Tag Archives: history
Kings and Queens of England
To celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee we have been thinking about our favourite children’s books and a few other resources on the Kings and Queens of England.
Our favourite:
Tony Robinson’s Kings and Queens
(or The Hutchinson Book Of Kings & Queens)
This is one of my eight year old’s absolute favourite books in the whole world. It has done much to turn an general interest in people into a passion for history. It covers Kings and Queens of England, and unlike many books goes back to Anglo-Saxons rather than just starting with Normans.
Read our full review of Tony Robinson’s Kings and Queens …
Other recommended books:
See on Amazon
Cruel Kings and Mean Queens (Horrible Histories)
Horrible Histories books always go down well in this house. This is a chatty, humorous and highly irreverent book. Starting at William the Conqueror it covers the monarchs of England in bite size pieces. The cartoon strips and bullet points make it very approachable for inexperienced or reluctant readers.
See on Amazon
King and Queens, A Very Peculiar History
This mini book is absolutely jam packed with concise facts, lists and quirky stories. It includes Saxon and Scottish Kings and provides good context for the monarchy. Although maybe slightly less approachable than the Horrible Histories it will appeal to those with a love of small books, and who want to move on from the gruesome, all kings and queens are cruel and mean approach of Horrible Histories.
Other books:
A couple of other books on Kings and Queens that we haven’t got around to investigating properly:
Sticker books
Sticker books provide a fun way to approach a subject.
- Sticker Dressing: Kings & Queens – A sticker dolly dressing up book with kings and queens from all over world. This is a firm favourite. Bold, beautiful pictures, with luxurious stick-on outfits and a simple summary of each ruler with details of their clothing. This book has a nice balance of male and female figures. Ranges from Ancient Egypt to modern day, and an interesting mix of the usual suspects (Henry VIII) and less often covered rulers that we found sparked further investigations (Theodora and Justinian).
- Kings and Queens Sticker Book (Usborne sticker book)
More complex sticker book on the monarchs of England and Scotland. Packed with information on each ruler, with stickers to add through out. - Kings & Queens Ultimate Sticker Book (DK)
Cards, games and posters
Heritage Cards does some lovely playing cards with very interesting pictures. My daughter loves the Kings and Queen of England ones (they also do Kings and Queens of Scotland). These are beautifully illustrated, and simple with just the name and dates of their rule. These get hours of play in our house – both as playing cards and for laying out family trees.
Whilst researching this post I found a card game called Monarchy, which we hadn’t seen before and looks like it might be interesting. Also just wondering if anyone knows of good top trumps game with English monarchs on them?
Usborne do a set of Kings and Queens Cards (History Cards) – a picture card with a large picture on one side and facts on the back. Plus cards listing the royal dynasties and kings and queens of England and Scotland. These are a larger size than the Heritage playing cards.
Music Videos
History Teachers and Horrible Histories both cover various monarchs, including some English and Scottish ones. These are firm favourites here, and we find that an enormous amount can be learnt from a good music video.
Our recommended starting place for English Kings and Queens of England is the Horrible Histories English Kings and Queens Song – a fun way to become familiar with them and maybe learn their order! There are also songs and sketches about lots of the English Kings and Queens from the TV series. (the easiest way to find these is to search Youtube for a ‘horrible histories’ and the monarch in question).
Another favourite source of history music videos ours is the History Teachers – more grown up, less ‘horrible’ and often quite poignant. I’ve blogged a rough chronological list but here are the English and Scottish ones.
Videos
Timelines and Posters
- My own Kings and Queens timeline and family tree
- And a clear, not too complicated poster on Kings and Queens of England.
Finding out more:
And finally a few websites for finding out more. Suitable for older children or adults.
- Project Britain: Timeline of Kings and Queens
- The Official website of the British Monarchy: History of the Monarchy
- British Royal Family History
- Wikipedia: List of the English Monarchs
Links through to different houses and monarchs. We particularly like the box out for each King and Queen that lists important information, and relatives. Useful if you, like my daughter and I, want to expand your knowledge to the spouses of monarchs.
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Do you have any favourite books on Kings and Queens of England?
Can you recommend any that cover Wales, Scotland and Ireland too?
Tony Robinson’s Kings and Queens
Buy on Amazon
This is one of my eight year old’s absolute favourite books in the whole world. It has done much to turn an general interest in people into a passion for history. It covers Kings and Queens of England, and unlike many books goes back to Anglo-Saxons rather than just starting with Normans.
