When you're used to dealing with the utterly unbelievable but true gruesome facts scattered throughout history, surely writing a terrifying fiction story should be easy, no?

Our Chapter Books of the week are a selection of new history titles from someone who has arguably done more to get kids involved with and engaged with historical subjects than any other author...

Hubble Bubble Toil and Trouble! There's something afoot as the world celebrates the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare's death.

"Horrible Histories" is a work of televisual genius, and we've loved watching episodes of the irreverent look at our past. But what of the books? Well despite Terry probably not liking it at all, we've been borrowing a few of the awesome "Horrible Histories" books from our local library and with Charlotte's interest in all things Tudor, what better place to start than a turbo-charged run through the Tudor lineage.

"Tudors - A High Speed History" is just that, a fantastic potted history of one of the most tempestuous periods in British history. Certainly if you don't know the details you'll know the characters as we get to know more about Henry VIII and his predecessors and successors, the rogueish piratical seafarer Sir Francis Drake, Queen Elizabeth the First and Mary Queen of Scots.

If you think today's royal family are a bit controversial for wearing the wrong dress to a "Do", they've truly got nothing on this horrible lot as the gory details are laid out for all to see. Kidnappings, beheadings, hangings, squishings (eek, being squished under a heavy door covered in rocks? What on earth...!)

Of course, Charlotte devoured this book with salacious glee. She has a bit of a soft spot for Henry VIII, alas. This does NOT bode well for later on in life, does it?

Fantastic stuff, full of fascinating facts and funny asides. Dave Smith's illustrations thankfully aren't TOO gory so even younger readers will get a kick out of those terrible terrible Tudors.

Charlotte's best bit: Elizabeth The First lovingly referring to Sir Francis Drake as "Ducky" :)

Daddy's Favourite bit: A superb high-speed look at a particularly horrible period of history, fascinating and fun to read