The Buried City of Pompeii
Reviewed by Debbie Booth-Johnson, Instructor

The Buried City of Pompeii uses a combination of historical fiction and factual descriptions, photographs and drawings to bring this lost city to life. The book is divided into two sections; the first part is historical fiction describing events on the day that Vesuvius erupted as seen through the eyes of one man. He was the main servant for a wealthy family who owned the largest villa so far uncovered at the site of Pompeii. It describes the scene: first the hot ash and pumice rains down on the city continuing for about 12 hours, and then the final flow of ash and mud buries the city completely. The author provides drawings and written images of the citizens of Pompeii as they struggle with the horrific events of August 24, 79 AD.

The second part or Epilogue describes the history of Pompeii from the time of the eruption to its initial discovery by treasure seekers in 1772. The book explains its development as an archaeological site beginning in 1860 through to the present day. About 2,000,000 visitors a year tour the ruins of the once beautiful Roman city of Pompeii.

This is a fascinating story that many students are unfamiliar with. It is presented in an accessible text and picture format. The print is large and the accompanying photos are well explained. Sometimes the Roman names are a bit difficult, but there is a glossary to help explain them. Students can enjoy the historical fiction as well as the factual descriptions of the ancient materials and human remains that have been uncovered over the years at this site.

One student thought all the pictures and drawings were excellent. She enjoyed it so much that she decided to read it orally with her daughter so they could learn together. Another student called the story "amazing... I didn't know much about ancient Roman culture, but now I do." This book would be a welcome addition to any literacy classroom library.