Briefly Noted

The City of Rainbows

Karen Foster (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Museum, 1999) 28 pp., $6.95 Ages 7–11

This ancient Sumerian tale about wise and wicked kings, canny sorcerers and a cuneiform tablet is faithfully retold and illustrated with paper-cut drawings reminiscent of seal impressions. Most children will be amused by the king of Aratta’s arrogant dismissal of people and cultures unfamiliar with the Sumerians’ proud new invention—writing. But beware: The tale has numerous characters with difficult names and a bewildering number of plot twists.

The Tomb of the Boy King