Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts
Bevington Primary Year 6 loving reading the Mystery of the Egyptian Scroll
Year 6 are absolutely loving reading the Mystery of the Egyptian Scroll each afternoon. @BevingtonRBKC #Reading #welovetoread pic.twitter.com/t8vAjcGrLV
— Bevington Primary (@BevingtonRBKC) September 24, 2020
Jigsaw Puzzle: Can you put this spooky cover back together?
Mystery of the Egyptian MUMMY: Reading Comprehension
This reading comprehension worksheet can be used in classrooms to accompany the book Mystery of the Egyptian Mummy by Scott Peters. The reading comprehension exercise is divided into six parts. Each part consists of questions that test a reader's comprehension, four chapters at a time.
Download the Reading Comprehension Worksheets >
Wow... it's happening in just 6 weeks
In spring 2018, my fourth book in the Kid Detective Zet mystery series, Mystery of the Egyptian Mummy will be published.
I've been writing Zet and Kat's new story for around a year now. After a few fun detours through ancient Egypt, I'm finally going to be able to put it in your hands. Zet and Kat have a new mystery to solve :)
4 Questions About Ancient Egypt
4 Questions with author Scott Peters
Q: Why do you think people love ancient Egypt?
Q: What defining moment made you write about ancient Egypt?
Q: Why do you think people love ancient Egypt?
A: Most readers will agree--something magical happens the first time you hear about ancient Egypt. Maybe you see a mummy movie or visit a museum. Or, like me, a teacher hands you a mysterious worksheet at school. At that moment of discovery, a jolt grips you with intense curiosity.
Q: Fascination draws you in?
Q: Fascination draws you in?
A: Exactly. Who were these people? What did their strange symbols mean? How did they create such intense history and what were their daily lives like? You wonder what it would be like to walk the streets of ancient Egypt and see what they saw.
Q: What defining moment made you write about ancient Egypt?
A: Once, I saw a mummy in a glass case whose fingers were poking through the wrappings. As I peered down, it dawned on me that those fingers, that hand, once did normal human things; tucked a child in at night, held another person's hand, brushed hair out of eyes on windy days. All thousands of years ago. Somehow, the emotion of the person was still there in that mummy. He wasn't just an artifact. He was a person with stories to tell. I decided then and there I wanted to give life to the ancient past in a way that was fun and approachable.
Q: What message do you have for your readers?
Q: What message do you have for your readers?
A: I know many of you are Egypt obsessed like me. Thanks for letting me share my love of ancient Egypt with you.
Let's stay in touch.
INTERVIEW: Author Lester Picker's Cool Hat and More
Fortunately for us, I was able to connect with author Lester Picker, and I asked him a bunch of hot seat questions. Lester has written ancient Egypt stories for adults such as The First Pharaoh and Dagger Of Isis.
 |
| "I had a couple of hours off this afternoon between safaris . . ." --Lester |
Lester in the Hotseat:
1. First off, I have to ask: Where did you get that cool Indiana Jones hat?
Good question! Forget where I got it, what I'd like to know is where it is right now! Last I saw, it was on a night table in a run-down hotel in Egypt. Either someone lifted it or the bedbugs carried it off.
Scott Peters' Secret Book of Mummies ~ Out Now!
It's Here! It's New! It's Available on Your Kindle!
Impress family and friends with your Mummy Knowledge
~ Did you know the average mummy weighs only 5 pounds?
~ Or that mummies have been used to calibrate CAT scanners to make them safe for humans?
~ Have you ever wondered what happened to Cleopatra's body?
~ Want to know the price of King Tut's casket?
Go to Amazon to find out!
Why Do People Love Ancient Egypt?
4 Questions with author Scott Peters
Q: Why do you think people love ancient Egypt?
Q: What defining moment made you write about ancient Egypt?
Q: Why do you think people love ancient Egypt?
A: Most readers will agree--something magical happens the first time you hear about ancient Egypt. Maybe you see a mummy movie or visit a museum. Or, like me, a teacher hands you a mysterious worksheet at school. At that moment of discovery, a jolt grips you with intense curiosity.
Q: Fascination draws you in?
Q: Fascination draws you in?
A: Exactly. Who were these people? What did their strange symbols mean? How did they create such intense history and what were their daily lives like? You wonder what it would be like to walk the streets of ancient Egypt and see what they saw.
Q: What defining moment made you write about ancient Egypt?
