My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Dundurn Press. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

All of my kids went through an Egypt phase. I think I'm still in it.

This is a fun book for Egypt lovers. Sometimes the dialogue felt stilted because it was so formal, and some of the mummification descriptions are pretty intense. But most kids actually enjoy that sort of thing, so I'm not saying it's a bad thing (just ask any school librarian, and they'll confirm the spooky and gross things are constantly checked out).

I think kids will enjoy this book and the characters.

Happy reading!

The children of the Pharoh's royal physician are forced to fend for themselves after fleeing the palace when their parents are killed in a mysterious fire. They manage to steal food and Sesha acts as a snake charmer to earn money and distract others as Ky pick-pockets. One day their luck almost runs out when Ky is caught and they beg to be sent to an audience with the Pharoh.

Rather than being punished, the pharoh welcomes them back with a warm meal, bath, and place to stay. He charges Sesha with finding the lost scroll her father was working to scribe, in secret. Sesha is already determined to find the scroll because it may have a way to help her brother who is suffering with a brain issue that leads him to have seizures.

I liked the storyline, the history, and the characters. I think it would go along as an intro lesson in Egypt in 6th grade ELA and Social Studies lessons. It has the interesting parts; gods and goddesses, brains pulled out during mummification, and the mention of the few female physicians during a time when women were not allowed to have such positions in much of the known world. After reading we could discuss more "factual" aspects of Egyptian life and determine what was "real" and what is "literary license" in the story.

I was given the opportunity to read this book by NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* if this book came out when i was a child my mom totally would have gotten it for me! Really different for a middle grade book and i liked it

The Lost Scroll of the Physician is a thrilling, entertaining and well-researched children's book. Sesha is a heroine that young girls can look up to filled with spirit and and compassion for her brother Ky. The book tackles some fairly deep subjects as Sesha resumes her training as a scribe to try and find Imhotep's lost scroll which could have possibly gotten her father killed.

I really enjoyed this book! It was a bit overly technical and graphic (medical descriptions such as how people are mummified) at times and the ending a bit rushed but overall a fun, adventure book in the time of the Putin's!

Sesha and Ky, children of the pharaoh’s royal physician, are left charming snakes and stealing food to survive after a brutal fire takes their parents and their home.

I couldn't get into this book. I was very interested in Egyptology as a child, so I thought this would be right up my alley and something I could read with my child, but it never pulled me in. I may try it again later (I only made it about 40 pages in) but my first impressions were that it might not be for me.

I.think most kids go through an Ancient Egypt phase, and this middle grade adventure would be perfect for them! It has loads of information about daily life and medical practices in the Second Intermediate Period, worked in well to the narrative. As an adult, I don't think the plot and pacing were spectacular, and the dialogue is extremely clunky in places (it's very formal, and even children don't use contractions, which makes it feel stilted), but I know that despite these things I would have been fascinated with the history aspects as a child. It ends quite abruptly, without solving any of the major plot issues, so it would be good to have book 2 on hand if you're an impatient reader. I'd probably give this 3.5 stars if NetGalley allowed, but I'll round up for the sake of my nostalgia for my Ancient Egypt obsession!

After the tragic death of her parents, Sesha struggles to keep her brother Ky safe on the dangerous streets outside the comfort and safety of the palace walls. After their capture by palace guards, Sesha and Ky are surprised about the warm welcome they receive at the Palace. Convinced that her parents died over their knowledge of a secret scroll, Sesha sets out to discover it's hiding place and save her brother from his terminal medical condition.
With the exciting and intriguing backdrop of Ancient Egypt, I had high hopes for this adventure story starring a strong female lead character. Unfortunately, this book failed to capture my interest and I struggled to get through the first half of the book. The characters didn't feel interesting and the story just felt like it was lacking something.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own.

Title: The Lost Scroll of the Physician
Author: Alisha Sevigny
Release Date: 2.18.2020
Review Date: 2.3.2020
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Sesha and Ky, children of the pharaoh’s royal physician, are left charming snakes and stealing food to survive after a brutal fire takes their parents and their home. Unsure of whom to trust, the pair are found and brought back to the palace, despite misgivings that the royals are somehow involved in their parents’ deaths. Sesha is tasked with finding the rare and valuable medical document her father was transcribing for the pharaoh, who needs it urgently for his upcoming campaign.

This one was interesting to say the least. I liked the setting but I would have liked to know the characters a little better. How to review this. There was a detailed scene of embalming. I was really grossed out. I don't really have any other feelings about this. I find it really hard to review Middle Grade. This one was okay.

It's a cute story. The graphics are also cute. Definitely would recommend this to a much younger audience though. Or someone who have no clue what the ancient egypt is about.

