Starred Review In quiet rhyme on a moonlit night, readers step inside an Egyptian pyramid where something is waking up: "A cat / who moves without a breath: / a mummy cat, who's passed through Death." Once a century he wakes to see if the girl queen Hat-shup-set, "his loving friend," has returned from the underworld, so that they can be together again. As he moves though the chambers, he passes beautifully painted murals that depict scenes of his life with the queen aying by the Nile, napping in her lap well as their untimely deaths. Mummy Cat prowls until he reaches Hat-shup-set's coffin to await "the queen of his heart." Will this be the night she returns? Brown's illustrations steal the show in this tale of friendship and love. Taking cues from ancient Egyptian artwork, she uses red, lapis, gold, and brown to fill the pages with objects and imagery characteristic of royal burials tus blossoms, canopic jars, a throne, hieroglyphics (deciphered at the end) fortlessly bringing the queen's story to life. An author's note explains the process of mummification and the significance of cats in Egyptian culture and briefly describes the female Pharaoh Hatshepsut, inspiration for Ewert's girl queen. Utilizing the magical draw of ancient Egypt, this informative and heartwarming story is a treasure trove for all who seek it.

K-Gr 3 Ewert's rhyming picture book is an unexpected love story that anyone with a pet can appreciate. It's set in Egypt inside a pyramid decorated with hieroglyphics and treasures. "A mummy cat, who's passed through death" reminisces about his owner, the girl-queen Hatshepsut, as he searches the rooms looking for her. "He checks to see if she's come back, his loving friendso that this lonely time can end." Although it's obvious that the memories weigh him down at times, he perks up when he sees pictures of the two of them in painted scenes along the walls. The cat was a loyal companion and a hero to the girl, right to the end of both of their lives. Back matter includes in-depth information about mummies and the ancient queen. The hieroglyphs are defined here as well, and they can be used as an I Spy game, as they appear throughout the book. Brown's ink, gouache, watercolor, and digital collage illustrations are rich with beautiful ancient artifacts and a grouping of curious mice and moths that follow the mummy cat to the tomb of the girl he can never forget. VERDICT Kids will enjoy this memorable and touching introduction to mummies. Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake Public Library, AB, Canada