Alexander the Great Rocks the World

Describes the life and accomplishments of the military ruler who conquered ancient Persia and Egypt and united many cultures with one ruler, one language, and one currency.

Grade 5-8–While Shecter's smart-aleck tone, reflected in the sometimes comic nature of Naughton's illustrations, is perhaps the first thing one notices, the author's research is also apparent. She covers not only the major aspects of Alexander's life, but also brings in material on the broader aspects of life during the fourth century B.C.E. Shecter carefully notes the disagreements of scholars in interpreting Alexander's life and even in ascertaining exactly what happened on certain occasions. She almost gleefully recounts the struggles between Philip II and Olympias, whom she calls the limping, one-eyed king and a snake-handlin' mama. Alexander's insistence on mingling with and respecting various cultures, as well as his respect for women, his courage, and his generosity, are laid alongside his emphasis on his own divinity, the bloodiness of his battles, and episodes of arrogance. Quotations from Alexander and other prominent Greeks appear throughout the book. Whether one enjoys Shecter's flippant narrative style is a matter of taste, but her biography is sound, even if one wishes she had not referred to Macedon as a city or to priests slapp[ing] themselves silly as their temple burned on the day of Alexander's birth. Naughton's profuse illustrations range from full-page to quite small. For the intended audience, the book's comic tone will undoubtedly be a draw and perhaps lead students otherwise interested only in the present to take a look into the past. Both endnotes and bibliography are lengthy and helpful.–Coop Renner, Hillside Elementary, El Paso, TX
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Because of the frequent use of the word dude, this could pass as a biography of Tony Hawk. Yet tossing contemporary slang into Alexander the Great's story doesn't seem out of place; slang, after all, is the language of youth, and Alexander astonished the world as a very young man, making most of his conquests before he turned 30. Despite the light tone, Shecter manages to impart the familiar information about Alexander while mixing in some lesser-known facts (for example, Alexander's famous steed, Bucephalas, was probably only slightly larger than a pony). Black-and-white cartoons combine with portraits depicting how people have perceived Alexander through the ages, and the book includes extensive notes, as well as a bibliography of books and Web sites geared toward adults. Kids will like the irreverent approach; classical scholars will appreciate that the subject is never called "Alexander the Totally Awesome." Todd Morning
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