The City (Life in the Middle Ages) [Library Binding]

Kathryn Hinds (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-9-These books focus on different aspects of medieval life. The volumes open with a good general overview of the period, followed by a host of extensive and well-documented details. Because of the rather formal writing style, few youngsters will read them from cover to cover, but report writers will be richly rewarded. The texts provide clear explanations of the people, places, and cultural events of this intriguing time. Interesting sidebars feature recipes, games, and stories. Black-and-white and full-color reproductions of artwork taken from libraries and museums appear throughout. When the author writes about the communities in which people lived, the carefully selected art depicts a medieval village in England or a typical marketplace in medieval France. Teachers will appreciate the way Chaucer's characters from The Canterbury Tales are mentioned in both of the volumes. Attractive, information-rich resources.
Carrie Lynn Cooper, Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Reviewed with Kathryn Hinds' The Countryside.

Gr. 5-8. Readers of the impressive Life in the Middle Ages series will be struck first by the beauty of its design, then by the intriguing information. Each volume focuses on one facet of medieval life, and although there is inevitably a little overlap, reading one after another opens up a panoramic, cohesive view of the period. City begins with the fundamental question of where power lay in urban areas and looks at how the answer changed over time. Cities are viewed as places of learning, worship, construction, commerce, recreation, and family life, as well as disaster and disease. Countryside explains manorialism (the social system in which a lord granted land and protection to peasants in exchange for their labor) and distinguishes it from feudalism. The layout of a medieval village as well as its residents, their work, recreation, and customs are vividly described. The many period illustrations include medieval paintings reproduced in rich, heraldic colors. With decorative borders setting off sections of text, relatively large type, and generous use of white space, each page looks inviting. A glossary, a bibliography, and Web sites are appended. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Library Binding: 80 pages
• Publisher: Benchmark Books (NY) (September 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761410058
• ISBN-13: 978-0761410058
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,570,513 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm very happy to have this opportunity to connect with readers. If you'd like to know more about me or my books, you can find lots more information on my Web site, http://www.kathrynhinds.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Informative but dry, September 8, 2001

By 

BB "hmschoolsa" (San Antonio, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The City (Life in the Middle Ages) (Library Binding)

I bought this book hoping for a great book to teach my daughter about medieval cities. I found it to be very general in the descriptions and too dry for a 9 to 12 year old. My eleven year old stopped reading it within the first chapter and she is a history lover. There were many statements within the book without explanation. Such as, "About half the children died before they reached the age of five." No explanation or discussion about the diseases or dangers of the time that caused a high mortality rate instead on to "most children spent their time in play." If and when this book and its companions come out in paperback, at a much lower price, the series might be worth adding to your library.