Medieval Resources For Kids: A Pathfinder

By Brandi Florence


		Stuff For Older Kids

Introduction

"The trumpets sounded. A cry rang out..." the librarian read.
Thirty-two little hands beat out the rhythm of the horses' thundering hooves.
Suddenly he charged, "his eyes locked on that blue and white banner as it grew larger and closer."
Louder and louder, faster and faster the tiny hands pound. Then silence...
Sixteen little bodies lean forward and draw deep breaths.
"His lance met the knight's shield and shattered, sending wooden splinters flying like darts...
The knight, defeated, went down on one knee" as he was thrown to the ground.
Sixteen spellbound children cheer "Huzzah!" in victory,
then settle back down to listen raptly to rest of the story.

Though it may come as a surprise to some, it was no fictional story
that had so captured the attention of these sixteen youngsters, no magical
tale of dragons, knights, and maidens. It was actually the true-life story
of William Marshal, a real 12th century knight, as related by Shelley
Tanaka in her book entitled In The Time Of Knights. These children
were learning history, and they were enjoying it! So what was it that
excited them so?

Children of all ages are often fascinated by the Medieval Era, or the
Middle Ages, that period of a thousand years between 500 and 1500 A.D.
Even with all of today's technology, it can be difficult to find reliable information
on this frequently misunderstood time period. This
pathfinder is intended to help children of all ages choose reliable, factual information
sources that fit their interests.

Scope

The items on this pathfinder provide an overview of the Middle Ages (also
known as the Medieval Era) in Europe, and it is divided into two
parts. Part I is intended to be used by kids themselves. Clicking on
any of the topical pictures above will lead to a list of books. There
are three books listed for each topic. The first book is usually a
picture book for young children. The second is generally a 'survey book'-
a book with lots of pictures and little paragraphs of description for
intermediate or older readers. The last is a narrative book, often
intended for older readers. In Part II the books are more complex, so
children may need help finding or using the resources. A parent or
librarian might be useful when using these books!

All of the books listed here can be found in the Wake County Public
Library or in the libraries of the University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill. Call numbers and directions for finding items are listed after each
title. If you get lost or confused, ask the nice librarian and she
will help you.

on to Part II - Stuff For Older Kids