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Introducing Story of the World, Volume 1: 25th Anniversary Expanded Edition

Well-Trained Mind Press Staff

January 16, 2026
10:02 am

A beautiful, updated edition of the bestselling classic!

Since 2001, Susan Wise Bauer’s The Story of the World has been a beloved resource in homes and homeschools, sparking a passion for history in millions of children.

To celebrate this classic’s 25th anniversary, Well-Trained Mind Press presents The Story of the World: Volume 1 – 25th Anniversary Expanded Edition.

Available now in PDF and digital audio; coming February 2026 in paperback and hardcover.

We’re so excited about this that we made a podcast about it!

New Features in The Story of the World: Volume 1 – 25th Anniversary Expanded Edition (Main Text):

The same engaging storytelling and readability that children love
Two new chapters on East Asian history

Additional material in the existing chapters on key historical events, including:

The rise of the Roman Republic
The beginning of the Han dynasty
The Silk Road
The rule of Herod the Great and the siege of Masada

Ten new biographies of fascinating historical figures (Spartacus, Zhang Heng, and more)
Twenty new illustrations and maps
Updated pronunciation guide
New chapter order for better chronological flow
Clearer formatting distinguishing ancient texts, myths, and stories from historical narrative
The newly-recorded audio version is thrillingly narrated by Katherine de Leiros

Now Here: The Complete Curriculum!

Instructor Guide (formerly the front half of the Activity Book):

Now fully organized into lessons for easier planning.

Parent/Instructor scripts for narration, review, and mapping exercises
Sample answers for narration prompts and review questions
Updated and expanded reading recommendation lists, combining the best of the classics with the best of what’s been published in the past 25 years
40+ brand-new activities
Specially designed group activities
Cross-curricular challenges connecting history to science, math, writing, and more
Suggested memory work and field trip ideas
Low-prep, no-prep, and movement activities

Student Workbook (formerly the back half of the Activity Book):

Bring the past to life with The Student Workbook for the Story of the World, Volume 1: Ancient Times, designed exclusively for the 25th Anniversary Expanded Edition!

Built for use in families, co-ops, or classrooms, this workbook gives individual learners their own space to dive into history.

Includes:

All student pages for activities in the Instructor Guide, including puzzles, game boards, craft templates, and other interactive activity pages
Suggested memory work activities
Map exercises to teach the geography of our world
Coloring pages for every chapter (including over 20 new images)

And much more!

This Student Workbook is designed for use with The Story of the World, Volume 1: Ancient Times, 25th Anniversary Expanded Edition and corresponding Instructor Guide—both sold separately. It is not compatible with the original (2001/2006) editions.

These easy-to-use tests and answer keys, suitable for home or classroom use, provide an objective method to measure students’ retention of key historical facts, figures, and events from The Story of the World, Volume 1: Ancient Times, 25th Anniversary Expanded Edition.

Designed as an extension activity for older students, this resource includes:

42 tests, one for each chapter
A variety of question formats, including multiple choice, matching, fill in the blank, and short-answer
A comprehensive answer key for easy grading

From the pyramids of Egypt to the palaces of China, and from the rise of the first cities to the fall of the Roman Empire, this new edition of The Story of the World will introduce a new generation of readers to the sweep and drama of history.

Also Available:

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Well-Trained Mind Press Staff

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