A: Once, I saw a mummy in a glass case whose fingers were poking through the wrappings. As I peered down, it dawned on me that those fingers, that hand, once did normal human things; tucked a child in at night, held another person's hand, brushed hair out of eyes on windy days. All thousands of years ago. Somehow, the emotion of the person was still there in that mummy. He wasn't just an artifact. He was a person with stories to tell. I decided then and there I wanted to give life to the ancient past in a way that was fun and approachable.
Q: What message do you have for your readers?
Q: What message do you have for your readers?
A: I know many of you are Egypt obsessed like me. Thanks for letting me share my love of ancient Egypt with you.
Let's stay in touch.
Today I Woke Up To A Nice Review
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sixth grade, October 11, 2013
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Zet and the Egyptian Amulet Mystery (Ancient Egypt Classics) (Kindle Edition)
I am reading this story to my sixth graders. They are quite pleased. They like the characters and it gives the study of the ancient world a bit of glamor and interest that it might otherwise not have. Of course the book is easy enough for them to read it to themselves but this book has created interest in historical fiction which did not exist before. Several students want to borrow the book.Readers Write: "What are some of the themes in your books?"
As an author of mystery adventure stories set in ancient Egypt, I get a lot of great questions -- from readers like you! People often ask what themes and subjects they'll find in my books.
Zet and the Egyptian Temple Mystery by Scott Peters Preview
Zet and the Egyptian Temple Mystery
I've spent the last few days working on the final touches for Zet and the Egyptian Temple Mystery. Writing Book 3 in the Zet mystery series has been intense. I love this book a lot. I think it's the best in the series so far.
Zet and the Temple Princess Mystery is Zet's third case. If you've read the first 2 books, you've met Zet and know that he's the oldest of 3 siblings. He's learned things from his past adventures. But this case is different. It's far more challenging, and Zet is taken completely out of his element. I learned a lot about Zet as I wrote his story. He surprised me several times!
Q: I really liked Zet's friend Hui. Will he be in more stories with Zet?
Ah, Zet's best friend, the trickster! As it turns out, Hui plays a big role in Book 3. When the two boys get together, trouble generally follows. This story is no exception. What made it even more fun to write is that they leave their town of Thebes and travel north to solve the mystery.
Zet and the Egyptian Temple Mystery is just ten days away from release, and I'm starting to get super excited. I can't wait to hear what you think of the book. I hope you'll love Zet in his new challenge as much as I do. You'll also learn more about Kat, Hui, the Queen Mother and Pharaoh's family. Surprises are in store!
But if you're eager to read Zet's story now, I have a special treat for you. A sneak peak of Chapter One:
Zet and the
Egyptian Temple
Mystery
By Scott Peters
Chapter One
Strange Visitors
12-year-old Zet grabbed at the pair of lean arms that tightened around his neck. He tried to shout, but his shout came out as a gasp. He lurched forward, pulling the boy with him. The two of them fell to the ground. They rolled several times across the sun-scorched paving stones.
Dear Readers: Tune in for Chapter 4 In Our Weekly Post
Chapter Four
The List
Zet was closer to the door. He ran for it.
Come back next week to find out what happens in Chapter 5.
"I told a medjay the man they were chasing had mismatched sandals," he told Padus.
Throwing the curtain aside, Zet snatched them up. Barely had he done so when a medjay turned into the alley. Zet clutched them to his chest. The medjay glanced curiously at Zet.
"Good morning," the medjay said. His muscled shoulders shone with sweat.
"Good morning," Zet replied. "Just-er-getting my sandals here."
"Those look a little big for your feet, boy."
"Oh! Yes. Growing into them."
The medjay stopped and scanned Zet's face more closely. "Do I know you? You look familiar."
"Me?" Just his luck. That was the thing about working in the market. People sometimes recognized him. "I don't think so."
The man grunted. After a moment he said, "Have a nice day." And he kept going.
Zet let out a huge sigh of relief and slid back into the house.
"Just on time," he said, handing them to Padus. "But keep them inside until the real thieves are caught."
"I don't see how that will happen," Padus said, rubbing his neck.
"I'm going to solve this mystery, that's how," Zet said.
Padus shot him a typical adult look. One with doubt written all over it.
"I found you, didn't I?" Zet said. "I'm already ahead of the medjay."
"That's true."
Zet said his goodbyes and told them he'd return with any good news. He left, pondering all the things he'd learned. When he reached his market stall, Kat was nearly frantic.
"You've been gone forever!"
He pulled her back into the shadows. "You won't believe what I've learned."
Crouching behind the tall piles of stacked clay pots, he told Kat everything that had happened. Her look of terror when he told her about Padus yanking him through the door was definitely satisfying. She whacked him when she realized he was scaring her on purpose. When she knew everything, she sat back, looking thoughtful.
"Let's take stock of everything we know so far," she said, reaching for her brush and ink.
"Why? It's not like I'm going to forget."
She found a scrap of broken pottery and pulled out the cake of ink. "Because it might be helpful. Maybe we'll get more ideas." Kat mixed the ink with a little water and dipped the brush. "Go ahead, tell me what to put first."
Zet told her, and she began to write.
When she finished, the list looked like this:
Who:
Man #1 has a big belly and wears gold rings.
Man #2 is tall and thin. Looks like a boiled chicken.
Where:
Padus's Papyrus plot
What:
Large leather-wrapped scroll with building plans on it
Zet's heart leaped looking at the list. "We know a lot."
"A lot more than the medjay," Kat said. "Do you think he'll pay for this list?"
Zet considered it. "Possibly. But I told him I'd bring him the thief."
"Well, did you get any other ideas while I was writing?"
"Maybe we should write what to do next? How about, 'Look for the two men', and then, 'Figure out why building plans are important'."
Kat added them both. "That's a good question. How could building plans be so important? Is it for a new building, I wonder?"
They pondered this, both lost in their own thoughts.
Overhead, the sun god Ra was nearing the end of his daily voyage across the sky. Soon, he would reach the horizon. Sunlight slanted across the rooftops. It bounced off the copper plates in the market stall across the way. The stall-owner sang as he gathered them up and stacked them in two locked trunks for the night.
"We'd better pack up, too," Zet said.
They draped their pots up with linen cloths and tied the linen down. It wasn't the most secure way of closing shop, but they couldn't exactly carry everything home. And it's what their family had always done. So far, they'd been lucky. People respected the market at night, and medjay had a habit of crossing the square frequently, knowing it was full of goods.
The date-seller left just they did.
"Goodnight, Salatis," Zet called.
"Meddlesome boy," Salatis complained.
"Uh oh," Zet said to Kat. "I guess he's not too happy with me."
"He'll get over it, the old grump," Kat said.
He hoped Kat was right. He didn't like the idea of having an enemy, especially one in his market.
On their way home, Zet and Kat kept an eye out for the two men Padus had described. They passed dozens of people. A scribe with a sack of writing tools. A barber with a box of razors and shaving oils. A woman carrying a baby in one arm and leading a goat with the other.
But none of them matched the description Padus had given.
Mystery of the Egyptian Scroll Chapter 3 by Scott Peters
Mystery of the Egyptian Scroll
by Scott Peters
Chapter Three
The Stranger's Door
Zet bounded over the pots and headed out of the marketplace.
A cool alley quickly swallowed him in shadow.
A cool alley quickly swallowed him in shadow.
The air felt good on his hot skin. Doves cooed, nestled in eaves over doorways. Underfoot, a few sleepy pigeons rose, flapping, disturbed by the slap of his bare feet. He passed the woodcarver's open door; the sweet smell of cedar shavings floated in the stillness.
Zet flew around a corner and then slowed. He was almost there.
What if the thief kept running right out of town, instead of going home? But then he saw the sandals, lined up on the stoop. His heart leaped. He was in luck. He could almost feel the deben in his hands. A big, heavy bag of copper. He could barter that copper for ten sacks of grain, or any manner of things. What would his mother say? She'd be so proud. And he'd tell her he was simply doing his job and taking care of them. Just like father asked.
Zet crept up the steps.
Rather than a proper door, a heavy curtain shielded the house from the alley.
He approached and gently pulled it. Just enough to peek inside. He wanted to make completely sure it was the same person, before raising the alarm.
As he lifted the curtain, however, he suddenly realized the danger he was putting himself in. A thief lived here. No ordinary thief, according to the medjay. Zet couldn't hope for help from a passerby. The alley behind him was empty. And Zet had no weapon.
Before he could change his mind, two strong hands grabbed him by the shoulders and hauled him inside.
"What's this?" the man growled. "A spy?"
"Let go," Zet said, struggling.
"Why should I?" he said. "What are you doing, sticking your head in my door?" His sun-darkened face was the color of old leather. A scar ran down one cheek, and mud-stained his calves.
"You're a thief," Zet said. "Let go, or you'll be in more trouble. They'll come for you!"
"Who have you led to my door?" he said.
Zet was about to say medjay, hoping the man would believe him and let him go, when a woman hurried into the room. Flour covered her hands.
"What's this? Let go of the poor boy. What's come over you?" she cried.
"He followed me," the man said, but the anger had gone out of his voice.
