Which of these books are not to be missed?

[MamaBearTeacher]

I went through the list of books I plan to read alongside SOTW2 for the Middle Ages. I can get most of them at my library but there were many I could not. Of these which do you think I should buy? Which did your kids love and which do you feel are really good?

 

History’s Villains: Attila the Hun, Scott Ingram

The Greenleaf Guide to Famous Men of the Middle Ages by Rob Shearer

The Mouth of the Night by Iris MacFarlane

Little Dermot and the Thirsty Stones, and Other Irish Folk Tales by Richard Bennet 1953

English Fairy Tales by Flora Ann Steel 1962

To Capture the Wind by Sheila MacGill-Callahan

Caedmon’s Song by Ruth Ashby (England)

Gwyn Thomas and Kevin Crossley-Holland's Tales from the Mabinogion

Padraic Colum's The King of Ireland's Son

Boy Apprenticed to an Enchanter by Padraic Colum

The Crafts and Culture of a Medieval Monastery by Joann Jovinelly

Augustine came to Kent by Barbara Willard

Augustine: The Farmer’s Boy of Tagaste, P. De Zeeuw

Brendan the Navigator by Jean Fritz

The Acrobatic Empress by Robin Phillips (or Who In The World Was the Acrobatic Empress?)

Stories of the Caliphs Denys Johnson-Davies

Shadow Spinner by Susan Fletcher

Empress of China, Wu Ze Tian: Written by Jiang Cheng an

The Warlord's Puzzle by Virginia Pilegard

Life in Old Japan by John Green

Edited September 13, 2010 by MamaBearTeacher
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[Mom-ninja.]

You would use Famous Men of the Middle Ages for more than one or two chapters so that's a good one to buy.

[nmoira]

Of these which do you think I should buy?

 

If I'm understanding correctly, these are the books not available from your library. It's hard to know for sure without seeing the list of what you are able to get.

 

These are my comments about the books I've seen or used:

 

History’s Villains: Attila the Hun, Scott Ingram

-- I'd substitute this: Attila the Hun (Wicked History); the contents are much less lurid than you'd suspect from the cover

 

Little Dermot and the Thirsty Stones, and Other Irish Folk Tales by Richard Bennet 1953

-- it seems a bit pricy; If you'd like something on the lighter side, I'd recommend The Smartest Man in Ireland

 

English Fairy Tales by Flora Ann Steel 1962

-- Unless you can find a nice, illustrated edition, I'd substitute with English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs. Even if your library doesn't have it, it's easier to find a nice edition. Alternately, pick and choose from the first the of the Lang coloured Fairy Books. Here's a list by source.

 

Gwyn Thomas and Kevin Crossley-Holland's Tales from the Mabinogion

-- This is pretty dense and is probably better for logic stage.

 

Padraic Colum's The King of Ireland's Son

-- everyone should own this book

 

Boy Apprenticed to an Enchanter by Padraic Colum

-- good but not essential for medieval

 

Augustine came to Kent by Barbara Willard

-- we were underwhelmed with the writing

 

Brendan the Navigator by Jean Fritz

-- yes

 

Stories of the Caliphs Denys Johnson-Davies

This and his Stories from the Arab Past

 

Shadow Spinner by Susan Fletcher

-- you'll probably want to save this for logic stage

[ABQmom]

We loved Shadow Spinner, but it's definitely better suited to older children--my girls were logic stage.

[AngieW in Texas]

The only one on your list that I've read is Shadow Spinner, but it's an EXCELLENT book. I don't know what ages your kids are though. I first read it to my kids when they were 5.5yo, 8yo, and 10.5yo. My youngest didn't get much out of it. The second time I read it to my kids (only the two younger kids), they were 9.5yo and 12yo. I think it's great for any kids 8yo and up, although kids that are at least 10yo will get more out of it.

[MamaBearTeacher]

Thanks! This is so helpful! This is for my sons age 9 and 7 but we read books at all the stages (unless there is inappropriate content) because they have high comprehension and enjoy them. Any other opinions on these books?

[MamaT]

For Attila we used The White Stag by Kate Seredy, which might be a little tough to read and understand at those ages but is a wonderful book.

 

We went with Augustine Came to Kent because the other Augustine book you have listed ends with a very anti-Catholic church sentiment. I am not Catholic, but I would not want my kids to read that.

 

We have enjoyed all the Greenleaf Guides.

[LibraryLover]

Not on your list, but when my children were this age, they very much enjoyed The Door in the Wall.