Note: We have not read all the books on this list. Most are either stocked by
reliable catalogues or are by authors with who we are familiar.

ANCIENT EGYPT (Level 1A)

Key text: * The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt by Elizabeth Payne

Each lesson is to be read aloud and narrated. As part of each lesson learn unfamiliar names, locate places on a map and look at relevant illustrations.

Note: Most lessons cover an entire section in the book. Where a section is split into more than one lesson, line and paragraph numbers are given to show where to stop reading.

Usborne Time Traveller: Pyramids and Pharaoh. An entertaining look at life in Ancient Egypt

The Orchard Book of Egyptian Gods and Pharaohs by Robert Swindells. Illustrated introduction to Egyptian mythology.

Lessons 1 to 4: The Rediscovery of Ancient Egypt (AD.1798 - AD.1822)

(1) pp. 3 – 6

(2) pp. 6 – 10

(3) pp. 10 – 14

(4) pp. 14 – 19

Lessons 5 to 9: The First Egyptians and the Dead Demigods (c.25000/10000BC – 3200BC)

(5) pp. 20 – 24

(6) pp. 24 – 29 (end of 2^nd para)

(7) pp. 29 (3^rd para) – 32 (2^nd line)

(8) pp. 32 (2^nd line) – 35 (end of 3^rd para)

(9) pp. 35 (4^th para) – 39

Lessons 10 to 14: "The Good God" – Pharaoh Cheops (c.2756BC – c.2553BC)

(10) pp. 40 – 45

(11) pp. 45 – 48 (4^th line)

(12) pp. 48 (1^st para) – 53

(13) pp. 53 – 59

(14) pp. 59 – 63

Lessons 15 to 17: "I Show Thee a Land Topsy-Turvey" (c.2553BC-c.1505BC)

(15) pp. 64 - 69

(16) pp. 69 – 74 (4^th line)

(17) pp. 74 (1^st para) – 79

Lessons 18 to 21: "His Majesty, Herself" – Queen Hatshepsut (c.1505BC-1484BC)

(18) pp. 80 – 83 (end of 2^nd para)

(19) pp. 83 (3^rd para) – 89

(20) pp. 89 – 92

(21) pp. 92 – 96

Lessons 22 to 27: "The Smiter of the Asiatics" – Pharaoh Thutmose the Third (c.1484BC-c.1461BC)

(22) pp. 97 – 101 (end of 1^st para)

(23) pp. 101 (2^nd para) – 106

(24) pp. 106 – 110

(25) pp. 110 – 111

(26) pp. 111 – 115 (end of 3^rd para)

(27) pp.115 (last 2 lines) – 118

Lessons 28 to 35: The Criminal of Akhetaton – Pharaoh Akhnaton (c.1361BC-c.1344BC)

(28) pp. 119 - 122

(29) pp. 122 – 127

(30) pp. 127 – 130

(31) pp. 130 – 132

(32) pp. 132 - 137

(33) pp. 137 – 141

(34) pp. 141 – 146 (4^th line)

(35) pp. 146 (1^st para) – 152

Lessons 36 to 40: The beginning of the End – Pharaoh Rameses the Second (c.1291BC – c.1224BC)

(36) pp. 153 – 156 (5^th line)

(37) pp. 156 (1^st para) – 160 (2^nd para)

(38) pp. 160 (last 4 lines) – 164

(39) pp. 164 – 169

(40) pp. 169 – 172

NON-FICTION

Tut’s Mummy Lost and Found by Judy Donnelly. Easy reader telling the story of the discover of Tutenkhamun’s tomb.

The Boy Pharaoh: Tutenkhamun by Noel Streatfeild. A recreation of the life of Tutenkhamun by a gifted author of both children’s fiction and historical non-fiction. Out of print.

Mummies Made in Egypt by Aliki. A clear, thorough description of the mummification process.

Cleopatra by Diane Stanley

PICTURE BOOKS

Senefer by Beatrice Lumpkin

Pepi and the Secret Names by Jill Paton Walsh

Bill and Pete Go Down the Nile by Tomie de Paola. Just for fun! (Not historical)

MYTHOLOGY

Tales of Ancient Egypt by Roger Lancelyn Green. Retelling of Egyptian myths by a friend of C.S.Lewis.

Egyptian Treasures: Mummies and Myths told by Jim Weiss (audio).

HISTORICAL FICTION

Casting the Gods Adrift: a Tale of Ancient Egypt by Geraldine McCaughrean. Set in the time of Akhenaten. Could be read alone or as a read aloud.

The following books are written for slightly older children and may be more suitable for Level 2:

The Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis McGraw

Mara, Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw

God King by Joanne Williamson

Shadow Hawk by Andre Norton – set during the Hyksos invasions, c.1590

The Cat of Bubastes by G.A.Henty

ANCIENT GREECE (Level 2)

Key text: * Famous Men of Greece (Greenleaf Press)

Alternative Option * The Story of the Greeks by Helene Guerber

NON-FICTION

Alexander the Great by Nikos Kazantzakis

Science in Ancient Greece by Kathlyn Gay

MYTHOLOGY

Tales of the Greek Heroes by Roger Lancelyn Green

The Luck of Troy by Roger Lancelyn Green

The Tale of Troy by Roger Lancelyn Green

Greek Myths by Olivia Coolidge

The Trojan War by Olivia Coolidge

HISTORICAL FICTION

The Crown of Violet by Geoffrey Trease - story of an Athenian boy and his family, with a Greek drama theme. OOP.

The Spartan Twins by Lucy Fitch Perkins

Children of the Fox by Jill Paton Walsh

Theras & His Town by Caroline Dale Snedeker – an Athenian boy tries to adjust to life in Sparta

The Secret Arrow by Kenneth Lillington – Sparta and Peracles

ANCIENT ROME (Level 2)

Key text: * Famous Men of Rome (Greenleaf Press)

Alternative Option * The Story of the Romans by Helene Guerber

NON-FICTION

Augustus Caesar's World by Genevieve Foster

Lives of Famous Romans by Olivia Coolidge

Caesar's Gallic Wars by Olivia Coolidge

City by David Macaulay

Science in Ancient Rome by Jacqueline L.Harris

MYTHOLOGY

The Orchard Book of Roman Myths

HISTORICAL FICTION

Detectives in Togas by Henry Winterfeld

Mystery of the Roman Ransom by Henry Winterfeld

The Pirates of Pompeii by Caroline Lawrence - mystery set in 79AD (also other books in the same series including The Secrets of Vesuvius, The Assassins of Rome and The Thieves of Ostia,

A Triumph for Flavius by Caroline Dale Snedeker

The Time Travelling Cat and the Roman Eagle by Julia Jarman