The teacher in me is thrilled to finally have a quality chapter book centred around the days leading up to the legendary eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the end of the city of Pompeii. ‘Delta and the Lost City’ is told from the perspective of a young wolf-dog and focuses on the growing tumult in her family home as the master dies and his will mysteriously goes missing…

“It’s the year 79 AD, and the earth around Pompeii is quaking . . .

Young wolfdog Delta finds herself on the run and escaping her family’s villa after bearing witness to a horrible crime. With the help of her eagle friend, Bellona, Delta navigates the tricky terrain full of threatening creatures and thieves outside the ancient city’s walls.

But the earth is warning of a much larger threat, and determined to warn her family, Delta must race against time and find them before it’s too late . . .

Journey with Delta through an inspiring journey around the ancient city of Pomepii and the famous eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.”

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This story gives readers new insights into everyday life in Roman times – how unequal life was for women, how cruelly slaves were sometimes treated, and what it just might have been like to stroll through an opulent Roman villa. I was struck by the stark contrast with the time before and during the famous eruption. The choking smoke and total darkness acted as a levelling factor when everybody, regardless of rank, was fighting for their survival.

Something else that readers will enjoy are the wonderful illustrations from David Dean which help bring the story and its characters to life. Below, we can see a young slave boy seemingly cornered by hungry wolves…

And here we see that same boy with the key animal characters who help narrate this story…

I can absolutely see this story being a hit with readers aged 8+ and adorning the bookcases of many classrooms across the land.

Jo.

*Many thanks to Macmillan Children’s Books for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour*