Ancient Egypt

Historical fiction about ancient Egypt
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Cleopatra VII The Royal Diaries, by Kristiana Gregory
Reviewed by Aria B.
Do you know a lot about Cleopatra? Do you want to? If you do, then you’re in luck, because I learned a lot from Cleopatra herself. We begin by moving backwards to ancient Egypt, in the city of Alexandria during 57 B.C.E. to when Cleopatra was just twelve years old, and what she thought was written in her diary. Her father had moved into hiding that year, but her older evil sister Tryphaena had already made plans to take over her father's bedroom and the land of Egypt! She had wanted to be queen, but was she the one who wanted to kill her father?!

Later at sea, Cleopatra was going to Rome to get soldiers on her side to kill her sister, so that her father could be king again. She thinks the soldiers are going to kill her next. In the ship, it turns out that her sisters are there.
Later in Rome, her father gets news that his friends killed Tryphaena and it is safe to come back. This is said by Beatrice, Cleopatra's sister, who is a little younger than Tryphaena.
In other news, at Rome, Marc Antony has fallen in love with Cleopatra and she has fallen in love with him too. Is that good or bad!? When they all set sail back to Egypt, Beatrice's head was served on a platter to her father by the Romans. King Ptolemy was thrilled that his daughter was dead; a father being thrilled at his daughter's death? That's crazy.
This book is special because it's about Cleopatra's point of view in her diary, and not the author telling us the story. I think people should read this book because it transports you to Egypt, to Rome, to everywhere that Cleopatra has been. I didn't feel like I was reading every page but as if I was there in the background. I would rate this story four stars because it was a great novel and very interesting. Also, I know so much more information than before, but I wouldn't call it the best book ever.

Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile, by Kristiana Gregory

Reviewed by Noah S.
Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile is a book about a young Princess in Egypt who is the daughter of King Ptolemy XII. The Egyptian people hate King Ptolemy XII because he is very cruel to all the citizens and makes them pay a good deal of taxes. The citizens also hate Cleopatra because she is the king’s favorite daughter. King Ptolemy XII has two other daughters named Bernice and Tryphaena. Bernice is Cleopatra’s favorite sister. Cleopatra hates Tryphaena because she is evil and wants to kill the king and take his throne. Cleopatra knows the king is in danger because someone tried to kill him by putting a snake in the palace that by mistake killed his servant.
Other main characters include Neva, who is Cleopatra’s best friend and favorite servant; Puzo, who is Cleopatra’s favorite guard; Olympus is a friend of Cleopatra’s and is studying to become a .
This book takes places 57 BC -55 BC. The main setting in this story is the king’s palace in Egypt. Some other main settings include Rome, Alexandria, Ostia, Herculaneum and the boat.
I enjoyed the book because it was interesting, but I think the beginning was a bit . It should have been less detailed and more exciting, so I give the book a 31/2 out of 5 stars.

Cleopatra VII, Daughter of the Nile, by Kristiana Gregory

Reviewed by Sammi D.
Have you ever wondered what a royal princess in Egypt thought? Have you ever wondered how she felt? Did you ever think she could be scared? Kristiana Gregory perfectly tells the story of how twelve-year-old Cleopatra of Egypt transforms from a scared child into a grown . The story begins in 57 B.C.E when Cleopatra’s father leaves Egypt to hide because the people are mad at him because of high taxes and poor leadership. Cleopatra’s older sister, Tryphaena, takes charge, and Cleopatra is worried that Tryphaena wants her dead so there will be no other heirs to the throne. When Cleopatra finds out that the king is going to Rome to find help with controlling his people, Cleopatra wants to go with him.
When Cleopatra and her father arrive in Rome, Cleopatra realizes that Rome is not a place she wants to be. She is cooped up in a city where people throw waste out of and where slaves carry the rich in shaded carriages because the road is so filthy. While in Rome, she meets Pompey, the head general of Rome, and others such as the soldier Marc Antony, who catches Cleopatra’s eye, and Marcus Tullius Cicero, Rome’s famous orator. She learns many Roman ways, but yearns to go home. She receives letters from home, one including the message that Tryphaena is dead, assassinated by the townsfolk of Egypt, and Cleopatra’s other sister, Bernice, is now in charge. How will Cleopatra get home? How will her father and she get the Romans to help her city?
I give this book four out of five stars because it is an enticing story about how a girl from ancient times develops into a woman by facing her problems head on. The only aspect that I find displeasing is the slow pace of the story. Overall however, this book was a great read that was extremely enjoyable.



Cleopatra VII Daughter of the Nile, by Kristiana Gregory
Reviewed by Zoe M.
Cleopatra is the daughter of King Ptolemy XII of Egypt, who ruled from 80–58 BCE. He fled to Rome from 58–55 BCE, and became king again from 55–51 BCE. The people didn’t like him because he was mean and made them pay a lot of taxes. They also didn’t like Cleopatra because she was the king’s favorite daughter. In the beginning, Tryphanea, her eldest sister, asked her friends to threaten Cleopatra with death. Tryphanea wanted the king to die too because then she would take the throne. Someone tried to put a snake in the king’s room to poison and kill him, but instead the servant died. Cleopatra was scared to go anywhere or do anything. Her favorite servant, Neva, always made sure she was safe from harm. Cleopatra’s favorite sister, Bernice, always played with her and with Arrow, her pet cheetah. The story tells how Cleopatra and her father survived, and what happens when they return to Egypt. I loved how Cleopatra and people at the palace, and her dad when he wasn’t home, wrote letters to each other. I think this book deserves 4 stars because it was a very interesting book, but it wasn’t the best book.

Cleopatra VII Daughter of the Nile, by Kristiana Gregory

Reviewed by Belle W.
This is the diary of Cleopatra VII of Egypt. Cleopatra has two older sisters, Tryphaena and Bernice. Tryphaena and Cleopatra do not get along, but Cleopatra and Bernice are best friends. She also has a younger sister, Arsinoe, and two younger brothers. Cleopatra and her sisters are princesses and their father is the King of Egypt.
Cleopatra and her father went on a two-year since her Father, the King of Egypt, had to run away. The people of Egypt were trying to kill him because he was not treating them fairly. While they were in Rome, the King was trying to get soldiers from General Pompey to come back to Alexandria to help him take back the city. Cleopatra did not agree with her father and she was very upset with his plans but didn’t say anything because she was afraid of him. While Cleopatra and her father were in Rome, Tryphaena became Queen of Egypt but the King was not happy about this and had her killed. Bernice then became the Queen and she also was killed. The father became King again after they got back from Rome.
I give this book a rating of 4 stars out of 5 because it was a really good, detailed book. I could really imagine it happening.

Cleopatra VII, Daughter of the Nile, by Kristiana Gregory

Reviewed by Maya S.
How many Pharaohs can ancient Egypt go through in a month? This book is about Cleopatra, the queen of ancient Egypt, who reigned from 51 B.C.E. to 30 B.C.E. The book is written as if it is Cleopatra’s diary. It takes place in Alexandria, Egypt, along with Rome. The story takes place from 57 B.C.E to 55 B.C.E. and tells about Cleopatra’s adventures, including when she goes to Rome, when people try to kill her father, the Pharaoh, and a bit about her romance with Marc Antony. The Egyptians dislike Cleopatra’s father so much that they try many times to kill him. Should her father die, Cleopatra would love to become queen. However, she has two older sisters, Tryphaena and Berenice. Tryphanea, the oldest sister, would do anything to become queen. When Cleopatra and her father leave for Rome, Tryphaena seizes the chance to become queen. Once Tryphaena is queen, she sends a note to Cleopatra and her father that states that if they come back, they will both be killed. Soon, Tryphaena is killed instead, and Berenice takes the throne. Sadly, Berenice suffers the same fate. This book was interesting to me, because I love learning about ancient civilizations. I rate this book five stars, because it has amazing descriptions of everywhere Cleopatra went and it makes me feel as if I am in the story, too.


