(2) K-3 Illustrated by Rebecca Green. Fact: "King Haakon IV of Norway gave Henry III of England a white bear, which went to live in the Tower of London in 1251 or 1252." Little else is known other than that King Henry decreed that the creature should be tethered and let out of its cage every day to swim and fish in the Thames. Fletcher, who has previously written about this unusual piece of history in her middle-grade novel Journey of the Pale Bear, can only speculate about the bear's exact species (she chose a polar bear, indigenous to Norway), gender (female), fate (why the king allowed it to go outside), and feelings (finding home again in the river). The text is clear about what are educated guesses ("imagine how the world must have seemed"; "we'll never know for sure") and "what we do know." Green's rich-hued gouache and colored-pencil illustrations, featuring gold-framed panels and ornamentation, were inspired by early medieval illustrations, and they arguably steal the show here, providing a real sense of place and time. She also skillfully varies colors and perspectives within her decorative panels and realistically depicts the bear's movements and expressions, all of which help convey the emotions the bear might have experienced on her journey back to the water. Back matter gives information and bibliographies not only about the bear but also about the exotic-animals menagerie that used to exist at the Tower of London.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2022

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Isabel Greenberg. The mysterious life and death of King Tut and the story of Howard Carter's 1922 discovery of Tut's tomb are recounted in an engaging narrative. The majority of the book focuses on Carter's excavation and what was learned from the site. Greenberg's colorful, stylized illustrations recall the hybrid 2D/3D aesthetic of ancient Egyptian artwork, even in their depiction of modern people.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Drew Shannon. Climate change is causing glaciers and ice sheets to melt. As the ice recedes, ancient artifacts are revealed and archaeologists scramble to recover them before they are destroyed. This book explores glacial archaeological sites from around the world, detailing the artifacts recovered and what they teach us about the past. Color photographs and illustrations provide visual depictions of the time periods being discussed. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) YA Graves's prose recounting of the Trojan War and the fall of this ancient city is back in print in a handsome volume with a new introduction by Dan-el Padilla Peralta. With research into Homer and "various other Greek and Latin authors," Graves's narrative is nevertheless free-flowing and not burdened by the often-ponderous language of strict translations of ancient accounts.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) 4-6 Enduring Mysteries series. Karst digs into the history of--and the many mysteries surrounding--Egypt's Great Sphinx with a linear narrative that will engage upper-elementary and middle-school readers; it begins with speculation about the ancient wonder's construction and meaning and moves through history to modern-day tourism and preservation efforts. Abundant glossy photographs break up the text. Websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) 4-6 Thrifty Guides series. Illustrated by Xavier Bonet. These tongue-in-cheek travel guides to Ancient Greece and Rome provide lots of historical information while incorporating plentiful humor, and cartoony illustrations add to the effect. As the jokey narratives cover important aspects of these civilizations, inserts suggest people and places to see during your "trip." Yes, the time-travel conceit is gimmicky, but it makes for entertaining reading. Bib. Review covers these Thrifty Guides titles: The Thrifty Guide to Ancient Greece and The Thrifty Guide to Ancient Rome.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) 4-6 Thrifty Guides series. Illustrated by David Sossella. These tongue-in-cheek travel guides to Ancient Greece and Rome provide lots of historical information while incorporating plentiful humor, and cartoony illustrations add to the effect. As the jokey narratives cover important aspects of these civilizations, inserts suggest people and places to see during your "trip." Yes, the time-travel conceit is gimmicky, but it makes for entertaining reading. Bib. Review covers these Thrifty Guides titles: The Thrifty Guide to Ancient Greece and The Thrifty Guide to Ancient Rome.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) 4-6 How-to Guides for Fiendish Rulers series. Illustrated by Ryan Pentney. These first-person how-to guides purport to instruct the reader on being a "fiendish" ruler. In a conversational and tongue-in-cheek tone, these books present historical facts about how kings, pharaohs, shoguns, and emperors managed their realms. Illustrations emphasize the comical, using exaggerated facial expressions, postures, and speech balloons to good effect. Humor aside, the books still provide solid information about past royal life. Ind. Review covers these How-to Guides for Fiendish Rulers titles: An Emperor's Guide, A King's Guide, A Pharaoh's Guide, and A Shogun's Guide.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) 4-6 How-to Guides for Fiendish Rulers series. Illustrated by Ryan Pentney. These first-person how-to guides purport to instruct the reader on being a "fiendish" ruler. In a conversational and tongue-in-cheek tone, these books present historical facts about how kings, pharaohs, shoguns, and emperors managed their realms. Illustrations emphasize the comical, using exaggerated facial expressions, postures, and speech balloons to good effect. Humor aside, the books still provide solid information about past royal life. Ind. Review covers these How-to Guides for Fiendish Rulers titles: An Emperor's Guide, A King's Guide, A Pharaoh's Guide, and A Shogun's Guide.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) 4-6 How-to Guides for Fiendish Rulers series. Illustrated by Ryan Pentney. These first-person how-to guides purport to instruct the reader on being a "fiendish" ruler. In a conversational and tongue-in-cheek tone, these books present historical facts about how kings, pharaohs, shoguns, and emperors managed their realms. Illustrations emphasize the comical, using exaggerated facial expressions, postures, and speech balloons to good effect. Humor aside, the books still provide solid information about past royal life. Ind. Review covers these How-to Guides for Fiendish Rulers titles: An Emperor's Guide, A King's Guide, A Pharaoh's Guide, and A Shogun's Guide.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) 4-6 How-to Guides for Fiendish Rulers series. Illustrated by Ryan Pentney. These first-person how-to guides purport to instruct the reader on being a "fiendish" ruler. In a conversational and tongue-in-cheek tone, these books present historical facts about how kings, pharaohs, shoguns, and emperors managed their realms. Illustrations emphasize the comical, using exaggerated facial expressions, postures, and speech balloons to good effect. Humor aside, the books still provide solid information about past royal life. Ind. Review covers these How-to Guides for Fiendish Rulers titles: An Emperor's Guide, A King's Guide, A Pharaoh's Guide, and A Shogun's Guide.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Checkerboard Library: History's Hotshots series. Each book takes a broad look at its titular warriors, exploring their historical beginnings, how they lived and fought, and even their place in modern pop culture. While treatments of individual topics are brief, the volumes are decently informative overall. The layouts are bland, but photos, illustrations, and sidebars add extra information to the basic texts. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard Library: History's Hotshots titles: Ninjas!, Samurai!, and Vikings!.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Migy. Beatrice, a fictional medieval princess, takes readers through her typical day and debunks myths about princesses reinforced by fairy tales (e.g., real princesses don't frolic and sing to animals, they "practice riding and archery"). Detailed mixed-media illustrations reinforce the informative and amusing text, offering a realistic representation of the Middle Ages. An author's note provides additional insights about royal life. Bib.

