The Hawk of the Castle: A Story of Medieval Falconry

By Danna Smith

Book Overview

Gentle verse and sweeping, majestic artwork set imaginations soaring in a handsome and illuminating ode to the ancient art of falconry. Join a young girl and her father, the falconer at a medieval castle, as they experience the joys of taking a goshawk out for a training flight. The girl leads readers through all the preparations and equipment needed for the flight -- from the hawk's hood and bells to the falconer's gloves -- culminating in a dramatic demonstration of the hawk's hunting skill. Bagram Ibatoulline's masterful illustrations capture the vivid details and beauty of a day spent hawking, while Danna Smith's poetic storytelling will make readers long to experience the art and sport of falconry firsthand.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0763679925
• ISBN13: 9780763679927
• Release Date: April 2017
• Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA)
• Length: 40 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 9.9" x 11.4"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

Excellent Book written in a poetic form

This book has beautiful illustrations, and has options for a short version of reading and a longer version. The short version would just be to read the verses of the poem on each page, but most pages also have (in non-poetic form) a short explanation in a separate box that tired parents may or may not choose to skip of some of the terms used, and useful educating information about the tools of falconry. It is just long enough to teach children about falconry and to give them a peak into what things might have looked like in medieval times, but not so long that it loses them. A favorite book in this house being beautiful, educating, and enjoyable to read.