Cleopatra Rules!: The Amazing Life of the Original Teen Queen

by Vicky Alvear Shecter

Good. Evil. Dangerous. Glamorous. Will the real Cleopatra please stand up? Almost everything we know about the last queen of Egypt came from her enemies—the Romans. Now it's time to meet the "real" Cleopatra, a ruler more complex, brilliant, and powerful than we ever knew. Cleopatra didn't just rock the boat when she became queen at seventeen. She rocked the world with brilliant alliances that kept her in power and in control. When Mark Antony tried to put Egypt under his thumb, she negotiated for—and won—more territory than any Egyptian ruler had snagged in generations. Cleopatra didn't just play by the rules. She made them up as she went along. She bowed to no one, including Octavian—the future Caesar Augustus—who never missed an opportunity to pump out anti-Cleopatra propaganda. The queen of Egypt has fascinated the world for thousands of years. It's time to find out why. So, on your knees, commoner! The world's most brilliant and outrageous queen—Cleopatra VII, the last Pharaoh of Egypt—is about to make her entrance. This Voice of Youth Advocates Nonfiction Honor List book includes maps, endnotes, timeline, glossary, sources, and index.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, History, Biography Memoir, Middle Grade, Juvenile, Childrens

176 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2010

About the author

Vicky Alvear Shecter wishes she had a time machine to go back to the glory days of ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. Until she can find one, she writes about the famous and fabulous lives of the ancients and their gods instead. She is also a docent at the Michael C. Carlos Museum of Antiquities at Emory University.

Reviews

[Lisa Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lisa Campbell
Biography
This book follows the rise and fall of the greatest queen of antiquity. From her fight for the throne against her bloodthirsty siblings to her alliances with Rome, Cleopatra only wanted one thing—stability and independence for her country. She was a brilliant and enigmatic leader who used her extensive education to form alliances with some of the most powerful men in the world. Cleopatra launched a PR campaign that would have made any Washington politician proud. With Caesar’s help she was finally gained the throne. After Caesar was brutally murdered in Rome, Cleopatra turned her attention to Mark Antony and soon a legendary love story was born. In the course of her relationships with the leaders of Rome she bore two children to Caesar and three to Mark Antony. She was one of the first and greatest working moms! After a disastrous military excursion into Armenia and Parthia, Mark Antony and Cleopatra were on the run. Even as she faced certain death, Cleopatra thought only of her children. In the original Romeo and Juliet plot twist, Mark Antony thought Cleopatra was dead and fell on his sword. His dying body was rushed to Cleopatra’s side and he died in her arms. After finally being taken captive again, Cleopatra committed suicide by snake and thus denied Octavia the gloating victory he sought.

I thought this was a fun and inventive biography. The descriptive way the author writes in the modern vernacular makes this astounding woman immediately accessible and understandable to modern teens. In describing the alliance of two of Cleopatra’s siblings, the author writes, “So the pair trash-talked her worse than feuding starlets at a Hollywood Club.” This sort of casual and evocative writing gives freshness to the material.

[Angelc · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

This was such a beautiful book! I was really impressed. The layout and photos of this non-fiction book for young readers were very nicely put together. The cover is absolutely stunning and the image is on the book too, not just the dust jacket.

I have always admired Cleopatra and I knew some of the facts, but Shecter opened my eyes about some things. I knew Cleopatra was misunderstood by most and her image of the sexy seductress wasn't all there was to her. But I always thought it was Hollywood who chopped up her image. But no, it was her own enemies in her own time who did all of that.

Also, I knew Cleopatra was very well read (one of the reasons I love her) but I did not know that Marc Antony once stole a very valuable scroll (book) for her as a wedding present! Here's a guy who knows what his lady likes!

The author's voice was so easy to read and really brought the history alive for today's younger reader. Her writing flowed and she compared things that happened to Cleopatra with events that were more family to today's reader. For instance, all of the bad 'press' Cleopatra had in her day was similar to Perez cutting down a celeb on his blog today.

