David Long, winner of the Blue Peter Book Award, and Stefano Tambellini combine their considerable talents again to bring two more incredible stories to life. Tutankhamun’s Treasure: Discovering the Secret Tomb of Egypt’s Ancient King and Everest: Reaching the Roof of the World are the latest titles in a superb selection of non-fiction historical reads that form part of the ‘Incredible True Stories’ series and now add up to a four book collection with Survival in Space: The Apollo 13 Mission and The Sinking of the Titanic.
The latest two titles could not be more different; one under the blazing Egyptian sun, the other within the freezing temperatures of the Himalayas. One, a quest to reach the highest point on Earth, the other, a search for historical treasures buried underground. One, the result of pure good fortune, the other accomplished through meticulous planning, an enormous amount of training and perhaps the odd stroke of luck too. What the stories do have in common are people who were determined, showed enormous amounts of perseverance, who never gave up even with the odds stacked firmly against them and whose achievements and discoveries would be world-changing.
Tutankhamun's Treasure: Discovering the Secret Tomb of Egypt's Ancient King; David Long, illustrated by Stefano Tambellini
For thousands of years the burial tombs of Ancient Egypt’s legendary pharaohs attracted the attention of tomb robbers. A British man by the name of Howard Carter had a passion for Egypt too and he was convinced that a tomb was waiting to be discovered in the Valley of the Kings. And when a young boy tripped on a stone he had accidentally stumbled upon a long-lost tomb. Finally, the burial place of the legendary boy-King Tutankhamun had been discovered. And what was waiting inside was more than Carter could ever have imagined… Who doesn’t love a good treasure hunt? Treasure hunters have existed since the beginning of time and Long expertly and succinctly recounts one of the greatest and most significant archaeological finds…ever. In a fact-filled recount, readers are taken back more than seven thousand years ago to a time when Egypt was one of the ‘riches, most advanced and most exciting civilisations the world had ever seen.’ Fast forward a few thousand years and a stumble on a stone buried in the hot sand of the Valley of the Kings would reveal a tomb full of ‘wondrous things’.
Written in a conversational tone and easily accessible, this is a brilliant and gripping account of the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb and is sure to leave curious young minds wanting to know more about what else has been unearthed in Egypt. From the banks of the River Nile to the Pyramids of Giza to the Valley of the Kings, the content is rich in historical details and I love how palpable the tension is as Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon enter the tomb for the first time to observe what they have discovered.
In addition to documenting the events preceding, during and after the discovery, there is an insightful introduction to archaeologists and archaeology with Long championing the importance of learning about the past though archaeological finds, and lots of information on the incredible construction of the pyramids and burial tombs, mummification and rituals and burials. This thrilling tale of discovery is a must-have for any aspiring Egyptologists and is a classroom essential when studying Ancient Egypt.
Everest: Reaching the Roof of the World; David Long, illustrated by Stefano Tambellini
Everest is the world’s highest mountain, reaching a mammoth 8,849 meters above sea level - not far off the cruising altitude for commercial airlines. Nestled between Nepal and Tibet and looming over the Himalayas, it has captured the interest and fascinated people from around the world for years. To the locals, the mountain referred to as Goddess Mother of the World and Peak of Heaven is a magical place whose stories and legends are an important part of their lives. To adventurers and explorers, it is the ultimate challenge that only few can conquer… At the turn of the twentieth century, Everest became a must-do challenge for explorers and in an exhilarating and fascinating read we learn about the race to be the first to climb to the ‘roof of the world’. This well-told story recounts the earliest, and often underprepared for and ill-fated attempts, culminating with Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s successful ascent on the 29th May, 1953. This is not just another book about Hillary and Norgay, plenty of other climbers are referenced including William Morris, George Mallory, Edward Norton Colonel John Hunt. Whilst many of the early efforts ended in failure and often death, these pioneering explorers meant that future teams arrived better prepared to achieve the impossible, although that didn’t make the challenge any easier. The human body is simply not designed to survive in such an extreme environment.
Alongside the human stories, Long informs about the equipment, the unforgiving weather, avalanches, ice falls, the inhospitable environment, extreme temperatures, altitude sickness, topography and the important role of porters and Sherpas. At the end, a nod to the expeditions of today and some of the notable and everyday problems that even the highest place on Earth is not immune from - pollution, human waste (poo) and overcrowding - are a reminder about responsible tourism and the human impact on nature. What children are left with is a clear understanding of why people risk their lives to take on such immense challenges and how the process of climbing a mountain, such as Everest, works.
There is lots to learn in the eighty-two pages, I particularly enjoyed finding out how the mountain got its name and the story of a rather bizarre attempt to scale the mountain from a jolly old chap by the name of Maurice Wilson whose mission involved a small plane, a long trek and then a gentle stroll up a mountain. Barrington Stoke pride themselves on producing dyslexic friendly and accessible titles and this pair are interesting, packed full of information, contain a plethora of illustrations, maps and diagrams, and will be a hit with children who have a passion for history, are knowledge hungry and enjoy reading non-fiction. With huge thanks to the publisher for the copies I received in exchange for honest reviews. Recommended for 8+.
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