Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Cleopatra Rules! The Amazing Life of the Original Teen Queen by Vicky Shecter

Cover image for Cleopatra rules! : the amazing life of the original teen queenLast Friday I had finished my recorded book, but still had several hours of house cleaning to do, so I downloaded this short nonfiction from the library website.  In it Shecter attempts to debunk some of the misconceptions of Egypt's most famous, or notorious queens.  Was she a beautiful seductress who wrapped Mark Anthony around her little finger? Was theirs a love affair that caused both of them to make tragic errors that cost them the throne?  Maybe not. Shecter tries to track down how some of the misconceptions got started and mentions the original ancient documents that contain information about the teen monarch. Shecter uses informal language and there are side boxes that add interesting exposition or detail to the topic.    The author mentions, appropriately, Cleopatra's various marriages and affairs, but focuses on the political motivations of her actions and decisions.  This is not a bad choice for a 6th grader who has to do a report on a biography longer than 100 pages and wants to read about a strong woman character. (128 p)

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