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8 Book Review: What Your Child Needs to Know Series


What Your Child Needs to Know is an 8-book series written by E.D. Hirsch, an education reformer and the creator of the popular Core Knowledge curriculum (this is not the same as Common Core). You’ll spot these books in the education section of many bookstores and big-box stores, and for good reason.


Before I share why I like them, let me clear up a few things I often see parents get confused about.


Do your kids really need to know everything in these books at that exact grade level? No, not really. That’s just the opinion of the educators who put the series together based on solid educational theory.


The big idea behind Core Knowledge is simple: the more background knowledge kids have from a young age (in literature, history, music, art, science, and math), the better they’ll understand what they learn later. Knowledge builds on knowledge. Without it, kids end up with gaps that make harder topics confusing down the road.


These books give you a helpful framework - a scaffold you can use to build that knowledge at home. It’s not a strict checklist you have to follow perfectly. Is it a good guide? Absolutely. But please don’t put pressure on yourself or your kids to finish every single page on schedule. Use what works for your family.


Each book focuses on age-appropriate topics in Literature, English Language Arts, History, Science, Mathematics, Art, and Music. The text is very readable and parent-friendly.


In our house, we use them as nonfiction read-alouds. They’re one of the most affordable and effective ways to build a well-rounded home library. You can simply sit down, read a section or two each day, and talk about it with your kids. The books are visually engaging with lots of pictures, and they include helpful little tips and asides in the margins to support you as your child’s first (and most important) teacher.


I also really appreciate the built-in teaching guides. They give parents confidence and make it easier to explain concepts in a natural way.


These books truly are a treasure for any family that wants to give their children a rich, broad education at home.


Below I’m sharing pictures of each of the books in the series so you can see what they look like in real life.


Happy reading,

Hannah



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