‘A fantastical mix of history and fantasy. A GOLD medal winner and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 29
Stats
Editing: 10/10
Style: 10/10
Content: 10/10
Covers: 9/10
Of the 29 readers:
29 would read another book by this author.
27 thought the cover was good or excellent.
14 thought the plot was the best part of the book.
29 loved the ending.
19 felt the writing style was excellent: easy to follow and very funny.

Readers’ Comments
‘This book was fab! I liked that it was interesting, factual and fun too. The characters were cool and I loved the ending.’ Boy, aged 12
‘I read this book with my class of 11-12 yr olds and they loved it. They liked the historical aspect and it was a good ‘jump off’ for studying Egypt and myths and legends. The author has a very lucid writing style which kept the children enthralled till the end. Highly recommended for this age group and even older.’ Primary school teacher, aged 55
‘The best part of this book was all the mystery. Not all of it was answered so I will be hunting out the next to find out more. This is the best book I have read since Harry Potter.’ Girl, aged 13
‘I love T.C. She’s very cool, particularly her gift. The plot was amazing – even funny in parts – and I’m very glad I read it.’ Boy, aged 12
‘Exciting book with a bit of history too. My mum was pleased when I told her about it. At last, a book I like AND my mum too!!!’ Boy, aged 12

My British dad loved ancient Egypt. So infused with his enthusiasm, I have visited extensive exhibits at the British Museum and Highclere Castle. I also remember waiting in a long, long line to see the King Tut exhibition in Chicago. I'm hooked on Egypt so Ms. Scott's novel, Hieroglyph reeled me in. I loved it. She is indeed as star-touched as her protagonist, T.C. I love Scott's writing style. She is so skillful at describing her characters or her settings with just the right image. For instance, listen how she describes a simple protein shake as "green gloop that smelled like radio-active spinach with the consistency of pulped slugs." I believe that YA writers should not write down to kids so I really appreciate her craft and high-level imagery.
We are on a two-fold parallel journey with 13-year-old T.C. and her archaeologist Uncle Max. T.C. with her touch takes us back to an ancient Egyptian voyage to foreign Australian shores. In a frightful, beautifully related storm, the Egyptians go ashore, seeking riches. It is an
amusing trip upriver as we see familiar plants, trees and animals through their eyes for the first time. Koalas, kangaroos, and snakes. Oh my!
But mysteries abound. Who was T.C's orphan mother? Are her parents, also archaeologists really dead? And, of course, what does T.C. stand for? (My aunt had a cat named T.C. which stood for Troublesome Cat. Does that work?) Peppered with music on teen earbuds, engaging illustrations by John Helle-Nielsen, and royal cartouches and scarab beetles, Hieroglyph, I hope, is the first of many stories to be told by W. J. Scott. I want to know more about Aunt Letty, the environmentalist and Jett, the rebel. Lots to excavate!

An enchanting, multi layered novel, Hieroglyph is the new YA Fantasy release from Wendy Scott and it’s sure to grab your attention as she weaves her words with a magical touch, instilling each page with a compelling sense of adventure.  Yes, time travel is a popular theme in fantasy, but quite often it’s made overly complex and it’s refreshing to see Scott abandon staid genre tropes in favour of something more original which rises above the run of the mill teen offering. Clearly, she’s invested much by way of research to bring past and present together and whilst she sometimes stretches credibility to the limit, the result is a coherent and intriguing narrative which quickly raggers the imagination. There’s timely exposition which brings the mysteries of ancient Egypt to life whilst her young protagonist TC is confidently developed as a lead character and certainly strong enough to carry a gripping series. These alone are reasons to turn the pages, but what ultimately prevails is an innate sense of familiarity as Scott plays to our innate need for answers.
  An entertaining and highly satisfying read, if Hieroglyph is your first novel from Scott, prepare to be hooked. Definitely deserving of a place on your bookshelf, it is highly recommended.