The Thrifty Guide to Ancient Rome: A Handbook for Time Travelers

Gr 4–7—Finding the best places to eat and the hottest entertainment in ancient Rome has never been easier. This modern tour guide provides a taste of what it was like for citizens of ancient Rome with Yelp-style reviews of major landmarks, hints from travelers about the culture, and details of events to visit and people one may encounter on their travels through ancient history. It's a unique presentation that's written casually and feels more approachable than a litany of facts. Fans of the "You Wouldn't Want to Be a…" series looking for something just a tad more sophisticated will find a lot to love. Detailed illustrations and plenty of maps, diagrams, and jokes make it an enjoyable read while providing plenty of information. Some snarky writing and copious footnotes and references also create lore around the fictional company Time Corp which "created" the guide. It's a cute tie-in that works well with the format, but it can distract from the historical aspects, especially when other fictional events are tied to Time Corp's story. It toes the line of adding too many fictional details, but they never appear in the main text, just in asides.