Life was tough in Old Testament times. People had to cross deserts on foot, grow food on parched land and deal with earthquakes, drought and disease. If you lived then, you might not have wanted to be a water hauler. That would have meant walking for miles with a heavy jar full of water on your head. A more pleasant job might have been that of perfumer, concocting sweet-smelling fragrances that your customers would use to mask the smell of unwashed bodies and to keep flies away. Other jobs include necromancer (only if you like communicating with the dead), date picker (but not if you're afraid of heights) or gold jewelry maker (people would think you were a magician!) A fact-filled introduction, timeline and index make this book perfect for research projects while the humorous illustrations and snappy text provide an entertaining read. Kids will look at history in a whole new way thanks to this unique approach.

 

This book was recognised in the Older Readers category by the Sydney Taylor Book Award.

There are 96 pages in this book. This book was published 2010 by Annick Press Ltd .

Laurie Coulter is the author of six books, including "Secrets in Stone: All About Maya Hieroglyphs. " She lives in Toronto. Martha Newbigging is a graphic designer, web designer, and children's book illustrator.