Cleopatra VII, Daughter of the Nile, by Kristiana Gregory
In the great land of Egypt there lives a girl who must save her country. Her story takes place in 57 B.C., during the rule of King Ptolemy the First. As you can tell from the title, Cleopatra is the main character. The book is her diary telling of her life at age 12 through 14. She spends almost all of her time with Neva her maid and best friend. She visits her friend Olympus for advice. He is learning to become a physician. Also she visits Theophilus who is training to be a rabbi.
The story takes place in Alexandria, Egypt. As the story progresses, Cleopatra goes to Rome with her father. Cleopatra also spends much of her time in the great library of Alexandria. The story is about how Egypt is falling apart and king Ptolemy needs Rome’s help. So Ptolemy and Cleopatra go to Rome to get help from Caesar. Back in Egypt, Cleopatra’s oldest sister Tryphaena becomes queen and Egypt does not like her. Cleopatra believes that she should be queen because she can speak to all of Egypt in their language and knows the way to treat people fairly. In Rome she meets many people such as Pompey, Caesar, Cicero, and Marc Antony, and becomes friends with Pompey’s wife Julia.
I give this book 5 stars because it showed the history perfectly. It made me feel like I was in the streets of Rome next to Cleopatra’s carriage. It starts off in a very intriguing way and continues that way throughout the whole book. It made history come alive.
By Solomon F.

Cleopatra VII, Daughter of the Nile, by Kristiana Gregory (Historical Fiction--Egypt and Rome)

This book takes place during the time of the Pharaohs and the Roman Empire from 57BC to 30BC. In the story, a young Princess named Cleopatra is living in Alexandria, Egypt. She is afraid because her father has gone into hiding because the Egyptians hate him for making them pay more taxes, and making their money worth one third of its original value. She is also worried about her older sister Tryphaena who is trying to take over the throne. Cleopatra, who loves to explore, is now worried about going out because of the hatred against her father. The Egyptians also hate Cleopatra because she is her father’s favorite daughter. Cleopatra’s father is going to Italy to get help to get back his throne. Cleopatra does not want to stay in Egypt, as she is afraid her older sister Tryphaena will kill her. So she sneaks on board her father’s ship with her slave Neva and her guard Puzo. The journey for her is long and hard because of the storms and getting sick. One day at sea an Egyptian messenger ship delivers a letter saying that if Cleopatra or her father step foot on Egyptian land they will be killed and that Tryphaena is now Queen. When they arrive in Italy, Cleopatra and her father stay with an important government official, Atticus, who is going to help restore her father to Egypt’s throne. Soon after their arrival, they get another message that her father’s friends have killed Tryphaena and that her sister Berenice has now proclaimed herself as Queen. King Ptolemy and Cleopatra keep meeting with senators, generals and lawyers to get them on their side. During the winter they train more troops and King Ptolemy decides they will leave for home in the summer, but then Cicero, an excellent lawyer, starts talking badly about King Ptolemy, Cleopatra and Atticus. This delays their departure back to Egypt and keeps the reader guessing: Will King Ptolemy ever be restored to his throne? The book is very enjoyable and is excellent to read. I rate it 4 ½ out of 5.

By Jacob S.

Cleopatra VII Daughter of the Nile, by Kristiana Gregory (Historical Fiction--Egypt and Rome)

One day, Princess Cleopatra’s father, the King of Egypt, went missing, and he was close to losing his throne. Nobody knew where he was, where he was going, or whom he was with, but Cleopatra overheard that he was alive! She feared that he would be killed and if he was, she wanted to be queen but so did her two older sisters, Tryphaena and Berenice. Olympus, a friend of Cleopatra’s, told her that her father’s people wanted him dead. That was because he mismanaged money, taxed unfairly, and made money worth less than it was before. Later, Olympus also told Cleopatra that her father wanted to go to Rome, to tell Romans to come to their city Alexandria and punish the villagers so that he could reclaim his throne, which now belonged to Tryphaena the new queen. Cleopatra found out that her father did not yet leave for Rome so she boarded his ship with him. Later, Cleopatra hears from Olympus that Tryphaena has been murdered, but can that only mean more danger? This book tells you about the adventures Cleopatra has in Rome, and about the interesting people she and her father meet. The names of these people are still well-known today! It also shows you what life was like over 2,000 years ago during the time period of 57 B.C. - 55 B.C. The book involved a little bit of war and I usually don’t like that, but the story was very interesting and I enjoyed it a lot. You will too!

By Zoe G.

Cleopatra VII Daughter of The Nile, by Kristiana Gregory
This book is about the famous Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, in the years 57 B.C.E.-55 B.C.E., when she was a 12-year-old princess. She lived in Alexandria, Egypt, where the capital of Egypt was at the time. Her life is at stake because she is the favorite daughter of King Ptolemy XII, one of the most hated kings of Egypt. Cleopatra and her father have to hide, so they go to Rome to hide from their enemies in Egypt and also to make peace with the Romans. When they get to Rome they get a letter saying that Cleopatra’s oldest sister, Tryphaena, took over the throne. When the king hears this he sends some of his friends to kill Tryphaena. To celebrate the killing of Tryphaena the king’s friends drink so much they get drunk. Then, Berenice, Cleopatra’s other older sister, kills the king’s friends and takes the throne.

I thought the book CleopatraVII: Daughter of the Nile was worth four stars. I am very interested in ancient Egypt and Greek gods and goddesses and it was written well. I enjoyed reading the book, except there were a few things about death in it and that didn’t make it a perfect five stars. Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile was a great book and it is a good book to do for a book report on ancient Egypt.
by Yonah H.

Cleopatra VII, Daughter of the Nile, by Kristiana Gregory

Cleopatra is an adventurous, smart and brave 12-year-old girl. She has her older sisters, Tryphaena and Berenice, and her younger siblings that all live with her in Alexandria, Egypt. She knows her father (Ptolemy XII) went into hiding because the villagers are mad at him. She also knows that with her father gone, when her sister Tryphaena takes over the throne things will go bad. Her friends Olympus and Theophilus tell her that her father plans on going to Rome to get some Roman soldiers so they can overthrow the angry villagers. Cleopatra sneaks aboard his ship with her slave/best friend Neva and her guard Puzo. While in Rome, she meets Pompey the Great, his wife Julia, Marc Antony and many other Romans. But there still aren’t enough soldiers that are trained to leave Rome and go back to Alexandria. The longer they stay, the more homesick Cleopatra becomes…….. I rate this book a 4 ½. It is an excellent book that is good for boys and girls because it isn’t about girly stuff evenit’s about a girl. I really liked the book, and I think that others would too!

By Emily G.

Cleopatra VII, Daughter of the Nile, by Kristiana Gregory

Reviewed by Hannah P.

The Royal Diaries of Cleopatra VII was written in the form of Cleopatra VII's journal. It tells a lot about the history of the end of Egypt, but also catches each individual's personality and feelings. In this book, Cleopatra's father, the Pharaoh goes into hiding, as he is being threatened. His servants were poisoned, as someone tried to poison the King. While the King is in hiding, Cleopatra's oldest sister, Tryphaena, takes over Egypt. She is thirsty for power. Cleopatra does not think that her sister is the right person to take over the throne, because she knows that her sister will be greedy. She goes on a voyage to meet her father in;. Rome. Her father is planning to take back the throne by sneaking guards in to kill his daughter, Tryphaena. When she dies her sister Berenice, the second oldest, takes over the throne. Cleopatra loves her sister, but she knows that Berenice would not be a good Pharaoh, because she would not care for her people. She also knows that eventually Berenice will fall, as her father will deal harshly with her.
When Cleopatra is stuck in Rome she feels misery, missing her home on the Nile. While she and her father deal with Berenice, she realizes that her father, no matter how much she loves him, cannot be a great Pharaoh, but she thinks she can be. She watches him as he gets drunk and acts disrespectfully. She thinks she must become the Pharaoh. She thinks that she will help her people. Yet she still wonders what her people will think of her, and how she should rule. I would give this book a four star rating. I think it was a great idea to write the story as a journal. The novel really tells you a lot about history. Overall it was a good book.


