Review of "Explore Within a Medieval Castle" by Justine Ciovacco

In days of yore there were castles! Each page of this full-size board book peels away a layer of the model of a medieval castle embedded in the center. First is the castle gate. Then you see the formidable walls and turrets. Next you start to see inside the walls, and so on until the child understands why castles were built in this fashion and how the people inside used them for defense and how they lived within them. The model is surprisingly detailed and the accompanying text is rich with facts about this era in history. Its a great way to put the stories about bold knights and damsels in distress into a true historical context without overwhelming the child with dry facts. A gem.