Rumble with the Romans!

January 18, 2016
In this cracked “careful what you wish for” tale, first in the Julius Zebra series, a dim-witted talking zebra inadvertently trades an unhappy existence in the African plains to train in the art of gladiatorial combat. Disgusted by the lake where all the animals bathe, drink, and poop, Julius wanders off, only to be kidnapped by centurions and shipped off to Rome with other wild beasts destined to become fodder for the Colosseum’s gladiators. Northfield, creator of the Derek the Sheep comic strip, introduces some ancient history along the way (the page numbers are written in Roman numerals, a glossary defines several English and Latin terms, and fellow captive Cornelius the warthog sums up the Romans by saying, “Basically, they want to take over lots of other strange lands—mainly by beating everyone up!”), but the screwball comedy is what will pull readers in. Julius is slightly daft, but he can be cocky, too: if Greg Heffley were a zebra, this might be his diary, complete with scratchy cartoon illustrations of the goings-on as Julius and his friends attempt to outwit death. Ages 7–10.

February 1, 2016

Gr 2-5-Julius Zebra, a fast-talking, nervous sort who tries to sneak home from the stinky, crocodile-infested waterhole, is captured along with Milus, a grumpy lion, and Cornelius, a clueless warthog. They are transported to the ferocious clamor of the Roman Coliseum. They are forced to become gladiators, and the only way they can gain their freedom is if they win the love of the Roman crowds. The story is written in short chapters with funny, irreverent text and cartoon-style visuals. An illustrated guide to Roman numerals and a handy glossary are included in the back. Although the book has a completely ridiculous plot mixed with zany characters, it is highly entertaining and somehow manages to combine daft antics with historical facts. Pair this title with Terry Deary's Ruthless Romans (2009) or Toby Brown's Spartacus and His Glorious Gladiators (2010, both Scholastic), and students are sure to get hooked on learning about ancient Rome. VERDICT A fun and informative addition to chapter book collections.-Paula Huddy, The Blake School-Highcroft Campus, Wayzata, MN

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2016
Fun and games in the Coliseum. Captured and shipped from Africa with other animals to the big city, Julius Zebra is naively thrilled to discover that he's headed for the circus. Juggling monkeys! Dogs riding horses! The reality--that he and his mates are headed not for the seats but the arena itself for gladiatorial slaughter--comes as a terrible shock. Instead of going meekly, Julius grabs a sword (readers may wonder how, but the author breezily ignores such cavils) and puts up so stout a defense that he wins over both the crowd and Emperor Hadrian himself. In a romp liberally endowed with scribbly line drawings and comical dialogue in balloons, Northfield puts his striped celebrity at the head of a diverse band of animal captives, including nerdy warthog Cornelius and Lucia, a vegetarian crocodile. They proceed through a series of abortive escape attempts and bruising but bloodless battles, including a re-enactment of the conquest of the Gauls. To give the manic proceedings a tinge of historical color, the author also tucks in real Latin place names and martial vocabulary, numbers the pages with Roman numerals, and helpfully appends both a glossary and a tutorial. Considering the setting, the situation, and the looming prospect of violent death, the nonexistent body count seems a bit of a stretch. Readers will applaud the Monty Python-esque exploits of this hoofed hero. Just don't call him a horse. (map) (Farce. 10-12)

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March 1, 2016
Grades 3-5 Julius the zebra could not be less enthused for another trip to the smelly, crocodile-infested watering hole. Yearning for independence, Julius wanders from the lake, only to be captured by Roman soldiers. Now cooped up in a caravan with a lion and a warthog, the zebra finds himself on the long road to Rome. His excitement is soon replaced by terror as he and his fellow animals learn they are being taken there to fight gladiators. As the animals are tossed into the arena, Julius snatches up a shiny stick (a sword) in a moment of desperation. And the crowd goes wild. Emperor Hadrian commands that the fighting stop and the animals be trained as gladiators for Hadrian's upcoming birthday festivities. This zany premise is rife with gags, slapstick comedy, and cartoonish illustrations, wherein the scribbly, bug-eyed animals fight for their lives. Tucked within the nonsense are some nuggets of Roman history and a surprisingly informative glossary. A sequel is assured for those eager for more of Julius' antics.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)