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Overview
INsiders brings knights & castles to life, with the most up-to-date information and state-of-the-art 3-D illustrations that practically leap off every page, stimulating minds and imaginations in a whole new way.
Synopsis
INsiders brings knights & castles to life, with the most up-to-date information and state-of-the-art 3-D illustrations that practically leap off every page, stimulating minds and imaginations in a whole new way.
Children's Literature
For centuries, knights were an integral part of society: powerful soldiers, landowners, and loyal subjects in a feudal system. From the Middle Ages through the Crusades, armored knights on horseback fought for their kings and for control of the Holy Land, until battle tactics and advances in weaponry rendered the weighted-down men and horses obsolete. This information-packed book is extensively illustrated with three-dimensional, computer-generated artwork, photographs, historical documents, and maps. First, readers get a general overview of knights and their roles, and castles under construction and in times of war and peace. Then, the book focuses more tightly on a knight's training, weapons, horses, and jousting. A section highlighting significant castles around the world showcases the variety and evolution of structural design. The information is divided into several caption-style pieces per page, rather than large paragraphs of text, which is inviting to reluctant readers as well as those students fascinated with this popular subject. An excellent table of contents plus a glossary and an index make this a valuable library and classroom resource. Reviewer: Keri Collins Lewis
Editorials
From Barnes & Noble
Double-page spreads and eye-catching, state-of-the-art illustrations that seem to jump out at you are just some of the alluring features of Simon & Schuster's Insiders series. The three-dimensional quality of the interior is prefigured by each book's vivid embossed, metallic cover. But this book isn't just glitz and pictures: it covers the subject in detail. Appealing graphics; memorable factoids.Children's Literature -
For centuries, knights were an integral part of society: powerful soldiers, landowners, and loyal subjects in a feudal system. From the Middle Ages through the Crusades, armored knights on horseback fought for their kings and for control of the Holy Land, until battle tactics and advances in weaponry rendered the weighted-down men and horses obsolete. This information-packed book is extensively illustrated with three-dimensional, computer-generated artwork, photographs, historical documents, and maps. First, readers get a general overview of knights and their roles, and castles under construction and in times of war and peace. Then, the book focuses more tightly on a knight's training, weapons, horses, and jousting. A section highlighting significant castles around the world showcases the variety and evolution of structural design. The information is divided into several caption-style pieces per page, rather than large paragraphs of text, which is inviting to reluctant readers as well as those students fascinated with this popular subject. An excellent table of contents plus a glossary and an index make this a valuable library and classroom resource. Reviewer: Keri Collins LewisSchool Library Journal
Gr 2-5- Each chapter spread focuses on a specific topic, such as "The Castle at Peace" and "Knights' Last Stand," and includes a short paragraph about each element in the picture. These explanations are rich with information, and the computer-generated illustrations contain many details that will be pored over again and again. The book does not glamorize medieval life, discussing such things as sieges and the long path to becoming a knight. It discusses the reasons for the decline of both knights and castles and gives examples of structures from various periods throughout history. The one problem with the book is the layout imposed by the series. The first part is called "Introducing" and the second part is entitled "In Focus," with both of these containing material about knights and castles. There isn't much difference between the two sections, and dividing the book this way prevents a natural flow of information. Nonetheless, this volume will be useful for reports, and the lifelike illustrations and ease of reading make it appealing for children intrigued by the subject.-Clare A. Dombrowski, Amesbury Public Library, MA