The first Queen of England, Mary Tudor believed fervently that Catholicism should be the religion of the land, leading her to burn at the stake hundreds of Protestants. Was she just a ruler of her times, or did she deserve the name, Blood Mary?
Mary Tudor: Bloody Mary by Gretchen Maurer
Mary Tudor: Bloody Mary by Gretchen Maurer and illustrated by Peter Malone is part of The Thinking Girl’s Treasury of Dastardly Dames and is fun non-fiction recommended for girls aged between 9-13 years of age.
Other titles in the series include: Catherine de Medicii: ‘The Black Queen’, Marie Antoinette: ‘Madame Deficit’ and Cleopatra: ‘Serpent of the Nile’.
Being an educator myself, I am passionate about getting our children thinking critically and this book is the perfect vehicle. The narrative is engrossing and complimented by wonderfully vivid illustrations that bring the world of Mary Tudor to life in exquisite detail.
As soon as the book arrived, my seven-year-old daughter picked it up and started reading – a good sign. She found the main story engaging and also enjoyed the inclusion of extra facts about what Mary ate, played and wore. The visual aspect of the book was also highly appealing.
The illustrations don’t only compliment the text they provide additional information about important locations and other Tudor personalities. Readers are left to make up their own mind about whether Mary Tudor deserves to be remembered as Bloody Mary.
Maurer clearly did her research and I have no doubt that most children will be left yearning to learn more about the Tudors and their way of life.
I want my children to read stories that get them thinking and asking questions and this book does just that. It would make a wonderful gift for a budding Tudor enthusiast and/or a great addition to a school library.
Highly recommended!
Read my interview with Gretchen Maurer here.
I would love to be given the chance of winning the valentines day book giveaway, as it looks amazing! I am a huge reader of historical fiction and adore Anne Boleyn and love to read anything that is related to Tudor history.
I would be so greatful if i could be entered into this competition. xxx
email: lfountain1@hotmail.co.uk
I just don’t like the fact that all those people had to be burned, etc, because of their religious beliefs, I just cannot bring myself to understand how they thought back then, as it was not only Mary who did this, Thomas Moore had, as well as others….
Sounds like a great book to get youngsters interested in this fascinating period of history
This sounds like a great addition to our homeschool curriculum next year when we are learning about the Middle Ages =) Thanks for sharing with us.