Edinburgh

Grade 4-6–History and legend blend in this collection. The mostly European-based selections focus on Bodiam Castle (England), the Tower of London, Edinburgh Castle (Scotland), Chambord (France), Bran Castle (Romania), etc., in addition to Himeji Castle (Japan), Catherine's Palace (Russia), and Hearst Castle (U.S.). A section entitled Medieval Minutes follows the poems, providing additional facts (many of which are not about medieval times) and a time line for historical context. Burr's oil paintings capture the grandeur, loneliness, and mood of each castle in evocative shades of light and dark. Yet while the subject matter and rich illustrations are ripe for kid appeal, the book's lack of focus may ultimately lose its intended audience. Readers will undoubtedly wonder why the castles themselves are not pictured in a number of the poems. Likewise, the lofty, sometimes awkward verse and cryptic references to historical events will leave most children confused. With adult support to tie together facts and poetic references, a small niche of castle fanatics may be willing to invest the time needed to uncover the juicy tales behind these poems.–Jill Heritage Maza, Greenwich High School, CT Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Edinburgh 2016-11-07T03:48:00-08:00 Rating: 4.5 Diposkan Oleh: movie gallery