Everything you ever wanted to know

"Dad...this is AWESOME" yelled my 11-year-old son from the back seat after taking his first look at at this new Lonely Planet guidebook. The book has almost 100 color pages full of photos, drawings and graphics that will catch and hold the interest of even the most apathetic teen.

I have two boys, 8 and 11, and both were immediately drawn into this guide book. After they read the guide, I asked them what they thought. Here are some of the highlights...

11-year-old:
"It was really interesting because they do whole double page spreads on each topic. Like Roman fashion (past and present), Rome's architectural features, even how Rome handles its trash problems."

"The information in the book is made for kids. Like when you go to Rome you could point out information to your parents."

8-year-old:
He really liked the pages on obelisks which show pictures and includes facts on the many columnar structures across the city.

He loved the two page spread on gladiators which includes bold graphics of the weapons.

The book has "unique roman facts; the pictures helped a lot so I know what they're talking about."

From a parents' perspective, this guide book is simply the perfect pre-trip prep and companion. The picture and graphic-heavy pages are a natural draw for kids, and the text is simple and easy to read without being patronizing.

Rome can be an overwhelming experience for adults let alone children. This guide provides strong context for experiences across the city. It'll make the city experience feel familiar and recognizable, and will give kids "ownership" over what they see and what they learn. I can't recommend this guidebook more strongly.

The only downside, which was spotted by my 11-year-old, is that there are no maps. But those are easy enough to find elsewhere to enhance the guidebook's reading experience.

This book was provided through the Amazon Vine program. ( )