Book Review – How the Sphinx Got to the Museum

About the Book
Within New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, the sphinx of the Pharaoh Hatshepsut holds court. But how did this ancient artifact get to the museum? Acclaimed author and illustrator Jessie Hartland beautifully presents this informative and fascinating history of the Hatshepsut sphinx, from its carving in ancient Egypt to its arrival in the hallowed halls of this world-famous museum. This is essential reading for junior Egyptologists!

My Take on the Book
In New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art there is a spectacular sphinx of Hatshepsut.This sphinx took an amazing journey from Egypt to the halls of this famous museum.The illustrations, facts, and story will take you through the journey of the sphinx of Hatshepsut.

Hatshepsut was a woman who lived in about 1470 B.C., but she was also a pharoah who ruled Egypt. A large temple was built to honor her but after she died the temple and all the art work was broken into bits and tossed into a pit. So you can see why this sphinx is an amazing find for the museum.

As you continue to read the story , the author writes and illustrates the details of building a sphinx which was transported by boat on the Nile River to Thebes where the temple was built.

When Hatshepsut died, her stepson (the new pharoah) wanted to erase all trace of her so they tried to destroy the entire temple.

Then in the 1920’s archeologists found many statues and the sphinx buried in the desert. The Egyptians tried to put together the sphinx so it could be shipped to the United States.

Jessie Hartland tells of the journey of the sphinx on the land and sea to New York. When the sphinx arrived in New York, the curator finished putting broken fragments on the sphinx and filled in the spaces with plaster.

An artist and photographer finished the coloration and recorded the sphinx before it was ready for the public. Finally it was opened as an exhibit to the public.

Jessie uses the specific names for each of the individuals involved in the life of the sphinx. The words are repeated on each page . So the vocabulary is one the young reader will learn with the reading.This book is a great teaching tool but also an enjoyable book to read. Check out the back of the book for more history and facts.

Enjoy!



If this book sounds like something you would like for your own library you can find it on Amazon!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site’s Terms of Use for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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