The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle

by Dan Gutman

From the author of the My Weird School books, an adventure story that spans centuries and continents.

In Central Park, New York, stands Cleopatra’s Needle. But what do you know about? Did you know that thousands of people worked in 1461 BCE to build it? Then hundreds more moved it, and erected it in Alexandria, where it stood for 3,000 years? So how did a monolith weighing over 200 tons get moved all the way to New York City—and in the 19th Century, no less?

In this historical fiction account by bestselling author Dan Gutman, five kids who watched the Needle at each phase of its history recount the daring story of how something that seemed to be impossible –and that nearly ended in disaster—finally succeeded against all odds.

Including photos, diagrams, and illustrations, this book will leave history lovers and fans of problem solving astounded at all that was accomplished. And best of all, it will leave middle grade readers feeling they’ve just watched a really good movie—they’ll hardly even realize they were reading.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Fiction, Childrens, Historical, New York, Audiobook

224 pages, Hardcover

First published June 4, 2024

About the author

The author of over 80 books in a little over a decade of writing, Dan Gutman has written on topics from computers to baseball. Beginning his freelance career as a nonfiction author dealing mostly with sports for adults and young readers, Gutman has concentrated on juvenile fiction since 1995. His most popular titles include the time-travel sports book Honus and Me and its sequels, and a clutch of baseball books, including The Green Monster from Left Field. From hopeful and very youthful presidential candidates to stunt men, nothing is off limits in Gutman's fertile imagination. As he noted on his author Web site, since writing his first novel, They Came from Centerfield, in 1994, he has been hooked on fiction. "It was fun to write, kids loved it, and I discovered how incredibly rewarding it is to take a blank page and turn it into a WORLD."

Gutman was born in New York City in 1955, but moved to Newark, New Jersey the following year and spent his youth there.

Reviews

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun way to learn ancient history! Although, the narrator’s negative attitude kinda bugged me in the beginning, I loved how he became more and more interested in the process of creating, carving, transporting, dragging, and eventually placing “Cleopatra’s Needle” in New York’s Central Park, just behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art. So much fascinating info about the process of carving the obelisk from the granite quarry clear to tipping the 220 ton monolith upright in Central Park. Loved this book.

[Miles Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Literally every narrator was insufferable. And mostly true is an overstatement. Virtually everything except like the fact that cleopatra’s needle exists and was brought to New York is untrue.

Overall it left me with more work sorting fact from fiction to really have learned much.

[Dallin Isom · Rating 2 out of 5]

Here's another one we listened to on vacation. Maybe it would've been better with the visuals, but I think I would've preferred a book with actual facts.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 4 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

A mother, who is a storyteller, is hanging out with her kid, and the two end up in Central Park near the Cleopatra's Needle obelisk (https://www.centralparknyc.org/locati...). The kid isn't really interested in the impressive monument, but the mother proceeds to tell a story about it. Starting in about 1425 BCE, we meet Zosar Zubeir, who likes in Aswan, Egypt with his family. They are enslaved people from Syria, but the father is a talented stonecutter who is approached to work on constructing the obelish. It is promised that after the obelisk is done, the family will be freed, but after 621 days of backbreaking work, they are instead retained to work on another monument. There are lots of interesting details about how the stone was cut and made into its shape.

From there, we travel to Heliopolis in 1459. Thurmosis III is the pharaoh, and the drawings of young Lateef Jabari (that his mother had thrown out into the street) come to his attention. He wants Lateef to draw the hieroglyphics proclaiming all of his wonderful accomplishments so the carvers know what to inscribe. Later, Lateef witnesses the construction of a hill of sand and the installation of the needle.

In 1879, Panya Hassan is dismayed to find that Egypt is giving the needle to the US, hoping it will encourage more tourism, although she's not entirely happy to have so many Americans already in her country, looking at the Suez Canal and planning on taking artifacts home with them. She joins protests about this, and is also angry that the Statue of Liberty is being given to the US by France, instead of to Egypt.

Thomas Brighton of England has run away from home and stowed away on a ship. Finding himself in Egypt, he witnesses the efforts to get the obelisk onto a ship so that it can be carried to the US. He keeps a diary, and details how Commander Gorringe cuts a hole in the cargo hold so the needle can be carried there. Thomas has some good engineering ideas, and helps the crew, so he is able to sail with them, although the 39 day voyage is rough and includes a storm.

When the ship arrives in New York City, we meet Rebecca Watson, who is a young inventor aspiring to be the next Thomas Edison. She watches the progress of the needle from the harbor to its home in Central Park with interest. It takes a long time, and meets many difficulties. At one point, Commander Gorringe dines at her house, and after witnessing her invention to make it easier to pass dishes (a rudimentary Lazy Susan with marbles to move the boards), decides to adopt the same design to help with some tricky movements of the monument. It turns out that the storyteller's great grandmother was Rebecca, which is why she is so interested in the story and wants her child to know about it as well.