I really enjoyed reading Cleopatra's story again and the author really presents her in a fair and accurate light. I love the way the book is written for today's young readers. And I was glad to learn new information.


this book was sent by the author in exchange for an honest review

reviewed for http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com

[Karen Ball · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Queen Cleopatra VII, the last pharaoh of Egypt, was in fact a brilliant, complex, powerful ruler. For twenty years she kept the world's greatest superpower from taking over her country -- a good trick when you realize it was during the time that Rome swallowed up countries faster than most teens use up text minutes."
Julius Caesar is a "player", Cleopatra's siblings are "a nest of squirming, hissing reality-show stars", Mark Antony is a "Roman Redneck" and Octavian is a "snot-nosed, knobbly-kneed, pimply-faced peon who could barely hold a sword." Humorous, yes, but the tone makes the ancient history more interesting. This is thorough research into Cleopatra's life, disguised in a chatty book with short chapters, catchy titles and subtitles, lots of images of Egyptian artifacts, and other art (including movie character photos) portraying her. Anyone who blows this one off because of the style and slang is missing out on a stellar piece of research, which references the many different points of view from which Cleopatra's story has been told. Greeks, Romans, Shakepeare, and Hollywood have all told slightly different versions of her life, making her out to be a gorgeous babe, a "power-hungry witch" and a "weapon of mass destruction in heels." The reality seems to be a very intelligent mix of all of those things, given the evidence from Shecter's research into the events of Cleopatra's time. 6th grade and up.

[WendyMcP · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some reviewers have back-handedly show distain for the author's use of modern-day teen vernacular in this biography of Cleopatra. I was a bit (just a little bit) put off by the slangy language at first. But I got over it quick -- it's good the try a new approach to hooking young people. It's a refreshing history of Egypt's last pharoah. Shecter also challenges the reader to critically consider the source of historical information. She points out that the common western image of Cleopatra--passed down from the her Roman enemies--makes her to have been a conniving temptress. Yet, medieval Arabic writings protrayed her as a "virtuous scholar." Arab scholars claim she read widely, spoke several languages, and wrote books (or scrolls, I should say) on math, alchemy and medine. A graphically interesting book that's beautifully laid out. Extensive chapter endnotes, bibliography, source notes, glossary, and index (yeah! let's hear it for indices!)

[Uma 706 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really good! I loved how easy it was to read and understand. One thing that was kinda ironic about the book is that it's called the amazing life of the original TEEN QUEEN. and throughout the book, the author makes metaphors out of things that teenagers like/do these days. like texting, social media, etc.
here are a couple quotes from the book.

"Young Cleopatra had a good reason for being so serious-several reasons, actually: her ambitious brothers and sisters. Life with them was like living with a nest of squirming, hissing reality-show stars- you never knew when one might strike."
"she may have been Queen of the Nile, but Cleopatra was no queen of denial."
"instead of holding Antony accountable for his actions, Octavian blamed Cleopatra for everything. This way, he would not appear to attack a fellow Roman in a mad grab for power, though that was exactly what he had done."

[Elizabeth O · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Matt loves to tease me about my reading level when I bring home books like this from the library. Totally worth the abuse ;) It was full of truly horrid metaphors --- "by the time Cleopatra came along, Egypt was sliding down the tubes faster than a greased-up preschooler on a Slip 'n Slide" but it's perfect for the amount of information I'm looking for. I've been reading and listening (podcasts) about Roman history lately, and, after watching the HBO series 'Rome' this really helped me solidify the dates and relationships of key players.
Often portrayed as a manipulative vixen (after all, the writers of history have long-been men), Cleopatra was a brilliant ruler who was well-liked by those throughout her kingdom. Her downfall was aided monumentally by the propaganda Octavian was able to spread to the Roman people.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

See my review in Kirkus.

[Cris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Shecter aims at a light-hearted accessible tone to provide an exploration of Cleopatra that's less influenced by Roman propaganda. Shecter directly addresses commonly repeated accusations about Cleopatra--explaining how specific Romans would have benefited from the accusations.

Personally, I found the writing to be very irritating. The sheer number of puns and casual phrases seemed forced and ridiculous rather than amusing. For example, when describing a time when Cleopatra's father was forced out of Egypt Shecter writes, "they chased him out of Alexandria faster than a band of crazed shoppers at a half-off sale." Shecter also describes Cleopatra's siblings as "like living with a nest of squirming, hissing reality-show stars-you never knew when one might strike."

The actual information was moderately interesting and it was nice to see Cleopatra presented in a more balanced form--including information from other other cultures such as the works of medieval Arab scholars who deciphered hieroglyphics hundreds of years before Western Europeans.

[Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though this biography is geared for a teenage and pre-teen audience, I think the tone was still too cutesy and dumbed down. Maybe I'm wrong and it will help those readers find the material more relatable - but it could just as easily put them off by feeling condescended too - and it will most likely feel dated very quickly.

Still, I LOVED how the book acknowledges that most of the source material is biased and works hard to get at the facts buried underneath the propaganda. Even better, Shecter outright asks "does it even matter if Cleopatra was beautiful?" rather than debating IF she was or what she did look like, pointing out that no one cares if powerful men were beautiful or not.

Great content, but the trying to be funny and hip was annoying.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good. I expected it to be longer then it was but it was nonetheless pretty good. Perfect for Young readers to be introduced to Cleopatra and ancient Egypt. Also works to debunk many myths and conflicting interpretations we have about her. Good if you want to be introduced to her history or are just looking for a quick and entertaining read.

[Chelsea Merkley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The audiobook reads as a very punny informational short story. Often with cringe-worthy dad puns for chapter titles and chapter content.
I think 11-14 year olds might like it. I thought it was informational, punny, and silly. A short listen.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

My teens love to checkout this biography. It was a little difficult for me to read because it is written specifically for a younger audience (ie it read like a tween would talk)

[Sandy Carmichael · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a YA version of Cleopatra's life. I learned a lot I did not previously know about this famous queen.

[RainBoW · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short version of Cleopatra history. The audio was easy to listen and humorous at times.
A great first introduction to the history of the Egyptian queen.

[Marta E.s. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cleopatra is usually viewed as a gorgeous, evil, snake addicted, dripping with jewels woman who was power hungry and wanted to rule the world. In reality none of these traits describe her. All of her actions as a queen were to keep Egypt an unified independent country. Her brothers and sister were all greedy and wanted the throne to themselves. Cleopatra’s family was actually Greek for they descended from the Greek conquerors that conquered Egypt. For a long time Egyptian rulers spoke Greek and not the national language. Cleopatra and Caesar became allies until he got killed for treason against his country. When Cleopatra’s father died, she and her small brother took the throne for his father was hoping that they would marry and rule Egypt peacefully. Instead she didn’t want to marry him, but he wanted his power. His advisors and small sister helped him plan ways to get rid of her.They made citizens pay high taxes to pay back the Romans for their jobs. Before Ceasar had died, he helped Cleopatra take down her brother and sister. While trying to escape her brother jumped in the nile, but frowned, and her sister got captured and arrested. She then was the only queen left, thus being proclaimed the queen of Egypt. She took Caesar to a cruise in the land to show off the beautiful lands she owned. They had a baby who she called Caesarion, meaning Little Caesar. Caesar took her to Rome where he gave her a luxurious villa. The Romans were outraged at such an image and went against him killing him in a senate meeting. Cleopatra was obliged to escape and go back to Egypt. Caesar’s nephew was proclaimed the new king of Rome. One day Antony came to ask Cleopatra for help by demanding her to meet him. Instead she told him to come dine with her in her boat. She helped him for a long time while his enemy, Octavian, trash talked him so he would lose all of the support Antony has and instead be the ruler of Rome. She asked for land in exchange for her help to Antony. Octavian, making a “truce” with Antony gave him his sister to marry, which, to not offend him, he married. When Octavian was trying to conquer land, he made a promise to Antony saying that if he gave him ships, he would give him 20000 men. Antony kept his promise, but Octavian never gave him his men. Cleo`patra kept helping him, but in exchange of a ceremonial marriage and more land. Once Antony conquered Armenia, he celebrated a war victory, called triumph in Alexandria instead of Rome, infuriating the Romans who he had take the party out of the city. Octavian declared war on Cleopatra who instead of going in the offense, decide to go in the defense. She barely made it out alive at Actium, but kept on going. She had a plan to escape which was destroyed when her boats were lit on fire. When Cleopatra knew that she had no troops and no other means to escape she asked for her children to be kept alive. Instead, Octavian sent her a note saying that he would save her life and that of her children if he betrayed Antony and killed him, but she proved her loyalty to Antony and refused the offer.Cleopatra hid in her mausoleum which she reinforced to keep Octavian’s troops away. Two of her servants were kept in with her. When one of her servants told Antony that Cleopatra had died, he took a sword and put in in his stomach, not realizing that the news were not true. A servant came rushing in the f¡room shouting that the news were not real. He asked for his last wish before he dies be that he could get to see Cleopatra for the last time. They took him were Cleopatra was hiding and he died in her arms. Cleopatra was found and captured by Octavian’s troops. She asked to go pray in Antony’s tomb, but when she had finished the sacred ritual, a farmer brought an Egyptian Cobra. Before doing so she sent a letter to Octavian with her only request, to be buried next to Antony. Realizing that she was going to suicide, he went quickly to where she was, only to find her dead body. Octavian lived for 44 more years than her, manipulating the truth about Cleopatra and Antony.