Crocodile on the Sandbank, by Elizabeth Peters
Reviewed by Miriam S.
Are you interested in Egyptology? Amelia Peabody certainly is. If you are ready for
adventure, join this sharp tongued woman from the 1800s as she cruises down the Nile. Even
before she arrives in Egypt the adventure has begun. In Rome, Miss Peabody takes a girl who
had fainted from the cold under her wing. She finds out that the girl is Evelyn Barton
disgraced noblewoman who was disowned by her grandfather when she ran off with Alberto.
After some time had passed however Alberto took all of her remaining money and possessions
before running away. Needing a companion on her trip to Egypt, Miss Peabody takes Evelyn
along. Amelia wants to cruise down the Nile, and stop at all of the attractions both large and
small. Yet even before they leave Cairo, they are knee-deep in mystery. With a mummy on their
trail and two men falling for Evelyn, the adventure is only just beginning. Early on into their
cruise down the Nile, Amelia decides to stop at Amarna, the city of the heretic King Akhenaten.
Amelia stops to help a sick archeologist whose brother just so happens to be one of Evelyn's
admirers. Those two men are the Emerson brothers, Radcliffe and Walter. Radcliffe, the one
who was sick, infuriates Amelia because he refuses to believe that she can understand
archeology, even though she protects an ancient pavement for him. Too soon for comfort the
mummy begins to strike again, but not for long if Miss Peabody has her way.
Set approximately around 1880, this story will thrill you even today. With new waysof
preserving archeology it is a conflicting time to be an archeologist with many artifacts on the
black market, damaged, or forever lost. This book has a strong feminist approach and is
inspiring in the field of Egyptology. I give this book four-and-a-half stars because of the simple
way that it explains archeological methods and the history of Egypt.


The Golden Goblet, by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
Reviewed by Lyla N.
In this book about Ancient Egypt, a twelve-year-old boy named Ranofer tries to solve the case of who is stealing the riches from the tombs of Egypt. Ranofer has been in the hands of his half-brother, Gebu, ever since his father died. Gebu never treated Ranofer fairly and doesn’t feed him enough so he is skinny and weak. Ranofer works at a goldsmith shop but he does not have a proper job. Instead of working as an apprentice, Ranofer pours small ingots and sweeps little scraps from the other apprentices’ tables.
One day when Ranofer goes to work, he hears that there has been a robber stealing little amounts of gold and Ranofer suspects it’s Ibni the Babylonian. For a while Ibni has been giving Ranofer wineskins and asking him to give them to Gebu, but Gebu never drinks the wine. During the time he’s thinking about this he meets a new apprentice his age named Heqet. Ranofer teaches Heqet the jobs of an apprentice and they soon become friends. As Ranofer teaches Heqet to wash gold, he realizes that it was Ibni’s job to wash gold and that it was easy enough to steal little pieces of gold in the extra pile of dirt left behind after washing. After stealing the gold, Ibni probably slips it into the wineskins and gives them to Gebu. Ranofer wants to accuse Ibni, but if Gebu found out he would beat him and never let him work at the gold shop ever again. Then Ranofer has the idea of asking Heqet to do it for him. They have become very strong friends now so he trusts him.
When Heqet blames Ibni, it does not result with just Ibni being kicked out of the gold shop, but with Ranofer getting kicked out too. He is moved by Gebu to work in his stonecutting shop now and he is not allowed to work at the goldsmith shop anymore. At the stonecutting shop, all Ranofer does is help an old man drill holes into slabs of stone or take sanding stone to file down big chunks of rock that will soon be turned into coffins. Even though Ranofer has changed his job, he is still suspicious of Gebu.
One day when Ranofer comes home from the stone cutting shop (as usual), Ranofer looks around in the storage room for extra food Gebu has left for him. This time he finds nothing and keeps thinking that there must be food upstairs in Gebu’s room. Ranofer is forbidden to go upstairs and he knows the cost of what would happen if Gebu finds out that he was there, but his hunger drags him. Ranofer searches through Gebu’s cabinets and trunks but he finds no food; instead he finds a golden goblet inscribed with the name Thutmose-Nefer-Kheperu the Conqueror. The only way Gebu could have gotten this goblet is by stealing it, so Ranofer keeps a close eye on him.
Over time Ranofer notices weird conversations between Gebu and his friend Wenamon and he finds a blueprint for another tomb, but this one has a special room which is not needed. Then Heqet tells him that he heard Gebu and Wenamon talking about how instead of going to the festival for the Nile they were going to steal from another tomb. On the day of the festival Ranofer follows them into the tomb and finds out it is the tomb of Queen Tiy’s parents.
I give this book three out of five stars because for me it was hard to read because of the different way the author used English. Even though the story was somewhat boring at times, the plot was interesting and I learned a lot about how people lived in ancient Egypt.

The Golden Goblet, by Eloise McGraw

Ranofer is the main character in the story. His dead father was a goldsmith and friends with Zau the master goldsmith. Since his father died, he has lived with his evil half brother Gebu, who only allows Ranofer to be a porter, someone who works in the gold shop but isn’t apprenticed. Heqet is Ranofer’s friend whom he meets at the gold shop. Ranofer didn’t start off liking Heqet but soon they became close friends. Heqet is apprenticed to Rekh the goldsmith. Ancient is Ranofer and Heqet’s friend. He built his own eastern Thebes and has a donkey. He makes money by cutting papyrus. Ranofer’s evil half brother is a stonecutter who beats Ranofer and only gives him half of a bread loaf for dinner. Recently, Gebu has been getting rich. Wenamon is Gebu’s friend who is just as, or maybe even more, evil than Gebu. Rekh is the goldsmith that Heqet is apprenticed to. He isn’t a master goldsmith like Zau but he is fair. Ranofer dreams of being Zau’s pupil.
The story takes place in the ancient city of Thebes which was founded around 3200 B.C.E. Thebes is divided into two parts, eastern and western. Ranofer lives in western Thebes, called The City of the Dead, because there are many tombs. The Nile separates the eastern and western parts of Thebes. One day Rekh the goldsmith announces that there has been a thief in the shop. Ranofer thinks it is Ibni, a man who has been giving him wineskins to give to his brother. When Ranofer sees Gebu get mad at Ibni, Gebu apprentices Ranofer to himself as a stonecutter. Now Ranofer hates his life. During midday he is allowed to leave stonecutting. Ranofer meets in a thicket with his two friends Heqet and Ancient, and tries to think of ways he can get away from his brother. When Ranofer finds a golden goblet in Gebu’s room he realizes something that he can do to make his dream of becoming Zau’s pupil come true.
I’d give this book a rating of four and a half stars. It was a very good book but I wouldn’t recommend it for people who hate violence because Ranofer gets beaten.
By Benji J.

The Golden Goblet, by Eloise Jarvis McGraw

The story takes place in Ancient Thebes in Egypt . It is set around 1400 B.C.E. The story is about a boy named Ranofer who is forced to be a stonecutter’s apprentice. He wants to be a goldsmith’s apprentice like his deceased father. The reason he has to be a stonecutter’s apprentice is because his cruel half-brother, Gebu, manages the stonecutting shop and he wants Ranofer to work for him. Both of their parents are dead. Another main character is an old, kindly man who is referred to as “The Ancient”. He helps Ranofer and Heqet to accomplish their goal. Heqet is Ranofer’s friend from the goldsmith’s shop.
Abruptly, gold is missing, and Ranofer thinks that it is in the wineskins Gebu gets from the Babylonian named Ibni. All of a sudden, Gebu becomes very wealthy. Ranofer and his two friends, Heqet and The Ancient, think that Gebu’s sudden wealth has to do with him and his friends. They spy on Gebu, his friend Wenamon, and a sailor. They think that the gold is perhaps secretly imported on a ship by the sailor, and no one would know. I rate this book a two-and-a-half. I rated it that because it wasn’t exactly my type of book. I liked it in the beginning, but towards the middle I found it repetitive and slightly boring. Also, when the author said that Ranofer expected that the gold was imported on a ship or that they were getting it from a tomb, it was quite obvious that he was right.
By Alec C.

