Rumble with the Romans! (Julius Zebra Series #1)

by Gary Northfield, Gary Northfield (Illustrator)

Overview

“Readers will applaud the Monty Python-esque exploits of this hoofed hero.” — Kirkus Reviews

Captured by Romans, Julius Zebra — along with Milus the scarred lion and Cornelius the clueless warthog — is transported from a smelly water hole on the African savanna to the ferocious clamor of the Colosseum, where the motley menagerie of friends must gear up to be . . . gladiators! Do they have what it takes to succeed in a world where only the meanest and toughest survive? Follow the madcap adventures of Julius and his pals through funny, irreverent text and zany cartoon-style illustrations, with an illustrated guide to Roman numerals and a handy glossary at the end.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780763698461
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	01/02/2018
Series:	Julius Zebra Series , #1
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	303,140
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.70(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	7 - 10 Years

About the Author

 

Editorial Reviews

Readers will applaud the Monty Python-esque exploits of this hoofed hero.
—Kirkus Reviews

A fun and informative addition to chapter book collections.
—School Library Journal

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.
—Publishers Weekly

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.
—Booklist

From the Publisher

01/18/2016
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. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

02/01/2016
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

School Library Journal

2015-12-22
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)

Kirkus Reviews