Synopsis
Covers Ancient Greece through the end of Classical Greece, detailing everyday life and more. Includes craft projects such as making a temple with columns, a theater mask of Medusa, and writing your name using the Greek alphabet.
Cara Mulcahy - Children's Literature
One of the books in the "Craft Topic" series, this volume is informative, interactive and visually stimulating. As the title suggests, the focus of this book is early Greek civilization. Going back to 800 B.C. and the end of the Dark Ages, the author provides a historical account of how Greek civilization emerged. In combination with a beautifully illustrated political map of the time, Wright's text briefly informs readers of the timeline of events which lead to Greece's rise to prominence. From here the book develops into a wonderfully informative text discussing various aspects of Greek life during the Classical Period. As readers journey through this book they learn about the people of the time, how they made a living, the crafts they created, the architectural structures they built, the homes in which they lived, and how they were educated. We also learn about Greek pastimes and religious beliefs. Wright introduces readers to Greek gods and goddesses, explaining how the myths were created. She also discusses ways in which the Greeks enjoyed their free time through music, theatre and athletics. Wright, on several occasions, addresses the treatment of women and slaves as second class citizens, which could lend itself to a great class discussion. The colorful and carefully placed visuals allow us to better picture their clothes, food, games, musical instruments, and houses. Adding to the information presented, are the craft pages which show the reader how to recreate period artifacts: a Grecian vase, a temple building, Medusa's mask and a musical pipe. A wonderful addition to any social studies classroom, this book complete with table of contents, glossary, index, and additionalresources could be used as a reference book or as a text book for a unit on Greek civilization. 2005, Sea-To-Sea, Ages 9 to 12.