Before reading about Cleopatra, I thought that she was a cruel ruler who wanted to rule the world. I wanted to know why she was like that and how she treated her people and kingdom. after reading this biography I knew that all that I knew about her was false and that her image was manipulated throughout the years. This book is a biography for it talks about the life of Cleopatra, her goals and accomplishments throughout her life. She became famous for being a good queen and for gaining land for Egypt. She was viewed as the goddess Isis and was loved, even after her death.

I would recommend this book to Middle Schoolers, especially if they are learning about Ancient Egypt. I would especially recommend this book to those who want to learn more about Cleopatra or think that they know how she really was. I would also recommend this book to teachers who are teaching about Ancient Egypt and/or Cleopatra. This is an informative as well as an entertaining book to read for both academical and personal purposes.

[JalapenoSoup · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the book that kickstarted my love of Cleopatra many years ago, picked up on whim at the local library. Was Cleopatra whip-smart, driven by a vision for her country and her people, and a captivating personality? Yes! Was she beautiful? Probably not really! (It was her knowledge and intelligence that reportedly made her so captivating.) Did she kill several of her siblings who threatened her rule? Okay, yeah, so she’s not a PERFECT role model…
If I had been introduced to this book as an adult, I probably wouldn't have liked it so much. Rereading it now, the casual, gossipy tone is distracting and a bit off-putting. But teenage Me thought it was the cat's pajamas. So yes, I would recommend this to teenage girls who want to read about ancient queens who kicked butt. However, if you're an adult interested in Ancient Egyptian history, perhaps look elsewhere.

[JoAnne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plot:
If you thought you knew Cleopatra, think again! Vicky Shecter takes us on a journey though the life of Cleopatra, with a great sense of humor and a simple relate ability to modern day life. We start the journey when Cleopatra is a teenager and her father is Pharaoh Ptolemy XII, a time of great unrest in Egypt. Then through her co-reign with her younger brother Ptolemy XIII where she had to consolidate as much power as she could with advisors who did not like her and Rome on her doorstep. Then though her relationship with Caesar where together they dethroned her brother Ptolemy XII, which was not a popular decision with the Egyptian people, and having her first child with Caesar named Caesarion. She then fended off a power grab for the throne from her younger sister Arsinoe. Next begins her second relationship with Mark Anthony and their two children, as well as all the power struggles between Egypt and Caesar’s heir and nephew Octavian, ruler of Rome. Lastly is the demise of Cleopatra last, pharaoh of Egypt. Despite the tragic ending of Cleopatra’s life and lineage she was an amazing Queen who cared for her people and children. She managed to hold off the invasion of the Roman Empire for many, many years, not an easy task.
Review:
If you want an accurate in depth look at Cleopatra’s life, based on primary and secondary research, and written in an interesting way look no further. There are many different versions of the life of Cleopatra as seen in the history books and pop culture though the years. Vicky Shecter has written a very upbeat history of Cleopatra in a fun, informative way, while addressing common modern stereotypes and possible inaccuracies and biases in the historic record.
I also really enjoyed all the extra information on the era itself, how the people lived, the language, religious aspects, and speculation as to what Cleopatra really looked like; and not only about Egypt but Rome as well. This book does not pull any punches considering it is aimed at children. It is very upfront about the intrigue, politics and adultery that occurred at the time.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was the puns and comparisons to life today. The story is littered with them, for instance Shecter compares Antony to “the kind of ‘good ol’ boy’ whose idea of fun was seeing how many soda cans he could crush against his head before passing out.” She also likened the horror in Romans when Antony gave land in Syria and Judea to Cleopatra, to Batman turning over the Batmobile’s keys to the Joker. All of her metaphors really help to put the history into perspective. It would be interesting to see a movie with a new modern take on the story, similar to what, “10 Things I Hate About You” did for “The Taming of the Shrew.”
One of my only complaints is the extra information will often interrupt the flow of Cleopatra’s story and you may lose you spot every once in a while; however, the extra information is really interesting so I did not mind too much.

