A Medieval Merchant

School Library Journal

Gr 6-9-These titles give students a much more accurate picture of the period than the ones that are shown on television and in the movies. Introductory chapters in both texts provide definitions and descriptions of both knights and merchants. Succeeding chapters in Knight include apprenticeship and equipment, fighting wars, the Crusades, tournaments, and village administration. They detail the difficult training endured and the numerous and important roles knights played in society and in upholding the law of the land. In Merchant readers learn about the development of trade, trade routes, markets and fairs, guilds, education and training, and the power of medieval bankers. These well-written, carefully researched books provide insight into the struggles and difficulties of the lives of both classes, complemented by numerous black-and-white drawings, maps, and reproductions. Primary-source quotations and sidebars of additional interesting facts are included. Both titles conclude with extensive bibliographies and comprehensive indexes.-Susan Shaver, Hemingford Public Schools, NE Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.