Walk like an Egyptian: part two

Caboodle books, 9781919614809

“The Ancient Egypt sleepover” by Stephen Davies  follows young Mo when he wins a place at a sleepover at the British Museum.  However there are villains about and the young students find themselves having to stop a robbery, after all the adults have been drugged by the robbers.  A great read, especially if you are about to visit the Museum itself.

Maverick, 9781848868144

The Heart Scarab” and “The Crocodile Curse”  by Saviour Pirotta and Jo Lindley are the first two adventures in a series by this superb writer of historical fiction for younger readers.  This series is set during the reign of Ramses II and features two brothers, who find themselves in danger from a villainous magician.  A brilliant addition to the list of books about this civilization.

Maverick, 9781848868946

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, , 9780618756384

“Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos” by R L LaFevers is the first in a series featuring a young girl, whose mother is an archaeologist and her father is curator of a large Egyptian collection.  When a mysterious amulet seems to bring the threat of magic and destruction, Theodosia finds herself caught up in the fight to save the country.  There are four books in this series and a theoretical fifth volume, although I have been waiting for quite a few years for this to appear.

Buster books, ‎ 9781780557519

“Sherlock Bones and the Curse of the Pharaoh’s Mask ” by Tim Collins follows the canine detective and his assistant Dr Catson as they take a well earned holiday in Egypt.  But when a gold mask is stolen, they become the chief suspects.  They have to prove their innocence and find the true thieves to avoid going to prison.  This is full of action and adventure and is great for 7-9 year olds who are exploring Egypt for the first time.

Barrington Stoke, 9781800900073

Tutankhamun’s treasure” by David Long is  Barrington Stoke book aimed at introducing young readers to the story of Howard Carter and Tutankhamun.  This is an information book that is told in an easy to read and understand way.  There are plenty of pen and ink illustrations that help the reader to get the feel of the story.

Welbeck Flame, ‎ 9781801300230

“The Mummy’s Curse” by M A Bennett is the second in a series featuring three young explorers, who can use a time machine to help change history.  In this book, they find themselves travelling forward to 1922 and being present at the opening the tomb of Tutankhamun; but what can they do to prevent robbery and more?  This is an excellent series and is unusual in that the heroes travel FORWARD in time for their adventures.

Faber & Faber, 9780571328499

“Secrets of a Sun King” by Emma Carroll is written by an author who is one of our most highly regarded history writers.  In this story, the heroine Lilian finds herself caught up in the suspect death of an archaeologist, a mysterious package and the discovery of a new tomb in Egypt.  The year is 1922 and the world has got Egypt mania, but are there some real dangers to be faced and new stories to be told?  This is a favourite story for use in KS2 studies of Egypt.

Sweet Cherry, 9781782268161

“Tombful of Trouble” by Pip Murphy.  This is the third in the series of stories featuring the twins, Christie and Agatha (yes, they have lived in Torquay!) and this time they find themselves in Egypt at the same time as Howard Carter discovers his famous tomb.  When precious objects start to disappear from the tomb, the girls (who run a Detective Agency) decide to find the culprit and retrieve the treasures.  This is a great read for younger readers and definitely for those who will go on to read Robin Steven.

Candlewick, 9781536205237

“Julius Zebra: entangled by the Egyptians” by Gary Northfield is the third book in the series featuring the less than fearless Zebra called Julius.  The stories are set in the ancient world and so far the hero and his friends have been taken to Rome, then Britain and now find themselves ship wrecked off the coast of Egypt.  They start by being treated as gods, but things rapidly go downhill.  This is a fun filled story that young readers will love.

Elmside Publishing, 9781999364113

“The Adventurers and the Temple of Treasure” by Jemma Hatt follows a group of young people as they follow clues left by their father and persuade their uncle to take them to Egypt, to search for hidden ‘treasure’.  The adventurers love to detect and this story allows them to do just that.  This is the second in the series and will add more fans to the books.

CreateSpace, 9781478305705

“Mystery of the Egyptian Scroll” by Scott Peters (Kid Detective Zet) is first in a series featuring a young boy called Zed, who lives in ancient Egypt.  He is the son of a potter,  but would much rather be solving mysteries and is actually quite successful at what he does.  This series is great for showing a world that is not just in palaces, but also shows the lives of ordinary people.  there are four stories to be read, but I am sure that readers would love some more in the future.

Puffin, 9780141325507

“The Kane trilogy” by Rick Riorden is an absolute must for fans of Percy Jackson.  Set in the same world, this is based around the Egyptian gods  and features Carter and Sadie, the children of Egyptologists as they are caught up in a war between the gods.  This is a fantastic series for middle grade readers and it is a shame that there are only three full length novels in this series, although there are also several short novellas.

Crescent Vista Press, 9781734155211

The Eye of Ra” by Ben Gartner features American siblings, John and Sarah, who accidentally stumble on a cave  and find themselves drawn back to Ancient Egypt.  There they find themselves up against a mysterious character and need to find a way of getting back to their home, without changing the course of history.  This is the first in a series of three titles in which the children visit the Roman Empire and the Aztec Empire.

b small publishing, 9781911509097

An Egyptian Adventure” (The Histronauts)  by Frances Durkin and Grace Cooke is part of a graphic novel series centred around the major ancient civilizations.  In this book, the heroes are taken back to Ancient Egypt  and make friends with a girl who shows them what life is like.  The book is full of factual information and excellent illustrations that bring the period to life.  This makes for a really good introduction to the life and beliefs of the Egyptian people.

CreateSpace, 9781544763774

The Cleopatra Curse” and “The Great Pyramid Robbery” by Katherine Roberts are part of a series called the Seven Fabulous Wonders.  they are adventure stories full of action and history, but also with a magical and mystical element that really hooks the reader.  the Pyramid robbery is set during the reign of Khufu in early Egypt, whereas the Cleopatra Cure is set in the final days of this great civilization, as Rome flexes its military might.

A & C Black, 9780713674552

“Casting the Gods Adrift” by Geraldine McCaughrean is a short story by a Carnegie winning author.  It is an exciting adventure story, set during the reign of the heretic Pharaoh Akhenaten, when he built his new capital city Amarna out in the desert and away from the Nile river.  This is great for those who prefer shorter books and it deals with a time that is not written about as much.

Andersen Press, 9781849395748

“The Lost Prophesies” by Michael Malaghan  When siblings Callie and Nick go to stay with their uncle at the museum he curates in Egypt, the last thing they expect is to find a message from 4000 years ago and addressed to them.  What follows is a tale of mystery and magic, as they try and unravel centuries of intrigue and danger.

HarperCollins, 9780007514083

Time Hunters; Egyptian Curse” by Chris Blake.  the main character, Tom, finds himself on time travelling adventures to the past after he accidentally breaks a statue at the museum, he sets free a young girl called Isis who had been imprisoned there since ancient times.  They find themselves on a quest to go back in time, retrieve some amulets and in this, the sixth and final adventure Tom finds himself fighting in the forces of Tutankhamun.  Hopefully he will solve the riddle and break the curse that has held Isis captive.

Orion, 9781842556054

“Scribes of Alexandria” by Caroline Lawrence is part of her long series about a small group of children and their detective adventures during some important events in Roman history.  This book sees them in Egypt and having to travel down the Nile in their quest to find the answers to their questions.

Walker books, 9781406361445

“Jake Atlas and the Tomb of the Emerald Snake” by Rob Lloyd Jones is about Jake and his sister Pan as they try and find their parents in the deserts of Egypt.  They face all kinds of problems including thieves and high tec dangers.  This is the first in the series and Jake is not your usual hero, in fact he has some real issues that he has to deal with.

Simon & Schuster, 9781471147197

Violet and the Mummy Mystery” by Harriet Whitehorn this is the fourth adventure for the young sleuth, Violet and her friends.  After a mummy is stolen from the British Museum, Violet hunts for the culprits and is desperate to help her Aunt Matilde, who is an Egyptologist.  This is a delightful and exciting story for young enthusiasts.

 

 

 

With the centenary of the opening of Tutankhamun’s tomb  taking place on at this time, there is a real resurgence in interest; although the fact that it is on the National Curriculum means that there is always a good range of materials available.  I hope that these two blog posts about the subject will spark your interest and that people will discover some new authors to enjoy.

