Minimus Pupil's Book: Starting out in Latin

My 7 and 8 tear old are going through this book and really enjoy the extra cultural information. It's been an excellent gentle introduction to some latin basics.

I don't have time to write a lengthy review. Suffice it to say that my son was using the K-12 program for middle school Latin and was bored to tears. We dropped K-12 and bought Minimus instead; now he is making tremendous progress! This program is fantastic - my son has learned more Latin (as well as Roman culture) in 12 lessons of Minimus than he did with 3 months of lessons with K-12. It's best to buy the accompanying CD as well for pronunciation. We will be moving on to the second book of Minimus next week.

I purchased this book and the CD with the Getting Started with Latin book and they are all wonderful! I never took Latin but want to learn it and want to teach my children the language as well. This approach to learning Latin is perfect me and my children. I purchased this book and CD for my 6-year-old and 8-year-old. They really like the story format. For parents, you will want to go over the sections by yourself first so that you can quickly answer questions and help your child practice when go over it with them.

This is an excellent alternative to Prima Latina and Latina Christiana. It is engaging and fun without being gimmicky. I have taught Latin using a variety of texts for over 10 years-- this is the perfect textbook for elementary school students or homeschoolers looking for a solid introduction to Latin language and ancient culture. This book is also perfect for students studying the ancient Mediterranean. It has much useful and fascinating information on daily life in the ancient world.The teacher's manual that accompanies this book is fraught with ideas for projects and classroom activities.

Language learning resources targeted at children can often help adult learners advance very quickly, particularly with the basics. "Minimus," starring an appropriately diminutive mouse, provides such a starting point for Latin, though with a few reservations. This thin and fun book doubtlessly works wonderfully as a homeschooling or classroom textbook guided by a teacher already familiar with the language. Nonetheless, as an independent study resource it lacks some extremely basic material, namely, a guide to Latin pronunciation. Anyone approaching this book with no Latin knowledge whatsoever will struggle with how to actually say the words they read. Again, a knowledgeable teacher will nullify this issue immediately. A rather pricey teacher's guide also exists, which may fill the gap, but independent learners may find its cost an impediment. Not only that, those who already have adequate knowledge of Latin pronunciation probably also know much of the material contained in this book. Still, it can provide an entertaining reinforcement or refresher on the basics, as long as one acknowledges the book's target age of 7 to 11 years."Minimus" mirrors the approach of the Cambridge Latin series in combining Latin vocabulary and grammar with Roman culture and a cast of Latin-speaking Roman and Roman British characters. In fact, more than half of the book deals with cultural issues, including stories from Greek and Roman mythology, though this does illuminate the language. Each chapter introduces a new cultural topic with a Latin comic featuring Minimus and the cast. Given the book's demographics, basic English grammar often accompanies the Latin grammar, such as the difference between subject, verb and object. As such, the text shies away from detailed grammatical discussions such as declensions, conjugation or inflection, though the topic of inflection, not mentioned by name, does appear by book's end. Chapter four does also include a present tense conjugation table for the verb laborare and the past and imperative tenses also appear throughout. The text also repeatedly asks readers to consider the Latin origins of many English words, which reveals dimensions of English often unknown even to native speakers.As to some of the controversial aspects of Roman life, the book openly, though very briefly, discusses Roman slavery. Three of the characters are slaves, two men and a woman. Sometimes the texts asks readers how they would feel about such issues. Gladiators do not appear, but the book does not avoid sad topics, such as chapter 11, which deals with the death of a friend's wife. Nor does it candy-coat the morbid or macabre when telling the stories of Daedalus and Icarus, Actaeon and Diana, Pyramis and Thisbe or Procrustes' bed. Different people will obviously have different reactions to the inclusion of such tales in a children's book, but the book admirably presents the tales warts and all.A curious resurgence of interest in Latin seems to have bubbled up recently, perhaps for etymological, cultural or religious reasons. Whatever the motivation, Latin remains one of the cornerstones of western culture and even basic knowledge of this not quite dead language remains useful for users of English or Romance languages or anyone interested in the history or heritage of the west. Latin not only helps illuminate the ancient world, but it also informs the present day. "Minimus," in the proper context or with supplementary materials, presents a fun and easy way to acquire basic skills in this extremely important foundational language.

This is great. My kids couldn't wait for the next scheduled Latin class to start reading this book. It's really well done and more engaging than the dry lessons we were doing. After buying it, though, I realized just how much the (expensive) teacher's manual adds to the course as a whole. It really is the heart of this course. If you are able, buy it. Check out the sample on amazon and you'll see what I mean. In the meantime, I'm saving up.

Many books on "dead" languages are very dry (BORING). I recommend this book as a first book in latin even for adults. You can get through the entire book in a few days, and get a running start if you wish to go further in your studies. If you dont go further you will have read an interesting book. Everyone I have shared this book with realizes they too can do this latin thing. They want more. Notice there was a demand from the people reading volume I for the publisher to print a second simliar book.No one book can teach you all of latin. If this book does nothing else but change latin from a thing other people do to something you do... well it has served its purpose.Its worth the money. You will spend more than this on entertainment where you dont learn a thing. Buy the book!

My 5 children love this book and keep reading ahead. We are learning some serious Latin! Although it is recommended to ages 7-10, it is plenty challenging for beginners of all ages. You can go as deep or shallow as you see fit. My high school and junior high students are not bored nor turned off by the cartoons. We love Minimus!