Tranio, like most Roman boys, likes to watch whatever is going on: tradesmen selling their goods, ships unloading their exotic cargoes, politicians making speeches in the forum.

But one hot August day a very different scene unfolds. The ground begins to shake, the sky to darken. People run gasping for air.

Heading for the harbor, Tranio and his friend Livia hide on a boat and witness one of the most terrifying moments in recorded history-the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the destruction of their beloved city, Pompeii. Although this book handles the sensitive subject of a tragic natural disaster, this book perfectly pitched for years 2 and 3. It is great in explaining the daily life of Romans from a child's point of view.

Perfectly aligned to the KS2 curriculum, for those studying the Romans in school.