Bill and Pete Go Down the Nile [Hardcover]

Tomie dePaola (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Bill the crocodile and Pete are back--but so is the Bad Guy, and this time he's out to steal the Sacred Eye of Isis. Full-color illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

On Monday Bill Crocodile learns about his hometown on the River Nile from a spectacled Ms. Ibis; on Tuesday, about the Sphinx; Pharaohs, burial chambers and pyramids on Wednesday; Thursday is the day for the Sacred Eye of Isis. Finally, on Friday, he sees it all on a class trip to the Royal Museum, where Bill and Pete doughtily save the famous Isis jewel from "Bad Guy." On their journey down the Nile, dePaola's duo transport readers from the mummified past to a living present. Time distinction is abolished as the Nile Queen, the Grand Hotel, cars and umbrellas, sarcophaguses, sacred jewels and sphinxes are all part of the setting for an ancient story that still bears retelling. Shades of blue and gold strengthen the mood of the mystery and adventure. Ages 26.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3 DePaola turns his gaze from the beloved hills of Italy to return to the fertile shores of Egypt's Nile River (Bill and Pete Putnam, 1978). Bill, a crocodile, and his inseparable friend Pete, a crocodile bird, head off for Bill's first day of school. Under the tutelage of Ms. Ibis they learn a fair bit of Egyptian history. The humor is gentle, and a bit of mystery and adventure is woven in as Bill and Pete capture a couple of bad guys during a class trip down the Nile. Egyptian motifs and warm colors accompany the full-page drawings that show Mama's ever-present gaze, always full of loving hearts for her dear son Bill. Humor, adventure, even a bit of Egyptian history and lorewho could ask for anything more, except for more ``Bill and Pete'' adventures. Judith Gloyer, Milwaukee Public Library
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile; First Edition edition (April 22, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399213953
• ISBN-13: 978-0399213953
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 10.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #501,828 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

"Tomie dePaola was born in Meriden, Connecticut, in 1934 to a family of Irish and Italian background. By the time he could hold a pencil, he knew what his life's work would be. His determination to create books for children led to a BFA from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, and an MFA from the California College of Arts & Crafts in Oakland, California.
It drove him through the years of teaching, designing greeting cards and stage sets, and painting church murals until 1965, when he illustrated his first children's book, Sound, by Lisa Miller for Coward-McCann. Eventually, freed of other obligations, he plunged full time into both writing and illustrating children's books.
He names Fra Angelico and Giotto, Georges Rouault, and Ben Shahn as major influences on his work, but he soon found his own unique style. His particular way with color, line, detail, and design have earned him many of the most prestigious awards in his field, among them a Caldecott Honor Award for Strega Nona, the Smithsonian Medal from the Smithsonian Institution, the Kerlan Award from the University of Minnesota for his ""singular attainment in children's literature,"" the Catholic Library Association's Regina Medal for his ""continued distinguished contribution,"" and the University of Southern Mississippi Medallion. He was also the 1990 United States nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Medal for illustration.
Tomie dePaola has published almost 200 children's books in fifteen different countries. He remains one of the most popular creators of books for children, receiving more than 100,000 fan letters each year.
Tomie lives in an interesting house in New Hampshire with his four dogs. His studio is in a large renovated 200-year-old barn.
- He has been published for over 30 years.
- Over 5 million copies of his books have sold worldwide.
- His books have been published in over 15 different countries.
- He receives nearly 100,000 fan letters each year.
Tomie dePaola has received virtually every significant recognition for his books in the children's book world, including:
- Caldecott Honor Award from American Library Association
- Newbery Honor Award from American Library Association
- Smithson Medal from Smithsonian Institution
- USA nominee in illustration for Hans Christian Andersen Medal
- Regina Medal from Catholic Library Association

"

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars why not 5 stars?, June 9, 2004

By 

Shane M. Kobialka "thekfamily" (Gilbert, AZ United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bill and Pete Go Down the Nile (Paperstar) (Paperback)

This is an absolutely adorable book! My kids both love it. They love the "OOOOOOOO's" and mistaking "stinks" for "sphinx." And the already mentioned "toothbrush" thing just gets my nearly-6-yo rolling. I like it, too, but I give it four out of five stars because "shut up" is in the text. I really don't want my kids hearing it, even from a known "bad guy." I replace it with "hush," but my 5-yo is reading now and he reads it to me as it is written. Just a warning for you "shut-up'-is-a-bad-word households.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't forget to pack your toothbrush!, April 25, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Bill and Pete Go Down the Nile (Hardcover)

Can William Everett (a young Crocodile) and Pete (his toothbrush) save the Sacred Eye of Isis from the Bad Guy and get home to Mama in time for dinner? This is a grand preschool adventure story, presented with charming illustrations and exoctic natural history. Taken together with the first in the series, "Bill and Pete" these are two of our favorites!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bill and Pete Go down the Nile by Will Herman, March 13, 2003

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Bill and Pete Go Down the Nile (Paperstar) (Paperback)

I personally thought that this was a very good book for young children. It is about a young crocodile called Bill and his toothbrush named Pete. Bill goes to school everyday and when he comes home he tells his mom everything that happened that day. The funny thing about this is that Bill usually gets the words confused because they are about Egyptian things, so they are very big and complicated. Bill and Pete go on a field trip with their teacher to see all the things shes taught them about, and to see the Sacred Eye of Isis, the most valuable jewel in the world.
When Bill and Pete are excused from lunch, he goes to brush his teeth and when he comes back the suspicous looking man they had seen was trying to rob the Sacred Eye of Ibis. The man puts Bill in a sarcophagus and trys to steal the Eye. Pete ends up getting toilet paper and wrapping the man up like a mummy and everything is saved. My favorite character was Pete because hes not any ordinary toothbrush, he is very brave and has lots of courage. This was a very good book.