Finally, I can shout-out another book birthday! I'd do it every day if I could. This time, I have some wonderful nonfiction which heads back in time to ancient Egypt. While I'm sure there will be fun facts, lovely illustrations, and tons to learn, I also hope that it's interesting and might even hold something most readers have never heard about before. Is that too much to hope for?
Let's find out!
TALES OF ANCIENT EGYPT
Myths & Adventures From The Land Of The Pyramids
by Hugo D. Cook
Illustrated by Sona Avedikian
Neon Squid
Middle Grade Nonfiction
160 pages
ages 8 - 10
Discover amazing true stories and breathtaking myths from ancient Egypt in this book by TikTok Egyptologist Hugo Cook, featuring stunning illustrations from Sona Avedikian.
Everyone knows the story of Tutankhamun, but the ancient Egyptian civilization lasted for more than 3,000 years – which means there are loads more amazing tales to be told! Egyptologist and TikTok star Hugo Cook (aka Hugo the Egyptologist) has scoured ancient texts and translated hieroglyphs to bring readers stories of love, betrayal, and royal scandal featuring pharaohs, priests, gods, and goddesses.
The book combines historical stories, including the time Cleopatra hid in a sack to be smuggled into a palace to meet Julius Caesar, with rip-roaring myths, like the Cinderella story of a peasant girl who married the pharaoh when he found her slipper.
Told with great fun and impeccably researched, readers will slip into a tomb at night with a band of mischievous tomb robbers and witness epic battles featuring elephants and ostriches. Interspersed through the stories are pages explaining the history of ancient Egypt on the banks of the Nile, from how pyramids were built to a step-by-step guide to wrapping a mummy.
With a beautiful cloth-textured cover featuring shiny foil, Tales of Ancient Egypt is the perfect gift for kids interested in ancient Egypt.
Everyone knows the story of Tutankhamun, but the ancient Egyptian civilization lasted for more than 3,000 years – which means there are loads more amazing tales to be told! Egyptologist and TikTok star Hugo Cook (aka Hugo the Egyptologist) has scoured ancient texts and translated hieroglyphs to bring readers stories of love, betrayal, and royal scandal featuring pharaohs, priests, gods, and goddesses.
The book combines historical stories, including the time Cleopatra hid in a sack to be smuggled into a palace to meet Julius Caesar, with rip-roaring myths, like the Cinderella story of a peasant girl who married the pharaoh when he found her slipper.
Told with great fun and impeccably researched, readers will slip into a tomb at night with a band of mischievous tomb robbers and witness epic battles featuring elephants and ostriches. Interspersed through the stories are pages explaining the history of ancient Egypt on the banks of the Nile, from how pyramids were built to a step-by-step guide to wrapping a mummy.
With a beautiful cloth-textured cover featuring shiny foil, Tales of Ancient Egypt is the perfect gift for kids interested in ancient Egypt.
MY TIDBITS
Packing myths and facts side by side, these pages dive into ancient Egypt and bring familiar as well as little-known aspects to light.
Already the cover gives a sense of something special as it works a bit of shiny gold into the mix. From there, the book is divided into four sections, covering myths, tombs, kings/queens, and the 'magic'...and these are stuffed full with information. To help guide through everything, there is a pretty detailed index at the end of the book. So, it can be used as reference material or to search out a few facts as necessary, too.
Unlike many Egyptian history dives, these pages allow myths and historical tidbits to work together side-by-side. The myths reveal well-known and lesser-known stories surrounding the gods or certain personalities. They flow smoothly, grab, and remain concise, sticking pretty much to a two-page spread each. These are boldly marked at the top of the page with the words 'Egyptian Myth', which helps keeps confusion away since there are also more historical tales included in these pages, too. Between the myths, Egyptian facts and history build a deeper understanding of the culture, people, ideas, and daily life. These include more familiar themes such as mummies and the pyramids but also add lesser visited topics such as the Kushites, defense/attack capabilities, ships, and dinosaur fossils (which was a big surprise).
The text stays very age appropriate, sticking to quick paragraphs while working all the details in. The heavy and colorful illustrations add visual support to make everything clear, while also working in just a touch of humor to bring a smile or two. I was surprised how many individuals are mentioned, and each one gains personality as the author weaves the facts into a story-like format. This creates a fun read, which draws in and helps the information to stay in the head. More difficult and important terms are highlighted through-out the read and can be found in a glossary at the end. There is also a list of the gods and goddesses in the last pages.
It's an enjoyable read and not just for Egyptian fans. I do recommend this one to homeschoolers, as a classroom extra, or simply for those who want to learn more about Egypt...myths, gods, facts, and all.
And here they are...
Hugo D. Cook is an Egyptologist and a classicist who studied at Oxford University and Cambridge University and knows six ancient languages to an advanced level. Hugo has an educational TikTok channel that teaches up to 4 million viewers per video about the history, culture, and writings of ancient Egypt. He currently works as a lecturer at the British Museum in London where he teaches the Egyptology and Hieroglyphs course.
Sona Avedikian is a Michigan-based illustrator. She received her BFA in illustration from College for Creative Studies in Detroit with a focus on children’s illustration. Her favorite things to draw revolve around magic, mystery, and adventure, she especially loves experimenting with light and mood. You can probably spot her in the back of a library or taking long walks around her neighborhood.
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