Sesha and Ky have been living on the streets in ancient Egypt for a month after the tragic death of their parents in a suspicious fire. The father had been a doctor for the Pharaoh, and Sesha thinks that her father's translation of a scroll has put him in danger, which is bad because he felt the scroll had the cure for her brother's fluid on the brain. After they almost get in trouble, they are returned to the palace, where Ky returns to being friends with the Pharaoh's son, and Sesha is enrolled in the difficult physicians' program, where she is the only girl. She finds out that the government is interested in the scroll because they feel it has information that will help them heal soldiers more effectively in case of a war... and war is imminent. With the help of the princess, whom she is teaching to read, Sesha must try to locate the scroll and save not only her brother, but the entire kingdom.

Strengths: Ancient Egypt is part of the 6th grade social studies curriculum, but there are very few fictional books with that setting. This was a great length, had a bit of a mystery, and moved quickly. There were vaguely evil adults, good friends, and enough details about daily life to make this interesting.

Weaknesses: For some reason, I had trouble getting into this one. I think I wanted more details and (shockingly!) a more complex plot. It seemed a little simplistic, but that is actually great for my students when it comes to historical fiction, so it must just have been me.

What I really think: I'll purchase this, to add to McCaughrean's Casting the Gods Adrift, Rubalcaba's The Wadget Eye and A Place in the Sun, and Napoli's Lights on the Nile.

More like a 3'75. (ARC received in exchange for an honest review).

I've always been fascinated by Ancient Egypt and its gods and mythology. Therefore, I immediately felt drawn to this book. Even though it is a middle-grade, it does a very good job of depicting Ancient Egypt's day-to-day life. And what is more important, it does so without talking down to the reader, all the information is presented in a very natural and organic way.

I also really liked the characters: Sesha is a really smart and strong character, which I feel provides a good role model for any little girls reading this books. I also enjoyed the friendships that she ends up establishing with people her age but from quite different backgrounds.

So, the book has mystery, intrigue, mythology, great friendships and siblings relationships and it's a light and fun read with a well established setting that proves the author did her research. It's a very enjoyable read both for kids and for adults who enjoy middle.grade stories.

This was such a fun read! Honestly once I started, I couldn't put it down. The plot moves very quickly, and the two main characters are so brave and smart, I was rooting for them from the start. The setting is very interesting (8 year old me who was obsessed with Ancient Egypt would have devoured this...okay 27 year old me did anyway), and the author does a great job of putting you there with all the sight, smells, and everyday life of the time.

There's mystery, intrigue, and a great sibling relationship. This is going to be a new series to keep following, and I can't wait for the next installment!

This is the first book in a new series for middle graders that looks at life in Ancient Egypt.

Sesha is searching for a scroll her father was translating at the time that he and her mother were killed in a fire. The Pharoah wants this scroll, and allows Sesha to continue her training as a scribe while working to determine its whereabouts. But Sesha believe the scroll also holds a secret that might save her ailing brother. Can she find the scroll in time to save him, and before the Pharoah find it first for his own purposes.

This is a fast-paced story I had trouble putting down, though the fact that one of her room-mates is pregnant and asks Sesha to to be her midwife (after Sesha tells her how to find out if she's actually pregnant) makes it feel like an older middle grade story.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It has the feel of a young adult book, simple to read and is purely adventure. Loved the cover art. The characters are quite well done, well developed and have life to them. The author has done some background on life in Ancient Egypt and it comes across well. I would read others in the series and do recommend it.

This was an enjoyable, colorful story that goes into a lot of detail of how life was lived in the days of ancient Egypt. The detail was certainly very interesting to read about, and it seems the author has done extensive research. I was only surprised at the abrupt ending, but I suppose it makes sense, since it's a series (so I can't wait to read on!) About the only thing I felt lukewarm about was that although this was life in ancient Egypt, it essentially felt like life right now - even despite all the actually very informative details on tradition and various practices. Just the way people act and react was so modern. Although who knows - maybe people were always people just like us, you know?

I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.

The Last Scroll of the Physician captures the imagination. The reader is swept up in the fast-paced world of Sesha and her brother Ky as they struggle through tragedy and a mystery in an obscure time in Egyptian history. Prepare for a page turning adventure that opens your mind to possibility and the opportunity to get excited about history. Take the plunge.

**Disclaimer: I was given an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

This is such a fun book that I wish had been around when I was younger, as I don't recall reading a lot of exciting children's historical fiction. You can tell Alisha Sevigny put a lot of time and effort into researching Ancient Egyptian practices for her story to feel authentic.

PROS:
+ female heroine who takes control of her own destiny/story
+ sibling story


CONS:
- minor grammatical/typing errors
- some of the history explanations seem regurgitated from a textbook instead of simplified and easier to read for your generic reader

I enjoyed reading this! I haven't heard of the author or this book before, but I ended up enjoying it!