Outrageous Women of the Middle Ages
Grade 5-10-As she did in Outrageous Women of Ancient Times (Wiley, 1997), Leon again uses lively prose and modern comparisons to make the past understandable to young people. "When religion was the only game in town," readers learn, Hildegard of Bingen lived "in a gloomy torch-lit room about the size of a breakfast nook." The author's characteristic blend of playful language and historical accuracy tells of a Viking killed by a severed head, a queen who knew the meaning of congregating frogs, and much more. The stories and sidebars provide a detailed picture of the times. It is rare to see a book about the Middle Ages that presents such diversity. The women profiled lived in the 6th through 14th centuries in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Their spheres included everything from astronomy to warfare. They were nomads and empresses. The list for further reading is impressive; the black-and-white drawings and reproductions are appropriate for the text. Patrons who found Karen Cushman's Catherine Called Birdy (1994) and The Midwife's Apprentice (1995, both Clarion) interesting will find this book fascinating.Rebecca O'Connell, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PACopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.