We are finished with our study! Here are the Ancient Egypt historical fiction chapter books that I offered to my 6th grade twins.
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I skimmed a little of each as they arrived from Abebooks, Thrift Books, and the library. The Cat of Bubastes and Mara of the Nile seemed like they were on a more difficult reading level. I was prepared to remove them from the reading list, but boys enjoyed them reading all of these this term.
When I read aloud these picture books about Ancient Egypt, the twins would jump in with facts from the chapter books! Historical fiction is such a great way to immerse oneself into the period and place.
Chapter Books
God King: A Story in the Days of King Hezekiah
Recommended for Ages 10 and up
“A never-before published tale by the author of the best-selling Hittite Warrior carries the reader back to Ancient Egypt and biblical Jerusalem. It is 701 B.C—rule of the Kushite dynasty in ancient Egypt. Young Prince Taharka, a very minor royal son, succeeds unexpectedly to the throne of Kush and Egypt—a “divine” rulership. It’s not long, however, before a treacherous plot pushes him into sudden exile and into the hands of Amos, an emissary of King Hezekiah seeking help against the Assyrians. Posing as a medical assistant, Taharka journeys with Amos to Judea where he encounters two kings in conflict. His true identity suddenly uncovered, he must choose with whom he will fight—the mighty Assyrian, Sennacherib, promising alliance, or Hezekiah, the Jew who trusts in Yahweh. A novel inspired by research on the historical King Taharka and his period. Includes an introduction, with home-education suggestions, by Daria Sockey.” (from Amazon)
The Cat of Bubastes: A Tale of Ancient Egypt
Recommended for Ages 8-14
“Chebron, the young son of an Egyptian high priest, and Amuba, a young slave in the boy’s household, are close friends; but their lives are greatly altered when Chebron accidentally kills a cat, an animal held sacred by the ancient Egyptians. Forced to flee for their safety, the boys and their companions begin a long and dangerous journey. A thrilling adventure story, this is also a tale packed with historical facts. Among other fascinating details, young readers learn about the Egyptian religion and geography, how the Nile was used for irrigation, and how the Egyptians made war and were prepared for burial. A captivating book that accurately describes life in a once magnificent civilization, this volume will especially appeal to youngsters fascinated by the life and customs of ancient Egypt.” (from Amazon)
The Golden Goblet
A Newbery Honor Book, Recommended for Ages 10 and up
I remember enjoying this immensely as a kid!
“Ranofer wants only one thing in the world: to be a master goldsmith like his beloved father was. But how can he when he is all but imprisoned by his evil half brother, Gebu? Ranofer knows the only way he can escape Gebu’s abuse is by changing his destiny. But can a poor boy with no skills survive on the cutthroat streets of ancient Thebes? Then Ranofer finds a priceless golden goblet in Gebu’s room and he knows his luck−and his destiny−are about to change.” (description from Amazon)
Mara: Daughter of the Nile
Recommended for ages 10 and up, although some reviewers say age 14+ due to romantic content.
“Mara is a proud and beautiful slave girl who yearns for freedom in ancient Egypt, under the rule of Queen Hatshepsut. Mara is not like other slaves; she can read and write, as well as speak the language of Babylonian. So, to barter for her freedom, she finds herself playing the dangerous role of double spy for two arch enemies—each of whom supports a contender for the throne of Egypt. Against her will, Mara finds herself falling in love with one of her masters, the noble Sheftu, and she starts to believe in his plans of restoring Thutmose III to the throne. But just when Mara is ready to offer Sheftu her help and her heart, her duplicity is discovered, and a battle ensues in which both Mara’s life and the fate of Egypt are at stake.” (description from Amazon)
Along with the bit of romantic tension in the book, it is important to note that Mara of the Nile vilifies Hatshepsut, the only female pharoah. I had assigned the book to my older kids as independent reading. They kept telling me that Hatshepsut was a bad pharoah because that is how she is portrayed in the book. I looked into it and could find no evidence of it. Historians seem to agree that many good things happened during her reign.
The Golden Bull (Ancient Mesopotamia)
Recommended for ages 9 to 12
“5,000 years ago in ancient Mesopotamia during a terrible drought, Jomar and Zefa’s father must send his children away to the city of Ur because he can no longer feed them. At fourteen, Jomar is old enough to apprentice with Sidah, a master goldsmith for the temple of the moongod, but there is no place for Zefa in Sidah’s household. Zefa, a talented but untrained musician, is forced to play her music and sing for alms on the streets of Ur.” (description from Amazon)
Fun and Fantastical Chapter Books
Ra the Mighty: Cat Detective
Recommended for ages 7 to 10
This is a series of three fun detective stories. I read the first one aloud and we had a fun book club party with our friends! My older kids read the next two books quickly and I read the second one aloud to my younger kids. It fit right in with learning about the New Kingdom of Egypt and the excavation of King Tutankhamun’s tomb.
“Can a lazy cat and a dung-obsessed beetle really crack a mystery? Ra relishes his role as the Pharaoh’s beloved—and spoiled—cat. So when an amulet goes missing from the palace, Ra plans to keep enjoying his snacks and nap in the sun. But Ra’s friend Khepri, a wise and industrious scarab beetle, insists on investigating in order to save the young servant girl who has been framed for the crime. Once Ra gets going, he decides that being a Great Detective isn’t so bad; in fact, he doesn’t mind being hailed as ‘Protector of the Weak and Defender of Justice.’ The comically mismatched duo is on the case!” (description from Amazon)
City Spies: The City of the Dead
Recommended for ages 8 to 12
This is the fourth book in the City Spies series but the series doesn’t have to be read in order. I found this one hard to put down. The story is full of mystery and intrigue centered around Egypt and ancient antiquities. It brings up a good topic of provenance and museum ownership of artifacts.
The Kane Chronicles
Recommended for ages 9 to 12
Rick Riordan intertwines Egyptian mythology into a present-day adventure fantasy story through this series of three books. I was hesitant to give the first one, The Red Pyramid, to my older kids because of it’s length: 528 pages! They devoured it! This is the book that I heard about most often when doing other read-alouds about Ancient Egypt. “Oh! That was mentioned in The Red Pyramid!”
“Since their mother’s death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane. One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a “research experiment” at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives. Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them–Set–has his sights on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe–a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family, and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.” (description from Amazon)