Circus Maximus: Rivals on the Track

By Author / Illustrator

Annelise Gray

Genre

Historical Fiction

Age range(s)

Publisher

Head of Zeus

ISBN

9781800240605

Format

Hardback

Published

03-02-2022

Synopsis

Dido is the only girl ever to have raced to victory at the Circus Maximus, Rome's greatest sporting arena. Now she and her beloved horse, Porcellus, are in hiding, and the Emperor Caligula has put a price on their heads. Can she outwit the emperor and his bounty hunters? And will a shocking family secret stop her in her tracks, or spur her on to make a daring return, helped by a one-eyed mare with a heart as brave as her own?

Horses, history, mystery, thrilling entertainment and sensational storytelling race neck and neck through the second pulse-pounding adventure in Annelise Gray's 9+ series set in Ancient Rome.

Find out more in this Video and Q&A with Annelise Gray Teaching Resource: Rivals on the Track

An Ancient Roman Adventure series: Circus Maximus: Race to the Death (book 1); Circus Maximus: Rivals on the Track (book 2); Circus Maximus: Rider of the Storm (book 3); Circus Maximus: Return of the Champion (book 4)

Download Extract

Reviews

Hayley

Circus Maximus: Rivals on the Track is the sequel to Race to the Death. This book is a thrilling adventure rooted in history and ancient chariot racing.

Dido is the main character in the book; she is brave, intelligent and passionate about horses. Although she is young and a girl, she defies her cultural traditions. She has no interest in marrying, instead she immerses herself in a world of racing and horses. In the last book, Dido makes a glorious achievement - she is triumphant at the Circus Maximus, the greatest chariot racing arena in the ancient world. However, this has led to consequences, because in the sequel, the Roman emperor has bounty hunters out looking for the true identify of the girl that defeated his best chariot racer. Because of this, Dido has been forced into laying low at her uncle's stables with her horse, Porcellus. She is desperate to ride her horse freely but is scared that the emperor will discover her and her horse and take him from her once again.

On a trip into Utica, Dido comes across a rogue horse and feels that there is a connection - something special about her. The horse, now named Jewel, returns to the stables with Dido and her cousins and proves to be an important part of Dido's transformation when she finally begins to race again in disguise as 'Leon'. This story takes us on an adventure into the racing world that brings the past to life for Dido and reveals family secrets along the way. She is plagued by difficult decisions, old enemies and self-doubt but with spirited horses, strong friendships and bravery, she is able to steer through life like it's a chariot race.

This book is a fantastic read that merges history and the love of horse and chariot racing together. It would accompany the curriculum coverage of the Roman Empire brilliantly as a class read because it entwines fictional adventure with historical facts. I would highly recommend this book as a whole class read for reading corners and libraries in Upper Key Stage 2 / ages 9+.

344 pages / Reviewed by Hayley Summerfield, teacher