Domesticated hamsters, meaning those in pet stores and research labs, appeared to be highly inbred, coming from siblings originally captured in 1930. In 1971 Michael R. Murphy and his wife Janet were the first to bring back to the U.S. live wild hamsters since 1930. The resulting colony of wild hamsters was essential to certain new scientific findings. The couple visited London, the American University of Beirut, and several ancient, historical, and archaeological sites in Lebanon and Syri...

You can't take it with you - or can you? Discover the grisly process of mummification, from embalming and stuffing the corpse to preparing a home for eternity. This title explores the quirky side of a journey to the afterlife, looking at the myth and the science surrounding Ancient Egyptian burial practices, and the lives of the Gods that inspired them. Full of fascinating lists, creepy stories and bizarre trivia, this title is sure to educate as well as entertain, and it includes fact box...

Do you know who the ancient Egyptian god of the underworld is? What type of mask would an embalmer wear whilst carrying out the mummification process on a body? Who was the most successful of all the pharaohs? All these questions and more are answered in this fascinating easy-to-read guide to ancient Egypt. Whether you are studying the subject and need access to the important information fast, or you are just interested in this fascinating period of history, this excellent quick-read guide...

"The mystery of the pyramids is solved before our eyes" in this illustrated YA guide to their construction by the Caldecott Medal-winning author ( Kirkus).In Pyramid, acclaimed author and illustrator David Macaulay explores the construction of ancient Egyptian pyramids from the initial planning stages to the methods used to lift stones up to the structure's highest level. Through concise text and richly detailed black and white illustrations your ...

"Delightful . . . the world needs more ‘mehndi boys!’” —Vivek Shraya, author of The Boy and the Bindi and God Loves Hair***“***I was totally charmed by it.” —Ali Sethi, musician and authorAn artistic, fashion-loving boy unlocks a new talent—and learns to stand up for it—in this chapter book perfect for fans of the Sadiq series and Meet Yasmin!

“Celebrates the power of human connections.”—School Library Journal (starred review)“Humorous, sensitive, and poignant.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)The stand-alone companion to National Book Award Finalist and beloved poet Naomi Shihab Nye’s The Turtle of Oman. The Turtle of Michigan is a deft and accessible novel that follows a young boy named Aref as he travels from Muscat, Oman, to Ann Arbor, Michigan, and adjusts to a new life and a new school in the United States. ...

Notes on the exodus of refugees from Syria, by Man Booker Prize winner Richard Flanagan. With illustrations from Archibald Prize winner Ben Quilty.In January 2016 Richard Flanagan and Ben Quilty travelled to Lebanon, Greece, and Serbia to follow the river that is the exodus of our age: that of refugees from Syria.Flanagan's 'notes' and Quilty's sketches bear witness to the remarkable people they met on that journey and their stories. These individual portra...

Uncover the wonders of Ancient Egypt with this interactive trivia book from Jeopardy! host and champion and New York Times bestselling author Ken Jennings!Travel back in time with Ken Jennings to become a Junior Genius! Did you know that the Egyptians invented toothpaste? Or that the Great Pyramid of Khufu was the tallest building on Earth for almost 3,800 years? Discover fascinating facts about Egypt’s amazing monuments, powerful...

The Winner of the 2023 Cypriot National Book PrizeWhen it was built in the 1950s, nothing symbolised Cyprus entering the modern world like the Ledra Palace Hotel. In Constantia Soteriou's jewel of a novella, the ambitions and shortcomings of the island's turbulent twentieth century are played out by its occupants. Among them we meet the king in exile who needs to drown his sorrows with a drink disguised to look like tea; the porter who, among the English roses of t...

Have you ever wanted to travel the Kings Highway in Jordan and walk down the famous Siq Gorge to the ancient city of Petra? Or wanted to spend an Orthodox Christmas in Bethlehem? Wondered how you would feel if stuck with a flat tyre in the middle of the Sudanese desert at sunrise? Or pondered about the Call to Prayer as it echoes repeatedly across Istanbul at sunset? Have you ever wondered how so many people live and survive in the Middle East without the rules and regulations of western b...

A story about family, ageing, fresh starts and the beautiful things that happen when we least expect them to. Suad misses her husband. He died unexpectedly during an argument at work, and she never got to say goodbye. But Suad knows she is lucky. Her three children have promised to look after her. After several false starts, Suad receives a warm welcome from her oldest son and settles down with his family in the countryside.Everything goes smoothly – at first. Her grandchildren lov...

Since her father left Lebanon to find work and her mother tragically died in a shell attack, ten-year-old Ayesha has been living in the bomb-ravaged city of Beirut with her granny and her two younger brothers. The city has been torn in half by civil war and a desolate, dangerous no man's land divides the two sides. Only militiamen and tanks dare enter this deadly zone, but when Granny falls desperately ill Ayesha sets off on a terrifying journey to reach a doctor living in enemy territory....