Excellent pictures. I definately came out of reading this surprised with new information. If I could, I'd have given this 3.5 stars. It misses any higher rating because the book was slow to capture my interest. A short introduction laden with wild facts about the events in Pompeii and beyond would have helped. Better yet, a list of ten amazing facts which might or might not be true for a reader to wonder about prior to reading would have been smart.

Still, this is a good book for a younger mind that cares for non-fiction. ( )

Books concerning the famous Pompeiian disaster usually fall into two categories: stories and interpretations of how everyoe died, and explanations of what happened on the day of the eruption. This book does have a brief description of that day in its first chapter, but it is primarily concerned with the excavation and history of the archeological dig that has been ongoing at the site for a very long time. It spends a great deal of time explaining how archaeologists have come to learn what they have through their excavations. It goes into detail on how the available literature and the evidence dug up help construct a timeline for the deaths they found. Most importantly, the book explains the most famous part of the excavation, the plaster casts of the dead. These molds act as a type of fossil, allowing researchers to see exavtly what kinds of people had lived there, and understand what their final moments may have been like. The author has written many other non-fiction stories for children, and his experiene comes through in his simple but engaging narrative. The pictures are a bit disturbing for younger readers, but knowingthat the book is about death ought to be enough to prepare any reader in the target range, likely 3-6th grade.

Bodies from the Ash is another entry into a series by James M. Deem. This text is a detailed view into the buried city of Pompeii. The information is dense but explained in an easily understandable manner. All of the illustrations are quite engaging and follow the text exceptionally well.

I have used this book in comparison to a shorter article to illustrate the differences in interpretation on archaeological information. Deem does often state in this text when contradictory information exists which is necessary for students to understand. ( )

Bodies From the Ash is a well sourced and well written book describing what is know of the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 CE, and the excavations of the major cities that were buried under pumice and ash. The text is easy to read and understand even without prior knowledge of the subject matter. ( )

This book presents the story of Pompeii’s discovery through an array of pictures and informative text. This book is very in-depth, including information even those who have read thoroughly on the subject may not have known. Included are details regarding the plastering process and the story behind the discovery of the city throughout its stages. Textboxes allow for certain points to be explored more thoroughly, and the many pictures present clear and informative images of the plasters taken at the site. A bibliography at the end gives readers places to look for further information. A map of the archaeological dig sites allow the reader to picture the discoveries made as he reads about them. However, though the images and format are clearly designed for children, the information within is written so dryly, its target audience may be turned off. It is very factual, with little narrative within to engage the reader, which will bore many children. Older children, or those interested in the topic, may enjoy the comprehensiveness, but others will find this book more difficult than it appears. ( )