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Seeker of Knowledge: The Man Who Discovered Egyptian Hieroglyphs
To a child, the future is a magnificent dream. For Jean-Francois Champollion, the dream was to sail up the Nile in Egypt and uncover the secrets of the past. In 1802, when Champollion was eleven years old, he vowed to be the first person to read Egypt's ancient hieroglyphs. He faced great challenges over the next twenty years as he searched for the elusive key to the mysterious writing—and the fulfillment of his dreams.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published April 24, 2000
20 people are currently reading
382 people want to read
About the author
James Rumford
76 books35 followersI have been writing, illustrating, and designing children's books since 1996. I am on the verge of self-publishing through books that are printed on demand and via the internet. For more on my children's books, see my website: http://www.jamesrumford.com. I also have a blog about writing and illustrating children's books at http://www.calabashcat.blogspot.com. Besides commercially published books, I run a private letter press company and do limited-edition, handmade books. See more at http://www.manoapress.com. I am interested in foreign languages and in poetry. See my blog "Horace et al." at http://www.jasrumford.blogspot.com. I live in Honolulu with my wife.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
August 18, 2020
Author/illustrator James Rumford turns to the fascinating subject of Jean-François Champollion, the man who first deciphered the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic writing system, in this engaging work of picture-book biography. Emphasizing the fascination that Egypt held for Champollion, who lived during the Napoleonic era, the narrative here describes his determination to decode this mysterious writing system. As the world around him was convulsed with contemporaneous conflict, he was preoccupied with the ancient world, and with his quest to discover its secrets...
Having greatly enjoyed Rumford's Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing , which told the story of another great man, one who invented a writing system, I was interested to pick up Seeker of Knowledge: The Man Who Deciphered Egyptian Hieroglyphs, which chronicles the life story of someone who decoded a writing system. I'm always amazed at the incredible amount of persistence and hard work that such people must possess, in order to increase the store of human knowledge, and I greatly appreciated how Rumford highlighted these qualities, in his eponymous subject's life. I enjoyed the watercolor illustrations here, and the way in which Egyptian hieroglyphs were worked into the narrative. Strongly recommended to all picture-book readers fascinated by Ancient Egypt, and by the idea of decoding forgotten languages.
Having greatly enjoyed Rumford's Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing , which told the story of another great man, one who invented a writing system, I was interested to pick up Seeker of Knowledge: The Man Who Deciphered Egyptian Hieroglyphs, which chronicles the life story of someone who decoded a writing system. I'm always amazed at the incredible amount of persistence and hard work that such people must possess, in order to increase the store of human knowledge, and I greatly appreciated how Rumford highlighted these qualities, in his eponymous subject's life. I enjoyed the watercolor illustrations here, and the way in which Egyptian hieroglyphs were worked into the narrative. Strongly recommended to all picture-book readers fascinated by Ancient Egypt, and by the idea of decoding forgotten languages.
October 2, 2011
I’ve always loved Egyptian Hieroglyphs, and have read books about them and had (and given as gifts) kits with rubber stamps, and other hieroglyphs projects. Reading this book, I find it truly amazing that these symbols/this writing were able to be deciphered.
Throughout the book and on a page at the end, there are various hieroglyphs. Having them included was crucial for this book. The ones interspersed with the story did break up the story a bit, but it was worth it to have them there.
What’s wonderfully inspiring about this story is it’s about a real boy/man, who from an early age, had a dream and determination to decipher hieroglyphs. How he persisted and succeeded makes for a thrilling story, and quite a bit of general history information is given too.
Along with the hieroglyphs, the illustrations here contribute immeasurably to the book; I really enjoyed them.
It’s quite an amazing story, made all the more impressive given that somebody’s lifelong dream came true, with hard work and never giving up. It’s a good story for kids to read (or have read to them), for if they have dreams they might feel confidence in going after them, and if they don’t have dreams they might give thought to developing one or more for themselves. It’s a particularly good book for children who are fascinated with hieroglyphs and Egyptian history, history in general, writing and language.
Throughout the book and on a page at the end, there are various hieroglyphs. Having them included was crucial for this book. The ones interspersed with the story did break up the story a bit, but it was worth it to have them there.
