I Wonder Why Romans Wore Togas by Fiona Macdonald - OPTIONAL

Macdonald, Fiona  I Wonder Why Romans Wore Togas and other questions about Rome  Kingfisher, 2012.  $6.99  PICTURE BOOK  Content: PG (nude woman painting and a bloody lion getting ready to attack a man).  

In this question and answer book, the Romans are discussed in a very broad explanation.  Some of the content covered include who is a Roman, who the Roman rulers were, what Roman soldiers wear and the Roman gods.  Rome’s empire is explained with a map depicting the expanding empire, as well as what Roman roads and bridges were like and how people had to obey the Roman laws.  Roman’s appearances is covered: why people wear togas, what men and women did to have pale skin, and their bathing practices.   

Each page includes at least three questions with a couple of side bars on each spread.  There are illustrations next to each question and side bar.  The information is very general and unlike the rest of the series I felt like the explanations weren’t as interesting as the questions asked.  The illustration that shows Roman art has a naked woman lying down on a couch, so I feel like that makes it optional in most elementary libraries.  Also, the lion who is about to attack a gladiator has blood dripping from its mouth.   

EL (4-6)-OPTIONAL.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.