The Cat of Bubastes (Review Crew)

Today I'm sharing our review of  The Cat of Bubastes by Heirloom Audio Productions.   Let me just say this is by far our favorite vendor to review for!   We love these audio dramas!   This audio drama differs just a bit from the other Heirloom Audio Productions, only in the sense that due to the topic and time frame, there aren't as many griping battle scenes to leave you breathless.   That does not mean this is a dull story, quite the opposite!  You'll find yourself cheering for Amuba, Chebron and Jethro as they form friendships that tie them together for life.

The Cat of Bubastes takes place during the captivity of Israel in ancient Egypt.   The listener is given insight into the varying religious beliefs of the time, within the context of the story.   For example, when a young girl is attacked by a crocodile, and rescued by the main characters (Amuba, Chebron and Jethro) you learn of the religious beliefs concerning the crocodile.   As Chebron's father walks out his Egyptian priesthood, you start to get glimpses that he isn't in complete agreement with the Egyptian religious beliefs of the day.   Interesting tidbits concerning daily life, rituals and embalming practices help give a deeper understanding to the time period.   You'll also get a brief glimpse at Moses as a young man, still living as an Egyptian.

The accompanying (digital) study guide is a wonderful way to delve deeper into the history, character and vocabulary that are part of this production.   There are three components to the study guide.   The "Listening Well" portion asks questions to see how well the listener has paid attention, and retained information.  Answers to the questions can easily be found by listening to the audio drama again.   The "Thinking Further" questions require more thought, critical thinking, a little theorizing and some research to answer.   Lastly the "Defining Words" section gives listeners an opportunity to increase their vocabulary.    At the beginning of the study guide you'll find biographies of author G.A. Henty, and Moses.  There are also a few extras like recipes, maps and games sprinkled throughout the study.

One thing that I find especially handy is that the study guide is broken up by disc, track and time.   This allows you to quickly go to the section of the CD that is being studied.  If students are having a hard time remembering information, you can quickly look at the study guide and then use your CD player to pop over to the correct spot.   This alleviates the dreaded play, fast forward, rewind loop that can be ever so maddening when searching for something on CD. 

At the end of the study guide is a reading list for those who want to continue in their study of ancient Egypt.   There are also three short Bible studies that the student and/or the family can work through to enhance the message behind the storyline.

In addition to the study guide download, you also receive access to these online extras when you purchase the audio drama:  MP3 Soundtrack, MP3 Story Set, E-book download, printable cast poster, behind the scenes video, inspirational verse poster and a subscription to the "Live the Adventure" newsletter.

To read other Review Crew member reviews of this product, click here.