In Search of a Homeland: The Story of the Aeneid
by Penelope Lively
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Book Summary Information
Author: Penelope LivelyEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-10-15
ISBN: 184507792X
Number of pages: 128
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books
Book Reviews of In Search of a Homeland: The Story of the Aeneid
Book Review: The Aeneid for Kids
Summary: 5 Stars
I was first introduced to this story by my mother as part of my sixth grade homeschooling curriculum. She intended this story to be a bridge from my ancient Greek unit to the study of ancient Romans. Instantly, I was hooked on the plot and always resented having to close the book at the end of the day's lesson. I hope that others will enjoy this rewritten classic as much as I have.
The Aeneid was originally written by a Roman poet named Virgil. During his era, he believed that Rome was in decline. Virgil decided to write the Aeneid to make the citizens of Rome see where they came from and to be proud of their ancestors. According to Virgil, the Romans descended from the defeated Trojans of the Iliad. He claimed to be inspired by Homer, but really his epic is an interesting combination of the Iliad and the Odyssey put into a "founding of Rome" context.
Penelope Lively's adapted version of The Aeneid is a highly entertaining and intriguing book to read. In Search of a Homeland tells Virgil's classic story of the founding of Rome at a level that's easy and appropriate for kids. This is the third and final book in a series. The first two books are Black Ships Before Troy and The Wanderings of Odysseus by Rosemary Sutcliff and illustrated by Alan Lee. I preferred the first two books because the writing was a bit more complex and the illustrations showed much more depth and emotion.
Overall, In Search of a Homeland is a very good story and I recommend it to practically anyone who is interested in the ancient world and warfare. This is a fantastic book and the history behind the story is just as interesting.
Summary of In Search of a Homeland: The Story of the Aeneid
Aeneas flees from the sacked city of Troy, entrusted by his goddess-mother Venus with a daunting mission: to find a new homeland for his people. Over 2000 years after Virgil wrote his epic The Aeneid, Penelope Lively retells Aeneas' story with pace poignancy and drama, while Ian Andrew's illustrations bring the characters beautifully to life. Together they create an introduction to The Aeneid which takes its place alongside Rosemary Sutcliff's classic retellings of Homer's The Iliad and The Odyssey. The book includes a Latin pronunciation guide and a map of Aeneas' long, arduous, death-defying journey.Inspired by the ancient masterpiece The Aeneid, by Roman poet Virgil, modern-day author Penelope Lively has penned a poignant retelling of the arduous journeys of Trojan warrior Aeneas. Doubtful young readers will be amazed at how readable and downright gripping these old tales really are, from the devastating ruse the Greeks wreak on the city of Troy, to the tempestuous seas the escaping Trojans cross and recross, to the violent battles they fight, all in the name of finding their true homeland.
Illustrator Ian Andrew's evocative, scratchy illustrations set the stage for award-winning author Penelope Lively's text, which captures all the terrible excitement and bittersweet emotions of these ancient travails and mythical encounters with supernatural beasts. Moved by this retelling, readers will surely want to seek out other epic classics, perhaps Rosemary Sutcliff's masterful retellings of Homer's Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of the Iliad and The Wanderings of Odysseus: The Story of the Odyssey. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter
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