What’s wonderfully inspiring about this story is it’s about a real boy/man, who from an early age, had a dream and determination to decipher hieroglyphs. How he persisted and succeeded makes for a thrilling story, and quite a bit of general history information is given too.
Along with the hieroglyphs, the illustrations here contribute immeasurably to the book; I really enjoyed them.
It’s quite an amazing story, made all the more impressive given that somebody’s lifelong dream came true, with hard work and never giving up. It’s a good story for kids to read (or have read to them), for if they have dreams they might feel confidence in going after them, and if they don’t have dreams they might give thought to developing one or more for themselves. It’s a particularly good book for children who are fascinated with hieroglyphs and Egyptian history, history in general, writing and language.
September 2, 2022
5 stars for capturing the attention of my 4 and 6 year olds. They loved the story of Jean-Francois Champollion.
We were watching a video later that week, and the story of Jean-Francois’ discovery was mentioned briefly, and both children recognized the connection to our “Seeker of Knowledge” immediately. This book makes his story memorable and relatable and helps the kids make those connections/relations both to his time and to the ancient Egyptian period he loved, so it gets 5 stars from me for sure.
We were watching a video later that week, and the story of Jean-Francois’ discovery was mentioned briefly, and both children recognized the connection to our “Seeker of Knowledge” immediately. This book makes his story memorable and relatable and helps the kids make those connections/relations both to his time and to the ancient Egyptian period he loved, so it gets 5 stars from me for sure.
July 19, 2021
Seeker of Knowledge: The Man Who Deciphered Egyptian Hieroglyphs is a children's picture book written and illustrated by James Rumford. It is a tale of heroic perseverance and discovery of Jean-François Champollion.
Jean-François Champollion was a French scholar, philologist, and orientalist, known primarily as the decipherer of Egyptian hieroglyphs and a founding figure in the field of Egyptology.
Rumford's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Rumford etches his lucid prose with lyrical descriptions. Occasional hieroglyphs are inserted in the text but are too simplistic to intrigue readers. An afterword provides further information, and a chart of a couple dozen hieroglyphic words offers a glimpse of the translation process. Elegant watercolors offer pivotal views of the determined young Frenchman from his initial boyhood interest in Egypt to his deciphering of Egyptian hieroglyphs.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Jean-François Champollion, the early-19th-century amateur scholar who first deciphered hieroglyphs, will fire the imagination. It offer pivotal views of the determined young Frenchman, from his initial boyhood interest in Egypt through the years of solo study while teaching school in Grenoble, to his meeting with Napoleon, with whom he shared a passion for Egypt, his eventual breakthrough in 1822 and, finally, his expedition up the Nile.
All in all, Seeker of Knowledge: The Man Who Deciphered Egyptian Hieroglyphs is a wonderful biography of a child who followed and fulfilled his dreams of being the first person to read Egyptian hieroglyphics.
Jean-François Champollion was a French scholar, philologist, and orientalist, known primarily as the decipherer of Egyptian hieroglyphs and a founding figure in the field of Egyptology.
Rumford's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Rumford etches his lucid prose with lyrical descriptions. Occasional hieroglyphs are inserted in the text but are too simplistic to intrigue readers. An afterword provides further information, and a chart of a couple dozen hieroglyphic words offers a glimpse of the translation process. Elegant watercolors offer pivotal views of the determined young Frenchman from his initial boyhood interest in Egypt to his deciphering of Egyptian hieroglyphs.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Jean-François Champollion, the early-19th-century amateur scholar who first deciphered hieroglyphs, will fire the imagination. It offer pivotal views of the determined young Frenchman, from his initial boyhood interest in Egypt through the years of solo study while teaching school in Grenoble, to his meeting with Napoleon, with whom he shared a passion for Egypt, his eventual breakthrough in 1822 and, finally, his expedition up the Nile.
All in all, Seeker of Knowledge: The Man Who Deciphered Egyptian Hieroglyphs is a wonderful biography of a child who followed and fulfilled his dreams of being the first person to read Egyptian hieroglyphics.
