going a-viking

a few days ago i mentioned that we are reading Black Fox of Lorne by Marguerite de Angeli.  it’s a good enough book to warrant its own post!  earlier this year we read A Door in the Wall.  we certainly liked it, but this novel is more finely wrought (it’s also a bit more grizzly…you know–Vikings!).  we’re only half way through this story of Viking twins who sail with their family to the islands in the north of Scotland.  already the book has prompted many hours of play: dress up, (duct-tape!) tool-making, bardic poetry recitation, boat building.  with each new addition of gear or turn in the story, they call out, “now we’re real Vikings!”  we even ate some Viking food–Swedish meatballs!

we started on this novel during our Christmas break because our Story of the World readings were going to be all out the Viking invasions.  we have happily colored the pages from the SOTW study guides showing a Viking out at sea in a long boat.  i think it’s supposed to be Eric the Red, but we say it’s Harold Redbeard from the novel!  he even wears a talisman like Harold!  we’ve also read the Eyewitness Viking book and Favorite Norse Myths by Mary Pope Osborne.  both are great resources for your explorers.