(168-172)Ranofer was never permitted to go up the stairs to Gebu's room. But when Gebu was not in sight, Ranofer snuck up into Gebu's room. And when he opened the door, the thing that was actually in sight, was a glowing, golden goblet. Ranofer started getting curious to the point when he started thinking that Gebu stole from a very old king's tomb. As Ranofer left the room, he then noticed that he broke the seal. He started getting very nervous and scared because if Gebu saw it, he would murder Ranofer! Ranofer couldn't make it look like before but he tried as hard as he could. Luckily, when Gebu arrived, he was entoxicated and didn't realize anything. Ranofer knew that he was now gonna be safe.
(180-181) After the incident with the broken seal he thought for sure that when Gebu would come he would beat him or even kill him because Ranofer knows Gebu's secret. But then agin, if Ranofer were to tell Gebu's secret, Gebu will get killed at the wall and Ranofer would be free. But when Gebu came home he was entoxicated AGAIN and he gave Ranofer extra food and wasn't noticing any of his actions or what was going on with the goblet.

Lights on the Nile, By Donna Jo Napoli

Reviewed by Eden R.

Lights on the Nile takes place in the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt, around when the Pyramid of Giza was being built. What I think is special about the book is that we can relate to Kepi, her mother, father, or her sister Nanu. What's also special about the book is that at the end, Kepi and her friends all turn into fairies, I haven’t read any books that are for older children that make fairies fit into the story. If I were to give the book a rating, I would give it four stars. It's a very good book, but the ending is also very sad, and I don’t like sad endings. If I did, I would definitely give it five stars.
In the book, Kepi meets lots of the gods and goddesses of Ancient Egypt. Kepi prays to the gods, and they come to her in animal form, like Sobek, who comes to her in the form of a crocodile, or Tehuti, who comes to her in the form of an Ibis. The book was very interesting, and one that made history come to life.

Maia of Thebes, Ann Turner

During the rule of the great Hatshepsut, an eleven-year-old girl named Maia learns to read and write the sacred symbols of hieroglyphics. Maia lives with her aunt and uncle in Thebes, Egypt, since her parents drowned in a boat. She had convinced her scribe brother to teach her to write. Maia uses her knowledge of hieroglyphics to learn that her uncle is stealing sacred grain from the Temple of Karnack. Amen (the main Egyptian god) pulled her in to speak what she knew. Little did Maia realize that her new skills could change her life forever.
I rate this book four and a half stars because you could feel the way the characters felt in the way Maia’s story is told.
By Solomon F.

Maia of Thebes, by Ann Turner
Reviewed By Rachel O.
Maia of Thebes is definitely not an ordinary girl. She lives with her Aunt Nebet, Uncle Hay and her brother Seti because her parents died when she was little. She does not really love her life because she is treated like a slave, but she loves her brother who is a scribe. Her uncle is a priest who works at the nearby temple. One night, she is woken up by a strange noise. She realizes that her uncle is not in bed. Later, she finds him coming home with a sack of grain with him. Right away she suspects he is stealing grain from the Temple of Karnack. A few days later, she goes with her family to a local gathering that honors the gods. She goes to the temple of a god where people say that you can ask him any question and he will answer yes or no. Since Maia has been wondering about her uncle stealing grain she goes to the temple and in front of everyone asks the question, “Is my uncle stealing grain from the temple of Karnack?” Everyone is in shock when the god says yes. But now, what will happen to Maia’s uncle, and where will Maia live, since her uncle no longer wants her in his house?

Mara Daughter of the Nile, Eloise Jarvis McGraw

Reviewed by Allison G.

Would you risk your life for freedom? Mara will. But how far will she go? Mara is a typical slave girl who is bought by Nahereh, an advisor to hatshepsut of the Pharaoh of Egypt. When Mara gets on the boat to go where Nahereh sends her, she meets someone Sheftu an enemy of her master and becomes his messenger too. Mara is very smart and an interpreter for Inanni, the Canaanite princess that hatshepsut wants prince Thutmost to marry.
When Mara takes Inanni to see the pronce, Mara passes secret messages allowing the king to know what Sheftu needs him to. Mara accomplishes what she needs for both masters while favoring her master Lord Sheftu, also know as Sashia, the leader of the Rebels against Hatshepsut in 332 B.C. Mara is doing fine, until both of her masters find out she's gone behind their back. Mara and Lord Sheftu have already fallen in love and now he thinks she has gone against him. What will happen next? To find out read the book Mara Daughter of the Nile. I rate this book three and a half stars out of five stars because the beginning of the book is slow and only the last half of the book is fast moving and very interesting. Also, I think the book should have explained more about the characters in each chapter. The book was very good at making you want to read more towards the end.

Mara, Daughter of the Nile, by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
Mara was a slave girl living during the rule of Hatshepsut and Thutmose III. At that time Hatshepsut and Thutmose hated each other even though he was her step-son. Mara was sold to a man named Lord Nahereh, an advisor for Queen Hatshepsut. She was forced to travel on a boat by herself, but, there was also a captain and a boy on the boat. Mara traveled from Menfe, to Abydos, to Thebes. At that time, Thebes was the capital of Egypt. On the trip from Menfe to Abydos, Mara met the boy and she found out that he was a young scribe, named Sheftu. One day when the captain and Sheftu were talking privately Mara eavesdropped. She discovered that Sheftu was not a scribe and was really the son of a rich supporter of Thutmose III. Sheftu pretended to be a scribe so that Hatshepsut’s army wouldn’t recognize him and kill him. Sheftu knew that Mara was listening and threatened to feed her to the alligators if she didn’t send messages for him to Thutmose. Since she had to work for two different masters who hated each other her life was at risk. She manages to keep her double role a secret, until one day when Sheftu finds out the truth.
I liked this book from beginning to end, and I would call this a four star book. Mara, Daughter of the Nile is a romantic and dramatic book for readers ages ten and above. Eloise Jarvis McGraw made every little detail so interesting.
by Yonah H.



Mystery Of The Egyptian Scroll, by Scott Peters
Reviewed by Yoni W.

Would you have ever thought someone would steal an Egyptian scroll? Back in ancient Egypt, a brother and sister are left alone with their mother and baby brother. While their dad is in the army, the boy and girl, named Kat and Zet, are left to run a store in the Thebes marketplace. But something suspicious happened in the area. Two men appeared to have stolen an ancient Egyptian scroll near their store. Kat and Zet are put to the test to try to catch these two men and report them to the medjay (the police). It's not just catching these two men but it's also the reward that's sweet. If they catch the two robbers, they will be rewarded with 20 deben, which is a lot considering they are a very poor family. Kat and Zet get caught at the temple after realizing that one of the men is in fact the priest. They now figured it would be a lot harder to capture the two men, and they now also have to come up with an excuse to get out of the temple where the priest is located. Will they escape and eventually capture the two men or will they fail and and get punished?.

I think this book is special because in everyday life you're not going to find two kids going out to try to find two robbers who stole an ancient Egyptian scroll. I think it's a great story and it encourages young kids to be good people and do good deeds. I would give this book four out of five stars because there was a lot of detail and it's an exciting mystery with a big plot and you never know what's going to happen next. The reason why I didn't give this book five stars was because it's difficult to understand sometimes. There are also a lot of changing scenes in the middle of the book so it's sometimes hard to keep track of what's going on.

Princess of Egypt, by Vince Cross

Reviewed by Maya H.

Have you ever heard of a woman becoming the Pharaoh? If you read this book you will.The book is about the Egyptian princess named Hatashaput, and it is her diary. Her nickname is Asha. The book takes place in 1490 B.C.E The setting of the book is Thebes, the capital of Egypt. Her father's name is Thutmose and he is the king. Nofret and Edjmet are her half siblings and Wajmose is her real brother. She has a tutor named Senenmut. Her father has a vizier named Shushu, whom Asha dislikes. During the book she gets married to Edjmet and when Edjmet dies she becomes Pharaoh.

