Dragon in the Castles, The

Eleven-year-old Gwen and Gruff – the Holiday Blog twins – have grandparents from both north and south Wales. They visit 20 of the castles of Wales with their parents, taking photographs of a Welsh Dragon cushion their gran has given them as evidence of their visit and producing a blog of their adventures, meeting amazing characters and learning about the significance of events in Welsh history. The grandparents and children's friends who receive the blog react to it, prompting reader response too.This is certainly no dry history text.



The Dragon in the Castles has wide appeal with its fresh approach and design, well researched factual sections, child-friendly historical introductions and well told stories; it has interactive commentary, colourful photographs, maps, graphics and illustrations, whilst the integral blog feature gives it a contemporary edge. On the journey, accounts of the castles and historical characters bring history to life and the natural storytelling grips the reader, with apt individuals literally opening the door and welcoming the family to each venue and what happened. If you want to know more about Welsh history, this is the book for you.



Myrddin ap Dafydd is a scholarly master storyteller whose passion is infectious as he involves the reader, giving this unique book a broader appeal than a straightforward information text. He knows his audience and provides a context they can relate to, encouraging curiosity and enquiry. As well as Welsh and local history there is a strong sense of belonging, of family history and friendship. The use of the distinctive Welsh Dragon cushion, made from a flag taken to a legendary Wales rugby victory, is a genius device, tying the more recent past with the present, as well as with events centuries ago.



The engaging photo story and graphics make it suitable for dipping into and for leisure reading as it reflects politics and people's lives in the past in a convincing way, with tension, adventure, tragedy, humour. Some features, such as expert content, vocabulary, sophisticated layout and a range of language styles may be challenging initially but these elements are also the strengths of The Dragon in the Castles. It is a must for the classroom where it meets the needs of teachers and pupils in sharing the story of Wales and promoting historical knowledge and understanding. Indeed, its potential is excellent across the curriculum. ~Lorna Herbert Egan @ www.gwales.com