The Pharaoh's Secret

November 2, 2009
A spring break trip to Egypt becomes more intriguing when 14-year-old narrator Talibah discovers a mystery regarding Egypt's only female pharaoh, Hatshepsut, which turns out to involve Talibah's family. Not that she's initially thrilled about this turn of events: “My goal for this trip is to lie by the pool and get a great tan, not run errands for some Egyptian ghost, even if that ghost could be my mother,” Talibah quips (her mother died five years earlier). Talking sphinxes and gods, as well as time travel back to Egypt's 18th dynasty set Moss's (the Amelia's Notebook series) thriller in the realm of fantasy, as Talibah attempts to solve the mystery and put souls to rest. The villain, in the guise of a family friend and tour guide, is largely one-dimensional, though Moss fills the Egyptian setting with evocative imagery. The family dynamics between Talibah, her younger brother and her grieving scholarly father prove to be one of the most compelling aspects of the story. Talibah's b&w sketches support the narrative with pen-and-ink images of obelisks, hieroglyphics, maps and family trees. Ages 9–13.

November 1, 2009
Gr 5-8-From the moment they arrive in Cairo, 14-year-old Talibah and her 10-year-old brother, Adom, feel connected to the land of their Egyptian ancestors and are swept up in an ancient mystery involving the disappearance of the pharaoh Hatshepsut's chief architect, Senenmut. Talibah even hears a voice saying "Find him!" But is it the voice of the ancient queen or the voice of her mother, who died mysteriously five years earlier? With a sinister "old family friend," they travel to Luxor and explore tombs and temples. Talibah receives a variety of messages, and her brother buys her an antique bracelet with magically protective powers. Talibah's sketches are includedpictures of carvings, tomb paintings, and hieroglyphs. Moss has a good sense for what might interest middle school readers about Egyptian culture, and her protagonists are believable. Their improbable adventure will leave readers with the feeling they have toured the Valley of Kings themselves, with an able and patient guide."Kathleen Isaacs, Children's Literature Specialist, Pasadena, MD"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2010
Talibah finds Cairo disappointing--until she and her brother visit an archaeological site. There they uncover a scheme to expunge female pharaoh Hatshepsut from Egyptian history. Though the writing is occasionally clunky with historical exposition, the story pays consummate attention to detail and plotting. Occasional sketches of sites and artifacts are included throughout. An author's note helps sort fact from fiction.

(Copyright 2010 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)