Mummies Exposed!

Starred review from February 1, 2019

Gr 5-8-Whether embalmed and wrapped, frozen in ice, preserved in bogs, or dried out in deserts, mummified bodies have been discovered worldwide. This fascinating book explores the variety of ways that mummification can occur and tells the stories of famous and lesser-known mummies, including the Altai Princess, Otzi the Iceman, Incan child mummies, and modern preserved bodies like Vladimir Lenin's and Eva Perón's. Hollihan's thoughtful and engaging text uses first-person accounts to place readers in the shoes of archaeologists solving historical mysteries. Short "Factlet" sections provide important context about the cultures and science being described without overwhelming readers, and Hollihan includes extensive notes and bibliographical material. The author demonstrates how "mummies are our very best link to the past" by providing information about culture, history, and medical phenomena and discusses the ethics of studying and displaying human remains. Hollihan cites Indigenous archaeologist Margaret Bruchac on the need for respect and collaboration between archaeologists and "descent communities" of the human bodies under study. VERDICT This wide-ranging and well-researched survey of mummies from around the world is a highly recommended purchase for school and public libraries.-Molly Saunders, Homewood Public Library, AL

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from February 1, 2019
Hollihan unwraps the skinny on human mummies of both the distant past and more recent times.Leaving few if any double-entendres unturned, the author highlights prominent examples of both artificially preserved corpses and those that have survived (so to speak) due to natural causes. The roster includes the familiar likes of King Tut, Lenin, and China's Lady Dai as well as lower-profile remains such as the tattooed Altai Princess, the "Moche muchacha" Lady of Cao, and the 262 former residents of Vác, Hungary, found during a church renovation in 1994. In introducing her subjects, she recounts initial encounters, describes sites and physical states in "easy queasy" detail, and clearly explains the techniques researchers use in field and lab to reconstruct each discovery's life, demise, and culture. Complex issues of cultural appropriation raised by disturbing and removing the dead versus preserving the safety of ancient sites, particularly in the face of climate change, also receive respectful notice. Along with an array of boxed side notes--a bulleted list of the stages of decomposition ("The skin turns blue-green") being typically informative--and numerous close-up color photos of variously decomposed bodies and body parts, generous chapter-by-chapter sets of endnotes and of print and web resources add further layers of interest and value to this series opener.Mummy books cram the shelves, but this one won't stay buried for long. (index) (Nonfiction. 10-13)

COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from March 15, 2019
Grades 6-9 *Starred Review* For those only familiar with King Tut's mummy, this entertaining and informative look at other notable mummies found around the world will be eye-opening. The mummies, which range from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of years old, represent people of different social classes, ages, and sexes. Among them are mummified Incan children found high in the Andes Mountains, female mummies wearing pointy hats (the "Witches of Subeshi"), and Chile's Chinchorro mummies, thousands of years older than those in the Egyptian pyramids. Young readers will gain an understanding of these mummies as real people who had their own lives. Modern technology reveals what they ate, wore, and what diseases they suffered from when they were alive. Adolescents may also be surprised to learn many ancient people had the same fashion styles as we have today (some mummies are found to have had hair extensions and tattoos). The author notes the lively discussions between scientists who can't agree on how some of these mummies died. The pronunciation guide for certain words is useful, and brief snippets of additional information, called factlets, are found throughout. The book has color photos, a glossary, source notes, a bibliography, acknowledgments, and an index (not seen). Hollihan's humorous comments and cheeky asides to readers add to this engaging book's already sky-high appeal.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)

Starred review from February 1, 2019

Gr 5-8-Whether embalmed and wrapped, frozen in ice, preserved in bogs, or dried out in deserts, mummified bodies have been discovered worldwide. This fascinating book explores the variety of ways that mummification can occur and tells the stories of famous and lesser-known mummies, including the Altai Princess, Otzi the Iceman, Incan child mummies, and modern preserved bodies like Vladimir Lenin's and Eva Per�n's. Hollihan's thoughtful and engaging text uses first-person accounts to place readers in the shoes of archaeologists solving historical mysteries. Short "Factlet" sections provide important context about the cultures and science being described without overwhelming readers, and Hollihan includes extensive notes and bibliographical material. The author demonstrates how "mummies are our very best link to the past" by providing information about culture, history, and medical phenomena and discusses the ethics of studying and displaying human remains. Hollihan cites Indigenous archaeologist Margaret Bruchac on the need for respect and collaboration between archaeologists and "descent communities" of the human bodies under study. VERDICT This wide-ranging and well-researched survey of mummies from around the world is a highly recommended purchase for school and public libraries.-Molly Saunders, Homewood Public Library, AL

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from February 1, 2019
Hollihan unwraps the skinny on human mummies of both the distant past and more recent times.Leaving few if any double-entendres unturned, the author highlights prominent examples of both artificially preserved corpses and those that have survived (so to speak) due to natural causes. The roster includes the familiar likes of King Tut, Lenin, and China's Lady Dai as well as lower-profile remains such as the tattooed Altai Princess, the "Moche muchacha" Lady of Cao, and the 262 former residents of V�c, Hungary, found during a church renovation in 1994. In introducing her subjects, she recounts initial encounters, describes sites and physical states in "easy queasy" detail, and clearly explains the techniques researchers use in field and lab to reconstruct each discovery's life, demise, and culture. Complex issues of cultural appropriation raised by disturbing and removing the dead versus preserving the safety of ancient sites, particularly in the face of climate change, also receive respectful notice. Along with an array of boxed side notes--a bulleted list of the stages of decomposition ("The skin turns blue-green") being typically informative--and numerous close-up color photos of variously decomposed bodies and body parts, generous chapter-by-chapter sets of endnotes and of print and web resources add further layers of interest and value to this series opener.Mummy books cram the shelves, but this one won't stay buried for long. (index) (Nonfiction. 10-13)

COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.