The Alabaster Jar (Ancient Elements) (Volume 2)

By Marie Sontag

Description:

"The Alabaster Jar," volume two of the Ancient Elements series, follows Samsuluna (Sam) from Ancient Babylonia to Egypt with his adopted family where he learns more about the healing arts. The pressures of a foreign culture and Sam’s quest to solve a tomb raiding mystery threaten to tear his new family apart.

Book Takeaway:

The choices we make when confronted with opportunities to act out of self-interest or self-sacrifice reveal who we truly are and want to become.

Why the author wrote this book:

Volume one of The Ancient Elements Series, "The Bronze Dagger", follows the thirteen-year-old characters of Sam and Amata from a small town in ancient Mesopotamia to the capital in Babylonia where their father becomes a physician in the court of King Hammurabi. By the end of the book, Sam and Amata's father receives an invitation to study medicine in Egypt, opening the way for their adventures to continue in a new culture. These adventures unfold in book two of the series, "The Alabaster Jar". As a teacher and an author, I long to bring history to life. "The Alabaster Jar" provides students with an introduction to the Egyptian culture while wrapping it in mystery and adventure as the characters learn about the challenges of acting out of self-interest or self-sacrifice.