Mummy Cat

May 4, 2015
Once every century, deep within an Egyptian pyramid, a mummified cat “who’s passed through Death” rises from his coffin and goes to the resting place of his beloved mistress, the “girl-queen, Hat-shup-set,” hoping she will rise from the dead, as well. As the cat wanders from room to room, still wrapped head to tail in white cloth, he passes by painted scenes from the queen’s reign and their joyful days together—before their untimely deaths from a scorpion sting. The paintings are more than decoration: if readers are observant, they will notice that the pictures actually tell a story of jealousy, dastardly murder, and justified comeuppance. Ewert’s (10,000 Dresses) rhymes are fairly conventional (“Their couch was set beside the pool/ The shade from date trees kept them cool”), but his narration has the right tinge of sadness, spookiness, and suspense. It makes a fine red herring for Brown’s (Emily’s Blue Period) detailed, atmospheric pictures—which is where this terrifically original and ultimately happy story actually unfolds. Ages 6–9. Agent: Charlotte Sheedy, Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency.

Starred review from August 1, 2015
"Deep within this maze of stone, / a creature wakes up, all alone."On this evening in Egypt, a cat that has been mummified and placed inside a pyramid awakens "for the first time in a hundred years." Will he find what he is looking for? Ewert has created a compelling story that masterfully melds introductory information about the ancient Egyptian practice of mummification, its royalty, the people's reverence of cats, and a look at hieroglyphics. As the cat explores the tomb, he fondly remembers his owner, Hatshepsut, and all they did together. Brown expertly employs a mix of media to create illustrations in a palette of soft browns with pops of blue, yellow, and orange hues. Paintings on the pyramid's walls depict not only the cat and the queen's relationship, but also the perils of being an Egyptian ruler. The mummy cat wanders, lonely. "This cold, golden coffin-is this all he gets? / Where is the girl he can never forget?" Readers will smile as the page turn reveals the mummy queen beginning to emerge from her sarcophagus. For those who would like to learn more, the backmatter includes succinct yet helpful notes on "Mummies, Cats, Queens, and Hieroglyphs." A seek-and-find feature with sets of hieroglyphs invites further investigation as well. Elegantly designed for young fans of ancient Egypt, this sweet ghost story of a pet's love for its owner transcends time. (Picture book. 5-9)

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May 1, 2015

K-Gr 3-Ewert's rhyming picture book is an unexpected love story that anyone with a pet can appreciate. It's set in Egypt inside a pyramid decorated with hieroglyphics and treasures. "A mummy cat, who's passed through death" reminisces about his owner, the girl-queen Hatshepsut, as he searches the rooms looking for her. "He checks to see if she's come back, his loving friend...so that this lonely time can end." Although it's obvious that the memories weigh him down at times, he perks up when he sees pictures of the two of them in painted scenes along the walls. The cat was a loyal companion and a hero to the girl, right to the end of both of their lives. Back matter includes in-depth information about mummies and the ancient queen. The hieroglyphs are defined here as well, and they can be used as an I Spy game, as they appear throughout the book. Brown's ink, gouache, watercolor, and digital collage illustrations are rich with beautiful ancient artifacts and a grouping of curious mice and moths that follow the mummy cat to the tomb of the girl he can never forget. VERDICT Kids will enjoy this memorable and touching introduction to mummies.-Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake Public Library, AB, Canada

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from May 1, 2015
Grades K-3 *Starred Review* In quiet rhyme on a moonlit night, readers step inside an Egyptian pyramid where something is waking up: A cat / who moves without a breath: / a mummy cat, who's passed through Death. Once a century he wakes to see if the girl queen Hat-shup-set, his loving friend, has returned from the underworld, so that they can be together again. As he moves though the chambers, he passes beautifully painted murals that depict scenes of his life with the queenplaying by the Nile, napping in her lapas well as their untimely deaths. Mummy Cat prowls until he reaches Hat-shup-set's coffin to await the queen of his heart. Will this be the night she returns? Brown's illustrations steal the show in this tale of friendship and love. Taking cues from ancient Egyptian artwork, she uses red, lapis, gold, and brown to fill the pages with objects and imagery characteristic of royal burialslotus blossoms, canopic jars, a throne, hieroglyphics (deciphered at the end)effortlessly bringing the queen's story to life. An author's note explains the process of mummification and the significance of cats in Egyptian culture and briefly describes the female Pharaoh Hatshepsut, inspiration for Ewert's girl queen. Utilizing the magical draw of ancient Egypt, this informative and heartwarming story is a treasure trove for all who seek it.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2015
The scene is set on the title page, as the sun goes down over a golden desert complete with a sphinx and pyramids. Then, deep within this maze of stone, / a creature wakes up, all alone. A dainty cat wrapped in strips of white cloth emerges from a small coffin inside the pyramid, looking to see if she's come back, his loving friend. He prowls the pyramid, looking at the statue of an Egyptian queen, then at paintings on the wall that depict their happy life together. Brown's gouache, watercolor, and ink pictures offset the eeriness of the subject (mummified cat come to life!) with the bright colors in the paintings and on the artifacts in the tomb, and most of all with the lithe and inquisitive feline. The rhyming couplets continue as Mummy Cat finds the picture depicting the queen's death by scorpion sting, but soon afterward he is reunited with her. The final pages give background information on Egyptian burial customs and a key to the many hieroglyphic messages that children can go back and find in the pictures. This stands out among the more straightforward nonfiction picture books about ancient Egypt, and primary-grade children will find much to ponder, explore, and discuss. susan dove lempke Little Bird's Bad Word by Jacob Grant; illus. by the author Preschool Feiwel 32 pp. 7/15 978-1-250-05149-3 $16.99 *@?#%! chirps Little Bird from the cover, piquing curiosity about what the bad word might be. Inside, Papa and Little Bird are flying home with a wriggly worm for lunch in tow. Then Papa accidentally drops lunchand the forbidden word, too: BLARK! There's no way to recover with Little Bird, who upon hearing the word is eager to try it out on all his friends, in spite of Papa's insistence that the word is only for big birds. Frog was startled. Moose was speechless. Fish and Ladybug were not amused. Turtle retreats silently into the safety of his shell. Soon Little Bird needs another word -- SORRY! -- to make amends. Bold cartoony art drawn with charcoal and colored digitally features large, foregrounded animals with round, expressive eyes. The variety of perspectives used throughout helps readers consider the situation from multiple points of view. While child-friendly, the story does lean heavily on its adult-centric do as I say, not as I do joke, and children may respond to the fauxswear word with confusion or in-the-know skepticism. In the end, that bad word makes one final appearance to tie the story together. This time when Papa and Little Bird are flying, Little Bird holds the worm securely, and the worm is the one who says, BLARK. julie roach

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