Pepi and the Secret Names — Jill Paton Walsh

Prince Dhutmose has ordered a splendid tomb to be built for his final journey to the Land of the Dead. Pepi's father is to decorate it, but how can he paint the unimaginable: the terrible gods Horus the Hawk, Sebek the Crocodile, and Mertseger the Winged Cobra? Pepi knows he can help. Armed only with his quick wits and knowledge of secret names, the resourceful boy sets out into the wild to bring back real-life models for his father. This enthralling, magically illustrated story transports readers back in time to the mysterious world of ancient Egypt and a hieroglyphics key at the back of the book helps them decipher the secret names.