Battle with the Britons!

October 15, 2017
At the behest of Emperor Hadrian, the striped gladiator and his animal cohorts sail off to strut their stuff in Britannia. Kidnapped from Africa in the previous episode and forced to fight in the Colosseum, Julius and his fellow captives have triumphed--but instead of the promised emancipation or even a vacation, they are packed off to misty, moisty Londinium to face local challengers in a Britons Got Talent competition. Intended to quell an unruly populace, the display of Roman might goes badly agley when the locals turn out to be tougher than expected. Along with comically violent, if consistently nonfatal, fights and many episodes of slogging through muck of one sort or another, Northfield adds line drawings of frantically gesticulating human and anthropomorphic animals to every page of the slapstick plot. He also supplies period flavor by numbering the pages in Roman numerals (adding instructions for adding and subtracting the same at the end) and slipping in Latin terms and historical detail. Finally the penny drops, and, realizing that all the gladiators are actually on the same side, Julius daubs himself with woad in solidarity and joins a rebel army that sends the Roman invaders packing. Those treacherous Romans are ripe for a fall...and Julius is just the zebra to give them a push. (appendix) (Historical farce. 10-12)

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December 15, 2017
Grades 3-5 Julius Zebra, unlikely People's Champion of Rome, is enjoying the fame of his gladiatorial position, giving out hoofprints to fans and admiring Julius swag at the marketplace. Despite his newfound celebrity, he's looking forward to his upcoming battle before Emperor Hadrian, who has promised to grant the zebra and his friends their freedom if Julius wins. Instead, Hadrian sends Julius and company to Britannia to face off against the locals' prized fighters. Thinking that they are going on vacation, the animals board a boat, but it gradually becomes clear this is no pleasure cruise. A hysterical mix of misunderstandings, absurd escape plans, and disastrous training regimens unfolds as the animal gladiators size up the competition and realize the fierce Britons aren't actually their enemy. It's the Romans who are the problem! Northfield's cartoonlike line illustrations win the day in this second Julius Zebra entry, capturing the story's comical heart. Kids will be enamored by its ridiculous, action-oriented plot, and unwitting spectators to the bits of history Northfield manages to sneak in between the gags.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)