July 8, 2018
Very pretty and interesting child's book
Visually appealing, watercolor painting and hieroglyphs. Short read that fits in with the study of the Ancient world, obviously Egypt.
Visually appealing, watercolor painting and hieroglyphs. Short read that fits in with the study of the Ancient world, obviously Egypt.
May 26, 2021
Interesting story about how the secrets of the Egyptian language and form of writing was figured out. We would have loved a few more details on the process.
May 27, 2011
It was OK. I can't believe that on the back it says that even the must reluctant reader would beg to read it. All it did was talk about Jean-Francois Champollion and some about hieroglyphs and I am not interested in hieroglyphs.
August 17, 2015
Pre-read for CC1 and the study of Egypt. My boy is very fascinated with all things Egyptian.
May 3, 2019
This book is a pleasant and surprisingly instructive children's book on the life of Jean-Françios Champollion. To be sure, there is some oversimplification here, as the author focuses on Champollion and not on the context of his life. But seriously, this is a children's book, and there is going to be some simplification here. In reading a book like this it does not work to be hard on those matters that are not included in this book, which would include the subject's possible illegitimate birth, his terrible temper, and so on. What this book does cover, it covers well, and it provides the sort of encouraging support when it comes to the creativity and curiosity of young people that it is rather churlish to hold it to the standards of documentary evidence that one would expect of books written to adults with a great deal of history in mind. This book reminds me a lot of the illustrated classics I read as a kid that had a lot of pictures and that helped to inspire my own interest in books that were perhaps a bit higher than my reading level and if this book inspires people to study or develop an interest in ancient languages, that is all the better.
This book is a short one, gorgeously illustrated, that begins with a simple enough premise, that the young Champillion dreamed of going to Egypt and exploring its mysteries, and moreover that this dream (spoiler alert) came true. The book has a fair amount to say about Egypt and about Champillion's life. We see the youth of Champillion in the age of Napoleon, the encouragement to study Egypt because the language was not understood, as well as some of the difficulty the young man had with authorities in the field who did not take the enfant terrible very seriously. The book discusses the problems Champillion had to deal with after Napoleon's defeat given his support of the Corsican. The author discusses Champillion's research as well as a supposed "eureka" moment where he could read one of the names, with its farrago of signs for letters, pictures, syllables, and determinatives. The author even tastefully deals with the poor health of Champillion as well as his eventual trip to Egypt where he was able to fulfill his childhood dream of exploring it and understanding at least some of its mysteries.
Perhaps the most telling part of this book is the way that it includes some of the hieroglyphics within the text as a way of helping the reader to understand at least a little bit about ancient Egyptian. One wonders how it is that the Egyptians came up with such an awkward system of writing as the hieroglyphs, and how it was that logograms, syllabaries, and letters were all confused together. Be that as it may, Champillion was, after numerous false starts and some initially misguided ideas, able to decipher the text and bring Egyptian writings to the light and to contemporary understanding. He was greatly helped through the insights of other researchers as well as through his own knowledge and passionate interest in the Coptic language as well, in a similar fashion to the way that Linear B was deciphered by people who were passionate about ancient Greek and to the richness of ancient history. As someone who wishes that it would be possible to understand Etruscan as well as find some sort of written language for Old Europe, this book is definitely something that I can appreciate for what it is and for what it may be for future generations of curious and linguistically talented young people.
This book is a short one, gorgeously illustrated, that begins with a simple enough premise, that the young Champillion dreamed of going to Egypt and exploring its mysteries, and moreover that this dream (spoiler alert) came true. The book has a fair amount to say about Egypt and about Champillion's life. We see the youth of Champillion in the age of Napoleon, the encouragement to study Egypt because the language was not understood, as well as some of the difficulty the young man had with authorities in the field who did not take the enfant terrible very seriously. The book discusses the problems Champillion had to deal with after Napoleon's defeat given his support of the Corsican. The author discusses Champillion's research as well as a supposed "eureka" moment where he could read one of the names, with its farrago of signs for letters, pictures, syllables, and determinatives. The author even tastefully deals with the poor health of Champillion as well as his eventual trip to Egypt where he was able to fulfill his childhood dream of exploring it and understanding at least some of its mysteries.