The book tells about her life, in her perspective, and all her thoughts. The book shows how her family's lives are so much different than our lives. The poor people and the rich people have very different lives. For example, the poor people have to work in the field all day, while the rich people get to stay in their palaces. I learned a lot about the daily life of the Egyptians, and what they had to deal with.

This was a very interesting book. I did not love it, but I did enjoy reading it. My final rating would be a 3.5, because at the beginning of the book I couldn't really tell who the characters were and it was hard to understand. But as I continued to read, I did enjoy it. This book made it fun for me to learn about the Egyptians and ancient Egypt, and I hope it will for you too!


Princess of Egypt, by Vince Cross
Reviewed by Maya P
Come join me in the story of The Princess of Egypt, about a 14-year-old girl named Asha and a diary of her exciting life. The book is the author’s idea of the teen years of Hatshepsut, who was really the first female pharaoh of Egypt. It takes place in ancient Egypt, mainly in the king's palace and the surrounding streets of Thebes. One of Asha’s stories is about her dog, Mek, who escapes all the time. When Mek runs away, she chases after him, and her adventures begin. She meets many people, some good and some bad. Asha is next in line for the throne after her father dies; she is scared and nervous to be ruler of Egypt, and the story is about the dangers that surround her.
I would recommend this book to any middle school girl. It touched my heart. I imagined what it would be like in Asha’s shoes, what it would be like if I had all this happen to me when I was only 14. She is brave and strong. She did not stop fighting for what she wanted until she got it. I would give this book 5 stars out of 5 *, because it was adventurous and I was so into it, I could not put it down. The Princess of Egypt shows me that being in charge is not always as easy as you would think. When you are forced to marry someone life can be hard for you. This is what happened to Asha at the age of 14. Her diary will live on in the story of The Princess of Egypt.

Princess of Egypt, an Egyptian girl's diary 1490 BC (My Story), by Vince Cross
Reviewed by Daniela B.
If you’re interested in historical life in ancient Egypt or you are just ready to sit down with a great novel, then The Princess of Egypt is the perfect book for you. It is an amazing book for all ages that brings you back in time to 1490 BC to discover a story of the fourteen- year- old Egyptian Princess Hatshepsut, also know as Asha, who later becomes the first female Pharaoh
. She is brave, strong, and confident in whatever she does, and is always very respectful and generous to people. She goes through many exciting as well as dangerous moments in her life, however nothing will take her spirit away.
Asha does what she's told even though she absolutely hates what she is told to do by her father the pharaoh, like when she is forced by her father to marry her half brother Edjmet so that she can help him lead Egypt. Edjmet does not have all the qualities of being King, therefore he would not be a good Pharaoh on his own. When Asha was born her father wanted her to be a boy so that when he died she could take over Egypt. Asha tries to help lead Egypt, even though she is a girl and she is not pharaoh.
It is not all that bad being part of royalty in ancient Egypt. Their food is made from the tastiest ingredients, and their clothes are made of the finest fabrics. Although living in ancient times was also challenging, having so many diseases and not having modern era medicine for treatment. For example, Asha gets married to her half brother at fourteen years old because usually because of the diseases, people in ancient Egypt did not have very long lives.
I give this book four stars for its realistic portrayal of ancient times while still being fiction. Also because this story is written in first person it lets you put yourself in the shoes of the main character Asha. Reading this novel takes you on a journey through the life a young princess soon to become queen, and a family of people who will not let tragedies bring them down. The Princess of Egypt is a great book and I recommend it for everyone.

Princess Of Egypt, by Vince Cross

Reviewed by Aria Bitan



What was Hatshepsut like as a kid? What were her thoughts when she went through

tough times? It's not like we can build a time machine and ask her these questions,

I guess we'll never find out for sure, but the book Princess of Egypt has a theory that has

answers to all of those questions and also leaves the reader in suspense, so I guess you'll just have

to read the novel.

This is a historical fiction book about the young life of Hatshepsut, but we'll

just call her Asha, which she likes to be called. It's 1490 B.C. in Thebes the capital

of Egypt, king Thutmose I is king as Asha is one of his daughters. Asha is different than

most girls; she runs and jumps, and is very sporty. Most girls are not sporty in this time

because people want girls to be weak and not muscular. Asha loves to run

and jump from house to house. Her half sister nervously watches her as she jumps.

Asha has one biological brother and the rest are her half siblings. Her mom Ahmose is

the chief wife of Thutmose I.

When Asha's dog Mek runs away to the city she follows him and overhears

something that the vizier Shushu said about stealing from her grandfather's tomb. Her

new friend Rami, a boy her age that she meets in the city, helps her throughout the book. So what will happen at

the end of the book? Read it to find out.
This book is special because you always need to know what will happen and you can't put the book down. It's a theory that lets you know more about Asha's life in an interesting way. I would give this book 4 stars because it was amazing, except there are some things that have no answers and you will never know what will happen.



Pyramid of Secrets, by Jim Eldridge
Reviewed by Sam H.

Do you want to read a compelling book about a boy's journey to build a pyramid? If you
do, Pyramid of Secrets, by Jim Eldridge, is a good book for you. It takes place in the year 2517 BCE in the city of Giza in Egypt. The book is about a kid named Nebka and his first time working on a pyramid. Nebka's father died years before building a pyramid, and now he lives with his uncle Minkaf and his aunt Ipwet. Nebka's aunt and uncle are harsh people who make him work all day. Minkaf tells Nebka that they are going to work on the pyramid. On their way, Nebka meets a boy named Isesi. They become friends and Minkaf tells Isesi to take care of Nebka because he is going to work on the Sphinx. One day while working on the pyramid, Nebka's group's sledge broke. Nebka was in charge of watching it. While Nebka was waiting for his group to get a new sledge, a bunch of prisoners came up to him. One of the prisoners claimed he was the rightful pharaoh, and if he was pharaoh he would make life for everyone in Egypt fair. He asked Nebka to set them free so he could become pharaoh. Will Nebka help them escape even though he could be put in prison for it? Read to find out.
People should read this book because it's suspenseful. I give this book four out of five
stars. I really like how it keeps you reading and you don't know what's coming next. Also I like how the author explains how people did things in Ancient Egypt.



Pyramid of Secrets, by Jim EldridgeReviewed by Zachary Ufberg
What if a convict, bound in ropes told you he was king? Would you believe him? Would you try to free him? This is the situation facing the protagonist, Nebka, in this book. Nebka is a young Egyptian boy who works with his uncle on the family farm. During the annual flooding of the Nile, Nebka and his uncle travel to Giza to help build King Khafre's Pyramid. Here, Nebka meets a captive named Ankhhaf who swears to be the rightful Pharaoh of Egypt. Ankhhaf promises Nebka that if he frees him and helps him take back his throne there will be equal rights for all Egyptians. Should Nebka trust this stranger who claims to be the Pharaoh?
This exciting historical fiction gives the reader an accurate view of life in Ancient Egypt in the year 2517 B.C.E.. Even though the pyramids are magnificent structures, this book shows the reader that many slaves and innocent civilians paid a high price to build these monuments for the Pharaohs. I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars for many reasons. Jim Eldridge's descriptive writing made the characters' feelings and instincts very real. This helped me relate to the difficult decisions that Nebka faced. Also, I love learning about ancient civilizations. The author's style of writing made me feel like I was actually living in ancient Egypt. I think many kids my age would enjoy reading this novel and would learn a lot in the process.


The Red Pyramid, by Rick Riordan
Reviewed by Ariel M.

