Viking Tales (Yesterday's Classics) [Paperback]

Jennie Hall (Author), Victor R. Lambdin (Illustrator)

Book Description

Nights were long in Iceland winters of long ago. A whole family sat for hours around the fire in the middle of the room. That fire gave the only light. Shadows flitted in the dark corners. Smoke curled along the high beams of the ceiling. The children sat on the dirt floor close by the fire. The grown people were on a long narrow bench that they had pulled up to the light and warmth. Everybody's hands were busy with wool. As the family worked in the red fire-light, the father told of the kings of Norway, of long voyages to strange lands, of good fights. And in farmhouses all through Iceland these old tales were told over and over until everybody knew them and loved them. Men who could sing and play the harp were called "skalds," and they called their songs "sagas." Eventually these stories were written down on sheepskin or vellum so that we can enjoy them today. We follow the fortunes of Harald from the time he is acknowledged by his father as a baby and given his own thrall at the cutting of his first tooth, through his exploits as a viking adventurer, to his crowning as King of Norway. It is when Harald is King of Norway that population pressures at home and eagerness for adventure and booty from other lands combine to drive some of the bolder Vikings to set forth from their native land. Sailing ever westward across the Atlantic, they hop along the chain of islands that loosely connects Norway with America-Orkneys and Shetlands, Faeroes, Iceland, and Greenland. It is from link to link of this chain that the characters in our story sail in search of home and adventure. Discoveries are made by accident. Ships are driven by the wind into unknown ports, resulting in landings and settlements in Iceland, Greenland, and America. The crude courage of these men and strangeness of their adventures appeal strongly to children, while their love of truth, hardy endurance, and faithfulness to the promised word make them characters to emulate. Suitable for children ages 9 and up to read to themselves and for children as young as 6 as a read-aloud.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

A teacher in Chicago at the beginning of the last century, Jennie Hall wrote a number of engaging history books for children. In addition to Viking Tales, she authored Buried Cities, Four Old Greeks, Men of Old Greece, The Story of Chicago, and Our Ancestors in Europe, An Introduction to American History.

Product Details

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: Yesterday's Classics (November 17, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1599150042
• ISBN-13: 978-1599150048
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #210,011 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #30 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > History & Historical Fiction > Europe
  • #44 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > History > Europe > General
  • #52 in Books > Children's Books > History > Europe

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Definitely a Different Culture..., March 14, 2007

By 

bethlovesbooks (North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Viking Tales (Paperback)

This book has been an interesting read for us because it has given rise to many discussions about the Vikings and their values/beliefs. It is full of tales about their lifestyle, which was often violent and full of hardship. To give a few specifics....Harald (the king) has a "thrall" which is essentially a slave/servant with an iron collar banded around his neck, and there is much talk of the Viking Gods and their view of "heaven." I find it a fascinating book in many regards, but not always the easiest or most captivating reading for my seven-year old--it's taken some work on my end to develop/sustain her interest in some of these stories. I'd recommend it for a bit older age range (perhaps 10 and up)

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A valuable resource, February 1, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Viking Tales (Paperback)

Hall writes of the Norse legends and travel tales of Iceland, the stories of kings and battles of ship sailing. These stories have three values. These adventure tales, including the discovery of America (named Vinland) by the Norse, are a gripping chronicle of the human desire for exploration and a tantalizing glimpse of what would many centuries later become the New World. Anyone interested in Viking lore and Icelandic legend will find this a valuable resource.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good view into viking life, April 7, 2009

By 

T. Walker - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Viking Tales (Yesterday's Classics) (Paperback)

For those wanting an interesting peek into the lifestyle of the vikings and an insight into their mindset, this will be a worthwhile read. Find out how slaves (or thralls) were used and treated by the privileged of society. Get a glimpse into the clothing worn and foods eaten. Most importantly, this text will help explain the worldview of these mysterious people. They worshiped strange gods, and felt their life after death would be humiliating if they didn't die courageously in battle. To die any other way would've been shameful. The sense of extreme entitlement struck me strongly as I read, seeing these men take what they wanted, whenever they felt the need, killing persons standing in their way. You'll gain insight into some more famous men and vikings from history and lore: Harald, King of Norway, as well as Eric the Red and Leif the Lucky. Stories are told in a straight-forward manner with little building of tension or drama. Otherwise, I would've given this book a 5 star. This is definitely a worthwhile read for those studying the Middle Ages with young children or who simply want to share these stories with little ones. Recommended for children 6 or older.