Non-Fiction Monday: How the Sphinx got to the Museum

Welcome to Non-Fiction Monday!  Throughout the day I will add links to posts about non-fiction books across the web.

I picked up Jessie Hartland's How the Sphinx got to the Museum at the library because the cover looked fun and intriguing.  The book details a sphinx's journey from being commissioned by Hatshepsut to ending up in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  It goes through the small details of the journey from the sculptor creating it, the jealous stepson destroying it, the archaeologist finding it and putting it back together, and the riggers moving it.  It is written in a cumulative style - with every page going through each step - back to being ordered by the Pharaoh.  This really helps to cement each steps.

I really like this book - I think it is informative in a very accessible way.  It shows, in great detail, how much work goes into getting a single piece of art into a museum.  Before you head to a museum - especially the Met - pick this book up and read it with your kids.  I think they will see the museum in a whole new light.

If you have a non-fiction post - add your link and a brief description and I will add your post below.

A Teaching Life- I review a book (one of a series) about princesses from long ago and far away who were way ahead of their times in terms of self empowerment and social justice.


Do celebrate big jazz band with us over at GatheringBooks as we feature Marilyn Nelson and Jerry Pinkney's "Sweethearts of Rhythm: The Story of the Greatest All-girl Swing Band in the World" for Nonfiction Monday

Playing by the Book - I review one of the books shortlisted for this year's Royal Society Young People's Book Prize, The Story of Astronomy and Space. I also show how you can create a to-scale solar system in your back garden!

NC Teacher Stuff reviews  Hey Diddle Diddle: A Food Chain Tale - a story detailing the food chain. 

The Nonfiction Detectives have a review of Coral Reefs by Jason Chin today.

Ms. Yingling Reads reviews two WWII books today.  

Prose and Kahn - I finally got to the book How They Croaked. 

Wrapped in Foil - I reviewed a biography of Dan Eldon written for teens. 

Wild About Nature blog reviewed Over in the Meadow by Jan Thornhill this week.


Delightful Children's Books - I have a booklist of 10 great books about snow, each with a short review. As with all my booklists, I recommend a mixture of fiction and nonfiction books about a theme. The two nonfiction books on this list are Building an Igloo by Ulli Steltzer and Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin and Mary Azarian. 


The Swimmer Writer - My selection for this week's blog is Black Elk's Story: a Lakota Story by S. D. Nelson. This first person narrative tells the story of Black Elk, a medicine man, who was the cousin of Crazy Horse.


At The Fourth Musketeer I have a new picture book biography in free verse of ballerina Alicia Alonso.


Jean Little Library - I've got a review of Off to Class by Susan Hughes, about schools around the world.

At Geo Librarian, I am highlighting a book about archeology called Cities of the Dead: Finding Lost Civilizations.

Jeanne Walker Harvey -  True Tales & A Cherry On Top goes back in time with Joan of Arc exquisitely illustrated by Demi.

Biblio File - I'm in with the Cybils nominated Mysteries of Angkor Wat.

Apples with many Seeds - I've posted about Jacqueline Briggs Martin's book The Chiru of High Tibet. 

At SimplyScience, I have MyPlate and You about the new food guidelines for kids. Thank you for hosting.

At Bookends, Cindy and I have a review of Heart and Soul by Kadir Nelson.

Chapter Book of the Day reviews Taylor Swift by Anita Yasuda *and* Picture Book of the Day reviews Duke Ellington's Nutcracker Suite by Anna Harwell Celenza (Author) and Don Tate (Illustrator).