Viking Booklist
World History > High Middle Ages > Vikings (790-1100 CE)
The Vikings were seafaring Norse people from southern Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden) who lived in Northern Europe during the Middle Ages. The Vikings played a major role in Northern Europe during the Middle Ages, especially during the Viking Age which was from 790-1100 CE. Viking raided, pirated, traded and settled throughout parts of Europe. They explored both westward to England, Iceland, Greenland, and Vinland as well as eastward and southward through Russia to Constantinople, Iran, and Arabia. In the countries they raided and settled, the period is known as the Viking Age, and the term 'Viking' also commonly includes the inhabitants of the Norse homelands. The Vikings had a profound impact on the early medieval history of Scandinavia, the British Isles, France, Estonia, and Kievan Rus'. The word Viking actually means "to raid" in Old Norse.
The events of 1066 in England effectively marked the end of the Viking Age. By that time, all of the Scandinavian kingdoms were Christian, and what remained of Viking “culture” was being absorbed into the culture of Christian Europe.
Book recommendations pertaining to the Vikings.
| Book Title | Author | PubDate | Reading Age | Time Period | Time Frame | Geographic Area | Country | Topic | Genre | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Way of the Waves | Ramirez, Janina | 2019 | UMG YA | High Middle Ages | 790-1100 | Scandinavia | Norway | Vikings | M | CB |
| A Child's Introduction to Norse Mythology | Alexander, Heather | 2018 | LE MG | High Middle Ages | 790-1100 | Scandinavia | Norway | Vikings | M | PB |
| D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths | D'Aulaire, Ingri and Edgar | 2005 | LE MG | High Middle Ages | 790-1100 | Scandinavia | Norway | Vikings | M | PB |
| The Saga of Erik the Viking | Jones, Terry | 1983 | UMG YA | High Middle Ages | 790-1100 | Scandinavia | Norway | Vikings | M | N |
| Norse Mythology | Gaiman, Neil | 2017 | YA A | High Middle Ages | 790-1100 | Scandinavia | Norway | Vikings | M | N |
| Riddle of the Runes | Ramirez, Janina | 2018 | UMG YA | High Middle Ages | 790-1100 | Scandinavia | Norway | Vikings | M | CB |
| Guts & Glory: The Vikings | Thompson, Ben | 2016 | UMG | High Middle Ages | 793-1066 | Scandinavia | Norway | Vikings | NF | CB |
| Life as a Viking: An Interactive History Adventure | Lassieur, Allison | 2010 | MG | High Middle Ages | 793-1066 | Scandinavia | Norway | Vikings | NF | CB |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be a Viking Explorer | Langley, Andrew | 2001 | LE MG | High Middle Ages | 800 | Scandinavia North America | Norway | Vikings | NF | PB |
| Odd and the Frost Giants | Gaiman, Neil | 2008 | MG | High Middle Ages | 800 | Scandinavia | Norway | Vikings | F M | PB CB |
| Arthur and the Golden Rope | Todd-Stanton, Joe | 2020 | LE MG | High Middle Ages | 800 | Scandinavia | Iceland | Vikings | M F | PB GN |
| The Last Kingdom | Cornwell, Bernard | 2004 | A | High Middle Ages | 867-876 | Europe | Great Britain | Saxon Stories Vikings | F | N |
| The Pale Horseman | Cornwell, Bernard | 2005 | A | High Middle Ages | 876-878 | Europe | Great Britain | Saxon Stories Vikings | F | N |
| The Lords of the North | Cornwell, Bernard | 2006 | A | High Middle Ages | 878-881 | Europe | Great Britain | Saxon Stories Vikings | F | N |
| Sword Song | Cornwell, Bernard | 2007 | A | High Middle Ages | 886 | Europe | Great Britain | Saxon Stories Vikings | F | N |
| The Burning Land | Cornwell, Bernard | 2009 | A | High Middle Ages | 886 | Europe | Great Britain | Saxon Stories Vikings | F | N |
| Death of Kings | Cornwell, Bernard | 2011 | A | High Middle Ages | 899-902 | Europe | Great Britain | Saxon Stories Vikings | F | N |
| The Pagan Lord | Cornwell, Bernard | 2013 | A | High Middle Ages | 909-910 | Europe | Great Britain | Saxon Stories Vikings | F | N |
| The Empty Throne | Cornwell, Bernard | 2014 | A | High Middle Ages | 911 | Europe | Great Britain | Saxon Stories Vikings | F | N |
| Warriors of the Storm | Cornwell, Bernard | 2015 | A | High Middle Ages | 917 | Europe | Great Britain | Saxon Stories Vikings | F | N |
| The Flame Bearer | Cornwell, Bernard | 2017 | A | High Middle Ages | 918 | Europe | Great Britain | Saxon Stories Vikings | F | N |
| War of the Wolf | Cornwell, Bernard | 2018 | A | High Middle Ages | 920 | Europe | Great Britain | Saxon Stories Vikings | F | N |
| Sword of Kings | Cornwell, Bernard | 2019 | A | High Middle Ages | 924 | Europe | Great Britain | Saxon Stories Vikings | F | N |
| War Lord | Cornwell, Bernard | 2020 | A | High Middle Ages | 937 | Europe | Great Britain | Saxon Stories Vikings | F | N |
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| Reading Age | Genre | Format |
| LE = lower elementary MG = middle grade (8-12 yrs.) UMG = upper-middle grade (11-14 yrs.) YA = young adult (14+) A = adult (18+) |
NF - non fiction F = fiction Bio = biography HF = historical fantasy AH = alternate history OV - own voices M = mythology S = spine book |
PB = picture book GN = graphic novel ER = early reader CB = chapter book B = book (NF) N = novel M = memoir |