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Children's Nonfiction Political

The Great and the Terrible

The World's Most Glorious and Notorious Rulers and How They Got Their Names

by (author) Joanne O'Sullivan

illustrated by Udayana Lugo

Publisher
Running Press
Initial publish date
Sep 2020
Category
Political, Ancient, Modern
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9780762496624
    Publish Date
    Sep 2020
    List Price
    $12.99
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9780762496617
    Publish Date
    Sep 2020
    List Price
    $22.99

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Where to buy it

Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels

  • Age: 8 to 12
  • Grade: 3 to 7
  • Reading age: 8 to 12

Description

This fun, quirky, and engaging fully illustrated history anthology features twenty-five amazing and terrifying rulers for middle grade readers to discover.
We've heard of Alexander the Great. We've heard of Ivan the Terrible. But what was so Great about Alexander? What was so Terrible about Ivan? Spanning centuries of history in a culturally diverse framework-from ancient India to nineteenth-century Hawaii, and with a balanced focus on notorious women rulers as well as male, The Great and the Terrible takes a humorous look at some of the most glorious and notorious figures in history through the lens of the nicknames they're remembered by.

While some of the characters mentioned here are more prominent in world history (Cyrus the Great introduced the world's first human rights charter), others are well known only within their own cultures. The Great and the Terrible gives middle-grade readers an opportunity to dip into the breadth of world history, sampling its cultural diversity and its stranger-than-fiction historical exploits, with a mix of the sensational and the serious. It helps to correct the imbalance in many history books that currently only focus on Western Civilization, shining the spotlight on achievements (and foibles) in many different cultures.

About the authors

Joanne O'Sullivan's profile page

Udayana Lugo is a self-taught illustrator of mixed heritage. She is passionate about representation and tries to portray people of different backgrounds and abilities in her work. She works both traditionally and digitally, with a strong preference for watercolors and pencils. She has illustrated more than fifteen books, including the picture books When You Meet a Dragon and Jungle Cat, which was commended as a 2023 CCBC Best Books for Kids and Teens. Udayana lives and works on the traditional, ancestral and unceded land of the Musqueam and Squamish Nations, also called Richmond, BC.

Udayana Lugo's profile page

Editorial Reviews

"This amusing, colorful anthology provides an overview of some of history's most beloved and most notorious rulers.... A strong addition to middle school libraries and nonfiction collections for youth."—School Library Journal

"Young people intrigued by the lives of historical figures will devour this."—Booklist

"Broad of scope and chock full of juicy role models and anti-models."—Kirkus Reviews

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