Reading Through History: The Thieves of Ostia by Caroline Lawrence (2001)

The Thieves of Ostia takes place in June of the year 79 A.D. Flavia Gemina is a young Roman girl who lives with her father and who has a talent for solving mysteries. She and her friends - a Christian named Jonathan, a mute boy named Lupus, and a slave girl named Nubia whom she purchases to rescue her from abuse - are troubled when they learn that family guard dogs are being beheaded and left to die in their neighborhood. When they learn that a local man’s daughter died of hydrophobia (rabies) after being bitten by a wild dog, they are sure he is to blame for the terrifying killings, but they must first find proof.

Despite the ancient setting, the writing in this book has a strong contemporary vibe. The dialogue is written very informally, and the way the characters interact with one another is similar to the way tween friendships are portrayed in novels set in the present day. Readers will feel at home with the characters, which in turn, will help them become invested in the historical details intertwined with the plot.

Interestingly, and unexpectedly, this book is considerably darker and more violent than the front cover on either the paperback or hardcover edition suggests. Lupus, the young boy who is mute, has had his tongue cut from his mouth. Girls are routinely rounded up on the streets and sold into slavery. Beheaded dogs are described in detail, and some of the children witness a brutal suicide. Some of these scenes would definitely be too graphic for a fourth or fifth grader, even though the reading level and characters would be a perfect fit. Parents and teachers will want to use their discretion when suggesting this book to specific readers.

Though the story is fictional, the historical events in this book occur as they really happened. Though the mystery can be enjoyed by any reader, this series will be that much more fun to read for kids who are simultaneously learning about ancient Rome, as they will understand references to place names, rulers (like Vespasian and Titus, his successor), and events. Kids should also be prepared for an overwhelming desire to read the second book right away, as the ominous epilogue talks of the peace and safety the children will enjoy in Pompeii over the summer.

Reading Through History: A Long Day in November by Ernest J. Gaines (1971)

On a November day in the 1940s rural South, six-year-old Sonny wakes up to find his parents' marriage in turmoil. His mother, convinced that Sonny's father Eddie loves his car more than his family, decides to move to her mother's house down the street, dragging Sonny along with her. Desperate not to lose his family, Eddie spends all day seeking advice from friends and a local woman who practices voodoo, before ultimately sacrificing his car for  the love of his wife.

This slice of life story is fabulously well written. By telling the story through the innocent eyes of young Sonny, Gaines is able to provide an unbiased account of both parents' actions, leaving room for the reader - ideally a middle school student - to draw his or her own conclusions. What is for Sonny just a really long day is for the more sophisticated reader an opportunity to understand what it was like to live on a sugarcane plantation during this time period, and a study on human relationships and what drives people to behave as they do.

Though the novel itself is short, there is much to discuss and dissect that can easily encourage multiple re-readings. Kids in grades 6 to 9, especially, will have much to say about the decisions made by each character, and will delight in the final scenes where Eddie makes his choice and follows through. Historical fiction can be a hard sell, but once kids find out that this is essentially a book about breaking up and making up, they will be all over it.

Reading Through History: The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare (1961)

Daniel, who was once a blacksmith's slave, has been living among a band of rebel outlaws in the mountains above Judaea for some years, waiting for Rosh, their leader, to find a way to free his people from the Romans, who were responsible for the death of Daniel's parents. When Daniel unexpectedly meets his old friend Joel and Joel's sister Malthace, he inquires about the health of his ailing grandmother and demon-possessed sister and finds himself pulled back into community life once more. While living in Capernaum and working as a spy for Rosh, he begins to learn about Jesus of Nazareth, whose message of love stands in direct opposition to Daniel's desire for revenge on the Romans. Daniel must choose whether to follow his anger or his heart.

Like Pharaoh's Daughter, this book includes fictionalized references to a Biblical figure, but these do not cause the theological conflicts created by Pharaoh's Daughter's rewriting of the Moses story. In fact, when Jesus speaks, even when he is talking with characters invented by the author, he uses words that have been attributed to him in the Bible, or words containing messages consistent with scripture. He is presented in a way that is consistent with Christian teaching, and which will not offend readers, whether they believe in him as the Messiah or not.

Not only does this book portray Jesus favorably, it is also inclusive of the various factions and figures who make up first century society in the holy land. Zealots (including Simon the zealot), rebels, women, children, thieves, and slaves are all present and each group is represented by at least one fleshed-out character who contributes something to the main plot. This book is as much a portrait of the time period as it is a specific story about Daniel.

This book includes two very effective metaphors. One is the bronze bow itself, which serves as a password for Daniel and the young men he recruits for Rosh's army. It refers to a line from the Song of David -he trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze - and serves as a powerful representation of Daniel's desire to best the Romans. The other is Daniel's attitude toward a Roman soldier with whom his sister falls in love. His treatment of this specific soldier changes throughout the story as his overall attitude toward Roman rule changes. This book would be a wonderful text for helping young readers better understand the role of metaphors in narrative writing.

