You Wouldn't Want to Live in a Medieval Castle

Book excerpt: You’re a country girl in 13th-century England and there’s trouble ahead. The year is 1215 and King John is in a power struggle with his barons, lords of Norman-French descent. The king has been forced to sign an agreement with the barons – the Magna Carta – which gives them the right to overrule the king. But John shows no sign of sticking to the agreement. When some of the angry barons rebel, you find yourself caught up in a terrible siege. This title in the best-selling children’s history series, You Wouldn't Want To…, features full-colour illustrations which combine humour and accurate technical detail and a narrative approach placing readers at the centre of the history, encouraging them to become emotionally-involved with the characters and aiding their understanding of what life would have been like in a medieval castle. Informative captions, a complete glossary and an index make this title an ideal introduction to the conventions of information books for young readers. It is an ideal text for Key Stage 2 shared and guided reading and helps achieve the goals of the Scottish Standard Curriculum 5-14.