Resources for Schools
The Roman Mysteries is a series of seventeen historical novels set in Ancient Rome, along with half a dozen supplementary titles. (For a full list of the books, go to the bottom of the FANMAIL page) Aimed at children aged 7 - 14, the books offer exciting openings for lines of enquiry into almost every aspect of Roman life, including social structure, daily life, mythology, entertainment and leisure. In 2009, author Caroline Lawrence won the prestigious Classical Association Prize for 'a significant contribution to the public understanding of Classics'.
In 2007 and 2008, the books were adapted as a TV series by the BBC. Viewers in Europe, Canada and Australia can still see repeats. There is also a Boxed Set of the DVDs of both series with 20 episodes in all. (Fans in North America need an all-region viewer or a computer to view these.)
Caroline recommends that teachers start with The Thieves of Ostia. It is the easiest of the books to read and it introduces the world of ancient Rome. The books get more challenging as the series progresses. Each book has its own theme and topics, e.g. the eleventh book in the series, The Sirens of Surrentum, deals with sex and decadence in ancient Rome and is therefore suitable for older children (aged 10 and up). An excellent book for classrooms is a collection of short stories about Flavia, Jonathan, Nubia and Lupus called Trimalchio's Feast and Other Mini-Mysteries. The six stories take place between the events of the main books. The short stories vary in length and reading level; some are perfect for children aged 7 or 8 others suitable for older children. All the books contain valuable and fun information about Roman life. Schools in the US can buy all the books in the series via Amazon.com.
Schools in the UK can save over £90 by buying the first 15 books in the series for only £12.99 from The Book People. Either use THIS LINK or ring them on 0845 6024040 quoting the code 'ROMA'. Individuals can take advantage of this offer, too. If you buy two or more sets, postage is free.
Illuminations do a range of Family Study Guides to historical literature including one for The Pirates of Pompeii.
US schools can now order the latest edition UK paperbacks of all 17 titles from Amazon.com
Here is a list of free resources for teachers on this site:
The Roman Mysteries Treasury
I usually reserve October and March for author visits.
I am fully booked for October 2010 and will probably be taking bookings for March 2011 in Jan 2011.