Norman Itzkowitz

I wanted a book for my kids to be able to read about the truth of the Spanish Inquisition without being overwhelmed by the viciousness of it. This book tells the story admirably. It focuses on one man and his role, but there’s plenty of context given to round out the situation as a whole. The facts of the matter were told, but not dramatized, and there were pictures throughout to help give an idea of the time period. It’s definitely not the most exciting book, but it’s straightforward and thorough, and mentions when there isn’t enough factual information to reach a definite conclusion about something, or when the author is speculating vs. having historical information to back up a statement.

This book would be appropriate for probably 4th grade and up.… (altro)

This series is more advanced than the Who Was series, making it a good choice for middle grade kids who are required to read a biography. I wouldn't say this is the best of the series, mainly because Vlad lived during the 1400s in eastern Europe and that's not a region or time period that most kids know much about. I'm an adult and I know virtually nothing about the history of eastern Europe. Vlad lived in the region that is Romania today.

The draw of this series is that all of the historical figures were wicked. Vlad's last name was Dracula and he was born in Transylvania, but he was not a vampire. He was however bloodthirsty in a metaphorical sense. He was famous for killing thousands of people by impaling them and putting their dead, impaled bodies on display. He is a historical figure in Romania and there are stone statues commemorating him today.

His history is the same as all rulers from the past. Conquest and defend. He was constantly captured, then freed. He made alliances, then broke them. Friends became foes. Foes became friends. The throne was captured. The throne was lost. He spent his entire life caught between two enemy empires. The Roman empire to the west and the Ottoman empire to the east. They were always wheeling and dealing, promising to help Vlad get back on the throne. Just a bunch of mean, self-interested warmongers.

I recommend this series, but this one probably won't hold kid's interest. This one's for the history buffs. The one that all kids will get into is the one about Hitler.… (altro)