On a Medieval Day: Story Voyages Around the World (On a Day Story Voyages, 2) - Softcover

Arato, Rona

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1897349955 ISBN 13: 9781897349953

Publisher: Owlkids, 2010

Synopsis

What if you could spend a day in the shoes of a child in the Middle Ages? What would you learn about cultures of the past? On a Medieval Day uses nine historical fiction stories to give kids just that opportunity. Contrary to the common Euro-centric associations of the word "medieval," On a Medieval Day visits cultures from Japan to Mali and spans nearly 700 years of world history. From Viking explorers to medical advances in Baghdad, this book challenges assumptions and enlightens readers to the fascinating civilizations that have shaped our world. Told through the eyes of boys and girls aged 12 to 14, readers follow each character through a single day. Whether examining an arranged marriage or aspirations of becoming a knight, each character tells a compelling story about universal trials of growing into adolescence. Portraits painted by artist Peter Ferguson and detailed background pages that use facts, maps, and illustrations bring readers further into this history.

About this title

About the Author:

RONA ARATO, a former teacher, is an award-winning children’s author with a strong interest in the field of human rights. From 1994 to 1998, she was an interviewer for Survivors of the Shoah, a Steven Spielberg project that recorded the histories of Holocaust survivors. She is the author of Courage and Compassion and the On a Day Story Voyages series, among others. She lives in Toronto.

PETER FERGUSON has been illustrating books for nine years. His art appears on the covers of many children’s books including The Sisters Grimm series. Originally from Montreal, he lives with his wife in Tokyo, Japan.

From School Library Journal:

Gr 4-6–Alternating between male and female narrators, this book presents stories about nine fictional youth of the medieval period. From the Mayan Civilization in 720 to the Kingdom of Castile in 1395, with stops in Vinland in 1002, Japan in 1205, and other places and years, their tales provide readers with a worldview of the era. Each chapter follows one child or teen through a day in which a conflict or crisis for the protagonist brings in some cultural and social context of the period. For example, a 13-year-old reluctantly prepares for her marriage in eighth-century China; a young man contracts measles in Bagdad and is treated by the great Islamic physician Dr. Muhammad ibn Zakariya Al-Razi; and a boy gets lost in Timbuktu on a trip to the vibrant trading post with his father in 1345. The fast-paced stories make for entertaining reading. Each chapter ends with a brief history of the period and includes a simple map. An illustration of the child featured in the story begins each chapter and although beautifully rendered, a number of the youngsters are similar in both features and skin color, making them nearly indistinguishable. The book is a wonderful attempt to expand the usual concept of the medieval world beyond Europe, but some readers may feel that its fictionalized aspects diminish its informational value.–Clare A. Dombrowski, Amesbury Public Library, MAα(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

About this edition

• Publisher: Owlkids
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 1897349955
• ISBN 13: 9781897349953
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 96
• Illustrator: Ferguson Peter