LitPick Review
Isabella of Castile is one of history's most celebrated
princesses, but not because she sat on the sidelines during
the events of her time period. In fact, Isabella was anything
but the typical princess. She was blessed with a desire for
learning and an intellect that far surpassed her male
counterparts, and she had an independent personality. Rather
than let her brother select an appropriate husband for her,
Isabella married Ferdinand of Aragon by her own choosing. In
her later life, she ruled alongside her husband and became
active in the affairs of her country. One of her most famous
endeavors was funding Christopher Columbus's journey to
America. However, she was not always kind and gentle in her
rule of Spain, and killed thousands of people in her efforts
to secure total Catholicism. Despite this, Isabella of Castile
will always be remembered as the princess who spoke her mind
and made her own decisions no matter what the cost.
Opinion:
Isabella of Castile, by Shirin Bridges, is an excellent
wealth of information offered in a colorful and engaging
setting. Even though I was already familiar with the story of
Princess Isabella, I learned many new facts about her that I
had not known before, such as the story of her marriage to
Ferdinand of Aragon and her brutal assimilation to the
Catholic faith. The sections of the picture book that provide
general information on the time period are a useful way to
fully understand what life was like at the time Isabella
lived. This book takes new meaning to the term "picture book,"
as every page is decorated with a painting, illustration, or
photograph of items related to either Isabella or her time
period. I plan on passing this book on to many other readers,
both young and old, because of the rich detail encased in an
easy-to-read children's book.
KEYWORDS
Read more reviews by this Litpick Book Reviewer: TShu0911