Medieval Knights

Children's Literature - Ru Story-Huffman

A detailed book, Medieval Knights, takes readers into the world of chivalry, armor, the crusaders, and the very existence of being a knight in medieval times. Rich in illustrations, photographs, definitions, maps and historical information, this book would be an excellent addition to a school library, classroom, or personal library. Each chapter presents a specific aspect of the life of a medieval knight-from myths and legends, the feudal system, medieval castles, seafaring knights, and the eventual decline of knights. The cut-away illustrations provide lots of detail. The photographs are crisp and explanations go beyond the mere identification of an object. Of special interest are a section of key dates and a glossary. Part of the "See Through History" series, kids might also enjoy The Middle Ages and Forts and Castles.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-8The brightly colored cover drawing of jousting knights in front of royal well-wishers will attract readers. The text is divided into 22 two-page topic chapters such as myths and legends, the feudal system, the tournament, the Crusades, and the decline of the knight. Covering the 9th through the 15th centuries, the text describes why there was a need for knights, how men became knights, and what was expected of them. Each chapter usually contains two half-page illustrations of varying size with one or two smaller accompanying pictures, some of them photos of old ruins or artifacts. All have lengthy captions. Adding interest are four "see-through scenes," transparent overlays that enable readers to see component parts of battle dress, a manor house, a fighting galley, and the Crusaders' underground fort destroyed in the siege at Ain Habis. Introductory statements are followed by short articles of one to three paragraphs related to the main subject. Wide margins and plenty of white space help keep the format from appearing cluttered. As there always seems to be a need for books on knights and castles, this one will be a welcome addition.Eldon Younce, Harper Elementary School, KS