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Ten Little Mummies
Ten little mummies become bored with staying in a room together all day, but when they go outside to play, they seem to disappear, one by one.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published September 15, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
April 24, 2021
A swell counting book about ten little mummies who prove that death is only the beginning by having some fun in the hot Egyptian sun. From the nifty factoids printed on the endpapers, to the fun ways the mummies "disappear," this is a joy from beginning to end. With simple but delightful illustrations by one of my favorites - G. Brian Karas.
April 19, 2019
I thought this rhyming kid’s book was cute. It begins with ten little mummies deep underground in an old tomb and they are basically bored. One of them suggested that they go outside and play and thence, the countdown begins as one-by-one the group of ten dwindles down. I liked the variety and the unique ways the mummies disappear for example: one gets heat stroke, one tries to paint the Sphinx, one gets adopted by baboons, one gets unraveled, and then, one ropes a hippo and takes a ride, plus there are many others. The ending is funny and cute too. The illustrations are comical, colorful and entertaining to look at. A fun book to read.
November 7, 2012
My 4 year old son LOVED this book. We read it every day, and he actually had the entire book memorized in 4-5 days. The story was very clever, it had a great rhythm to it and was humorous. We actually ended up buying it since we had initially checked it out at the library. This is a great book for children learning to count and/or learning to read. Very cute book!!
June 14, 2012
Why are you OUT OF PRINT? Why? You were so great. So funny. I miss you, my dearest mummy counting story. May you be preserved in your mummy cloth until resurected with a reprint. Until then, I will not forget you.
September 12, 2016
Oy, not a good book!
February 26, 2018
This book is about 10 mummies that get bored in their tomb and decide they want to go out. With each activity the mummies do at least one mummy always gets hurt. One suffers heat stroke, and one even gets arrested for painting a sphinx. I thought this book was super cute. I would use it as a fun book in a Halloween unit. I also enjoyed that it had actual facts about Egypt in the front.
November 4, 2017
Meh. It appealed tot he kids, but I din't like it at all. It made no sense to my adult brain. Arrested for graffiti? Adopted by baboons? And yet there's all somehow together again at the end? Sorry. Just didn't work for me.
September 28, 2017
this is a cute little counting book. perfect rhyming and flows right off the tongue. My son is loving this book and making me read it every night lol
October 17, 2018
Hilarious and creative reasons for the mummies to “disappear!” Facts about ancient Egypt included on the inside covers.
March 6, 2019
so adorable. loved the desert references and the way the mummies disappeared then all reappeared at the end. and they counted down.
November 3, 2019
A silly, funny Halloween counting book. The kids loved it.
November 6, 2021
This was really cute, if historically inaccurate. Excellent rhyming. Perfect for my mummy curious preschooler.
April 22, 2025
Kids enjoyed. I felt like it was meh but still a good extra read during our egypt unit
August 16, 2025
Nothing I love more than a picture book that's just a little morbid <333
September 28, 2020
Ten little mummies teach counting from ten to one.
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August 4, 2022Cute little counting book about some mummies that decide its to boring in their tomb and want to play. Has rhyme to it.
Note to self - your copy has some water damage on the top of the pages.
Note to self - your copy has some water damage on the top of the pages.
November 6, 2012
1.This book belongs to the Counting book category for picture books.
2.Ten little mummies are wrapped up in their tomb but they are bored! They decide to go out and play, but one by one they disappear because of crocodiles, heat stroke, sandstorms and more. The last mummy is sad and goes back to the tomb, but is surprised when all her friends are there!
3.Critique:
A)One of the best parts of the book, in my opinion, is that this counting story has a complete plot.
B)This book does not simply count down from 10 to 1 with pictures of different items, instead readers are taken through the world of Egypt as the mummies experience their fun day. The story is simple and it introduces the readers to a simple plot all while counting. The inclusion of an actual plot in this counting book allows the story to go further than just counting and lets the readers connect with the fun things the mummies are doing. The opening of the story is that the mummies are bored. They decide to leave the tomb to have fun, and the things they do consist of the rising action and of course the small crises as the mummies are lost. Then the climax comes when there is only one sad mummy left. Finally, the falling action and resolution occur because all of the mummies have returned and are there to have fun again the next day! Since the story has a plot and is more than just counting, students are more likely to retain the knowledge and remember the story which will help their overall counting ability.
