The Young Investigators Guide to Ancient Cultures by History Channel –OPTIONAL

Corporate Author: History Channel The Young Investigators Guide to Ancient Cultures 105 pgs. Roaring Brook Press, 2015. $14.99 “NONFICTION”

This book features everything a YA reader would want to know about Aliens from the ground up. It goes into a plethora of theories, conspiracies, and wild ideas. Topics range from hard to explain Archeology, intriguing historical events and facts, to Crystal skulls, to Atlantis, to the origin of gods, and more. Includes large pages with bright photography.

Don’t get me wrong I liked reading this book, it’s a fun and interesting read. But I found myself groaning at various theories and rolling my eyes at some of the far-etched explanations. As an adult I have a grain of salt to read this book with, I know that when this book says they don’t know how the Egyptian pyramids were built (or why), that is not a true statement. But young readers may not have taken two rounds of college level ancient history like I did, they may think that some of the things in the book are solid fact. Parents may not like the idea it puts out there that the various gods of religions were actually alien visitors of the past. There were some very interesting archeology tidbits in this book, now I wish I could read a whole book of unexplained archeology. The historical connections and religious talk would be a bit over the head of an potential elementary reader.

MS, HS –OPTIONAL  Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.