I Was There: The Buried City of Pompeii
Grade 4-7?Almost 2000 years ago, a modern, prosperous Roman city was lost forever, buried in lava and ash when Mt. Vesuvius erupted without warning. Although stories about Pompeii were told for hundreds of years after the city was abandoned, the first archaeological excavations did not begin until 1748. Many mysteries remain even as the work continues today. Tanaka brings Eros, the caretaker on a wealthy family's estate, back to life with a story that combines a lot of fact with a little educated fiction. Colorful photographs of modern Pompeii mix with illustrations, paintings, maps, and text to describe what one man might have been doing on that fateful day. The "I Was There" format makes it sometimes difficult to separate fact from fiction. Sidebars, insets, and full-page digressions enrich the information provided and fill in details about life in Pompeii, but also disrupt the flow of the main story. Information about ancient graffiti and the hollow molds left when the victims' bodies disintegrated will appeal to young readers. Tanaka concludes with a comment about Vesuvius's modern activity and the observation that another major eruption is long overdue. A final look at the continuing work fails to mention the damage that results from the two million tourists who visit the ancient city each year. In spite of its flaws, this book will be useful in most collections.?Jeanette Larson, Texas State Library, AustinCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.