C)On page 5, the mummies have just left the tomb and begin to have fun. On this page, the sun is beating down and the mummies are dancing around, but one of the mummies gets really hot and suffers from heat stroke. The text says, “One suffered heat stroke and ran from the sun.” We don’t know exactly where he goes, but the reader finds out on the next page, there are only 9 mummies left! On page 7, “One swam away from a big crocodile.” So now when we turn the page we know there are only 8 left. The book continues to follow the fun the mummies are having as the plot unfolds. Finally, the crisis comes, there is only one sad mummy left, but not to worry, the story is resolved as all the mummies have found their way back to the tomb to have more fun the next day!
4.This book is adorable and kids are sure to love it. It would be a great introductory book for learning about Ancient Egypt; the facts are not plentiful or in detail but they are there and could spark the children’s interest in learning about ancient Egypt. The book focuses on counting and is perfect for children who are working to count backwards. It is similar to the style of the well known song Ten Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, so it could be used in conjunction with that to help the students learn to recognize how to count backwards. This book would be great to have the students make a puppet show to as well. Mummy puppets could be easily made as finger puppets or using popsicle sticks! The students could also write a variation of this book using facts about Virginia or their favorite place as a writing activity. This book could also be compared with a non-fiction picture book about Mummies or Ancient Egypt and the students could begin to learn about fact versus fiction! Finally, for young students, at the very end of the book, addition is introduced!
2.Ten little mummies are wrapped up in their tomb but they are bored! They decide to go out and play, but one by one they disappear because of crocodiles, heat stroke, sandstorms and more. The last mummy is sad and goes back to the tomb, but is surprised when all her friends are there!
3.Critique:
A)One of the best parts of the book, in my opinion, is that this counting story has a complete plot.
B)This book does not simply count down from 10 to 1 with pictures of different items, instead readers are taken through the world of Egypt as the mummies experience their fun day. The story is simple and it introduces the readers to a simple plot all while counting. The inclusion of an actual plot in this counting book allows the story to go further than just counting and lets the readers connect with the fun things the mummies are doing. The opening of the story is that the mummies are bored. They decide to leave the tomb to have fun, and the things they do consist of the rising action and of course the small crises as the mummies are lost. Then the climax comes when there is only one sad mummy left. Finally, the falling action and resolution occur because all of the mummies have returned and are there to have fun again the next day! Since the story has a plot and is more than just counting, students are more likely to retain the knowledge and remember the story which will help their overall counting ability.
C)On page 5, the mummies have just left the tomb and begin to have fun. On this page, the sun is beating down and the mummies are dancing around, but one of the mummies gets really hot and suffers from heat stroke. The text says, “One suffered heat stroke and ran from the sun.” We don’t know exactly where he goes, but the reader finds out on the next page, there are only 9 mummies left! On page 7, “One swam away from a big crocodile.” So now when we turn the page we know there are only 8 left. The book continues to follow the fun the mummies are having as the plot unfolds. Finally, the crisis comes, there is only one sad mummy left, but not to worry, the story is resolved as all the mummies have found their way back to the tomb to have more fun the next day!
4.This book is adorable and kids are sure to love it. It would be a great introductory book for learning about Ancient Egypt; the facts are not plentiful or in detail but they are there and could spark the children’s interest in learning about ancient Egypt. The book focuses on counting and is perfect for children who are working to count backwards. It is similar to the style of the well known song Ten Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, so it could be used in conjunction with that to help the students learn to recognize how to count backwards. This book would be great to have the students make a puppet show to as well. Mummy puppets could be easily made as finger puppets or using popsicle sticks! The students could also write a variation of this book using facts about Virginia or their favorite place as a writing activity. This book could also be compared with a non-fiction picture book about Mummies or Ancient Egypt and the students could begin to learn about fact versus fiction! Finally, for young students, at the very end of the book, addition is introduced!
November 28, 2011
1. Concept Picture Book—Counting
2. Little mummies are stuck in a tomb, bored. They decide to go out and play; however, with each activity, mummies disappear one at a time.
