El pequeño hoplita

Gr 3—6—A boy from Sparta, the only child among Leónidas's army, witnesses the Battle of Thermopylae. When the fighting starts, the Spartans discover that a traitor has revealed a secret path in the mountains that will allow the Persians to surround them. Leónidas knows that their cause is lost, so he asks the boy to return to Sparta and tell the people that they all died fighting for their ideals. Pérez-Reverte immediately captures readers' attention and maintains the tone and pacing, while introducing the Spartans' values, customs, and concept of honor. Vicente's realistic illustrations depict ancient Greece and the site of the famous battle. His accurate portraits of Leónidas and the Greek army, their attire and giant shields, and other details, such as a sculpture relief and gorgons in monuments and amphoras, add specificity to the story, making this not only a good introduction to the literary world of the famous Spanish writer, but also an engaging historical read.—Freda Mosquera, Broward County Library, FL