Review Detail

LEGO continues its tried and true tactic of combining real world pictures and period art with their cell-shaded cartoon figures, rendering an engaging blend of education and entertainment.

Did you know that the winner of a joust was often allowed to take the loser’s horse? Or that a knight directed his horse by using just his legs? That’s just the tip of the medieval factoid iceberg in this 64 page dive into history.

Completely true to its title, the first 31 pages are dedicated to Knights. From who could become a knight and how, to the nuances of their armor, to the games they played to keep their skills sharp. The second half of the book is then focused entirely on castles. (European castles are of course the logical knight accompaniment, but the glossary at the back does picture and acknowledge castles from Japan, Jordan, and Disney Land.)

While the information is well broken up with colorful comments, comics, and commentary, younger readers may find it a somewhat dense read at times. (My 6 and 7-year-old’s attention fluctuated throughout, and so it took us 4 separate sessions to finish it.) But all in all, a lot of great information—most of which was well retained.

While this may not be quite what a LEGO NEXO Knights fan was hoping for, this should still be a solid choice for kids who are already interested in the subject material. Even parents stand a chance of picking up a few things they may not have known!