What It Was Like to Be …

Largely forgotten for centuries, the ancient Maya were incredible. Their cities across Central and South America featured astonishing pyramids and palaces, while they were also successful farmers and highly creative artists. The Maya were the first people in the Americas to learn how to read and write, and they invented things like rubber, chocolate and chewing gum. They had a deep understanding of astronomy, mathematics and timekeeping, though they also had some horrible, bloodthirsty traditions such as making human sacrifices. Find out what life as an Ancient Maya was actually like while also investigating why this mysterious civilisation was close to dying out when the region was conquered by Spanish conquistadors in the sixteenth century.

From sacred cats to the invention of toothpaste, Blue Peter Award winning author David Long takes readers on an intriguing investigation into the ancient Egyptian civilisation. The incredible civilisation of ancient Egypt lasted for 3,000 years. Ruled over by pharaohs, the Egyptians developed agricultural skills and trading partnerships that enabled them to build a rich and powerful nation centred on the Nile. Far more advanced than any European coutnries at the time, the Egyptians achieved incredible feats of building, created a new way of writing, and revolutionised farming. Find out what life as an ancient Egyptian was actually like, both for pharaohs and ordinary people, in this fascinating new exploration by award-winning author David Long. Particularly suitable for readers aged 9+ with a reading age of 8.

Blue Peter Award winning author David Long takes readers on a captivating exploration into the culture and legacy of ancient Greek civilisation. Around 3,000 years ago, the ancient Greeks created one of the world's most advanced civilisations. While most worked as farmers and fishermen to feed their families, others studied hard to become brilliant astronomers, navigators, philosophers, artists and athletes. Then, under the rule of Alexander the Great, their language, art and ideas spread through an enormous empire that stretched from Egypt to India. From the myths and legends of the gods atop Mount Olympus to the origin of marathon races, find out what life was really like in Ancient Greece in this fascinating new exploration from award-winning writer David Long.