Tapestry of Grace Recommended Reading

The year is A.D. 781. King Charles of the Franks is crossing the Alps with his family and court on a journey to meet with Pope Hadrian. One frosty night he speaks to his young son Carl: "When we come to Rome you will know that I am naming you my heir. One day you will rule over all my lands. . . ." But the King already had an heir, Pepin the Hunchback, mockingly called Gobbo. Was he to be dispossessed? Yet Carl sees that Charlemagne is determined to do what he feels is best to serve God and Europe.

The Eagle of the Ninth is a historical adventure novel for children written by Rosemary Sutcliff. Based on a true story, it is set in Roman Britain in the 130s after the building of Hadrian's Wall. Young Marcus Aquila, a Roman officer, wants to discover the truth about the disappearance of his father's legion. Travelling in disguise as a doctor, he discovers that his father's Ninth Legion had been destroyed, but was able to remove its disgrace through a heroic last stand around the legion's eagle standard. This is an interesting and exciting story, making it a fun way to learn more about this time period.

Hylas is a young Greek slave in the household of Caius Pomponius, a Roman Senator involved in political schemes. When the senator is found mysteriously murdered, the household slaves (including Hylas and his mother) fall under suspicion. Hylas escapes capture long enough to enlist the aid of a young tribune, Camillus Rufus. The desperate attempt to unravel the threads of the political intrigue carries Camillus into the very presence of Nero and brings Hylas into contact with the new secret sect of Christians