Weapons of the Vikings

Children's Literature - Ellen Welty

As a society in today's world we are constantly aware of the threat posed by war. Discussions about war in ancient and modern times help students to understand that war has always been with us. This matter-of-fact book about weapons used by the historic Vikings gets the conversation started in a way that lets readers understand the nature of weapons and battles in an unemotional context. The writing is geared to early readers, and the illustrations help readers form images as they read. The photographic illustrations are credited in the beginning of the book, but the other illustrations are not; an acknowledgement of the artist would have been a nice addition. There is also a photographic illustration of a weapon that is not mentioned in the text, which may confuse readers. There are additional titles in the "Weapons of War" series. Helpful features include a glossary, a selection of titles for additional reading, and an index. Reviewer: Ellen Welty