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The Thrifty Guide to Ancient Greece by Jonathan W. Stokes
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The Thrifty Guide to Ancient Greece

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The Thrifty Guide to Ancient Greece by Jonathan W. Stokes
Paperback $10.99
Aug 20, 2019 | ISBN 9781101998168

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    Aug 20, 2019 | ISBN 9781101998168 | Middle Grade (8-12)

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  • Sep 11, 2018 | ISBN 9781101998151 | Middle Grade (8-12)

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Product Details

Praise

Praise for The Thrifty Guide to Ancient Greece:

“this history book [is] anything but dry” —Booklist



Praise for the Thrifty Guides series:


“These books are educational and entertaining as all get out!”–BN.com Kids Blog

“Stokes’s practice as a screenwriter is evident; readers will feel like they’re in a blockbuster film. A high interest video game-like exploration of the American Revolution.”–School Library Journal

“An entertaining introduction to America’s War for Independence conveyed with enough kid-friendly humor that it may make those who dismiss history as a bore reconsider.”–Kirkus Reviews

“Easy to read, will engage reluctant readers of history, and spur discussions.”–School Library Connection

“A very funny tour of Rome’s bloody and tumultuous past.”–Publishers Weekly

“An entertaining introduction to ancient Rome with kid-friendly humor that may make those convinced that history is boring reconsider.”–Kirkus Reviews

“A unique presentation that’s written casually and feels more approachable than a litany of facts. Fans of the ‘You Wouldn’t Want to Be a…’ series looking for something just a tad more sophisticated will find a lot to love.”–School Library Journal

Author Q&A

How did you get the idea for the Thrifty Time Traveler’s Guide series?

JWS: One of my best friends, Zach Greenberger, hatched the idea when we were in high school. The concept nagged me for two decades. When I broke into children’s publishing, Zach gave me his blessing to run with it. For fun, I gave the lead character of “Finn Greenquill,” a slightly similar name to “Zach Greenberger.”


What other time periods do you want to write travel guides for?

JWS: There are so many! I’m hoping we discover time travel guides for different continents, covering African history, Asian history, and Native American history. World War One, World War Two, and the American Civil War are also hugely important topics, as well as the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, and even the Impressionist period. For fun, I’d love to discover a time traveler’s guide to the future, so we can learn more about the strange world of Finn Greenquill and Time Corp.


What’s the weirdest fact you’ve found out in your research for these travel guides?

JWS: Probably the fact that my favorite Greek poet, Aeschylus, was killed when he was hit on the head by a falling tortoise.


We heard the Thrifty Time Traveler’s Guides might get made into a movie! Can you tell us a little about that?

JWS: New Line Cinema owns the movie rights to the book. The screenplay centers on a group of time traveling students who are on their Ancient Rome trip for history class. When Julius Caesar mistakenly attacks their class field trip, things go horribly awry. The students must go on a harrowing adventure through time to make it back home to the present. Along the way, they do their best not to alter the course of history.


If you could visit any historical event, when would you go to?

JWS: I might visit the Roman Forum where Mark Antony showed the Romans Caesar’s bloody toga and incited the mob to avenge Caesar’s assassination! For my second choice, I think I would really enjoy a dinosaur safari in the Jurassic period.

Table Of Contents

Introduction: The Basics of Time Travel
One: Welcome to Athens
Two: Welcome to Sparta
Three: The Battle of Thermopylae
Four: The Battle of Salamis
Five: The Golden Age of Greece
Six: Alexander the Great
Seven: Greek Conquest
Eight: The Fall of the Greek Empire

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