Gr 4-7-- Two more books in this series that continues to dazzle the eye with hundreds of color photographs and illustrations. Each two-page spread treats one particular aspect of the civilization, such as architecture, religion, agriculture, or recreational activities. All items pictured are identified with brief captions and clear definitions. Most are of excavated artifacts, but when these would not suffice to demonstrate visually some aspect of the culture, drawings or modern reconstructions are used. Striking examples include the reconstructioned Roman helmet, breastplate, and legionary's field pack. However, it's unfortunate that there are no timelines to help readers grasp the historical period. Similar books have been produced before, but seldom with the kind of stunning visuals provided here. Browsing through these books is second only to seeing the articles attractively displayed in a museum. --David N. Pauli, Missoula Public Library, MT (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr. 4^-8. DK's familiar combination of cross-sections, photos, drawings, and captions gives the effect of walking through a museum exhibit in this lavishly illustrated title. Traditionally rendered illustrations mix with computer graphics and transparent pages that allow the reader to peal away layers to reveal the inside of Tutankhamen's coffin (including the mummy's remains), an Egyptian work boat, and the great temple Abu Simbel. Each spread covers a different topic about life on the Nile, such as rulers and gods, warriors, notions of beauty, craftsmanship, methods of writing, techniques for building tombs, and mummification. The lively text includes a brief, exciting account of archaeologist Howard Carter's discovery of King Tutankhamen's tomb. Full of information, this versatile book offers plenty of report material, as well as an appealing format for browsers. Helen Rosenberg

Double-page spreads addressing various topics seem randomly arranged (God Kings followed by Warrior Nation followed by Ideas of Beauty) and are overloaded with photos of artifacts, reproduced tomb paintings (with some of the visuals too small to see details), and snippets of information. Four spreads have transparent overlays that reveal inner views of a mummy, boat, temple, and tomb. Ind. From HORN BOOK Spring 2003, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.