Reviews for Letterbox: The Art & History of Letters

The average rating for Letterbox: The Art & History of Letters based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2012-09-03 00:00:00 Brian Lee Footprints in Time: A Journey through the History of Barking and Dagenham. Author: Gillian Gillespie The book I have reviewed is based on the local history of Barking and Dagenham and was chosen for its simplicity and wide range of historical eras that are easily amalgamated to national and world history. The book is a 38 page illustrative journey through history of the borough starting from the Neolithic period leading up to modern day. The book explores many critical eras that are taught in primary school such as the Romans, Saxons, Normans, medieval, world war one and two amongst others. Many important people are also mentioned as well as a short introduction to these people. The layout of the book is loosely based on a comic strip and is easy to understand with easy to follow illustrations. The book has good character based pictures and would hold the interest of an audience who are visual learners. The book is a good introduction to many historical subjects but is by no means a detailed picture of the eras it covers. This literature has excellent information and fascinating sites as well as facts about the local geographical make up. This would help encourage participation in the subject by showing how their community is included in history. One last thing to mention is the simple summary of the book detailed in the time line at the end which can be used for future lessons. I found that this book has the potential to inspire not only local children but also future lessons as well as possible day trips. The language used and the detail given would suit those in key stage two.

Review # 2 was written on 2015-12-14 00:00:00 Shannon Smith On the day that the vote on the Scotland issue is being taken, what an appropriate time to read a book about a Scottish King who became King of England but who was hated by the English and who felt himself to be in a foreign country! James, who as James VI had ruled Scotland for 36 years, having been crowned when he was only one was not a well-liked King when he moved south of the border to become the first of the Stuart dynasty. The author informs us, 'He had journeyed from a very poor. troubled country through rich peaceful England, where farms flourished on every side, to the prosperous City of London. He had never imagined such wealth; it was for James a rich inheritance indeed.' In addition he fuelled the religious debate regarding Catholics and Protestants. He was disliked so much that plotters, a group of Catholic gentlemen, set about finding a way in which to get rid of him. The leader was Robert Catesby and one of his cohorts was a certain Guido, known as Guy, Fawkes. They rented a cellar underneath the House of Lords and they piled barrels of gunpowder in it. Fawkes was the man who would set it all off when the House was opened once again. It was scheduled for 7 February, then put back to 3 October and finally moved to 5 November; imagine we could have been having bonfire night on either of those earlier dates; how unreal would that seem now we are accustomed to 5 November! But by the time the due date arrived, word of the plot had been leaked and thus Fawkes was caught in the act, or more accurately, just before the act. The plot had failed. The other conspirators were tracked down once Fawkes was forced to talk and, after a fierce fight, in which Catesby was killed, the others were captured and subsequently executed. The exception was Francis Tresham who was sent to the Tower where he later died, many said of poisoning. So the unpopular James continued to work for the union of the two countries and ruled until his death in 1626. How much longer the union will last we know not as we await the result of the referendum shortly. James VI of Scotland James I of England will no doubt be wondering and possibly, depending on the result, turning in his grave! As usual these Ladybird books are jolly good reads and most informative for there is plenty of other background to the events of the early 17th century within the covers of this entertaining book.