The woman wiped hairs from her cheek, leaving a streak of flour. She was dressed simply, and her black hair hung in a neat braid. "Why would he do that? And what's got you so upset?"
The man slumped onto a three-legged stool. "Medjay were chasing me."
"He's a thief!" Zet said.
"Will someone please tell me what's going on?" the woman said, looking from Zet to her husband and back again.
"Now, Ama," he said, "Do you really take your good husband for a thief?"
She planted a hand on his shoulder. "Of course not." She brushed away her floury prints. "What happened?"
"First, bring me and the boy some water. I think we're both thirsty from running." He looked at Zet for confirmation.
Zet nodded. Seeing the man now, he realized he was telling the truth. While he'd looked frightening in the doorway, he could see he was simply a hard worker. And the laugh lines etched deeply around his eyes and mouth spoke of kindness.
The man stood and offered Zet his stool, and went in search of another. The house smelled good, like flowers. He searched for the source of the smell and was rewarded by the sight of one of their big clay bowls on a low table, filled to the brim with fragrant, flowering herbs. The bowl was etched all around with blue water birds; funny how he remembered liking it when he was little—and now here it was like a long-lost friend. They must have bought it years ago.
The man returned, and Ama came back a moment later with three clay cups balanced on a tray of woven straw. The water tasted pure and cool, and Zet drank thirstily.
The man set down his cup.
"I'll tell you both what happened. My name is Padus. I'm a papyrus farmer. I have a plot of land on the bank of the Nile, where I tend my papyrus plants. It's a small plot, but it yields enough reeds to barter with the paper makers and feed me and my Ama here."
"Why were those medjay chasing you?" Zet said.
He smiled and held up a calloused hand. "I'm coming to that. It started when I was leaving my field. I was walking through my reeds, slowly, checking for insects and rot, that sort of thing. They're very tall this time of year—much taller than me. I overheard a man talking. I was surprised because few people just wander into my plot." He shrugged. "There's no reason to. There's nothing worth stealing, and it's not particularly interesting unless you're a farmer."
He took a deep sip of water, then set his cup down.
"As I said, I heard voices. Given the thick vegetation, I couldn't see who was speaking. But I did hear one man say, Now that we have the building plans, we're set. All you need to do is to make sure our buyer is at—" Padus paused, and color suffused his cheeks.
"At what?" Zet said.
"That's the problem. I don’t know." He ran a hand over his head. Frustration was clear on his face. "That's the last I heard. I was so stupid to let them see me! I didn't think. I just stepped out into the open. And they stopped talking."
Zet groaned. If Padus had held back just a little longer, they'd be able to solve the case.
"I know," Padus said as if reading Zet's thoughts.
"What did they look like?" Zet asked.
"One was quite fat, a large man with a short, beaded wig. Wealthy. Rings on every finger. And in one hand, he had what looked like a large scroll wrapped in leather."
"A scroll—the building plans they were talking about," Ama said.
"Exactly," Padus said. "But building plans for what, I don't know."
"What about the other man?" Zet said. "You said there were two."
"Yes. The other one was tall and thin and bony, with a long neck. He looked like a boiled chicken, if you know what I mean."
Zet grinned at this description. "So what happened after they saw you?"
"I looked at them, and they looked at me, and the fat one shouted, 'Get him!' Well, I could have told them they were trespassing, but that didn't seem like a good idea because the thin one pulled out a knife. I didn't wait to find out if he planned to use it. I just started running! I ran for town, hoping I'd lose them in the alleys."
"So then why were the medjay chasing you?"
"I think the big man must be some kind of official because a medjay recognized him, and he yelled that I was a thief and that I'd stolen something. I was lucky to make it home."
Zet nodded. It had been close. "It's good you're a fast runner."
"That won't do me much good now, though. I'm afraid to leave my house. They've seen my face. You know what happens to thieves. And if he's official, and it's state business, it's death for certain. But if I don't leave home, how can I tend my fields?"
Ama looked stricken. "But you're innocent."
Zet jumped to his feet. "That reminds me, you'd better bring your sandals inside."
"Why?" Padus jumped up, hearing the warning in Zet's voice.
(Read Chapter One Here)
Hey, kids! Ask your teacher to get this book for your school library, or find it in paperback on
Hey, kids! Ask your teacher to get this book for your school library, or find it in paperback on
Jigsaw Fun: Can You Repair This Cover?
We need help putting this cover back together again!
Play this jigsaw challenge
Play this jigsaw challenge
Mystery of the Egyptian Scroll Chapter 2 by Scott Peters
Mystery of the Egyptian Scroll
by Scott Peters
Chapter Two
A Reward
Standing in front of his date stall, Salatis seemed to have forgotten all about his ruined wares. He rubbed his hands together, eyes on the medjay's sparkling coin.
