Mummies! Me-oh-my!

 Oh there's witches, and vampires,

Big monsters that go bump in the night,

Werewolves are howling,

So many creepy creatures are out tonight!

Mummies are mumbling incomprehensibly

Wrapped in their bandages

These faceless creatures are out for a night of fright!
-Fawn-

I love that there are tons of legends, cultures, and folk lore that you can look into, and teach about around Halloween.  This does greatly depend on the age of the child you're talking to.  As I've grown I love looking into and learning more about different cultures and learning about the origins of all these eerie curiosities. If you celebrate Halloween or want to look into different cultures or myths there are countless lessons and books you can focus on, but for today I'm going to share just about Mummies.

Let's start with a fun fictional picture book that's great for the little ones and a "spooky" story time.
Where's My Mummy?


Written by Carolyn Crimi
Illustrated by John Manders

The title is such a cute play on words and you know that is the complete theme of the book where could mommy be?  I like that they give you the intro to why mom is missing, they are playing a game of hide and and "shriek" and little mummy starts searching for Mama Mummy.  Where do mummies hide? Well you'll have to look in the deep, dark woods, and the cave, and the slithery swamp, and all over the place.  Little Mummy isn't afraid of these places or the creatures that live in them, he's brave when the blob comes out, and even for Drac, but what creature does give him a scare and make him yell for his mom?  You'll have to read and find out the cute thing that does scare him.
This cute story is a lot of fun to read with your little ones.  I love the sounds and how you can slow down the words and make it nice and spooky then chime in (or have your child help you read) "I'm not scared!" in a big brave voice.  I think this repeating of "I'm not scared!" is empowering and when the little mummy does get scared it's silly and yet Mom is right there.  A very sweet story.
The illustrations are playful.  They are dark and suspenseful when you first get to a new place to look for Mummy, but when the monster that was in that section is revealed it's colorful and funny. I love the details, and emotions in the illustrations.  Your children will be laughing throughout Where's My Mummy? as they watch the bedtime routine for all the spooky characters.

Skeleton Meets the Mummy


Written by Steve Metzger
Illustrated by Aaron Zenz

Sammy is a skeleton who is excited about going out to get candy with his friend Derek, but before he meets up with his friend and has some fun he has to take soup to his grandma, and walk through the dark forest all alone.  Each noise startles him and he tries to calm his nerves "it's only a bat, a tree, or the wind," but then he's sure something is following him! Sure enough there's a mummy behind him!
What kid (or adult) isn't afraid of walking through the woods at night?  At 30 I can still relate to this book!  That's a bit embarrassing to admit! But it's true.
Sammy runs from the mummy at first but then decides to confront his fear and unravel the mummy.  Who can the mummy be?  Of course the mummy isn't real, and the Metzger ends the book on a funny note with a joke.
This is a great way to tell kids that it's OK to be afraid of something, and you can comfort them with some information like how even some adults are afraid of the dark and that science says that this fear is linked with have a good creative imagination!  You can take time to talk about what they may be fearful of and let them know that that's normal.
The exaggerated facial expression are the focal point of Aaron's illustrations.  With colorful and simple silhouettes all the focus is on how Sammy is feeling.


Now as children get older or question about mummies there are many interesting books you can use to teach the history of mummies and about real mummies!

In my searching for mummy stories of both fiction and nonfiction I came across this awesome chapter book duo:
The Magic Tree House:
Mummies in the Morning (fictional)
Research Guide: Mummies and Pyramids (a nonfiction companion to Mummies in the Morning)

Written by Will Osborne and Mary Pope Osborne
Illustrated by Sal Murdocca

I did not read Mummies in the Morning but I did check out Mummies and Pyramids.  I love how this is a research guide to take kids through how the Osbornes found information to use in their story.  This is a fun and easy way to learn a lot of information about ancient Egypt and all about mummies. They included about everyday life, religion, tomb treasures and robbers.  I found the part about the funerals fascinating and learned a lot there that I didn't back in 6th grade when we studied Egypt.  There are black and white illustrations on every page which will help not only with the point of the text but also to keep readers focused.  I loved studying the art and reading the side notes.

