Archers, Alchemists, and 98 Other Medieval Jobs You Might Have Loved or Loathed

Nikki Tate-Stratton writes children’s picture books and novels for
preteens. Her most recent novels are Jo’s Triumph, Raven’s Revenge,
and Tarragon Island. Her latest picture book is Grandparents’ Day.

By organizing this volume about the Middle Ages around the kinds of work
engaged in by different citizens, Priscilla Galloway has created a book
that is accessible, fascinating, and relevant to a contemporary
audience. Throughout, Galloway takes pains to relate statistics and
information of the period to contemporary examples that children will
easily recognize and understand. For example, in the section dealing
with population numbers, the author compares the size of some villages
to the size of an average classroom. Another nice touch is Galloway’s
recognition that Canadian children as well as Americans will read this
book. Comparing the Magna Carta to both the Canadian Charter of Rights
and Freedoms and the American Constitution when she discusses the
underlying beliefs of the time is a welcome nod to the Canadians in her
audience.

The book begins with a general introduction to the subject of the
Middle Ages, a timeline, and a brief description of the population and
the ways in which life then differed from life today. After describing
the general classes of citizens (nobles, clergy, specialists, and
peasants) Galloway touches on subjects like women in the Middle Ages,
education, and oaths of fealty.

The main body of the book is broken up into chapters, each of which
focuses on a particular category of jobs. Within each chapter, a general
introduction to a category of work is followed by a series of brief job
descriptions. For example, in the section called “Bread and Butter
Jobs,” the focus is on food, drink, and clothing. Specific jobs that
are profiled in this chapter include peasants, servants, millers,
spinners, blacksmiths, fishmongers, and drysalters. Additional
information is provided in sidebars, clearly identified by their
different background colours. In these breakout boxes, readers learn
about the impact of the heavy plow, the use of the suffix “-ster” to
indicate a woman’s job, the origins of common last names, guild
membership, and so on.

This basic structure is repeated for religious jobs, castle jobs,
artistic jobs, dirty jobs, and various others. The book concludes with a
list of recommended reading as well as a detailed index. Though the book
contains a great deal of fascinating information, the layout is open and
accessible, with delightful illustrations throughout by Martha
Newbigging. The conversational feel is never condescending and
effectively utilizes the second-person narrative voice to welcome the
child into a world that is very different from our own. Highly
recommended.