3. A. Age Appropriate
B. This is a pretty advanced number book in that it alludes to Egyptian history, which may not be familiar to young students learning to count. Because of this, I think this book would be better read aloud as to incorporate discussion. I, personally, didn’t even know what “hijinks” meant and had to look it up on dictionary.com (this website did not have a clear definition either). Moreover, it includes simple mathematics, subtracting and adding one.
C. Starting with the end papers, jokes alongside Egyptian facts are written on the blocks of a pyramid. Some may be hard for a young reader to understand. For example, “Want to know how big the Great Pyramid really is? If you broke the Great Pyramid into rods about 2 ½ inches square and joined them together into one long rod, you could climb all the way to the moon.” This fact includes abstract thinking. Students learning to count are not normally at that stage of thinking yet. Moreover, within the book are words that would probably need discussion such as “Nile,” “hijinks,” and “sphinx.”
The book is a countdown book, so readers are exposed to counting from ten to one. Then specific addition is highlighted in “9 little mummies and 1 more is 10.”
4. Though it is a fun counting book, I would recommend this book to young students who are learning about Egypt. Like I said above, this book has great opportunities for discussion. Hence, reading it would be a great preparatory activity.
2. Little mummies are stuck in a tomb, bored. They decide to go out and play; however, with each activity, mummies disappear one at a time.
3. A. Age Appropriate
B. This is a pretty advanced number book in that it alludes to Egyptian history, which may not be familiar to young students learning to count. Because of this, I think this book would be better read aloud as to incorporate discussion. I, personally, didn’t even know what “hijinks” meant and had to look it up on dictionary.com (this website did not have a clear definition either). Moreover, it includes simple mathematics, subtracting and adding one.
C. Starting with the end papers, jokes alongside Egyptian facts are written on the blocks of a pyramid. Some may be hard for a young reader to understand. For example, “Want to know how big the Great Pyramid really is? If you broke the Great Pyramid into rods about 2 ½ inches square and joined them together into one long rod, you could climb all the way to the moon.” This fact includes abstract thinking. Students learning to count are not normally at that stage of thinking yet. Moreover, within the book are words that would probably need discussion such as “Nile,” “hijinks,” and “sphinx.”
The book is a countdown book, so readers are exposed to counting from ten to one. Then specific addition is highlighted in “9 little mummies and 1 more is 10.”
4. Though it is a fun counting book, I would recommend this book to young students who are learning about Egypt. Like I said above, this book has great opportunities for discussion. Hence, reading it would be a great preparatory activity.
October 16, 2012
1. Counting
2. Ten Little Mummies follows the adventures of ten bored mummies who decide to go explore outside their tomb. The title chronicles their experiences and (mis)adventures.
3. Critique:
a. Rhyming
b. I liked that the author used rhyme to keep the reader interested in the mummies’ adventures. The rhyme combined with the loss of a mummy on each adventure builds the overall intrigue of an otherwise mild story. Children would take pleasure in speculating how the next mummy will get thrown from the tale. The rhyme also adds a fun pace to the narrative.
c. A good example of rhyme used in the story is on the fifth page when the author writes “8 little mummies committed hijinks. One was arrested for painting the sphinx.” This introduces a more sophisticated rhyme to the children. They are sure to wonder what these words mean. It could be a great place to stop and practice using context clues based on the pictures. The class could discuss details in the picture that might help them to figure out what these words mean using higher level thinking skills.
5. The students could be instructed to make their own rhyme counting down from ten using anything as the main characters. Another project could be to use toilet paper to dress the students up as mummies. They could then be taught symbol math problems by adding and subtracting each other. Students could think of their own examples of humorous ways the mummies can get lost in the story. There are numerous facts about Ancient Egypt in the book, and it could be a great resource for older children learning about this area.
2. Ten Little Mummies follows the adventures of ten bored mummies who decide to go explore outside their tomb. The title chronicles their experiences and (mis)adventures.
3. Critique:
a. Rhyming
b. I liked that the author used rhyme to keep the reader interested in the mummies’ adventures. The rhyme combined with the loss of a mummy on each adventure builds the overall intrigue of an otherwise mild story. Children would take pleasure in speculating how the next mummy will get thrown from the tale. The rhyme also adds a fun pace to the narrative.
c. A good example of rhyme used in the story is on the fifth page when the author writes “8 little mummies committed hijinks. One was arrested for painting the sphinx.” This introduces a more sophisticated rhyme to the children. They are sure to wonder what these words mean. It could be a great place to stop and practice using context clues based on the pictures. The class could discuss details in the picture that might help them to figure out what these words mean using higher level thinking skills.
