Galen:
My Life in Imperial Rome
By Marissa Moss
Silver Whistle / Harcourt. October 2002.
ISBN: 0-15-216535-5
Reviewed by Eliza Yetter.
This is the story of a 12 year-old boy who, along with his father and brother, was a slave during the reign of Augustus. Written as a journal, the reader learns what life was like in ancient Rome through the eyes of Galen. Galen's father was a Greek artist and was originally a free man. Together, they became household slaves. First they were owned by Vedius Pollio, a vain and materialistic man of the equestrian order. Through a turn of events, Galen, his father and brother were bought by the emperor Augustus.
Each page of this book is filled with facts and illustrations. It's learning made fun! My daughter, age 8, and I have spent three months studying ancient Rome together. When we finally sat down to read this book it reinforced everything that she had learned and made ancient Rome come alive.
This books is an excellent resource for parents and educators and it's a definite must-have for public libraries.
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