Ancient Egyptian topic books – this list contains books suitable for topics in Key Stage 2, including non-fiction reference books for research, activity books, teacher’s guides, fact books for independent study and home learning and chapter books for class libraries and group reading. Titles include books by David Long, Emma Carroll, Emily Bone, David Weitzman, Marcia Williams, Joe Todd-Stanton, Laura Wood and Terry Deary.
Our recommended Ancient Egyptian topic books for children in KS2
Myths, Mummies and Magic in Ancient Egypt by Stephen Davies and Nuria Tamarit
Six engrossing retellings will fill young minds with gods, pharaohs, mythical creatures and ancient life. With vibrant spreads and short, accessible bursts of text, this is the perfect book for lower KS2 Ancient Egyptian topics. Packed with both adventure and information, it will encourage children to think about, discuss and find out more about the life, culture and beliefs of this period.
The Incredible Pop-Up Mummy by Moira Butterfield and Quang & Lien
With flaps to lift 3-D pop-ups, hidden details and all sorts of paper engineering surprises, this is a memorable and stunning hardback. Covering the afterlife pyramids, how to make a mummy Tutankhamun’s death mask, the journey into the afterlife and hidden treasures this hardback will make a spectacular gift. And with detailed history, archaeology and cultural information, The Incredible Pop-Up Mummy will be an incredibly popular KS2 library book. Highly recommended.
The Curse of the Tomb Robbers by Andy Seed
Presented as a series of informative stories based on historical facts, KS2 children will learn how to read hieroglyphs, solve code puzzles, and find paths through complex mazes. Nub and Iteti guide readers through Ancient Egyptian life in 1422 BC, with the narrative and activities all leading up to stopping a crime and preventing a dangerous curse from being unleashed! An inventive and exciting journey into the world of Ancient Egyptian society, town life and tomb raiding, this stunningly illustrated large format paperback with punchy bursts of story and detail is an ideal resource for Ancient Egypt topics. It’s also perfect as an extension to coding topics and as an interactive book to read and share in pairs or groups during class reading time. Highly recommended.
KS2 Discover & Learn: History – Ancient Egyptians Study Book: perfect for home learning by CGP
A must-have book for the classroom. This is a comprehensive introduction to all things Egyptian. Beginning with discovering Ancient Egypt, the reader follows the Pharaohs, religion and daily life, through to the end of the Egyptian era. There is a very useful glossary to help with new vocabulary. There’s also an activity book that is ideal for home learning.
Eyewitness Ancient Egypt by DK
Full of absorbing facts and stunning pictures, this book will inspire projects and encourage independent fact-finding. Brimming with timelines, info graphics and statistics – together with a wall chart – this book is ideal for the classroom or at home.
Wildgoose Education WG7300 Creative History Ancient Egypt Photo (Pack of 20)
A super collection of 20 A4 photographs for display use and class discussions. A useful teacher’s guide is full of ideas for writing activities, drama, role-play and art work.
Egyptian Things To Make and Do by Emily Bone
A really useful activity book for teachers and for classroom projects. Full of information and craft activities that use easily sourced materials. Learn how to write secret messages using hieroglyphics and decorate your models with the stickers provided.
Pharoah’s Boat by David Weitzman
A beautifully written and illustrated book about the boat that belonged to the Pharaoh Cheops, its discovery and the reconstruction of it using the techniques of the day. The boat can now be seen in the Khufu Boat Museum in Cairo.
Everything Ancient Egypt by National Geographic Kids
Discover all you want to know about Ancient Egypt – and more – in this stunning non-fiction book. Learn strange and wonderful facts, find mysteries and mummies to uncover, and learn how to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphs. With engaging photos and a comprehensive interactive glossary.
Egypt Magnified by David Long and Harry Bloom
This book will engross children who enjoy ‘Where’s Wally’. With a 3x magnifying glass to scour each page, the reader has to find out what’s happening using the clues provided. From the Nile to the pyramids, the marketplace to the tombs, every page is packed with exciting information.
Ancient Egypt Tales of Gods and Pharaohs by Marcia Williams
This is a wonderful graphic journey that begins with Ra, the first god of Ancient Egypt, and ends with Cleopatra. Told in a comic strip format, each of the nine stories retells the history of Egypt in terms of the mythology and the history. This book is great fun and very informative.
Meet The Egyptians by James Davies
A simple, colourful and accessible way for the younger reader to discover the Ancient Egyptians. Clear, lively and fun, the illustrations and text engage the imagination immediately. Maps, Pharaohs, mummies, pyramids and more!
