Mummies by Joyce Milton, Susan Swan (Illustrator)

From the Publisher

The All Aboard Reading series features stories that capture beginning readers' imagination while developing their vocabulary and reading comprehension. The Picture Readers, appropriate for preschoolers, combine a very simple text with rebuses. Flash cards bound in the book help make the transition from the rebus to the printed word. As the levels progress, the stories get longer, and the print size gets smaller, preparing readers for longer books with chapters. All the books are illustrated in full color, and engage a child's curiosity with a range of topics from science to sports, history, and fantasy. Grades 1 - Grade 3.

Children's Literature

Milton looks at mummies and ancient Egypt by studying the burial of Pharaoh Khufu. She begins with a description of pyramids-when and how they were built. What follows is a detailed account of the process of taking a corpse and turning it into a mummy. The events of the burial ceremony are recounted. Its illustrations are based on 3-D cut-paper models. Death and dead bodies are handled in a very matter-of-fact way that should not deter children's natural interest in mummies. Part of the "All Aboard Reading" series Level 2.

School Library Journal

Gr 1-3Milton introduces emerging readers to the pyramids, the life-after-death beliefs of ancient Egyptians, the process of mummification, and the burial procedure for pharaohs. The straightforward text is enhanced by an attractive layout and eye-catching, cut-paper illustrations. Realistic shadows give added depth to the scenes. Unfortunately, the author does not explain when pharaohs began and stopped building pyramids and when modern adventurers and archaeologists began exploring and studying these historical artifacts. Despite this criticism, this book will be a springboard for many students who will want more information about this topic. Be sure to have copies of these books on hand: David Macaulay's Pyramid (Houghton, 1975), Aliki's Mummies Made in Egypt (HarperCollins, 1979), Margaret Berrill's Mummies, Masks, and Mourners (Dutton, 1990), and Nicholas Reeves's Into the Mummy's Tomb (Scholastic, 1992). Mummies is sure to be popular with budding Egyptologists and beginning readers who want "real stories."Gale W. Sherman, Pocatello Public Library, ID

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