[Emyers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! This history of Cleopatra is a reader friendly retelling through the author, Vicky Alvear Shecter's use of modern English. Shecter uses commonly known phrases and metaphors to illustrate and interest readers in Cleopatra's life. Shecter does a good job with explaining and analyzing the events that influenced Cleopatra's actions. Moreover, Shecter provides a good description of Cleopatra's life both before and during her reign. Interestingly enough, informative tidbits are included alongside Cleopatra's story. These tidbits include information on Egyptian cosmetics, Egyptian toys, and Mark Antony's different marriages. This book also does a great job explaining the relationship that Cleopatra had with both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. Both of these relationships were not simply love stories. I liked how Shecter explains what happened to Cleopatra's children after her death. This biography paints a portrait of a strong, intelligent, and loyal woman who fought endlessly for Egypt. Due to Shecter's references, I find this description of Cleopatra to be more truthful than the one given by Roman historians.

This is a great book for young adults to read when they are studying ancient history. The language used in the book will not bore teens. Hopefully, after reading this text, young adults will be interested in learning about more ancient history. This text provides teens with opportunities to discuss Cleopatra's life and actions. If the teens were in Cleopatra's place, how would they have acted in her stead? How would events have played out if Cleopatra was a man? Young adults could also compare and contrast Cleopatra with Roman women. Were there any Roman women that were similar to Cleopatra? Teens could also discuss how history is influenced by the victors. Like Cleopatra, are there any other ancient figures whose portrayal was influenced positively or negatively by the Romans? Also, young adults could discuss how Cleopatra is viewed during modern times.

[Marie F · Rating 3 out of 5]

Language is probably the biggest strike. It tries too hard to interject copious pop-slang and many either eyerollingly lame or groan worthy puns... I suppose this is an attempt to be more kid friendly but as it is aimed at *teens* I think it might miss that mark a bit. It comes across a bit like that over enthusiastic parent/counselor/teacher who tries to prove they are "with it" or fun, and "get you," by their overabundant (and often clumbsy) use of "teen speak" in an attempt to relate to you and build rapport/engage you with their message (only their awkwardness generally results in something else entirely).

As such, the language might work better for younger children but the comparisons made might be, at times, lost on them... which really makes it hard to figure out an audience (you could maybe split the difference and say 3rd-5th grade but that would have its snags as well--though I do suspect I will share it mine of that age). At any rate, if you can find the right balance reading level and age (one of not feeling condescended to nor distracted by mocking the author's very blatant attempts to make her text more popular--aka. either an obliviousness of youth or a mature tolerance of this type of communication), it is actually okay on content. I do strongly suspect more adults thinking it will appeal to teens will appreciate it than teens themselves do, but that's neither here nor there.

[Cindy Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cleopatra Rules! The Amazing Life of the Original Teen Queen by Vicky Alvear Shecter is sure to be a hit with anyone who is interested in learning more about the real story of Cleopatra, her life, and the times she lived in. This nonfiction book combines modern references with ancient facts while questioning the motives of the Roman historians who wrote much of what has come down through history of this most famous Queen of Egypt..

The book starts by asking readers three questions: Was the last queen of Egypt an evil, gorgeous woman dripping with jewels? A power-hungry temptress trying to rule the world? A pharaoh with a small snake problem? How about none of the above?

From there it goes into each phase of Cleopatra’s life, beginning when she was a child and going through her life with Julius Caesar and Marc Antony until her death. Each chapter is full of interesting facts that are illustrated with photos of ancient artwork, maps, drawings and more. The chapters are short and read quickly, but they are chock-full of information.

The tone is fun and irreverent throughout, but there’s no doubt the facts are accurate. To back up her text, Shecter has extensive endnotes on each chapter, a timeline of events, a glossary, and a bibliography of sources. Cleopatra Rules! should be a great way to bring history to life for middle-grade readers.

