Derek Keilty's Top Books in an Egyptian Setting
Published on: 17 June 2020
Derek Keilty, author of Flyntlock Bones: The Sceptre of the Pharaohs, is a big fan of anything to do with Ancient Egypt! He's shared his favourite books to feature the mysterious land of the pyramids...
Asterix and Cleopatra by Goscinny and Uderzo
This is one of my favourite graphic novels/comic books, whatever you want to call it. In order to prove to Julius Caesar that Egypt is far from past its best, Cleopatra commissions the building of a beautiful palace for the Roman Emperor and enlists the help of Asterix & co. A brilliantly funny story with wonderfully detailed and colourful illustrations.
Horrible Histories: Awesome Egyptians by Terry Deary
Funny jokes, cool comics, fun facts and stories... what’s not to love about the Horrible Histories series for both kids and adults alike? Awesome Egyptians brings those fab pharaohs and mad mummies to life even though it’s been thousands of years since they last ruled and the anarchic illustrations certainly don’t shy away from the gruesome. There is even a revolting recipe for 3000-year-old sweets. Great fun.
The Cat Mummy by Jacqueline Wilson
My twin daughters devoured all the Jacqueline Wilson books, and met her when they were only 10. While posing for a pic, she called them her ‘double act’. I remember picking up The Cat Mummy one day from the sofa and really enjoying it. Verity adores her cat, Mabel, and is desperately sad when she dies. Remembering her recent school lessons about the Ancient Egyptians, Verity decides to mummify Mabel and keep her hidden.
There’s a Pharaoh in Our Bath by Jeremy Strong
Tony Lightspeed is always bringing home sick and injured animals, so when he turns up with an unconscious man dressed from head to tie in rather stinky bandages, his family aren't too surprised. But then they discover that the man is an ancient Egyptian pharaoh named Sennapod, who has been dead for over 4,000 years. A light-hearted, very funny read and Nick Sharratt’s madcap illustrations are delightful.
The Time Travelling Cat and the Egyptian Goddess by Julia Jarman
In his quest to find a stray cat who has befriended him, Topher is led on a time-travelling journey back to ancient Egypt, finding exotic people and places as well as danger. This is a gripping, quite emotional tale in that it deals with the loss of a parent but it’s also about friendship. There is some wonderful description and the book has an interesting historical aspect of how times were back in ancient Egypt when not only would they worship cats but sacrifice them, too.
Geronimo Stilton: The Curse of the Cheese Pyramid by Geronimo Stilton
I love first person books and I especially love Geronimo Stilton. In this book the famous Italian mouse is off to Egypt aboard a crabby old camel to the great cheese pyramid but not without a few problems along the way. Geography plays a big role throughout the series. For each place Geronimo visits, you learn about the culture and history. The Curse of the Cheese Pyramid is packed with fun facts about the famous ancient Egyptian architects and the seven wonders of the ancient Mouse World.
The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan (The Kane Chronicles Book 1)
The Percy Jackson books are great but this series is packed with just the same action, drama and humour. An explosion in a museum unleashes an ancient evil - the Egyptian god Set who banishes Carter and Sadie’s father to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives. Now orphaned, Carter and Sadie must embark on a dangerous quest to save him. There are thrills and spills a plenty in this book, not to mention some cool plot twists which I always love to put into my own books.
From acclaimed author Derek Keilty and debut illustrator Mark Elvins comes Flyntlock Bones, a new trilogy of pirate investigator adventures. The first book, Flyntlock Bones: The Sceptre of the Pharaohs was published in June 2020 by Scallywag Press.
Topics: Features
