Antonia Barber

Advantages: A wonderful Children's Story; excellent narrative and captivating pictures.
Disadvantages: None at all....except I didn't want it to end!

...I have just re-read a book that was recommended to me by a friend who has just started work as a primary school teacher. She said her class had been captivated by it and I remembered how much of a favourite it had been at storytime in the Library. I'd forgotten just how lovely it was ~ a charming story with stunning illustrations! What is this marvellous children's book? ~ The Mousehole Cat written by Antonia Barber and illustrated by Nicola Bayley of course! ~~~THE AWARDS. It's not just me and my friend's class who loved this book! It was written in 1990 and went on to win the British Book Award in the Illustrated Children's Book of the Year category. It also got the prize for a Children's Book in the British Design Production Awards. It has been shortlisted for the Smarties Prize, the Children's Book Award and the Kate Greenaway... Read review

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Advantages: Amazingly rich in detail, easily accessible
Disadvantages: Ever so slightly Henry dominated

...This has to be one of the best biographies I've ever read on Henry VIII's wives. Antonia Fraser takes them out of their conventional stereotypes and re-creates them for a new generation of readers as individual women in their own right. The language is easily accessible to all who care to pick up the book and read it, and is rich is descriptions of the times in which these women lived. The book explores the women's personalities, as well as their relationship with Bluff King Hal himself, who does dominate the book somewhat, but that is to be expected considering the position the King held in the lives of his courtiers, and especially his wives. You won't find a better review of these women's lives collectively anywhere else. I could not recommend this book more strongly... Read review

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Advantages: Very well-researched
Disadvantages: None

...History books do nothing for me, but I do like a good biography. That is why I love this book. Antonia Fraser's style of writing makes you forget that this is a historical biography. If I have to admit to liking some history then, apart from ancient Egypt and Rome, there is little else that interests me except Tudor England. This book is a classic. Each queen is dealt with sympathetically. There was much politics involved when it came to marrying off a king, especially one with Henry's temperament. No woman in her right mind would say know when the King decided he wanted to marry her. The woman's views counted for nothing when there was her whole family to think about. Fall foul of the King and everyone suffered, as some found out when their sister/niece/daughter the queen fell out of favour with her husband. This is a very... Read review

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