Reviewer: Janet Daniels

(3) 4-6 This book focuses specifically on the archaeological record related to children, zeroing in on unearthed evidence from five different sites that show the types of activities children participated in across many millennia (from 18,000 BCE to 1700s colonial Florida). Abundant artifact photographs and sidebars supplement the insightful text, which easily switches from narrative to scientific and explanatory. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) 4-6 Alternator Books: Ancient Mysteries series. Each book in this series looks at a different ancient city or monument and explores unanswered questions about its construction and uses. Both historical and modern views are provided, with differences explained by recent research and technology. Plentiful photographs and illustrations bring the sites to life. "Dig Deep!" and "Myth Alert!" sidebars provide additional interesting context and detail. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Alternator Books: Ancient Mysteries titles: Mysteries of the Egyptian Pyramids, Mysteries of the Great Wall of China, Mysteries of Easter Island, Mysteries of Pompeii, Mysteries of Machu Picchu, and Mysteries of Stonehenge.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) 4-6 Alternator Books: Ancient Mysteries series. Each book in this series looks at a different ancient city or monument and explores unanswered questions about its construction and uses. Both historical and modern views are provided, with differences explained by recent research and technology. Plentiful photographs and illustrations bring the sites to life. "Dig Deep!" and "Myth Alert!" sidebars provide additional interesting context and detail. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Alternator Books: Ancient Mysteries titles: Mysteries of the Egyptian Pyramids, Mysteries of the Great Wall of China, Mysteries of Easter Island, Mysteries of Pompeii, Mysteries of Machu Picchu, and Mysteries of Stonehenge.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Time Traveler's Guide series. Illustrated by Mark Bergin. This illustrated series provides you-are-there glimpses at life in a (fictional) town of each ancient civilization. Two-page sections each focus on a specific part or structure. The information is generalized, but the series' draw is the detailed illustrations, which use bird's-eye perspectives and cutaways to allow readers to see inside various buildings. Appended "Time-Traveler's Guide" notes provide basic information about culture. Glos., ind. Review covers these Time Traveler's Guide titles: Inca Town, Greek Town, Roman Town, and Egyptian Town.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Time Traveler's Guide series. Illustrated by David Antram. This illustrated series provides you-are-there glimpses at life in a (fictional) town of each ancient civilization. Two-page sections each focus on a specific part or structure. The information is generalized, but the series' draw is the detailed illustrations, which use bird's-eye perspectives and cutaways to allow readers to see inside various buildings. Appended "Time-Traveler's Guide" notes provide basic information about culture. Glos., ind. Review covers these Time Traveler's Guide titles: Inca Town, Greek Town, Roman Town, and Egyptian Town.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) K-3 National Geographic Readers series. Brief chapters introduce newly independent readers to some aspects of the structure, function, and history surrounding Egyptian pyramids. The final chapter ("Still Exploring") effectively highlights recent theories and scientific techniques currently being applied in archaeology. Images of artifacts, photographs of tomb sites, and computer-generated maps, all captioned, introduce readers to myriad sources of historical evidence. "Egypt Word" boxes highlight key vocabulary. Glos.

Reviewer: Rebecca Fox

(4) 4-6 Time Traveler's Guide series. Illustrated by Mark Bergin. This illustrated series provides you-are-there glimpses at life in a (fictional) town of each ancient civilization. Two-page sections each focus on a specific part or structure. The information is generalized, but the series' draw is the detailed illustrations, which use bird's-eye perspectives and cutaways to allow readers to see inside various buildings. Appended "Time-Traveler's Guide" notes provide basic information about culture. Glos., ind. Review covers these Time Traveler's Guide titles: Inca Town, Greek Town, Roman Town, and Egyptian Town.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo