Cleopatra

by Diane Stanley, Peter Vennema

Cleopatra's name still glitters across history, evoking opulence, ambition, and tragedy. Raised in the shadow of the mighty Roman Empire, she dared to dream of a world united under Egyptian rule. She almost succeeded, and if she had, we would live in a far different world today. Cleopatra was not the renowned beauty of legend--her strength lay in her intelligence, courage, and charm, and she would need all three in her short and perilous reign. She became Queen of Egypt at eighteen and by twenty had been driven from her throne. But she raised an army and won the support of the great Julius Caesar, who helped her return to rule. We will never know what these two brilliant and ambitious people might have accomplished together, for Caesar soon fell to Roman assassins. Instead, it was Mark Antony, another famous Roman, who risked everything with Cleopatra in pursuit Of world power. In this latest of their "distinguished storybook biographies" (New York Times), the authors' meticulous text and Ms. Stanley's majestic illustrations capture the brilliance of Cleopatra's life. From the enchantments of the royal court at Alexandria to luxurious cruises up the legendary Nile, from the intrigues of the Roman marketplace to a desperate sea battle with a shocking end, these award-winning biographers tell the tragic story of one of the most fascinating women of all time.

Genres: History, Biography, Picture Books, Nonfiction, Ancient History, Egypt, Childrens

48 pages, Library Binding

First published September 27, 1994

About the author

Diane Stanley is an American children's author and illustrator, a former medical illustrator, and a former art director for the publisher G.P. Putnam's Sons. Born in 1943 in Abilene, Texas, she was educated at Trinity University (in San Antonio, TX) and at Johns Hopkins University. She is perhaps best known for her many picture-book biographies, some of which were co-authored by her husband, Peter Vennema. (source: Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this to my 7 and 9 yo children while we were learning about ancient history and found it to be an excellent addition to our studies. The kids really enjoyed it. The illustrations are beautiful and the information well-presented. Even more than that, it models how to engage with historical accounts. The author often mentions that Plutarch is the main source of what we know about Cleopatra, but also suggests where we might encounter unexamined bias and models curiosity and conversation with that primary text. It provided an excellent opportunity to talk about how history is written and how to engage with those historical records.

[JoAnne Styger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some may think these picture books by Diane Stanley are for young children, that's totally false! Older children (and even adults! 😉) will enjoy the beautiful illustrations and brief biographies. I also recommend Queen Bess and Peter The Great in this series.

[Kirsten Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This longer picture book provided just the right level of information for my 6th grader about Cleopatra. It was a quick read-aloud (30 minutes or less), but has all the relevant information along with beautiful pictures! We had just finished a long biography of Julius Caesar, and we didn't want to jump into another long biography right away, so a picture book bio was a good fit. I would suggest it for mid-elementary through middle school readers/listeners looking for a short introduction to Cleopatra's life.

Content considerations: Violence, suicide

[Johnny G. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't think of a single group of people who would benefit from reading this book. It's too wordy and lofty for middle school students, and as a picture book, wouldn't appeal to adult readers. As a result, I found it in the DISCARD bin at my school library. Sure, the pictures are great and it tells about the history of Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, and Marc Antony, but I wouldn't recommend the book for the reasons I outlined. It suffers from a capable editor. DON'T read it to see that I'm correct.

[H · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations are vibrant and stunning. The book states it is attempting to balance out the perspective of this ancient ruler. The book focuses on her time of ruling and the relationships intertwined her quest for control/power.

[Carol Chastain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very much enjoyed this read with the kids. Beautiful illustrations. A humble reminder of the depravity of man- I definitely don’t envy any of their lives 😭💔

[Joshua Betts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book because you should not love someone just because of their beauty. And cleopatra loved her⚱️gold. And this book was very good and exciting.
And I think that every one can read this book. And you should never give up on life. 🪄⚔️💣🗡️🛎️✝️⚱️

[Sophie Carrier · Rating 4 out of 5]

History is very important for children but often hard to teach. This book about Cleopatra, an ancient ruler of Egypt, is a fun way to introduce children to the history of Egypt. The illustrations are descriptive and helpful in showing children what it was like in Egypt during Cleopatra's era. Even as an older reader, I learned things I previously did not know about Cleopatra, which enticed me to continue the book.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. There is a lot of information in this little picture book. Although the text is long, it reads very simply and is easy for most kids - even young kids - to follow along with. Cleopatra and her literal flirting with the Roman Empire, is a fascinating subject. This is a book that I'm happy we have on our bookshelf, as I think that it will be picked up time and again as we return to learn about the ancients and I'm sure something different will be taken away with each read.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this aloud to my first grader as part of our studies on Ancient Rome, and she loved it. The text is well-written, well-organized and kid-friendly, and the illustrations are beautiful and evocative of the historical time period.

[Laura (Book Scrounger) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was just skimming this book to preview it for my kids and ended up getting sucked into the love stories to the point where I just ended up reading the whole thing. Viewing Cleopatra as Egyptian, I'd often thought of her as belonging to the ancient line of pharaohs, but I've realized my mistake after reading this (she was ethnically Macedonian and ruled during the end of the Roman Republic, long after the pyramids had been built). I appreciate how the author's note describes the difficulty of getting accurate information about someone who was primarily written about from her enemies' perspective, so this story has given me a new appreciation for Cleopatra's position in history. I read it to an 8-year-old and 10-year-old and thought the more "adult" elements of the story (romantic affairs, suicides) were handled well enough for that age group. The mosaic aspect of the illustrations was also very cool.

