Cleopatra: The Girl Who Would Be King (Heroes in the Ancient World, #1)

By Jackie French

HarperCollins

Classroom resource

Reviewed by Mia Macrossan

Our national treasure Jackie French styles herself as ‘author, ecologist, historian, dyslexic and honorary wombat’. She must be one of the most prolific writers on the planet creating stories for children and adults notable for their historical flair, charming characters and zingy plots.

Cleopatra: The Girl Who Would Be King is no exception. It’s 59 BCE, Cleopatra and her Dad, Ptolemy XII, have fled to Rome, because her sister Berenice has seized the throne, and they need money to raise an army. They also need to gain some powerful allies if they are to take back Egypt. We know very little of her life during this time which gives French the opportunity to imagine what she might have been like and what might have happened.

Well, Cleopatra is resourceful, kind, adventurous and above all single-mindedly ambitious for Egypt’s throne.  Instead of powerful allies she makes friends with the slave Myra, and an intrepid pirate captain, Fileas. This romp through antiquity has plenty of adventure including  disguises, pirates, shipwreck, crocodiles, before eventually reaching home.

What makes this story so enjoyable apart from its appealing protagonist is the wealth of interesting and little known historical details that French sprinkles throughout the action, for example, conditions for slaves in Egypt were much different and better than under Roman law, a fact Cleopatra is well aware of. We also learn lots about food, fashion, and how live was lived at the time.

The glossary is notable in that it give extensive explanations for terms that may be unfamiliar to young readers, e.g. clients, cosmetaii, Roman money, villa. The Author’s Note that follows has more fascinating and illuminating reading and the five page classroom resource is proof of how much is packed into this 235 page novel.

Recommended for readers age 9+