Book Review - Children's Encyclopedia of Knights and Castles.

 Children's Encyclopedia of

Knights and Castles.

I work in a library and often get to process new books before they reach  the shelves. Last week, a newly arrived children's book on medieval history caught my eye and I had a glance at it. I was impressed and took it out to look at it in more detail.

 

Title: Children's Encyclopedia of Knights and Castles.

Authors: Sean Sheehan, Kathy Elgin, Saviour Pirotta, Fiona Macdonald, Patricia Levy and Christopher Gravett.

Publisher: Arcturus Publishing Limited, London.

Date: 2021.

ISBN: 978-1398804265

Pages: 128

Review:

Aimed a slightly older children, maybe the 8-12 year old age group, this book is probably the best children’s book on the medieval period that I have seen so far. Unlike most children’s books on the topic, it does not just offer information on the “generic” Middle Ages. Instead it clearly defines the differences through the 11^th, 12^th/13^th, 14^th and 15^th centuries.  There is a nice comparison picture too showing the changes from Hastings to Bosworth Field.

The illustrations that have been commissioned for the book are clear and largely show late 13^th/early 14^th century scenes.  The book has many original manuscript pictures and most of these are dated in the captions.  There are plenty of side bars with text quoted from period documents that are related to the topic on the page.

Each individual topic get a couple of pages and there are timelines interspersed throughout the book.

The sections on knights and warfare covers armour, knighthood, chivalry, heraldry, tournaments , battles and  the military orders amongst  their topics.

The pages on castles describe building a castle, living in the household, defending and besieging a castle.

There is also plenty of information about everyday life in the period, from markets and fairs to leisure activities and crafts to food and health.

It also covers the place of the Church in society and the Crusades.

The final part moves on to the introduction of gunpowder and the ending of knighthood.

There is a glossary of medieval terms and a decent index to help you find things.

It is a book that was obviously written for children but set out and designed in a more adult style, making it clear and well supported by evidence.

For £9.99, it is a good value book for anyone to buy for their budding medievalists.