I am a working mother of two whose passion (besides my family) is books. I am an avid reader who enjoys all types of books, although I mainly read fiction. In addition to reading, I also love crocheting, knitting, cooking, running, and watching Penn State sports. Contact me: bookingmama@gmail.com
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Welcome back to another Mailbox Monday post! I received an abundance of books this week... especially children's books from Chronicle, Andrews McMeel and Abrams. However, I also got some great adult mysteries.
Every weekend, I host Kid Konnection -- a regular weekly feature about anything related to children's books. This week I'm going to share with you an educational book for kids interested in ancient Egypt.
Summary: Mummies, pyramids, pharaohs, King Tut! Kids everywhere are fascinated by the wonders of ancient Egypt, and this colorful reference book is jam-packed with 1,000 fascinating facts. From the Great Pyramid and the Valley of the Kings to the Nile River and Cleopatra, discover all you have ever wanted to know about this ancient civilization. Unearth ancient hieroglyphs and their meanings; find out what was in King Tut's tomb; and get insights about the science of mummification. Learn about ancient Egyptian gods and famous pharaohs, and follow Egypt's battles for power in the world. After this deep dive into Egyptology, you'll be able to dazzle your friends and family with your newfound knowledge. -- National Geographic Kids 1,000 FACTS ABOUT ANCIENT EGYPT by Nancy Honovich is yet another fantastic National Geographic Kids book. Honestly, if you haven't picked up one of these books and shared it with your kids, you need to NOW! These books are both educational and entertaining, and the photographs are outstanding (as you would expect from a National Geographic publication.)
1,000 FACTS ABOUT ANCIENT EGYPT is non-stop fun facts about ancient Egypt. After a foreword from a renowned professor of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Penn, the book jumps straight into pages and pages of facts. That would almost have to be the case to fit over 1,000 tidbits of Egypt trivia into this book. Some of the facts might be old news to some adults, but I bet most of them will be fascinating to kids. Heck, most of the facts were fascinating to me!
You might think that a book with just a listing of facts about Egypt would get old and maybe overwhelming, but I can assure you that's not the case. 1,000 FACTS ABOUT ANCIENT EGYPT has information presented in such a way that each page is more interesting (and fun to look at) than the next. The fact boxes include not only text, but images and photographs which add to the learning fun. In addition, there are different sections of the book that make it easy for readers to focus on one or two subjects rather than just a huge assortment of facts.
It's hard to sum up the scope of this book because it covers so darn much about ancient Egypt, but I thought I'd pick out a few "fun" ones. I was attracted to the section on Medicinal Diseases and Cures:
Egyptian dentists filled cavities with cement or a mixture of tree sap and minerals.
Wealthy Egypitans could affort meat, which is high in fat content. As a result, many people in the upper classes suffered from heart disease.
And here's another one from the 50 Plowed-Up Facts About Farming:
The limbs of fig trees are too weak to hold the weight of a person, so ancient Egyptians trained monkeys to climb up and collect the fruit.
I could go on and on with facts that I found interesting! I can't recommend 1,000 FACTS ABOUT ANCIENT EGYPT enough. This book is a must-have for school libraries and classrooms as well as home libraries!
Thanks to Media Masters for providing a review copy of this book.
If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!
Every weekend, I host Kid Konnection -- a regular weekly feature about anything related to children's books. This week I'm going to share with you a fantastic book for those kids who are interested in coding!
Summary: Unlock ancient puzzles and secrets introduced via supercool codes and ciphers in this companion book to the new Explorer Academy series.
In the first activity book based on the Explorer Academy, kids test their knowledge of ancient codes and ciphers in a series of head-scratching puzzles designed to outwit even the most clever cryptographers. When kids successfully navigate the codes, they are rewarded with a first-class tour of the Academy.
Kids will have a blast, teaming up with the characters from the series and learning firsthand from the world's most renowned scientists, explorers, conservationists, photographers, and journalists. It's a far-flung adventure, too, traveling to historic and majestic locations around the globe. - National Geographic I know my nephews (and my sister!) had their eyes NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORER ACADEMY: CODE-BREAKING ACTIVITY ADVENTURE when I first posted it in a Mailbox Monday post. Like my son, they are huge fans of the National Geographic Kids books and that's with good reason. These books are just incredible -- beautiful photography, fun, and educational!
CODE-BREAKING ACTIVITY ADVENTURE is part of the Explorer Academy series of books and the first activity book. I just love how this book engages middle grade readers. The book begins with a letter from the "Explorer Academy President" welcoming them to the elite Explorer Academy. She goes further to explain that they will be participating in the first challenge -- the annual explorer scavenger hunt. There is a "unique series of missions that will test your codebreaking skills." Sounds fun, right?
As kids solve the puzzles/codes, they will receive a tour of the Academy. Along the way, they can "work with" teams made up of characters from the other Explorer Academy books. These characters include scientists, photographers, conservationists and more that will teach them about creative ways to unscramble encrypted maps and messages.
Over the past ten plus years that I've been reviewing kids' books, I have to admit that CODE BREAKING ACTIVITY ADVENTURE is one of the most unique books I've encountered. I would have enjoyed this book as a kid, and I know my kids would have too. The interactive nature of the book will appeal to the most reluctant of readers, and kids who are already interested in science and decoding will love it too!
This book has a lot going on! There are six different missions as well as an answer key in the back. There is an assortment of puzzles and codes on every page, some of which are challenging and some which seemed rather simple. There are also little side articles which teach kids about coding and problem solving tips.
Overall, CODE BREAKING ACTIVITY ADVENTURE is a fun way to learn problem solving and code-breaking skills. Highly recommended!
Thanks to the Media Masters for providing a review copy of this book.
If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!
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