World History Reading List
Middle Ages, 1200’s & 1300’s
The medieval books on this section of the Middle Ages Reading List span a variety of topics!
Share with your history students the riches and grandeur of Africa in the 1200’s & 1300’s using some of these beautifully illustrated books, appropriate for all elementary grades.
European Culture comes next, with a variety of themes. Adam of the Road, Crispin: the Cross of Lead, & Otto of the Silver Hand are all huge favorites for elementary to upper elementary students medieval books.
And leave room for at least one of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Other topics include the Black Plague and the Reformation.
Browse below to find some of the best medieval books set in the 1200’s and 1300’s!
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1200’s – 1300’s: Africa
Mansa Musa: The Lion of Mali by Khephra Burns, illus. Leo & Diane Dillon. UE-JH
An advanced picture book tells of one of the great rulers of the
empire of Mali. Mansa Musa amazed the countries of his day with his
splendor and wealth. Beautiful illustrations.
The Spider Weaver: A Legend Of Kente Cloth by Margaret Musgrove & Julia Cairns. The Blue Sky Press, 2001. K-UE
The origins of Kente cloth is based in this legend, delightfully
told and illustrated. (Note: The exact date of its origin is uncertain,
ranging from the 11th to the 17th centuries. The book is placed here
for ease of reference.)
Sundiata: Lion King of Mali by David Wisniewski. Clarion Books, 1992. E-UE
Predecessor to Mansa Musa, Sundiata overcame great odds to become
king of the Malian empire. Picture book with magnificent paper cut
illustrations.
1200’s – 1300’s: European Culture
14th Century Towns edited by John D. Clare.
Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Janet Gray. E-UE
Newbery Award. An 11-year-old minstrel’s son roams 13th century
England in search of his father, allowing the reader to glimpse the way
of life of long ago. Recommended.
The Apple and the Arrow by Mary & Conrad Buff. UE-JH
Newbery Honor. Do you vaguely remember the name William Tell and how
shot an apple off someone’s head? If you thought it was merely a fairy
tale, this book will set the record straight! It is not only true (and
that “someone” was his son), but part of the awe-inspiring actions of
bravery that ultimately led to Switzerland’s independence. Recommended.
Castle Diary: The Journal of Tobias Burgess, Page by Richard Platt, illus. Christ Riddell. Candlewick Press, 1999. E-UE+
13th century life in a castle is “transcribed and illuminated” for the
entertainment of the reader. Includes all pertinent aspects — even
the hunt, medical practices, and the dungeon. Recommended.
Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi. Hyperion. UE+
Newbery Award. Set in England’s peasant revolt of 1381, the exciting
adventures of the boy, Crispin, reveal the many injustices of feudalism.
The sequel is Crispin at the Edge of the World
(see below).
Crispin: The Cross of Lead
(see above). This story did not have many happy moments, and ended
without resolve (I assume to make way for a 3rd volume to the series).
Be aware that it contains pagan elements and some disturbing violence
and bloody descriptions.Dick Whittington and His Cat by Marcia Brown. Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1950. *K-E
Caldecott Honor. The setting of this fun fictional story gives a
child a look at old London, especially as it relates to an orphan boy.
Also presents trade in the far East. *Two-color illustrations may/may
not hold enough interest for the K child.
The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli. UE+
With his father fighting for the king in Scotland, a nobleman’s son
faces challenges of his own. The story incorporates the Black Death and
also portrays a castle under attack.
Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz, illus. Robert Byrd. Candlewick Press, 2007. UE-JH
Originally
written as a set of monologues for a school play, each short piece
describes medieval times from the perspective of a youth from a
different medieval social setting in England in 1255. All is
interspersed with background pages & medieval-inspired
illustrations. Nicely done!
The Hawk and the Dove: A Trilogy (includes The Hawk and the Dove, The Wounds of God, and The Long Fall) by Penelope Wilcock. Crossway Books. JH-HS
Monastic life in Britain. Not yet reviewed.
Marguerite Makes a Book by Bruce Robertson, illus. Kathryn Hewitt. Getty Publications, 1999. U-UE
Follow Marguerite as she collects animal skins, goose feathers, and
various plants and stones for dyes to help her book-illustrator father
complete a prayer book. What an entertaining way to learn about the art
of illumination!
Otto of the Silver Hand by Howard Pyle. UE+
Motherless Otto was raised in a monastery, but life changed when he
returned to the family castle in Germany. A rival baron captured and
imprisoned him in this exciting adventure. One of the story’s
characters is Emperor Rudolph, king of Germany in 1273 and the first
Hapsburg Holy Roman Emperor. Recommended.
1300’s: Chaucer & the Canterbury Tales
Canterbury Tales, adapted by Barbara Cohen. UE+
Selected tales told in modern English. Illustrated. Caution: Tales include spousal abuse and immorality.
Chanticleer and the Fox by Chaucer, illus. by Barbara Cooney. Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1958. E-UE+
A Chaucer story for all ages. Includes a lesson to be learned at the end. Fun!
Favorite Medieval Tales Mary Pope Osborne, illus. Troy Howell. Scholastic Press, 1998. UE+
A collection of the tales passed down through the years by Medieval
minstrels & bards. Includes Beowulf, The Sword in the Stone, and
The Song of Roland (Charlemagne). Includes historical notes in the back
by both the author and illustrator.
A Selection from the Canterbury Tales retold by Selina Hastings. UE+
Selected tales are easy to read, with colorful illustrations.
Caution: Several tales detail the unfaithfulness of spouses and similar
immorality.
1346-1350: The Black Plague
All recommended books on the plague are set during the Great Plague of London from 1665-1666. Check those selections!
1300’s: Reformation
The Beggars Bible by Louise Vernon
(John Wycliffe)
Morning Star of the Reformation by Andy Thomson. BJU Press. JH+
(John Wycliffe)
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