The Story of the World

Well-Trained Mind Press Grades 1-8 Revised 2nd Edition Updated August 2026

Who it fits

Affordable, story-first world history to read aloud to several kids at once, expandable with hands-on projects. Families wanting a rigorous, comprehensive text or fully independent student work will find it thin.

How it scores

Rigor
?

How demanding the material is versus grade level. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:

  1. 1gentle, below grade
  2. 2relaxed
  3. 3on grade
  4. 4demanding
  5. 5advanced
Read the rigor guide
Parent involvement
?

How much the parent is present and teaching. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:

  1. 1hands-off
  2. 2light
  3. 3shared
  4. 4leading
  5. 5parent-taught
Read the parent involvement guide
Prep load
?

How much the parent prepares before a lesson. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:

  1. 1open-and-go
  2. 2minimal
  3. 3moderate
  4. 4involved
  5. 5heavy
Read the prep load guide
Screen time
?

How much daily work is on a device. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:

  1. 1fully offline
  2. 2mostly offline
  3. 3blended
  4. 4mostly digital
  5. 5fully digital
Read the screen time guide
Independence
?

How much the child can do alone. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:

  1. 1adult-led
  2. 2guided
  3. 3semi-independent
  4. 4mostly independent
  5. 5fully independent
Read the independence guide
Time commitment
?

How long a daily lesson takes the child. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:

  1. 1under 15 min
  2. 215 to 25 min
  3. 325 to 40 min
  4. 440 to 60 min
  5. 560+ min
Read the time commitment guide

At a glance

Faith content None
Approach Blended
Format Textbook A narrative spine history read like a storybook, paired with a separate activity guide that adds narration, mapwork, coloring pages, projects, and living-book reading lists. Black-and-white illustrations throughout, available in print, PDF, and audiobook. It sits closer to a story than a traditional textbook.
Used as Spine or supplement
Philosophy ClassicalCharlotte Mason
Best for Multi-age familiesReluctant learners

What parents consistently praise

  • Kids beg for the next chapter
  • Easy to stretch across several ages at once
  • The activity guide does the planning for you
  • Audiobooks are great for car rides
  • Affordable and reusable

What parents report as challenges

  • Coverage skips around and isn't comprehensive
  • Activities need supply-gathering and prep
  • Some Catholic families edit the Reformation chapter
  • Writing gets thin on non-Western regions

How it shifts by grade

The four volumes (Ancient, Medieval, Early Modern, Modern) map onto a four-year elementary history cycle, one volume per year, then repeat at a deeper level in later grades.

Additional notes

Written by Susan Wise Bauer, a practicing Christian, but secular in treatment: it retells other cultures' myths without judgment and covers Christianity as one religion among many. Pairs with Kingfisher or Usborne encyclopedias for color and depth.

Cost

Price$11-26/component
ConsumablePartial
Per child / year~$40-75/volume (text plus activity guide), less if you reuse the text and go oral
Check price Well-Trained Mind Press

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