Alexander the Great Rocks the World (Darby Creek Publishing) (Hardcover)

~ Vicky Alvear Shecter (Author), Terry Naughton (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8–While Shecter's smart-aleck tone, reflected in the sometimes comic nature of Naughton's illustrations, is perhaps the first thing one notices, the author's research is also apparent. She covers not only the major aspects of Alexander's life, but also brings in material on the broader aspects of life during the fourth century B.C.E. Shecter carefully notes the disagreements of scholars in interpreting Alexander's life and even in ascertaining exactly what happened on certain occasions. She almost gleefully recounts the struggles between Philip II and Olympias, whom she calls the limping, one-eyed king and a snake-handlin' mama. Alexander's insistence on mingling with and respecting various cultures, as well as his respect for women, his courage, and his generosity, are laid alongside his emphasis on his own divinity, the bloodiness of his battles, and episodes of arrogance. Quotations from Alexander and other prominent Greeks appear throughout the book. Whether one enjoys Shecter's flippant narrative style is a matter of taste, but her biography is sound, even if one wishes she had not referred to Macedon as a city or to priests slapp[ing] themselves silly as their temple burned on the day of Alexander's birth. Naughton's profuse illustrations range from full-page to quite small. For the intended audience, the book's comic tone will undoubtedly be a draw and perhaps lead students otherwise interested only in the present to take a look into the past. Both endnotes and bibliography are lengthy and helpful.–Coop Renner, Hillside Elementary, El Paso, TX
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Because of the frequent use of the word dude, this could pass as a biography of Tony Hawk. Yet tossing contemporary slang into Alexander the Great's story doesn't seem out of place; slang, after all, is the language of youth, and Alexander astonished the world as a very young man, making most of his conquests before he turned 30. Despite the light tone, Shecter manages to impart the familiar information about Alexander while mixing in some lesser-known facts (for example, Alexander's famous steed, Bucephalas, was probably only slightly larger than a pony). Black-and-white cartoons combine with portraits depicting how people have perceived Alexander through the ages, and the book includes extensive notes, as well as a bibliography of books and Web sites geared toward adults. Kids will like the irreverent approach; classical scholars will appreciate that the subject is never called "Alexander the Totally Awesome." Todd Morning
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Darby Creek Publishing (September 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158196045X
• ISBN-13: 978-1581960457
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 7.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #148,716 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enthusiastically recommended especially for grade school and YA library collections., November 5, 2006

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Written by Vicky Alvear Schechter and illustrated by Terry Naughton, Alexander The Great Rocks The World is a historical biography of legendary conqueror and emperor Alexander the Great. Written especially for adolescents and teenagers, Alexander The Great Rocks The World chronicles the events of Alexander's life, his military conquests, his ideals of unity, his battle tactics, and much more in detailed yet plain-spoken vernacular language. Black-and-white representations of classic artworks and illustrations add a visual touch to this fascinating, easy-to-follow accounting of how Alexander the Great literally changed world history. Of especial interest are the concluding sections that compare Alexander's heroic and villainous legacies - he spread the Greek ideal (if not practice) of democracy, was committed to tolerance, and respected women more than most of his age; but then, he also crushed the practice of democracy in Greece and instigated bloodshed in the form of war and conquest. Enthusiastically recommended especially for grade school and YA library collections.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the way to teach history!!!, September 24, 2007

By	ellen "ellen in atlanta" (Atlanta, Georgia USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Amazon Verified Purchase

Atlantan Vicky Alvear Shecter wrote an extraordinary book about Alexander the Great - Terry Naughton illustrated it extraordinarily!
If these 2 don't partner up and do more, I'll be flabbergasted!
This is a history of Alexander the Great - one that really should be read by kids of all ages, those that hate papyrus dry written history, or those of us who love history - This is an irreverent, fun, and most informative view of Alexander, his family, his triumphs, his legacy. And it's a hoot.
I am a student of history and I loved the ease that Ms. Shecter wrote and got it all down on paper -
PLEASE - continue this series - think how many fun historical people and eras need this type of book! We'd all be scooping them up!
Prehistoric series
Ancient series
Cleopatra, that nice Greek girl!
Renaissance series
Shakespeare
English monarchs
American history
Presidents
Vicky and Terry, your time has come!
Highly recommended for adults as well as kids.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Alexander really rocks, October 4, 2008

By	C. Fleming (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

What a great book! Shecter brings Alexander to life. Who knoew he had a pushy mom? An amazingly fun read that gets all the facts right. I can't wait for the next history lesson from Vicky Alvear Shecter.
Connie Fleming