A vivid retelling of a major historical catastrophe written in an engaging, narrative style with direct speech and speech bubbles. Dramatic illustrations, photos or maps on every page and Internet links to fun websites via the Usborne Quicklinks Website. The Usborne Reading has been developed in consultation with Alison Kelly, Senior Lecturer at Roehampton University.

Chapters in this book include:
- A warning
- Vesuvius comes alive
- The spirit of a hero
- Panic under Vesuvius
- 1860: a city rediscovered