Tutankhamun

by Demi, Demi (Illustrator)

Overview

After thirty-two centuries of lying hidden in the Egyptian Valley of the Kings, King Tutankhamun’s sacred, royal tomb was discovered by a British archaeologist, and Tut’s story became known throughout the world. Demi sets King Tutankhamun’s life in the context of the religious beliefs of his ancestors.

Born to a pharaoh who had the revolutionary idea that all of Egypt must worship only one god, Tut ascended the throne and restored religious freedom to the Upper and Lower kingdoms. He allowed his subjects to worship either the one god, Aten, of his father or the many shapes and forms of the sun god, Amun, whom they had worshiped since ancient times.

Using research that includes the artifacts in King Tutankhamun’s tomb, Demi shares the rich details of the king’s life, from ostrich to lion hunts, to the challenges of ruling his Kingdom. Demi’s storytelling skills and magnificent artwork, inspired by Egyptian line in paintings, architecture, sculpture, and jewelry, reveal the life of a remarkable king who has been watching us “across a span of more than 3,000 years.”

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761455585
Publisher:	Amazon Publishing
Publication date:	01/05/2012
Pages:	64
Sales rank:	888,393
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	940L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

About the Author

Demi was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She studied art at the Instituto Allende in Guanajuato, Mexico; with Sister Corita at the Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles; at the M. S. University in Baroda, India, while on a Fulbright scholarship; and at the China Institute for Arts in New York City. Her husband, Tze-si Jesse Huang, introduced her to the religion, folklore, ancient culture, and history of China, after which she became intrigued by the stories she read about Marco Polo.

Demi is the author and illustrator of more than three hundred children’s books, including picture book biographies of spiritual leaders such as Jesus, Buddha, the Dalai Lama, Gandhi, and Muhammad. Su Donpo: Chinese Genius retells and illustrates true Chinese leadership and heroism, and numerous folktales such as The Empty Pot and Liang and the Magic Paintbrush transmit the wonder and magic of China. Her work has received many awards and ac­colades, among them the Christopher Award, which recognizes individuals whose work makes a positive difference in the world, and the Middle East Book Award. Her titles have been designated American Library Association Notable Children’s Books, New York Times Best Illustrated Books, Notable Books for a Global Society, and American Bookseller Pick of the List Books.

Editorial Reviews

The unmistakable designs and opulent glitter of ancient Egyptian art gleam on every page of Demi's picture-book introduction to Tutankhamun. Beginning with King Tut's great-grandfather, Demi presents the broad historical context surrounding the young monarch's reign, with particular emphasis on the feud between Tut's two most powerful advisors. Demi's language, organized into brief but pithy paragraphs, is clear, but many young readers will still need help grasping the complex political machinations, which may interest them less than the details of the young king's education and rule. It's the beautiful illustrations that will attract and hold a young audience most, and as usual, Demi incorporates artistic motifs and materials appropriate to her subject. Here, working in Egyptian and Chinese inks, she creates elegant borders of glyphlike patterns surrounding uncluttered, stylized scenes of figures drawn straight from ancient Egyptian art, all set against light, linen-textured backgrounds. A family tree, map, and author's note add more heft to this gilded, handsome biography of a subject whose popularity only grows greater 3,000 years after his birth."

Booklist

Gr 4–7—Luxuriously detailed, brilliantly colored, and drenched with gold, Demi's biography of the "boy king of Egypt" is, unfortunately, easier to look at than it is to read. Palace intrigue, violence, secret tombs, and beautiful queens add some sparkle to an otherwise rather dull text. In addition, much attention is paid to Tutankhamun's father's rejection of Amun and the other gods in favor of Aten, a rather abstract concept. Although indisputably beautiful, the illustrations suffer from an inert quality, in part due to the Egyptian style the artist is echoing—flat and declarative, with each figure shown in profile. Supplement this title with Zahi Hawass's Tutankhamun: The Mystery of the Boy King (National Geographic, 2005) for photographs and text that focus on the archaeology and objects found in Tutankhamun's tomb.—Paula Willey, Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, MD

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