Roman Diary: The Journal Of Iliona Of Mytilini: Captured And Sold As A Slave In Rome - AD 107 Read Free Books and Download eBooks
Relive the drama of the Roman Empire through the eyes of a young Greek slave in this latest installment in an acclaimed historical series.Iliona never imagined that her sea voyage from Greece to Egypt would lead her to Rome. But when her ship is boarded by pirates, that’s where she ends up — as a slave. Separated from her brother, Apollo, Iliona is soon at the whim of her owners, and the chance of regaining freedom seems like a distant dream. But unlike her brother’s plight, Iliona’s life as a slave isn’t as bad as she feared: her new family provides clothing, food, and even schooling, and best of all, she is free to explore the wonders of Rome. Step back to AD 107 and take in the luxury of the baths, the splendor of the Senate, the thrill of gladiatorial combat, and the excesses of Roman feasts in a fictional diary full of excitement, humor, and accurate historical detail.
Lexile Measure: 940L (What's this?)
Hardcover: 64 pages
Publisher: Candlewick (May 12, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0763634808
ISBN-13: 978-0763634803
Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 0.5 x 13.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #927,275 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #87 in Books > Children's Books > Biographies > European #283 in Books > Children's Books > Literature & Fiction > Historical Fiction > Ancient Civilizations #586 in Books > Children's Books > Geography & Cultures > Explore the World > Europe
Age Range: 8 - 12 years
Grade Level: 3 - 7
The subtitle of this illustrated children's book is `The Journal of Iliona of Mytilini, Who Was Captured and Sold as a Slave in Rome, AD 107." The intended audience is pre-teen and, considering that, the book is rather daring. Roman slavery was not pretty--in fact, Roman society was not pretty--but the author resists the temptation to entirely gloss over the unpleasant bits. Iliona , a Greek girl of about twelve, and her little brother Apollo are purchased by a Roman senator and separated, Apollo being sent to the country villa to perform grueling farm labor, while Iliona is kept as a girl-of-all-work in the family's townhouse. Over the next months she experiences Rome's delights (the baths, a splendid triumphal procession) and its depravities. Taken to the arena, she is swept up by the excitement of gladiatorial combat, "but when the show ended, I felt ashamed." Taken to see a pantomime (a kind of Roman burlesque), "When some of the women in the cast took off their clothes, I covered my eyes." At home she is, momentarily, a victim of sexual abuse. The eldest son, a rough soldier, pinches her bottom and, when she protests, warns her, "...you are just a slave girl and I can do whatever I like." Strong stuff for a kid's book. Eventually, due to her pluck and good heart, Iliona wins freedom for herself and her brother--although `freedom' in a Roman context means that they are still bound by duty to their former owner. Young readers will learn a great deal about Roman daily life both from the text and from the superb illustrations. An appendix offers additional information on the Roman army, technology, religion, and other matters.
I absolutely LOVED this book. It was realistic (e.g. the girl's parents getting killed and she sold into slavery) but just when it's about to get too heavy, the story switches focus. It reminded me a little of the American Girls historical fiction series in that respect. Very realistic and dealing with actual historical issues, but still palatable. I read it to my 6 year old daughter and we read the entire thing in one sitting because it was so captivating, and I felt that the issues were appropriate. I personally learned a lot about Roman culture from reading it. Well done - if this is part of a series I'm going to buy all of them!
This book is part of our homeschool curriculum from Sonlight.com (which we love!) and it's a wonderful change of pace of typical history texts. My 7 yro daughter loves reading about this time period from the main character's (a pre-teen girl) point of view. The illustrations are fabulous - and overall I find it a wonderful addition to our history studies. So glad it was part of the package. My children are ages 7 and 9 and both are great readers and could read it on their own - however I read it to them as part of our studies.
This book was a great price, so I thought it would be small and OK. But when I received it I was very impressed with it's large size (I ordered the hardcover) and nice cover, totally worth the extra $. Great illustrations, my 5 year old is enthralled, and doesn't even realize she's learning history. We love it so far!
I purchased this book for my eight year old little girl and I highly recommend this product. The book is very well done with lively illustrations and a good story line which will captivate children's attention and provide a quick overview of life in Ancient Rome.
This is a good book, has a lot to be taken in. I highly recommend reading it with your child as it will be digested better if you review and explain more about the culture as you read. WRitten from the perspective of a young slave girl, it gives a child's point of view of the times and does not sugar coat things. If you are protecting your child from reading anything slightly gory or difficult, this book is not for you. I thought it did a great job of teaching about the times, but think it is best read with your child.
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