5. The students could be instructed to make their own rhyme counting down from ten using anything as the main characters. Another project could be to use toilet paper to dress the students up as mummies. They could then be taught symbol math problems by adding and subtracting each other. Students could think of their own examples of humorous ways the mummies can get lost in the story. There are numerous facts about Ancient Egypt in the book, and it could be a great resource for older children learning about this area.
November 24, 2012
Ten Little Mummies by Philip Yates
1. Genre: Counting
2. Ten Little Mummies is a counting and poetry book that is reminiscent of the poem “Ten Little Monkeys”. Ten mummies head out of their tomb to take on adventure, but one by one they get separated from the group.
3. a. Area for Comment: Appropriateness
b. I think the basic idea of this counting/poetry book is cute, but I wonder if it would be a little too disturbing for some very young readers. This book is meant for very young (kindergarten age and younger) children, but I’m worried that the presentation of the concepts is slightly inappropriate for this age group. The ideas of mummies and tombs may be difficult for a teacher to explain to young children, as well as difficult for young children to understand. I probably would not use this book in my classroom just to err on the safe side and not upset any children.
c. Not only is the theme of the book (mummies and their tomb) difficult for young readers, but some of the things that happen to these little mummies are inappropriate to be introducing to very young minds. For example, one mummy suffered heat stroke (a very serious ailment!), one was swooped up by a falcon, and one mummy came unraveled (some may want to know what a mummy looks like underneath the wrappings).
1. Genre: Counting
2. Ten Little Mummies is a counting and poetry book that is reminiscent of the poem “Ten Little Monkeys”. Ten mummies head out of their tomb to take on adventure, but one by one they get separated from the group.
3. a. Area for Comment: Appropriateness
b. I think the basic idea of this counting/poetry book is cute, but I wonder if it would be a little too disturbing for some very young readers. This book is meant for very young (kindergarten age and younger) children, but I’m worried that the presentation of the concepts is slightly inappropriate for this age group. The ideas of mummies and tombs may be difficult for a teacher to explain to young children, as well as difficult for young children to understand. I probably would not use this book in my classroom just to err on the safe side and not upset any children.
c. Not only is the theme of the book (mummies and their tomb) difficult for young readers, but some of the things that happen to these little mummies are inappropriate to be introducing to very young minds. For example, one mummy suffered heat stroke (a very serious ailment!), one was swooped up by a falcon, and one mummy came unraveled (some may want to know what a mummy looks like underneath the wrappings).
September 18, 2014
When reviewing children's picture books, I have a list of criteria I work with. One is the violence factor and another is age appropriateness. When I began reading this book, I gave it low scores for the violent way the mummies were disposed of ie: sunstroke, eaten by an alligator. But as I continued to read, I began to really like the book. Yates has a way with his stories that make them very endearing. The mummies disappearing one by one began to look fun. The ending makes it better as well since the mummies come back together. I guess one has to remember that mummies are already dead and therefore no actual mummies were hurt in the making of this book.
This book is quirky. Not the usual counting book. I wouldn't recommend for all audiences as some children would not appreciate the subject matter. But then, there are many who would. Inside the front cover are some facts about mummies that add to the educational experience.
I don't love the illustrations. They are very sketchy. The mummies look like they were drawn by a little kid. But somehow the illustrations work for this story.
Normally, I would not rate a book like this so high, but the author pulls everything together and makes it work. In the end, he leaves you smiling and very happy that you read the book. And that is my definition of a good book.
This book is quirky. Not the usual counting book. I wouldn't recommend for all audiences as some children would not appreciate the subject matter. But then, there are many who would. Inside the front cover are some facts about mummies that add to the educational experience.
I don't love the illustrations. They are very sketchy. The mummies look like they were drawn by a little kid. But somehow the illustrations work for this story.
Normally, I would not rate a book like this so high, but the author pulls everything together and makes it work. In the end, he leaves you smiling and very happy that you read the book. And that is my definition of a good book.
