My Cat Isis [Hardcover]

My first grader and I loved this book on Egyptian mythology which takes a unique approach to discussing the Goddess Isis and some other elements in Egyptian mythology. The topic is approached via two stories, one set in ancient Egypt and one set in the present. The Goddess Isis is described as one of the most revered goddesses in ancient Egypt, one among 1500 gods and goddesses! She is adored by her people and her temple is always filled with various offerings by devotees. In the present day, a cat named Isis is adored by her human family.

The book makes for an engaging read on various levels. Young children will be captivated by the collages of the present day Isis' story and the vibrant illustrations of exotic ancient Egypt. For older children, part of the fun of reading this lies in identifying parallels between the story of Goddess Isis in the ancient past, and the cat Isis in the present.

One thing to note is that given the nature of ancient Egyptians, their culture, and practices, parents/ educators may have to be prepared to answer certain questions. My 6.5-year-old daughter, having read that Isis, Osiris, and Seth were siblings, exclaimed, "How could Seth kill his own brother?" Yes, there's a part that describes Osiris' death at the hands of his brother, and also the fact that Isis marries her brother Osiris. Inevitably, I was asked why Isis married her brother...and I dealt with it in the best way I could, mentioning it was an ancient practice (could not quite bring myself to go into too much detail for fear of confusing the poor kid) thousands of years ago, but unacceptable today, and that Seth was a wicked character, too ambitious for his own good!

Anyway, parents and educators might want to take note of this. Otherwise, we loved the book, its unique approach to Egyptian mythology, and the lovely collage illustrations.

What an intriguing picture book! A child narrator tells a tidbit about the Egyptian goddess Isis on the left pages, and opposite, shares bits about his own cat, Isis. The reader comes away from the book knowing a great deal about the goddess Isis, gained in a most pleasurable way. The paper and photograph collage illustrations are entirely captivating.

This book is a real surprise! The text is funny and well narrated. In a very amusing way the book succeed to combine the story of a house cat with the story of the Egyptian Godess Isis. It is witty, smart and fresh. The illustrations are also great. They are created with several media (paint, ink, photo collage) which fits perfectly for this collage of two stories. Higly recommended!