Castle Diary: The Journal of Tobias Burgess

Reach for this book when your child starts asking the 'gross' or practical questions about history that textbooks usually skip, like how people bathed or what they did for fun without screens. Written as the personal journal of an eleven-year-old page named Toby, this book demystifies the Middle Ages by focusing on the relatable, everyday experiences of a boy living away from home for the first time. It is an excellent choice for kids who find traditional history dry but love humor and insider secrets. While Toby deals with the nerves of a new job and the physical demands of castle life, the tone remains lighthearted and deeply curious. The diary format makes the information digestible for middle-grade readers, ages 8 to 12, balancing funny observations about hygiene and etiquette with the grandeur of jousts and feasts. It is a wonderful tool for building historical empathy, helping children realize that kids in the 13th century had the same feelings of embarrassment, pride, and wonder that they do today.