Award-winning Australian comedian Andrew Hansen, best known for The Chaser, has teamed up with his wife, designer Jessica Roberts, to create their very first children’s book series.
When Bab first meets the Animal Mummies, they’ve just found their long lost magical artefact, the Pharaoh’s Beard. To their amazement, the Beard fuses itself to Bab’s chin, ‘choosing’ him as the Animal Mummies’ new Pharaoh on account of his great cleverness. Wearing the Beard allows Bab to visit Mumphis, the magical city of the Animal Mummies which is otherwise invisible to humans.
Plus the Beard’s pretty cool and can turn into different shapes on Bab’s command. You want a wheelbarrow-shaped Beard? You got it, Mr Pharaoh.
But it isn’t all beardy good times in Mumphis. The previous owner of the Pharaoh’s Beard was the Unpharaoh, a ruthless queen. Nowadays she’s fortunately dead, and therefore trapped in the Afterworld. But her scheming servant, Cainus the Jackal, manages to steal the Beard from Bab and the Animal Mummies after dressing up in a slightly embarrassing disguise. Cainus uses the Beard to mix a magic frappe that resurrects the Unpharaoh, who returns from the Afterworld and seizes control of Mumphis once more.
Bab and his new Animal Mummy friends must use their unique skills (and overcome their general lack of coordination) to defeat Cainus and banish the Unpharaoh back to the Afterworld. Can they do it?
About the Author
Andrew Hansen is a comedian, actor and musician, best known as a member of Australian comedy group The Chaser, whose TV shows include Media Circus, The Hamster Wheel, The Chaser’s War On Everything and CNNNN. Andrew’s radio work includes shows on Triple M as well as composing and starring in the musical comedy series and album The Blow Parade. On stage, Andrew composed and starred in the musical Dead Caesar, the play Neville’s Island, did two national tours with The Chaser and two national tours of two-hander comedy shows with Chris Taylor. In print, he wrote for the humorous fortnightly newspaper The Chaser, eleven Chaser Annuals and The Chaser Quarterly. He has contributed short stories to Best Australian Comedy Writing and Journey Through Humour>. His debut children’s book, Bab Sharkey and the Animal Mummies: The Weird Beard, will be released in April 2018 by Walker Books Australia.
About the Illustrator
Jessica Roberts writes, draws and films stories. She has a Bachelor of Visual Arts and Design, and a Foundation Diploma in film studies. Originally from Kyneton, Victoria, Jessica grew up surrounded by an odd collection of pets including dogs, quails, chickens, sheep, goats, rabbits and a donkey. Her stories often involve animals and she uses her childhood memories of growing up in the country as a bank of ideas for storytelling. She’s now a city slicker living in Sydney. A trip to Egypt in 2009 inspired the idea for her first book, Bab Sharkey and The Animal Mummies: The Weird Beard, to be released in April 2018 by Walker Books Australia.
Industry Reviews
It is impossible to not laugh at Bab and his new animal mummy friends! * Pages and Pages *
There are titbits of ancient history scattered along the way, but the focus is on the weird fun and adventure. Young fart-joke fans will love it. * Books+Publishing *
Featured - Interview * Funday Telegraph *
This new series is a hysterically funny adventure set in Ancient Egypt. It is impossible to not laugh at Bab and his new animal mummy friends! * Pages and Pages *
It's safe to say that Andrew Hansen and Jessica Roberts have delivered on an adventure that will stick with you for a long time. * Booktopia *
Very funny in a clever way with excellent pen and ink illustrations from Jessica Roberts. * Bob's Books *
It's just a whole of fun! * Kids' Book Review *
