Cleopatra, by Diane Stanley & Peter Vennema

Bibliographic Data
Stanley, Diane and Peter Vennema. 1994. Cleopatra. New York: William Morrow and Company. ISBN 0-688-10414-2

Summary
Cleopatra is the story of her tumultuous twenty-one years as Queen of Egypt, as well her famous romantic relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony.

Critical Analysis
The authors note at the beginning of the book that this information is more than 2000 years old, and that sometimes sources are hard to come by. Some records have been lost, and many others are likely to have been destroyed. In addition, some accounts are thought to be unreliable, such as accounts about Cleopatra written by her enemies. The most widely used source, Plutarch, is not without debate, including the fact that he lived 100 years after Cleopatra.

Though at first glance this is a picture book, it is not for younger students. The recommended ages are grades 3-6, but I would place that figure higher – perhaps grades 6-8. There are a lot of facts, unusual names, and relationships to follow, making it a more challenging read.

Though there is an abundance of information, the story of Cleopatra is well told. Stanley and Vennema take care to focus on Cleopatra’s great intelligence, charisma, and ambition, describing these as the true characteristics that attracted Caesar and Antony. They also take great care in describing her important relationships, and relevant background information, such as the assassination of Caesar and Octavian’s rise to power. Though these supplements seem to veer from the story, readers will see that they are in fact important to the era.

Stanley’s illustrations are magnificent. Created in jewel tones and drawn in great detail, the scenes and characters seem relevant and vibrant. It’s especially important for students to understand another era in a visual way, and this book makes it very clear.

Reviews
From BookList:
“An intriguing portrait.” – Carolyn Phelan, September 15, 1994, Copyright American Library Association.

Connections
This book is an interesting, quick read for young teenagers wishing to learn more about who Cleopatra. A related activity might be asking students their reaction to situations that the citizens of Rome and Alexandria did not like, such as placing a statue of Cleopatra in the temple, implying she was a goddess.


*****
Review found at the Carrollton Public Library website, http://cityofcarrollton.com/library/