I kind of like the Charlotte Mason series in a
simplified summary. It's a way for busy people to get a halfway accurate, fairly thorough picture of the whole series because it's actually taken just about page for page from the series, but condensed into one easy-to-read volume. And then it has the added sentimental value of being something I wrote myself.
Volume 1 of Charlotte Mason's series (the one she wrote for parents of children younger than age 9) is also available in a
modern paraphrase.
They have the added benefit of being online so that anyone who wants to can
read them for free.