Where would you go in a time machine?

The Boy Who Stole The Pharaoh’s Lunch

Author: Karen McCombie @KarenMcCombie

Illustrator: Anneli Bray @annelibrayillo

Published by: Barrington Stoke @BarringtonStoke

Published on: May 2023

Price: £7.99

First line: Seth Davis was good at two things – gaming on his Xbox and being the class clown.

Genre: Historical/Adventure

Age: 7+

ISBN: 978 1 80090 201 5

What’s it all about? Seth finds primary school difficult, but he keeps this to himself. Mainly, he finds reading and writing hard. To cope with this, he decides to try and make people laugh and not do any work. While waiting in his classroom at breaktime, after another silly stunt, Seth is transported back to Ancient Egypt. He finds life there so different to his own, but also that his practical skills are useful in helping the family that rescue him. Seth even risks the rath of the locals to save his friends ‘pet’ hyena.

Why should I read it? Written in Barrington Stoke’s dyslexic friendly style, this story opens up the world of ‘everyday’ Ancient Egyptian for the reader. Learn about children’s lives from the point of view of someone who has actually lived there! Find out about their breakfast; how they clean their teeth; their home; their jobs; family life; how they go to the toilet; what they do for fun; their pets; and the dangerous natural world around them. This is history as seen by a 7-year-old, but all wrapped up in an engaging mystery that Seth has to solve. How can he return home in one piece using a mysterious amulet that his teacher left lying on his desk? This would be perfect for a Year 3 class that have been learning about Ancient Egypt. It includes facts about the most famous Pharaoh of them all – Tutankhamun and also the life children and villagers would have lived.

Thanks to the UKLA for the review copy.