December 10, 2011
1) Genre: Concept Picture Book
2) Summary: 10 mummies are bored and decide to have fun and slowly disappear.
3) Critique:
a) I really enjoyed how the mummies were used to make the story more interesting and incorporated counting as well.
b) One by one the mummies get lost because they are attempting to venture out and have a little bit of fun. There is an emphasis placed on each decreasing number as the mummies lose their way.
c) The following is an excerpt from the end of the book:
“9 little mummies and 1 more is 10. 10 little mummies together again.” The numbers 9, 1, and 10 are in bright red and much larger than the original text. This is just one example of the catchy rhyming phrases throughout the book.
D) Curriculum Connection: Obviously this could be used as a read aloud for younger students. Along with the teacher, the students can count 10-1 backgrounds and use the book to reinforce recognition of numbers. For older students perhaps grades 1-2, the teacher can introduce Egypt and what mummies actually are. This would give students a historical lesson and a refresher of math skills.
2) Summary: 10 mummies are bored and decide to have fun and slowly disappear.
3) Critique:
a) I really enjoyed how the mummies were used to make the story more interesting and incorporated counting as well.
b) One by one the mummies get lost because they are attempting to venture out and have a little bit of fun. There is an emphasis placed on each decreasing number as the mummies lose their way.
c) The following is an excerpt from the end of the book:
“9 little mummies and 1 more is 10. 10 little mummies together again.” The numbers 9, 1, and 10 are in bright red and much larger than the original text. This is just one example of the catchy rhyming phrases throughout the book.
D) Curriculum Connection: Obviously this could be used as a read aloud for younger students. Along with the teacher, the students can count 10-1 backgrounds and use the book to reinforce recognition of numbers. For older students perhaps grades 1-2, the teacher can introduce Egypt and what mummies actually are. This would give students a historical lesson and a refresher of math skills.
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November 29, 20111. Picture book/Counting
2. Ten little mummies all crammed in a tomb decide to go out and have some fun. But one by one, they all start to disappear.
3. This is not really a book for young children. It would be a great book for late kindergarten or early first grade when children are really learning how to count backwards. The strength of this book really is the emphasis and the counting structure. We start off with a big red ten, and when one runs from the sun due to heatstroke, on the next page we see a big purple nine letting us know that there are only nine mummies left. Then a large "nile" and "big crocodile" give us a feeling of what is important in this page. With the simple drawings and solid color backgrounds make the numbers stand out even more. PLus, the one or two bold words really add some fun to the story, making you emphasize words like "whoosh" and "pyramid slide!" more than usual.
4. I would use this book as a fun way to work with counting backwards or to introduce Egypt as the book does include some very fun facts about ancient Egypt and mummies.
2. Ten little mummies all crammed in a tomb decide to go out and have some fun. But one by one, they all start to disappear.
3. This is not really a book for young children. It would be a great book for late kindergarten or early first grade when children are really learning how to count backwards. The strength of this book really is the emphasis and the counting structure. We start off with a big red ten, and when one runs from the sun due to heatstroke, on the next page we see a big purple nine letting us know that there are only nine mummies left. Then a large "nile" and "big crocodile" give us a feeling of what is important in this page. With the simple drawings and solid color backgrounds make the numbers stand out even more. PLus, the one or two bold words really add some fun to the story, making you emphasize words like "whoosh" and "pyramid slide!" more than usual.
4. I would use this book as a fun way to work with counting backwards or to introduce Egypt as the book does include some very fun facts about ancient Egypt and mummies.
November 29, 2011
Genre: Children’s Picture Book, Counting
Summary: Ten little mummies are stuck in a tomb so they go out to have adventures, and one by one they disappear.
Critique: a) This counting book not only incorporates counting down, but a story, fun facts, and wonderful pictures.
The story does a wonderful job counting from ten down to one in a new way. The mummies are adventurous and when they come out of their tomb they do many different things. Along the way mummies are lost one by one to different obstacles. The story flows, is fun, and attracts the reader. The pictures are also wonderfully fun. The mummies have different facial expressions and the pictures are simply drawn.
