Marian Broida Biography

Female. Religion: Jewish.

Addresses

Office—c/o Author Mail, Benchmark Books, 99 White Plains Rd., Tarrytown, NY 10591.

Career

Writer and speaker; former community college instructor; registered nurse and health educator; art instructor; former artist-in-residence at Seattle Children's Museum.

Member

American Research Center in Egypt.

Honors Awards

Sydney Taylor Book Award honor book selection, Association of Jewish Libraries, 2003, for Ancient Israelites and Their Neighbors: An Activity Guide.

Writings

Ancient Egyptians and Their Neighbors: An Activity Guide, illustrated by Corasue Nicholas, Chicago Review Press (Chicago, IL), 1999.

Ancient Israelites and Their Neighbors: An Activity Guide, Chicago Review Press (Chicago, IL), 2003.

New Hope for People with Depression, Prima Publishing (Roseville, CA), 2001.

"HANDS-ON HISTORY" SERIES

Projects about Plantation Life, Benchmark Books (New York, NY), 2004.

Projects about American Indians of the Southwest, Benchmark Books (New York, NY), 2004.

Projects about Colonial Life, Benchmark Books (New York, NY), 2004.

Projects about the Plains Indians, Benchmark Books (New York, NY), 2004.

Projects about Westward Expansion, Benchmark Books (New York, NY), 2004.

Sidelights

Marian Broida is the author of several activity books that help young readers learn about history. In Ancient Egyptians and Their Neighbors: An Activity Guide, she explores the daily life and culture of the Egyptians, Hittites, Nubians, and Mesopotamians. "The fascinating history of these people is presented in a lively text," wrote Booklist contributor Helen Rosenberg. Broida The activities and projects in Ancient Egyptians and Their Neighbors demonstrate that there is more to ancient cultures than mummies and pyramids. (Written by Marian Broida and illustrated by Corasue Nicholas.) also provides instructions for several related creative projects, including constructing a model of an Egyptian sailboat and a Mesopotamian royal headdress, using easy-to-find materials.

Broida looks at the Israelites, Philistines, and Phoenicians in Ancient Israelites and Their Neighbors: An Activity Guide. Just as she does in Ancient Egyptians in this work the author examines the architecture, clothing, food, religious beliefs, and language of the different groups. Kay Weisman, writing in Booklist, praised Broida's use of "archaelogical finds and written historical records" in her research, and Kliatt reviewer Jennifer Baldwin noted that the author portrays the "ancient cultures and their religions accurately." Ancient Israelites and Their Neighbors also includes directions for more than thirty projects and recipes.

In 2004 Broida introduced the "Hands-On History" series of activity books, which includes such titles as Projects about Colonial Life and Projects about American Indians of the Southwest. Each work in the series contains illustrations, maps, background information about the era, and craft ideas. School Library Journal reviewer Lynda Ritterman called the works "solid choices" for children interested in history.