-
Best
Books for Young Adults 2006
chosen
by the American Library Association
2006
Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies
chosen
by the National Council for the Social Studies and the
Children's Book Council
"Riveting
photographs and interesting narrative provide an account of life
in Pompeii and a comprehensive explanation of the famous
volcanic eruption of AD 79, along with insight into
the work of archaeologists."
2006
Outstanding
Science Trade Book for Students K-12
chosen
by the National Science Teachers Association and the
Children's Book Council
"This
book provides more than the usual coverage of Pompeii’s
destruction, one of the earliest documented disasters.
Letters discovered from a Roman historian have now given
actual accounts of times and stages of the eruption. Rare
images are shown, as the author was given access to
buildings closed to the public."
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2006
CCBC Choices
selected
by the Cooperative Children's Book Center, School of
Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison
"The
eruption of  Unlike
other Pompeii stories, which explain the tectonics involved in
the great disaster, Bodies from the Ash
focuses on human and cultural life in Pompeii. It documents
the painstaking recovery and interpretation of artifacts that
were ironically preserved by the very heat that killed the
citizens. James Deem’s book is stuffed with photos of
archaeological sites and artifacts, as well as maps and artwork
that serve as primary source documents. He explains how plaster
casts are made of preserved bodies and some of the basic science
that goes into the identifying and cataloging remains. Based on
the location of certain bodies, the clothes that they were
wearing, and the angle at which their bones were crushed,
archaeologists and historians can tell an amazing amount of
information about the homes and the people in them, including
their class, their health, and exactly what they might have been
doing at the moment the volcano blew."
2006
Orbis Pictus Recommended Book
- chosen
by the National Council of Teachers of English
"Under
the looming shadow of Mt. Vesuvius, the residents of Pompeii
became unexpected victims of an eruption that buried their city
under twelve feet of volcanic ash on August 24–25, AD 79. With
factual details gained from trips to the archeological site
site, James Deem recaptures the annihilation of a prominent
Italian city and chillingly reveals ongoing archeological
discoveries through meticulous excavations of the past 250
years. Early attempts to reveal the mysteries of Pompeii focused
on unearthing treasures and human skeletons. However, the
process of forming plaster mummies, inspired by Giuseppe
Fiorelli in 1863, captured the last living moment of those who
died by suffocation. Through these plaster artifacts, Deem
pieces together stories of individuals, families, households,
and the lifestyle of this city of the Roman Empire. Outstanding
archival photographs of human plaster casts and preserved homes
and gardens accompany the reader on a visual and textual journey
through Pompeii. An index, bibliography, informational inserts,
and captions further document the power of the sleeping giant
that still threatens one million residents today."
- School
Library Journal Best Children’s
Books of 2005
- (only
62 books selected from the almost 4700 children's books reviewed
in 2005 by SLJ)
"The
catastrophic volcanic explosion of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D. left
nearby Pompeii and Herculaneum covered for centuries in layers
of debris and ash. This absorbing photo-essay incorporates
first-person accounts and the astonishing findings of recent
excavations with remarkable archival and contemporary
photographs."
Voice
of Youth Advocates (VOYA) Nonfiction Honor List 2005
"With
help from many historical photographs, this outstanding story
about the disastrous volcanic eruption of Vesuvius relates the
events of August 24, AD 79, and details the later excavation of
the victims in Pompeii and Herculaneum."
2005
New York Public Library, 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
"Compelling
photographs and well-informed text reveal the effects of the
cataclysmic explosion."
Selected as :
a 2006 New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age
the Birmingham (AL) Public Library's 2007 Read It Forward
book
Nominated
for:
the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award,
2006-2007
the
Louisiana
Young Readers' Choice Award 2008
the South Dakota Library Association's
Prairie
Pasque Award 2007-2008
the Children's Literature Association of Utah's Beehive
Award (Informational Book) 2007-2008
the
Garden State Book Award (Children's Nonfiction) 2008
Bodies
from the Ash. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2005.
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