Mystery History:Pharoah'S Tomb [Library Binding]

Jim Pipe (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: Mystery History...

Uses mazes, puzzles, and games to provide a look at various aspects of life in an ancient Egyptian city.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6. These books, like many CD-ROMs, attempt to use games as a way to teach history. In addition to puzzles and simple guessing games, children must find clues to solve a murder mystery and locate out-of-place objects in the illustrations. But whereas youngsters can just point and click on a computer, in these books, they need to turn pages, skip sections, and even turn the books upside down. Finding clues in illustrations is a great idea, but only when the pictures are large enough to be seen. Locating objects here is like looking for a lost grain of sand in the Sahara. And the mechanics are just part of the problem. The information the questions ask is not always provided in the book, so readers must guess at the answers. Also, the crisscross of games and facts complicates one's abilities to separate history from fiction. It's a shame, because there are some good factoids in both books. But the poor organization of these titles makes them frustrating to use and hard to recommend.?Cathryn A. Camper, Minneapolis Public Library
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Library Binding: 32 pages
• Publisher: Copper Beech (March 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761306005
• ISBN-13: 978-0761306009
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 8.7 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,388,786 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Quite a fun book, December 24, 2002

By 

Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mystery History of a Pharaoh’s Tomb (Hardcover)

This clever book is a combination history book and murder mystery. As you turn a page, you are greeted by a large and colorful, whimsically drawn picture. Scattered across the pages are facts and figures, maps and questions and their answers. Plus, each one includes a Cleopatra's Quest, where you are challenged to spot items in the picture, and tell which ones should not be there. When you get to the end of the book, you get to solve the mystery of who poisoned the pharaoh, and you can play a game where you rob the Pharaohs tomb.

This is quite a fun book. The pictures are colorful and detailed, often with silly little additions (such as a man water-skiing behind a canoe!). Plus, the text is quite informative on daily life in Ancient Egypt. My one complaint against the book is its addition of items that don't belong. This is nice for readers who grasp the game, and don't take the information at face value. But, that same game can cause confusion to those who miss the anachronistic items, and think they belong.

But, that said, this is quite a fun book, one that a junior reader can use for fun and education.