The Golden Goblet (Newbery Library, Puffin) (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Ranofer struggles to thwart the plottings of his evil brother, Gebu, so he can become master goldsmith like their father in this exciting tale of ancient Egyptian mystery and intrigue.

Newbery Honor Book

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Puffin (May 6, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140303359
• ISBN-13: 978-0140303353
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (115 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #9,058 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

66 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A painless way to learn about ancient Egypt!, April 10, 2000

By	Michelle Bowden (Dover, AR USA) - See all my reviews

I started reading this book aloud to my daughter, and I couldn't put it down after the first few chapters. I had to read the whole book to find out what happened to Ranofer, and to find out how he could resolve his problems with his abusive half-brother and fulfill his dreams.

Reading this book really helped spark my interest in learning more about ancient Eygpt. The book is beautifully descriptive, and made me feel like I was there. It really helped me see the beauty in that culture. As I read other books about ancient Egypt, I realized I had already learned and retained quite a bit about it already just by reading this children's book! I think the author really researched her subject well.

I would highly recommend this book as an educational book, or just for fun. After the first few chapters, the story does become pretty exciting, and at the end I was left wanting more.

44 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Orphan adventures in Ancient Egypt -- Cool!, April 4, 2000

By	"mfshermantank" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

Young Ranofer, an orphan, lives with his half brother, Gebu, who beats and mistreats him. Ranofer discovers that there has been a thief at the goldsmith where he works. He thinks that it is Gebu's friend, Ibini, but later learns that Ibini is actually working for Gebu, who is behind the thefts. Then, one night about six months later, a hungry Ranofer ventures into Gebu's room, which is forbidden to Ranofer, for food; and he discovers a golden goblet with hieroglyphics spelling out, "Thutmose the Conqueror"! The discovery leads him to believe that Gebu is a tomb-raider. On the day of the festival when the Nile rises and makes the soil rich with nourishment, Ranofer secretly follows Gebu and Wenamon, the mason, into a tomb. But they soon discover Ranofer and start chasing him. Ranofer escapes, traps them in the tomb, and runs to tell the queen about the tomb-raiders. At first, no one believes him, but then the queen sends some people to investigate. When they find out what Ranofer has said is true, the queen rewards Ranofer with the donkey he asks for. Because I enjoy reading about Egypt, this book was fun to read. It was a good adventure and mystery. I recommend it to other people who also enjoy mysteries and adventures.

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Decent Piece of Historical Fiction, January 23, 2000

By A Customer

This is a pretty good book. The story takes place during the rule Amenhotep III and Queen Tiy. It is about a young Egyptian orphan named Ranofer, the son of Thutra, a very talented goldsmith. When his father dies, Ranofer's cruel brother Gebu takes over and makes him work as a lowly laborer in a goldshop. When Ranofer finds out that Gebu is stealing gold from tombs, he and his friend Hequet set out to find answers. One night, Ranofer finds a goblet made of solid gold which bares the cartouche of pharaoh Thutmose The Conqueror. Ranofer tries to follow and stop Gebu. But little does he know that his mistakes might cost him his life.

The Golden Goblet is very exciting and compelling, but it doesn't really get interesting until you are well into the book. It also has vocabulary that may be beyond the comprehension of some readers, so you may want to keep a dictionary handy. If you don't read this in school, you should definitely read it on your own.