Why Are You Calling Me Barbarian?

Originally published in Italy, this pricey volume sets up a stilted dialogue between two children living in the third century A.D.: Martilla, a nine-year-old Roman slave girl, and Marbord, the 11-year-old son of an arms merchant from Scandia. In alternating spreads, the two take turns describing life in their homelands. The book's title refers to the Romans' name for Marbord's tribe; making a feeble stab at humor, the authors have the boy challenge Martilla, ""Come on, last one in is a barbarian!"" as he suggests a swim in the river. The youngsters uncover differences and similarities in their respective lifestyles (housing, food, clothing, gods, burial rituals, etc.). Though the narrators reveal some lively particulars, an excess of extraneous reactions (""Do you really wash your feet before eating? Why on earth would you do that?"") and vague, lackluster passages (""In our village, we do everything by ourselves. Everyone has to pitch in so that we'll have everything we need by the time winter comes"") slow the pacing. The cartoonish artwork fills in period details but doesn't do much to help characterize Martilla or Marbord. Ages 10-up. (Dec.)