Brother and sister, Carter and Sadie Kane, live two different lives. Sadie is a typical 12
year old girl with a punk-British twist, and she has been living with her grandparents in London since she was six. Carter, on the other hand, travels the world with their father, Julius Kane, who is an Egyptologist. Julius and Carter only get to visit Sadie twice a year because of the custody agreement after their mother's death. Why do Carter and Sadie have to live separately?
Their adventure begins with one of these visits. On that fateful day they went from being
everyday kids, to kids that have to stop an Egyptian god and save their father from the wrath of the gods. If this isn't enough pressure they also have to escape the House of Life, a mysterious place where all the magicians live. Carter and Sadie find themselves becoming hosts for two different gods and flee for their lives.
I would rate this book five out of five stars because it has a wonderful hook. It is very
suspenseful and really pulls you in. Rick Riordan is a great writer because he uses so many creative words and metaphors. This book kekt me off of my seat with all of its cliffhangers. When I was reading The Red Pyramid, I felt as though I was in the book, running for my life with Carter and Sadie.


The Red Pyramid, Rick Riordan
Reviewed by Joshua B

The Red Pyramid are about two siblings, Carter and Sadie Kane, who only see each other two times a year. When they visit each other at Sadie’s house in London there dad takes them to a museum saying he is going to set everything right. Sadie and Carter lost their mother exactly six years ago before that day but were not about to see some old pots, they went into the museum. All of a sudden their dad starts saying things in a different language which Sadie and Carter thought was Egyptian because hieroglyphics started appearing on the wall. There was a huge explosion and theirr dad was sucked through the floor of the museum. Sadie and Carter would travel away from the museum with a few people: First there uncle Amos, then Bast the cat god and then Zia who was working for the house of life, the house where order was kept in the universe. Sadie and Carter would learn that their parents and other family members were magicians. They also learned that their dad had unleashed five gods into the mortal world, one of which Horus would use Carter’s body as a host, even though Carter still had full control and Isis would be inside Sadie. They discovered that one that one of the 5 gods let out was Set, and he was going to destroy the world unless they stopped him. This book takes place in the present and 2000 years ago in Egypt. I would rate the book 6 out of 5 stars. It is an amazing book with an amazing plot and OUTSTANDING detail.


The Red Pyramid, by Rick Riordan
Reviewed by Ava G.

What happens when someone tries to bring back a person who died long ago? In our case the result is a shattered Rosetta Stone, an angry ancient god, and two kids running for their lives. Who are these two kids, you wonder? Well one is the fourteen-year-old Carter Kane who started traveling around the world with his dad, Julius, right after his mother, Ruby, died. He is a know-it-all in things ancient and always dresses to impress, though underneath it, he can be slightly wimpy. Now his sister Sadie is the exact opposite. When it comes to ancient Egypt, her only knowledge of its past is, as she says, “Carter’s stupid rants.” Unlike her brother, whose appearance is impeccable, Sadie likes to relax in just jeans and a t-shirt. She is a strong-willed twelve-year-old girl who stays with her grandparents, and only sees her father and brother twice a year.
On one of Carter and Julius’ visits to Sadie, Julius tries to summon the god Osiris, who can bring his wife back from the dead. He summons Set, the god of evil and chaos, instead of Osiris. Set being the god that he is, traps Julius in a sarcophagus. This leaves Carter and Sadie to fend for themselves against a god bent on kill them while they try to save their father. They do get a little help along the way though. For example when they are getting chased by set’s evil minions, Bast, the goddess of cats, comes to their rescue. However her presence is short-lived. Some very wicked scorpions bring her down while she is trying to get Carter and Sadie to the museum. Luckily, right when Carter and Sadie thought they were scorpion food a magician from the House of Light saves them from the scorpions. This magician, however, is just a girl the same age as Carter who name is Zia. With Zia’s help Carter and Sadie travel to the House of Light where they learn more about their power and their eccentric family tree. However they can never be safe with Set on the loose.
I rate this Egyptian fantasy from the past a total of three and a half stars because of its Egyptian mythology lessons as well as the relationship between Carter and Sadie. Unfortunately I didn’t like the continuous changes from point of view in the chapters and not to mention the painfully slow beginning. Other then those few aspects I would recommend this book to anyone who loves history and good present day twist.



The Red Pyramid, by Rick, Riordan
Reviewed by Ari D
The Red Pyramid takes place in the 21st century all over the world from Egypt to France and many other places. The two main characters in this story are Carter Kane who is 14 years old and his sister Sadie who is 12.They are trying to find their father Dr. Julius Kane who is an archeologist. At the British Museum he tried to contact the ancient god Osiris but released more than one god. Instead of Osiris, the god of chaos, Set, was released and put Dr. Kane inside of a sarcophagus and they both disappeared. The children meet and lose many friends trying to find something to take down Set. By now Carter and Sadie are trying out some of the powers of the gods that they posess. The journey doesn’t just take them to other countries, but to other realms such as the realm of death and the duat. A duat is a realm where all the Egyptian gods usually stay. And at the end of it all, they find out it was just the beginning--of new enemies and battles to prepare for.

The Red Pyramid, by Rick Riordan

Carter Kane is a fourteen-year-old boy who travels around the world with his dad, Julius Kane. Carter’s dad is an archaeologist so he’s constantly traveling around the world to discover new artifacts and Carter goes with him because his mom died. He has a twelve-year-old sister named Sadie who is a mischief-maker and lives with their grandparents in London, England. Carter soon learns that he is hosting a god named Horus, god of the sky and a warrior. Hosting means that part of a god is in a person and gives him or her its powers. Sometimes, if people let them, the god will take over their bodies and do whatever they want with them. This story takes place in modern times in New York, N.Y., El-Paso, TX, Phoenix, AZ, Washington D.C., Cairo and Luxor, Egypt, London, and Paris. One day, Carter’s dad took him and Sadie to the British Museum to see the Rosetta Stone. When Carter and Sadie came back from another room, their dad had destroyed it! He had also somehow released five Egyptian gods. Set, one of gods released, was the God of Chaos and killed him with magic. Carter and Sadie’s Uncle Amos then explained to them how they were hosting gods. They left London for New York and Carter and Sadie were now on a mission to save their dad, and possibly the world. I would rate this book four stars because one: Rick Riordan’s my favorite author; two: the passages were just outstanding; and three: Rick Riordan makes me feel like I’m in the story.
By Simon G.

The Serpent’s Shadow, by Rick Riordan

Reviewed by Mati Z
Carter and Sadie Kane continue their adventures in the third and final book of the Kane Chronicles. The Lord of Chaos Apophis has risen and is attacking the world. He aims to swallow the sun and plunge the world into darkness. There is no chance of victory in a war against Apophis until Carter and Sadie come up with a plan. Dangerous, yes. Effective, who knows? The Kane siblings shine in their last attempt to defeat evil. The Serpent’s Shadow, sequel to The Throne of Fire and The Red Pyramid, provides an exciting, fast paced, action filled, grand finish to the series. Rick Riordan presents the grand finale in much the same way he did The Last Olympian, the final book in the Percy Jackson Series. This is why even though it is an incredible plot line; I would give it four stars. It is an extremely exciting book, but Riordan is replaying the plot from Percy Jackson too much for the book to deserve five stars. Unfortunately, his great success with the Percy Jackson series led to him writing more very similar books afterwards. In the beginning of the series it was more its own plotline despite many similarities, but nearer the end of the series, Riordan starts to repeat himself. Riordan’s continuation of the Percy Jackson series is more successful because he does not even try to say that it is separate (which it isn’t). If this series were really independent of any other, this book would be a fantastic conclusion, but seeing as it is not, it is an acceptable completion of the series. Riordan isn’t going to sue himself, but if two separate authors had written the Percy Jackson series and the Kane Chronicles, a lawsuit would be in process. I would call this a mediocre book and would recommend it for someone who either has not read the Percy Jackson series or doesn’t mind too much repetition.

The Serpent’s Shadow, by: Rick Riordan
Reviewed by: Ari D.