When four mummies go sliding down a pyramid, they loose one to simply unraveling. The pictures placement is perfectly balanced and shows the fun the mummies are having.
Curriculum Connection: I would use this book in the classroom to teach counting. They count down from 10 to 1. The book also has facts about Egypt and a teacher could easily incorporate more facts to teach children.
Summary: Ten little mummies are stuck in a tomb so they go out to have adventures, and one by one they disappear.
Critique: a) This counting book not only incorporates counting down, but a story, fun facts, and wonderful pictures.
The story does a wonderful job counting from ten down to one in a new way. The mummies are adventurous and when they come out of their tomb they do many different things. Along the way mummies are lost one by one to different obstacles. The story flows, is fun, and attracts the reader. The pictures are also wonderfully fun. The mummies have different facial expressions and the pictures are simply drawn.
When four mummies go sliding down a pyramid, they loose one to simply unraveling. The pictures placement is perfectly balanced and shows the fun the mummies are having.
Curriculum Connection: I would use this book in the classroom to teach counting. They count down from 10 to 1. The book also has facts about Egypt and a teacher could easily incorporate more facts to teach children.
December 11, 2015
If you're studying Ancient Egypt with little kids, you will definitely want to check out this book. It doesn't necessarily teach a lot about Egypt, though a few things are put in there like the Nile, and crocodiles, the Sphinx, chariots, and the pyramids. Oh, and mummies, of course. This book is a really cute counting book involving mummies and their mischief/play. A little warning - one mummy gets unwrapped and is naked (the artwork is simple, so no graphic details), and another mummy puts graffiti on the sphinx (but there is a consequence). The ending is cute and non-threatening for little ones. I do love the artwork which is reminiscent of children's drawings. There are also some neat facts about mummies at the back.
Overall a really cute book that is a fun supplement for Ancient Egypt studies.
Overall a really cute book that is a fun supplement for Ancient Egypt studies.
May 20, 2011
Counting books are great for children who are just learning to read. They are predictable and rhythmic and thus fairly easy to read. They are typically done with cute things: ladybugs, monkeys, bunnies, kitties.
Ten Little Mummies by Philip Yates bucks the trend a little (although his mummies are cute too). Ten entombed mummies get bored with staying put and decide to explore. One by one they disappear, one by one.
I have to admit I got this counting book more for myself than my kids. They know I've had a thing for all things ancient Egyptian since I was a kid. Some of my enthusiasm is rubbing off on my son so he had fun reading the book to his sister.
The book would work well for an Egyptian themed shelf or a Halloween one. As well as the counting shelf!
Ten Little Mummies by Philip Yates bucks the trend a little (although his mummies are cute too). Ten entombed mummies get bored with staying put and decide to explore. One by one they disappear, one by one.
I have to admit I got this counting book more for myself than my kids. They know I've had a thing for all things ancient Egyptian since I was a kid. Some of my enthusiasm is rubbing off on my son so he had fun reading the book to his sister.
The book would work well for an Egyptian themed shelf or a Halloween one. As well as the counting shelf!
August 20, 2010
When we went to the library in Texas, I let Natalie crawl around a bit and she pulled this off the shelf. It was a cute variation of your normal counting book, but instead of ducks or fish, it was mummies! Since I read this a month ago, the details escape me, but I do remember thinking that each event that causes one more mummy to disappear were appropriate for mummies and as clever. Great Halloween book that isn't scary and also a great fun addition to a unit on ancient Egypt, with the bonus of a math tie-in.
April 19, 2012
This story is a very cute story on mummies. Book begins with 10 mummies in a box. They leave the box and experience the world. One by one they leave and are down to only one mummy left. He feels lonely and ends up going home. When he gets home he realizes his mummy friends threw him a surprise party and they are all reunited all over again.
This book could be incorporated into the classroom with other math books. This book can help students count forward and backwards due to the story line.
This book could be incorporated into the classroom with other math books. This book can help students count forward and backwards due to the story line.
May 28, 2008
This is a fun counting book. I liked the cultural lesson as well and explained about the nile and the sphinx to my kids as we read. My favorite line is "7 little mummies got lost in the dunes. One was adopted by friendly baboons." I like it because my 4 year old commented "Hey mom, it's not a problem at all to run into baboons." That was quite clever.
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