Great Medieval History Books from Getty Publications (For Children AND Adults)

I'm gonna be completely honest.  I've been pretty giddy planning this year's homeschool curriculum.  As Classical Conversations homeschoolers, we're currently in the midst of Cycle 2 - Medieval History. That happens to be my "thang." I LOVE LOVE LOVE medieval history, literature, art!  I can't get enough!  So when the fine folks at Getty Publications offered to send me some books to help with our lessons on the Middle Ages, I jumped at the chance! And I was not disappointed with the wonderful titles they sent!  Let me introduce you to some fascinating books!

First up: Don't Let The Beasties Escape This Book! -





This is a fantastic book!  My kids and I loved it!  Not only is it fun and beautifully illustrated, but it teaches kids about Medieval Bestiaries (books with illustrations of animals - both real and imaginary - and descriptions). The book follows young Godfrey, who works at a castle, as he tries to finish his chores while daydreaming about the beasts found in the bestiary.


At the end of the book is also a great explanation bestiaries, illuminators, and life in a medieval English castle. It was a fascinating - and educational - read!

Therese Makes A Tapestry -



This book also explains another important job during the Middle Ages - tapestry weaving.  The book, along with its beautiful illustrations, follows Therese, a young 17th Century Parisian girl who works at the Gobelins Manufactory, makin items for King Louis XIV.



Again, the book ends with a lovely "Note to the Reader," explaining more about Louis XIV, Gobelins Manufactory, and the art of weaving.

Maria Sibylla Merian: Artist, Scientist, Adventurer -


While the first 2 books in this post contain fictional characters, this book is a beautiful biography of the real life Maria Sibylla Merian. A woman ahead of her time, Maria devoted her life to the study of nature.  Trained in art, Maria drew and painted incredible pictures of the insects that so intrigued her.



This book details her life and work, and includes lots of Maria's art - which is both educational and extremely beautiful.

Cleo and Cornelius: A Tale of Two Cities and Two Kitties -



While this book takes place Ancient Egypt and Rome instead of Medieval Europe, I was thrilled to review it! I only wish I'd known about it last year when we studied Ancient History!  Cleo and Cornelius are two adorable kitties - one an adventurer and the other a homebody.  Loosely based on Aesop's fable The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse, this cute little story takes you from Ancient Egypt to Ancient Rome and back again.



As with the other books, there's a fantastic Note To The Reader at the end of the book that explains more about Aesop's fable, the history of domesticated cats, and life in Ancient Egypt and Rome.

Illuminating Women In The Medieval World -



While I'm using the fantastic books above to teach my kids more about life in the Middle Ages, I also love digging deeper myself!  So the fantastic folks at Getty Publications also sent me some incredible books!  The first one is Illuminating Women in the Middle Ages and I'm so excited about this book!



This is a fantastic book for anyone interested in Medieval history and/or women's history! It's filled with illuminations from the time period, along with fascinating  information about the lives of women during that time period.

The Medieval Cookbook -



As an avid cook and a lover of Medieval history, I couldn't resist this book! I love learning recipes from different cultures and different time periods!



But I was blown away by the information in this book!  Its not just a book of recipes!  It's full f fantastic information on the customs of the time period - from life in a cloister, to christmas feasting! 

There's even a section on common medieval medicinal recipes!  So interesting!!!

The Sistine Chapel: Paradise In Rome -



This year we'll be studying several artists, including Michelangelo.  So I'm really excited about this fantastic book!



Its filled with great drawings and beautiful pictures of the chapel, along with great information on how the chapel came to be, the frustrations and problems with the work, the symbolism of the artwork, and much more!  I cannot wait to show the pictures to my kids when we study Michelangelo, and read the book for myself to get a better understanding of the artist, as well as the time period and the work!

Notice:  I received these books, free of charge, from Getty Publications, in exchange for my honest review.