Tutankhamen's Gift

Small and frail, Tutankhamen was an all but ignored member of the royal family of the great Egyptian pharaoh Amenhotep III. At the school of the menoi, or tutors, he did not excel at physical activities with the other royal princes. Keeping to himself, he observed and admired the work of his father's craftsmen, who built glorious temples to Egypt's many gods. Someday he too would find a gift for those gods.

Then Amenhotep III died and the unpopular reign of Tutankhamen's brother ended in mystery. Who now would be pharaoh? Could it be a boy of only ten?

As he did with the life of Saint Valentine (Atheneum, 1992), Robert Sabuda combines simple text with artwork true to the historical period in which Tutankhamen lived.

Tutankhamen, the youngest child of great pharoah Amenhotep III, became the ruler--at age ten--following the deaths of his father and older brother. Through clear and simple text accompanied by exquisite artwork, Sabuda introduces today's child to this extraordinary child from ancient time. Illustrated in five colors with cut paper and ink on papyrus.

Small and frail, Tutankhamen was an all but ignored member of the royal family of the great Egyptian pharaoh Amenhotep III. At the school of the menoi, or tutors, he did not excel at physical activities with the other royal princes. Keeping to himself, he observed and admired the work of his father's craftsmen, who built glorious temples to Egypt's many gods. Someday he too would find a gift for those gods.

Then Amenhotep III died and the unpopular reign of Tutankhamen's brother ended in mystery. Who now would be pharaoh? Could it be a boy of only ten?

As he did with the life of Saint Valentine (Atheneum, 1992), Robert Sabuda combines simple text with artwork true to the historical period in which Tutankhamen lived.

Publishers Weekly

In a starred review, PW said, "Sabuda neatly distills the history of a celebrated young ruler while offering a visual treat on each page"; the decorative illustrations feature a single piece of cut black paper against a background of painted papyrus. Ages 6-9. (Aug.)

Children's book creator and pop-up book pioneer Robert Sabuda is a master at making both classic and original stories come to life, from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland to his own magical Winter's Tale.