Carter and Sadie Kane need to save the world again from Apophis. He’s been freed from his cage, is getting stronger by the minute, and will try to eat the sun and Ra. Ra at the moment is senile so he can’t defend himself. So now, when Carter and Sadie are just about out of ideas, they remember that when Apophis was breaking out of his prison, the chief lector Michel Desjardin cast an execration spell. But they know no regular execration would work. They need to find the shadow of Apophis to finish execration and hopefully do it without killing themselves. Apophis isn’t their only problem. They also have to worry about the evil magician hit squad of Vladimir, the evil Russian magician, that is being controlled by Apophis. Just to make things worse they don’t really have any reinforcements. If their first attack fails, it’s just them, Brooklyn House, a few magicians here and there, and some gods to top it off. Walt, one of Carter and Sadie’s closest friends, is down to nothing of his life source and could die at any moment. What’s worse than that is the magician hit squad is also being controlled by the evil chaos snake, and don’t even make me mention the bloodthirsty, crazy, ancient magician Setne. He is the only one who actually knows how to do the shadow execration spell and might just try to kill Carter and Sadie. You will never get bored in this action packed adventure that will decide if the world will end. Want to know what happens? Read the book.

I give this book 5 out of 5. It’s just so good it will mess with your mind. This book is great for all ages as is the whole series. I know I read them all. It’s a great series to read before bed. For that alone, I highly recommend it.

The Serpent’s Shadow, by Rick Riordan

Reviewed by Noah G.
The first line of this book pulls you in like iron to a magnet. The Serpent’s Shadow is the third of the “Kane Series.” In the first two books, Sadie and Carter Kane, through a series of unfortunate events, discovered that the ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses were (and still are) real. They saw their father sink through the floor in a coffin, watched their possessed uncle try to destroy the world, and took several trips to the land of the dead. Moreover, they were witness to the rise of the Serpent of Chaos, Apophis. In fact, Sadie’s cat, Muffin, with whom she slept every night, is the fierce warrior and cat goddess, Bastet. But what’s the point of discovery without trying it out yourselves? In the beginning, Sadie and Carter were “sharing bodies with two gods, Horus and Isis. They got rid of them, but still kept in touch. Sadie and Carter also found out that there are various places all over the world where people learn the way of ancient Egyptian magic. Themselves, they become very talented magicians, they even have their own “Nome (sounds like gnome),” where they teach new [[#|students]]. Anyway, in The Serpent Shadow Carter and Sadie must find a way of prevent the complete rise of Apophis. If they cannot, they must destroy it without using so much energy that they combust in flames. Rick Riordan weaves a web of comedy and occasional tragedy through great language and sense of humor.
I rate book five out of five stars , for yet another fantastic book from Rick Riordan.



Sphinx's Princess, Esther Friesner
Reviewed by Mai S.

Sphinx's Princess is the kind of book that will make your jaw drop every five seconds and leaves you with your breath taken away. This book takes place during the Amarna Period in ancient Egypt. Nefertiti, the main character, is as beautiful and delicate as a rose. But, a rose has thorns, and Nefertiti often gets herself into difficult situations. Getting private lessons with Henenu, a scribe, and getting herself imprisoned in the high priest of isis's house, are two examples of some of the problems that she gets herself into. With her family and a little slave girl, Nava, she has to travel to the city of Abydos by Queen Tiye's request. She is the sister of Nefertiti's father, and the wife of Pharaoh.

It turns out that Nefertiti is separated from her family for three years because the manipulative queen is forcing her niece, Nefertiti, to marry her first born son, Thutmose. Unfortunately, in those three years, Thutmose didn't smile or even look at Nefertiti; he only pays attention to himself and his cat that he adores. She describes him as the coldest person she has ever met. Instead, she befriends Sitamun, Thutmose's older sister, and Amenhotep, Thutmose's younger brother. She tries to look past the fact that she is forced to make choices and doesn't have the freedom to have her own opinion or privacy. The queen has spies all around the kingdom to make sure that Nefertiti doesn't plot against her. Queen Tiye is a greedy person who grabs all the power and strength she has the chance to. She isn't patient either; she even threatened to kill Nefertiti beloved Nava who Nefertiti no longer considers as a slave but a sister. With the help of Henenu, the scribe, Sitamun, Amenhotep, and Nava, Nefertiti tries to escape the private prison that Thutmose had put her in. Why is she imprisoned? How will she escape? Will she escape? To find that out, you have to read the amazing and adventurous book, Sphinx's Princess!


I would rate this book five out of five stars because I really liked the dramatic plot twists, and how it shows how strong a (young) woman can be. Throughout the book, there are very energizing and dangerous events that really catch your eye and make you feel like you are right there with Nefertiti. Even though there were some confusing parts in the book, this is the best historical fiction book I have ever came across.




The Sphinx's Princess, by Esther Friesner
The Sphinx's Princess leads you through the startling journey
of Princess Nefertiti and how she overcame many things to
remain princess, and stop the evil ways of Thutmose and Queen
Tiye. During her lifetime she endured many hardships that
would horrify any person. For instance when she found out
she had to stay in Thebes and leave her family in Akinhim she
made the best of it by compromising and saying she would
marry Thutmose in three years, because she knew at some
point she would be forced to get married. As that time went by
so many different events happened and Nefertiti didn't end up
marrying Thutmose. Nefertiti was also very smart. For example,
Henenu, a scribe for Queen Tiye, gave her secret lessons and
she learned how to read and write. To conclude this 5 star book,
everything backfired for Nefertiti when she was accused of killing
Thutmose's beloved cat Ti Mu and went to prison. Will she ever
escape?
By Allison E.

Sphinx’s Princess, By Esther Friesner

Reviewed By Samantha B.

Sphinx’s Princess is about Nefertiti, a girl no older than 14; who is forced to move far from her home to marry Prince Thutmose, even though she doesn’t like him. In the royal palace, Nefertiti learns how to be a princess. Nefertiti also learns that being a princess isn’t as easy as it looks. Will she marry Prince Thutmose? Read the book to find out! Nefertiti is smart, kind and a great dancer, she is also one of the most important characters in the book. Amenophis is a sickly boy and is a prince; he is also Nefertiti’s friend. Thutmose is Amenophis’s brother; he is not very nice and he is also very good at tricking people. Sitamun is a princess, a clever person and Nefertiti’s friend. Tiye is Amenophis’s, Sitamun’s and Thutmose’s mother; she also is “the Great Wife” (the Pharaoh's favorite and most important wife). She is a very controlling person and would do anything to make sure that Thutmose will be Pharaoh. The story takes place in ancient Egypt, during the Amarna Period, when Egyptian artists drew more realistic paintings. During the Amarna period (after this story takes place), Pharaoh Ahkenaten forced all Egyptians to only pray to one of their gods. (In the book, the characters still prayed to all of their gods.) The story takes place in Thebes, home of the royal palace. In Thebes there were beautiful temples. At least one temple there was for the god Amun. Thebes was near the Nile River because the Pharaoh had to travel a lot and the river was a great way to travel. I give Sphinx's Princess 3 stars because I thought it was not as well written as it could have been but it was a good story. I did not think it was well written because it kept skipping back to old language and to current language. I also thought that the author gave too many details about unimportant things.



Sphinx's Princess , by Esther Friesner,
Reviewed by Abigail S

What if you were forced to marry your own cousin? Would you want to? I don't think so. In this book, a girl named Nefertiti was forced by her aunt, Queen Tiye of Thebes, to marry her cousin Thutmose. Princess Nefertiti is separated from her family in the process of moving to Thebes from Abydos. The princess is only 15 years old and has already been through so much. Nefertiti is a clever, smart, and beautiful girl, but she isn't all about her looks.

At the beginning of the book, Nefertiti is still a little girl living in Akhmin. When she gets a little older around 10, and still living in Akhmin, a man asks Nefertiti's father for her hand in marriage. The father turns him down. A little later the same man that asked to marry her, gives Nefertiti a servant girl for a present. This little girl cannot talk because her sister died, and she had cried so much that she lost her ability to speak. Nefertiti decides to bring her on all of her journeys anyway. This slave girl becomes a very big help to Nefertiti.