Egyptian Mummies a pop-up book


Written by Milbry Polk
Illustrated by Roger Stewart
Paper-engineered by Jose R. Seminario
Art direction by Jim Deesing

Obviously since this is a pop-up book it's interactive.  Not only are there pictures popping out of the pages but there are little flaps to reveal more information or illustrations.  We often think of pop - up books for small children but this one has small print and a lot of great detailed information packed in it's 8 pages.  This is not a board book for babies and toddlers as it can easily be damaged, no this is aimed for children 7 and older.  Did you know it took at lease 15 days to wrap the body?  This fact along with many other around why Egyptian's preserved their deceased in such a way and how they did it are in these pages.  Take time to check out this fun learning book.  Want to see more of Egypt and the pyramids and tombs?  Check out Egypt Cradle of civilization

Want to move past Egypt and learn about all sorts of Mummies all over the world and how researchers have learned to learn from them without destroying them?
Outside and Inside Mummies


by Sandra Markle

Sandra dives deep into the science of studying mummies.  She tells how the way people have studied these preserved bodies have changed over the years, what we are still learning today and why people want to study these old bodies.  I love how Markle uses photographs to show real mummified bodies and xray images showing not only bones but also inside the body to see lungs and the packages they stuffed inside the body before wrapping.  This is an intense and in depth book that if for those older children who really want to know more, or are studying mummies or love science and medical fields.
A fun science experiment or project for all ages is at the end of the book: Make your own mummy!  (you use an apple!) but it's awesome to give kids a hands on project to go with history and science.


Some other nonfiction Mummy books that are on my list to check out are:


I hope you found these books fun or interesting as I have.  Wrap up your mummy filled week with some mummy movies:


Not sure what to be this year for Halloween?  Why not a mummy?

Horses in times of War

Horses have a very rich history.  They have been walking this earth far longer than we have as humans, and about 6,000 years ago they started to change the lives of humankind when we began to domesticate them.  These beautiful, powerful creatures began to help us plow fields, and travel, they became our companions, and were a part of our every day life.  In times of war they (horses) were pulling and carrying heavy loads, and they transported warriors, and thus became soldiers themselves.  Over the years as technology has advanced many people has become disconnected with these trusted, faithful friends of the human race, so this post is to share a couple beautiful books and share some history that isn't taught in the classroom.

Sergeant Reckless: The True Story of the Little Horse Who Became a Hero

Written by Patricia McCormick

Illustrated by Iacopo Bruno

This has been the first (and so far only) non fictional picture book with a horse from history that was in war.  This story takes place during the Korean War, which is one (war) we didn't study in history class when I was in school so I didn't know much about it.  The book focuses telling about how this one horse who was abandoned in the time of the war came to find a home with some marines.  When the marines found this horse they named Reckless she was starving and ate everything in sight.  This continued through the book and my kids and I laughed in amazement at all this horse was eating and how much she became part of the platoon.  They trained her to help haul ammunition.  Her story is one that will show how smart, strong, and emphatic these creatures are.
Patricia McCormick has done a wonderful job in collecting the information on Reckless and in sharing her story.  It's written well and pulls children (and adults) into the pages.  Iacopo Bruno did a beautiful job in the illustrations.  The colors aren't bright and vibrant, but rather dull and a lot of natural colors that set the tone and place the feeling and setting for young readers.  This isn't a bright and cheery story, even though there are funny antidotes.  The details in the illustrations give so much attention to the the horse and this war.  Bruno did an amazing job in pouring the emotions felt from McCormick's words into each and every page.
Sergeant Reckless is a book that I hugged after I finished reading it the first time.  I was emotional and couldn't give the book enough praise.
This is a true story and it's worth it to take the time to read the Author's Note at the end of the book to gather even more details about how this brave horse came to become a hero.
If the book has moved you as it has for my children and myself you may want to put on your bucket list to take them to see her life-sized statue at the National Museum of the Marine Corps.


Moving up from picture books my other book I want to share with you in now a major motion picture which you may have seen, but the book was here first and is well worth the read (of course I think it's far superior than the movie).

