I am such a fan of homeschool product and curriculum providers who do things beautifully and well, providing quality materials for us and our students to learn from and enjoy. Cathy Diez-Luckie's Famous Figures of Medieval Times is a resource that fits all of the above qualifications; at once educational and beautiful, it is put together of quality binding and has a lovely presentation. The book is recommended for ages 6 to 12, and I'd definitely agree with that recommendation; the figures appeal to a wide range.

I was first made aware of Cathy's Famous Figures books when I was perusing the vendor hall at a local homeschooling convention, and I was immediately drawn to her booth by what was obviously a quality product. Cathy was there, helpfully answering questions and demonstrating her other products, Famous Figures of Ancient Times, Famous Figures of the American Revolution, and Dinosaurs on the Move. In addition to her books, she provides the correct-sized hole punch you'll need as well as paper fasteners to do the projects right. Consider purchasing them from her to save yourself the headache of trying to find just the right one.

Famous Figures of Medieval Times features movable paper figures to cut, color, and assemble, or you can use the already colored figures, which is a great option for the littlest ones in your homeschool or for those kids who aren't super fond of craft projects. Each figure is presented on heavy grade card stock, so these figures can take a bit of abuse. Expect them to be played with; the movable parts joined by paper fasteners make them a lot of fun to use.

There are detailed biographies with facts about each figure, including Justinian I, Theodora, Charlemagne, Leif Eriksson, William the Conqueror, Richard the Lionheart, Genghis Khan, Francis of Assisi, Marco Polo, and Joan of Arc. Each page of figures includes not only the figure itself, but little artifacts that are appropriate to each: a challis for Theodora, a sword for Charlemagne, a sword and shield for Leif Eriksson, a shield for William the Conqueror (dressed in his chain maille), armor for Richard the Lionheart, a falcon and sword for Genghis Khan, several small birds for Francis of Assisi, and Marco Polo's golden tablet (given to him by Kublai Khan). Cathy has even included a companion reading list for read-alouds and independent readers.

If you are looking for a high-quality craft to augment your study of medieval history for your middle set, you'll be hard-pressed to find something as relevant and lovely as Famous Figures of Medieval Times. Cathy Diez-Luckie's books are well worth owning.

Product review by Kendra Fletcher, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, June 2011