Written with the humour you would expect from Tony Robinson. With big, bold, funny illustrations to match. It is funny, and full of personal details that bring historical characters to life.
Text is divided into manageable, well thought out chunks so it is easy to dip into.
We have found the odd historical inaccuracy. My daughter was rather perturbed to see George I and George II described in a round about way as grandfather and father of George III. But actually it generally seems accurate and it has resulted in a good understanding of the limits of history, and history books!
All in all a great place to start.
Stone Age – Children’s Historical fiction
Historical fiction is a great way of finding out more about history. This list includes some great picture books and novels for young adults.
***HIGHLY RECOMMENDED***
Stone Age Boy
This historical fiction picture book is a great introduction to archaeology and stone age people for younger children – for us it is the one essential book on the subject.
Historical Fiction
Mini reviews of the ones we have read:
Picture Books
The First Dog (Reading Rainbow)Â by Jan Brett
Another beautiful picture book – Stone age boy Kip encounters Paleowolf. Paleowolf would like some of his food, but Kip doesn’t want to share. But they are not alone, and Kip soon finds out that having a wolf for a friend has advantages. A lovely look at how the first dog might have been welcomed into our lives. The artwork not only tells the story, but gives clues as to what is happening next and the page borders are filled with pictures of stone age artefacts.
- Minnow and the Bear by Benedict Blathwayt
A good picture book for a child that loves visual elements and tiny details, but disappointing as stone age historical fiction. Full review …
- Adventures in the Ice Age (Good Times Travel Agency)Â by Linda Bailey
Comic book time travelling adventures. This entertaining series takes modern day children back in time. We have found this a really approachable way to learn about the stone age. - The First Drawing by Mordicai Gerstein
Who drew the first cave art? A picture book imagining how the Palaeolithic world might have inspired a boy to create the first cave art.
Vibrant and lively illustrations.
Chapter books
Wolf Brother: Chronicles of Ancient Darkness Book 1Â by Michelle Paver
Book 1 of Chronicles of Ancient Darkness  (9+)
Torak’s father is killed by a giant, possessed bear and he must find new friends and family and save the clans. Very detailed descriptions of stone age life in Northern Europe, particularly strong on natural history and animals of the time. It touches on fantasy as it brings the mages and belief in magic of these people to life. Although an enjoyable read even as an adult, the six book series feels as though something is lacking in the writing or pace of the books.
Older children/Young Adult
- 11, 000 Years Lost (Amulet)Â by Peni R Griffin
Young adult fiction. A modern Texan girl Ester discovers an 11,000 year old spearhead. Her fascination with the people who made it leads to her time travelling into the past. Adopted by a group of mammoth hunters, who are an interesting mix of characters she must learn how to survive in a very different world. What was life like as a mammoth hunter, can they find food, and survive? Will Ester ever find her way home? A really good read.
More children’s historical fiction set in the stone age (we haven’t read these yet)
- The First Drawing by
- Brave by Wendy Constance
American Palaeolithic - Mammoth Boy by  John Hart
Young adult, palaeolithic - Anooka’s Answer by Marjorie Cowley
Upper Palaeolithic Europe - Stone Age Rampage (Time Hunters, Book 10) by Chris Blake
- Time travel series for younger readers.
- Journey to the Ice Age (Dinosaur Cove)Â by Rex Stone, Mike Spoor
- DFC Library: Mezolith by Ben Haggarty, Adam Brockbank
Graphic horror novel about a Mesolithic boy in what is now North East Yorkshire - Oogo the Cave Boy by P M Wallbridge
- A Bone from a Dry Sea by Peter Dickinson
Parallel stories of the daughter of a paleontologist and a prehistoric girl – explores the aquatic ape theory - Malu’s Wolf (Flyways)Â by Ruth Craig
- The Kin: Suth’s Story Bk.1Â by Peter Dickinson
Book 1 of The Kin Series - Dar and the Spear Thrower by Marjorie Cowley
- The Boy of the Painted Cave by Justin Denzel
- Maroo of the Winter Caves by Ann Turnbull
- Wolf-Woman (Laurel-Leaf Books)Â by Sherryl Jordan
Young adult fiction
View Children’s Historical Fiction: Stone Age on Amazon Listmania
Do you have any comments on these or any other historical fiction set in the stone age?
Stone Age Boy
***HIGHLY RECOMMENDED***
Stone Age Boy
This historical fiction picture book is a great introduction to archaeology and stone age people for younger children – for us it is the one essential book on the subject.
