Trueit, Trudi Strain. The Vikings.

Trueit, Trudi Strain.           The Vikings. Marshall Cavendish/Benchmark, 2012.  64p  $26.28.  ISBN 978-1-60870-76          ms       VG-BNS                    

This book focuses on the discoveries and inventions of the ancient Viking civilization in the areas of transportation, agriculture, architecture, science, and technology.  Students who need to gain extensive knowledge about the Vikings will find this title appealing.  Filled with information about the male warriors, The Vikings teaches students that the Vikings were incredibly gifted at sea and used their skills and technology in sea travel to gain wealth, conquer territories, establish settlements, make trades, and discover new lands.  The Vikings made raids to provide for their families back home and to create adventures that sometimes led to new settlements and discoveries.  The author provides readers with a sense of what life was like during the Viking Age and how the institution of family was at the center of Viking civilization.  Many ideas were developed by their ancestors, and perhaps they borrowed ideas from other cultures as well.  The author includes an entire chapter on how Viking men and women made a living and/or did their jobs, including farming, fishing, and cooking.  The architecture used during the Viking era included sturdy structures that could withstand wind, snow, and rain.  Since Viking families usually grouped together to live, building designs needed to be simple but also make use of all the space available for family members.  The Vikings traveled by land and sea, and as they traveled they discovered new establishments and territories.
The Vikings includes color photographs, portrait reprints, interesting fact boxes, a timeline of events, a glossary, a list of recommended books and websites, and a comprehensive index.    It is one book in the series Technology of the Ancients.  Each title in this series focuses on world history, beginning with the earliest known civilizations and extending to the twentieth century.  Each book gives readers an up-close look at the ingenuity of forward-thinking inventors and engineers from the early civilizations.

Subject: Vikings                                                                                              Charleen Forba-Mayer