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What It Was Like to be …
What It Was Like to be … (Book 6)
- Author
- David Long
- Narrator
- Mark Oosterveen
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date
- 9 April 2026
- Run Time
- 1 hour 1 minute
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
Step into the world of the ancient Kingdom of Benin and explore its captivating history, culture and legacy with Blue Peter Award winning author David Long.
Under the rule of the Oba, the Kingdom of Benin was one of the richest and most powerful in West Africa. Behind a network of massive walls, its vibrant capital city boasted the Oba's impressive palace, filled with intricate artworks, while the Edo people worked as skilled artisans, formidable hunters and talented traders. Yet as European influence began to grow, so did the challenges that faced the Benin kingdom.
From the omnipotent power of their warrior-kings to the devastating impact of the slave trade, David Long unearths the remarkable stories of daily life, trade, and the unique culture of the Edo people.
Critics Review
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"An expert in distilling complex stories from the past into an informative and entertaining format for young readers, Long skilfully explains everything about this land of warrior kings in a fact-packed and accessible introduction to a famous ancient civilisation … With all the intriguing facts about the people and their world brought to vivid life by Stefano Tambellini’s rich artwork, and published in Barrington Stoke’s trademark dyslexia-friendly format, this is a top class series from a dynamic writing and illustration duo." – Burnley Express
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"Combining the accessibility of a Hi-Lo Barrington Stoke title with a history curriculum topic that is making a comeback, makes this title on Ancient Benin a welcome addition to the What was it like to be… series… It’s divided into sections like any good non-fiction book but reads more as a fiction title, or faction (fact and fiction) if you will, which is refreshing…This is a great title for those in need of more accessible texts to support the curriculum and those looking for a different kind of format to broaden their understanding of a new topic. – Books for Keeps
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"For schools that teach topics on Benin, this is an absolute must-have to complement the learning but this will also be enjoyed by anyone in Year 4 upwards who is interested in history, in class or at home, and with its short chapters and plentiful illustrations will be accessible to many." — Mrs Sydney's Famous World's Smallest Library, blog
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Details
- Author
- David Long
- Narrator
- Mark Oosterveen
- Duration
- 1 hour 1 minute
- Release Date
- 9 April 2026
- ISBN
- 9780008801342
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Genre
- Children’s / Teenage fiction and true stories, Children’s / Teenage general interest: History and the past, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Ancient religions, Mythology and legends
Synopsis
Step into the world of the ancient Kingdom of Benin and explore its captivating history, culture and legacy with Blue Peter Award winning author David Long. Under the rule of the Oba, the Kingdom of Benin was one of the richest and most powerful in West Africa. Behind a network of massive walls, its vibrant capital city boasted the Oba's impressive palace, filled with intricate artworks, while the Edo people worked as skilled artisans, formidable hunters and talented traders. Yet as European influence began to grow, so did the challenges that faced the Benin kingdom. From the omnipotent power of their warrior-kings to the devastating impact of the slave trade, David Long unearths the remarkable stories of daily life, trade, and the unique culture of the Edo people.
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