Walk like an Egyptian

This year has seen the centenary of the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb, as well as the bi-centenary of the finding of the Rosetta stone and the translation of hieroglyphs by Jean-Francois Champollion.  This has given me the impetus to compile this list of books featuring that fascinating civilization.  It is something that I have wanted to do for a long time.  However I am amazed by the sheer volume of books about the subject.  Mainly I have kept to those published in the last year or so, but I have included some long term favourites from my own library.  I hope you enjoy reading some of them

“The Mystery of the Golden Pyramid” by Adela Norfan and Aaron Cushley is a delightful introduction to Ancient Egypt.  When Sophie moves to Egypt, she is surprised to find a dog in her bedroom, but this is a talking dog who gives her a quest to find and return four lost amulets to the tomb of King Nebra.  It is full of action and humour and will appeal to all KS1 children.  The illustrations are excellent, with some great ‘lift-the-flap’ elements.

The Curse of the Tomb Robbers” by Andy Seed and James Weston Lewis is an exquisitely illustrated story of intrigue and tomb robbery, in which two children are able to foil the robbers and bring them to justice.  It highlights the importance of reading the hieroglyphs and also the respect that was given to the dead, by the Egyptians.

“Secrets of the Dead” by Matt Ralphs and Gordy Wright is produced by the British Museum and looks at the various forms of mummification found around the world.  Egypt is only one of those places, but the chapter in this book looks at the methods used and at some famous examples such as Tutankhamun and Ramses II.  The book makes for a fascinating read.

“The magnificent book of Treasures: Ancient Egypt” by Philip Steele and Eugenia Nobati.  I have written a full blog post about this book and you can see it by looking for the title on the blog site.  It is a gorgeous book.

King Tutankhamun tells all” by Chris Naunton and Guilherme Karsten is written by one of our most well-known and knowledgeable Egyptologists.  The illustrations are cartoon style and full of colour and is written in the form of a memoir by the dead Pharaoh.  There is a great deal of humour in the way that it is written, but it is still full of information about the king and also Ancient Egypt itself.

Mummies Unwrapped” by Tom Froese is written in conjunction with the British Museum and is a fascinating look at the various processes that a mummy underwent; asking many of the questions that young people want to know..  The illustrations are  bright clear and have elements of humour, which really adds to the enjoyment.  The cover is gold, which will add to the attraction for the intended audience.

“Egyptology” by Dugald Steer is the first in a series of truly sumptuous books, full of illustrations, lift the flaps, added artifacts and information about a range of topics.  this book has a gold cover and really gives the reader a sense of the grandeur that was found in Egyptian tombs.  Whilst this is not a new title, it is one that should be the basis of anyone’s collection about Egypt.

Egyptian diary: The Journal of Nakht” by Richard Platt and David Parkins is the story of a young boy living in Memphis with his family and how he helps foil a gang of tomb robbers and eventually get to meet the Pharaoh Hatshepsut, only to discover that they are a woman (one of very few female pharaohs).  this is a large size book with some fabulous illustrations.  Since its publication in 2005 it has become a staple of all school libraries.

“Marcy and the Riddle of the Sphinx” by Joe Todd Stanton is the second tale in the “Brownstone’s Mythical collection” series and follows the adventures of Marcy, the daughter of the original hero Arthur, as she attempts to save her father from the clutches of the Great Sphinx.  Children will love the graphic novel format and the fast pace of the action.

“I was there: Tutankhamun’s Tomb” by Sue Reid is a great read for younger audiences.  It is based on the fact that a young boy was involved in finding the stairs which led to the tomb discovery.  it is full of action, villains and  of course introduces the audience to Howard Carter and his patron Lord Caernarvon.

This is just the first section of this rather mammoth post, but I found it o difficult to cut down on the titles to be included.  Join me again for part two of this collection.

 

Spring has definitely Sprung!

Faber & Faber, 9780571337804

Hayley, the Hairy Horse” by Gavin Puckett and Tor Freeman is a delightful story for younger readers in which a horse is kidnapped for her tail hair, because it is perfect for violin strings.  It is colourfully illustrated and has plenty of laughs to keep a young reader totally engrossed in the story

ZaZaKids & Troika, 9781909991897

Spot Guevara: Hero Dog” by Zaro Weil and Katy Riddell is set in New York City and is the story of a young puppy, Spot, who has been separated from his mother and siblings.This follows his adventures as he tries to find them, in what is a very big City.  There are ups and downs, heroes and villains  and above all there is the indomitable spirit of the young puppy.  It was a truly uplifting story with a happy ending, but with potential for more adventures.

