Which innovative ideas and inventions began with the Anglo-Saxons? Find out how the Anglo-Saxons farmed their land, built their houses, and organized their society. Discover how their brilliant developments in defense, law, language, and storytelling still influence the way we live today.
Tony Bradman strikes again with an edge-of-your-seat historical narrative. A great book to read alongside a class topic of the Saxons and perfect for KS2, Winter of the Wolves is a short chapter book that still packs a punch with plenty of historical details and vocabulary.
Set at the time of the Anglo-Saxon migration to Britain, the story offers a dramatic insight into the interplay between the Angles, Saxons and Britons in the 6th century. The story moves on quickly and is easy to follow, while still allowing space for discussions about the practices and challenges of the time.
Set in Anglo-Saxon Kent, this book tells the story of a slave boy called Bron, who is drawn into a gripping adventure with warlords, warriors and kings.
The story is well researched and makes it easy for pupils to engage imaginatively with the historical setting as seen through the eyes of a child. The book also has an in-depth information section at the end to provide further historical context about the Saxons and the Jutes.
A free, downloadable KS2 pack to accompany the book is also available.
Beowulf is the story of monsters, warriors, journeys and battles.
The pages of this Usborne version of the Anglo-Saxon classic Beowulf are filled with rich but accessible language and engaging illustrations. This Usborne version is the most accessible version of Beowulf for Years 3 and 4 – or reluctant readers in older years. You can also purchase an accompanying 2-week English planning pack from Ks2history.
The Michael Morpurgo version of the Anglo-Saxon classic Beowulf is a popular chapter book choice for upper KS2 or for more confident readers.
Beowulf is an Old English epic poem about a young man’s quest to overcome a monster. Morpurgo draws on the style of the original text using rich, alliterative language, and also mixes it with modern themes as he retells the story of Beowulf’s epic quest to destroy the monstrous Grendel.
Morpurgo’s excellent version of Beowulf is also brought to life with engaging illustrations by Michael Foreman.
Delve into the fascinating Anglo-Saxon legends of King Arthur and his knights. The tales are retold in a comic book style, with speech bubbles and many humorous details in both the text and illustrations that pupils will love.
Encounter stories of King Arthur, Merlin, Sir Lancelot, Sir Galahad, Excalibur and the search for the Grail.
This exciting story from Tony Bradman is a popular choice in KS2 classrooms and is set just before the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
Follow the story of young Magnus and his adventure-packed journey to the Battle of Hastings, as he is forced to contend with vicious family feuds and merciless claims to the throne.
Full of excitement, danger and all the gore of the period, this is an action-packed novel brimming with historical details.
A gripping historical adventure featuring the Anglo-Saxon hoard that was unearthed at Sutton Hoo during WW2.
The story centres on a young Londoner called George, who has been evacuated to the countryside near Sutton Hoo and is intrigued to find out about the Anglo-Saxon treasures discovered nearby. The most interesting of the treasures is a mysterious Anglo-Saxon crown, carrying with it an ancient legend. Before long, George finds himself involved in an exhilarating plot to save the crown from falling into the hands of Nazi invaders.
This is a gripping read that is recommended for upper KS2 – and is especially useful for helping children to make links between different periods of history.
Men, Women and Children in Anglo-Saxon Times is a handy non-fiction text that allows children to pursue answers to their own questions about everyday life in Anglo-Saxon Times. Topics include what Anglo-Saxon children did at school, what people did for fun and what jobs they did.
This is the kind of book that helps young readers move beyond hard facts and begin to reflect on what life might have felt like for those living in early Medieval times.
From the author of the popular Horrible Histories, this book is part of Terry Deary‘s ‘Saxon Tales’ series.
The story is about King Vortigern (who may or may not have existed in real life, but many believe that he did) and his servant Mervyn, as they are faced with the threat of invading Saxons and Picts.
This relatively short text, which is accompanied by fun illustrations, is easily accessible to most pupils in lower KS2, and there are three other Saxon tales in the same series, too.
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Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Would you recommend the book for use in primary schools?
yes
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