I Was There: The Buried City of Pompeii [Hardcover]

Shelley Tanaka (Author)

Book Description

Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: I Was There

The "I Was There" narrative of this suspenseful story tells of a city frozen in time by disaster--and what it might have been like to live and die there. Informative sidebars, full-color illustrations, and a compelling narrative will pull young readers into the action of history.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

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, Austin
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion; 1st edition (October 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786802855
• ISBN-13: 978-0786802852
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 9.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #627,666 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Really Cool Story!, March 26, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: I Was There: The Buried City of Pompeii (Hardcover)

The pictures were really great. I really liked the painting of Eros when he went to the baths, and the photographs when they were digging for Pompeii. I really liked Sylvia, Eros' daughter. She is my age (six). They have found the remains of a priest's lunch (berries and nuts) and five REALLY old eggs. I'd like to find Sylvia's ring when we go to Pompeii this spring. (Hey, that rhymes!)

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars good.....great!, April 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: I Was There: The Buried City of Pompeii (Hardcover)

No one nows what to do.Mt.Vesuvius is erupting!Ash is buried on the city of Pompeii.A boy named Pliny see's the black cluod coming out of Vesuvius.My favorite book...........The buried city of Pompeii.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a blast!, March 26, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: I Was There: The Buried City of Pompeii (Hardcover)

Omigosh, this book is fantastic! I cannot say enough good things about it! This brings history to life like nothing I've ever seen. Combining photographs of the ruins with detailed paintings of the fictitious characters, I Was There takes you back in time from the first page. My 6-year-old was completely captivated by the story of Eros and his daughter, which not only gives a very plausible suggestion for the findings at real-life "house of Menander," but also explains much about ancient Roman life along the way--from baths to markets to clothing and food. This is a MUST for any young student of antiquity or future tourist of Italy.