When a boy falls down a hole he finds himself back in the stone age. His new friend introduces him to stone age life.
This is a great children’s picture book – well written and beautifully illustrated and unusual in bringing historical fiction to younger children. Stone Age Boy is a great introduction to a very different way of life, showing how stone age people made tools, hunted, and cooked. A particularly nice touch is the beautiful pictures of stone age animals on the inside covers.
Whilst the simple text and story make it suitable for reading to younger children the detail in the central spread make for an useful introduction and discussion point for older children.
Buy on Amazon
Buy on Amazon
History Resources: Books
I have always been fascinated by history. My eight year old is following in my footsteps. She is endlessly fascinated by people, their relationships and lives – in other words, their stories. For her history is a treasure box of people all in very different circumstances and the stories of their lives.
We use a lot of books to study history – many borrowed from friends or the library. But even so we have an ever growing collection of children’s history books. As with all educational resources we have found it vital to match the book, or programme or what ever to the child. So whilst another child might enjoy books with pictures of things or facts for my daughter it is all about people’s lives. The best history for her is presented as a form of storytelling. So we are always on the look out for history that is well written, with a good flow to the words and focused on people.
We use a mix of childrens resources and adult books which I use to expand my own knowledge to introduce ideas into conversations.
Books
World history:
A set of four books exploring world history through a narrative. These are part of the highly structured Classical Education system The Well-trained Mind. The system is far too adult-directed, and structured for us, but many home educators use the story books, as just that – story books. It is comprehensive, possibly a little overwhelming so for my daughter, who has never clicked with any but the first chapter. It has good international coverage, though the balance is rather skewed towards Judeo-Christian traditions for my tastes.
A beautiful narrative. This book focuses more on history of western world. More concise than Story of the World. If you only read one world history book this should probably be it. Suited to the older child or for adults as a basic history book.
English history:
My daughter is fascinated by Kings and Queens and their lives. So initially we focused on English history and the monarchy. Her absolute favourite book is Tony Robinson’s Kings and Queens. It is funny, and full of personal details that bring historical characters to life for her.
Factual books:
My daughter initially found most of the factual historical books too dry. I think that more will become interesting for her as she gets older. But a couple of series do stand out.
She really enjoys the Horrible Histories books. As an adult they seem a little too focused on the nasty side of life, but they provide a great introduction to everyday life in different historical periods.
One of our favourite publishers Book House produces the Danger Zone series – beautifully illustrated, highly entertaining and with books for many different periods (60 books all together!).
We have searched long and hard for good general
Historical fiction:
My daughter’s favourite genre is historical fiction. There are some great children’s historical fiction books out there ranging from picture books to teen books. (I recently read the stone age series Chronicles of Ancient Darkness for my own entertainment.) Here are a few of our favourites:
- Stone Age Boy – A boy finds himself in the stone age
- Freedom Ship – True story of slaves sailing to freedom in the American Civil War
- Moi and Marie Antoinette – The story of Marie Antoinette’s early life through the eyes of her dog
There are a number of series we like:
- Tales of the dead – Whilst predominantly visually stunning factual books these include include a graphic story through the pages
- Historical Stories – Historical fiction for younger readers
- Sparks – A large series of historical fiction for younger readers
- Terry Deary – Author of Horrible Histories has written historical fiction but we find these rather flat. We much prefer the sparks and historical stories.
- Viking Vik – a series for younger readers about a viking boy
Historical biographies:
Historical biographies aimed at younger children read very much like fiction.
Usbourne readers have some good titles in their Famous Lives series, our favourite being Marie Antoinette.
I also find that I am reading more historical biographies – on the look out for interesting people that my daughter might be interested in.
This is just a quick round-up of some of the books we enjoy. Some we own – others are borrowed from the library – some of them time after time. There are many more to be added to the list. And many more other resources we use for history including TV programmes, music and museums.
Posted as a contribution to Liveotherwise’s HE resources carnival
What history books do you recommend?
History music videos
History music videos are very popular in our house.
History Teachers create entertaining, enlightening, well-crafted history music videos.
The French Revolution to Lady GaGa! From the History for Music Lovers, historyteachers’s YouTube Channel
BAFTA award winning Horrible Histories does them too.
Born to Rule – by the Georgian kings is a particular favourite. (Despite the implied inaccuracy that George III was George II’s son, actually grandson).