Medieval Castle

Children's Literature - Leah Hanson

Whether it's Harry Potter's Hogwarts or Cinderella's home at Disney World, castles fascinate old and young alike. But do the castles of our imaginations resemble the castles of history? In this book, Clements offers an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at what real castles were for, how they were used, and who lived there. The question-and-answer format provides a tight organizational structure that builds on young readers' natural curiosity and then offers new avenues to explore. Chapters focus on the feudal system, how castles were built, how castles factored into battles, and where old castles still stand today. Small bites of historical fact pepper the straightforward text, giving readers a surprising wealth of knowledge. Not quite an encyclopedia, not quite a story of battling knights, this book uses the story of a building to convey an understanding of medieval life. Colorful illustrations hint of imagery from medieval stained glass windows and illuminated manuscripts and provides visual representations of the concepts discussed. This book would be a good companion text for young knights-in-shining-armor or a resource for the elementary history classroom. Part of the "Building History" series. Reviewer: Leah Hanson