Richard Paige — If only every idea that crossed your desk could be as whimsical.

Professor of History Stephen Morillo got an out-of-the-blue e-mail from a high school student named Greyson Beights, who asked if Morillo could write a 200-word description of the Battle of Hastings.

That whimsy eventually became Medieval Lego, a book that pairs real historians’ summaries of events like the Battle of Hastings, the chartering of Oxford University, and the signing of the Magna Carta with Lego bricks.

I don’t think there could there be a better way to make any subject appealing to children than to mix in Lego constructions.

Professor Morillo's contributions inside Medieval Lego.
Professor Morillo’s contributions can be found inside Medieval Lego.
“It’s an interesting, almost noble thought to make Medieval history interesting to kids by building Lego set pieces of famous battles or sieges,” Morillo said. “Greyson did it right. He got good builders and made good Lego constructions. He made it reliable and respectable by getting in touch with some big-name Medieval historians like Robert Bartlett and Steven Isaac.”

Two-hundred words on the Battle of Hastings. Would he do it?

“I’m thinking I could do that in my sleep,” said Morillo. “Sure, I’ll take part. So I sent him my stuff.”

Some 15 months later, a copy of Medieval Lego arrived in Morillo’s office. The finished product was impressive. Plus, the Battle of Hastings landed on the cover.

“It was a damn good idea,” Morillo said. “He makes some real connections here.”

I asked Morillo if this particular publication would leap to the top of his C.V. “Yes, I think it will,” he laughed. “It’s the most recent thing, so, of course, it goes right to the top.”