(1) K-3 When a sandstorm makes "the city orange -- the sun like a tangerine, the waves like clementine peels," Sakina and her mother spend the day at a museum. While her mother is moved to tears, Sakina is confused by the sculptures of a "chubby crocodile filled with papers," of a jaguar guarding Hammurabi's Code, and of winged lions. She throws herself on the floor in exasperation at "these old, boring, boring things." A few sculptures follow her home, where they cause a ruckus. Sakina realizes the crocodile is stuffed with poems, one of which pleads, "I hope they will remember me." Looking at her grandmother's photo, Sakina cries as she finally understands that the crocodile is a memorial. Watercolor and ink illustrations bring the unnamed city to life as yellow sand-coated landscapes contrast with blue waters, palm trees, and Arabic letters and calligraphic inscriptions that float in the air. Sculptures wink, strut, stretch, and sneak into backpacks. Art (the "uninvited guests") literally comes alive and shows Sakina how the "old" and "boring" can be fascinating and connected to family histories. This imaginative book invites readers to learn more about their heritage through art; the illustrations beg multiple viewings to notice details. An author's note adds context about the ancient artwork and the etymology of the citrus fruit Sakina enjoys.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2025

(3) 4-6 Feisty Cleopatra, savior of the Nile galaxy, returns for a fifth graphic novel in which readers learn the surprising backstory of her nemesis Octavian. The action is fast and furious, per usual, with Cleo dodging a murder charge, unmasking P.Y.R.A.M.I.D. spies, and grappling with her strange new power: she glows hot-pink before emitting powerful energy bursts. Cinematic, jewel-toned panels get the sci-fi-meets-ancient-Egypt vibe just right.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Daniele Fabbri. Bezalel, an Israelite slave in Ancient Egypt, collects unusual things. When the Exodus begins, the boy insists on bringing his Beautiful Things Box with him. When God asks Moses to build a mishkan, a house filled with beautiful things, Bezalel is the only one ready to provide treasures. Soft paintings convey a sense of wonder in this unusual retelling of a biblical story (discussed in the author's note).

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) YA When Kiva, who believes she lives in ancient Egyptian times, awakes from that virtual reality, she's shocked to discover herself on a shuttle to retrieve a part for a spaceship--and leading the mission is Seth, the boy she'd thought was the prince of Alexandria. Although the world-building is thin and the author plays fast-and-loose with reader credulity, the emotional drama should please romance fans.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Isabel Greenberg. The mysterious life and death of King Tut and the story of Howard Carter's 1922 discovery of Tut's tomb are recounted in an engaging narrative. The majority of the book focuses on Carter's excavation and what was learned from the site. Greenberg's colorful, stylized illustrations recall the hybrid 2D/3D aesthetic of ancient Egyptian artwork, even in their depiction of modern people.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Boris Kulikov. Fern shares with readers the life of archaeologist Carter--his boyhood fascination with all things Egyptian, his dreams of one day finding a mummy (he eventually discovered Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922), and his dedicated self-study of Egyptology--emphasizing his painstaking attention to detail throughout. Kulikov's mixed-media illustrations, which reflect the hues of the Egyptian desert, beautifully complement and extend the text, incorporating occasional comedic touches. Bib.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2018

(4) 4-6 Cat Thomasina is scheduled to be put down by her owner's veterinarian father, but she is rescued and awakens convinced she's the Egyptian Cat Goddess Bast-Ra. Thomasina narrates some chapters in the first person, and her delusions add humor to a thoughtful novel. However, dense narration and some dated portrayals ("gipsies" who are cruel to their animals) may make this problematic for contemporary readers.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) 4-6 Enduring Mysteries series. Karst digs into the history of--and the many mysteries surrounding--Egypt's Great Sphinx with a linear narrative that will engage upper-elementary and middle-school readers; it begins with speculation about the ancient wonder's construction and meaning and moves through history to modern-day tourism and preservation efforts. Abundant glossy photographs break up the text. Websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport. Ancient Egyptian boy Khepri lyrically narrates a boat ride down the Nile that ends in Thebes with his father handing him special reeds for writing. The warm father-son relationship and Khepri's feelings of strangeness at beginning school will help today's readers relate. Illustrator Comport combines the two-dimensionality of ancient Egyptian art with more naturalistic techniques. An appended double-page spread extends Khepri's fictitious story. Reading list. Glos.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2018

(3) 4-6 How-to Guides for Fiendish Rulers series. Illustrated by Ryan Pentney. These first-person how-to guides purport to instruct the reader on being a "fiendish" ruler. In a conversational and tongue-in-cheek tone, these books present historical facts about how kings, pharaohs, shoguns, and emperors managed their realms. Illustrations emphasize the comical, using exaggerated facial expressions, postures, and speech balloons to good effect. Humor aside, the books still provide solid information about past royal life. Ind. Review covers these How-to Guides for Fiendish Rulers titles: An Emperor's Guide, A King's Guide, A Pharaoh's Guide, and A Shogun's Guide.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 1-3 Spy Next Door series. In Mutant, boring third grader Dexter Drabner dreams of being a skateboarding spy like Toby Falcon; when his rat-flatulence-collecting science teacher accidentally turns a pet into a mutant monster, Dex's dreams come true. Curse finds the newly minted skateboarding spy-hero facing a mummy's ancient curse. This new series is chock-full of cartoons and slapstick situations reminiscent of Captain Underpants but with less successful humor. Review covers these titles: The Spy Next Door: The Curse of the Mummy's Tummy and The Spy Next Door: Mutant Rat Attack!