Perhaps the most telling part of this book is the way that it includes some of the hieroglyphics within the text as a way of helping the reader to understand at least a little bit about ancient Egyptian. One wonders how it is that the Egyptians came up with such an awkward system of writing as the hieroglyphs, and how it was that logograms, syllabaries, and letters were all confused together. Be that as it may, Champillion was, after numerous false starts and some initially misguided ideas, able to decipher the text and bring Egyptian writings to the light and to contemporary understanding. He was greatly helped through the insights of other researchers as well as through his own knowledge and passionate interest in the Coptic language as well, in a similar fashion to the way that Linear B was deciphered by people who were passionate about ancient Greek and to the richness of ancient history. As someone who wishes that it would be possible to understand Etruscan as well as find some sort of written language for Old Europe, this book is definitely something that I can appreciate for what it is and for what it may be for future generations of curious and linguistically talented young people.
July 15, 2019
Seeker of Knowledge: The Man Who Deciphered Egyptian Hieroglyphs (Rise and Shine) [Kindle Unlimited]— James Rumford (0 chapters/picture book) July 12, 2019
This is a picture book I read on my tablet, with the words on the actual page written clearly below the page in tablet style. Kind of hard to explain, but the text was blurry and hard to read. However, the pictures on the pages are clear. [NOTE: I discovered afterwards that clicking on the text zooms up the actual words, which is great, but the redundancy of the actual text and the kindle text is still confusing.] This technically might not be considered a picture-book, but that's where I'm putting it.
This was a biography on Jean-François Champollion who became the first person to figure out the letters in the Egyptian Hieroglyphs. It was easy to understand, short and mostly fun to read. There were actual hieroglyphs on each page which the author explained what they meant.
I think most young readers who enjoy history will like this book, but I recommend either a large tablet reader or the actual picture book.
Two stars.
This is a picture book I read on my tablet, with the words on the actual page written clearly below the page in tablet style. Kind of hard to explain, but the text was blurry and hard to read. However, the pictures on the pages are clear. [NOTE: I discovered afterwards that clicking on the text zooms up the actual words, which is great, but the redundancy of the actual text and the kindle text is still confusing.] This technically might not be considered a picture-book, but that's where I'm putting it.
This was a biography on Jean-François Champollion who became the first person to figure out the letters in the Egyptian Hieroglyphs. It was easy to understand, short and mostly fun to read. There were actual hieroglyphs on each page which the author explained what they meant.
I think most young readers who enjoy history will like this book, but I recommend either a large tablet reader or the actual picture book.
Two stars.
March 3, 2018
Even more than a story of cracking the heiroglyphic code, Seeker of Knowledge is a story of the passion and perseverence of a man who "would not rest until he had found the answer" to his question. This, in and of itself, is a wonderful lesson for all children. The story also brings the life of Jean-Francois Champollion and his amazing accomplishment to life through concise prose and superb watercolor illustrations. Certain heiroglyphs in the margins and supporting texts are also lovely (e.g. "there is a long-necked far-seeing giraffe in 'predict'"). My only criticism is that some of the heirogliphs in the body text seemed to be randomly dispersed. I would have preferred to see a consolidated chart of certain heiroglyphs and their associated sounds and meanings at the end of the book.
January 5, 2019
Gorgeous paintings and well-researched writing tell the tale of the decipherer of Egyptian Hieroglyphics, Jean-Francois Champollion. Why don't more teachers share about this young man's 21-year journey that began when he was just 11 years old....What a perfect example of You Can Achieve What You Set Your Heart To! He even almost DIED trying to figure out the ancient code (due to lack of eating). MUST reading for all teachers who teach ancient Egypt. I wish I had known about this book 18 years ago when it was first published!
March 30, 2021
This is a wonderful biographical picture book for kids who are interested in or learning about Egyptology—I think all children find hieroglyphs appealing (hello, picture-language!) The text is not too dense and is very engaging, the illustrations are attractive, and hieroglyphs are incorporated throughout—inset within the text and also as little "asides." This would go very well with a hieroglyph activity for elementary students.
