author
V. M. (Virgil Mores) Hillyer
1875–1931
A pioneering educator who turned big subjects into lively reading for children, he is best remembered for making world history and geography feel approachable and fun. His books grew out of years spent teaching young students and thinking carefully about how they learn best.
1 Audiobook
A Child's History of the World
by V. M. (Virgil Mores) Hillyer
About the author
Born in Weymouth, Massachusetts, in 1875, Virgil Mores Hillyer studied at Harvard and went on to become an influential teacher as well as a writer for young readers. He spent much of his career at the Calvert School in Baltimore, where he helped shape a clear, engaging style of education for children.
Hillyer wrote with the classroom in mind. His best-known books, including A Child's History of the World and A Child's Geography of the World, aimed to explain large, complicated subjects in a way that felt lively, direct, and memorable for younger audiences.
He died in Baltimore in 1931, but his work has continued to circulate for generations. Readers still return to his books for their energetic storytelling and their early attempt to bring history, geography, and culture within a child's reach.