The Thrifty Guide to Ancient Rome

by Jonathan W. Stokes, David Sossella (Illustrator)

Overview

From the publishing house that brought you the Who Was? books comes the next big series to make history approachable, engaging, and funny!

The Thrifty Guide to Ancient Rome contains information vital to the sensible time traveler:

   • Where can I find a decent hotel room in ancient Rome for under five sesterces a day? Is horse parking included?
   • What do I do if I’m attacked by barbarians?
   • What are my legal options if I’m fed to the lions at the Colosseum?
 
All this is answered and more. There is handy advice on finding the best picnicking spots to watch Julius Caesar’s assassination at the Roman Forum in 44 BC, as well as helpful real estate tips to profit from the great Roman fire of AD 64. There are even useful recommendations on which famous historical figures to meet for lunch, and a few nifty pointers on how to avoid being poisoned, beheaded, or torn apart by an angry mob.
 
If you had a time travel machine and could take a vacation anywhere in history, this is the only guidebook you would need!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780451479600
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	01/30/2018
Series:	The Thrifty Guides , #1
Pages:	144
Sales rank:	785,895
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Jonathan Stokes (www.jonathanwstokes.com) is a former teacher who is now a rising star as a Hollywood screenwriter. He has written screenplays on assignment for Warner Brothers, Universal, Fox, Paramount, New Line, and Sony/Columbia. Inspired by a childhood love of The Goonies and Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Jonathan wrote his first novel, Addison Cooke and the Treasure of the Incas, published by Philomel in 2016. Raised in Connecticut, he currently resides in Los Angeles, where he can be found showing off his incredible taste in dishware and impressive 96% accuracy with high fives.

David Sossella graduated with honours in painting at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Venice. Since 2006, he's been illustrator and head of graphics for the largest animation studio in Italy taking the role of illustrator and head of graphics.

Editorial Reviews

"A very funny tour of Rome’s bloody and tumultuous past."—Publishers Weekly

"An entertaining introduction to ancient Rome with kid-friendly humor that may make those convinced that history is boring reconsider."—Kirkus Reviews

"Easy to read, will engage reluctant readers of history, and spur discussions."—School Library Connection

"A unique presentation that’s written casually and feels more approachable than a litany of facts. Fans of the 'You Wouldn’t Want to Be a…' series looking for something just a tad more sophisticated will find a lot to love."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

2017-10-30
Published by Time Corp in the year 2163, this guidebook contains all the vital information needed for the intrepid traveler wishing to go back 2,100 years and partake of gladiatorial matches, Roman legions battling barbarian hordes, and a fight to the death between two captive armies at the Circus Maximus. Depending on which Time Corp package is chosen, one can watch Cicero's head get chopped off and displayed in the Forum or enjoy a weekend retreat in Pompeii before seeing it incinerated by a volcano. Accommodations are rated on availability of such amenities as horse parking and bales of hay for donkeys. Crassus, Hannibal, and Spartacus are recommended as interesting lunch companions. The best vantage points for witnessing Julius Caesar's assassination are cited. There is practical advice on how to avoid being poisoned, beheaded, or torn apart by an angry mob. Factual information embedded in the jokey fictional narrative, often in sidebars, offers some interesting insights into the culture, economics, fashion, history, law, and politics of ancient Rome, but most of the information imparted tends toward the sensational. Among the historical figures introduced are Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Mark Antony, and Pompey. Amplifying the conceit are ratings pages for the various attractions and accommodations; the Vesuvius Inn does not accept food for barter but does accept plunder, while reviewers of the Coliseum complain of insufficient violence.An entertaining introduction to ancient Rome with kid-friendly humor that may make those convinced that history is boring reconsider. (bibliography) (Fiction. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews