Ancient Egypt

God King: A Story in the Days of King Hezekiah

Book cover: 'God King: A Story in the Days of King Hezekiah'
Author(s): 
Joanne Williamson
Number of pages: 
209 pages
Copyright: 
2002
Publisher: 
Bethlehem Books
Binding: 
Softcover
Subject(s): 
Grade / Age level: 
Review: 
God King is a very engaging tale set in Egypt and Judah in approximately 701 B.C. Like Joanne Williamson's other Bethelehem Books title Hittite Warrior, God King helps the reader connect major stories from the Bible with contemporary events in secular history. The Egyptian perspective gives us a more complete look at the fierceness of the Assyrians and the great danger they posed to all the surrounding nations - providing greater insight into God's miraculous intervention on behalf of Jerusalem and King Hezekiah.

Taharka is one of the lesser sons of the Egyptian pharaoh, Shabaka. Through an act of mercy that was forbidden to one in his position, he is unexpectedly chosen as successor to his father. Life as Pharaoh is strange and unpleasant to him as he adjusts to a new life of strange eating restrictions, limited interaction with common people and bizarre rules of etiquette. To make matters worse, a whole web of threats and intrigue follows, involving his jealous half-brother Shabataka, who had been groomed for the throne, and the threat of Assyrian spies and invasion. Finally Taharka escapes an attempt on his life and flees the country in disguise in the company the king of Judah's ambassador, who had come to Taharka asking for assistance against the Assyrians. Taharka encounters the seemingly invincible armies of the Assryians and their cruel ways before making his way into a besieged Jerusalem. There Taharka comes to appreciate the faith, integrity and ingenuity of King Hezekiah and discovers how he can use his position to prevent a new threat.

You can find the Biblical account of King Hezekiah in the Book of Isaiah. Ages 10 and up.

Additional notes: 

This title was donated for review by Bethlehem Books.

Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
7-4-02

Mara, Daughter of the Nile

Book cover: 'Mara, Daughter of the Nile'
Author(s): 
Eloise Jarvis McGraw
Number of pages: 
279 pages
Copyright: 
1953
Publisher: 
Puffin Books
Binding: 
Softcover
Subject(s): 
Setting: 
Grade / Age level: 
Review: 
This book tells the story of a young Egyptian slave girl whose yearning for freedom places her in the middle of a tangled web of intrigue and deception. Mara, Daughter of the Nile is a marvelous piece of historical fiction, giving detailed descriptions of ancient Egypt in the time of pyramids, temples, battles, and pharaohs. The plot is fast-paced and the characters are exciting, brave, and adventurous . When Mom read this book to us we always begged for 'just one more chapter, please.' It's definitely a 'must read' for every homeschooling family doing a unit on ancient Egypt.
Additional Comments: In the end, the book portrays some excellent character development, however the flirtations of the main character (earlier in the book - the story does not condone the behavior) make me hesitate to read this one aloud to younger children. If in doubt, I suggest pre-reading it yourself. (Most suitable for Upper Grade School) - A.V.H.

Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
1999

Pyramid

Author(s): 
David Macaulay
Subject(s): 
Setting: 
Review: 
Black and white illustrations and readable text take you through the building of a fictional pyramid in Ancient Egypt (but so close to reality that you'll hardly know the difference) from the beginning plans of a Pharaoh for his final resting place, thorugh years of construction, and finally, the Pharaoh's death, mummification and entombment. Fortunately, the emphasis is on the design and construction of the pyramid rather than mummification. The many detailed pictures illustrate tools, techniques, materials used, etc. This is a very nice book and comes highly recommended. It is geared toward the 10-14 year old range, but my younger children have enjoyed it as a read aloud (my son in particular pores over the pictures and wants to know what each of the construction tools is for - such a boy!). The information is interesting and detailed enough to be read by teens or adults as well.

Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
2-26-01

Shadow Hawk

Book cover: 'Shadow Hawk'
Author(s): 
Andre Norton
Number of pages: 
246 pages
Copyright: 
1960
Publisher: 
Bethlehem Books
Binding: 
Softcover
Subject(s): 
Setting: 
Grade / Age level: 
Review: 
Set in approximately 1590 B.C. in Ancient Egypt and Nubia, this historical novel tells of Rahotep, an Egyptian nobleman who commands a small but capable force of Nubian archers. He and his archers offer their services to the Pharaoh Sekenenre, who wishes to finally throw off the rule of the Hyksos invaders and restore Egypt to its former glory. The young and sometimes rash Rahotep finds himself in the middle of a complex web of traditional court protocol, scheming temple priests and treacherous plots to take the life of the Pharaoh. He is finally caught in the web himself, falsely accused of an attack on the Pharoah's life. Escaping, he must choose between rescuing the Pharaoh from another plot and proving his innocence or simply making his escape to safety elsewhere - having a strong excuse after the false accusations. He chooses to help the Pharaoh and becomes involved in several impressive battles with the goal of an all-important first great victory against the Hyksos - necessary to rally Egypt's confidence and support.

