marbel Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 We're doing Medieval History this year and I'm looking for some light(ish) fiction to go along with our other reading. We're doing Beowulf and CanterburyTales as part of English this year. I'm thinking of Grendel by John Gardiner as an extra read. But something lighter and more fun (not to say funny) would be nice too. Medieval mysteries, maybe? Kids are 13.5 and 15. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-FL Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 I just sold a box of it & here's what was in it: TEXT Shearer: Greenleaf Guide the Famous Men of the Middle Ages c. 1992, TM & SM David Macaulay: Cathedral and Castle Gies: Life in a Medieval City Daugherty: The Magna Charta Rockwell: Glass, Stones & Crown-The Abbe Suger and the building of St. Denis Teacher Created Materials: Medieval Times LITERATURE Hodges: St George and the Dragon Morris: The Princess, the Crone, and the Dung-Cart Knight de Angeli: Black Fox of Lorne de Angeli: Door in the Wall Eliot: Murder in the Cathedral Wordsworth: Tales from King Arthur (ed. Lang) Chaucer: Canterbury Tales (modern English prose translation by Lumiansky) Kelly: Trumpeter of Krakow Gray: Adam of the Road Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 Selections from Little Flowers of St. Francis might be interesting. Also, reading from Julian of Norwich is sparse and easy to read, but deep at the same time. Also, ds loved Song of Roland--it's not really light or fun, but it was his favorite from Omnibus II. Any of the Robin Hood stuff is easy and light, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 OH--Caedfael mysteries are fun, and you could watch Derek Jacobi's interpretation of him! Definitely fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 If you want mystery, but with some more depth and philosophy: Umberto Eco: The Name of the Rose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 (edited) Farmer Giles of Ham (Tolkien) The Great and Terrible Quest (Lovett) The Midwife's Assistant (Cushman) Catherine Called Birdy (Cushman) Caedfael mysteries (Peters) The Sword in the Stone (White) The Seeing Stone (Crossley-Holland) Edited July 23, 2012 by Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tohru Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 We're doing the same time period and in the middle of Beowulf. I've added G.A. Henty's The Dragon and The Raven (King Alfred) as historic fiction that 15yo ds will start when he's done with Beowulf. I'm using Omnibus II as a jump off point, but picking and choosing which titles we'll cover and adding other things. I'm still planning it out, so :bigear: for me too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candid Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 Medieval times were when fairy tales start to flower, you could look for some novelized versions of those tales. Robin McKinley is a good writer to look at for that. She has several books out that novelize fairy tales (although I disliked Spindle's End a bunch). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heliconian Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 I love pairing Beowulf and Grendel. The Canterbury Tales gets a bit raunchy, but if that doesn't bother you, there are plenty of options. There are many wonderful resources on King Arthur, some true to older sources and others more fanciful. Le Morte d'Arthur is the classic, but I like John Steinbeck's Gawain and the Green Knight from his unfinished collection about Arthur. I also like Jane Yolen's trilogy of books about young Merlin, if you are looking for something a little less dense than Mallory or Chaucer. I have a love/hate relationship with Avi, but The Cross of Lead and The Book Without Words would both be topical, and they are very atmospheric. My boys are working on a series by Nancy Farmer set (Sea of Trolls)in a medieval world rich in religion and mythology, but they are fantasy, and I don't know how that is received in your house. I heartily recommend a movie for you, though - The Secret of Kells (http://www.amazon.com/The-Secret-Kells-Brendan-Gleeson/dp/B0036TGSW6/ref=pd_sim_b_1). It is beautiful and not as widely known as it should be. Plus, you can make your kids read 9th century cat poetry (Pangur Ban). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted July 25, 2012 Author Share Posted July 25, 2012 Thanks for all the responses! Great ideas! Just some general responses - My son loved the Nancy Farmer books! He has read a fair bit of YA fiction from that period. Canterbury Tales - We won't be reading them all. Glencoe Literature Library has a study guide and just uses a few; I haven't checked yet but I'm pretty sure they'll be the more "tame" ones. Caedfal mysteries! I couldn't remember the name. I'd love to do Malory but whew, that could take the whole year on its own. Peter Ackroyd has a newish version out. We could skip Arthur altogether as we've done a good bit of reading in that area. I'd forgotten about Steinbeck! I think I may even have that book in a box somewhere... Movies are good too! Thank you so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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