This was a very unusual format, but it worked. Mr. Gutman lives not far from Cleopatra's Needle, and has often biked by it. During the pandemic (when he wasn't filming delightful readings of his books to share with homebound students), he researched the background, and thought it would be more engaging to see the history through the eyes of young people who might have been involved. He is very clear in the end notes as to what he has made up and what is real; the children are all fictional, but everything that happened is based on some historical backgrounds. This addresses issues of modern concern, like the plight of enslaved people in Ancient Egypt, the theft of antiquities, and the way some groups of people are unfairly treated. There is even mention of a time capsule from 1880 that is under the obelisk; we may never know what was placed in it!

Gutman's work always has a nice mix of humor and history, evident in fictional books like The Flashback Four, Houdini and Me, and the Baseball Card Adventures, and even in nonfiction titles like his Wait! What? series. This is an unusual book, nicely mixing historical details with an engaging story, and would be a fun book to read aloud in a social studies class studying Ancient Egypt. A debate about whether or not antiquities should be returned to their home countries would be a logical offshoot, but perhaps we should just let Cleopatra's Needle stay where it is, given the difficulties in transporting it!

[J. Else · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starting out in the present day, while gazing up at the obelisk in Central Park, our main character’s mother begins to recount how the obelisk was created and how it made its way to New York. While at first resistant, the more our young narrator learns, the more he’s drawn into the stories. He sees through the eyes of five other children who witness the construction, the carving, and the movement of Cleopatra’s Needle through thousands of years of history.

The story keeps its focus on the significant historical events surrounding Cleopatra’s Needle. The creative liberties with characters and references feel appropriate for this reading level. Each character has a different perspective, from hard labor to artistic details to cultural identity, which young readers will easily relate with. I found Panya’s heartfelt diary to be the most compelling (and, dare I say, most important) perspective as she watches a piece of her history being taken, given away to America as a gift.

Stylistically, the narrator’s mom is telling him stories about Cleopatra’s Needle in the first person. However, the historical stories are told in epistolary form. Thus, the transitions from past to present feel slightly disjointed. The epistolary style works well for the historical characters, even if at times these narratives end abruptly.

Throughout, pictures help readers visualize how a 200-ton granite monument first erected in 1475 BCE by Thutmose III (referred to as Thutmosis in the book) could be moved from one side of the world to another. It is quite the adventure, and each child in history has a part to play. This is an easy read and a fascinating book.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps 4.5 stars since I don’t have a burning desire to grab people and scream you have to read this! Gutman did an excellent job with this historical fiction account of how “Cleopatra’s Needle” (Cleopatra had nothing to do with this obelisk and it is an obelisk, not a needle!) I loved how Gutman showed different points of view throughout the story! He used 5 kids’ diaries as a device for telling the story of how it was originally made, via an enslaved child’s diary, floated down the Nile; erected in Cairo (Heliopolis); given to the Americans in spite of anger of Egyptians; taken to Staten Island; and finally how it was taken from the island, across one of the busiest cities in the world, and erected in Central Park! Finally, he capped it all off by telling readers exactly what was real and what he made up! He also noted his main sources for his book. I should also note that the interaction between the boy and his storytelling mom who told her son the entire story (and through her “son”, us, the readers!) was wonderful!

This would make a fantastic introduction to Ancient Egypt and to historical fiction for kids! I’m hoping it’ll pick up a Newbery Honor or something similar. It probably is a bit too irreverent to win since the committees seem prejudiced against humor. But this is truly high quality writing! Definitely recommended and I’ll be buying this!

[Carol (Reading Ladies) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra’s Needle is the fictionalized story of the obelisk’s construction and its journey from Egypt to New York City.

Have you seen Cleopatra’s Needle in Central Park, New York City? If you have, do you know the history behind this obelisk?

Cleopatra’s Needle weighs over 200 tons, was built in 1461, and stood in Alexandria for 3,000 years before coming to the United States. We hear the story of its construction and its complicated journey to New York City through the journals of several fictional kids.

I love an epistolary format, and it works well here. Hearing the history told through kids’ voices and their journal entries allows the book (and content) to be easily accessible for the most reluctant readers. Journals help the reading seem personal and relatable. Young middle-grade readers can easily imagine themselves in the story experiencing it in real time.

I appreciate drawings, illustrations, and pictures (even in adult books!). These graphic images aid comprehension and spark interest. This story lends itself well to a nonfiction companion read. or internet research. Even better would be to visit the obelisk in person!

Henry Honychurch Gorringe: As well as the origin and journey of the obelisk, it would be interesting to study the person who brought it by ship to America and navigated it through the streets of New York City and erected it.

