England Week - Cathedral

One of the predominate topics from my inspiration for this week’s theme, Sarum: The Novel of England, was Salisbury Cathedral. This amazing structure was built between 1220  and 1258. In trying to find a related book for children, the closest I could come was Cathedral: The Story of Its Construction. It follows the process of building a cathedral in France, so is not based on an English style cathedral (does Westminster Abby come to mind?), but hey, you’ll get the idea.

This book is laden with pen and ink illustrations as is David Macaulay’s custom. He shows us, in amazing detail, 80 years of cathedral creating effort in just about 80 pages. And what an effort it was: design the plans, harvest the wood, quarry the stone, ready the site, build the foundation, erect the walls, hoist the trusses, install the windows and cast the bells and so much more. Like the pyramids, the Great Wall of China, and today’s skyscrapers, Cathedral: the Story of Its Construction will leave you in complete awe of human achievement.

Ages 9-12
◊◊◊◊◊

Activity: Create your own stained glass window.

UNCHARTED TERRITORY WEEK: Marco Polo

TITLE: The Adventures of Marco Polo

AUTHOR: Russell Freeman

WHAT TERRITORY WAS EXPLORED AND WHEN? China and other parts of Asia from 1271 to 1295

WHO DID THE EXPLORING? An Italian merchant family, Marco Polo along with his father and uncle.

HOW WAS THE TRIP? Marco Polo’s father and uncle had been on a trading trip to Russia and met Kublai Khan while trying to steer clear of a war on their return to Italy. The Great Khan requested they return to him with 100 men learned in the Christian religion and some oil from the lamp that burned at the church of the Holy Sepulchre (the tomb of Jesus). They went back towards Italy, collected the oil, two friars and seventeen year old Marco and headed east again. After nearly twenty-four years of rugged traveling mixed with some luxurious living as envoys for Kublai Khan, they returned again to Italy. This time Venice was at war with Genoa and Marco Polo was captured in a sea battle and imprisoned for a year with, as luck would have it, a writer. Marco’s epic adventure became scribed over and over again. It was titled The Description of the World and it’s impact on the medieval mind was HUGE.

WHAT WAS GAINED? The Polo’s gained riches and they spread geographic and cultural knowledge. Prior to their travels, Europeans had never seen coal, or paper money or thought about religious freedom or considered taking a bath more than about once a year.

This is a beautiful book with many first person accounts from The Description of the World.

Ages 9-12
◊◊◊◊

Activity: We like this game that follows Marco Polo's route as you answer questions about his travels.

Barbarians!

Barbarians! is a beautiful book about some of history's ugliest reputations. Read it and you’ll learn all about the lives and times of the Goths, Huns, Vikings, and Mongols. But why are these various groups all lumped together under that insulting moniker? “Barbarian” was a Greek word used to describe anyone from a different culture and with a different language. Then the Romans used it to refer to any foreigner from beyond their border. And yes, someone considered crude.

Robert Byrd’s illustrations in this recently published book are phenomenal, with details you can get lost in. Included are his rendition of a Goth Village, the Nine Worlds of the Norse Universe, a cross section of a Mongol Yurt, battle scenes and easy to comprehend maps representing the migrations of each of these groups.

The author, Steven Kroll, gives just the right amount of interesting information about the leaders, their conquests and his take on each groups lasting influence. A timeline is also provided.

To be honest, I checked this book out from the library not expecting to particularly enjoy it. But...I did, and how.

Ages 8-12
◊◊◊◊

Activity: Test your barbarian knowledge with this crossword puzzle.

Genghis Khan

Demi's books are a special treat and this one is no exception. It is oozing with gold leaf, prancing Mongolian ponies and insight into how Genghis Khan became the ruler of the largest empire ever created in one lifetime. He lead an adventurous life, even in childhood. He was riding before he could walk, herding camels at age five, hunting by six and the head of his clan by age nine. He was fourteen when he was captured by rivals, and then made a nail-biting escape. My daughter found it disturbing that he put an arrow through his own brother's heart after he discovered him stealing from their own food provisions (and I thought my kids were rough on each other). But the text emphasizes over and over again the trait he admired and expected most: loyalty. Genghis Khan is a beautiful book and a great way to begin to learn about one man that had an enormous impact on history.

Ages 8-12

◊◊◊◊◊

Activity: Add your own details to this Steppes picture. A felt yurt is ready to be colored, but can you add horses, goats, camels, Mongol warriors or even Genghis Khan?

The Mongolian Empire