Ages 8 to 14 years. Known for their courage on the battlefield and as masters of the sea, the Vikings spread out from their native Scandinavia to Greenland, North Africa, parts of Central Asia, and even Canada. Despite the fact that their heyday was short-lived, the Vikings left behind fragments of a culture that still fascinate children and adults alike. This exciting new book shows children what Viking life was really like. Topics include: the raiding season: individual and community preparation, targets of raids; ship building, navigation, and life at sea daily life in the long house and the care of homesteads while the men were away; seasonal festivals and their feasts; rule by local chieftains; pagan myths and legends, such as the; Valkyries, and the arrival of Christianity.