Don’t miss the detailed author’s notes in which he distinguishes facts from fiction. This will aid young readers in understanding the historical fiction genre.

Readers familiar with my reviews may know my pet peeves, and this book touches on one—- strong author opinions. I prefer that authors present the information and let me do the thinking and form my own opinions! Yes, many Egyptians were unhappy with the selling of their obelisks and there were demonstrations and protests (which were clearly and fairly presented in the story). However, the numerous “evil America” comments were noticeable. Am I too sensitive or do author opinions jump out at you?

If I were a teacher, the pros and cons of selling a country’s historical treasures could provide opportunities for thoughtful discussion. There were understandable reasons why the Egyptians needed to sell these obelisks and, yes, some citizens protested. Other countries took advantage of the opportunity which raises some questions: Is this evil? Should the U.S. (and other countries) return antiquities to their home countries? Were the Egyptian protestors right to protest? Why didn’t the government listen to the people?

I especially recommend The Mostly True Story of Cleopatra’s Needle for middle-grade readers and their parents who might be visiting New York City and for students who are just being introduced to ancient Egypt. Young middle-grade readers will appreciate the author’s humor and engaging story telling.

Thanks @HolidayHouseBks for a complimentary e ARC of #TheMostlyTrueStoryOfCleopatrasNeedle upon my request. All opinions are my own.

For more reviews visit my blog www.ReadingLadies.com where this review was first published.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fascinating story of the Egyptian obelisk in New York’s Central Park. With the “voices” of fictional kids through the history of the obelisk . . .
1. 1461-1460 BCE
Constructed in Aswan, Egypt
2. 1459 BCE
Moved to Heliopolis, Egypt
3. 12 BCE
Moved by Emperor Augustus Caesar to Alexandria,
Egypt
4. 1879-1880
Cleopatra’s Needle is given to the United States of
America by Khedive Ismail, ruler of Egypt, and
shipped to New York City.
5. 1880-1881
Cleopatra’s Needle is shipped to America and
erected in Central Park in New York.

Kids and adults will be inspired to find out more and/or visit Central Park in New York to see the obelisk for themselves! (It is on the east side of Central Park on Greywacke Knoll.)
Lieutenant Commander Henry Honychurch Gorringe, responsible for the entire expedition to move Cleopatra’s Needle from Egypt to New York, is buried at Rockland Cemetery in Sparkill, New York. His grave is marked with a replica of Cleopatra’s Needle.

[Phoebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book with my 9-year-old, and we found it enjoyable, it definitely made us want to go to Central Park to see Cleopatra's Needle for ourselves. We are Egyptian Americans who get pretty upset about antiquities theft, but even my son thought the Egyptian girl's anger about the removal of the obelisk was a bit overblown.

The author would have benefited from an expert review. He has characters talk about the city of Cairo at a time when that was not the name of the city. The capital city during that period was likely Memphis. He gives one ancient Egyptian character an Arab sounding name, which again does not make sense based on the historical time frame. While we know this is historical fiction, since it's meant to be informational, these details matter.

[Christine Barth · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars for me. I loved the different perspectives over centuries of how kids *might* have interacted with the object. The author's note was also good at explaining what parts were made up. The audiobook was top notch, because every time period had its own voice and flavor. The only thing keeping this from 5 stars for me is that I think the concept is hard to sell to kids. If they get past the first couple of chapters, I think they will be hooked, but it'll be hard to get them to pick it up.

It would be a fun writing assignment to do something similar with other monuments, household objects, family heirlooms.

I do think I passed Cleopatra's Needle in NYC but I would have a much bigger appreciation for it now that I know the (mostly) true story of how it came to America.

[Glenna Coleman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of the creation and history of Cleopatra's Needle, the obelisk that eventually was brought to New York City's Central Park, is told through many imagined voices from a slave boy involved in its making to another boy involved in the hieroglyphs that tell a story, to an Egyptian girl who tries to prevent its gifting to the US, to an American girl who follows the progress of its installation in New York City. The author chose to use imagined children to tell the story, which has its intriguing aspects since he was able to inject imagined emotions and thoughts into the story. Also the author explains which parts of the history are true and which are imagined at the end, so I hope readers venture that far.

[Hilda Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This historical fiction book was very captivating. The book starts out with a mom and son at Central Park by a monument called Cleopatra's Needle. The mom begins sharing stories about the monument in a very interesting way. Mom shares 4 stories about the needle in different points of views. From the kid who helps dig out the monument, to the girl who witnesses the monument's arrival to New York. This book was enthralling and a quick read. I also enjoyed learning about the actual monument at the end of the book.

