How do you feel about dodging crocodiles, pigeon pizza for dinner or cleaning up dung for a chore?
If it sounds like all kinds of horrible, you are not wrong! This is a fascinating look at what life was like for children in ancient Egypt. One thing is for sure, it wasn't carefree days spent exploring pyramids, sailing on the Nile or lounging in the sun.
It wasn't all bad though. In ancient Egypt, pets were part of the family too, including baboons, gazelles, jackals, monkeys and even lions! Ancient Egyptians loved cats and treated them almost like gods. When a cat died, its owners even shaved off their eyebrows to show they were in mourning.
There was a lot of fun to be had in ancient Egypt and the climate made it ideal for outdoor games like tug of war, leapfrog, juggling and acrobatics.
This hilarious book takes a closer look at chores, clothes, discipline, education, family life, food, gods, hieroglyphs, medicine, mummies, the afterlife and more.
Filled with fun facts and colour illustrations throughout, this is an excellent way to introduce history to kids. It provides insight to ancient civilisation in a way that is relevant to kids of today. Any reader will finish this book, not only with a smile, but also a greater appreciation of modern life. As the title says, if you think you've got it bad, you really don't!
Chae Strathie is an award winning children's author and journalist. He lives by the sea in Fife, Scotland. Marisa Morea is a freelance illustrator based in Madrid, Spain. This book was published in collaboration with the British Museum.
Reviewer: Andrea Molloy Allen & Unwin, RRP $27.99