School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-7-- Two attractively designed series entries that make learning history pleasurable. Informative, colorful cutaway illustrations in conjunction with Macdonald's well-researched texts and captions present accurate and understandable glimpses into their topics. A Medieval Castle covers the planning and construction of the castle and outlying buildings, and gives a description of the inhabitants' way of life. The larger community of laborers, servants, knights, minstrels, and farmers are all included. The approach here is very different from that of David Macaulay's Castle (Houghton, 1977), which focuses on the physical construction. While there are many books on railroads themselves, the stations seldom receive much attention. A 19th Century Railway Station explains how they were built, financed, and decorated, and how train travel affected the lives of people at that time. Railroad employees and their jobs are also detailed. Both books are packed with information, resulting in a somewhat crowded look. They reflect their British origins in the spelling of certain terms and in the choice of examples cited. The marvelously detailed pictures, however, make up for any other small problems. For reports and recreational reading alike. --Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, County of Henrico Public Library--Fairfield Area Library, Richmond, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
A perceptive view into the structure of a castle, with carefully labeled detailed drawings which provide a backdrop for information on life and activity in a medieval village. The clearly written text is appealing. From HORN BOOK 1990, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
An entertaining glimpse of life in a walled castle. Two-page spreads consider various topics: construction, design, and defense are included, but the emphasis here is on the lives of the castle's builders and the daily occupations of its inhabitants, from lord and lady to mat-weaver and sweeper. Food, village life, farming, religion, and festivals are also featured, making it clear that castle life depended on its neighbors. In colorful detail, lively illustrations depict cross-sectioned interiors and the surrounding countryside. A balanced, informative introduction. Glossary; index. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Gr. 4-6. From the British Inside Story series, this oversize volume surveys the construction and historical development of medieval castles, also highlighting many aspects of life in the Middle Ages. Each double-page spread contains one or more attractive illustrations in pen and watercolor, showing details and cut-away drawings of castles, churches, and peasant houses. One series of small, captioned vignettes illustrates "A Day in the Life of a Workman," an aspect of medieval days frequently covered less fully than the lives of the nobility. Both text and captions are concise and interesting. While useful for middle-school history reports, the book will also appeal to younger children through its strong visual element. ~--Carolyn Phelan