Two thieves, caught stealing from an Egyptian market, are brought before the Cat Pharaoh, who agrees to pardon them if they bring back a treasure that was stolen from her, without taking anything else and without getting the precious Jewel Fish wet. Full color.

Reviews

Graeme Base’s latest picture book is a cautionary tale about avarice--with a puzzling, witty twist--in Ancient Egypt. It follows two thieves, Jackal and Ibis, on a quest to recover a magical Jewel Fish on behalf of the Cat Pharaoh. While stealing the treasure’s the easy part, heeding the Pharaoh’s warnings about taking care of the fish--and not stealing anything else--proves much harder. So when temptation gets the better of the greedy duo, and they end up losing the treasure in the Nile among a school of identical-looking fish, it’s up to the reader to uncover the right one. While the story plays second fiddle to the puzzle somewhat, its clever blend of hieroglyphics and code-cracking will enthral fans of Base’s similar books. The solution, which can only be found online (unavailable at time of reviewing), shows that Base is keen to push the boundaries of the picture book form into the digital realm, but also raises questions about the ultimate life of a work ‘concluding’ in cyberspace. For the time being, though, there’s plenty to keep readers aged eight and up entertained--not least Base’s sumptuous, velvety illustrations, here brilliantly matched to the Egyptian theme. Meredith Tate is a freelance proofreader, editor and reviewer who has worked for a children’s publisher