ZEKMET, THE STONE CARVER: A Tale of Ancient Egypt

by Mary Stolz ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 10, 1988

An imaginative re-creation of how the Sphinx came to be constructed. The Pharaoh Khafre, a self-indulgent despot, commands his vizier, Ho-tep, to devise a second monument to his glory. Luckily for Ho-tep, he happens on a humble but gifted artisan who is happy to provide the idea as well as the work itself in exchange for a small farm and a donkey--plus the immortality artists have always craved. Stolz gives history due respect while deftly contrasting the arrogant mighty with contented, productive common people who occur in every generation. Surpassing her debut in an Aztec stow, The Flame of Peace (1987), Lattimore's detailed illustrations, in shades of sand and stone embellished with brighter colors, are superb. Borders employing hieroglyphs (some of which are defined on the endpapers) and architectural elements are combined with vignettes and vigorous larger illustrations of the events in the story, all inspired by Egyptian art and giving both a strong sense of time and place and a richly decorative effect. A fine complement to units on ancient Egypt, as well as a good story.

Pub Date: March 10, 1988

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 1988

Categories: CHILDREN'S