{"id":233166,"date":"2010-01-26T15:02:22","date_gmt":"2010-01-26T20:02:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/openwidelookinside\/archives\/2258"},"modified":"2010-01-26T15:02:22","modified_gmt":"2010-01-26T20:02:22","slug":"teaching-ancient-civilizations-with-children%e2%80%99s-literature-tales-of-the-dead-ancient-egypt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/233166","title":{"rendered":"Teaching Ancient Civilizations with Children\u2019s Literature: Tales of the Dead: Ancient Egypt"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Introduction and Summary<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0”In a world full of traitors and thieves, who would you trust?”\u00a0 This is not your typical overview of ancient Egyptian civilization!\u00a0 The book Tales of the Dead:\u00a0 Ancient Egypt<\/a>\u00a0written by Stewart Ross<\/a>\u00a0and illustrated by Inklink and Richard Bonson deftly incorporates a mini-graphic novel into a factual overview with the exceptional detail you would expect of a Dorling Kindersley book.\u00a0 Geared for older readers, this blend of historical fiction with a non-fiction encyclopedic approach helps to capture young readers’ imaginations.\u00a0 It\u00a0allows them to envision themselves living in ancient Egypt in a fresh, new way.<\/p>\n

The introductory pages set the historical context for the characters of the mini-graphic novel in the book.\u00a0 Methen, a boy scribe, and Madja, a serving girl in a nobleman\u2019s court, happen upon tomb robbers, and get caught up in a plot of courtly intrigue, ultimately meeting the pharaoh herself, Sobekneferu.\u00a0 Their story is told in strips along the edges of the book pages, which serve to add more concrete historical information to the plot developing in the fictitious storyline.\u00a0 Different aspects of ancient Egyptian civilization are discussed along the way to give readers a better understanding of Egyptian society and religious life.\u00a0 Cross-sections of pyramids, town dwellings, drawings demonstrating the various steps of the mummification process, and other richly detailed pictures provide greater insight and cultural context for the story unfolding in the marginalia.\u00a0 In so doing, this book makes learning about life in ancient Egypt more dynamic for young readers and forges a more personal connection to the factual material presented.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Curriculum Connections<\/strong><\/p>\n

While not really suitable for a read-aloud book for the class, this would be a great book to make available to\u00a0second grade students studying ancient Egypt.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It would be a good addition to a classroom reading center where students could spend time with the book, or it could go home with students if teachers have a book borrowing system in the classroom.\u00a0 A map at the beginning of the book shows the geographic location of the ancient Egyptian civilization, and subsequent pages elaborate more upon its cultural significance, architectural contributions, religious customs, and life along the Nile River.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Virginia Second Grade Standards of Learning:\u00a0 History: 2.1; Geography: 2.4a, 2.4b<\/p>\n

Additional Resources<\/strong><\/p>\n