http://lechaimontheright.com/2013/12/co ... -time.htmlI read the above linked review of the various "House" series on PBS, and decided to follow the blogger's advice. DD & I got 1940's House from the library. Our local library didn't have it, but did get it for us on inter library loan.
It was a GREAT historical education for her (and I learned a thing or two, too, despite being pretty familiar with the era already : ) She enjoyed it so much that she watched it again on Saturday- during NON school time : ) !
The series (3 hours total) follows a modern family as they go back and try to re-live the experiences of those on the London home front during WWII. They re-enacted building a bomb shelter, installing blackout curtains, dealing with rationing and lots of other everyday experiences of the War. It was very well done - entertaining, educational & interesting.
There were a few of drawbacks - nothing that would keep me from recommending it, but the kind of details a parent might want to know about in advance:
1. The cast had an occasional bawdy sense of humour (for instance, when the adult daughter - a Mother & divorcee is given a single bed, her parents tease her about not being able to "have guests over.") But, there were only a few such jokes.
2. The female characters made the occasional comment about work outside the home being important and fulfilling, and domestic work being unimportant - a modern feminist sales pitch I don't agree with or care for. I would rather not indoctrinate DD with such ideas.
3. And, toward the end there was a BBC news cast about the Holocaust that I chose to fast forward thru - not knowing how much detail they might give, and how inappropriate it might be for DD since she is still quite young. I still don't know how that part of the show went so I cannot review it - but it was only about 5 minutes. (throughout the movie, the family occasionally sit around the radio and listen to actual BBC recordings of news and information bulletins from the war).
4. There was also a discussion of speculation about American G.I.'s "leaving babies behind" that was both factually unsupported and inappropriate for young ears - but probably would pass unnoticed by most children - as it seemed to by mine (I hope, anyway).
All in all I highly recommend it as a great look for families into the realities of WWII history - a fine addition to a history curriculum that will give a lifelike & memorable insight into the realities of those times.