Award-winning author Richard Platt brings Ancient Rome into focus for primary school-aged readers in Roman Diary: The Journal of Iliona of Mytilini (Walker Books, 2009). Based on fact, this fictional story presents details of the lifestyle and culture in Rome in AD107.
Roman Diary - Summary
Through her diary entries, readers follow the young Greek girl Iliona as she boards a ship with her parents and younger brother Apollo bound for Alexandria in Egypt. Disaster strikes when the ship is captured by pirates. Now orphans, Iliona and Apollo are taken to Rome, where they are sold as slaves, purchased by a Roman senator to work as house servants. Through Iliona's diary entries about her work for the family, readers learn about everyday Roman life, education, the senate, life in the city and on a Roman farm, the military and gladiators, language and the class structure that underpinned Roman society.
Iliona is constantly learning new things about life in Rome and she shares these in her diary, also discussing the struggles of her everyday life as a slave, her distress at being separated from her brother and her growing affection for her master Gaius Martius and his family.
Diary entries are accompanied by engaging coloured illustrations by David Parkins which complement the tone and style of the book well, enhancing the details offered by the text.
Information about Ancient Rome for Children
Roman Diary is a wonderful example of how a history can be made interesting and entertaining for young readers. Filled with fascinating details about a variety of aspects of ancient Roman life, the central character of Iliona the slave girl helps readers to connect with a community and lifestyle so different to their own. Iliona’s diary entries give a very personal feel to the stories shared, taking the book far from the realm of dry history texts and offering an excellent blend of information and entertainment.
Not all aspects of Ancient Roman life are suitable for young readers and Platt manages to include some potentially difficult topics, such as pirates and slavery, while keeping the content appropriate for a younger audience.
Roman Diary includes several pages of notes for the reader featuring general information about different aspects of Ancient Roman life including The Army, Sports and Games, Religion and Technology. A glossary and index allow the book to function as a children’s reference book as well as an enjoyable and interesting fiction based on fact story.
Author Richard Platt
British writer Richard Platt has published more than 90 books, many of which are illustrated information books for children. He is the author of the award winning Pirate Diary and Castle Diary. His first publishing success story was Incredible Cross-Sections, a collaboration with illustrator Stephen Biesty which has sold more than 1 million copies.
Richard Platt’s website includes details of his writing career, published titles and information about upcoming events including lectures and workshops.
Ancient Roman Adventure for Children
With a fascinating cast of characters from pirates to senators and servants to soldiers, Roman Diary brings a fascinating period of history to life for readers aged 7 – 10 years. Filled with interesting facts, this informative, fiction-based-on-fact illustrated book offers an interesting and accessible introduction to Ancient Roman life for younger readers.
Review copy details
- Roman Diary (ISBN: 978-1-84428-737-6, 64 pages)
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