In the ‘Defenders’ series, best-selling author Tom Palmer brings together his passions for football and history in haunting stories that are ‘super-readable’ due to their accessible layout, including a dyslexia-friendly font and tinted paper from Barrington Stoke.
In this story, football-lover Seth discovers that dark and supernatural forces are at play when he witnesses a horrifying Viking massacre in his local football stadium. Together with his friend Nadiya, it is up to Seth to put an end to the violence and save the town.
This book has a really exciting storyline and is quite gruesome in parts, not shying away from the violent nature of the Viking invaders. The book would hold a particularly high appeal to readers who like action stories or football.
A hoard of information about the Vikings, including aspects of their history, culture, mythology and legacy.
Author Jack Tite digs deep into the topic to find the most interesting snippets of information, presented alongside stylised graphic illustrations and fold-out pages that give the pages an extra wow-factor, enabling an impressive tree of life diagram on one page, a lengthy longboat diagram on another and a detailed timeline on another still.
Highly recommended!
She Wolf is a Viking adventure story set in the cold, harsh winter of Northumbria, AD 866. Ylva (pronounced eel-va) witnesses her mother’s tragic death, which instigates her hunger for revenge – after all, that is the Viking way. Her target: the three-fingered man. Ylva has been taught to survive; no crying will do and with the Norse Gods on her side, she knows she doesn’t need anyone else to help.
The twists and turns along the way make this an edge-of-your-seat kind of story through which the reader learns just as much as Ylva does. The descriptions in the book put you right there in the thick of it with the characters, and when a story involves survival against wolves, bears and brutal hunters.
More suitable for mature KS2 readers, there is no doubt that this is a master class in Viking culture, drama and suspense. Sheer brilliance from Dan Smith.
Set in the Viking era, The Chessmen Thief is an intriguing tale of 12-year-old Kylan’s quest to return to his mother, having been captured by Norsemen when he was just 7 years old. The Lewis Chessmen – which his master reluctantly let him help carve – are his only hope. However, great craftsmanship gains attention, including that of Sven Asleifsson, a cruel and barbaric Viking known throughout the realm.
Based on the real-life Lewis Chessmen (a group of distinctive 12th-century chess pieces discovered in 1831 on the Isle of Lewis), The Chessmen Thief is a great addition to existing Vikings-themed booklists and a suitable choice for all year groups across Key Stage 2. Barbara Henderson has carefully crafted the plot around the chess motif, and the story is not overwhelmed with action and gore, as can often be the case with books written about this era.
The book would particularly complement history topics for those teaching in Scotland, providing opportunities to find out about the Viking era closer to home.
The Egyptian Cinderella takes the familiar story of Cinderella and transports it into the context of Ancient Egypt. Rhodipis is an orphaned slave girl from Greece, whose red slipper ends up in the hands of the Prince of Egypt. Follow her story as the Pharaoh searches for Rhodipis and makes her the Egyptian Queen. There is also an accompanying KS2History planning unit available.
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.
A novelty information book digging deeper into the topic of Ancient Egypt.
With flaps to lift on every page and vibrant illustrations of Egyptian scenes, there’s plenty to keep little hands busy and curious minds at work, as topics include mummification, pharaohs, culture and mythology.
Erik the Viking and his crew set sail on a quest aboard the great ship Golden Dragon. Along their way they will encounter monsters, magic and mythical creatures. This is an exciting adventure written in the style of the original Viking sagas and is excellent for reading out loud. The story won the Children’s Book Award in 1984 and includes colour illustrations by Michael Foreman.
This chapter book story is set in 1922, around the time that Howard Carter famously excavated Tutankhamun’s tomb. Thirteen-year-old Lilian joins a voyage to Egypt to the very heart of Howard Carter’s fascinating discoveries.
Woven into Lilian’s story are letters from Ancient Egyptian times, detailing the last days of the young Sun King and his closest friends, revealing stories of humanity and vulnerability. Much like the tomb’s treasures, there is a strong sense that these stories from the past should only fall into the hands of people willing to treat them responsibly and act with due respect to the original owners.
Rich in historical details about Ancient Egypt and moving at a pleasing pace, this is a gripping story with plenty of mystery to get stuck into. Dynamics of race and gender are explored compassionately, and this aspect of the book has the potential to lead to some promising discussions in the classroom.
A popular choice in KS2 classrooms. The action-packed narrative follows the story of Gunnar, the son of a Viking chief, as he sets out to avenge his father’s death after an attack by rival raiders.
In Tony Bradman’s trademark style, this well-researched story combines elements of history and mythology. This is a gripping story that brings the gruesome Viking period to life with all of its peril and gore.
review
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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.)?
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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Curriculum links (if relevant)
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