This study guide is designed to accompany and help students in their reading and understanding of the book "The Eagle of the Ninth" by Rosemary Sutcliff. Broken down by chapters that coincide with the chapters in the book, the helps include definitions, comprehension questions, map studies, opportunities to study real people in history, and Bible studies that encourage the student to delve deeper and compare aspects of the book with Scripture.

Since the study guide is broken down by chapters that coincide with the book, it is best to read a chapter of the book and then go back and do the study guide questions for that chapter. The author has put page notations next to each question to help in locating the answers if you can't remember them. She notes in her forward to the study guide that she has done this so the student may enjoy the story without feeling they must worry about remembering details all the time.

On the web site, Grades 6-9 and possibly above, are listed as the appropriate grades for using this guide. The book itself does not have a particular age or grade noted for appropriateness for its reading. I used it with my twelve year old son who is an average reader. He generally was able to comprehend the reading material and questions. What's helpful is that there is an answer key in the back of the book with word definitions and answers to questions. I didn't tell my son it was there, but I used it to help him and to correct his work.

I had never read "The Eagle of the Ninth", nor was I particularly familiar with the time period of the book. It is a historical fiction written during the early Roman republic period when Rome occupied and controlled parts of Britain with its military presence. The unfamiliarity of the time period made it hard initially to understand some of the details of the book. The study guide was very helpful in helping my son and me to understand and get the most out of the book. I cannot think of anything that could be added or taken away from the study guide to make it better. Its listed price of $16.95 seems to be a reasonable price for what you get.

In summary, I would recommend this study guide to go along with a literature and history study of the Roman period.

Product Review by Becky Voytek, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, October 2008