The Vikings

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6-These books provide basic introductions to their topics, but with such oversimplification as to render them inferior to the many other, far better titles that cover the same material. Two-page chapters consist of many full-color illustrations, including some maps, and address such subjects as warfare, religion, trade, writing, and other aspects of daily life. Most of the pictures are small and do not serve to dramatize the achievements of either culture. A postage-stamp-sized depiction of the Parthenon, for example, cannot begin to depict the beauty and complexity of that structure. Neither book has a list for further reading. These texts treat complex subjects too superficially to engage the interest of readers.-David N. Pauli, Starke County Library, Knox, IN

School Library Journal

Gr 5-7 Martell briefly discusses the Vikings' early life in their homelands before they began their extensive travels and infamous raids. Somewhat revisionist in tone, she incorporates recent archaeological discoveries to humanize the rather limited view of Vikings as raving, pillaging barbarians. Early laws, loyalty to family, early kings, rites, religion, and runes (the early Viking alphabet) are all part of the first half of the book. The second half of the book looks at Vikings abroad. They are shown to be ingenious, determined, intelligent, and unrelenting, albeit violent and deadly. Detailed color drawings and photographs along with charts and maps add much to clarify and expand the text. On some pages the captions are almost as long as the text, and some students may have trouble following sentences that are broken by these captions. On the whole, though, this book would work well with Martin Windrow's The Viking Warrior (Watts, 1985), which contains an excellent time chart, and Sheila Ferguson's Growing Up in Viking Times (David & Charles, 1981). Elisabeth LeBris, Kenilworth Public School System, Ill.