This dramatic story makes you feel like you've been dropped right into Ancient Egypt to experience life among soldiers and courtiers in dangerous times. The plot rivals the great adventure novels - secret plots overheard, dangerous undercover missions, daring military campaigns - and offers more besides. The characters are well-portrayed, not overly-simplified or stereotyped. The noble characters fight with courage and honor, and the author shows death and killing as an unfortunate consequence of a just war, not something to be gloried in or dwelt upon in a crude fashion (a remarkable departure from so many books and movies made today).The treacherous plottings in the court and the temples vividly and accurately portray those insidious evils that mix truth and lie into a complex deception. This sort of literature helps children to develop a strong moral sense of right and wrong and the intellectual skills necessary to distinguish the two. Suitable for upper grade school or high school.

Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
4-13-02

The Golden Goblet

Book cover: 'The Golden Goblet'
Author(s): 
Eloise Jarvis McGraw
Number of pages: 
248 pages
Copyright: 
1961
Publisher: 
Puffin Newbery Library
Binding: 
Softcover
Subject(s): 
Setting: 
Grade / Age level: 
Review: 
The Golden Goblet is a story set in Ancient Egypt, of a young boy, Ranofer, who dreams of becoming a goldsmith like his father before him. Unfortunately, now that his father is dead, Ranofer lives with his horrible half-brother, Gebu, who has no love for his young charge, keeps him undernourished and beats him whenever he's in a bad mood. In the course of struggling with these things, Ranofer and his two loyal friends get caught up a in a mystery that leads from the revered tombs of the dead all the way to the Pharaoh's palace. The story is very exciting, the villains very evil and it will definitely be hard to put this book down. While getting wrapped up in the story, the reader will begin to understand how seriously and reverently the Ancient Egyptians treated the dead and how their strong beliefs in the supernatural and in the after life caused their preparations for death to play a major role in their culture. (Suitable for Mid to Upper Grade School)
Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
3-17-2000

The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt

Book cover: 'The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt'
Author(s): 
Elizabeth Payne
Number of pages: 
180 pages
Copyright: 
1964
Publisher: 
Random House
Binding: 
Softcover
Subject(s): 
Setting: 
Grade / Age level: 
Resource Type: 
Review: 
This is a fascinating and very readable history of Ancient Egypt - suitable for family reading or independent reading from mid-grade school and up. The first chapter describes the rediscovery of Ancient Egypt in the late 18th and early 19th century. This is a particularly fascinating account because it describes the amazement of the first Europeans (at the time of Napoleon) to view the great monoliths. The author briefly relates the history of the deciphering of Egyptian Hieroglyphics which, of course, have provided the text of the history of Egypt which comprises the rest of this book. We found the tale engaging and fascinating.

The only disappointment we had was that there is no mention of the Bible, of Moses, or of the Hebrews enslavement in Egypt. This may be simply because this is a secular text, but it must be partly because the details of how (and when) exactly the Hebrews fit into Ancient Egyptian history is not precisely known.

Perspective: 
secular
Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
1-19-01

The Riddle of the Rosetta Stone

Key to Ancient Egypt
Book cover: 'The Riddle of the Rosetta Stone: Key to Ancient Egypt'
Author(s): 
James Cross Giblin
Number of pages: 
85 pages
Copyright: 
1990
Publisher: 
Harper Collins Publishers
Binding: 
Softcover
Subject(s): 
Setting: 
Review: 
Interesting and fairly simple history of the attempts to translate Egyptian hieroglyphics, and most notably the work performed by many scholars in trying to understand the text inscribed on the Rosetta Stone in hieroglyphics, demotic (a more modern form of Egyptian writing) and Greek. Because the same text was written in these three languages, the Rosetta Stone truly became the "Key to Ancient Egypt" in that it allowed the modern world to unlock the mysteries of Ancient Egypt through the hieroglyphic writing (of which numerous texts have survived on monuments, tombs, etc. for thousands of years).

The study of Ancient Egypt seems to be of great interest to children. I imagine that this is largely due to the pyramids (and other monuments) and the large quantity of strange and colorful artifacts that exist. A good study of this subject can lead to a greater understanding of how we learn about the past, the purpose and workings of archaeology and the "theatre" in which God chose to perform his spectacular display of signs and wonders which culminated in the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt.

This book could play a useful role in such a study by explaining how modern man has come to learn about Egypt as well as presenting an introduction to how hieroglyphics work (another topic which children seem to be fascinated by).

Illustrations include sketches of Egyptian scenes dating form the 18th and 19th centuries (A.D.), black and white photos of Egyptian artifacts, and simple reproductions of hieroglyphs being discussed. The text includes a translation of the Rosetta Stone. Reading level is approximately 4th grade and up (could also be read-aloud to younger children).

Additional notes: 

includes index and bibliography

Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
6-21-2000