Nefertiti moves to Abydos when she is, about 12 years old. She is separated from her family for three years and is forced to move to Thebes with her aunt. This is the part were the book gets really good. Does she end up hating her cousin? Does the little slave girl ever talk? To find out you have to read Sphinx’s Princess.

I would give this book 5 stars, because it was not too complicated and very interesting. It sucks you in and does not let you go until you finish the book. You can also read the books Nobody' s Princess, Nobody's Prize, and Sphinx's Queen, all by the same author. I do not know about you, but I am definitely reading the rest of this author's books because Sphinx’s Princess is a great book.



Sphinx's Queen, by Esther Friesner
Reviewed by Becci S.

Sphinx's Queen, sequel to Sphinx's Princess, is a book taking place in Egypt that is

about love and adventure. Sphinx's Queen starts by explaining Nefertiti's life as she was

on the run with her two companions, Prince Amenophis and Nava, a Hebrew freed

slave. She was on the run because previously Prince Amenophis's brother, Prince

Thutmose, tried to kill her for refusing to marry him. The trio runs into many obstacles

and get separated on the way. They are trying to reach Dendera to warn Queen Tiye

and King Amenhotep about Prince Thutmose's plan to kill Nefertiti. On Nefertiti, Nava,

and Prince Amenophis's travels the trio helps some new friends, escapes horrible

predators, and finds true love. After the trio reaches Dendera, Nefertiti tries to convince

the king she is innocent. A trial is planned to see if she is lying. As Prince Amenophis's

love for Nefertiti grows, Prince Thutmose's passion to kill Nefertiti increases. Later in the

book, as Prince Thutmose lies on his sickbed, he and his enemy, Nefertiti, and his

brother, Prince Amenophis, all forgive each over. What will occur between Prince

Amenophis and Nefertiti? Will Prince Thutmose become king?

Read Sphinx's Queen to find the ending to this Egyptian story.

I rate this book three stars because it was not as good as the first book in the series, and because it had too much information packed into it. The trio was always on the run so it was hard to follow where everyone was. However, I liked Sphinx's Queen because it taught me a lot about Egyptian cultures and what it was like to live back then.



Sphinx’s Queen, by Esther Friesner
Reviewed by Michal L.
On the Nile River, shipwrecked and empty-handed, Nefertiti and her friends continue on their journey. Nefertiti's friends are Nava, a freed Habiru slave, and Amenophis, the Crown Prince's brother. They must reach Dendera, where Nefertiti will try to undo the wrong done to her by Crown Prince Thutmose. When the trio arrives in Dendera, they unexpectedly find Thutmose waiting for them. Thutmose claims that Nefertiti is guilty of blasphemy, and Nefertiti says that she is innocent. Pharaoh Amenhotep decides to return to Thebes and let Ma’at, the goddess of truth, speak in her temple. The day comes, and Nefertiti is judged as innocent. She sends Nava off with their trusted friend to Memphis, where they bargain for Nava's sister, who was sold as a slave. Nava arrives home with her sister, while Thutmose falls ill and cannot be cured, but that is most definitely not the end. I would definitely recommend this book to anybody. It is a sequel to Sphinx's Princess, and Sphinx's Princess is very exciting as well. This book deserves five stars because it is exciting, interesting, slightly romantic, and adventurous. The Egypt of 3,500 years ago is creatively expressed, and the writing is fantastic. I really enjoyed this book, in fact, I think that it is one of my favorite books of all time.



The Throne of Fire, by Rick Riordan
Reviewed by Ari D.
In a world where you thought Egyptian Gods, spells and magical weapons only existed in your wildest dreams and imaginations, the Kane family proves you wrong. This story is about the magical brother-sister duo, Carter and Sadie Kane, who are from a long line of pharaohs and great magicians. They are forced to take on the duty of saving the world (again, after already saving the world from the god of evil, Set) but this time it’s from the serpent god of chaos Apophis, who is threatening to swallow the sun and destroy humanity. Carter and Sadie go on a wild adventure (again) but they aren`t looking for their father like they did in the first book. This time they`re looking for the god of all gods and sun god, Ra. On the way, they meet new friends and see old friends in this action-packed, spell-binding thriller. A few of the people and gods they meet are Ptah the god of craftsmen, Tawaret the hippo goddess, Vladimir Menshikov the evil magician who is controlled by Apophis, Khonsu the moon god, and Bes the replacement for Bast, the god of cats, who is away on business. Bes is the god of dwarfs and he is my favorite character. Carter and Sadie have to find the three books of Ra, if they even want to get close to finding him before Apophis is freed and swallows the sun. Once they have the three books of Ra they have to travel through the 12 houses of night in order to look for and hopefully find Ra and wake him up. But they are not alone. They have Bes and other people who are counting on them.
This series is one that will entertain all ages. I read the first book, The Red Pyramid, and I’m going to read the rest of the series. The third book is came out in May 2012. I give this book 4.5 out of 5 because it had a lot of good action but there were some parts I could not enjoy because of the use of Egyptian language. As cool as it was to learn another language, it was also difficult and annoying.


The Throne of Fire: Book Two of the Kane Chronicles, by Rick RiordanReviewed by Ezra B.
Want to dig into a real page-turner? It’s the second in a series (after the The Red Pyramid), but it can be read by itself. The Throne of Fire is about a brother and sister, Carter and Sadie Kane, who travel around the world battling the forces of Chaos using heka, or ancient Egyptian magic. From Cairo to Brooklyn, the preteens travel around the globe to find the three books of Ra, the sun god, which they think will awaken him. Apophis, a giant snake and the Lord of Chaos is planning to swallow the sun and plunge the world into eternal darkness, but only Ra can stop him. In a series of wild fights with bird goddesses, giant baboons, gods of evil, and many ancient puzzles, Sadie and Carter need to overcome some of their biggest fears and greatest weaknesses in order to save the world. This work of historical fiction was jam-packed with adventure, entertainment and fascinating information about ancient Egyptian gods and culture. I learned some ancient Egyptian words, like ha-di (destroy) and kheper (scarab), and I learned the names of some other gods that I didn’t know, like the frog goddess Hekket and the crocodile god Sobek. I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next in every chapter. I do think there could have been even more historical information on ancient Egypt. I rate it a 4.9 out of 5 stars.

The Throne of Fire, by Rick Riordan

Reviewed by Mati Z.
Save the world in five days while trying to stop the ultimate, immortal king of evil and chaos? No problem! The Throne of Fire is a present day historical fiction book based on Egyptian mythology but intertwining it with modern life. It explores the fantastic possibilities of the existence of Egyptian gods and other mythological beings, like its predecessor, the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, and its brother, the Heroes of Olympus series. Being the second book of the Kane Chronicles, it reintroduces Carter and Sadie, the main characters, as the unfortunate adolescent siblings battle demons, spirits, the moon, magicians, gods, camels, a curse, and Chaos itself in their quest to save the world. However the siblings are not alone. They are aided by a dwarf god named Bes, a cat, a date farmer, a teenage boy who likes to hang around graveyards, King Tut’s great-great-great- ( and about a thousand more greats) grandson, a hawk, an old man, a ghost, and an overweight hippo. Traveling all around the world to find the three scrolls that make up the book of, they attempt to reawaken the sun god to fight Apophis (Chaos), in a war between Ma-at (order), and Chaos. The story takes place in the modern-day world, not based in one place; rather, it ranges from America to England, Russia to Egypt. The progression of opposition to mortal magicians and other humans is truly a master touch. It allows Riordan to dramatize his protagonists’ feelings from hate and despair to competition, rivalry, betrayal, and human dislike. I would give this book five stars: a perfectly crafted creation of Rick Riordan’s, with no good stopping points, the mark of superb writing. It holds its own not only against Riordan’s other creations, but against the all-time classics; Tolkien, Lewis, Dumas, Hugo, Hemingway, Dickens, etc. It is altogether a captivating book.