Tome Raider

Lost tombs. Ancient curses. Mummies. Who can resist the images these words conjure up? The mysteries of the ancient world have fascinated us for centuries. Share the adventure with young readers by exploring these exciting titles.

The 1922 discovery of King Tutankhamun's tomb rocked the world, as Melvin and Gilda Berger reveal in their book Mummies of The Pharaohs: Exploring the Valley of the Kings (National Geographic Society, 2001). British archaeologist Howard Carter led the quest for Tut's tomb. He searched in vain for years, until one day, when a native worker struck his heel on something hard and sharp. That was just the beginning of one of the most extraordinary discoveries of all time.

Untouched by grave robbers, King Tut's tomb contained treasures so magnificent, the site soon became a legend worldwide. Carter's team uncovered gold, much gold, and many mysteries as well. Tut's mummified skull provides evidence of a fatal blow, and, it appears he was buried in haste. Had the king been murdered? To this day, many believe that the tomb is cursed. Mummies of the Pharaohs reveals why.

Is a king always a man? Hatshepsut: His Majesty, Herself (Atheneum, 2001) by Catherine Andronik provides a surprising answer. The pharaoh Hatshepsut was a woman. She was appointed as regent to oversee the kingdom until the real heir—a boy—grew to maturity. But instead, Hatshepsut boldly assumed the ultimate role of pharaoh. As a woman, her position was vulnerable and she appeared to know it; she commissioned official portraits of herself as a man with a beard (although she did not pretend to be a man in real life). Hatshepsut's name is curiously absent from royal inscriptions of the time, and her mummy has never been found. Many such mysteries remain to be solved.

Ask your listeners if they have ever visited a cemetery. Would any of them like to visit one that's 5,000 years old? In Claudia Logan's The 5,000-Year-Old Puzzle: Solving a Mystery of Ancient Egypt (Farrar, 2001), young Will Hunt's archaeologist parents go tomb hunting in Egypt, and Will gets to tag along. He promises to write his best friend—in secret code. Will's letters are crammed with fun and colorful details and give a real sense of the meticulous work of an archaeological dig.

The story is based on an actual 1924 expedition, wrapped in a fictitious mystery. A tomb is discovered, but whose is it? How will experts solve the mystery? The forensics and detective skills of early archaeologists will fascinate modern-day booktalk audiences.

The pyramids were impressive tombs, and the grandest of them all, the Great Pyramid, is the only wonder of the ancient world that still remains. Lynne Curlee's colorful, appealing Seven Wonders of the Ancient World (Atheneum, 2002) describes the amazing feats of engineering that went into building the pyramids.

The Great Pyramid was erected more than 4,600 years ago, rising 50 stories and reaching two-thirds of a mile around its base. Until a mere 100 years ago, it was the tallest structure ever built on earth. To this day, modern engineers don't understand exactly how the giant tomb was built.

Many of the sites where the ancient wonders once stood have been excavated, revealing important information. Yet puzzles remain. Were the Hanging Gardens of Babylon merely a myth? What did the tomb of King Mausolus—the original mausoleum—look like? Did the Colossus of Rhodes stand with his massive legs so far apart that ships could pass between them? (The only image we have of the large statue of the sun god is based on a 100-year-old painting by an imaginative Dutch painter. The actual statue was destroyed in an ancient earthquake.)

Third graders and up will delight in these ancient mysteries, sure to satisfy any youngster's desire for mystery and gripping adventure. Move over, Indiana Jones.