Nosy Crow, 9781788004695

Clifftoppers: the Arrowhead Moor Adventure” by Fleur Hitchcock  can only be described as a ripping yarn as the young heroes find themselves trying to stop a jewellery robbery.  This definitely harks back to stories that many of us remember from our youth; although I must have been one of a small number of children who did not read Enid Blyton, because she was not stocked by our local library service.

Nosy Crow, 9781788000413

“We Won an Island” by Charlotte Lo is another story that harks back to a more laid back past, although there is plenty of action and adventure in this story.  When the children win a competition to gain an island it is very timely as their parents are about to be thrown out of their flat, due to non payment of their rent.  However life on a Scottish island has its challenges, not least having enough money to live on and the children come up with some exciting and very  interesting plans to try and make a success of their new life.

Faber & Faber, 9780571346301

“The Secret Starling” by Judith Eagle follows the adventures of the young heroine Clara after she is abandoned by her Uncle (and Guardian).  With the help of a young boy, Peter, she heads off to London to try and find out how her mother died and where her unknown father might be.  This is a lovely middle grade story with a fascinating twist at the end.

Little Tiger, 9781788950329

“The Golden Butterfly” by Sharon Gosling has a real sense of theatre about it, Victorian Theatre to be precise.  When her grandfather the Magnificent Marko dies his funeral is interrupted by a stage magician called Thursby who is searching for a magic trick called ‘The Golden Butterfly’. Luciana  and her best friend Charley decide to go to London to try and solve the mystery of this trick.  This is a wonderfully atmospheric story, with a real message about women being equal and the struggle that they have often had to be accepted.

David Fickling, 9781788450218

“Dragon Daughter” by Liz Flanagan is a real treat for those who love fantasy and dragons in particular.  When Milla witnesses a murder she also saves a small bag that appears to contain four eggs, only these turn out to be very special indeed.  How Milla and her friends bond with the four baby dragons and save them from the plotting of the ruling Duke makes for a truly exciting and magical story.  It is definitely a story to savour and recommend.

Bloomsbury Education, 9781472955999

“Golden Horsemen of Baghdad” by Saviour Pirotta is set in medieval Baghdad;  a complete change from the ancient Greek setting that the author is so well known for.  The young hero Jabir has to help his family survive after the death of his father, but their landlord is determined to throw them out of their home.  Can Jabir use his skill as a carver in order to make money and save his family, or will the evil landlord succeed?  This is a super story that introduces children to a culture that they might not be truly aware of.

“POG” by Padraig Kenny is a magical stand-alone story about two children (and their father)who move to their mother’s childhood home after her death.  They are struggling to come to terms with their grief and find that the appearance of a small very hairy individual might help them.  There is a very subtle underlying theme which has the story coming somewhat ‘full circle’.  It is an extremely thought provoking read.

Chicken House, 9781910655986

“A Witch Come True” by James Nicol is the final ? instalment of this magical series for young people.  Arianwyn has been taken to their hearts, so there will be great rejoicing that things seem to have worked out in the end.  However our heroine has to undergo even more tribulations in this final book before we can say that all is well.  This series is hopefully going to become a classic and I am delighted by the hint from the publisher that more adventures could be possible.

Chicken House, 9781911077008

“Against all Gods” by Maz Evans is the final book in this series featuring the Greek Gods.  Elliot is still trying to get his mother back from Hades and prevent his home being bought by the evil Patricia Porshley-Plum.  Everything seems to be going wrong and even the gods seem lost about what to do.  The book had me veering between laughter and tears, in the same way that a roller-coaster goes up and down, but it was worth all of the emotion.  What a brilliant series in the way it combines the serious and the silly.

Macmillan, 9781509871223

“Kat Wolfe Investigates” by Lauren St John and Beidi Guo is the story of a young girl  who moves to a small seaside village in Dorset when her mother takes up the role of local vet.  She starts animal sitting as a way to earn pocket money, but doesn’t expect to find that there are mysterious goings on in the local area.  Before long Kat finds herself caught up with possible spies, the army and the British secret service.  It is a great adventure for those who love mysteries.

