One Day in Ancient Rome by G.. Kirtland - A Book Review

This book was published in the 1960s by Harcourt, Brace & World.  Written at a middle elementary level with simple plot, this would be a nice read-aloud when studying Ancient Rome.

“What was it like to live in Rome at the time of Titus Caesar? What did people do all day? What did they eat and wear and talk about? What did children play, study, get scolded for, dream of doing? All these questions—and many more—are answered in this original, sparkling story of two children who lived in ancient Rome. From earliest morning when their pet monkey wakes them, through a busy day—studying with the tutor after breakfast, marketing with Nurse, wheedling honey cakes from the cook, giving a play-pretend banquet of magnificent sumptuousness—until late afternoon and the long-promised event the children have been waiting for, the reader experiences vividly and directly the lives of a sister and brother in a patrician household. 

I thought this book was part of the One Day series because the author did write some books for that series, but every list of that series I can find does not include this title. 

“Based on meticulous research, this charming story re-creates a way of life long since gone but which children today will read about with immense pleasure and a sense of actual participation. The Latin words and expressions throughout, for which meaning and pronunciation are given in a glossary, lend spice to the whole, and Jerome Snyder’s remarkable—and authentic—drawings are full of sly humor, fascinating detail, and great beauty.” (from the dust jacket)

The author, who wrote under the pseudonym G.B. Kirtland, was a writer of various genres. Al Hine was born in 1915 and died in 1974. In 1950 he married children’s author Sesyle Joslin, and they collaborated on several writing projects.  Together they authored Is There a Mouse in the House?, One Day in Aztec Mexico, One Day in Ancient Rome, and One Day in Elizabethan England.

Hine wrote some novels for adult with adult content so don’t pick up all of his books thinking they are wonderful for children. He authored some books based on movies like Bewitched.

The illustrator of One Day in Ancient Rome was Jerome Snyder. He was born in 1916 and died in 1976 of a heart attack following a touch football game in Central Park, New York City. As an illustrator and graphic designer, he gained great success as the first art director of Sports Illustrated and later Scientific American. He also taught art at such prestigious schools as Yale and the Pratt Institute. He illustrated several children’s books including the book One Day in Ancient Rome. His drawing in this book is simple black line and whimsical. “In the absence of color, his delicate, meticulous drawings demonstrate control of line, secure draftsmanship, thoughtful interpretation and a surprising agility for caricature.”

 http://adcglobal.org/hall-of-fame/jermoe-snyder/) 

Some additional books relevant to this title and the study of Ancient Rome include:

City – David Macaulay

Growing Up in Ancient Rome – Mike Corbishley

Who Were the Romans – Phil Roxbee Cox

Stories from Roman History – Jean DeFrasne

Ancient Rome – Sophia Fenton

Story of the Romans – H.A. Guerber

Lives of Famous Romans – Olivia Coolidge

Gods & Goddesses in the Daily Life of the Ancient Romans – Peter Hicks

Beyond Amazing: Six Spectacular Science Pop-Ups – Jay Young (includes an abacus)

The Magic of Paper – Walter Buehr (includes information about papyrus)

Here Come the Elephants – Alice Goudey

Elephant Families – Arthur Dorros (Let’s Read and Find Out early science series)

A First Look at Monkeys and Apes – Millicent Selsam

The First Book of Time – Jeanne Bendick (sundials)

Tiber: The Roman River – Nora Nowlan (Rivers of the World series)

(All rights reserved. Please ask permission before copying this review or publishing it elsewhere. Thank you. Sandy Hall, February 2019)