Review
I had a feeling I would love this book. So far, I have not met a book illustrated by Chris Riddell that I didn't adore. But, I also don't want to take credit away from the author, Richard Platt, who has done a wonderful job of presenting loads of information in a very child-friendly format.
The reader gets to experience a year in the life of a Medieval castle through the eyes of a young page named Tobias (Toby) Burgess. As the nephew of the Baron, Toby offers us an insider's glimpse into the life of nobles - feasts, jousts, etc.. But he also has the freedom of a child and has access to places closed to most of his higher rank - kitchens, harvest-time, etc.
I can guarantee that the most memorable part of this book for most children will be the full page spread that discusses the garderobe in *full* detail. I think they will also not soon forget the finger pillory used by the Chaplain to keep student's in line. Also, the descriptions of Medieval food are definitely *not* for the faint of heart! But it is these kind of delightful details that stick and make history human and relatable.
Highly, highly recommended!
**Very important note: It seems that the most current edition sold via amazon is a very inferior, paperback with small print and black and white illustrations. That is an absolute travesty! The beauty of this book is the large format and brilliant color illustrations. It is absolutely worth your time and money to track down a used copy of the original version!
The reader gets to experience a year in the life of a Medieval castle through the eyes of a young page named Tobias (Toby) Burgess. As the nephew of the Baron, Toby offers us an insider's glimpse into the life of nobles - feasts, jousts, etc.. But he also has the freedom of a child and has access to places closed to most of his higher rank - kitchens, harvest-time, etc.
I can guarantee that the most memorable part of this book for most children will be the full page spread that discusses the garderobe in *full* detail. I think they will also not soon forget the finger pillory used by the Chaplain to keep student's in line. Also, the descriptions of Medieval food are definitely *not* for the faint of heart! But it is these kind of delightful details that stick and make history human and relatable.
Highly, highly recommended!
**Very important note: It seems that the most current edition sold via amazon is a very inferior, paperback with small print and black and white illustrations. That is an absolute travesty! The beauty of this book is the large format and brilliant color illustrations. It is absolutely worth your time and money to track down a used copy of the original version!
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