You Wouldn't Want to be Cleopatra!: An Egyptian Ruler You'd Rather Not Be (2006)

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I enjoyed reading this fairly satirical, comical, no-holding-back biography of Cleopatra, but would never read it with a group of children. So much of Cleopatra's life was tragic, horrific, violent, and offensive to the point where I would worry about how each kid was processing the humorous portrayal of these events. However, I would enjoy reading it (with others of the series) with an individual child over a period of days where I can help explain some parts ("Let's talk about sarcasm and how it's being used here...") and pick up on cues more effectively. It was a very informative, entertaining read. ( )

"You Wouldn't Want to be Cleopatra!" is yet another funny book in this series about history. This book is an excellent choice for a reader that does not like traditional history books or may be bored by textbooks. The story starts out with Cleopatra as a young girl on the run with her father Ptolemy. It tells her life and the story behind her empire and her tragic love story with Mark Antony. The pages are laced with funny illustrations and historical facts about the time, including what Cleopatra used for lipstick. The book, while some may consider it taking light of historical facts, is a book for the child that has trouble getting into textbooks. I think this is a great learning tool, with a glossary and index as well. ( )

One of many entries in the You Wouldn't Want... series by Scholastic, I found this book to be a fun read. It gives an overview of Cleopatra's life with cartoon illustrations. Lots of side panels give facts about ancient Egyptian culture and the people in Cleopatra's life. This series has been really popular with some of the second grade classes in our district. It doesn't make a good research book because it doesn't list sources, but it's lots of fun for recreational reading. ( )