World History Biographies: Hatshepsut: The Girl Who Became a Great Pharaoh

As one might expect for a book published by National Geographic, this has LOTS of gorgeous pictures. It begins with general descriptions of Egyptian life, especially at court, to fill in what Hatshepsut's early life was probably like, then progresses to Hatshepsut as Queen and Pharaoh, and the failed attempts to erase her memory. For the most part, it is very clearly and carefully written. I found the presentation balanced: the author doesn't fawn on Hatshepsut as a woman outdoing all men (although she was a very successful pharaoh), nor does she become overwrought about a woman seizing the crown (an act which is apparently far more upsetting to modern historians than to her subjects.) The author is careful to point out the many uncertainties of dates and events, without letting it bog down the narrative. There are all sorts of interesting little tidbits of information scattered throughout. A fairly minor complaint: I find the layout somewhat odd. The timeline running across the bottom of the book doesn't match up to the text. I can see some of the problems that they faced, but they could certainly have done better. I don't know why the sidebar on the excavators was stuck between "Dress at Court" and "Egyptian Education"; it was a little jarring. A somewhat more serious flaw is that there really isn't too much about her reign. There are a couple pages on the journey to the Land of Punt, one of her triumphs, and a good deal of information about her favorite, Senenmut, but not much else for what was presumably the most active 22 years of her life. For this reason, I wouldn't recommend it to adults who want a brief biography. The book includes an index, glossary, bibliography and reference to a number of different websites.

This is a well written review of the history of Hatshepsut, a queen who became pharoah. It is written for young people ages 8-14, a fact I missed when I purchased it. However, I am going to use it as a present for girls in this age range. There is some information about Hatshepsut at the King Tut exhibit now in Chicago. This would be an appropriate book to give to a young person of this age going to the exhibit. Well illustrated! Jane Chihal