Peril in Pompeii!

February 1, 2015
Grades 3-6 The Nickolas Flux History Chronicles series tackle historical events by masquerading as fiction. Young history buff Nickolas Flux, who can jump unpredictably through time, tends to land in some of the most volatile moments of the past. Laid out in graphic-novel format with bold panels and dark, moody illustrations, each volume comprises five chapters detailing Nickolas' arrival and experiences in a moment in time. On nearly every other page is a Flux Fact with a snippet of information about the event, as well as a more detailed Flux File time line at the back of the book. Peril in Pompeii! focuses on the eruption of Mount Vesuvius as Nickolas and the citizens of Pompeii flee from the destruction, and provides facts about the history, fall, and rediscovery of the city as well as information about the nature of volcanic eruptions. Despite the fantastical setup, fact takes precedence over fiction in this visual exploration of big moments in history.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)