Romans

Children's Literature - Patrick Hunter

The book covers aspects of Roman life. It is made up of spreads focusing on one aspect of Roman life. The book starts with an overview of the Romans and where they lived in the world. The book covers government in the Roman Empire, the Roman Army, childhood, homes, entertainment, religion and myths, writing, town setup, and baths. The book also includes a short glossary of terms at the end and even a one page index. The best aspect of this book is that it provides an activity in each two page spread. The activity relates to the topic covered. For example, in the Letters and Numbers spread, the activity is making a wax tablet on which to write; another spread has the activity of creating a mosaic picture. Another good aspect of this book is the discussion on the layout and set-up of Roman towns, which were similar to our current town/city structure. Each topic spread contains photographs or images related to that topic. In some of the related activity suggestions, they show a child with the completed activity. Though the level is listed as Grades 3 and up, it is most appropriate for just Grades 3 to 5. The book is too easy for any grade level above that but is an excellent book for Grades 3 to 5, especially for a starting point for a lesson on the Romans or for reading independently. This nonfiction book is part of the "Starting History" series. Reviewer: Patrick Hunter