Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite

Meg Marquardt's 12 Things to Know about The Iron Age is a brilliant resource that teaches children engaging facts that will push them to explore ancient ages throughout our history. From weapons to advancements to constant war, the Iron Age will have them seeing this age in an entirely new light and will instill a passion for history. Marquardt tackles a variety of subjects during the time that ranges from the era of empires to government development to complex architecture to new religions.

Take a journey into the Iron Age for an unforgettable lesson that begins by introducing children to the different times and places that the Age began, weaving through its beginnings in Europe around 450 BCE and beginnings in Greece around 1100 BCE. This incredible age saw the rise of amazing palaces and religions with stunning structures that can be still be found as ruins today. This age is named thanks to the use of iron for their weapons and tools so children will learn about the process of using iron and even see the use of iron in other places around the world. The facts woven throughout are a fun way for children to peek into this ancient world and see amazing creations and tools of the time such as surgical instruments found in a grave dating back to 43 CE. Children will see the vast changes the use of iron tools brought the people of the time which gave them better means for farming. This also introduces children to the Dark Age which began at the early part of the Iron Age when Greece collapsed at the end of the Bronze Age with no-one understanding why this occurred and will inspire young readers to draw their own conclusions.

Marquardt also focuses on the role of government and introduces children to a polis system and the true meaning of democracy. They will be able to get a detailed look at complex architecture, new religions, and the invention of money. One of the fascinating facts included gives a look at the various wonders of the age that will open conversations with children about the importance these structures provided - such as the mysterious Hanging Gardens, the temple of Artemis, and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. Parents will love the discussions this will spark with children as they learn amazing facts that include the rise of nomadic Persian tribes to an incredible empire in just a couple of centuries and abstract details such as the use of peat bogs for mummification. Meg Marquardt's 12 Things to Know about the Iron Age is a valuable resource that will educate children, spark discussion, and thrill parents at the new concepts in history their children will be learning.