The World of Castles

by Philip Steele, Miranda Smith

An engaging look at life in a fortress home, from how murder holes were used to who did the laundry. Superb illustrations and fun text opens up the world of castles.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Picture Books, Architecture, Childrens, School, Historical

64 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Philip Steele was born in Dorking, Surrey, England. He attended University College, Durham, where he studied modern languages. In the 1970s he worked as an editor for various publishers, including Hodder and Hamlyn. In 1980 he moved to the Isle of Anglesey, in North Wales, where he now lives. He has written on a wide range of topics, especially in the fields of history, junior biography, peoples, and cultures.

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Date read: 11/20/2020
Date of review: 11/21/2020
Genre: Nonfiction (Informative, History)
Grade Range: 4-6
This book has just about everything that you would ever want to know about castles: what it was like to live in one, how to become a knight in a castle, the types of food you ate, etc. The information is all laid out in small chunks, and there are fantastic illustrations throughout. My thought as I read it is that it would be a great mentor text for all sorts of nonfiction text features (e.g. heading, timeline, index, maps, illustrations, legends, etc.). Even adults will learn from this book.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a nifty little book! I had to slow down to read because all 64 pages are jam-packed with interesting information, plus you get to look at beautiful drawings throughout. I know it's for children, but I loved it and learned things. I was going to give the book away, but now I will keep it for reference. I am also thinking it'll be great to teach English - the text is simplified, but not patronising. Brilliant. Great book.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains an impressive amount of information including defining specific terms such as merlons and vambraces. Pieces of pictures are often numbered so readers can connect them to the text. Unfortunately, this book also perpetuates some common myths including spices being used to hide the taste of rotting meat and spiral staircases being constructed to hinder attackers.

[Rebekah M · Rating 5 out of 5]

My medieval-loving 7-year old got an updated edition of this for completing our library's summer reading program. We read a couple of pages every night before bed and he devoured every sentence and illustration. Beautifully done, excellent detail. We thoroughly enjoyed!

[Jay Gesin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short book with a lot of information packed in. Great glossary for castle vocabulary. Excellent resource for kids designing their own castles for fun or for D&D.

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read or browsed through about fifty books on medieval life this year, and this one is my favorite of all the illustrated books. The diagrams and maps of Conwy, Wales are thorough and marvelously drawn. There's one of the city of Conwy and a pull out spread of the castle, both exterior and cutaway. We own about two dozen books on castles, and this is the one we refer to the most.

For an immersive history of Medieval England, I highly recommend the Time Traveller's Guide.