – before the Europeans arrived. They even had goddesses similar to the Greeks’ Persephone and Aphrodite. I live in California, so every October I notice Hispanics celebrating Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead), and this book explains its Aztec roots blended with Catholicism. I appreciated reading about that. But, of course, there’s the infamous issue of human sacrifice. They worshipped the sun and feared that it would not come up each morning unless they performed certain rituals and human sacrifices. Thus they took captives from neighboring tribes. Those tribes then teamed up with Cortez when he arrived, in order to bring an end to the human sacrifice. Overall, this book offers a well-explained background of pre-Columbian Mexican culture. Other informative tidbits: chocolate, avocados, and fried grasshoppers. Perfect for kids, but I’m glad that I read it before giving it to the kid I bought it for. BTW, he loves it too.

I read this as a digital book. I think this book would be good for most late elementary school and older kids. Younger readers could enjoy it if their reading level is higher or the adults in their life read it with them. It provides a lot of information without going into in-depth gory details or passing judgement on any of the issues presented. It also provides pronunciations for the awesome names of the Gods and places. There is a great mix of photos and artwork and even includes a fun quiz at the back to help solidify some of what was read. There are also several *fun facts* spaced throughout the reading. The only thing I wish was a little different would be having space between the *fun facts* and the normal paragraphs. I don’t know if that is an issue in the physical book, but it was a tiny bit jarring as an e-book. I included a picture of what I mean with this review. Overall it was a decent read.

Captivating History always releases great books, and Aztec History for Kids is no different! As I read through this book, I found a fun way to get kids interested in history! Learn about the Aztec's daily way of life, warfare, food, religion, and so much more! Each chapter breaks down the information with an easy to read format, yet even adults are going to find this book fun to read through! The illustrations are well done, and you can test your knowledge of what you learned in the book with a fun quiz at the end! But this book takes a different look at the Aztecs as well. Some of their art is still very important in Mexico today. Their influence and importance has not waned - even after their collapse. Read through this book from their beginnings to the Spanish Conquest, and get to know the Aztec Civilization like never before. Keep history fun and interesting for kids - this book is a great way to jump in!

I thoroughly enjoyed this work! Other than saying that the Spanish Conquest of the Aztecs was in 1531 rather than in 1521, this book was flawless. I appreciate writing that focuses on the lives’ of real people; therefore, Chapters 4 through 9 were my favorites! I especially enjoyed the sections about education, diet, and daily life. I enjoyed the quiz at the end of the book. I am glad that the Captivating History team kept a rather balanced approach in this work. They neither demonized nor glorified the Mexica people (including their human sacrifices and ritualistic cannibalism). When they discussed human sacrifice and cannibalism, they also explained the Aztec reasoning behind those practices. We need more well-balanced history surveys in the future. After all, every human society has positive and negative aspects. We just tend to focus on the positive for many so called Western societies; whereas, we focus on the negative for many others. Ei Ching

In this book you will learn why the Aztecs are so important to the Mexican people. Where did the name Mexico originate? What meaning lies behind the symbols on the Mexican flag? How long did the Aztec empire exist? The book is full of illustrations which give you a glimpse into the origin and life of the Aztecs, their customs and religion and why they are the foundation of Mexican social structure today. The book is written on a 4th to 6th grade level but the information is interesting for adults as well. The usual questions at the end of each chapter were missing and replaced by a set of questions at the end of the book. As a former educator I can highly recommend this book as both a learning tool and a reader. It will also be a great resource for home schooling or parent reinforcement.