April 2, 2022
I was mesmerized from the very first page with the tale of the god Thoth and how his language was created, and then lost for centuries. To the rescue comes a young French lad in the 1800's, fascinated with ancient Egypt and the mystery of hieroglyphics. His lifelong passion and study eventually unlock the mystery of this forgotten language and brings it back into the light of the modern world. A great read for any young Egyptian fan.
October 29, 2018
Still Curios
I chose this book because of curiosity in my ancestors way of communication. I liked the history of his and who the man was who discovered the deciphering of Hieroglyphics. What I didn't like was my thought of being able to learn how to write it myself. I don't think I'm going to recommend this book.. But, then again other title is exactly what I have learned.
I chose this book because of curiosity in my ancestors way of communication. I liked the history of his and who the man was who discovered the deciphering of Hieroglyphics. What I didn't like was my thought of being able to learn how to write it myself. I don't think I'm going to recommend this book.. But, then again other title is exactly what I have learned.
April 16, 2019
My 9 year old enjoyed this book much more than me. It’s a good edition to Egypt studies but not my favorites
July 7, 2021
This is an excellent read-aloud for our homeschool study of Ancient Egypt. It's great for all ages.
September 24, 2021
An inspirational story about the man who dedicated his short life to Egyptology and cracked the code of the Rosetta Stone.
July 3, 2023
The pictures were very nice and I liked the book.
October 15, 2024
Neat story about a boy who believed he could figure out the heiroglyphs, and then did as a man. Full circle determination and a brother who believed in him helped him realize his dreams.
March 19, 2025
Cute teaching picture book on hieroglyphics and the man who translated them.
September 17, 2025
4.5 stars. great book. absolutely nothing wrong with it. Just not a repeat book
Want to read
October 21, 2025okay
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2017
Beautiful illustrations.
April 27, 2015
Personal Reaction - I like this book very much because of its theme. This is a biography of Champollion who was a linguist and amateur of ancient scripts. Personally, I am very interested in ancient scripts. My family sometimes went to museums to see different ancient scripts. From the experiences, I could learn about ancient scripts as well as its history. It's one of my best childhood memories.
Purposes-I would recommend this book to second graders of elementary school for several potential purposes:
- As second graders have learned English since their first year in school, to extend their interests in language, this book would be helpful. Also, this book would help them understand that people from different countries and periods use different languages.
- As ancients scripts are very unique and they are like drawings, children would enjoy seeing those scripts.
- The illustrations are based on watercolor paintings. Their lyrical painting complement the spare very well. Also, the watercolors make the mood of this book ver smooth and soft, thus it would encourage children to feel more comfortable as well as enhance their imaginations.
- At the beginning and the end of this book, instead of using one color page like other books, this book contains ancient scripts. When children open this book, they will see the ancient script on the first page, and it would encourage their interest. Also, when they finish reading this book and see the ancient script on the last page, they would keep extending their imaginations and thoughts.
- This book uses ancient words in the between of each sentence. For example, it has an ancient word, running, in the sentence. "Jean-Francois raced down the street to his brother's office." It would help children to understand its meaning.
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Purposes-I would recommend this book to second graders of elementary school for several potential purposes:
- As second graders have learned English since their first year in school, to extend their interests in language, this book would be helpful. Also, this book would help them understand that people from different countries and periods use different languages.
- As ancients scripts are very unique and they are like drawings, children would enjoy seeing those scripts.
- The illustrations are based on watercolor paintings. Their lyrical painting complement the spare very well. Also, the watercolors make the mood of this book ver smooth and soft, thus it would encourage children to feel more comfortable as well as enhance their imaginations.
- At the beginning and the end of this book, instead of using one color page like other books, this book contains ancient scripts. When children open this book, they will see the ancient script on the first page, and it would encourage their interest. Also, when they finish reading this book and see the ancient script on the last page, they would keep extending their imaginations and thoughts.
- This book uses ancient words in the between of each sentence. For example, it has an ancient word, running, in the sentence. "Jean-Francois raced down the street to his brother's office." It would help children to understand its meaning.
