Ricky's Dream Trip to the Ancient Worlds of Egypt, Greece, and Rome by William Stevenson is a vivid journey that ignites the imagination, making it a delightful and educational adventure for young readers. Through the eyes of Ricky, children are invited to explore the fascinating cultures, myths, and monuments that have shaped our world. Stevenson's storytelling is both fun and imaginative, seamlessly blending entertainment with educational content in a way that feels both engaging and effortless. I highly recommend to parents and educators!

Join Ricky as he travels the Ancient world with his Pop Pop. Together in his dreams, they visit Egypt, Athens, and Rome where Ricky must confront his fears to change the course of history.

This collection brings together three award-winning Ricky’s Dream Trip books with added information for classroom or homeschool use, and at-home activities. It’s obvious at first glance this is not your typical (boring) history lesson. Approachable illustrations pop off the page and the story is both engaging and easy to follow along.

Young readers will learn about ancient civilizations as they embark on new adventures, engaging in age-appropriate activities at the end of each journey. Ricky’s dreams inspire pretend play while building creativity and critical thinking skills. These stories will undoubtedly open your child to a world of adventure, without ever leaving home.

Perhaps best of all is the loving relationship between Ricky and his Pop Pop. Their travels help both characters express an underlying desire to spend more time together. Parents will enjoy reading this with their children, and children may just gain a deeper appreciation for the knowledge and wisdom of those who have come before us.

"Ricky's Dream Trip to the Ancient Worlds of Egypt, Greece, and Rome" is a delightful adventure that seamlessly blends history and imagination to create an engaging and educational journey for young readers. Written with a keen understanding of a child's sense of wonder, this book takes Ricky, PopPop as well as its readers, on an incredible voyage through time to three ancient civilizations.

I love the illustration. They're so colorful and vivid and truly breathe life into the ancient worlds of Egypt, Greece, and Rome. :)

If history books were written and illustrated like this, most kids would love history lessons. I always liked history, but having a book like this one would have make it more interesting for all of us.

"Ricky's Dream Trip to the Ancient Worlds of Egypt, Greece and Rome" is a collection of three stories, each one featuring 11-(or 12-) year old Ricky and his grandfather as they go exploring through history in Ricky's dreams. In each of the stories they met and help influential historical figures - which in turn helps prepare Ricky for events back in the waking world.

At the end of each story there is a section about the history of the region/time portrayefd in the stories, and related activities.

The book was filled with colourful collage-style ilustrations, and the text contained to clear, uncluttered text boxes. Key words and names were highlighted in different fonts (a smaller font than the surrounding text).

An excellent book for kids interested in ancient history.

~Many thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review~

From the cover to the last page, I was whisked away into a dreamlike realm, embarking on an unparalleled adventure. The historical insights were enriching, and the poignant bond between a grandfather and his grandchild deeply resonated with me. The real love threaded throughout the series was heartwarming. The illustrations evoked the essence of a dynamic storyboard, where one could almost peel off the stickers and craft an entirely new tale. I was particularly charmed by the idea of young kindergarteners using Ricky's dream stickers to spin their own narratives, potentially giving birth to another timeless tale of Ricky's dream. The sprinkling of intriguing facts and learning moments was captivating, presenting lessons children might not encounter in traditional educational settings. I've always had a soft spot for enlightening tales. This series should unequivocally top every parent's "must-buy" list for their young ones.

A very good way to introduce facts about these ancient cultures to younger children. I liked the layout of the book and it had interesting artwork that would spark any kids imagination.
What didn't work-
the age is really not for 12 year olds and up, it is way too simplistic and juvenile. This would work best for 7 to 10 year olds.
The grandpa repeating over and over that this was a dream. There was a lot of repetition in this and when authors do that, it comes across as filler to meet their word count.
Small type set- for kids (as adults) who cannot see very well, the type setting font is small. There is a lot crammed in on the pages. My 9 yr old has trouble with small print so this was a challenge for her to read and we ended up making it be a hunt for facts by using a magnifying glass.

Overall though, I do like this and thought it was very cute and a great way to get facts across without being boring or too many facts.
I received a free copy but my review and thoughts are my own and given freely.

