The Sphinx, which squats in front of the 3 Pyarmids at Giza, has been around so long that, over the centuries, people have lost their grip on its history more than once.

This book not only covers information on the sphinx, but also information on the life and culture of Egyptians at the time, ancient manuscripts, and legends such as Atlantis. This book is broken up into several sections that go in-depth on the topic that section is about. It is a thorough book and is very lengthy.
This book is a good example of an informational book because it goes in-depth in topics relating to Egyptians and the Sphinx. For example, it discusses the culture and the achievements of the Egyptians as well as details into how the Sphinx was built
Media: Gouache and Water Color
Age Appropriateness: High Intermediate

Secrets of the Sphinx gives a short history lesson of how the sphinx came to be. It talks about how it was buried in the sand twice and uncovered by a pharaoh and then again later on. It then talks about Edgar Cayce and how he believed it to have come from the lost city of Atlantis. There are a couple of other myths surrounding it and it talks a little about those. In the end it talks about how the city is getting too close to both the Sphinx and the pyramids and that pollution and nature is eroding the sphinx. They are trying to come up with ways to preserve it. Its a really good book and I think it's short enough to hold kids' attention as well as them wanting to learn more about it

Like most people who are (or were) children, Ancient Egypt is a fascinating subject to study. These early humans formed one of the first advanced civilizations on the planet. In that regard, they are somewhat familiar. However, in so many other ways they are utterly alien to us. In this last regard, the Sphinx is no exception.
The book goes into far more detail than I would have imagined, given its size. I thought this would be an elementary picture book about the statue itself. I found myself pleasantly surprised what the book delved into amazing detail about the beginnings of Ancient Egypt, its society, its culture, the challenges in learning its language, later Egypt, as well as the Sphinx itself and the efforts directed towards its restoration.
When picking up this book, I thought that a teacher might only be able to spend a day on it, but this could have a whole section dedicated to it. It is still best for Elementary and Middle School students. ( )

Audience- 5-8th grade
Secrets of the Sphinx is a wonderful book about the Egyptian Sphinx, civilization and how it was built. It is very informative with excellent illustrations and will be very useful to middle-schoolers while studying ancient civilizations. I will keep this book as a resource for student projects and also while teaching in class. ( )