Read-It! Chapter Books: Historical Tales
12 total works
1180 BC. Young Acheron is a liar. Everybody knows it. Troy is under siege and Acheron tells tales of Trojan bravery to entertain Prince Paris and the beautiful Helen at the palace. But when a stranger comes to the city to announce that the Greeks have departed, leaving a special gift of a wooden horse, Acheron is suspicious. He races to tell Prince Paris about the Greek plot, but will anyone at the palace believe him? Er, no, actually! As Aesop said, "There is no believing a liar, even when he speaks the truth."
750 BC. The boys at school are excited. The Olympic games are coming to the city. They may be too young to compete, but their teacher suggests the school should have its own games. Of course, girls have no part at all in these festivities, so Elena can only watch as her twin brother, Cypselis, prepares for the race. Then she discovers he has made a bet with Big Bacchiad (the school bully). If Cypselis wins he will get a new goat, if he loses then Elena will become Bacchiad's slave. Elena's freedom is at stake - she needs all her cunning to make sure her brother wins. But will he? As Aesop said, 'Slow and steady wins the race.'
Menes is training as a scribe in the local temple, and to earn extra money tO help his poor family, he agrees to assist rich old Maiarch. Menes must write a prayer to rid Maiarch of an old family ghost. But what if the ghost is actually more human than supernatural? It takes all of Menes's skill and ingenuity to find out the truth.
Tutankhamen has been buried in his rocky tomb. But there is a plot to rob the grave of its vast wealth as soon as possible after the funeral. A motley gang of villains have all the skills they need to undertake the crime - the key member of the team is young Paneb, who is small and lithe and the only one who can slip through the tunnel and into the funeral chamber. It's a risky venture, because, if he's caught, the punishment is slow torture and death.
This is a tale of Neria, who works in the House of Death,helping her father to make the mummies. Neria enjoys her work, but when the pharaoh dies, it all goes into overdrive mode. Everyone is so busy that Neria is given the responsibility of mummifying the pharaoh's cat, to accompany him to the Afterlife. The trouble is, Neria is too squeamish to kill and gut the cat. Can she find a way to save the cat - without being caught and punished?
King Henry VII is already mean and he's ruthless and very angry. When a young boy called Lambert Simnel announces that he, not Henry, should be the king of England. But he is no match for the powerful king. And no one is more surprised than Lambert to hear what his extraordinary punishment will be ...Don't miss www.teary-deary.com - the author's own fantastic website, with detailed information about all our books, plus others, about Terry as a writer, as well as extracts, quizzes, games and activities.
Every day, hapless hopefuls - or 'coneys', as the locals call them - come to dirty and dangerous London town, trying to seek their fortunes. Who is waiting for them? Tricksters and conmen, that's who - like young Eleanor's family. Eleanor becomes troubled by her family's cunning and foils their plans to catch a coney. Meanwhile, fearsome King Henry VIII has some rather cruel ideas of justice ...for everyone. Don't miss www.teary-deary.com - the author's own fantastic website, with detailed information about all our books, plus others, about Terry as a writer, as well as extracts, quizzes, games and activities.
Old, ailing Elizabeth I is on the throne - but a rebellion to overthrow her is being plotted by the dashing Earl of Essex. One of the rallying points for the uprising will be the Globe Theatre. When the Queen learns of the plan, the plotters are defeated, and she throws Master Shakespeare's theatre company into the most putrid prison in the land. Can James, a boy actor, and the bard himself think of a way to earn the Queen's forgiveness - and be freed? Don't miss www.teary-deary.com - the author's own fantastic website, with detailed information about all our books, plus others, about Terry as a writer, as well as extracts, quizzes, games and activities.
430 BC. Darius has been orphaned by the plague in Athens. To escape the sickness he runs off to join his Uncle Alcmaeon who is a general with the Spartan army. But he finds the Spartan way of life quite shocking. To the arrogant and ruthless Spartans, he is as worthless as a mouse. Then his uncle falls sick and only Darius can find a cure. Now Darius is a hero and his uncle offers him a life of luxury in Sparta. Still Darius finds the brutal Sparta too much and wants to go back to plague-stricken Athens. As Aesop said, 'Better beans and bacon in peace than cakes and ale in fear.'
The day Queen Mary Tudor - or 'Bloody Mary', as she's called, because she has anyone who doesn't go to church burned - came to town was the most terrifying day of young Meg's life. Everyone wants to impress Her Majesty, and what better way to show their devotion than by burning a witch themselves. But "the witch", Old Nan is more clever and cunning than the townspeople and in the end, she isn't the one who sparks the ferocious temper of the frightful Queen ...Don't miss www.teary-deary.com - the author's own fantastic website with detailed information about all our books, plus others, about Terry as a writer, as well as extracts, quizzes, games and activities.
From the bestselling author of Horrible Histories...
The Great Pyramid is a lively place to work. The only irritation is Antef, the fussy, bullying supervisor who makes everyone feel more like slaves than free workers. So, when Antef disappears, the workers are blamed. The only witness is yong Dafia. Can she decides to come up with a plan to clear the men's names?
Terry Deary's Egyptian Tales explore the world of Ancient Egypt through the eyes of children who could have lived at the time. These stories feature real people and take place in some of the most recognisable Egyptian settings. This new edition features notes for the reader to help extend learning and exploration of the historical period.
The Great Pyramid is a lively place to work. The only irritation is Antef, the fussy, bullying supervisor who makes everyone feel more like slaves than free workers. So, when Antef disappears, the workers are blamed. The only witness is yong Dafia. Can she decides to come up with a plan to clear the men's names?
Terry Deary's Egyptian Tales explore the world of Ancient Egypt through the eyes of children who could have lived at the time. These stories feature real people and take place in some of the most recognisable Egyptian settings. This new edition features notes for the reader to help extend learning and exploration of the historical period.
213 BC. The great inventor Archimedes has just one problem. His clumsy servant, young Lydia, is the bane of his life. But when the Romans besiege Syracuse, and the Greeks turn to Archimedes for help, it is young Lydia who always seems to come up with the answers. Of course Archimedes is a lion in the eyes of the folk of Syracuse. He takes all the credit, but that's life for a Greek girl slave. As Aesop said, 'You may share the labours of the great, but you will not share the rewards.'