Egyptology: Search for the Tomb of Osiris by Emily Sounds and Dugald Steer
A book to treasure! With a gold foil cover that will entice children to pick it up, this book tells the tale of an Egyptologist who searches for the tomb of Osiris. The sights, sounds, discoveries and experiences are related in diary format, with photos, letters, and envelopes to explore.
So You Think You’ve Got it Bad? Ancient Egypt by Chae Strathie and Marisa Morea
Published by Nosy Crow in collaboration with the British Museum, this award-nominated book will appeal to children in KS1 and KS2. Full of amusing facts, the delights and horrors of growing up in Ancient Egypt are brought to life in the quirky illustrations. Ideal for provoking discussion, this is a useful text to help children compare and contrast their lives to children in Ancient Egypt. There’s also a teacher pack available from Nosy Crow.
1000 Facts About Ancient Egypt by National Geographic
Exactly what it says on the cover! Ideal for research, answering questions, home-learning projects; this substantial non-fiction book will also appeal to the inquisitive child. With this book, fact loving pupils will be able to dazzle their classmates with Ancient Egyptian details.
DKfindout! Ancient Egypt by DK
An excellent resource book for children in KS2. Find out about how the great pyramid was constructed, the lives of the Pharaohs, and the daily life of a person living in Ancient Egypt. Crammed with quizzes and exciting pictures, this book would make a great KS2 classroom topic book resource.
Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt: Egyptian Mythology for Kids by Morgan Moroney
An enlightening introduction to the gods of Ancient Egypt. The history is explained through 20 easy to follow and vividly illustrated myths. There’s plenty of detail too, including a guide on how to play Senet, and a piece on how cats were worshipped.
Awesome Egyptians (Horrible Histories) by Terry Deary
Part of the Horrible Histories series, this book will be a perennial KS2 library favourite. Laugh and groan out loud at the revolting facts and enjoy the sometimes outrageous cartoon illustrations. This is bound to be a popular addition.
The Story of Tutankhamun by Patricia Cleveland-Peck and Isabel Greenberg
This award-nominated book covers the life and times of the Pharaoh as a child. Following the search for his tomb centuries later by Howard Carter, the fantastic relics are revealed. With detail and clear graphics, this book shows how we can use these artifacts to learn more about Ancient Egyptian life.
Marcy and the Riddle of the Sphinx by Joe Todd-Stanton
A thrilling chapter book set in Egypt. Professor Brownstone, a great adventurer, sets off on a quest to find the Book of Thoth. He disappears, and his daughter Marcy is compelled to find him. Can she rescue the professor from the clutches of the dangerous Sphinx?
Poppy Pym and the Pharaoh’s Curse by Laura Wood
An award-winning story that is ideal for children in KS2. Poppy is eleven and fearless. A circus child, she tames lions and performs amazing acrobatics. When she is sent to boarding school she hates the experience. But when a precious ruby from Ancient Egyptian times turns up at school, awful things start to happen. Can Poppy end the Pharaoh’s curse?
There’s a Pharaoh in our Bath! by Jeremy Strong
This funny book is an ideal lower KS2 class reader to include in a topic on Egypt. Tony Lightspeed cares for injured animals. When he arrives home with a smelly and unconscious man wrapped in bandages, he is in for a big surprise. Sennapod is a Pharaoh from 4000 years ago! And he’s on the run!
Secrets of a Sun King by Emma Carroll
This chapter book page-turner is sure to capture the imagination of KS2 readers. Full of mystery and cliffhangers, the reader will enter a world of Egyptian Pharaohs and ancient curses. When Lilian finds a package that holds the key to an archaeological mystery, she embarks on a dangerous quest to return it and so lift the Pharaoh’s curse that threatens her family. A gripping read.
Ancient Egyptian topic resources and activities
- BBC Teach offers a short film about the Valley of the Kings for KS2, presented by Dr Joann Fletcher.
- BBC Bitesize offers a great selection of video resources, text information and quizzes for home learning.
- STEM resources offers a resource titled ‘The Death of a Mummy‘ , that investigated the science of Mummification and how historians use STEM to work out how past civilisations lived.
- There’s huge collection of resources from the Historical Association, suitable for KS2.
- This series of workshop ideas and resources is from the the Fitzwilliam Museum’s website.
- There’s a section on Egyptology for children on the Children’s University in Manchester website:
Looking for more children’s book recommendations? Have a look at our list of home learning activities for children and teens, our list of 20 great activity books for children, our books for topics, our KS2 book recommendations.
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