Iliona never imagined that her sea voyage from Greece to Egypt would lead her to Rome. But when her ship is boarded by pirates, that’s where she ends up — as a slave. Separated from her brother, Apollo, Iliona is soon at the whim of her owners, and the chance of regaining freedom seems like a distant dream. But unlike her brother’s plight, Iliona’s life as a slave isn’t as bad as she feared: her new family provides clothing, food, and even schooling, and best of all, she is free to explore the wonders of Rome. S

• ISBN: 9780763634803
• Author: Platt, Richard
• Illustrator: Parkins, David
• Published: 2009, Candlewick
• Themes: Ancient Rome, Brother and sister, daily life, freedom, Pirate, Roman Empire, slave
• Descriptors: Egypt, Greece, Historical Fiction, Intermediate (ages 9-14), Italy, Picture Book
• No. of pages: 64