The Curse of the Mummy: Uncovering Tutankhamun's Tomb (Scholastic Focus)

Product Description
Award-winning and critically acclaimed author Candace Fleming presents the edge-of-your-seat true story of the search for Tutankhamun's tomb, the Western public's belief that the dig was cursed, and the battle for ownership of the treasures within.
During the reign of the New Kingdom of Egypt, the boy pharaoh Tutankhamun ruled and died tragically young. In order to send him on his way into the afterlife, his tomb was filled with every treasure he would need after death. And then, it was lost to time, buried in the sands of the Valley of the Kings.
His tomb was also said to be cursed.
Centuries later, as Egypt-mania gripped Europe, two Brits -- a rich earl with a habit for gambling and a disreputable, determined archeologist -- worked for years to rediscover and open Tutankhamun's tomb. But once it was uncovered, would ancient powers take their revenge for disturbing and even looting the pharaoh's resting place? What else could explain the mysterious illnesses, accidents, and deaths that began once it was found?
From School Library Journal
Gr 6 Up-Fleming has done it again and created another engaging nonfiction history for middle and high school students with this deep dive into the excavation of the tomb of Tutankhamun. Grave robbers had been looting Egyptian tombs for thousands of years and British and French politics dominated Egypt at the turn of the century with little oversight of the ransacking. Despite this disarray, Tutankhamun's tomb remained hidden and largely untouched until 1922, when it was unearthed by Howard Carter, an archaeologist seen as a disreputable outsider in Europe's snobbish Egyptology scene. He was working for the hapless Lord Carnarvon, a British noble who fancied excavation as a hobby. Together they would toil away for years, excavating the hundreds of treasures while battling local and international politics over ownership rights. With swiftly moving text, Fleming covers many aspects of the story, including the gruesome mummification process, ancient Egyptian history, as well as the discriminatory policies of colonial rule. In addition to a spirited narrative of the facts, Fleming adds to the mystery and intrigue by opening each chapter with dark, cryptic anecdotes of some of the strange, unexplained deaths that were often attributed to the belief that the tomb was cursed. A final chapter discusses the possibilities and probabilities of such a curse. VERDICT This engrossing read is a sure bet that will please all history lovers. Recommended for all libraries serving teens.-Karen Bilton, Franklin Township P.L., NJα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review
Praise for The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia:
Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature
Winner of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Nonfiction
A Robert F. Sibert Honor Book
A YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award Finalist
Winner of the Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction
* "A remarkable human story, told with clarity and confidence." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review
* "A wonderful introduction to this era in Russian history and a great read for those already familiar with it." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review
* "For readers who regard history as dull, Fleming's extraordinary book is proof positive that, on the contrary, it is endlessly fascinating, absorbing as any novel, and the stuff of an altogether memorable reading experience." -- Booklist, starred review
* "Fleming has outdone herself with this riveting work of narrative nonfiction that appeals to the imagination as much as the intellect." -- The Horn Book, starred review
* "This is both a sobering work, and the account of the discovery of their bones and the aftermath is at once fascinating and distressing. A solid resource and good recreational reading for high