What it was Like in Ancient Benin

Combining the accessibility of a Hi-Lo Barrington Stoke title with a history curriculum topic that is making a comeback, makes this title on Ancient Benin a welcome addition to the ‘What was it like to be…’ series. With the publisher’s trademark yellow pages, simple font, well-spaced lines and pared-down language this title,this series brings history topics to a new audience by making it suitable for a wider range of readers. Despite not having photographs this book features black-and-white illustrations that bring the world of Ancient Benin to life. Unlike most non-fiction books it’s the size of the average fiction paperback but this does not mean that any of the quality or impact of the book is diminished. 

It’s divided into sections like any good non-fiction book but reads more as a fiction title, or faction (fact and fiction) if you will, which is refreshing. The sections cover themes such as introducing the Ancient Edo people who lived in Ancient Benin, daily life in Benin City, religion, food and farming, trade – including the slave trade, the eventual fall of the Benin Empire and the legacy it left behind. 

This is a great title for those in need of more accessible texts to support the curriculum and those looking for a different kind of format to broaden their understanding of a new topic. Other history topics covered by this series include the Vikings, Ancient Romans, Ancient Maya, Ancient Egyptians and Ancient Greeks.