Themes: Historical ficition/Egypt/Storytelling/families

[David Rough · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea there was a Cleopatra's Needle, let alone that it was in Central Park in the USA. I have only had the opportunity to visit NYC a few times in my life and Central Park was not on the agenda during my quick visits. That is no excuse for my ignorance, but nonetheless, I learned a great deal about this obelisk from this middle-grade text of historical fiction. My rating (stars) go out for the educational value of this cool story. The backstories of the fictional characters were well done and an interesting mosaic of potential contributors to this monument of antiquity.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I like the diary format and I also like the mother telling her son stories between each section to tie the sections together. However, I don’t feel like they go together. Choose either a storyteller or a diary.

I also like the Facts and Fictions part at the end of the book.

I could see my students liking this book. I will probably put it in my classroom library for them.

[Rubi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story to get kids into history!

Love how the story begins by a mom simply trying to get her son interested in a piece history. The story is told in kids' povs from each stage of the Needle's history; from its construction to its move to the US. The pictures made it come alive too!
I also love that the author clarifies which part of the story was fact and fiction!
Really well written and engaging, all while encouraging kids to research history on their own! 👍👍

[Claire Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute historical fiction novel about the creation and journey of Cleopatra’s Needle, from its construction by an enslaved nine-year-old, to its journey from Staten Island to Central Park using a lazy-susan like structure created by a girl inventor, written in diary entries. Perfect for getting children interested in history without being straight facts, and the changing of perspectives throughout different types of history keeps readers engaged and interested.

[Shaindel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the diaries part of the book. The parts with the present-day narrator who stitched the story together were the weakest part of the book, with underdeveloped one-dimensional characters that felt unnecessary and superfluous.

I also did not appreciate the "evil America" undertones in one of the diaries. I'm not saying that America is perfect or that Americans did the right thing in this situation. I just don't like when authors preach at me.

[. · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5, A good introduction to the history of the obelisk known as ‘Cleopatra’s Needle’ and its journey from Egypt to NYC’s Central Park. I liked the p.o.v. shifts throughout the story as well as the generous relationship between the storyteller mother and her son. Other than that, this novel dragged, relied on invented, unrealistic characters, and skewed too young for most (almost all?) middle grade readers.

[Angel McLean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for free in the Goodreads giveaway! Thank you!!!
It is a book for children and I can’t wait to give it to my kids but I of course just finished reading it for myself. It tells the story of cleopatras needle coming to America with both true and made up events and facts to tell the story. Well written.

[Kristine Kocan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good audiobook no matter the genre. This was in the juvenile category and just caught my interest as I was perusing Libby. Cleopatras Needle is a real obelisk and how they got it from Egypt to Central Park in NYC. What made it fun fiction is the authors characters and the excitement they each had. All the characters had their own narrators, which is what made this so fun.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A creative way to share the history of a real-life fantastical monument and its 6000-mile, 3500-year journey to its final resting place in Central Park, New York. This story details each milestone of the Egyptian obelisk's odyssey from the perspective of young, fictional witnesses of each stage writing in their diaries. Highly recommended for readers of all ages interested in history!

[MeganRuth - Alohamora Open a Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up for this super short historical fiction. Dan Gutman writes humorous stories, but he also writes historical fictions like this one. I learned so much about Cleopatra's Needle. I appreciated the different time periods to tell the history of Cleopatra's Needle. Also, so much ingenuity and brains went into this structure and moving it.

[Jennifer Fraticelli · Rating 2 out of 5]

I genuinely love Dan Gutman’s books but this one is not my favorite. If the story about Cleopatra’s Needle is fascinating, then perhaps it could indeed be mostly true. Instead, I feel that the story is mostly false and I really think some of the viewpoints regarding Americans are modern tropes. Do we need to bash America in a children’s book?

[Cara Noyes · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great story!
Based on true facts, the book takes the perspective of diary entries of fictional youth.
I must say that I have a profound respect for Henry_Honychurch_Gorringe and his ingenuity.
Getting that obelisk thru the streets of NYC and into place was an engineering marvel!

[Vicki Andrews · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very easy read giving the imagined history of how the obelisk in New York City’s Central Park was chiseled into being and the actual history of how it journeyed to its present location behind MOMA.

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A 2025 article in The NY Times listed this book as a good source of information regarding NYC sights. Yes, it is a children’s book. However, since I am not scientifically inclined, it was a perfect source of information for a senior citizen like me.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun little history lesson, I learned a lot about the Obelisk. The story was told through 3 different diary type entries, plus a modern day character hearing the story. I enjoyed listening to this one, the narrator did a good job.

[Grant Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

More the like the most UNTRUE story of Cleopatra’s Needle. I wanted more actual facts than I got.

[Talia Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kinda weird that it's called (mostly) true when it's actually most not true.

But shout out to the girl who wrote in her diary like it was a person and wanted to give it a present.

[LS Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

a very interesting way to write a historical fiction book about a monument. i think readers most familiar with Clepatra's Needle will enjoy it.