A light-hearted, but nonetheless informative insight into the fascinating beliefs and traditions of Ancient Egypt. Striking collage illustrations by Laura Winstone bring a freshness of tone to a subject matter that might be ancient, but never grows old. “Hello my newly dead friends. Gather round. My name is Bastet and I’m going to be your tour guide to the afterlife. Please make sure your bandages don’t trail as we walk along.” Bastet is a mummified cat who is here to take you on a journey through the mystical death rituals of Ancient Egypt. Starting with some routine disembowelment and mummification, she explains about the role of the coffins, the separation of your soul, the importance of amulets and the various types of Egyptian tombs. Together, you will cross the river Styx and face the gods in one final judgement – the weighing of the heart. Bastet will make sure you have everything you need in the afterlife, because, it turns out, you can take it with you after all! Gr 3-5-A mummified cat called Bastet takes readers on a journey to the ancient Egyptian afterlife, passing by the Hall of Osiris, where the dead travelers are judged with the god Anubis, and arriving to Aaru, a fertile land surrounded by rivers. The narrator Bastet provides brief but detailed information about ancient Egypt's history, gods, the riveting process of mummification, meaning of different artifacts, pyramids, hieroglyphics, and the steps necessary to prepare the dead for this journey. That narrative is organized in speech bubbles in black text set on pastel backgrounds. The colorful illustrations, placed across spreads and single pages, are an important element in the book, expressing the information accessibly, comprehensively, and helping readers decode the meaning of the text. Winstone's use of color also plays a relevant role in attracting and keeping readers involved with attention with primary, secondary, and pastel colors filling the animated images. Readers will learn vocabulary words and find a time line spanning 5000-30 BC. This book could be used in classrooms or kept on the shelves for browsers. The back matter also includes a glossary. VERDICT A visual, engaging book for kids who enjoy learning about mummies and life in ancient Egypt.-Kathia Ibacacheα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. "A mummified cat called Bastet takes readers on a journey to the ancient Egyptian afterlife, passing by the Hall of Osiris, where the dead travelers are judged with the god Anubis, and arriving to Aaru, a fertile land surrounded by rivers.  The narrator Bastet provides brief but detailed information about ancient Egypt’s history, gods, the riveting process of mummification, meaning of different artifacts, pyramids, hieroglyphics, and the steps necessary to prepare the dead for this journey. That narrative is organized in speech bubbles in black text set on pastel backgrounds.  The colorful illustrations, placed across spreads and single pages, are an important element in the book, expressing the information accessibly, comprehensively, and helping readers decode the meaning of the text. Winstone’s use of color also plays a relevant role in attracting and keeping readers involved with attention with primary, secondary, and pastel colors filling the animated images.  Readers will learn vocabulary words and find a time line spanning 5000-30 BC. This book could be used in classrooms or kept on the shelves for browsers. The back matter also includes a glossary. VERDICT A visual, engaging book for kids who enjoy learning about mummies and life in ancient Egypt."  -- School Library Journal "I’ll level with you. I’m not quite certain why it is that we haven’t seen more of Bastet in our popular culture. As a kid, I always found her the most approachable of the Egyptian gods. Nice that she finally gets her own moment in the spotlight. Now years and years ago, back when I was still working in NYPL’s Central Children’s Room, someone produced a really remarkable Book of the Dead encapsulation for kids. Trouble is, I can’t find hide nor hair of it online at all. Clearly, then, there’s been a need to try again. This version is definitely more colorful than the last one I saw, and I am okay with that! We desperately need this book on our shelves."  -- Fuse 8/School Library Journal "The Unofficial Guide to the Ancient Egyptian Afterlife presents a mummified cat's perspective of ancient Egypt's death rituals, including spells, tomb options, and Afterlife visions. This is a fun way of introducing young picture book readers to some of the concepts held by ancient Egyptians of that afterlife. From how bodies are pickled and preserved to magical symbols and decorations, the specifics herein lend to insights that are graphic, intriguing, and fun. Young readers interested in ancient Egypt will find this introduction by Bastet the Cat and Laura Winstone to be colorful, c