[Kari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shecter, V.A. (2010). Cleopatra rules!: The amazing life of the original teen queen. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press.

*2011 Society of School Librarians International Honor

Informational

Age range:11-14, Grades: 6-9

When I think of Cleopatra, I picture Elizabeth Taylor playing a gorgeous queen who had men wrapped around her finger. Other than that, I did not know anything about the "real" Cleopatra. This modern biography uses slang and vernacular language that young teens can relate to and understand. Besides being beautiful, Cleopatra was young, intelligent, well-read, and a powerful politician who cared about her country and her people. Due to some strong relationships and agreements with some influential men of that time, she was able to keep Rome from overtaking Egypt for 20 years. I think this book would be great for girls. It is a history lesson, soap opera, and reality show all rolled into one. Students could write, design, and create a play depicting important scenes in her life. Character analysis, conflict, plot, and even world geography would be great topics explored using this book. Because of this book, I am more knowledgeable about who Cleopatra was as a woman, mother, and ruler.

[TeenRA Resource Teens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Catherine's Response:
This was a fascinating read. I appreciated the different take on a figure in history that is so often vilified. I also loved all of the insets that offered random facts about Egyptian culture and history. Shecter’s writing style offers an alternative to the often dry history books that are largely available but her constant pop culture references get to be a bit much at times. That being said, I do think young people will appreciate the way she makes this ancient culture so relatable. The chapter endnotes and bibliography are useful resources for someone wanting a deeper study of the life of Cleopatra but this book offers a great introduction.

Quick Pitch:
You’ve probably heard of Cleopatra, last Pharaoh of Egypt, the evil seductress who ruined two of Rome’s most powerful leaders, brought her own country to ruin, and then committed suicide. She gets a bad rap. But did you know that Cleopatra was a scholar, brilliant strategist, and fluent in several languages or that her main goal was always to further the interests of Egypt? Cleopatra Rules! will give you a whole new perspective on the “original teen queen.”

[Glenda Peterman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of what we have learned about Cleopatra was written by the Romans, but they hated her! Based on new research, the fascinating life of the last queen of Egypt Cleopatra is presented in a new perspective. Cleopatra was a powerful woman who was just misunderstood. Written in contemporary language, this biography describes Cleopatra’s life, childhood through death, in relatable comparisons for young adults. At a young age, Cleopatra knew she wanted to be a ruler and was very strategic in gaining control. She took a lot of scrutiny for the men she loved. The Romans despised Cleopatra and blamed her for Julius Caesar and Marc Antony’s wrongdoings. However, Cleopatra was strong-willed and determined to rule her beloved country Egypt.

This is an entertaining biography that is cleverly written. It is an easy read and flows like a gossip magazine which young adults will enjoy. The photographs of the artifacts and artwork from this historical period are appealing and attractive while the factoid sidebars are informative and interesting. This book made history sound relatable and exciting. I would definitely recommend this book to showcase a woman political figure.

[Maribel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book offers a portrayal of Cleopatra written for kids, since a different point of view. As it is mentioned in the introduction of the book “…for the first time, modern scholars and historians are looking at events from the queen’s point of view.” It gives us the image of a capable and powerful ruler. Ascending to the throne at the age of 17, Cleopatra used all her charisma and intelligence to keep her in power and in control of her kingdom. Till now the image we used to have of her it was the one as a seductress of men as Caesar and Antony, instead of the great politician that realizes the importance of administering and managing the eastern provinces in order to make herself indispensable to Rome. The book also describes life in Ancient Egypt and the Ptolemaic Dynasty.

It is written for teenager and use a very colloquial and humor tone very different to most history and biographical books for kids. The book has very accurate images of maps, art works and photographs of artifacts.

At the end of the book can be founded chapter end notes, timeline, glossary, bibliography (with primary and secondary sources), picture sources and index very helpful for the students.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such an odd book! The hi/lo style - pop-culture metaphors, slang, irreverent references - is belied by uncompromising vocabulary. The brief chapters and copious sidebars frame historical narrative that FEELS oversimplified... but is fully backed up by endnotes and an extremely respectable bibliography.

As I skated through descriptions of Marc Antony as "a Roman redneck" and Julius Caesar as "a player," I found myself caught up, as always, in the fascinating story, the machinations of Caesar Augustus, speculations about the personalities involved. Vicky Shecter does a more-than-passable job examining Western preconceptions about Cleopatra and questioning those that can be traced back to the writings of Augustus, Plutarch, and Cicero.

