Roman Mysteries @ Charlton Kings

A Roman Mysteries Event

at Charlton Kings Junior School Cheltenham

On Tuesday 2 July 2002, I went to visit Charlton Kings Junior School in Cheltenham for the second time. Jill Richell, teacher of class 4F, has been reading the Roman Mysteries to her class and linking the stories with drama, literacy and history. right: Caroline with 'soldiers' Connor and Laurence

I arrived dressed as a Roman matron, complete with my own personal sponge-stick, (stuck in my belt). After all, a high-born Roman lady wouldn't DREAM of sharing. On my last visit, I asked the class to guess what the sponge-stick was used for. Some of the suggestions were:

for stirring soup
for scrubbing your back
for getting rid of high cobwebs
for beating your slave
for brushing your teeth
as a fly swat
as a torch (soak it in oil and light it)
as a drumstick
instead of toilet paper

Those of you who have met me will know the last answer is the correct one! A sponge-stick was used for wiping your bottom!

I told class 4F how the drumstick suggestion gave me a good idea for the opening chapter of book five, 'The Dolphins of Laurentum'. (read it here) Lupus thinks a sponge-stick is a drumstick! Imagine his surprise when he discovers what it is really used for! Some of the students in class 4F thought this was so funny that they did drawings of it:

left: Lupus drums with a sponge-stick and Nubia laughs. Tigris looks surprised.Drawing by Emma in 4F.

"Dear Caroline
... in your talk you said about Lupus playing the drums, that was funny!! Hope too see you soon, from Emma"

"Dear Caroline
...The best part of the day was when you talked to us about Lupus and the stick. It was very funny... Vale, Kirsty"

"Dear Caroline
...The thing that I learnt was that spounges on a stick aren't just for private business, but for Lupus to use as drum sticks! Ha! Ha! See you soon, from Jacob"

"I learned that you must not use the toilet stick as a drum stick! Good luck, Debbie"

Jill Richell took photos of me with 4F and the class assistant took a photo of her, too. below: Caroline and Jill

"Dear caroline
I absaloultly adore your books I think they are amazing, in my opinion I think they're the best books ever writen. I loved it when you visited our school where everybody dressed up like Romans but your costume was the best I think. from your adouring fan Ollie Olive"

"...I enjoyed it when we got into our clothes. I was a slave for Ollie Olive but other people wanted me to be their slave... Love from Jonathan"

"...I enjoyed it because I loved dressing up in Roman clothes and putting on the jewellry... love from Phlo"

"Your costume was great, I liked your sponge on a stick. You really looked like a rich Roman. Thank you for coming, Sarah"

Then it was time for lunch. As usual, all the kids had been asked to bring something Roman. On my last visit I brought olives. Most kids hated them but a few loved them. right: Caroline by Lucia

"When we tasted the olives they were horrible but I loved the cheese. Robbie"

"At lunch time Oliver got named Ollie Olive because he loves olives so much. We all thought that was funny! Sarah"

"At lunchtime Oliver ate 5 olives and liked them. I was scared to taste one because I thought I wouldn't like them. Hannah"

On this visit I brought halva, a type of middle eastern sweet made with sesame, honey and pistachio nuts. And I brought Nubia's favourite food: dates and figs.

"Hi it's me Ellie from C.K.J.S
I am not sure if you remember but you came to our school and we dressed up. I had a lot of fun. But I had one problem that was that cheese you traded for my grape. It was revolting , but i liked the dates. If you still don't remember here is a clue I am in Laurence's class with the mouse. We are very gratful that you came to our shcool.
From Ellie"

"I really enjoyed your olives. It is surprising you can still get Roman food in the shops these days! I liked the lunch the best. Never mind Ollie Olive, I can't get enough of olives EITHER!! James M"

After lunch I told the 4F how the book cover for 'The Thieves of Ostia' was made. I showed them pictures of some of the earlier ideas for the cover. I also showed them the covers of the Roman Mysteries in Dutch. After my talk, the class worked on their own designs for Roman Mystery Book covers! They also wrote some blurbs which were so good that I have put on the main book pages of my site!

left: design for 'The Thieves of Ostia' by Lucia

"...I most enjoy your talk about book covers because I want to be an illustrator and a book cover designer as well. I also enjoy designing the book cover, I have got the one you signed up on my wall with my other posters...I learned that you had to get lots of different people to do the front cover and that you've stuck with the same sort of thing. Best wishes, Jessica"

"I liked it because you showed us all the previous covers you rejected before the real cover came out for 'The Thieves of Ostia'. Some of the book covers looked really weird. The thing I learned was that a book goes through lots of stages before it is ready to sell in the shops. Thank you for coming, from William"

"What was interesting is you know 'The Thieves of Ostia' it started being called 'Flavia Gemina and the Three Heads of Cerberus'! Love from Victoria"

"I enjoyed two things the best. They were drawing the book covers and the Roman lunch, thank you very much. Lucia"

"Thank you for coming to our school and paying all that money for coming here! How is it going for your other books? OK, alright? I really enjoyed the day! In more specific terms I enjoyed making the book covers. It was very kind of you to give me a fig, date and a halva, but I didn't really like it... It was very interesting to find you had to go through a zillion covers till you met the right one! from Arun"

"I most enjoyed designing book covers and eating Roman food...I like your drawings of the children it was very good. Thank you for coming, Gloria"

"The interesting thing was, when you told us about Vesuvius having things shooting out, but the designer put things flowing out. Thank you for visiting us... Madeleine"

right: design for 'The Secrets of Vesuvius' by James B

"I thought about the book covers and titles. I liked how you got the ideas for the characters. P.S. Mrs Richell has just told me that my cover for 'The Secrets of Vesuvius' is on the internet. James B"

"I enjoyed the whole day, but my most favourite part was your talk about book covers. I liked this because I never knew book covers went through such a long process. I like the way, on your book covers, that they have a nice, big, bold colours as your background 'The Pirates of Pompeii' in particular, because it's yellow and yellow is the colour of lemons and there is a lemon tree in the story. Thank you again, Hannah"

left: design for 'The Pirates of Pompeii' by Kirsty

"...It was interesting when you told us the story about the book covers. I liked the orginal cover the best... Yours sincerely, Connor H"

"...I found the talk about your book covers very interesting... Laurence"

"I really enjoyed showing you the book covers and seeing yours... I learnt how long and hard it is to make a book cover and how you did it. Thank you, Patrick"

"I thought the most interesting thing I learnt was about the bookcovers and how they were made and how many times they were redesigned. Yours thankfully, Ellie"

"The thing I learnt most was that in every title you have the words 'the' and 'of'. Ollie Olive" right: the three heads of Cerberus by Ollie Olive

"The most interesting thing that I learned was saying goodby and hello in roman. from Connor C"

"I learnt that it was hard to get a book published let alone a series of them! Thank you again, James D"

"I think 'The Thieves of Ostia', 'The Secrets of Vesuvius', 'The Pirates of Pompeii', 'The Assassins of Rome', 'The Dolphins of Laurentum' are all Fab books. Love from Amy"

left: portrait of Caroline by Phlo

" Dear Caroline, I am writing to say what a wonderful time I had on Tuesday I really enjoyed it. My favourite part was when we designed the front covers for your new three books... Vale, Damian"

"I am writing to thank you for a thoroughly enjoyable Tuesday afternoon which I am very thankful that I could make it. The whole afternoon was extremely enjoyed by the class... Vale! Miles (toothless)"

"I am very happy you came. Somehow I would be happy to see you here again! But it's goodbye from me and goodbye from the class. Thank you for coming. from Oliver S"

4F interview Author Events