[ElleryS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nonfiction (biography)
3rd-4th grade reading level
This was a really detailed look into the life of Cleopatra! It seemed to be almost a transition-level biography for students who are beyond simple, basic stories but aren't quite ready to get into chapter books yet. It was detailed and factual, with a bibliography at the end to provide further research opportunities for students interested in Cleopatra. The style of illustrations was also lovely--another good way to bridge the gap between young readers and more advanced readers.

[Adrianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought I knew a decent amount about Egyptian history but I'm realizing I do not. My children and I really did enjoy this book as part of the Classical Conversations homeschool program - Cycle 1. I actually didn't realize there was a thing between Julius Cesar and Cleopatra - more than a thing - they had a son together! Who knew? Not me. I recommend this book for elementary/middle school aged.

[Briana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cleopatra by Diane Stanley is a biographical picture book of the life of Cleopatra. This book spans the time in her life from when she first became queen at eighteen years old to her death at age thirty-nine. I think this is a great alternative way for to children to learn about Cleopatra.

[Kyndra Lemke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun little history to add to our studies this week. I love how this author not only entertains, but also speaks about other topics that now I’m intrigued to go learn more about those as well.

[Noelani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview of Cleopatra’s fascinating life with Julius Caesar and Marc Antony and what led to the rise and fall of her empire. Young children will appreciate the simple and easy-to-follow storyline and beautiful illustrations.

[Skylar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very text-heavy but a living book. Based primarily on the text of Plutarch in "Marc Anthony." Mentions how hard it is to tell her story with only sources written by her enemies, which is great for teaching critical thinking skills in history.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a children's book. Important facts were left out.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVED IT!

[Megan B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nick - 5 stars; Will - 4 stars

[Heidi Morrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great resource for introducing my 7th grader to a most notorious Egyptian queen.

[Kelli Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated. Well written biography of the Queen of Egypt that hilights her cleverness and doesn't shy from her ruthlessness.

[Strizkids · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated.

[Tracy Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

We enjoyed this as a read-aloud book during our homeschool study of Ancient Rome. Ages 6-13.

[Jennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful enhancement to our study of Ancient Greece/Rome

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Using for a middle school history/literature class. Enjoyed the pictures, the story, and to learn about her side of the story.

[Lolz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned interesting facts and anecdotes. The old maps were cool

[John Betts · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very fun and book to read. It’s gives you good information on Cleopatra, it’s also exciting.
Learning about Egypt and Julius Caesar is very intriguing. 🤔
I recommend this book. 📕

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great kids’ introduction to cleopatra.

According to Plutarch, "the charm of her presence was irresistible, and there was an attraction in her person and in her talk, together with a peculiar force of character which pervaded her every word and action, and laid all who associated with her under its spell."

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cleopatra is a partial biography picture book written and illustrated by Diane Stanley and Peter Vennema. The book begins with Cleopatra at age 18, when she was crowned Queen of Egypt in 51 BC. The book covers her struggle for power against the advisors of her young brother, the King. Cleopatra allied with Julius Caesar, and his influence helped her to gain control of Egyptian rule. Caesar and Cleopatra were lovers and dreamed of uniting the world into one vast empire. After Caesar’s murder, Cleopatra found a similar relationship with Roman general Mark Antony. A good deal of the text is devoted to explaining the political climate in Rome, and the struggle for dominance between Antony and Octavian. Eventually, Octavian became the victor. After Antony’s death, it is believed that Cleopatra killed herself with a poisonous asp, so that she would not face the humiliation of being paraded before the people of her enemy.

The authors do a good job of sticking to the facts of history and refrain from fictionalizing aspects of Cleopatra’s life. They make the assertion that most of what is known about Cleopatra comes from the writings of her enemies, so that we must take the information with a grain of salt. The authors do not make conclusions for the reader when the situation described is ambiguous. Although many works of historical fiction and films have portrayed Antony and Cleopatra’s tragic end as similar to that of Romeo and Juliet, Stanley and Vennema make it clear that no one knows for sure how she died. They tell the version given by Plutarch in detail and then assert:

“That is the story as Plutarch tells it. No one knows exactly how she died, except that she must have taken poison in some form.”

The authors describe a number of aspects of Cleopatra’s life. Not only do we hear about the major events of her life, but we are told how she looked, dressed, and behaved. Such description gives the reader a sense of Cleopatra’s personality without inventing information or fictionalizing her life story. The biography is written like good nonfiction and has the factual feeling of an investigative report rather than the feeling of a narrative. The inclusion of dates, names, and historical events, round out the biography, extending the reader’s understanding to the events and climate of the time.

The illustrations in the book have a distinct feeling of classicism. Although most people think of Cleopatra as an ancient Egyptian figure, she actually lived during the height of the Roman Empire. The artwork in the book reflects this reality rather than the common perception. As a result, we see figures adorned in Roman robes and sandals and classical architecture featuring columns and arches. Some elements traditionally associated with Egypt are included, such as a view of the pyramids in the background of a seascape. Touches such as these give the reader a sense of place, but do not dominate over the classical feel. Stanley makes use of bright, vibrant colors to help create a sense of royalty and riches. Cleopatra is depicted wearing a lavish display of jewels and gold to highlight the extravagant lifestyle discussed in the text. The text itself is presented on blocks of tiny squares that look like a classical mosaic. In addition, maps of important battles and locations are provided to facilitate understanding. Overall, the artwork does a good job of contributing to the storytelling and creating a sense of time and place for the life story of this important historical figure.