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo



This chapter book is one that I had on my book shelf for years, finally one cold winter day I decided to read it because the movie was out and I had to read the book before I could watch the movie.  I fell in love with the story.  I couldn't put it down and finished it in a day.  While this is considered a children's chapter book it is one for all ages.
War Horse is a unique and captivating story in that it's told through the eyes of a horse (Joey) during World War 1.  This is probably what I like most in this book is that you are experiencing everything as the horse and you can feel all the fear, pain, and love.  All the emotions were raw and deep.
There are no illustrations, and they are not needed for Michael paints vidivly with his words how the horse, boy and land look.  You can see the battlefield, the mud and feel the strain of pulling a cannon and watch so much destruction.
Please go read this wonderful story, then when your children are the right age to grasp it read it with them.  Then come back and check out the following articles about true stories behind this wonderful book and the real life Warhorses:
War Horse: The True Story
Michael Morpurgo on the Hidden History Behind the movie  This article goes in depth into the horses in the film and Morpurgo's story and writing the book
The Real Life War Horse: the story of the Sergeant who refused to put down his faithful mount



Are you left wanting to read more about the animals who served alongside soldiers and who were an integral part of our history?  So do I!  I love these stories so if you know of one please drop the title and author in the comments of this post.  

The Camping Trip That Changed America by Barb Rosenstock

My family and I love the outdoors! We go camping, hiking, horse back riding, and are open to anything else that gets us into nature.  If I have an hour or so that I have free and alone I love to go sit in the woods and read or write.  I think connecting with fresh air, and taking in the sounds and sights of nature without houses, roads, or tons of people recharges us.

I was recently talking to a friend about news I heard of protections being lifted off of many national park lands, and so how worried I am about how these beautiful wild lands will change.  I know when I finally get to go see the Grand Canyon I don't want to see massive mining next to it, or the water to be full of runoff and toxins due to mining.  I want to go see the beauty of this land untouched by man.

As my friend and I were talking she told me that I should read about one of her favorite presidents, who started protecting lands, and in reading and doing research I have to agree with her, Theodore Roosevelt is one of my favorite presidents as well.  Now let me share this wonderful book with you

The Camping Trip That Changed America:
Theodore Roosevelt, John Muir, and our National Parks


Written by Barb Rosenstock
Illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein

Barb Rosenstock has done a great job at telling us a bit about both Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir, and how they came to meet each other.  They both loved nature.  John Muir fought to get people to care about the wilderness and wanted to protect land from over development.  Roosevelt as president loved to read, and he read a book by John Muir that inspired him to reach out to the author.  He set up a camping trip to go on after one of his trips out west.  This camping trip that Barb tells the story of is what set up our national parks.

The book goes one to tell of the men's time in the woods.  In the Author's Note at the end of the book Barb tells how there is little record of what the men talked about so she did the best she could.  I think she did a great job and in reading it, it flows so well.  As a naturalist who spent so much time out in the woods I'm sure Muir did have encounters with bear, and knew many great details to tell Roosevelt.

Black Bear at Grandfather Mt, NC

As I read to my children we were completely taken in with Gerstein's unique illustrations that combines sketches and watercolor.  We (my children and myself) learned a great deal about this part of history and nature.  My girls favorite page was the giant sequoias, that I had to turn the book.  I loved the part where John tells of running into a bear: "...the bear had the better manners!"

Science teachers will love the part in the book telling of how the land has changed over time.  Muir tells how the land was underwater once, and how volcanoes and glaciers formed the landscapes.  This is a great bit to discuss.

The very last page of the book has even more information and quotes and more resources.  I love this page and made sure to read it to my kids along with the picture book part.  There were so many more facts on that page that just didn't fit into the narrative Barb told.  It made me want to learn more, and made my whole family want to go and see so much more of our national parks.

I want to share with you these facts on Teddy Roosevelt and how he changed America to what we have today:
*He declared the first 18 National Monuments
*He founded the first 55 bird sanctuaries and game preserves
*He added 148 million acres to National Forest
*He doubled the number of National Parks

This wonderful book, is a work on non-fiction, meaning it's true, we get a chance with this book to look back on history and discover something new, and I hope that in reading this that we can look to the present and the future and see how we can help preserve the wild, and be more environmentally mindful. 

  Today we have
* 417 National Park Sites
*There are 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. These lands total 193 million acres.

I really hope everyone takes the time to read The Camping Trip That Changed America.  If it inspires you to check out even more I will have other books for adults and children at the bottom of this post for you.

Have a great rest of your week and go out into the wood and explore nature!  See why we are so passionate about it!


More information:
Scientific American: Worse and Worse the Trump Administrations continuing war on national parks
National Park Conservation Association: 2017 in Review, 10 worst actions for parks
The Hill: American's Parks and Public Lands Suffer
wilderness.org Mining next to the Grand Canyon