Ramses Rat and the Great Cat Bastet, by Sally Odgers, illustrated by Dushko Zafirovski

Ramses Rat PBThe statue stepped down from its cushion and stretched. Its tail lashed like a whip. It crouched until its huge nose was level with mine.

‘I wear eye paint and earrings as a sign of my royal blood, you foolish rat,’ it hissed. ‘I am not an offering. Offerings are made to me. This temple belongs to me. I am the Great Cat, Bastet.’

Ramses Rat is looking for adventure and a place to live, so when he finds the Temple of Bastet, from which come delicious smells, he thinks he has found the perfect home. But what he has found, instead, is an adventure. When Ramses tries to get into the temple, he is stopped by the Rats of the Nile, who say they control the temple. Not only are they determined to keep Ramses out, but they want to remove all other rats from the city. Ramses and his new friend Ka are in danger.

But when Ramses meets the Great Cat, Bastet, he finds an unlikely ally. Bastet does not want the Rats of the Nile ruining her city. With Ramses’ bravery and ingenuity and some help from Bastet, peace is restored.

Ramses Rat and the Great Cat Bastet is a junior novel set in Ancient Egypt, apparently the first in a series. Ramses Rat is an adventurous, interesting character, and the story is told in his first person voice.  Readers will enjoy the novelty of having a rat as a viewpoint character, as well as the chance to discover Ancient Egypt. The text is complemented with several full page black and white illustrations.

Ramses Rat and the Great Cat Bastet, by Sally Odgers, illustrated by Dushko Zafirovski

Prints Charming Books, 2015

The Jewel Fish of Karnak, by Graeme Base

The Jewel Fish of Karnakis a sumptuous hard cover picture puzzle book from bestselling author/illustrator Graeme Base. With Bases’s signature illustrative style – lots of detail, quirky characters and rich colours – and a mystery to solve, there is lots to keep readers interested.

The Cat Pharaoh thought for a moment.
‘Well then, thieves, I have a task for you,’ she said. ‘In distant Karnak lies the Palace of the Crocodile Prince. Go there and bring back the golden Jewel Fish that the Crocodile took from me. If you do this, I will pardon you.”
In Ancient Egypt Jackal and Iris are in trouble. They’ve been caught stealing from the town market. They beg the Pharaoh for mercy and she sets them a task: steal back her stolen Jewel Fish and she will pardon them. But the pair are warned: keep the fish dry, and do not steal anything else. Unfortunately, the pair do not follow instructions, and their greediness lands them in more trouble. Only the reader can help them by locating the Jewel Fish.

The Jewel Fish of Karnakis a sumptuous hard cover picture puzzle book from bestselling author/illustrator Graeme Base. With Bases’s signature illustrative style – lots of detail, quirky characters and rich colours – and a mystery to solve, there is lots to keep readers interested. At the end of the story the reader is invited to become involved by finding the clues to figure out where the missing Jewel Fish is. In the back cover of the book there is a Jewel Fish mechanisim used to solve the msytery and work out what the fish looks like, and the wrap around cover includes a fold out map filled with facts about Ancient Egypt.

Whilst younger children will findt the book visually appealing, it is school aged children who will be likely to be able to decipher the mystery. If unable, they will find clues online on a dedicated website.

Fabulous.

The Jewel Fish of Karnak

The Jewel Fish of Karnak, by Graeme Base
Penguin, 2011
ISBN 9780670074679

This book is available in good bookstores or online from Fishpond.