A Puzzling Day in the Land of the Pharaohs (Gamebook) - Hardcover

Grade 3-8?What do you get when you cross the "Magic School Bus" books (Scholastic) with Where's Waldo? (Little) ...A Puzzling Day in the Land of the Pharaohs. The premise is a school field trip to a history museum, where the class is magically transported to ancient Egypt. Thoth, the god of learning and magic, serves as the guide for the time-traveling students. The group must find gifts for the Pharaoh, keep an eye on the devious museum guard accidentally transported with them, and solve puzzles at each of their tour shops in order to get back home. Each double-page spread features a different aspect of ancient Egyptian life. Readers are asked to play along and solve the puzzles, find missing characters, decipher various hieroglyphics, and keep track of a running mystery story-line thread, all the while experiencing life during the time of the Pharaohs. Lots of tiny little characters and clutter give the book a hectic, busy look. The cartoon illustrations set the tone for this lighthearted romp around an ancient world. While this book would be difficult to share with a group, individuals or pairs will find it an entertaining way to learn about Egyptian history and culture. Readers will be hooked after the first couple of pages.?Jane Claes, T. J. Lee Elementary School, Irving, TX
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

In this flat-footed hybrid of the Magic School Bus series and the Waldo books, Mrs. Pudget and her students arrive at a museum to tour an exhibit on ancient Egypt. When the teacher pushes the wrong button on her audio tour cassette player, the group is transported back to the land of the Pharaohs, where Thoth, god of learning and magic, offers a tour of the Nile, the fields, a house, a temple, a pyramid, etc. At each location, readers are asked to find objects and people concealed (not very subtly) in a crowded spread; try mazes and similar activities; and otherwise piece together a "puzzle" that will enable the time travelers to return to the present. Unfortunately, the book comes up short on virtually all counts: Anderson (A Puzzling Day at Castle MacPelican) offers only cursory information about ancient Egypt; hides too few objects in his loose-lined art; and provides confusing directions to several of the challenges. Ages 6-11.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.