How to Make a Mummy Talk

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Cartoon drawings accompany this informative, lighthearted account of mummy history and how-tos. Ages 9-12. (July)

Children's Literature - Debra Briatico

The author takes readers on a mummy discover tour that spans both centuries and continents. Youngsters learn what mummies are, how they are created, where they have been found, how scientists investigate them, where to visit them, and why they are an endangered species and should be treated with respect. Aspiring mummy masters will treasure this well-illustrated introduction to this intriguing topic.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-8-Deem examines mummies from all around the world and from all different time periods to create a thorough, not-for-the-squeamish portrait of what it takes to become mummified. Many methods of preservation are explained, including those that were accidental, such as bodies that were preserved by ice, bogs, or desert sands. The author provides plenty of intriguing anecdotes and tips off readers on where to track down museums that display mummies and where to read more about them. Like Nathaniel Harris's Mummies (Watts, 1995), this title relies on drawings rather than photographs for illustrations. Visually, both Deem's and Harris's volumes pale in comparison to Jim Putnam's Mummy (Knopf, 1993). While Kelley's black-and-white drawings are informative, they are cartoonlike and sketchy. Though there's a bundle of information in Deem's book, its lack of commanding illustrations-a crucial element for this subject matter-may make Putnam's title more popular.-Cathryn A. Camper, Minneapolis Public Library