The Cat of Bubastes Audio Drama (Homeschool Review)

G.A. Henty’s novels are a favorite way for many homeschool families to learn history. These classics bring history to life through engaging stories set against a backdrop of wars and ancient civilizations. Over the past few years,  Heirloom Audio Productions  has converted several of Henty’s novels into high quality audio dramas, featuring well-known actors, vivid sound effects and musical scores. Their latest production is The Cat of Bubastes,  a story of ancient Egypt.

The Cat of Bubastes tells the story of a boy, Amuba, who is captured into slavery in Egypt.

The Cat of Bubastes  2-CD set ($29.97) includes three free bonuses:

• The 47 page The Cat of  Bubastes eStudy Guide and Discussion Starter for families who would like to expand the educational value of the story
• A printable poster featuring of 1 Chronicles, 17:20
• An MP3 download of  The Cat of Bubastes.

The audio drama is also available in sets of four (for sharing with friends or family) or as an MP3 download without CD’s.

The Cat of Bubastes follows the story of a boy named Amuba who is captured into slavery in Egypt, then purchased to be the slave and companion of a boy his age who is destined to become a priest. His adventures include exploring tombs, saving a girl from a crocodile, helping to cover up the accidental killing of a sacred cat, and subsequently fleeing for his life. Even Moses, the prince of Egypt, makes a “cameo” performance!

Although we have enjoyed all of the Heirloom Audio Production stories that we’ve listened to, Emily and I both agree that The Cat of Bubastes is our favorite. The plot seemed easier to follow than some other Henty stories featuring lengthy battle scenes where the storyline was carried by crashes and shouts rather than dialogue.  the storyline moved quickly, keeping us on the edge of our seats at times. It was certainly educational with the focus on Egyptian life and traditions, but families will choose to listen to it over and over just for fun. I would recommend this drama for all ages. Even younger elementary-aged children would enjoy the story, although there are some deaths of major characters that could be disturbing to sensitive children.

Study Guide:

The PDF study guide that accompanies the Cat of Bubastes audio drama provides parents of younger children with discussion material to help their children understand the story better. Alternatively, the guide can be used as written assignments for older children, expanding the story into a fuller study of Egypt.

The guide includes several components:

• Listening Well questions assess comprehension of the story.
• Thinking Further questions require the student to think about the events, culture, and principles in the story and  analyze them or to relate them to modern times.
• Defining Words include a list of the more difficult words in each section for students to look up.
• Expand Your Learning is my favorite section! These fascinating tidbits of information teach more about related concepts, from dung beetles to hieroglyphs to ancient Egyptian diet. Although we didn’t spend much time using the study guide for this audio drama, I had Emily read through these sections.
• Bible Study exercises are located a at the end of the guide and consist of lists of Biblical truths (“Throughout Scripture, God wage was against false gods and the demonic powers behind them.”) and several references to support each premise.
• The guide concludes with Historical Background Information about the story. These pages discuss early Egyptian civilization, the stories of their gods, and how their beliefs influenced their life practices.

The study guide is an excellent resource for families who want to expand the Cat of Bubastes into a fuller literature or unit study.

We have previously reviewed Heirloom Audio’s  With Lee in Virginia, In Freedom’s Cause, and The Dragon and the Raven, so visit these links to read about these exciting dramas or visit the Homeschool Review Crew blog to read more about The Cat of Bubastes.

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