Gr. 5-8. The arresting jacket art will draw casual readers as well as student researchers to this dynamic book from the author and illustrator of
Olympia: Warrior Athletes of Ancient Greece (2001). Blacklock talks about who made up the army, how they were organized, the equipment they used, and their highly successful techniques of warfare. Particularly interesting is the discussion of the treatment of defeated people, captives, and individual soldiers. Although the reading level may be a little challenging for elementary-school students, the paragraphs of text on any given page are relatively short, the incentive for reading is strong, and the well-conceived interplay of text and illustrations will help with comprehension. Calling the art "comic-book style" suggests the approach and appeal of these impressive illustrations, but it conveys little of the artwork's dignity and originality. Some pages are drawn with straightforward simplicity, such as the double-page spread showing military figures displaying the garb worn by different types and ranks of soldiers. But many others use small, multicolored panels to show the army's activities and larger, overlapping panels to interpret more complex information or dramatize narrative scenes. The visually arresting art combines with the well-written text for an unusually clear and accessible offering.
Carolyn PhelanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From the Inside Flap
In the second century A.D., there was only one unstoppable power in the world--the Roman Army.
The Roman Empire was one of the largest empires on history. Charged with controlling and protecting the empire's territory and subjects, the Roman army was a massive, disciplined, and fearsome fighting force. From the rise of the Roman Empire until its decline and fall, its vast holdings were conquered, absorbed, and ultimately defended by legions of professional paid soldiers. At the height of their power, no tribe, no nation could stand in their way. This is their story.
Praise for Olympia: Warrior Athletes of Ancient Greece:
"An enticing look at the ancient Olympics. [T]he depictions are brilliant. Recent titles [on the subject] pale in comparison to this clever introduction."-- School Library Journal, starred review
Dyan Blacklock is a publisher and author of a number of books for children. She lives in Adelaide, Australia.
David Kennett has worked as a freelance artist, a designer, and an art director and is now a full-time book illustrator. His first Walker & Company book was Olympia: Warrior Athletes of Ancient Greece, written by Dyan Blacklock. David lives in Adelaide, Australia.
