Official Guide to the Marvelous Museum of Salt and Light is an odd name for a biographical history book for students in the elementary grades. Written for Christian students, the book is based on the idea that Christians are to be salt and light to the world. To that end, it tells the stories of 32 people who lived up to that Christian goal—people from biblical times to recent history.
The publisher, My Father’s World, includes Official Guide with their World Changers course for third grade, but it can be used with younger and older children. The first two stories of Joseph and the Israelite girl mentioned in 2 Kings 5 (the story of Namaan), draw heavily from the Bible, using child-friendly translations and retellings.
The other 30 stories, selected through the lens of a Protestant worldview, include stories about people such as Augustine of Hippo (and his mother Monica), John Wycliffe, Johann Gutenberg, Martin Luther (and his wife Katie), John Bunyan, Rembrandt, Susanna Wesley, Johann Sebastian Bach, Florence Nightingale, Fanny Crosby, Samuel Morris, Corrie Ten Boom, Billy Graham, Jackie Robinson, and John Glenn.
Most of the stories weave in reflection questions near the end that help children see how the person in the story might serve as a model or inspiration for spiritual growth.
Each story includes at least one full-color illustration, but there is far more text—this is not a picture book. The stories are written at a higher level than the target audience is generally able to read for themselves, so that means the Official Guide serves best as a read-aloud book. Parents can guide discussion using their own ideas as they read through the stories.
In terms of history coverage, Official Guide provides very selective and limited coverage of world history, which might be sufficient for second and third grades. Beyond third grade, it serves as a supplement for world history. Because the content is focused on Christian themes, you might use it as part of a Bible or religion course, rather than for history.
On the technical side, this 183-page book is 8.5 by 11 inches and has a spiral binding so you can fold it open for easier handling.
Summary
Whether used as part of the World Changers course or in some other fashion, Official Guide to the Marvelous Museum of Salt and Light should be helpful for inspiring children to live in ways that bring God glory and draw others into His kingdom.
