The Weird Beard by Andrew Hansen and Jessica Roberts

Bab Sharkey and the Animal Mummies. Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 978176060650001
(Age: 8-12) This is a crazy, fun story about a boy called Bab Sharkey who becomes the new Pharaoh of the lost city of Animal Mummies, after a magical Pharaoh's beard attaches itself to his chin. He becomes the ruler of a group of dead mummified creatures who may stink a little but become Bab's friends. They are happy to be ruled by the kind-hearted Babs as they have just endured the cruel Unpharaoh, who has passed into the afterlife forever. Or has she?
The author, Andrew Hansen, well known for his work on comedy shows such as The Chaser, incorporated lots of comical quips and comments in this first book of the series. Bab's sidekicks, the mummified Scaler and Prong have some great lines and their city Mumphis contains many other quirky characters.
Jessica Robert's illustrations perfectly complement the text. They are generously spread throughout the novel and add to the craziness of the book.
Jessica Roberts is married to Andrew Hansen and co-authored the book. They both were inspired by a trip to Egypt where they saw a multitude of mummified animals and were surprised to see a mummified fish and Ibis, which are the two main characters of Scaler and Prong.
This book is a mixture of comedy and fantasy and would be enjoyed by students aged 8-12 years old.
Below is a video clip of the two authors talking about their book.
Jane Moore