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October 23, 2011
Seeker of Knowledge is a picturebook biography of Jean-Francois Champollion, the first person to decipher ancient Egyptian script. Jean-Francois first dreamed of decoding Egyptian hieroglyphs as an eleven-year-old living during the time of Napoleon’s tours through Egypt. Without overwhelming the young reader, the story gives accurate details of Jean-Francois’ life culminating in his successful solving of the hieroglyphics and subsequent travels to Egypt. The pictures are a gentle supplement to Champollion’s story throughout and eventually spark children’s interest in further exploration of hieroglyphs.
The book is appropriate for a varied range of children, and can be read-aloud to interested new readers or read independently by elementary students. As an elementary teacher, I recommend this book because it sheds light onto the history of our written language, fosters energy for big dreams, and encourages children to believe they can accomplish what they hope for. Seeker of Knowledge also serves to segue into further study of biography for the older elementary student.
The book is appropriate for a varied range of children, and can be read-aloud to interested new readers or read independently by elementary students. As an elementary teacher, I recommend this book because it sheds light onto the history of our written language, fosters energy for big dreams, and encourages children to believe they can accomplish what they hope for. Seeker of Knowledge also serves to segue into further study of biography for the older elementary student.
July 23, 2011
I can't believe how much I've learned about hieroglyphs and Napoleonic France from reading this book. To begin with, I was completely unaware when it came to Egyptology before this. I never had an interest, but after reading this I am completely enthralled with it. I never imagined that this would be so illuminating. I didn't know that the Rosetta Stone came from Rosetta, Egypt. I thought that it came from the Middle East. Guess it just goes to show how little I really knew about the topic. I was fascinated by the rebellion of the French people against friends of Napoleon after his defeat at Waterloo. It's like the French Revolution all over again. What an amazing guy he must have been. I really enjoyed this book. I recommend it to anyone with the time to get through it.
July 15, 2011
Along the Nile River, the ibis bird uses it's long curved bill to search for food. In ancient Egypt, the ibis was sacred to the god Thoth, who also had a long, curved bill. Bur instead of searching fir food, Thoth searched for knowledge. According to legend, Thoth gave the ancient Egyptians pictures to use for writing. With the gift if writing, the Egyptians became seekers if knowledge, too.
For three thousand years, the Egyptians wrote about their world, covering their temples with words, filling their libraries with books. Then invaders came and destroyed Egypt, and the pictures called hieroglyphs were forgotten.
For three thousand years, the Egyptians wrote about their world, covering their temples with words, filling their libraries with books. Then invaders came and destroyed Egypt, and the pictures called hieroglyphs were forgotten.
January 6, 2015
My kids were fascinated by this story. Jean-Franscios is a French youth during the time of the Revolution who falls in love with Egyptian culture and specifically hieroglyphics. He is obsessed by them, and wants to solve the mystery of the writing. After the discovery of the Rosetta Stone and progress in this feat by others, Jean-Franscois finally cracks the code.
The book also has hieroglyphics on almost every page, explanations of how they fit into different words. Reading this sent my boys to their notebooks to try and draw and create their own drawings of ancient writings.
The book also has hieroglyphics on almost every page, explanations of how they fit into different words. Reading this sent my boys to their notebooks to try and draw and create their own drawings of ancient writings.
December 9, 2013
Very good (and sometimes dramatic) picture book about how Jean-Francois Champollion came to decipher ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs and publish the first translation of the Rosetta Stone.
My 6 year old enjoyed acting out this part:
Jean-Francois raced down the street to his brother's office. He burst through the door exclaiming, "I have the key!" Then he collapsed. He had not eaten. He had not slept. For five days, he lay near death. On the fifth day, he awoke. "Pen and paper," he whispered, and he wrote of his discovery to the world.
My 6 year old enjoyed acting out this part:
Jean-Francois raced down the street to his brother's office. He burst through the door exclaiming, "I have the key!" Then he collapsed. He had not eaten. He had not slept. For five days, he lay near death. On the fifth day, he awoke. "Pen and paper," he whispered, and he wrote of his discovery to the world.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews