The history and traditions of Ancient Greece has fascinated people for thousands of years. This book follows an Egyptian boy who arrives in Athens for the Great Dionysia festival honoring the Greek god Dionysus. Dionysus was the god of wine and was known for freeing people from their routine lives through madness, joy, or too much wine. Only men participate in this festival and even slaves are allowed to play jokes on their masters without suffering consequences. The celebration begins with a parade of men dressed as satyrs singing, shouting, and dancing through the streets. The parade is followed by a huge feast where jugglers and acrobats entertain the hungry guests. The most exciting part of the festival is the play performances at the Theater of Dionysus, which seats about 17,000 people. The audience at a Greek play can be very loud. They cheer and shout and if they do not like what is happening on stage, they may even throw food and objects at the actors. Important citizens and foreigners are chosen to be judges and decide which plays are the best. On the final day of the festival the judges announce the winning playwright, who is given a wreath of ivy. The festival ends and everyone must now return to their homes, but all will look forward to the next Greek festival. Included in the book are a glossary, colorful photographs, index, and a guide for further information. This book is part of the “Crabtree Connection Series” and is great for elementary level readers. Reviewer: Heather Kinard