OUP, 9780192771568

“The House of Light” by Julia Green is set in a dystopian culture that feels as if it is on the Scottish coast or Islands.  The people are tightly controlled by officials and armed police and there appears to have been a major ecological disaster in the past.  Bonnie’s mother had left several years before, in an attempt to find a better place, leaving her daughter with her Granda.  When a boy called Ish has his boat beached near her home it brings the idea of leaving closer to being possible.  This is a story to make you think about the world we are creating and what the future could mean for our grandchildren.  Yet another superb story from a wonderful writer.

 

This has been just a look at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to new books this spring.  Whilst looking through my collection I found another great selection of books that I have really enjoyed over the winter months.  I hope to be able to bring them to you in the next few weeks, but before then I am off to the Federation of Children’s Book Groups Conference, so there are bound to be even more titles to go on my TBR pile.

London Book Fair

This visit to the London Book fair seems to be turning into an annual pilgrimage for me.  For those who have never been to it, this is the biggest event for publishers in the UK.; it is also a showcase for publishers from around the world and one of the most prestigious events of its kind. It takes place over 3 days in April and there are a huge range of workshops, launches, showcases and parties (if you are lucky enough to be invited).  The main reason for the fair is to promote publishers, sell rights to other countries and buy rights from overseas concerns.  Teachers and Librarians are not the central audience but there is still plenty for them to enjoy and learn from.

This year the focus was on the Baltic states, so there were sessions about publishing in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia as well as the broader issue about translation.  There was also a wonderful exhibition of illustration from these states, which showed the sophistication and skill that is being used in their picture books and even books for an older audience.

There were so many sessions that I wanted to attend, so I stayed in London and visited the fair on two days.  On the Tuesday, the day started off with a discussion panel comprised of

Speaker Sarah CrossanAuthor Peter KaluAuthor Emily DavidsonYoung AmbassadorInclusive Minds Heather LaceyAmbassador for InclusionInclusive Minds Alexandra StrickCo-FounderInclusive Minds Nikki MarshCommittee MemberIBBY UK”  who were talking about “MInd the Gap: celebrating authentic inclusion”  There was an additional member of the panel, but I did not catch her name unfortunately. This was a fascinating discussion about the way disability in particular is represented in children’s and YA fiction and it really made the audience think about what is acceptable as both a writer and as an audience.  In the afternoon I sat in on the first part of a long session about Illustration in which art directors and designers shared their insights into becoming a published illustrator.  As someone who is not good at art this was of great interest and helped with understanding the broader picture (sorry about the pun).

On Wednesday I had arranged to meet up with a couple of friends during the day, but I started off by having a wander around the Children’s hub and also the larger stands on the ground floor which had children’s elements; these included Bloomsbury, with some amazing pictures from Chris Riddell, Hachette, Penguin/Random House and Scholastic.

At lunchtime I went to the launch of a new book at the Firefly stand; this is a really great Welsh publisher which has produced some fantastic books.  The one we were celebrating at the Fair was called “Dog Town” by Luize Pastore, a young writer from Latvia.  I was also able to meet up with the lovely Tricia Adams and the author Saviour Pirotta for a good chat.  Also there were Megan Farr from Firefly and authors Miriam Halamny and Eloise Williams.

The highlight of the afternoon was the publishers presentations, where about 13 publicists tried to woo us with their up and coming big   titles.  I must admit that I came away with several pages of titles that I want to read.  There were several titles from Michael Morpurgo, a new book from Jacqueline Wilson and follow ups from Cressida Cowell Kieran Larwood, P G Bell and Philip Reeve among many.  I am particularly looking forward to a new book from Emma Carroll, Patrick Ness  and the team of Sarah McIntyre and Philip Reeve.  It looks  as if we are in for a bumper crop of great titles with a wide range of themes ranging from WWI (to commemorate the end of the conflict), Christmas, fantasy, witches and science fiction.  Definitely something for everyone.

 

 

 

By the time I got home at about midnight I was feeling exhausted and yet very happy with the events I had attended, the friends I had met and the book suggestions I had received.  All being well I will be going back next year.