Pompeii -- Buried Alive! (Step into Reading) - Softcover

Kunhardt, Edith

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0394888669 ISBN 13: 9780394888668

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers, 1987

Synopsis

A Step 4 HISTORY reader. "The drama of natural disasters provides prime material to entice young independent readers. In this volume, the account of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius describes village life 2,000 years ago, the eruption itself and its aftermath, and the excitement when the buried town is rediscovered centuries later. A lively and factual glimpse of a devastating moment in history, in an accessible, attractive package."--Publishers Weekly.  

Step 4 Readers use challenging vocabulary and short paragraphs to tell exciting stories. For newly independent readers who read simple sentences with confidence. With full-color illustrations.

About this title

About the Author

Edith Kunhardt has written over 65 children’s books and has illustrated sixteen. Much of her work has built on Dorthy Kunhardt’s (her mother) blueprint with sequels such as Pat the Cat and Pat the Puppy. Her other works include I'm Going to Be a Police Officer, Pompeii-Buried Alive!, and Honest Abe. 

From the Back Cover

Illus. in full color. "The drama of natural disasters provides prime material to entice young independent readers. In this volume, the account of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius describes village life 2,000 years ago, the eruption itself and its aftermath, and the excitement when the buried town is rediscovered centuries later. A lively and factual glimpse of a devastating moment in history, in an accessible, attractive package."--"Publishers Weekly.

Reviews

Kindergarten-Grade 3 A flawed attempt at conveying a complex historical subject to inexperienced readers. Information about Pompeii is conveyed in one long narrative arbitrarily divided into three chapters. There is a brief description of what a volcano is and how it works, followed by a fictionalized account of what the people in Pompeii were doing on the day of the eruption and what happened to the inhabitants when Vesuvius blew up. The final chapter gives some information about the rediscovery of Pompeii and its excavation by archaeologists. In an attempt to simplify the ideas in the book, Kunhardt has oversimplified the prose. Sentences are choppyalmost joltingand reminiscent of a basal reader. Pronunciation guides are given in the text in a jarring manner: ``These pictures are called mosaics. Say: mo-ZAY-iks.'' The cartoonlike illustrations are colorful and attractive, but they are not clearly drawn or labeled. This book doesn't work as a picture book or as nonfiction. Libraries would do better to wait for better quality easy history books to come along. Ellen Loughran, Brooklyn Public Lib .
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 1987
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0394888669
• ISBN 13: 9780394888668
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 48