National Geographic Readers: Mummies

Carney, Elizabeth

ISBN 10: 142630529X ISBN 13: 9781426305290

Publisher: National Geographic Kids, 2009

Synopsis

Why were mummies mummified? These mysterious corpses provide a fascinating window on the past of cultures worldwide. Mummies has plenty of ghoulish intrigue to keep young readers reading. This irresistible title provides the solid science behind the myths and guarantees a successful and rewarding reading experience for kids at level 2. Mummies is a compelling combination of fun, facts, jokes and captivating photography.

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About this title

About the Author:

ELIZABETH CARNEY is a writer and editor based in Brooklyn, New York. She specializes in nonfiction children's books and science, math, and STEM-related magazines. Her author credits includeEverything Big Cats, Everything Dolphins, Great Migrations: Whales, Wildebeests, Butterflies, Elephants, and Other Amazing Animals on the Move, and several titles in the Face to Face and National Geographic Readers series.

Elizabeth Carney received the 2005 AAAS Science Journalism Award for science reporting for children. Her titles Face to Face With Cheetahs, Face to Face With Gorillas, and Great Migrations: Whales, Wildebeests, Butterflies, Elephants, and Other Amazing Animals on the Move appeared on the National Science Teachers Association's Outstanding Science Trade Book list for 2008, 2009, and 2010 respectively.

From Booklist:

Sensitive youngsters beware: with its numerous photos of shriveled and discolored corpses, this slim entry in the National Geographic Readers series is nightmare candy. But for kids with a taste for the macabre, it’s a visceral introduction to a topic they’ll keep seeing throughout their education. Carney divides her subject into two categories: natural mummies and man-made mummies. The first category is illustrated with mummies found chiefly in bogs, and their shiny black faces (one with a noose still around his neck!) are hauntingly preserved. The simple text provides plenty of shockers: “The bits of his last meal, vegetable soup eaten 2,300 years ago, are still in his stomach.” Egyptian mummies dominate the latter half of the book, which includes a cartoon-style “How to Make a Mummy” section. Scattered throughout are boxes that define unfamiliar words. A few jokes running along the top of the book (“Why did the mummy call a doctor? Because he was coffin”) try their best but can’t really lighten the mood of this dark but intelligent offering. Grades K-2. --Daniel Kraus

About this edition

• Publisher: National Geographic Kids
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 142630529X
• ISBN 13: 9781426305290
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 32