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             Bringing     history to life

 

History

Zip back in time to the ziggurats of ancient Babylon... fight behind the shield wall of the Spartans at Thermopylai... enjoy the thrills and spills of a Roman chariot race. Walk through the bustling streets of Tudor London to see the latest play by William  Shakespeare, or ring the bell for lessons in a draughty Victorian classroom. And did those Aztecs really eat tadpoles with chili peppers?

Some of these books treat history with humour as well as seriousness, and some are supported by imaginative hands-on projects and a wealth of illustrations. Joined up history fills in the gaps across the curriculum and brings the past alive. Unless we revisit the past, how can we undertsand the present and the future?

• For more history titles see also Junior Biography; Social Issues, and Wales

PS Some of my favourite
historical sites

 •  Herculaneum, near Mt Vesuvius, Italy.
 •  Palace of Knossos, Crete
 •  Trei’r Ceiri Iron Age hillfort, Wales
 •  Temple of Karnak, Egypt
 •  The terracotta army, Xian, China
 •  The Alhambra, Granada, Spain
 •  Carnac megaliths, Brittany
 •  The Kremlin, Moscow
 

 
Mesopotamia

2007

Eyewitness: Ancient Iraq (In USA, Mesopotamia)
Dorling Kindersley

Ancient Egypt

1994

Hidden Worlds: The Egyptians and the Valley of the Kings
Zoë Books

1995 & 2011

I Wonder Why the Pyramids Were Built?
Kingfisher

1997

Step into Ancient Egypt
Lorenz Books

1998

My Best Book of Mummies
Kingfisher

2000

Moving Model Books: Mummies
Hodder Children’s Books

2008

Spotlight: Ancient Egypt Explorer
Quarto Children’s Books/Silver Dolphin (USA)

2012

Kingfisher Readers Level 5: Ancient Egyptians
Kingfisher (Macmillan Children’s Books)

Ancient Greece

1993

Great Battles and Sieges: Thermopylai
Zoë Books

1996/2008

The Greek News (with Anton Powell)
Walker Books

1997

Clothes and Crafts in Ancient Greece
Zoë Books

2011

Navigators: Ancient Greece
Kingfisher (Macmillan)

Ancient Rome

1994

Step into the Roman Empire
Lorenz Books

1994

Hidden Worlds: The Romans and Pompeii
Zoë Books

1994

Food and Feasts in Ancient Rome
Wayland

1996

Clothes and Crafts in Ancient Rome
Zoë Books

2002

History in Stone: Ancient Rome
Silver Dolphin USA

2004

100 Things You Need to Know about Ancient Rome
Miles Kelly Publishing

2009

Navigators: Ancient Rome
Kingfisher (Macmillan) illus. (left) Steve Stone

2010

Hail! Ancient Romans
Brown for Crabtree Publishing

2012

Kingfisher Readers Level 3: Romans
Kingfisher (Macmillan Children’s Books)

Ancient Celts

2008

The History Detective Investigates: The Celts
Wayland

Middle Ages and Renaissance

1994

I Wonder Why Castles had Moats?
Kingfisher

1995

Best-Ever Book of Castles
Kingfisher

1998

Step into the Viking World
Lorenz Books

1998

Best-Ever Book of Knights
Kingfisher

2003

A Tudor Journey
Discovery/ Wayland

2005

Exploring the Middle Ages (30 encyclopedia entries)
Marshall Cavendish USA

2005

A History of Fashion and Costume in the Medieval World
Bailey Publishing

2008 & 2011

Navigators: Knights and Castles
Kingfisher (Macmillan)

2008

A Knight’s City
Little Simon USA

2010

Hail! Tudors
Brown for Crabtree Publishing

Empires of the World

1993

Hidden Worlds: the Incas and Machu Picchu
Zoë Books

1994

Fold Out – Find Out: The Samurai Warriors
Kingfisher

1997/2008

The Aztec News
Walker Books

1999

Step into the Chinese Empire
Lorenz Books

2000

Step into the Inca World
Lorenz Books

Nineteenth Century

1992

Great Battles and Sieges: Little Bighorn
Zoë Books

1997

Clothes and Crafts in Victorian Times
Zoë Books

2005

A History of Fashion and Costume in the C19th
Bailey Publishing Associates

Twentieth Century

1993

History Detectives: 50 Years Ago in Europe in World War II
Zoë Books

1994

Food and Feasts between the World Wars
Zoë Books

1999

Twentieth Century Time Capsule
Miles Kelly Publishing/Wayland

2003

My War: Home Guard
Discovery/Wayland

2003

My War: Land Girl
Discovery/Wayland

2009

Documenting History: World War I
Wayland

2010

Men, Women and Children during World War I
Wayland

History Topics

1993

Through the Ages: 1 City 2 Road 3 Farm 4 House 5 River 6 Factory
Eagle Books

1997

Best-Ever Book of Pirates
Kingfisher

1999

Discovery: Pirates
Lorenz Books

1999

Everyday History: Toys and Games
Franklin Watts

2000

Everyday History: Going to School
Franklin Watts

2004

A City Through Time
Dorling Kindersley (illus. Steve Noon)

2004

The World of Pirates
Kingfisher

2007

Inside Access: Pirates
Kingfisher

2007 & 2011

Kingfisher Knowledge: Wonders of the World
Kingfisher

2007

Vital Science: History of Science
Gareth Stevens Publishing USA

2009

Documenting History: Slavery and Civil Rights
Wayland

2009

A Mariner’s Tale
Quarto Children’s Books/Barron’s USA

2009

Versus: Warriors (co-authors Hannah Wilson & Catherine Brereton)
Kingfisher (Macmillan)

2010

Legendary Journeys: Trains
Quarto Children's Books for Kingfisher (Macmillan)

2010

Eyewitness: Treasure
Dorling Kindersley

2011

Eyewitness: City
Dorling Kindersley

2012

Kingfisher Readers Level 4: Pirates
Kingfisher (Macmillan Children’s Books)

History Reference

2001

Encyclopedia of British History
Miles Kelly Publishing
Revised and reissued as
Book of British History 2007

2003

100 Things You need to Know about British History
Miles Kelly Publishing

2003

The E-Encyclopedia: History section (Renaissance to Modern)
Dorling Kindersley/Google

2004

First Fun: History
Miles Kelly Publishing

 
Review

Eyewitness: Treasure
Dorling Kindersley 2010
"This book is a gem (haha – sorrry, couldn't resist it...) But actually, it is. It's informative, entertaining, good to look at and since it includes a wall-chart and a CD, it's a steal at the price. It's also thought-provoking. It is, in fact, the sort of book that makes you think twice about over-relying on the internet for information (at any age), because of its clever thematic approach - clear and simple, but intelligent, and you can sense the thoughtful approach behind it, leading into big questions. Excellent!"


                            Amazon customer review ***** April 2010