*Surviving Vesuvius by Beth Waters

Surviving Vesuvius is an intimate look at an ancient disaster.

*Surviving Vesuvius: A Lucky Escape from the Tragic Fate of Ancient Pompeii by Beth Waters, illustrated by Christopher Harrisson. Wide Eyed, 2025, 80 pages

Reading Level: Picture Book, ages 8-10

Recommended for: ages 6-12

“It all began on a bright summer’s day in the Gulf of Naples on August 24, 79 CE . . .”  Pliny the Younger lived with his mother and uncle in a pleasant villa across the bay from the city of Pompeii—an ancient city even then. “The Younger” added to the young man’s name distinguished him from his illustrious uncle Pliny the Elder: statesman, naval commander, naturalist, and author of a 37-volume work of natural history.

The inhabitants of Pompeii and surrounding towns were accustomed to earthquakes, but that August had seen an increase in volume and severity. Active volcanoes like Mt. Etna and Mt. Stromboli were not unknown in that region, but no one expected any action from Vesuvius. They were going about their normal business on that August day when, an hour past noon, the mountain exploded.

This narrative is taken from Pliny the Younger, who wrote the only known eyewitness account twenty-five years after it happened. He managed to escape with the household before the fire and ash reached their villa. Hours before, his uncle had boarded a ship and ordered the rowers to take him across the bay to assist his good friend Pomponianus. Also to get a closer look (he was a naturalist, after all).

Pliny the Elder did not survive. The focus on the his family, as well as historical and fictionalized citizens of Pompeii, lends drama and poignancy to this account. The facts are astounding: an initial cloud of ash five miles high, eventually reaching a height of twenty miles before collapsing under its own weight and burying Pompeii completely for the next 1700 years. But the human element takes center stage, as we see daily life in a Roman city suddenly transformed to a scene of terror. The story concludes with the first excavations, followed by an appendix with glossary, timeline, and suggestions for further reading.

Bottom Line: An excellent introduction to one of the most dramatic events in history.

Also at Redeemed Reader

• Review: Simonetta Carr’s Ancient Romans and Their Neighbors: An Activity Guide, surveys the people groups of that era, including interesting projects.
• Resource: Our Top 25 Ancient History Resources from 2015.

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