There are many themes and lessons to explore in this story, and each reader is likely to favor a different interpretation of events. Daniel's struggle to choose between Rosh and Jesus raises important questions about peace versus violence, belief versus unbelief, and accepting versus shirking one's responsibilities. It also provides opportunities to discuss how we treat the weak, the old, the disabled, and the needy in society. This book is not just entertaining; there is much to learn, both academically and morally, from reading it.

Two final notes:

1. Coincidentally, The Bronze Bow was the winner of the 1962 Newbery Medal, the same year in which The Golden Goblet received a Newbery Honor. 
2. I listened to portions of the audiobook, and the narrator has a great voice, but an unfortunate problem sticking with one pronounciation of Capernaum, which is very distracting.  

Reading Through History: Pharaoh's Daughter by Julius Lester (2000)

Pharaoh's Daughter is a retelling of the childhood of Moses (whom Lester calls Mosis for reasons explained in the author's note.) In this version, Moses is the grandson of Ramses III (Ramesses) and he has an older sister, Almah, who is taken from his Hebrew (or Haribu) home along with him and becomes a special object of Pharaoh's affections. The story begins with Moses confessing to a murder, then backtracks to explain how it all came about.

This novel was written during the author's personal conversion from Christianity to Judaism. Since the story focuses heavily on the clashes between the Haribu religion and the Khemesian belief that Pharaoh is God, it is plausible to suggest that this tension in some way reflected Lester's questions and misgivings as he came to terms with his religious inclinations. Outside of the characters' constant references to their differences in religious thought, there actually isn't very much to this book. It is a short novel, with half devoted to Almah and the other half to Moses, bookended by a brief prologue and epilogue. Though this book tries to focus on Moses as a mere man rather than a religious figure, its reimagining of his childhood is too similar to the known story to be truly interesting. It seems that the author wanted to tell a story about a female character during this time period and just used the story of Moses as an excuse to do so.

Though the print in this book is rather large and the reading level is appropriate for fourth or fifth graders, references to lust, nudity, concubines, violence against children, and incest might make it too mature for elementary students. Many of these elements seem gratuitous. Lester explains the nudity in his author's note, and claims there could have been more, but it's still difficult to see the value of describing Almah's naked dances, or the way Pharaoh and her own father ogle her as she performs. It's equally difficult to understand why Moses's fictitious older sister should feel that she would never marry any man other than her own brother. It seems odd to fabricate a sibling relationship which probably did not exist in history simply to hint at an incestuous relationship.

The Pharaoh's Daughter provides a lot of historical documentation, including a glossary, and the author addresses the reader before and after the story, accounting for many (but not all) of his storytelling decisions. The glossary is extremely useful, especially since the author uses Egyptian and Hebrew words for many commonly known people and places (Abraham and Sarah, the Nile, the Sphinx, etc.), but the explanations given by the author do not satisfy my qualms with many of his decisions.

Young readers and educators wishing to explore the life of a religious figure through fiction might be drawn to this book, but it is unlikely to provide what they are looking for. The Moses in this book is not the Moses of the Bible, and Lester's attempts at completely humanizing him often border on the scandalous. Nothing of significance happens in the story until nearly the end, and even then, the only major event is the murder mentioned within the first few pages of the story. It seems that Lester might have done better to write this story for himself, as a component of his conversion, and tuck it away in a drawer for personal use and nothing more.

Reading Through History: The Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis McGraw (1961)

Ranofer, an orphan, lives with his older half-brother, Gebu, who is abusive, untrustworthy, and dangerous. Though Ranofer wants nothing more than to make beautiful items of gold, Gebu will not allow him to be apprenticed to a goldsmith, nor does he provide him with adequate food or shelter. When Ranofer learns that Gebu's activities are even more sinister than he suspected, he and his friends Heqet and the Ancient, try to expose his wrongdoing and win Ranofer the right to choose his own destiny.

Though Ranofer's story does not center on one specific historical event, it is rife with opportunities to learn about the daily working life of ancient Egyptian men. Descriptions of Ranofer's work as a porter for the goldsmith and later as a stone cutting apprentice give strong details to illustrate the physical demands and personal dangers of the kind of work that was necessary in this society. Ranofer's difficulties convincing his brother to allow him to follow his passion, and his problems being heard by his elders in general, help to highlight the culture's distinct hierarchy and the relative unimportance of the young as compared with the more skilled laborers. There is also great emphasis on the religion of the time and place, with much discussion of khefts (evil spirits) and bas (souls of the dead.)

The Golden Goblet refers to an object which is central to a mystery Ranofer must solve in order to bring his evil half-brother to justice. The mystery requires a good bit of backstory, and thus takes a while to gain momentum, but the chapters of exposition are truly necessary to provide the reader with enough information about Ranofer's world to understand the actions he takes in the latter half of the story. Though the story is narrated in the third person, it is limited to Ranofer's perspective so his every worry, joy and secret are freely available to the reader, as are his intimate thoughts about his friends and the rare opportunities he has to work with gold. While the mystery is central to the plot, the overarching themes of the story have to do with courage, coming of age and doing the right thing. Clear distinctions are drawn between good and evil, and Ranofer must make hard high-stakes decisions to secure the future he wishes for himself. Though the setting is long ago and far away for young readers, the storyline is timeless and universal.

