Starlight Reviews – Philip Brooks’ Hannibal… & Enid A. Goldberg and Norman Itzkowitz’s Tomás de Torquemada… | Jorie’s Reads by Starry Night Elf ( )

Great work with substantial bibliographic references and easy to follow writing style. Provides good information while giving history a more story-like feel.
Age recommendation--10+ ( )

This book is part of A Wicked History series, which looks at famous “wicked” people from the past. Hannibal has many black and white pictures every few pages that help break up the reading and give some interesting visuals to support the story. At the end of the book there is a two page chapter called “Wicked?” which questions the idea that Hannibal was wicked because all surviving accounts of Hannibal were written from the Roman perspective. The book is written in many small, chapters that can be read as stories in and of themselves. It is a quick read, written at a level that is just right for most middle school students. ( )

Not quite done...

You won't know this, but I am a fan of History. In fact, I trained to be a Medievalist -- although my current readings are in early North American history and can be found on my other LibraryThing account: ThePam.

And when I saw Hannibal: Rome's Worst Nightmare on the Library new-arrival's shelf, I couldn't help but snatch it up to see exactly what Mr. Brooks had done with him.

Well, let me tell you, Scholastic and Philip Brooks have produced an awesome little book that I highly recommend to adults as well as children who are interested in Hannibal Barca. (Written at 6.5 AR level)

Philip Brooks knows his stuff, and he knows how to write in an entertaining and kid-friendly fashion. (Which is to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book.)

Scholastic, for their part, has given this book a lively visual format, which includes plenty of artwork drawn from a variety of sources (although it would have been nice if it had been done in color ).

The book is divided into 4 Sections:

Part I: The Making of a Commander
Part II: The Journey of Death
Part III: Hannibal at the Gates
Part IV: Final Years

And to give you an idea of what the presentation looks like, the title of Part II is “The Journey of Death!”. Death is written in red font with red drips... like blood... and the first chapter of the section (number #5) has the gripping title “To Rome!” with the subtitle “Hannibal begins a long MARCH INTO THE MOUNTAINS.”

Talking Points :::
I am VERY enthusiastic about this book, and highly recommend it as an excellent introduction or refresher to Hannibal Barca, the scourge of Rome, hero of Carthage.

Philip Brooks give us easy to read prose which is interesting -- dare I say 'gripping'.

The book includes a very useful map, the likes of which most serious academic works no longer include, as well as lots of classic images of his family, Rome, the famous elephants, etc. As well, there are time limes that make sense and which are portrayed in various novel fashions.

I love that Brooks talks about the historical sources such Livy, and that he explains the problems that can arise with dealing with ancient sources. I also like that he doesn't gloss over the places where information is lacking and we can only guess what happened. I know that far too often History is taught as if we know everything that took place in the past, when that is hardly the truth. And nothing, in my opinion, ignites curiosity than a mystery.

Pam T.
mom and reviewer at BooksForKids-reviews and PageInHistory ( )