"Well, now, come to think of it . . ." Salatis began.
"I saw the thief!" Zet called. "I can describe him!"
The medjay wheeled, his insignia gleaming.
"Ignore that meddlesome boy," Salatis said.
"And who might you be?" the medjay asked Zet.
"I run the clay pot stall over there," Zet said, drawing himself up.
"And you say you saw the thief?"
Zet nodded.
The deep grooves in the man's face relaxed a little. "Go ahead. Tell me then, what did he look like?"
"The deben, first please," Zet said, holding out his hand. He knew from his father to ask a customer for money before goods were transferred.
The medjay laughed. "Pay you?"
Zet's hand dropped a little. "You told Salatis you were going to pay for it."
"Boy, if you saw something, tell me now or I’ll drag you down to the office of the head medjay."
Zet's hand fell to his side.
He had seen the thief, and there was one distinct detail he remembered clearly. But he didn’t see why he should give it up for free, just because he was a boy instead of a man. And with his father gone, he was the man. He needed the money as much as Salatis. More. Salatis lived alone, and Zet had not only his sister, but also his mother and his new baby brother back home.
He glanced at the stall. Kat was staring at him, open-mouthed.
He thought fast.
"All right. I'll tell you what I know, as a free gift," Zet said.
"It's not a gift, it's your duty."
Zet ignored this. "But what's the reward if I hand over the robber, too?"
The medjay laughed.
"I mean it. I want to know. If it's a good business venture, I'll undertake it."
Throwing his head back, the medjay laughed even harder. "A good business venture? Boy, I think your father taught you well in the ways of bartering. I'd offer a reward. But there's no point. You don't stand a chance of finding him."
Zet liked the way the huge medjay's eyes crinkled around the corners. Here was a fighter with a sense of humor. Even if he was laughing at Zet, he was still listening to him. Zet wondered if he'd ever be that big one day.
"Then take a gamble and give me a figure," Zet said.
"Twenty deben of copper." The medjay tossed out the huge number with a reckless grin.
Zet gasped, and so did Salatis. He could barter that for ten sacks of grain; enough to feed them for months!
The thief must have stolen something incredibly valuable! "Twenty deben!" Zet said.
"Yes. But camels have a better chance of flying than you do of seeing those twenty deben."
"Shake on it," Zet said, making sure to seal the deal.
The man's strong, leathery hand grasped Zet's and shook it.
"And where will I find you?" Zet said.
The medjay rolled his eyes. "You're a persistent one, aren't you? You'll find me at the central office. Ask for Merimose, that's my name."
"Merimose," Zet said, committing it to memory.
"Now that that business is complete," Merimose said, "How about my free information?"
Zet cleared his throat. "The man you were chasing wore two different sandals."
"Two different sandals?"
Zet nodded. "They didn't match."
"That's your information? And you wanted me to pay for it?" Merimose put his thick fists on his hips. "I should cuff you for wasting my time."
But it was good information. And even if it wasn't the only information he had, it was free. Zet darted back to his stall in case Merimose tried to get in a smack or two.
"What was all that about?" Kat said, still clutching the plate.
She followed him to the back of the stall.
"Listen to this," Zet said.
When he explained the way he'd argued with the man, Kat said he was showing off. Still, he was pretty sure she looked impressed. And that was before he told her about the reward.
"Twenty deben!" she practically shouted. "That's more than we make in three months!"
Zet grinned.
Kat looked skeptical. "But I don't see how you can find the thief."
"Think about the sandals," Zet said. "I told him they didn't match, but I didn't tell him I knew where the sandal-owner lived."
"But you don't know—" She paused. He watched the realization dawn in her eyes. "That doorstep we pass, on our way home."
Zet nodded. "How many times have you grabbed my arm and made me look at those stupid sandals, lined up side-by-side, even though they're two different designs?"
Her mouth hung open. "Zet, that's true." Kat's face was bright. He could see her imagining writing the entry—twenty copper deben reward for finding a thief—on her pottery shards.
"I'm going to go there," he said. "Watch the stall."
Kat grabbed her brother's wrist. "Wait."
"What is it?"
"Be careful."
"Of course I'll be careful," he scoffed. Then, seeing she was truly concerned, he grinned at her and gave her braids a tug. "Don't worry about me, little sister."
(Read Chapter One Here)
Hey, kids! Ask your teacher to get this book for your school library, or find it in paperback on
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