Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* There are many books about ancient Egypt, but this extraordinarily handsome one delves deeply into the various roles of the pharaoh, and, in the process, gives readers a much fuller understanding of Egyptian life. The book begins by introducing, Seti I, the living god and the father of Ramesses II. A brief history about the Old Kingdom melds into an explanation of the craftsmanship involved in building and decorating tombs, which flows naturally into a description of the beliefs and ceremonies surrounding death. In fact, one of the best things about this is the way the narrative moves simply and logically from topics such as flooding to farming and trading. But as fine as the text is, it more than meets its match in the masterful artwork. In a note, Kennett explains that the illustrations represent only about half the paintings he completed over three years, with inspiration coming from many sources, including photographs, film, and the works of other artists. An innovative design presents the art in a variety of ways. In one spread, readers are led inside a tomb. In another, a series of postage-stamp-size pictures (recreations of tomb paintings) take readers on a trip through the underworld. There's much to see here, and children will want to look at the book again and again. A quality offering.--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2008 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-6-Ably evoking the stately pace and monumental scale of a pharaoh's public life and works, Kennett pairs brief general accounts of Seti I's burial and of Egyptian society during the long reign of his renowned successor, Ramesses II, with hundreds of paintings of scenes and artifacts that range from near-full-spread to thumbnail in size. He uses a broad brush for figures and faces, but borders, friezes and other decorations, jewelry, statues, tools, motifs, patterns, and representations of the gods are more finely detailed. Each page presents a richly colored visual melange that will draw viewers in and leave them with new insight into what those ancient cities and immense temples must have looked like 3300-plus years ago. Considering the huge number of other introductions to ancient Egypt currently available, this one is too generalized to be a first choice for assignment use, but its unusual slant makes it first-class enrichment material.-John Peters, New York Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
This book provides a glimpse into daily life in Pharaonic Egypt, taking readers through the death of Seti I and the reign of Ramesses II. The awkward present-tense text, which generally focuses on the Pharaoh's role as overseer of Egyptian society, sometimes flows logically yet at other times wanders between topics. Numerous acrylic paintings are decorative and informative. Glos., ind. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A beautiful encapsulation of a pharaoh's duties, from life to death and beyond. Concentrating on the New Kingdom period of Egyptian history (1550-1070 BCE), readers see the death of Seti I, his funeral preparations, what his journey through the afterlife entails and the rise of his son Ramesses II.Kennett deftly weaves religion, war, trade and the floods of the Nile into a succinct but complete examination of life in Ancient Egypt. Lush acrylics portray everything from sweeping panoramas of cultural centers and soaring temples to intricate hieroglyphics and canopic jars. Beginning the book with the death of one ruler and the rise of the new allows Kennett the freedom to start with some of his most interesting material (mummies and the Book of the Dead) and from there lead child readers into some of the more basic aspects of daily life in Egypt at that time. Some captions on the smaller pictures would not have been amiss, but on the whole this is an impressive offering, three years in the making. (glossary, index, map) (Nonfiction. 8-12) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
