If you are trying to
find a book that will grab the imagination of your 8, 9, 10 or 11 year
old, then the Roman Mystery Series is your answer.
The Thieves of Ostia,
by Caroline Lawrence, is the first book her still-growing series, Roman
Mysteries. The story takes place in Ostia, ancient Rome’s port
(and a place you can still visit today), where Flavia Gemina, daughter
of a sea captain; her neighbor, Jonathan; Lupus, a young beggar; and
Nubia, an African slave solve the mystery of a slain dog.
The book is fast-paced
with lots of action and adventure: Flavia and her companions are
chased by a pack of wild dogs, they narrowly escape malicious slave
traders, and they discover that their chief suspect has committed
suicide by jumping from a lighthouse. It’s enough to keep any
young reader turning the pages.
But the book also gives
a great overview of daily life in an ancient Roman city with its
descriptions of architecture, politics, religion, slave trading, and
economics. And, it’s the perfect book to give a young traveler
headed to Rome or one who’s already been to the Eterna.
Even better, if you’re travelling to Rome with grade-school age
children in tow, read them the book and then plan a trip to Ostia
Antica - it’s easy to get to by public transportation - so they can see
just where Flavia Gemina and her friends lived.
Order The Thieves of Ostia from Powell’s