World History Reading List, 1550 – 1590
Books on Mary Queen of Scots, Queen Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Drake & the Spanish Armada
The 1550 – 1590 section of the Living History Book List is full of great titles on Queen Elizabeth I.
Of course, when you read about Queen Elizabeth I, you will also read about Mary Queen of Scots, Sir Francis Drake, and the Spanish Armada!
You can find all of these topics in books listed here. The Royal Diary series provides good books for both Mary, Queen of Scots, and Queen Elizabeth I of England. Our favorite book on The Spanish Armada is actually out of print, but your local public library may have a copy, and occasionally you can find one on Amazon.
WORLD HISTORY: 1550’s
Mary, Queen of Scots: Queen Without a Country, France, 1553 (The Royal Diaries) by Kathryn Lasky. E-UE
WORLD HISTORY: 1570’s
Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor, England, 1544 (The Royal Diaries) by Kathryn Lasky. E-UE
Good Queen Bess : The Story of Elizabeth I of England by Diane Stanley & Peter Vennema. Four Winds Press, 1990. E-JH+
All facets of Elizabeth’s life and monarchy are told and illustrated in full color on every page.
Queen Elizabeth I (First Books) by Robert Green. Franklin Watts, Grolier Pub., 1997. UE-JH+
Easy to read, informative, with reproductions of period artwork. Very well done.
The Sea King: Sir Francis Drake and His Times by Albert Marrin
WORLD HISTORY: 1580’s
Queen Elizabeth and the Spanish Armada by Frances Winwar, illus. C. Walter Hodges. Random House, 1954. JH-HS
Topics explored in greater depth, beginning with Henry VIII’s first divorce, ending with Elizabeth’s death.
The Spaniush Aramada by C. Walter Hodges. Coward-McCann, Inc., 1967. UE+
Explore the rise and fall of the great Armada, enhanced with colored line drawings. Out of print, but check your library!
