Pharaohs and Foot Soldiers
One Hundred Ancient Egyptian Jobs You Might Have Desired or Dreaded
Jobs in History series
- 2010 Best Books, starred selection, Canadian Children’s Book Centre
- “The Year’s Best” List, Resource Links
- Best Bets List, OLA
- VOYA Nonfiction Honor List
- Silver Birch Award 2010 nomination
Imagine being an interpreter of dreams in ancient Egypt.
What was the daily grind like for the ancient Egyptians? Imagine it’s your job to carve elaborate tombs out of rock formations (it will take years to do) or man an army outpost in the extreme heat of the desert. You might have worked transporting some of the over 2 million stones for the Great Pyramid or engineered irrigation projects along the Nile. PHARAOHS AND FOOT SOLDIERS offers an innovative look at the jobs that kept Ancient Egypt running for 3000 years.Among the 100 careers profiled you’ll also find reed cutters (who worked naked), sandal makers (though many went barefoot), and even embalmers (pulling out organs took special training). Whether prestigious or poor Egyptians often had to be tough, trustworthy, stealthy and skilled to get by.
Complete with a fact-filled introduction, a comprehensive timeline and playful illustrations throughout, PHARAOHS AND FOOT SOLDIERS will inspire readers to imagine how they may have lived out their days as a member of one of history’s most fascinating civilizations.
Kristin Butcher A former teacher, Kristin Butcher has written ten juvenile and young adult novels. She lives in Campbell River, B.C.
Martha Newbigging has illustrated many books including RESEARCH ATE MY BRAIN and ATTACK OF THE KILLER VIDEO BOOK. She lives in rural Ontario.
Reviews:
“Witty and fact-filled, [it] gives young readers a unique perspective on what it might have been like to live in one of history’s greatest civilizations.”
—History Magazine, 06/09
“… takes a clever approach to teaching kids about ancient Egyptian life.”
—School Library Journal, 08/09
“... fresh, amusing and interesting ... a ‘must have’ in all school libraries.”
—CM Magazine, 05/09
“... captivating, light-hearted ... charming; students ... will find this book invaluable, not to mention lots of fun.”
—Resource Links, 10/09
“… lots of information that is clear and easy to understand. Pictures …extend the information and entertain the reader at the same time.”
—Canadian Children’s Book News, Fall/09
“… will appeal to students researching life in ancient Egypt. The cartoon-like illustrations grab their attention and keep the mood light.
—Library Media Connection, 12/09