Reviewer: David Elzey

(2) YA Seventeen-year-old Caroline is spending a year in Cairo, Egypt, while her mom establishes an eye clinic there. With her parents busy working, Caroline winds up exploring the city with her driver's son, Adam, and a romance realistically develops as he introduces her to Arabic words and phrases and authentic contemporary Egyptian culture. Doller has crafted a respectful guide for anyone interested in understanding a different culture.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2017

(3) 4-6 Following the events of Tut: The Story of My Immortal Life, immortal teen pharaoh Tutankhamun searches modern-day DC for his "brother" Gilgamesh; he finds that Gil has been kidnapped by Egyptian god Apep, who plans to "cast the world into eternal darkness." The story effectively blends humor and action and is enhanced by Tut's deep emotional investment in rescuing Gil. Games appended. Glos.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(3) 4-6 Alternator Books: Ancient Mysteries series. Each book in this series looks at a different ancient city or monument and explores unanswered questions about its construction and uses. Both historical and modern views are provided, with differences explained by recent research and technology. Plentiful photographs and illustrations bring the sites to life. "Dig Deep!" and "Myth Alert!" sidebars provide additional interesting context and detail. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Alternator Books: Ancient Mysteries titles: Mysteries of the Egyptian Pyramids, Mysteries of the Great Wall of China, Mysteries of Easter Island, Mysteries of Pompeii, Mysteries of Machu Picchu, and Mysteries of Stonehenge.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) 4-6 Calico: Time Twisters series. Illustrated by Dave Bardin. Luis and his friends, siblings Casey and Tyler (plus Tyler's robot cat, Steel), embark on four adventures after discovering Nikola Tesla's Time Twister machine. While confronting aliens and underwater cities in the future and haunted houses and ancient curses in the past, they endeavor to rescue Luis's uncle Cyrus, who's stuck in time. A lively middle-grade time-travel series with appealing comics-like illustrations. Review covers these Calico: Time Twisters titles: The Curse of Time, Haunted Time, Time and Space, and Time Under the Sea.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(3) 4-6 In book four, Cleopatra and Antony venture to the snowy and desolate planet Cada'duun in search of a weapon, the Golden Lion, before evil forces claim it. History and science fiction meld in an action-filled graphic-novel adventure with riveting panel progression and a rich color palette. Readers inspired by Star Wars' Rey will embrace the female-centric intergalactic story.

Reviewer: Jessica Bushore

(3) K-3 National Geographic Readers series. Brief chapters introduce newly independent readers to some aspects of the structure, function, and history surrounding Egyptian pyramids. The final chapter ("Still Exploring") effectively highlights recent theories and scientific techniques currently being applied in archaeology. Images of artifacts, photographs of tomb sites, and computer-generated maps, all captioned, introduce readers to myriad sources of historical evidence. "Egypt Word" boxes highlight key vocabulary. Glos.

Reviewer: Rebecca Fox

(4) 4-6 Adventures of Lottie Lipton series. Illustrated by Rachelle Panagarry. Nine-year-old Lottie Lipton lives in the British Museum in 1928 London with her great-uncle, the museum's curator of Egyptology. An amateur sleuth, Lottie uses her wits to solve mysteries involving the museum's historical objects. Thin plots are secondary to the many brainteaser puzzles and codes Lottie and readers must solve in each series entry. Spot and full-page line drawings accompany the texts. Glos. Review covers these Adventures of Lottie Lipton titles: The Catacombs of Chaos, The Curse of the Cairo Cat, The Eagle of Rome, The Egyptian Enchantment, The Scroll of Alexandria, and The Secrets of the Stone.

Reviewer: Lauren Chambers

(4) 4-6 Adventures of Lottie Lipton series. Illustrated by Rachelle Panagarry. Nine-year-old Lottie Lipton lives in the British Museum in 1928 London with her great-uncle, the museum's curator of Egyptology. An amateur sleuth, Lottie uses her wits to solve mysteries involving the museum's historical objects. Thin plots are secondary to the many brainteaser puzzles and codes Lottie and readers must solve in each series entry. Spot and full-page line drawings accompany the texts. Glos. Review covers these Adventures of Lottie Lipton titles: The Catacombs of Chaos, The Curse of the Cairo Cat, The Eagle of Rome, The Egyptian Enchantment, The Scroll of Alexandria, and The Secrets of the Stone.

Reviewer: Lauren Chambers

(4) 4-6 Adventures of Lottie Lipton series. Illustrated by Rachelle Panagarry. Nine-year-old Lottie Lipton lives in the British Museum in 1928 London with her great-uncle, the museum's curator of Egyptology. An amateur sleuth, Lottie uses her wits to solve mysteries involving the museum's historical objects. Thin plots are secondary to the many brainteaser puzzles and codes Lottie and readers must solve in each series entry. Spot and full-page line drawings accompany the texts. Glos. Review covers these Adventures of Lottie Lipton titles: The Catacombs of Chaos, The Curse of the Cairo Cat, The Eagle of Rome, The Egyptian Enchantment, The Scroll of Alexandria, and The Secrets of the Stone.

Reviewer: Lauren Chambers