What I wished for most, though, as I read through the facts and wondered about the motivations, was an old-fashioned Robert Graves-type novelization. I swear I know more about imperial Rome because of the I, Claudius trilogy than I ever learned in 8 semesters as a Classics minor.

[Cathy Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished reading Cleopatra Rules! and loved every minute of it. Since I studied Greek and Roman history, I knew the story from that perspective. But here, I found that Cleopatra was much more of a woman of substance than I'd believed, much less could have imagined.

So, yes, it's written for a young audience, and I'm sure kids eat this up (Vicky's style is very kid-friendly and oh, so funny), but honestly, I learned tons about Cleopatra, the world of Egpyt, and the political landscape of that time. It's a good read, no matter how old you are.

And don't let the kid-friendly style lead you to believe this is a lighweight read. Copious notes back up every chapter and Shecter's references are highly-regarded in their fields of study. Here's a good addition to any school library, but I suspect kids will read it not because they're doing a report on Cleopatra, but because Shecter writes a fascinating non-fiction book on the original teen queen!

[Amy Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cleopatra Rules! The Amazing Life of the Original Teen Queen by Vicky Alvear Shecter
I really enjoyed this book. I am probably a bit biased because I love that period in history and am fascinated by the Ancient Romans. Therefore I really enjoyed the subject matter but I also enjoyed the style and presentation. It is told in a very informal style that mixes pop culture and ancient history in a humorous way. The layout is a little text bookish - but I liked the asides. I felt like I was getting “extra” little stories, much like a feel while sightseeing and getting an interesting little story from a local passing by. I also liked that the author asked questions of the reader throughout the book. They encourage critical thinking and some of the questions would be great conversation starters .The book is well documented with a timeline and glossary at the end. I think kids interested in this period of history or Cleopatra in general will really enjoy this book. Recommended Grades 5-9.

[Angelina Justice · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had the potential to be great, but falls flat. The format in which facts and pictures were presented would have caught and kept the attention of all ages groups. But the writing tone made it hard to enjoy. It is supposed to be for teens but is written in a tone and style that is more appropriate for upper elementary. Yet the stereotypes and attempted humor are more suited for adults, making it a poor choice for that age group.

Here are some of the stereotypes that got me steamed:

Pg 56 "It kept evil away and protected them from bad luck, which is why most Egyptians rocked more bling than headliners at a rap concert."

Pg 57 "If Antony were alive today, he'd be the kind of "good ol' boy" whose idea of fun was seeing how many soda cans he could crush against his head before passing out."

While trying to illustrate an incident in which Cleopatra outwits Antony, the author finishes a segment with "She knew how to keep a man hooked, that's for sure." pg. 58

[Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love history, I minored in European (1900's), but even with that interest, it's not enough to get me through "serious texts". In more recent years, I've become more interested in learning about others cultures or time periods I hadn't previously studied. But I still can't get through "grown up" texts. I really like this one for giving what seems to be a clear view of this famous girl. I do agree with other reviewers on disliking some of the language, not so much the casual engaging vernacular, that is what helps me through it. It's the phrases, "like trying to take a cell phone away from a teenage girl", or "a gameboy away from a boy". Those kinds seem condescending. Maybe they aren't, I don't know. I'd have to ask a teenager. For the most part however, the writing fits in with the type used for children's and youth-oriented books, easy to read, paints a clear picture, exciting. I would keep something like this in mind if it would help my daughter's future studies.

[Carrie Titus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Annotation: Cleopatra Rules! is the biography of Cleopatra VII, the last of Egyptian pharaohs. This biography tells a story that is much different that the popular depictions of Cleopatra throughout Hollywood history.

Book Review: Did you know that Cleopatra was actually Greek? No? This is something you learn along with many other interesting details about Egypt’s last pharaoh and teen ruler. V. A. Shecter does a great job of giving us an upbeat and updated version of Cleopatra’s story. She tells the story chronologically and provides extra details in little excerpts throughout the book. We learn about Cleopatra’s life as well as Egyptian, Roman, and Greek society and history. You will have a great time learning about Cleopatra thanks to funny and current comparisons to modern day life.