I read this book as a pre-release e-book obtained through NetGalley, provided by the publisher.

This book is an anthology of three previously-published books by this author, all with a copyright of 2012.

The books each begin with Ricky going to sleep, and meeting his grandfather, PopPop. Either Ricky wants to go somewhere in particular and meet someone in particular because of his school work, or PopPop decides where they will go and who they’ll meet.

Each of these books is stuffed with historical facts about these ancient cultures, written simply as to be suitable for a child. Everything about Greece and Rome is accurate, although for Egypt, it’s somewhat simplified as depicted through popular culture. For instance, PopPop tells Ricky we don’t know how pyramids were built (we do), and we know why the ruler of Egypt was called “Pharaoh” means – it’s a compound of words meaning “house” and “big”, so the ruler was the one who lived in the big house – and ruled from there. They could have gone much farther explaining the reverence accorded cats by ancient Egyptians – they were divine! It was a death-penalty offense for anyone to kill a cat. So, OF COURSE would feed Bastet and treat her as a goddess!

It became a bit repetitive for PopPop to keep reminding Ricky it was his dream, and he could make it go however he wanted. The language seems a bit “young” for a 12-year old – this is more suitable to an 8-year-old. A 12-year-old might feel offended by being offered such a book. For younger children to read themselves or as a book for an adult to read to a child and show them pictures (illustrations), this book is a good introduction to ancient cultures.

What a terrific way to introduce history to kids. My kiddos absolutely love this story and want me to read it again and again. For parents that homeschool, or teachers, this is a must have tool. I wish we had books like this when I was a kid!

William Stevenson weaves a magical tale that takes readers on a remarkable journey through time and space, immersing them in the rich history and captivating landscapes of three iconic ancient civilizations. Blending fantasy with educational elements, he creates a unique reading experience that is both entertaining and informative. Recommended for young readers and anyone with an interest in history and imaginative storytelling.

I love a good children’s book and this is one! The author has excelled in providing an informative and appealing perspective on historical events.
The storyline is an accurate portrayal of three important times in history. The illustrations are spot on for catching a child’s attention, either in the school setting or at home with a parent.
The connection between the child’s relationship with his grandfather and the precise nature of the storytelling makes this book a great addition to anyone’s book collection.
The activities included are a great way to cement the overall learning experience, without being overly complicated.

Thanks to the publisher, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ricky's Dream Trip is a must-have addition to any child's library, it ignites a passion for history and exploration.

Each book in the series is a treasure trove of cultural insights and heroic quests, empowering young readers to be the heroes of their own stories.

This book series follows Ricky and his grandfather, PopPop, as they embark on thrilling adventures to ancient civilizations.

I requested this book hoping that I'd see some non-fictious stats on these ancient countries . However, this book is a fantasy book about a young boy having adventures in his dream.
Yet, I'd still use this as a supplemental reading resource for my history lesson plan. I'd give credit to the "paper-cut" -like graphics as they were interesting and creative.

This was a lot of fun! Definitely something I could see being read in a classroom as supplemental learning. I also thought the graphics were great.

I requested this one hoping to find something useful for my 6th grade ancient world classroom. It didn't happen. I know the target age is young for 6th grade, but it was much lower than I thought from the description.

I had trouble finishing it and not because of the target age. The writing is stilted and just plain boring because the sentence structure was simple and repetitive. For example, there is no reason for the grandfather to remind Ricky that this is his dream so he can do what he wants so very often. It's almost as if the text is for a younger audience, but for that it is much too long. There are better, more engaging stories targeted at the same age. Pick up one of those, such as Magic Tree House targeted for 5-8 years old.

I read this book via NetGalley and was initially attracted because I love history and the cover looked modern and quirky. I’m always looking for ways to help my children learn about history so I was keen to get reading.
The illustrations are simple and have a comic like charm. I think this would appeal to boys as well as girls which is a great feature.
The concept is good and the stories feature some interesting facts about each time period, Roman, Greek and Egyptian. There are a couple of pages in each time period containing factual information e.g. hieroglyphics and I like that it is kept
to a minimum. Any more would put my son off. It holds the shorter attention span and feels easy to read.

This review was submitted on Amazon and is awaiting approval.