Decide & Survive: The Destruction of Pompeii, Can You Change Pompeii's Fate?

Writer/educator Sylvia Whitman has published hundreds of articles for adults and children and more than a dozen books for young readers. Recognition for her work includes two appearances on the Banks Street College annual list of Best Children’s Books of the Year for What’s Cooking? A History of American Food and The Milk of Birds, a YA novel also named one of the International Reading Association’s 2014 Notable Books for a Global Society. Sylvia is a longtime member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA). She teaches creative and professional writing at Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida, where her two 20-something kids can often be found surveying her fridge. 

Mike Anderson is a comic book artist, illustrator, and animator. A proud husband, father, and year-long Halloweener, Mike loves pizza to an indecent degree. His clients include Scholastic, Subway, and Walmart, among others.

Gr 3-7–Presenting historical events in an exciting and empowering “Choose Your Own” plot style gives readers control over how to proceed through the pages. The options are exciting, sometimes suspenseful, usually dangerous. Some readers may be attracted to the idea of reading a whole book without having to read the whole book, others may become frustrated with the back-and-forth and feel like they are missing out on something. Of course, they can go back and choose a different set of options, but keeping up with page numbers can be a challenge. Peppered with historical information, this series is an excellent source for teachers looking to liven up social studies lessons. Teachers may enjoy using the series as a read-aloud and letting the class vote on which options to choose. Vivid graphics help bring the history of the attack on Pearl Harbor, the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, and the American Revolution to life. Opportunities for discussion about choices and consequences will be plentiful and will make historical events much more comprehensible and relatable for students, who will enjoy stepping into the shoes of the characters. VERDICT Recommended to teachers and students who love new challenges.