The Golden Goblet lacks any author's note or bibliography which might have provided insight into what is historical fact and which details the author invented. Therefore, it is recommended that young readers assigned this book for specific educational purposes be provided with information about Egyptian culture as part of their lesson. The Golden Goblet would make wonderful pleasure reading for kids who have become interested in Egypt because of Rick Riordan's Kane Chronicles. As compared with Riordan's commercial fluff, this book is well-written, morally edifying, and heavily rooted in historical fact. The content is probably appropriate for readers as young as eight or nine, if they read well and are not troubled by the occasional descriptions of Gebu hitting Ranofer, but the target audience seems to be middle school, when issues of identity and finding one's place are so central to a young person's life.

Book Review: Katie John by Mary Calhoun (1960)

Katie John Tucker's family has recently inherited Great Aunt Emily's large old Southern house, so they must spend the summer cleaning it up and getting it ready to sell before they move onto New York, where Katie's father can resume his writing career. Katie is not thrilled about spending the summer in such a small town, but that changes when she meets Sue, a girl in the neighborhood with whom she shares many adventures. The girls look for ghosts, discover a possible human bone, have a lemonade stand, and get into a big fight (and make up, of course.) When Fall rolls around, Katie finds that she doesn't want to leave - and that she might just have a plan that will help her family stay in the big house.

I owned this book as a child and never read it. Knowing what I was like, this was probably because the first chapter mentions the possibility of ghosts and I hated to be scared. Otherwise, this is exactly the kind of book I have always enjoyed, about real kids doing regular things and finding their own excitement. Katie John has much in common with contemporary characters like Ivy and Bean, Clementine, the Penderwick sisters, and Judy Moody, and her personality is just the right combination of sweetness and trouble. Though this book was published in 1960, there is no reason kids today - especially those living in small towns themselves - can't relate to Katie. Her concerns about moving, making friends, and figuring out what made Great Aunt Emily tick are things that will always interest kids, no matter the time period. Katie John also makes a nice read-alike for another vintage favorite from around the same time, Gone-Away Lake.

Book Review: Top Ten Clues You're Clueless by Liz Czukas (2014)

Chloe loves to make lists. On Christmas Eve, when she heads to work at the grocery store, she has in mind her to do list, which includes resolutions to talk to at least three coworkers and learn something new about them, and to give Tyson, her crush, a ride home. Throughout her hectic shift, Chloe also worries about her blood sugar. As a "brittle" Type I diabetic, she can't afford to skip meals or miss out on checking her blood sugar levels at regular intervals. When it is discovered that a serious amount of money has been stolen from a charity donation box, Chloe is kept after hours along with her five other teen coworkers, all of whom are suspects in the theft. As the time before the cops arrive drags on, Chloe realizes that she will soon be in a real medical emergency if she does not enlist the help of her unlikely companions. In the meantime, she also tries to solve the mystery so that she and her new friends can make it home in time for Christmas.

This is the perfect YA read for the Christmas season. It includes a little bit of everything - the anticipation everyone feels on the night before a major holiday, the urgency of last-minute shopping, the promise of a new crush, a secret medical condition to build up suspense, a bit of mystery, with a surprising culprit, and a fun and quirky setting. Chloe's lists serve to keep the reader apprised of her innermost thoughts, and her awkwardness with her coworkers is something to which all teens can relate. Putting the teens on lock-down in the manager's office is reminiscent of movie favorites like The Breakfast Club and Empire Records, and though it might not be a wholly realistic occurrence, it's the perfect plot device for turning strangers into friends, and it is believable in context.

There are only two problems with this book. One is the cover, which provides absolutely no information about the story whatsoever. The cover seems very middle grade, even though the story is clearly YA, and aside from vague similarities to the cover for The Fault in Our Stars, it is basically unappealing. It's a Christmas book published just before Christmas - would it have been so terrible to give it a festive cover?

The other issue is the "brittle" diabetes. The last fictional character who had this condition was Stacey McGill in the Baby-sitters Club, and the severity of her condition is frequently mocked and questioned by fans of the series. Because diabetes is so much easier to manage nowadays than it used to be, it does make sense that Chloe's condition would have to be "brittle" for the medical events of the story to happen, but it also seems like the same end could have been achieved with a more common problem, like a food allergy or asthma.  By including this rare form of diabetes, the author simply reinforces stereotypes people have about Type 1 diabetes and misses an opportunity to educate the uninitiated about the truth of the condition for most people.

Top Ten Clues You're Clueless is a perfect read-alike for Love and Other Perishable Items as well as other YA workplace stories including How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True, and Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink.