Book picks similar to
A Roman Adventure (The Histronauts) by Frances Durkin


graphic-novels
history
historical-fiction
educational

The Houdini Box


Brian Selznick - 1991
    Then -- amazingly -- he actually meets his idol, and begs Houdini to explain himself. A mysterious locked box is the magician's only answer, and Victor is left to wonder: Does the box contain the secrets to the most famous magic tricks ever performed?

The Tree of Life: Charles Darwin


Peter Sís - 2003
    . . Charles Darwin was, above all else, an independent thinker who continues even now to influence the way we look at the natural world. His endless curiosity and passion for detail resulted in a wealth of notebooks, diaries, correspondence, and published writings that Peter Sís transforms into a visual treasure trove. A multilayered journey through Darwin’s world, The Tree of Life begins with his childhood and traces the arc of his life through university and career, following him around the globe on the voyage of the Beagle, and home to a quiet but momentous life devoted to science and family. Sís uses his own singular vision to create a gloriously detailed panorama of a genius’s trajectory through investigating and understanding the mysteries of nature. In pictures executed in fine pen and ink and lush watercolors – cameo portraits, illustrated pages of diary, cutaway views of the Beagle, as well as charts, maps, and a gatefold spread – Peter Sís has shaped a wondrous introduction to Charles Darwin.

The Story of Mankind


Hendrik Willem van Loon - 1921
    Hendrik Willem van Loon's ability to convey history as a fascinating tale of adventure has endeared this book to countless readers. 280 drawings.

The First Drawing


Mordicai Gerstein - 2013
    Imagine you were born before the invention of drawing, more than thirty thousand years ago.You would live with your whole family in a cave and see woolly mammoths walk by!You might even see images of animals hidden in the shapes of clouds and rocks.You would want to share these pictures with your family, but wouldn't know how.Who would have made the world's first drawing? Would it have been you? In The First Drawing, Caldecott Medal winner Mordicai Gerstein imagines the discovery of drawing...and inspires the young dreamers and artists of today.

Stories of the Pilgrims


Margaret B. Pumphrey - 1910
    The Brewster children and other Pilgrim boys and girls are the center of interest. A wonderful book to read aloud in the weeks before Thanksgiving. Suitable for ages 6 and up.

Mad Scientist Academy: The Dinosaur Disaster


Matthew McElligott - 2015
    Cosmic’s class of clever monsters at the Mad Scientist Academy as they solve the greatest challenges in science, in this perfect blend of adventure and exploration—it’s the Magic School Bus for a new generation. Welcome to Mad Scientist Academy! The first day of school is always exciting, and Dr. Cosmic’s new students can’t wait to get started. After their teacher reveals that their school pet, Oscar, is a dinosaur, they quickly realize Dr. Cosmic has an unusual teaching style. To find Oscar, the class has to follow the clues through the realistic dinosaur exhibit Dr. Cosmic designed and built over the summer. But when a malfunction causes the robotic dinosaurs to come alive, this prehistoric exhibit feels a little too real! With a mad genius for a teacher, things don’t always go as planned. Armed with high-tech handbooks and the scientific method, Dr. Cosmic’s class is ready to solve their way out of any disaster.

The Egyptology Handbook: A Course in the Wonders of Egypt (Ologies)


Emily Sands - 2005
    But in a remarkable turn of fortune for Miss Sands's many fans, detectives have uncovered a second volume penned in her own hand — a course book on ancient Egyptian history and culture intended for the voyager's beloved niece and nephew. Now available to budding Egyptologists everywhere, this comprehensive volume — illustrated by the same artists who lent their talents to EGYPTOLOGY — is brimming with facts on ancient Egyptian culture and history, followed by intriguing assignments and fill-in opportunities on everything from archaeological finds to theories on how the pyramids were built. Among the book's delightful novelty elements are: — An envelope containing Miss Emily Sands's Top Ten Things to See in Egypt — Flaps to lift, revealing hidden treasure in desert sands— A four-page foldout section full of stickers featuring treasures from King Tut's tomb and other ancient Egyptian artifacts.Book Details: Format: Hardcover Publication Date: 10/25/2005 Pages: 80 Reading Level: Age 9 and Up

What Was the Underground Railroad?


Yona Zeldis McDonough - 2013
    Including real stories about passengers on the Railroad, this book chronicles slaves' close calls with bounty hunters, exhausting struggles on the road, and what they sacrificed for freedom. With 80 black-and-white illustrations throughout and a sixteen-page black-and-white photo insert, the Underground Railroad comes alive!

To Find a Mountain


Dani Amore - 2011
    Ever since her mother died, the sixteen-year-old Italian girl has cared for her rambunctious younger siblings without complaint. Then World War II arrives on her doorstep, leaving her face-to-face with the most terrible evil she has ever witnessed.With the Germans and Americans fighting furiously to control a strategic swath of Italy, Nazi forces seize Benedetta's village, turning her home into a command center--and forcing her beloved father to choose between fleeing or fighting on the front lines.In the midst of great deprivation, Benedetta struggles to feed both her family and the Nazis, all the while keeping her father's whereabouts secret. Yet her blossoming love for a handsome young Italian man hiding in the mountains brings a sliver of joy to her life. But with the Americans advancing and the Germans growing increasingly desperate and cruel, Benedetta knows that one misstep could bring horrible repercussions...and only an extraordinary act of courage can save her family.Revised edition: This edition of To Find a Mountain includes editorial revisions.

Sarah Gives Thanks: How Thanksgiving Became a National Holiday


Mike Allegra - 2012
    Sarah Hale's inspiring story, accompanied by luscious watercolor illustrations, tells the tale of one woman who wouldn't take no for an answer.

The First Thanksgiving


Jean Craighead George - 1993
    The Pawtuxet Indians thought of it as the Green Corn Dance. But the first Thanksgiving was much more than that.Join Newbery Medalist Jean Craighead George and beloved illustrator Thomas Locker as they trace the passage of time from the melting of the glaciers that created Cape Cod and Plymouth Rock, to the moment the Pawtuxet Indians and the Pilgrims met and feasted on the bounty of the New World.From the simple text to the lush illustrations, the story of a harvest feast turned beloved tradition will captivate readers young and old."Correcting misconceptions and clarifying contemporary attitudes, this beautiful book brings fresh insight and a fairer balance to the traditional story."--Kirkus Reviews

Becoming Bach


Tom Leonard - 2017
    His family had been musicians, or bachs as they were called in Germany, for 200 years. He always wanted to be a bach. As he grew, he saw patterns in everything. Patterns he would turn into melodies and song, eventually growing into one of the most important and celebrated musical composers of all time. This is the story of Johann Sebastian Bach.

Food Anatomy: The Curious Parts & Pieces of Our Edible World


Julia Rothman - 2016
    She starts with an illustrated history of food and ends with a global tour of street eats. Along the way, Rothman serves up a hilarious primer on short order egg lingo and a mouthwatering menu of how people around the planet serve fried potatoes — and what we dip them in. Award-winning food journalist Rachel Wharton lends her editorial expertise to this light-hearted exploration of everything food that bursts with little-known facts and delightful drawings. Everyday diners and seasoned foodies alike are sure to eat it up.

Burt the Beetle Doesn't Bite!


Ashley Spires - 2021
    He's sure he belongs in the category of bugs with superpower-like abilities. No, he can't carry 50 times his weight, like ants. No, he's not able to spray paralyzing venom, like some termites. No, he can't release a bad smell to repel predators, like stink bugs. What june beetles are known for is chasing porch lights and flailing their legs in the air --- does that count? Hmm ... Maybe Burt will just have to accept the truth. June beetles don't have any special abilities. But when some other bugs find themselves in perilous trouble that even their superpowers can't get them out of, Burt suddenly realizes there is one thing that he can do to save his friends --- and it's something that only a june beetle can do!Bestselling author-illustrator Ashley Spires's signature mix of slapstick and dry humor is front and center in this winning story that highlights how being special is as much about character as it is about abilities. Full of simply drawn panels prominently featuring the ever-plucky Burt, it's a perfect pick for emerging readers and young fans of comics. Burt's positive attitude toward himself and others offers many opportunities for character education lessons on caring, positive thinking and initiative. Snuck into the pages are facts about bugs and their traits, making this a fun choice for a science unit on the characteristics of living things.

I, Galileo


Bonnie Christensen - 2012
    The first person narration gives this book a friendly, personal feel that makes Galileo's remarkable achievements and ideas completely accessible to young readers. And Christensen's artwork glows with the light of the stars he studied.Galileo's contributions were so numerous—the telescope! the microscope!—and his ideas so world-changing—the sun-centric solar system!—that Albert Einstein called him "the father of modern science." But in his own time he was branded a heretic and imprisoned in his home. He was a man who insisted on his right to pursue the truth, no matter what the cost—making his life as interesting and instructive as his ideas.