What it was like to be a Viking
by David Long, illustrated by Stefano Tambellini
Interest age: 9 to 11
Reading age: 8+
Published by Barrington Stoke, 2023
About this book
This is the first volume in an informative non-fiction series which explores what it was like to live in a particular historical period. Focusing on the Viking age, which began in the late eighth century and lasted around 300 years, it examines many different aspects of Viking life, including housing, religion, travel and trade.
Vikings have reputations as bloodthirsty warriors who travelled the world, stealing treasures and enslaving the people they captured. Although this happened, many Vikings lived peaceful lives, farming, fishing, telling stories and making beautiful works of art from stone or metal. Comparisons with contemporary objects help children to conceptualise Viking artefacts and ideas, for example, most longships were around 20 metres long, similar in length to four family cars. The attractive black-and-white illustrations bring the text to life and include useful labelled diagrams of a typical settlement, longhouse and blacksmith’s forge.
Publisher Barrington Stoke designs books with a host of specialist features to help dyslexic and reluctant readers. The text is expertly edited to ensure comprehension and accessibility, while short chapters build confidence and stamina. Off-white, thick paper reduces visual stress, and a unique, dyslexia-friendly font avoids confusing letter shapes to make reading easier.
About the author
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Lists of recommended reads
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Books about Vikings
The Vikings are fascinating, with their many raids on other lands, their thirst for exploration and the various Norse gods that were so important to them. This selection of books shows what Viking life was like, with all the action and humour you might expect. It includes fiction and non-fiction and is suitable for primary-aged children.