The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra’s Needle
Starting out in the present day, while gazing up at the obelisk in Central Park, our main character’s mother begins to recount how the obelisk was created and how it made its way to New York. While at first resistant, the more our young narrator learns, the more he’s drawn into the stories. He sees through the eyes of five other children who witness the construction, the carving, and the movement of Cleopatra’s Needle through thousands of years of history.
The story keeps its focus on the significant historical events surrounding Cleopatra’s Needle. The creative liberties with characters and references feel appropriate for this reading level. Each character has a different perspective, from hard labor to artistic details to cultural identity, which young readers will easily relate with. I found Panya’s heartfelt diary to be the most compelling (and, dare I say, most important) perspective as she watches a piece of her history being taken, given away to America as a gift.
Stylistically, the narrator’s mom is telling him stories about Cleopatra’s Needle in the first person. However, the historical stories are told in epistolary form. Thus, the transitions from past to present feel slightly disjointed. The epistolary style works well for the historical characters, even if at times these narratives end abruptly.
Throughout, pictures help readers visualize how a 200-ton granite monument first erected in 1475 BCE by Thutmose III (referred to as Thutmosis in the book) could be moved from one side of the world to another. It is quite the adventure, and each child in history has a part to play. This is an easy read and a fascinating book.
