The older I get, the more interesting I find history. Not the modern sort, which leaves me cold, but ancient history and in particular the Greek and Roman cultures which were only touched upon when I was at school. Having developed a serious addiction to the Radio 4 programme Natalie Haynes Stands Up For The Classics, in which she both educates and entertains the listener, when I spotted this new title on Net Galley it immediately piqued my interest.

While I suspect that for most children the religious beliefs of the Ancient Greeks and the lifestyle of the Spartans might be of greater interest than anything else they might learn, for me the names of those individuals whose influence we still feel now – over two millennia later – are utterly fascinating. Here, in this fictionalised account of life for the young Plato, children are introduced to one of the greatest philosophers ever to have lived through the eyes of his older sister Potone.

In an uncomfortably modern opening, Potone speaks of the war between Athens and Sparta – one which has been going on for some time, one which she does not understand and one in which her stepfather is fighting. Left at home with her mother, Plato and older stepbrother Demos, Potone is frustrated by the almost constant bickering between herself and her little brother in which he frequently comes up with his own unique views on things which are hard to argue against.

These debating skills are put to good use though when Demos accuses his younger stepsiblings’ dog of attacking both him and his peacocks, demanding that the dog is destroyed. Potone and Plato appeal to their stepfather, who has not long returned from the war, for justice and he finds an impartial judge to listen to both sides and pronounce sentence. Can Potone and Plato present their case to prove that Demos is lying and save their furry friend from the death sentence? And can they argue their way to peace between the two warring states?

Let’s be honest, most of us argue with other people from time to time and for children disagreeing with siblings and trying to get the upper hand is a very frequent occurrence. When Potone and Plato argue in the story, it is very easy to see both sides – she is often the one who we might say is right, for want of a better word, but you cannot fault the logic that Plato uses to present the case in his favour. For young readers, this revelation that both sides can be different from one another but still be equally valid is an important one and will hopefully make them think about other people’s feelings and opinions and grow in empathy as a result.

Although fictionalised, the characters featured in the story are based on real people and at the back of the book, the author explains how much of it has its roots in historical fact, making this a great read to share in school to accompany any class topic on the Ancient Greeks. That’s not to say this should be the only reason for reading this, it is very humorous and lots of children will enjoy it for that reason alone. Aimed at lower KS2, those less confident readers in Years 5 and 6 will also enjoy this shorter read.

My thanks go to publisher Andersen Press and to Net Galley for my advance, virtual read. My Brother Plato publishes on January 4th.