Cecilia and her twin brother Verus learn the story of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which destroyed the city of Pompeii, thus preserving it for future generations to discover. The events are discussed in an account written by the ancient Roman Gaius Plinius the Younger, known to us as Pliny. The children also learn about Herculaneum, another city destroyed by the volcano.

This book contains a link to downloadable audio files of the author reading each page to ensure proper pronunciation.